Candy Kink Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Candy Cane Kink Giveaway Hop

 

My debut Ellora's Cave release Dangerously Mine is available December 14th.

To celebrate this momentous occasion I'm giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
To enter just leave me a comment and your email address. It's that simple.

Here's the legal mumbo jumbo:
Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.- No purchase necessary.
Void where prohibited.
All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.
Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.
Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.
Contest host is not responsible to misrepresented/mistyped email addresses, spam filters, mailer daemons, and other Internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.
Winners are final.- Contest Starts 00:01EST December 14th and Ends 12:59EST December 21st and open to US residents only participants
Winners will be notified via email, twitter, or Face Book no later than 12:00EST December 23rd Respond by date to collect prize is 14 days from notification date.

Enough of that! Now enjoy the blurb and sexy excerpt (oh, la, la)

Blurb:

After aliens invade and conquer Earth, Eva is transported to a distant slave trading planet. Escape and freedom are her only priority, but none of her martial arts training prepared her for what she faces. She finds herself enslaved to the warrior King Taio. Eva’s drawn to this sexy alien male who ignites her heart and body.

Taio is disgusted with the idea of owning a slave—until now. From the moment he sees her, he knows Eva is his for the taking. Torn between lust and duty, Taio knows nothing will stop him from protecting his little warrior.

Excerpt:

Eva pressed her face against the rectangular window in the training room, watching the lights of unknown origin whiz by. She stood in one of the training rooms Ship had sequestered for her. After lunch, she felt more than a little stir-crazy. She needed to work off some of the tension that coiled around her muscles. It took all her strength not to get up and leave the dining hall while Taio’s gaze bored through her back. Did he really have to keep sending those smoldering looks her way?

His lavender eyes locked on her whenever she entered a room. The intensity of his gaze made her body respond in a way that she didn’t want it to. No one would ever consider her to be a coward. But there was something about the way he looked at her that had her frightened.

And that tattoo on his face. Sometimes it intrigued her and other times it made her scared. Who would allow such an intricate drawing to be completed? The pain alone would have been enough to deter any sane person from getting it, alien or not.

His body was a whole different story. It was downright criminal to have a body like his. The man had a body that would make a nun want to sin. He was tall, unbelievably so, but he was all rippling muscle.

This vessel was full of men and the only one who would give her a second glance was Taio. The thought should have given her some type of comfort. Instead of beating off twenty men, there was only one she would have to worry about. There was no mistaking his intentions. Every time he looked her way, it was as if he were willing her clothes to fall from her body. Her only counterattack so far was to stay away from him.

But she did have to agree with Ship, being under the care of Taio was for the best right now. She was fed, the dining hall was open around the clock, which was a plus. Oftentimes she found herself standing in front of the computer, requesting the buro flank with nitlick soup after everyone else was fast asleep. These were the closest thing to Earth food she could find. They had the same taste as chicken and tomato soup.

She was finally clean. Although she would have loved to feel the caress of running water on her skin again, the ionized shower hit the spot. She had clothes, which, although they were tight, were at least clean. And most of all, she didn’t feel her safety was in any type of jeopardy, not at the moment.

She wanted to find Ally, but she had to face the hard facts.

She was far away from home.

In an alien world.

No money whatsoever.

Nowhere to go.

And alone.

Finally, pulling herself away from the window, she pulled a training bag from the corner to start her workout. Hand-to-hand combat always made her feel primal, the main reason she loved it so much.

Within minutes, her training suit clung to her body, the lightweight material not constricting her movements at all. Perspiration covered her from head to toe, her once tied-back hair hanging wet and loose around her. Her muscles thrived under the workout, coming alive once again.

Heavy breathing behind her caught her off guard. She flipped away, landing in a fighting stance facing the intruder.

Taio stood in the doorway, watching. He gave a curt nod her way, the acknowledgement doing nothing to make her feel relaxed.

“You have good skills, Eva.” He hooked his thumbs in the waist of his pants and leaned on the doorway.

