Sassy Vixen Spotlight is on Vampire Erotic Romance Author @AlexAnthony80

Hello my fellow vixens! Welcome back to our Sassy Vixen Saturday Spotlight. We've been so busy around here with blog hops, starting up the review site and cracking the whip on Tammy, Lia, and new Vixen author Stephanie Ryan. All three hope to have books out over the next few months. We'll keep you posted. For now, help me welcome back to our comfy overstuffed interview couch, Alexandra Anthony.  She's here to talk about the latest book in her Vampire Destiny Series. Awakening (Vampire Destiny #3) came out two weeks ago and follows fated mates Stefan Lifsten and Josephine Anderson as they found out more about their connection and Josie's past. How about we dive right into the interview with a bit of background for those of you who haven't "met" Alexandra yet.

What inspires you to write, Alexandra?

What started off as a “hobby” has now turned into something I can’t imagine NOT doing.  Since I write about vampires, I like to take them and put my own twist on their limitations and strengths, exploring what they can and can’t do.  I don’t want to write yet another typical vampire story, so my quest to do that inspires me.

Do your stories tend to be character driven or plot driven?

In my current series, The Vampire Destiny Series, I would have to say it began very character driven.  The whole series started with an impatient male character that wanted his story to be told.  That demanding character became Stefan, my vampire hero.  The story is told from my heroine’s point of view.  Josephine (or Josie) is more than happy to give us an eye full of Stefan and since they share a telepathic bond, we get to hear his thoughts quite frequently.  As I wrote Awakening, it became apparent that the story has shifted and now is equally as plot driven now.  It has evolved as their story progresses.

In one or two sentences, give the core premise behind your story.

My heroine, Josephine Anderson considers herself to be an outcast and has resigned herself to being alone due to her psychic abilities.  Enter my hero, Stefan Lifsten.  He’s a millennia old vampire who had a vision of her over 200 years ago and has been on a quest to find her.  Fate (or destiny) collides when they meet. 

Can you share the blurb from Awakening (The Vampire Destiny Book 3) and maybe give us a little hint what we'll find in it?

After a harrowing attempt on her life, vampire hybrid Josephine Anderson and her gorgeous vampire mate, Stefan Lifsten return home to New York City. Unknown to her, they will be forced to face the Council regarding her brush with death and Stefan’s hand in the killing of the vampire that attacked her.

There’s more than meets the eye. Her continued changes reveal that there is much more to her relationship than she originally thought,  going much deeper than simply fate and destiny. Their passion and desire for one another increases, threatening to consume them both.

Time slowly ticks away as their Council date approaches. Long-buried evidence is uncovered that further complicates Josephine’s tenuous relationship with her vampire father  and will change vampire hierarchy forever.

There is a lot going on in Book 3.  We find out the fate of Josephine’s friend Anna and we find out even more about Josephine’s  past.  Let’s just say she’s more than what she expected, and there is more to Stefan and Josie than fate and destiny.

Tell us about the different types of characters you like to write about? Why are these types so appealing to you?

I like to add a wide cast of characters in my books.  My heroine, Josephine is not someone waiting for someone to rescue her.  In fact, she’s lived a pretty isolated life and struggles to relinquish and truly trust Stefan.  She has a tendency to act rashly at times and has a quick temper.  What I like about Josie is that she is growing as the story progresses.  She still lashes out, but she’s learning to trust Stefan and follow his lead.  We still need to work on her “foot in mouth syndrome" though! ;)

Stefan is a larger than life hero.  He’s strong, highly intelligent, stoic and charming. However, when he’s with Josie, he has no issue letting his guard down and showing his softer side.  
My secondary characters are there for a much needed dose of comic relief and help add to the plot.  Quite a few of the secondary characters have agendas of their own.  It’s going to become difficult for Josie and Stefan to know who to trust as the series continues.

Will these characters show up in other books in this series?  How many books to you anticipate will be in this series?

The core characters will be throughout the book (Josie, Stefan, Lukas, Anna  and Nikolaus).  We have quite a few new characters popping up that may not be what they seem and might be unlikely allies.
As for how many books I plan to have in the series, I at least can see this turning into 5-6 books.  As long as there is a story for Josie and Stefan, the series will continue.

In what ways are your heroine like you? In what ways are your heroine not like you?

I’ve written Josie to be like me as far as having a short temper  and being a tad outspoken.  I don’t have the same sort of trust issues Josie has throughout the books.  Once I decide on something, I’m all in.  I don’t second guess myself.

Besides reading and writing, what activities do you enjoy in your leisure time?

In addition to writing and reading, I also home school my daughter.  A lot of time is spent planning curriculums and planning outings.  I also love to read about various conspiracy theories.  It’s interesting to read how a series of events can be seen so many different ways. 

What are you working on now? What’s coming soon?

I’m working on two projects right now.  I’m writing Ascend (Book 4 in The Vampire Destiny Series). I’m also writing a new series, The Dark Hart Chronicles.  Imagine the world of vampires and rock ‘n roll colliding.  It’s quite the departure from The Vampire Destiny Series!

Oh I love the idea of vamps and rock and roll ever since I read Anne Rice's books. That Lestat loved being on stage! LOL  Where can we find you and your books, Alexandra?

Awakening (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 3) is now available in paperback, on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Website

Amazon Author Page Link

Awakening (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 3) Link

Awakening (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 3) B&N Link

Twitter

Pinterest

The Vampire Destiny Series Facebook Page

Alexandra Anthony Author Facebook Page

About the Author

Alexandra lives in the Midwest with her husband and daughter. She is currently writing the The Vampire Destiny Series in which Josephine Anderson, a psychic empath, meets the undead man of her dreams. She is also working on her newest series, The Dark Hart Chronicles. In this series, we meet Savannah Wood and up and coming rock star Nick Hart. 