Her name never sounded better.

“Thank you.” She relaxed and straightened, her eyes still watching him. This was his first time speaking to her since their ill-fated first encounter.

She didn’t dare move closer, especially since she still didn’t know his intentions. She didn’t move away either, fearing he would view that as a sign of weakness. So she stood her ground, her body betraying her in the worst way. Her heart sped up a little and her breathing became more labored. Now she found her nipples hardening as her name rolled off his tongue.

I know trouble when I see it.

Eva willed her body to fight against whatever “mojo” he was throwing at her.

Taio walked into the room and took a sword off a rack on the wall. He began flexing it, testing its weight. The gesture caused his arm and chest muscles to ripple with each movement.

Jesus.

“Who taught you fighting moves?” he asked.

“My sensei, he lived back home.”

“Earth,” he said as a statement, rather than a question.

“Yes, Earth. Ann Arbor, Michigan, more specifically.”

She eyed the weapons on the wall. She was trained to use various fighting weapons—sais, kamas, knives, nunchakus, bo staffs and swords. She could show him a thing a two.

           She walked over to the rack and took another sword off the wall.

Shit!

It weighed a ton! No wonder he smirked when she picked it up. Even though she strained to hold it in both hands, she made sure not to let him know. She would give anything to smack that look right off his face. Instead, she concentrated hard on not dropping the sword. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She dared not try to maneuver it as he had.

“A male taught you?” He sounded surprised.

“Yes. Thirteen Earth years of training.” Taio laughed and shook his head in disbelief. “It’s not unusual on my planet,” she said. “A male can teach a female how to fight or even a female can teach a male.”

He laughed harder and shook his head. “There could never be such a thing on my world.”

She turned away. “I earned a black belt, first Dan in Kyokushin Karate. On Earth I’m considered to be a great fighter.”

“Your people did not fare well in the war against the Loconuist. The fighting techniques of your species mean nothing to me.”

Ouch.

If the sword in her hands wasn’t so heavy, she would have swung it at him.

Asshole.

“We didn’t know how to fight them. We’d never encountered aliens before.”

“Then it is good that I will take care of you from now on.”

Her head snapped around. “I don’t need you to take care of me.”

“You were captured by the Loconuist and the Tresdonians almost killed you.”

She shrugged. “But they didn’t.”

He smirked. “Because I saved you.”

“Thanks, but I can take care of myself.”

“It doesn’t matter. You are my responsibility now. You are my slave.”

Her eyes, squinting and cold, fixed on his. “Ship told me those assholes on that planet gave me to you. I think you got cheated. I’m not a slave. Not yours or anyone else’s.”

“If this arrangement does not suit you, I could turn the vessel around and give you back to the Tresdonians.” He turned from her and put the heavy sword back on the wall rack.

Her heart began pounding in her chest. He wouldn’t… “No. I’m not going back there.” She held her sword tightly in her grasp.

“Then you are my slave.” He stalked slowly toward her. His eyes locked on hers.

“No.” She backed away from him.

This cannot happen.

“You are mine.” He took another step toward her. “You will need to get used to the idea.”

“Never.”

He stopped his advancement. They stood facing each other. Her breathing came out in deep and heavy breaths. Her heart thumped in her chest.

Abruptly, he turned and walked from the room. She blinked at the empty doorway. The cold surface of the wall was against her back. She held the sword close to her chest, shielding her body. She stayed there until her arms shook from the sword’s weight.

She was no one’s slave.

Enjoy! Griffin

Click here to pick up your copy now!

Don't forget to hop to the other blogs!

Dangerously Mine: Sex Excerpt (HOT!)

Dangerously Mine

By:  A. M. Griffin

 

I’m excited that my debut book Dangerously Mine is finally available from Ellora’s Cave.

When I first began to write Dangerously Mine I never intended it to end up as an erotic romance. My intentions were to craft the perfect science-fiction world with characters that the readers could relate too and in situations that wouldn’t seem too farfetched to grasp.

One afternoon, while sitting in front of my laptop, one of my characters had another idea and developed a mind of her own. How could this happen, you ask? Well, I’m what would be called a ‘pantser’ in the writing world. My characters have free reign about what they will say and what they will do. There’s no plotting involved, when the mood strikes me I write and my fingers fly.

In this particular scene Eva my heroin goes up against the alien Princess Sa’Mya. Eva has given Princess Sa’Mya the nickname of ‘Bitch Princess’ which is fitting, because, well, Sa’Mya is a bitch.

Princess Sa’Mya was trying to figure out what King Taio (her betrothed) sees in Eva. During her inspection of Eva things took an unexpected turn…

Dangerously Mine

Blurb:

After aliens invade and conquer Earth, Eva is transported to a distant slave trading planet. Escape and freedom are her only priority, but none of her martial arts training prepared her for what she faces. She finds herself enslaved to the warrior King Taio. Eva’s drawn to this sexy alien male who ignites her heart and body.

Taio is disgusted with the idea of owning a slave—until now. From the moment he sees her, he knows Eva is his for the taking. Torn between lust and duty, Taio knows nothing will stop him from protecting his little warrior.

Sex excerpt:

“I wonder what he sees in you,” Sa’Mya said.

She leisurely skimmed the water’s surface with her fingertips. Recognizing a rhetorical question when she heard one, Eva didn’t respond. “I am offering him all of this.” Sa’Mya ran her wet hands down her voluptuous body.

Her double-D breasts hung ripe and full. Her neatly tapered waist led to full-sized hips, a round ass and, of course, long, shapely legs.

“You have the body of a child.” Sa’Mya sneered.

I could apply a small amount of pressure to her windpipe.

Clearly the princess didn’t know anything about fighting. Talking smack while your back is to an opponent was a no-no.

“It’s clear he can’t keep his hands off you. I smell your scent on him every time he comes near me. Gads. When does he not have his cock in you?”

Eva chuckled. That was her intent, to mark Taio with her scent, hoping all the other females would get the idea and go home.

Sa’Mya whipped her head around to face Eva. “Let’s see who’ll have the last laugh when I bond with him.” Sa’Mya smiled. “I think I’ll give you to the guards, to do with as they please.”

Eva straightened on the ledge. “He’ll never share me with anyone else.” Eva met her eye for eye.

“You think not?” Sa’Mya pushed off the ledge with a malicious smile across her lips. She turned around to stare at Eva. “You’ll never be able to compete with me.”

“I’m not trying to compete with you.” Bitch.

Sa’Mya took a step closer, her eyes downcast. “What does he find so interesting down there?”

Eva snapped her knees together.

“Let me see.” Sa’Mya demanded.

“No.” Eva swung her legs around to propel herself to a standing position.

“Make one more move and I’ll have you taken to the guards right now.”

Eva stopped, her legs propped on the ledge. “Taio wouldn’t let you.” But unfortunately he wasn’t here right now.

“Of course.” Sa’Mya tilted her head. “He would be upset if his precious royal guards ran through his pet.” She shrugged. “But then the damage would have already been done. Wouldn’t it?” Sa’Mya’s unblinking, gold-speckled eyes rested on her.

Eva froze. This bitch was crazy enough to follow through on her threat. Eva wasn’t worried that the guards would rape her. She would kill anyone who tried. It was Taio she worried about. She didn’t want to cause any more trouble between her and the guards.  Eva lowered back onto the ledge, dangling her legs in the water.

Sa’Mya sauntered forward until she was standing in front of Eva, putting a hand on her knees. She pried her legs open slightly. Sa’Mya squinted and focused on the nest of dark curls.

“It looks normal. Is there something about it that would appeal to him more?”

Another rhetorical question, Eva kept her mouth shut. Sa’Mya trailed her hand from Eva’s knees to her folds, parting them with two fingers.

“What exactly are you looking for? If you haven’t noticed, I’m a female.”