#CandyCaneKink Prize Package Goes To...

Hello my sassy ones! I see that you've all been enjoying Doug's poetry in the last post. Thank you all for stopping by! This post is to announce the winner of the Candy Cane Kink Hop here at Sassy Vixen. The naughty prize package was awarded to a person who had multiple entries, but the winning one was for following this blog. Thank you for that! Extra bonus for The Vixen!

The winner is...Kerry F!

Look for an email from me today so we can set up delivery of your naughty prize.

Thank you all for participating in this fabulous hop and I look forward to the next one!

Brightest Blessings and Merry Yule to one and all,
~Tammy (aka The Vixen)

Sassy Vixen Spotlight Is On A New Poet

Hello my fellow vixens and poetry lovers! Today I'm excited to welcome to the Sassy Vixen Spotlight a personal friend of mine. I've known Doug Beindorf for almost 30 years. 

That's right. I said almost 30 years. I know. That's a hell of a long time, but would you believe that I didn't know he wrote poetry until a few years ago? Well, now that I do, I've been trying to get him to share some of it with more than just a few of us on Facebook.

Like me, he's been through a lot in his life and has used his poetry to help him sort through it all. Recently he agreed to start putting his poems in a collection to be published with us. He'll be one of the first authors outside of myself, Lia and Stephanie Ryan who are with Sassy Vixen. Until he's finalized the selection for the book, he chose a very special one to share with us here today. Call it a teaser if you will.

Doug's poetry tends to be very dark but full of raw passion and emotion that can only come from deep within. Without knowing the real life events that inspired the words, you can feel what it took to write them down. Trust me. Once you read this piece, you will want to read more.  For those of you who wish to contact Doug, you can do so through FACEBOOK. 

A CLOSE LOOK

I am He Who Rules the Night,

Spawn of Darkness with power and might.

All those who enter my deepest hell,

Of their tale no one to tell.

Horror - in the abstract.

Smear the truth. 

Distort what's fact.

This is my realm, all that I see.

Striding the helm of the ship called Insanity.

I have no conscience. 

My nature is cold.

Countless my minions 

And the souls that I hold.

Writhing masses decay in their cells.

Each living out their own personal hells.

For those who tempt fate, 

Take heed and take warning.

My vengeance is swift. 

You will not see morning.

None joke about me. 

They give me my room.

To incur my wrath is to secure your doom.

For I am He Who Walks the Night.

Spawn of Darkness with power and might.

And I am in each and every one

Of the pitiful mortals that live under the sun.

Who am I? 

You may want to know.

Just look in yourself 

And feel me grow.

by Doug Beindorf 

July 17, 2012 

 12:33pm 

#CandyCaneKink is Alive and Well at Sassy Vixen!

I'm excited to participate in another fabulous hop. This one is the Candy Cane Kink Erotic Giveaway Hop. Try saying that one fast! LOL

I've found all sorts of goodies to offer as my prize package this time around and you know they are all naughty...you are talking to The Vixen afterall! ;)


All you have to do is make a comment on this post and you automatically get an entry, but if you check out the Rafflecopter, you can get that entry and so many more.

Before we get to that part, let me remind you there are over 130 other authors/blogs participating in this hop over the week. That gives you plenty of time to visit each one and enter all of the contests and even find some new authors and books to add to your TBR lists. At the end of the post will be the linky list. Some of them you can return to each day and gain more entries, so make sure you visit and have fun.

So what is in this prize package of mine? Take a look at this picture.

This includes: A Santa Hat, Fifty Shade of Fucked Up coffee mug, a Candy Cane "massager" (wink wink), Naughty Knot bow to give yourself to your lover for opening later, fuzzy handcuffs, the whip and tickler and a packet of "For Her" gels and lotions.  Over all a great package for a few hot nights over the holiday.

I decided I wanted to share an excerpt that was originally in The Island (Now and Forever 2) but I cut it out in order to put it into the next book The Surrender of Julia (Now and Forever 3). If you've read my short story "A Christmas Miracle for Jake" that I posted last year during a Christmas hop, some of this will be familiar. 

Julia was rushed to the hospital once again by her then boyfriend Jacob Hartley. She has to stay overnight for "observation." I'd say she got more than that during her visit to the ER! Take a look. 

WARNING: ADULT EXCERPT!!!


“Julia, what on earth are we going to do with you?” Dr. Mario Carlos locked the door to the private hospital room and dimmed the lights. “You know how the nurses love to gossip. Eventually one of them will put two and two together and figure out you’ve been faking all of these so called accidents.”

“Who cares what those nosy bitches think.” She reached out and rubbed his already hard cock through his scrubs. “I need this pounding the hell out of my pussy right now.  So stop talking and start fucking.” Julia meant exactly what she said. She didn’t care what anyone else thought and tonight that included Jacob. At that moment, all she could think about was her lover’s glorious cock filling her to the brim. She thought of nothing all day except how she felt with his tongue darting in and out of her ass and pussy. Just the flick of his tongue over his own lips made her shiver with delight and soak her thong.

It was the very same thong the good doctor tore from her body seconds after lifting her up to sit on top of sink in her bathroom. Her fingers wound tight in his dark wavy hair as his mouth plundered hers, taking her breath away. She loved the power she had over this man. Any time, any place she wanted, he was always willing to oblige. Tonight was no exception. Of course he waited a good half hour after Jacob left her for the night, before he came back to her room. She was not amused by the delay and couldn’t care less if some other patients required his attention. It was their arrangement that whenever she showed up, he would drop whatever and whoever and come running. Now here he was, finally sheathing his dick with one of these ribbed condoms she demanded he wear whenever they fucked. Julia was still a bit miffed at him, but the feeling of his hands on her bare ass temporarily cleared her mind of all her complaints.