Sa’Mya ignored her. “What is this?” Sa’Mya pointed to her nub that jutted out from between her exposed folds.

“It’s called a clit.”

“What does it do?” Sa’Mya placed a finger on it.

Startled, Eva jumped. “It doesn’t do anything.” She flicked Sa’Mya’s finger out of the way. “All human females have one, it enhances sexual feelings.”

“I want a better look. Spread your legs wider.”

“They’re wide enough,” Eva ground out. She had as much as she was taking from the bitch princess. The inspection was more extensive than Taio’s.

Sa’Mya dug her nails into the skin of Eva’s knees. “Either you can open them or I’ll have one of the guards hold your legs open for me.”

Eva thought on it for a second. This was embarrassing enough.

Oh how I want to kill this bitch.

“When Taio left me in your care, I highly doubt this is what he had in mind,” she said.

Sa’Mya’s nails dug deeper into her flesh. “Take it up with Taio when he returns.”

Oh and I will.

She opened her legs.

Sa’Mya smiled triumphantly. “A clit, you said? What an odd name.” Sa’Mya inspected the little nub. “How does it ‘enhance sexual feelings’?” The tip of Sa’Mya’s finger ran across the nub again.

“Nerves, it’s got nerves in it,” Eva said through clenched teeth. “And it’s very sensitive.”

Sa’Mya pointed and eyed Eva’s slit, tilting her head to the side. “Look there, such a tiny opening for such a large male. When he fucks you, does it hurt?”

Surprised, Eva asked, “Have you ever been with a male before?”

Sa’Mya closed her eyes. “Slave, did I give you permission to ask me questions?”

I am going to kick this bitch’s ass.

Opening them again, Sa’Mya slid her thumb inside Eva’s sheath.

Eva jumped back. “You’ve gone too far. What do you think you’re doing?”

“I want to know what makes you so special.” Sa’Mya leaned in closer and pushed her thumb deeper inside. “This is too tight. He must be huge, how does it fit in here?”

Nope. This nut is definitely a virgin.

“It just does.”

Satisfied with her probing, Sa’Mya put her hands on Eva’s knees, spreading them wider. She kneeled on the submerged bath bench, her nose inches from Eva’s pussy.

Sa’Mya leaned in closer and inhaled sharply. “Maybe he’s attracted to the smell. It is quite intoxicating.”

Sa’Mya had spent the better part of the day using her. So she shouldn’t feel guilty about what she was about to say.

“He likes the taste.” Nope, no guilt at all.

“What did you say?”

 Enjoy! Griffin

 

About the author:

A. M. Griffin is a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies. She has multi-publications in other genres under a different pen name.

Now available from Elora’s Cave - http://www.ellorascave.com/dangerously-mine.html

You can find out what else I’m working on by visiting: http://www.amgriffinbooks.com

Like my FaceBook page! http://www.facebook.com/amgriffinbooks

Follow me on Twitter! https://twitter.com/AMGriffinbooks

Book Spotlight: Master's Submission By Helena Harker

I'm proud to present a book spotlight for a fellow EC author Helena Harker.

Author Bio:

Helena Harker is a teacher by day, writer by night, a daydreamer who loves to escape to other worlds. Her fiction is populated by strong men, passionate women and lots of paranormal creatures. In her free time she enjoys photography and curling up with a good book. She is multi-published and also writes in other genres.

 

“Master’s Submission” Ellora’s Cave Quickie

Blurb:

When Bethany reads her Master’s note, she expects it to contain the usual set of instructions telling her how to prepare for their Friday evening play session. But her Master asks for the unexpected—he wants her to be his Domme. Bethany is terrified at the prospect, but she doesn’t want to disappoint Master. She’ll need to tap into her inner dominatrix if she’s to give her newly submissive lover what he needs.

 

Excerpt: Chapter One

I stood by the bedside table, where Master had left his instructions on a piece of red paper he’d transformed into an origami swan. Beautiful. A shame to unfold it, really. Every Friday night, he left me prep work for the scene he wanted to act out when he returned from the office.

Sometimes he made simple requests, asking me to answer the door dressed only in my leather collar and crotchless panties, and then kneel at his feet after he entered. Or he gave me more detailed instructions, where I had to cook a three-course meal, light candles, make up the bed in satin sheets and lay out the various crops and floggers in a straight line on the mahogany desk by the window. Master loved scenarios involving costume play, especially when I wore my corseted Victorian gown, and he tied me to the bed, ravishing me while I begged to be set free. Other times I draped myself in filmy veils and posed as a harem girl, shimmying my hips in an improvised belly dance. When I finished removing the veils, dropping them one by one at his feet, he played the sultan and demanded sexual favors.

I held the paper swan to my nose, inhaling its scent. His scent. I caught the faint hint of musky cologne, Fetiche, which I bought for his birthday. One fold at a time, I straightened the paper, tingling in anticipation. What did he desire this evening? Bondage? Spanking? A session with the flogger that ended in a frenzy of fucking? Warmth spread through my pussy as multiple possibilities spun inside my mind. Closing my eyes, I pressed the paper against my lips.

When Master wrote his notes, the pen left indentations in the paper. The precisely looped Ds and bold Ys reflected his assertive personality.

Dearest Bethany,

Tonight, your task is to be my Domme. Do what you like with me.

Your humble servant,

Dylan

What? Domme him? I didn’t have a clue how to be a Domme. I’d always been his submissive. We’d been together five years and for that entire time, I’d acted as his willing servant, surrendering to him, pleasing him. The roles suited us to perfection. My previous relationships were the same. I’d always been with a Dom, and never, ever considered any other role for myself. Being a sub fulfilled me.

I read the note a second time. He signed it Dylan, his real name. All the other messages had been signed Master.

What do I do? What do I do?

 

You can pick up your copy at:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Masters-Submission-ebook/dp/B00A8MOALU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353793775&sr=8-1&keywords=helena+harker

Ellora’s Cave: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10497-masters-submission.aspx

 

Keep in touch with what she's working on next by visiting:

Email: author@helenaharker.com

Website: www.helenaharker.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/HelenaHarker

Facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/HelenaHarkerAuthor

 

Dangerously Mine: Excerpt

Dangerously Mine

By:  A. M. Griffin

 

I’m excited that my debut book Dangerously Mine is finally available from Ellora’s Cave.

This has been a long journey, which has had many ups and downs along the way. I first completed Dangerously Mine as a self-pub (Taken: Eva) in October 2011. After a lot of positive response, I decided to submit it to Ellora’s Cave.

Ellora’s Cave picked it up in December 2011, contracts signed in February and edits started in March 2012.

I read, write and watch all things science-fiction and paranormal. So, I feel extremely lucky to be afforded this opportunity to join the ranks of science-fiction writers who, with their words, are able to craft the perfect world that will have readers enthralled and engrossed in a new and exciting world.

Dangerously Mine

Blurb:

After aliens invade and conquer Earth, Eva is transported to a distant slave trading planet. Escape and freedom are her only priority, but none of her martial arts training prepared her for what she faces. She finds herself enslaved to the warrior King Taio. Eva’s drawn to this sexy alien male who ignites her heart and body.

Taio is disgusted with the idea of owning a slave—until now. From the moment he sees her, he knows Eva is his for the taking. Torn between lust and duty, Taio knows nothing will stop him from protecting his little warrior.

Excerpt:

Eva pressed her face against the rectangular window in the training room, watching the lights of unknown origin whiz by. She stood in one of the training rooms Ship had sequestered for her. After lunch, she felt more than a little stir-crazy. She needed to work off some of the tension that coiled around her muscles. It took all her strength not to get up and leave the dining hall while Taio’s gaze bored through her back. Did he really have to keep sending those smoldering looks her way?