Mario spread her legs wider, lifting her off the sink as he buried his dick in her dripping cunt. Julia moaned and sighed as he slowly pulled out and plunged back in repeatedly. Even through it felt fantastic to finally have him fucking her, she wanted more. She wanted to be pounded until she was a quivering glob of jelly. He knew what she desired and yet continued the slow pace. “Stop teasing me and give me what I want. Now!” Julia pulled his mouth away from hers, but not before she bit down on his lower lip, nearly drawing blood.

“You’ll pay for that, bitch.”

* * * *

"Promise?”

He pulled out of her abruptly and spun her around leaving her hands momentarily braced against the sink. He kicked her legs apart and bent her over so that her swollen outer lips glistened at him. She shimmied and shook her hips, trying to entice him to enter her again, but he had other plans. He grabbed the liquid hand soap bottle and squeezed a large amount over the crack of her ass, slipping his fingers in and out of her, stretching her inner muscles to accommodate him. “I don’t make promises, sweetheart. I’m a man of action.” He slid the head of his cock into her ass, feeling her tighten around him and then stretch more. The sensation of her squeezing and releasing his entire member as he continued to glide in was almost more than he could take and nearly had him spilling his seed inside her ass. This time he wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of him exploding inside her. Not yet. He had other plans for his demanding lover.

“Oh, I love your kind of action, doctor.” Julia was beginning to pant and struggle to move against him. She tried to take control of their session as always, but this time he wasn’t going to allow it. Mario was tired of taking orders from her all the time. Just once, he wanted to be the one to call the shots. Tonight was going to be the first of many where Julia was going to learn she had to work for what she wanted from him. He wanted to hear her beg for a change. 

He reached around her and cupped both of her large full breasts in his hands, pinching her nipples roughly as he pulled her up against him. He kept his cock firmly embedded deep inside her ass, her anal muscles spasming out of control. Julia’s head fell back against his shoulder as he nibbled along her neck. “Please, Mario.”



“Please, what?” He kneaded her breasts and twisted her nipples even harder, eliciting a whimper from her now.

“Please. Fuck. Me. Fuck me until I scream.” Her breathing was coming faster now and her body trembled in his arms. He knew she was close to exploding. He smiled and bit down on her ear lobe, eliciting yet another primal moan from her. His cocked throbbed in response to every move and sound she made, especially when she talked dirty. 

“God, you know I love your filthy mouth.” Mario moved his hands to Julia’s hips, feeling her body shake under his fingertips. He dug his nails into her flesh pulling her back hard against his body, over and over. She grunted with each thrust inside of her, dancing on the tips of her toes keeping her ass in the position he wanted her in. Her cum coated her inner thighs and continued to spurt out of her. He pounded her harder thinking about burying his face between her thighs and lapping up every last drop of her cream. 

Julia quickly grabbed one of the wash clothes sitting on the sink and shoved it into her mouth barely stifling her screams of ecstasy. Finally, the always demanding diva was putty in his hands. He smiled at his reflection in the bathroom mirror and he continued to pump into her ass. Julia stifled one more scream just as he emptied his own hot cum deep inside her, filling the condom to near bursting. At last he was the one in control.

It was moments like this with her that he fantasized about nearly every waking moment. There was no way in hell Jacob Hartley gave her what he did. Why else would she arrange so many accidents to wind up back in his ER and in his care? Mario felt it was time to make his move and give her an ultimatum. She had to dump Hartley and go public with their relationship, or it was over. No woman had ever turned him down before, and that included just about every woman he’s worked with at the hospital. Why should this one be any different?

Well, what did you think? Leave a comment and make sure you get your entries in the Rafflecopter. Good luck!

~Tammy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#SaturdaySpotlight is on author Rose Anderson!

Hello vixens! I'm excited to welcome back to my blogs a friend and fellow author, Rose Anderson. Many of you may recall that Rose was one of the very first friends I made as a newly published author with Siren Bookstrand. She was also the sweetheart who turned me onto making my own video trailers. I've had nothing but fun ever since! 

While you all get settled in with your favorite beverage of the day, I'll go ahead and ask Rose to join us out here and tell us a bit more about herself.  Come on out Rose!

Thanks for having me today! I’d like to begin by saying how much I’ve enjoyed your questions. Interviews typically ask questions about things that aren’t exactly front and center in my mind, so it’s curious just where the answers come from. Simply put, sometimes we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we do! I always gain a smidge of insight and self-reflection. If anyone has questions or comments, please add them. I’ll be back throughout the day to reply.

What inspires you to write?
I’m an information hound with a healthy sense of childlike wonder. I believe those two elements are my overriding inspiration. Because I love to learn, I find all manner of interesting things to feed my imagination. Strange to say but a very true visual, if you’ve ever seen the Harry Potter movie where the evil Voldemort materializes out of inky ribbons of smoke, that’s sort of like what happens to me. Occasionally a thought will seize me and before I know it, a story forms around it.  If I’m lucky I’ll be sitting in front of my computer when it happens. I’ve learned to keep an idea book in my purse for emergencies. :) 


Do your stories tend to be character driven or plot driven? 
I can’t really say if character or plot holds the reins exclusively. I just start walking into the tale and keep writing until it tells me to wrap it up. In what can only a metaphysical sort of way, my characters come into being and manifest the world around them. Most times they write themselves and I just listen to how they want me to color in their world. Hmm… I’m either an eavesdropper or a voyeur! When the characters tell me their thoughts, I get a grasp on how they’ll interact with one another. Before you know it, stressors come in from the sidelines and they must react. (I find I enjoy being the giant that gives the snow globe a shake now and then). 


Do you listen to music while writing? What kinds of music work best for you? Do different types of music help you for different types of scenes?
To combat shyness, I got myself a two semester stint as a DJ back in college so I love just about all kinds of music. (Long story) My favorite anytime writing music would be Celtic instrumentals and American bluegrass. While working on my as yet unpublished series, I delved into the traditional music of Brittany. Great tunes there. Lately I’ve been into ambient music – that benign new-agey instrumental stuff. When writing The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo, I listened to Native American flute and drum music while composing my ancient Native American shaman’s flashbacks. It added a nice element to the creation process. 


Tell us about the different types of characters you like to write about? Why are these types so appealing to you? 
I really enjoy writing the anti-damsel-in-distress – women who accurately portray strong resilient women as we really are, and not the simpering I’d-rather-die than be without him females. Give me a Hermione over a Bella any day. The hero wants to share my heroine’s life because she’s intelligent, witty, and capable. Not because he has to rescue her butt at every turn. I think rescuing would get really old for the guy after a while. On the other side, my heroes know a good thing when they find it. My guys are confident and sharp, like they walk through their world knowing exactly who they are. Above everything else, they’re classy. When they find love, my hero and heroine come together as equals. 

Now for bad guys…I love writing evil, and not just evil for evil’s sake. All of my bad guys don’t believe they’re evil. They’re sociopaths by the very definition of the word, and are only interested in their personal needs and desires without concern for the effects of their goals and behavior on others. But the best thing is, as dark as they are they still have solid relatable personalities with very real human foibles. They’re the kind you love to hate. The kind you cheer when they get what’s coming to them. :)


In what ways are your characters like you? In what ways are your characters not like you?
You’d have to read that last paragraph! They’re all me. The difference is I don’t follow through on the bad guy stuff. Hmm…I wonder… :) Seriously, in my non-fiction world I’m uncomfortably shy. In print I’m not. I’ve never written a painfully shy woman or girl and I don’t think I ever will. In that respect, I live through my characters. 

What are the recurring core issues in your stories? Why do you think you are drawn to these types of characters/plots again and again?

Opposites as far as core issues go. I love writing the classic light vs. dark/ good vs. evil scenario with twists on a theme. Writing conflicts where right triumphs over wrong is the best thing about creating literary worlds. Authors have control over weighty issues and are able to change negative situations to positive outcomes. The real world doesn’t always allow for that. I get frustrated by things in life – environmental issues, political garbage, societal woes and ills. In my fictional worlds, where my god complex shines, I can virtually eliminate them. So I do!

I’m a very detail-oriented person so I love the challenge of making impossible concepts possible and implausible scenarios plausible, especially in conflicts between good and evil. In Hermes Online there wasn’t evil but there was darkness to overcome. In Dreamscape the impossible needed to be possible because what future can one have loving a ghost? In Loving Leonardo there’s prejudice vs. tolerance. In The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo there’s hopelessness vs. hope. You can’t have the good without the bad to contrast it with. You can’t have the light without darkness, because darkness makes you appreciate the light more. I think I’m drawn to writing the opposites because life needs balance.

Now to delve into the details of Rose The Reader. What are your favorite fiction genres to read from? 

I enjoy historical fiction and love historical romances with a time travel element where the hero or heroine is thrust into otherwise foreign scenarios and must adapt. And well-written historicals are wonderful when the author gives details: sights and smells, mores and attitudes, language and outlooks, clothing and accoutrements, etc. I enjoy that total brain immersion. I also enjoy mysteries.

What kinds of stories are your comfort reads when you are sick or feeling low?

Harry Potter from the first to the last. Do film adaptations of Jane Austen count?

I do believe they do, Rose but I'll have to check the comfort reads rule book on that one to be sure. ;)

Who is your favorite all time heroine? Why do they resonate so well with you?

I’d have to say it’s a toss-up between Jane Eyre and Claire from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. It’s that strong female I spoke of. They get dealt cards that would make a lesser person crumble, yet they play those cards with aplomb. 

Who is your favorite all time hero? Why do they resonate so well with you?

I have to say since reading Diana Gabaldon’s Jamie, he’s the hero that all others are compared with. She’s written her hero with such depth, and with full facets of humanity, she made him unforgettable. At least unforgettable to me. Then again, the fan sites dedicated to Diana Gabaldon’s characters say I’m not alone in that assessment. I’ve written a family of men with that kind of depth and will return to that story when I’ve finished my last erotic romance. One day I hope this family will move readers the same way Jamie Frasier moves me. 

Now let's switch gears again and talk about you personally. What inspires you and why?

Describing this is tricky. The inspiration can be something my mind has absorbed – a sight, scent, texture, sound, color, concept…everything has potential to set my gears in motion. I’m happy to say I emerged from the gene pool blessed with a measure of creativity. The muse whispering to my mind is constantly thinking up images for my hands give form to. That form could be tangible like a molded clay figure or a sketch, or as in the case of words I type out on my laptop, ephemeral. When the Muse finally releases me from her grasp, my mind can move on to the next thought, the next blob of clay, the next story waiting in the wings. I guess I’m a thought-creator with a gnawing drive to manifest some thought into reality. 

Besides reading and writing, what activities do you enjoy in your leisure time? 