His lavender eyes locked on her whenever she entered a room. The intensity of his gaze made her body respond in a way that she didn’t want it to. No one would ever consider her to be a coward. But there was something about the way he looked at her that had her frightened.

And that tattoo on his face. Sometimes it intrigued her and other times it made her scared. Who would allow such an intricate drawing to be completed? The pain alone would have been enough to deter any sane person from getting it, alien or not.

His body was a whole different story. It was downright criminal to have a body like his. The man had a body that would make a nun want to sin. He was tall, unbelievably so, but he was all rippling muscle.

This vessel was full of men and the only one who would give her a second glance was Taio. The thought should have given her some type of comfort. Instead of beating off twenty men, there was only one she would have to worry about. There was no mistaking his intentions. Every time he looked her way, it was as if he were willing her clothes to fall from her body. Her only counterattack so far was to stay away from him.

But she did have to agree with Ship, being under the care of Taio was for the best right now. She was fed, the dining hall was open around the clock, which was a plus. Oftentimes she found herself standing in front of the computer, requesting the buro flank with nitlick soup after everyone else was fast asleep. These were the closest thing to Earth food she could find. They had the same taste as chicken and tomato soup.

She was finally clean. Although she would have loved to feel the caress of running water on her skin again, the ionized shower hit the spot. She had clothes, which, although they were tight, were at least clean. And most of all, she didn’t feel her safety was in any type of jeopardy, not at the moment.

She wanted to find Ally, but she had to face the hard facts.

She was far away from home.

In an alien world.

No money whatsoever.

Nowhere to go.

And alone.

Finally, pulling herself away from the window, she pulled a training bag from the corner to start her workout. Hand-to-hand combat always made her feel primal, the main reason she loved it so much.

Within minutes, her training suit clung to her body, the lightweight material not constricting her movements at all. Perspiration covered her from head to toe, her once tied-back hair hanging wet and loose around her. Her muscles thrived under the workout, coming alive once again.

Heavy breathing behind her caught her off guard. She flipped away, landing in a fighting stance facing the intruder.

Taio stood in the doorway, watching. He gave a curt nod her way, the acknowledgement doing nothing to make her feel relaxed.

“You have good skills, Eva.” He hooked his thumbs in the waist of his pants and leaned on the doorway.

Her name never sounded better.

“Thank you.” She relaxed and straightened, her eyes still watching him. This was his first time speaking to her since their ill-fated first encounter.

She didn’t dare move closer, especially since she still didn’t know his intentions. She didn’t move away either, fearing he would view that as a sign of weakness. So she stood her ground, her body betraying her in the worst way. Her heart sped up a little and her breathing became more labored. Now she found her nipples hardening as her name rolled off his tongue.

I know trouble when I see it.

Eva willed her body to fight against whatever “mojo” he was throwing at her.

Taio walked into the room and took a sword off a rack on the wall. He began flexing it, testing its weight. The gesture caused his arm and chest muscles to ripple with each movement.

Jesus.

“Who taught you fighting moves?” he asked.

“My sensei, he lived back home.”

“Earth,” he said as a statement, rather than a question.

“Yes, Earth. Ann Arbor, Michigan, more specifically.”

She eyed the weapons on the wall. She was trained to use various fighting weapons—sais, kamas, knives, nunchakus, bo staffs and swords. She could show him a thing a two.

She walked over to the rack and took another sword off the wall.

Shit!

It weighed a ton! No wonder he smirked when she picked it up. Even though she strained to hold it in both hands, she made sure not to let him know. She would give anything to smack that look right off his face. Instead, she concentrated hard on not dropping the sword. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She dared not try to maneuver it as he had.

“A male taught you?” He sounded surprised.

“Yes. Thirteen Earth years of training.” Taio laughed and shook his head in disbelief. “It’s not unusual on my planet,” she said. “A male can teach a female how to fight or even a female can teach a male.”

He laughed harder and shook his head. “There could never be such a thing on my world.”

She turned away. “I earned a black belt, first Dan in Kyokushin Karate. On Earth I’m considered to be a great fighter.”