Oh gosh where to start, I’m a dabbler from the word go. I regularly get involved in off the wall things. As I mentioned above, I’m a ravenous info hound and much of my leisure time is taken up by feeding that. As far as activities go, I’m a world drummer, that is, I drum with a group of friends using drums and rhythms from all over the world. We’re so in sync to where we inexplicably all stop at once without prompting, we toy with the idea of actually making Cd’s. I’m a master level Reiki practitioner, and an old style copper-rod dowser. I’m fascinated by philosophy and world religions, as well as by labyrinths and earth energies (goes with dowsing). I’m also a wilderness canoeist and there was a time I even got into spelunking (cave exploration). Reading these now, I’m afraid there are too many interests to list here without boring the heck out of people. Suffice to say, I like trying new things that test and stretch me as a person. I’ll try just about anyone once. :)

In one or two sentences, give the core premise behind your story.

Upon discovering the grave he’s sworn to watch over for all eternity has been destroyed, an immortal Native American shaman seeks to end his life. But fate steps in and he finds a new world filled with love and happiness, unaware that an old menace makes plans to steal it all away; exactly as he had 3000 years before.

When and where does your book take place?

In the state of Wisconsin in Midwestern USA.

Oh! the Midwest. You know how I love that part of the country.

How does the time and setting weave into the plot and persona of the characters?

Wisconsin was once covered in ancient Native American burial and effigy mounds. My husband and I took the Great Mound Tour (a self-guided driving tour) across the state and into Iowa, and I saw these effigies and burials for myself, what was left of them. Sadly most of them are gone now – just a handful remains of the 10,000 or so that were once there. Because I live nearby, the characters, manner of speech, and places mentioned in my story are typical to the area. 

Who is the heroine? 

Dr. Olivia “Livie” Rosalini. She’s a veterinarian.

What drives her?

A kind heart and her love of animals

Hmm...this is sounding a bit close to home. ;)

What is she running away from (literally or figuratively)?

Nothing really. 

What obstacles will she encounter in this story?

She runs over a wolfish-looking dog with her car one dark night, and doesn’t realize her patient is a 3000 year old shaman in his shape-shifted form.

LOL! Sorry to giggle about this but up until the shape-shifter part, you were starting to give me a sense of deja vu. Since I'm a veterinarian, who is from the Midwest (Michigan) and my hubby is a shaman. Hmmm...maybe I should watch the hubby a bit closer during the full moon? ;)

What draws her to the hero in this story? What gives her that push away from him?

There’s no real push away from him, but when she finally meets him as his human self, she’s drawn to his way with animals… and to something else I’m not at liberty to say. ;)

You are such a tease, Ms. Anderson!

What does she need to learn to make the happy ending possible?

It’s really more Ash’s story than Livie’s. He needs to learn to forgive himself and move on. 3000 years is a long time to hold grief in your heart.

What about her will make readers sympathetic to her?

This really concerns Ash again. Readers will watch him try to assimilate, and that takes a lot of effort. It’s not the Stone Age anymore.

Who is the hero? 

Ash, my 3000 year old shaman. 

What drives him?

His pure heart that stays true to his spiritual calling.

What is he running away from (literally or figuratively)? 

Ash feels responsible for his wife’s murder. This heavy pain spurred him to request an immortal life from the Sky Father that he might be able to watch over her burial mound for eternity.

What obstacles will he encounter in this story?

He’s watched his world disappear only to be replaced by another. He’s watched that new culture change into one with seemingly little regard for sacred things. When his wife’s burial mound is destroyed by the forces of modern progress, he seeks to end his life. It doesn’t quite go as planned. By necessity he tries to adapt to a new world vastly different from the old.

What draws him to the heroine in this story? What gives him that push away from her?

The fact that she tried so hard to help him struck a chord in his heart. He in turn finds renewed purpose helping her. No push away, though initially all he can think of is his failure and suicide. 

What does he need to learn to make the happy ending possible?

It’s more how can he keep his new love and friends safe from an old menace; the same man who murdered his family 3000 years before.

What makes this hero infuriating to the heroine, if anything?

Nothing. Livie thinks he’s odd but very nice.

What makes this hero hot and lovable?

Ash has a raw animalistic quality to him. You pick up a few things living in the bodies of animals for millennia. :)  

What about him will make readers sympathetic to him?
His pure and kind heart, and the fact he was wronged so completely when his wife and child were murdered. That set in motion eons of solitude.

Is the oppositional force in this story more external or internal or a little of both?

External. It comes in the form of Eluwilussit. 

Is there a villain? Who is he? What’s he like? Why is he/she the way they are? What motivates him/her to cause oppositional force to the characters? Without giving any spoilers, can you give a hint as to what sort of opposition he/she gives to the main characters?

Eluwilussit aka Eli White, himself an ancient shaman with an unusual shape-shifting ability, is an anything goes kind of guy – that is anything that can get him what he wants is okay, even if that means murder. He holds Ash responsible for things that he himself brought into being. Eli is a sociopath in the truest sense.

What is the theme at the heart of your story?

Sometimes letting go is necessary to moving on.

Amen to that!

What message do you hope readers take away from this story?  

That we are more than our skin and bones.

Will these characters show up in other books in this series?  How many books to you anticipate will be in this series?

It’s a two-part series involving all the same players and I have no plans to write more once the tale is told.

What are you working on now? What’s coming soon?

Loving Leonardo – The Quest. It’s the second part in a two-part story.

Here’s the blurb for book one. The same players finish their story.

Bound by limits dictated by society, Art Historian Nicolas Halstead lived a guarded life until a tempest in the form of Elenora Schwaab blew into his world. At first Nicolas can’t decide if the audacious American is simply mad or plotting blackmail for not only does she declare knowledge of his homosexuality, she offers him a marriage proposal.

After Ellie tells him of a previously unknown work of Leonardo da Vinci, a book of erotic love poems and sketches dedicated to the artist’s long-time lover Salai, Nicolas joins her in a race to save the book from destruction. Along the way they encounter Historian Luca Franco and discover a comfortable compatibility that comes to redefine their long-held notions of love. The trio embarks on an adventure of sensual discovery, intrigue, and danger. Little do they know Leonardo da Vinci’s book is far more than meets the eye.

The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo coming soon to paperback, and available now in Kindle on Amazon.com The Witchy Wolf and the Wendigo 

Any parting words for our visitors and fans?

Always remember...Love Awaits in Unexpected Places!

Now that's a perfect way to end this interview. Thank you once again for visiting with us, Rose. We look forward to you stopping in again when your next book is released, or if you just want to chat a bit!  For those of you who want to know more about Rose and her writings, here are the links to enter into her world. As always, keep reading and enjoy all that life has to offer!

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HotWinterNights with The Vixen and a Vegas Tycoon

So excited! It's the first day of the Hot Winter Nights Giveaway Hop where 67 fantastic authors are participating. Each is offering an individual giveaway as well as the opportunity for one lucky hopper to win the Grand Prize. It's over $100 in value and includes 11 ebooks and $60 in gift cards. Click HERE to see exactly what is in the Grand Prize.

My individual prize package is a bit on the naughty side...okay a lot on the naughty side! I'm giving away Position Sex Bible by Randi Foxx. It's explicit and contains color photos so you and your Christmas Elf can get busy on those Hot Winter Nights. 

Of course the fun won't be started without a few...props. So the second part of the package is a 7" vibrating "massager." 

The third part is a must have with the massager. It's a package of HOTT LOVE warming lubricants.  Now you are all set to roll. 

But wait! There's more...

I'm also including two crochet Christmas stockings that you can use to fill up with your own naughty toys. Sound fun? Well, all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter for your chances to win. The only part you MUST do is leave a comment if you wish to be in the running for the Grand Prize. The winner of that big boy will be chosen from all the comments from ALL of the participating blogs. 

I love this time of year because it's perfect weather for snuggling and getting all hot and sweaty with Mr. Vixen. When the temperatures outside drop, it's time to make them rise indoors with some body heat! To show you one of my favorite fantasies, I searched through my excerpts from  the first book in my Now and Forever series. For the Love of Quinn starts out in February...right smack dab in the middle of winter. So the following excerpt fits perfectly into this hop. Quinn goes to Vegas for a veterinary conference and in the words of her sister and best friend to get herself laid. On her first night there she meets and falls in love with two men. This scene is the first time she's alone with the Vegas Tycoon, Steve Eischer. For those of you keeping track, this scene comes up in Chapter Four. LOL! Enjoy!

Quinn settled back into Steve’s arms, letting him move her along with him for a little bit. She had to admit, she loved the attention. He nuzzled her ear before turning her to face him, pulling her arms up to circle his neck. Mmm. Dark-brown, wavy hair, salt and pepper stubbly chin, earring and dark smoldering green eyes, double check!

“Where did your sister get off to?”

“Hmm? If I know her, she’s picking your bartender’s brain on how to make the perfect margarita, and then she’ll go park it in front of the roulette wheel for a few more hours. Subtle, isn’t she?”

He continued to hold Quinn tight against him, moving slow and easy even though the song was hopping. “I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but you’re drop-dead gorgeous, and I can’t keep my hands off of you.”

Got him! “I don’t recall asking you to keep your hands off of me.”

He leaned down and nibbled on her earlobe. “Stay with me tonight, Quinn. I have a suite here at the casino with a big round bed, Jacuzzi, and private pool. I want to do naughty things with you all night long.”

Quinn flashed her wedding rings at him. He just shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me in the least. If a man can let a woman like you go to Vegas without him, then he is a fool.”

“That he is. Got an extra toothbrush in that suite of yours?”

“I think I can rustle one up for you.” His lips brushed hers, and heat flashed through her. Quinn was more than ready for this. Steve led her off the floor and over to his private table to collect her things. Miranda had left a note. Have fun, and see you in the morning. She was a smart-ass, but Quinn loved her!

Steve took her hand and led her over to a private elevator for VIPs. She’d never imagined she’d catch the eye of a sexy club owner on their first night in Vegas! She wondered what it was going to be like to get him alone and away from the loud music. She didn’t have very long to wonder.

As soon as the doors closed, he pinned her in the corner. “I’ve wanted to do this from the moment I saw you step out of the elevators tonight.” His lips touched hers once again, softly at first, and then after teasing her a little with his tongue, he dove right in, picking Quinn up at the waist and lifting her up so that she was sitting on the railing. His hand trailed up her thigh and under her dress. His fingertips gently teased her clit a bit, making her gasp, breaking their deep kiss. “I knew it. Your dress fits you like a glove. No way in hell you were wearing anything under it.”

“I’m glad you approve.” Quinn wrapped her legs around his waist as he picked her up off of the railing and carried her through the doors into his suite, the penthouse suite, no less! Now their lips and tongues battled each other for control, neither one of them willing to yield just yet. Quinn could feel his cock straining to get out of his pants and into her. Her pussy throbbed and cum already started to coat her inner thighs. She forced herself to come back to earth. “We need to slow down a second.”

Steve smiled again and her mind nearly went to mush. He put her back on her feet, keeping one hand on her waist, while the other pulled a condom out of his pocket. “Like the boy scouts say, always be prepared.”

“I knew there was something I liked about you besides your killer smile.” She wrapped her arms around his neck tighter as his mouth crushed hers once again. She loved the feel of his hands on her body and the heat that zipped through her with every single touch and kiss. She wanted more, so much more.

“Quinn, I don’t know if I can wait much longer. I have to have you, baby.”