“Your people did not fare well in the war against the Loconuist. The fighting techniques of your species mean nothing to me.”

Ouch.

If the sword in her hands wasn’t so heavy, she would have swung it at him.

Asshole.

“We didn’t know how to fight them. We’d never encountered aliens before.”

“Then it is good that I will take care of you from now on.”

Her head snapped around. “I don’t need you to take care of me.”

“You were captured by the Loconuist and the Tresdonians almost killed you.”

She shrugged. “But they didn’t.”

He smirked. “Because I saved you.”

“Thanks, but I can take care of myself.”

“It doesn’t matter. You are my responsibility now. You are my slave.”

Her eyes, squinting and cold, fixed on his. “Ship told me those assholes on that planet gave me to you. I think you got cheated. I’m not a slave. Not yours or anyone else’s.”

“If this arrangement does not suit you, I could turn the vessel around and give you back to the Tresdonians.” He turned from her and put the heavy sword back on the wall rack.

Her heart began pounding in her chest. He wouldn’t… “No. I’m not going back there.” She held her sword tightly in her grasp.

“Then you are my slave.” He stalked slowly toward her. His eyes locked on hers.

“No.” She backed away from him.

This cannot happen.

“You are mine.” He took another step toward her. “You will need to get used to the idea.”

“Never.”

He stopped his advancement. They stood facing each other. Her breathing came out in deep and heavy breaths. Her heart thumped in her chest.

Abruptly, he turned and walked from the room. She blinked at the empty doorway. The cold surface of the wall was against her back. She held the sword close to her chest, shielding her body. She stayed there until her arms shook from the sword’s weight.

She was no one’s slave.

 

Enjoy! Griffin

About the author:

A. M. Griffin is a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies. She has multi-publications in other genres under a different pen name.

Now available from Elora’s Cave - http://www.ellorascave.com/dangerously-mine.html

You can find out what else I’m working on by visiting: http://www.amgriffinbooks.com

Like my FaceBook page! http://www.facebook.com/amgriffinbooks

Follow me on Twitter! https://twitter.com/AMGriffinbooks

Ramblings: Crit Partners

My Journey

 

I left off with me trying to find critique (crit) partners.

So, while I patiently waited for my next set of edits to come back, I inquired to my fellow EC authors about how to go about finding crit partners.

I received a couple of leads which I happily pursued. Two leads that were the most promising were:

Ladies Who Critique

The MudPuddle from RWA-FFP

Both were wonderful starting grounds. On Ladies Who Critique, which was a free service, I found all members under my genre and friended them. Heck I didn’t know what else to do.

In order to join The Mudpuddle group you have to first become a member of RWA (charge), then you have to join FFP (charge) and from there you can request to join The MudPuddle crit group (free).

So first off, I put a few chapters up on The MudPuddle and yes, you guessed it, it was torn to shreds. I have to mention here that a lot of the comments were those that I needed to hear. Some of the comments mentioned mistakes and questions that my editor had already pointed out but I was too stubborn to change. So, although my feelings were terribly hurt from that experience, I can honestly say that because of it I have a better book.

One comment told me to delete the first chapter and start the book at the second chapter. This was something that I was totally against. The first chapter had vital information in it that I wanted the reader to know, such as the extent of Eva and Allysan’s relationship. But as I thought about it more I decided to take his advice and do away with it. In the end you will see that Eva and Allysan’s relationship is weaved throughout the story and you are actually spared from the first chapter info dump. You can all thank Ed for that.

After working with The MudPuddle for a couple of months, my massive friending spree over at Ladies Who Critique finally paid off. Two lovely gals contacted me, Stephy and Terri. We communicated back and forth for about a week deciding on how we should pursue with crit’s, what format to use and what would be fair to all parties.