“What’s stopping you?” She bit his earlobe a little, and that was all the signal he needed. He lifted her up into his arms again and pinned her against the wall in the entryway. Quinn held on tight to his neck and shoulders while he unbuckled his pants, freeing up his huge cock. He ripped open the condom wrapper with his teeth, and before Quinn could catch her breath he nearly split her in two as he entered her. She was already hot and so wet that he slid in quickly. She was so surprised at his size that she dug her nails into his back a little too hard. Quinn didn’t think he minded one bit. He groaned as his cock filled her cunt completely, stroking every single inch of her. Her body shuddered wildly as the first orgasm hit her. She moaned as Steve broke their kiss, leaving her a bit breathless.

“Good god, your pussy is fucking fantastic. I can feel every single inch of you pulling me in.” He shifted positions so that he had her legs over his arms, and he spread her wider. He kept pounding her against the wall, thrusting deeper still. He felt so good stroking her and hitting every sensitive spot. Wave after wave of ecstasy ran through her. She came over and over again, her cum continuously squirting out of her and over Steve. “You’re so hot and wet. I can’t get enough of you.”

“Jesus Christ, your cock is so fucking big. Harder, baby, harder.” Quinn was lost in her own climax, and then Steve’s arms tightened around her as he groaned against her tits. His thrusts slowed, and he pulled back to look into her eyes. Both of them were panting trying to catch their breath. His cock was still buried deep inside of her and rock hard. Now he kept eye contact as he moved in and out of her. He changed position again so that he had her wrapped around him and his hands on her ass, moving her up and down his shaft. Quinn straightened her legs and pointed her toes as a very powerful orgasm hit her, and she couldn’t hold back a scream. That did it for him. He came right along with her, their bodies shuddering together.

Steve leaned into her, a smile gradually forming on that gorgeous mouth of his. “Goddamn, woman. If this is any preview of what we will be doing together the rest of the night, I don’t know if I am going to be able to let you leave here in the morning.”

Quinn nibbled on his stubbly chin a bit before pulling his mouth back to hers. “How about you give me a tour of the rest of your place, and we will just let things happen as they happen.”

Steve moved both of them away from the wall but still kept his hands firmly on Quinn’s ass, letting her legs slowly slide down his body until her heels hit the floor again. “You better hang on to me for a little longer. I don’t know if I can walk normally just yet.”

He moved his fingers lightly up and down her bare back, sending shivers through her once again. “I don’t think that will be a problem at all, Quinn. You’ve put some kind of spell over me, and I can’t keep my hands off of you.”

“Well, your hands feel awfully good on my body, and so do your lips, your tongue, and that welcoming committee you have stuffed in your pants!” Good lord! Quinn had never fucked anyone with a cock that big, and he sure did know how to use it. Miranda was going to faint when she heard about this!

He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Come on in and have another drink with me and tell me more about yourself. I’m dying to learn more about the woman who just fucked me silly in my entryway.”

  

“What do you want to know?” With nothing more than a dose of that killer smile, he had literally charmed the pants off of her. At this point, she was prepared to share her life story with him. He led her over to the soft overstuffed couch in front of a huge flat screen and home theater system. He poured them each a glass of Southern Comfort from the minibar in the coffee table and offered Quinn the spot on the couch with all of the cushions. As soon as they sat down, he reached down and picked up her feet, placing them on his lap. He gently peeled her heels off and traced both of her arches with his fingertips. Quinn couldn’t hold back the giggles. She was extremely ticklish, and that brought another smile to his face.

“What brings you to Vegas besides hot sex?”

Wouldn't you like to know? Well, click on the links in the side bar to take you to the sites where you can get the book and find out for yourself. If you've already read book one and are ready for more of Quinn's story, pick up your copy of The Island (Now and Forever 2). 

Now for the fun stuff! Make sure you leave a comment to get an entry into the contest for the Grand Prize as well as entries for my individual prize package discussed above. You'll be able to enter every day of the hop. Winners will be announced December 5th. After the Rafflecopter is the linky list of the participants. Make sure you visit them all for your chance to win more fabulous prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday Spotlight is on New Author Victoria Embers

Today is a very busy day around Sassy Vixen. Not only is it the first day of the Hot Winter Nights Blog Hop, I have a special guest. For those of you looking for the Blog Hop click HERE and it will take you to the top of my posts and the start of the hop. 

Now to my special guest. Today I'm excited to welcome to Sassy Vixen a brand new author. Victoria Embers is here to share the first short story in her My Vampire Lover series. But before we get to how we can get our hands on this hot little book, let's learn a bit more about her.

Victoria Embers splits her time between being a stay-at-home mom and reading vampire fiction. She believes good romance should make you purr while good erotic fiction should make you scream, but in a good way of course. Embracing her love of vampires and werewolves and the naughty situations they find themselves in, she’s currently writing an erotic short stories series called My Vampire Lover with a blend of paranormal romance and erotica featuring, you guessed it, vampires and werewolves.

Now let's get down to business! Victoria come on out here and join me. I promise we won't bite...well, only if you want us to that is! ;) What inspires you to write?

Actually I’m new to all of this. A friend suggested I sit down and write the story I have been telling her and that’s what I’m doing. It’s a new adventure for me and I’m very excited about doing something creative.

In one or two sentences, give the core premise behind your story.

In the first installment of this erotic short story series, Caroline, a werewolf and golden guardian of the realm, has discovered a new love in her vampire captor. She's willing to risk everything, even her life, to prove to him she loves him and has forsaken all others including her family and her pack. 

The next story I’m releasing next month is called “Redemption (My Vampire Lover #2).”

Raphael, a vampire and prince to the realm, faces a great challenge. After giving his blood to Caroline to drink, Raphael knows her life is hanging between life and death. Will she survive? And if so, what will she become being born as a werewolf pure blood? Raphael knows he must work fast to protect Caroline from his father discovering her existence while he also figures out how to save her.

What is the theme of the overall series?

I love the romance novels where the lovers want to be together, but can’t. I like the idea of Caroline and Raphael wanting to be together, but because they come from different worlds it is a big struggle for them.

Is this book a part of a series?

Yes, actually. I’m writing My Vampire Lover as a serialized series of short stories. I have the attention span of a ferret and I have heard other Indie authors say that it is very tough to write a full 80,000 or 100,000 offering of an ebook. I learned recently that an ebook that size is called an Epic. That was too scary for me and too much pressure and I am a very impatient person when it comes to getting tasks done. So with that in mind, I thought releasing each story separately would be something I could accomplish, start small and build on it.

I'd have to disagree with you a little bit on the epic category for 80-100K word ebooks. That's about average for the longer novels yes, but epic? I guess it depends on who is making the labels. My first one was labeled as epic and it was over 200K. You shouldn't be scared of the size...you got the stories in you. Just let them flow out and see what you get. You just might surprise yourself! Most authors feel writing short stories is harder because you have to fit a lot of story in a limited size. It's hard to wrap up loose ends and make it a complete tale. Personally, I love them all! So get to work, girly! LOL

Let's get back to serializing your short stories. Are you’re confident in this approach then? I've seen similar, but with novellas and a little longer. 

To make a long story short (if I may put it that way)…yes,I am.  I decided after a lot of soul searching to put myself out there in the sea of Amazon in a little boat, instead of a big boat.  Lol! But seriously, I’m hoping to release a short story each month to readers, around the end of the month.

I think it’ll be a very exciting experience for both me, as a writer and the reader. I’m hoping if the reader is ready for my approach and that they will enjoy the anticipation of getting the next story, without having to wait too long. And I’ll get to learn more about what they think of the recently released story and get feedback. I like interacting with my friends on Facebook and other social networking sites, so I hope I get feedback from anyone who starts reading my series, My Vampire Lover. You know? It’s going to be fun.

How long do you think each story will be? Who will tell the story? I know in this first story, Conquest your female heroine, Caroline is a werewolf and she tells the story. Will she tell all of them?

I plan for each story to be one scene or a few scenes, averaging around 2,500 to 5,000 words each, probably more like 5,000. I’m currently working on the second one now. Originally I thought Caroline, my werewolf heroine who is kidnapped by her vampire captor who then  turns into her lover, would tell the story. But now I want to have each story go back and forth. I think that will be more fun. Caroline has told the first story from her point of view in “Conquest.” The next story will be told by her vampire lover, Raphael. He will tell the next story.

How many books to you anticipate will be in this series?

Probably around 10 to 12 short stories.

Excerpt from “Conquest (My Vampire Lover #1)”

Get your copy NOW

I felt his warm, wet tongue dart in my mouth, sucklingly my bottom lip.  A sting of pain surfaced.

I shrieked, quickly pulling away from him.

He held me fast in his arms.  Our eyes locked.

Again I tasted the sweetness of blood, but this time it was my own.  Carefully, I licked my bottom lip where he had bitten me.

Another gleam from the moon shone upon his face, his bright eyes sparkled with a savage knowledge beyond lust and desire, one of sheer hunger.  He would be mine.

Before I could stop him, he slashed at his well-toned chest with his nails.  Lines of blood formed across his muscles.

“Drink of me.”

Then he resumed fucking me fiercely, refusing to stop.

I stared at the streams of blood rolling down his chest as I rode him.  The wolf in me instantly awoke.  Warm rushes of power and hunger rose up in me.  The wolf was coming for me and I wouldn’t be able to deny him.

“Let it go,” my vampire lover whispered into the night.  “Drink of me.  I’ll make you queen when Father dies and we’ll rule this kingdom together despite them.”

The moon bathed him in its lush glow and I couldn’t resist marveling at his naked form.  He was exquisite.  His thick, muscular chest glistened with blood and sweat and I held on to his shoulders as I drove my hips down upon his, feeling his magnificent cock serge deep inside me.  Each stride I took sent me ever closer to him forever.  I took his mouth with a savage intensity I had never known and then I lavished my kisses upon his chest, licking his blood and sweat in long, broad laps.

We will be together.

I leaned my head back, exposing my neck completely. “Do it. Do it now. He’s here!”

Answering my request, he pulled me into his embrace and sank his teeth into my neck.

I cried out, instantly thrusting myself upwards to meet his fanged kiss. A flood of raw, electrifying sensations exploded inside me and multiple orgasms rocketed through me.

He lifted me slightly off the bed and he drank from me, holding me gently in his arms the whole time.

I pressed my back into his firm hands and focused on meeting his tempo as I rode him. The room began to spin. Blood trickled down my chest, running past my belly button and along the inside of my thighs. A delightful shiver of fear passed through me as my vampire shuddered and came inside me. I will be his.

I have the full 2,500 word short story Free at Smashwords now. 

I've already got mine! What about you vixens? Go ahead and click on the link under the cover and it will take you right to the Smashwords page so you can get your copy. They have any ebook format you need. 

Do you have anything else you'd like to say to those visiting us today, Victoria?

I’d like to invite any Indie Authors reading this article to be featured on my blog. I’m wanting to build my audience and I’d like to highlight other Erotica authors who are writing in this genre. Please see http://victoriaembers.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/guest-author-guidelines/ for more information.

I'm headed over there myself today but before I go, here are the rest of the links where you can find Victoria and her work. 

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