Now this small crit group of unpublished aspiring authors is where I really learned the most. I went in it with an open mind, as you should when joining a crit group. I figured that I had to view these ladies as potential customers. I didn’t get offended or annoyed if either came back with “Sa’Mya seems addled brained. Is that what you are going for?” (BTW Sa’Mya is the main character of my second book) or “I don’t understand what you mean.” Or “This doesn’t make sense.?” To me those were valid comments and questions. If a reader is asking the question that means I’ve missed the mark somewhere. I didn’t fire back an email that said, “What, yes it does! I explained it in chapter 2!” Why? Because if I had explained it thoroughly in chapter 2, then the question would not have been asked. So, instead I would go back to chapter 2 and expand where needed.

In return, I offered the same services to them. I wouldn’t read their work, trying to nitpick through every word or sentence, trying to find mistakes or errors. I would simply read as a reader would. If a sentence or two needed help then I would offer a solution. If a scene could use a little more “umph”, I would offer advice.

I’m happy to report that all three of us have WIP’s that we are shopping around and hopefully we’ll all get picked up!

I think the ramblings of this week were focused more on finding a good crit partner and your role to becoming a good crit partner.

As always (from the sayings of a good crit partner), “take what you can use and discard the rest!”

Until next time!

BTW:

Dangerously Mine will be available December 14^th from Ellora’s Cave!

The Next Big Thing

Thanks so much to Stormie Kent for tagging me in this game, The Next Big Thing. Writing can be a solitary business, and I’ve found this game useful because I can follow each author’s tags, and trace the authors who have tagged them. It also gave me an opportunity to extend the opportunity to other authors.

The Next Big Thing is a game where authors spend a bit talking about their books, works-in progress, likes and dislikes.

Here is the link for Stormie Kent. Don’t forget to check it out. She’s an awesome writer and great talent.

http://stormiekent.wordpress.com/

So, let’s get to it!

The Next Big Thing

 

What is the working title of your book?

Dangerously Mine.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I had this idea of an alien invasion kicking around in my head for about a year. Instead of going away it kept getting stronger and stronger. So much so, that I had begun to envision my heroin and hero and started seeing them in scenarios.

Since neither seemed like they were going away anytime soon (and to calm the voices in my head) I began to put my thoughts down on paper. It didn’t take long for me to have a folder full of scenes. They hardest part was putting the scenes together to make it a readable book.

What genre does your book fall under?

Science-fiction romance erotica. I’m not sure if that’s a true category but that’s the one I like for this book.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I would actually be open to having a fresh face play my hero and heroin. But if I had to have one known actor, I would have to steal Jason Momoa away from Stormie to play Taio.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

I suck at writing these. But here I go…

After a hostile alien invasion Eva is taken along with billions of other humans and sold into slavery.

See it literally can't be done. If I’m only allowed 1 sentence, then I wouldn’t be able to tell you how Taio Xochis happens upon her fighting in a slave market and thinks he’s saving a child. I also couldn’t tell you that Eva kicks major butt in this book. And I also wouldn’t be able tell you that they fall in love. But I think you would’ve guessed the last part since all of EC’s books have happily ever after endings.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

This book is contracted with Ellora’s Cave.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft didn’t take that long at all. I think it was done in about 1 to 1 ½ months. Editing took a lot longer.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I’m not sure.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I would have to say my mother. She has hundreds of books and poetry stashed away in folders on her computer. From a very young age I remember her sitting at her desk on her typewriter. I think writing is just engrained in me.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

There’s sex in this book. Enough said. Just kidding. Along with the sex there’s a love story, as well as a story of survival and being strong.

Now for those I tagged. Be sure to check out their The Next Big Thing Blog the week of November 12, 2012.

Lea Barrymire
http://leabarrymire.blogspot.com/

Amy Ruttan

http://amyruttan.blogspot.com

Message for the tagged authors and interested others:

Rules of the Next Big Thing
***Use this format for your post
***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (work in progress)
***Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.

Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:
What is your working title of your book?
Where did the idea come from for the book?
What genre does your book fall under?
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.

Be sure to line up your five people in advance.