I’ve been publishing romance and erotica for more than fifteen years, but I’ve never had anything like a “best seller”. I shouldn’t complain—I have loyal readers and receive lots of five star reviews—but commercial success has eluded me.
I’m not alone. The majority of my author peers are in the same boat. We slave away at our computers, pouring our passions onto the page. We devote scarce cash and scarcer time to the uncomfortable task of blowing our own horns. We blog, tweet, facebook (is that a verb?), run tours and giveaways, make guest appearances (like this one), all in the hope that readers will notice us and buy our books.
Sometimes it feels like a pretty thankless effort. I’m willing to bet that most of my colleagues have fantasized about being the next FSOG. TV appearances. Movie deals. Parties with the elite. And of course cash, lots of cash, enough to pay the bills with plenty left over for luxuries. I’m certainly guilty of this sort of day dreaming. It’s a heady vision.
Rationality returns after a few minutes. I’d never want to give up my day job. If I were famous, I’d probably be forced to. Plus, given the heat level in my work, I’m not sure I want the whole world to know who I really am. Best selling authors have to be seen, and there’s some comfort in being invisible.
Still, fame and fortune sparkle, seemingly just out of reach, whenever I release a new book. And I can’t help wonder what it would be like if those fantasies came true.
Those imaginings were the genesis of my new BDSM erotic romance, Damned If You Do. My heroine writes fabulously kinky romance novels, but for the most part labors in obscurity. Then one afternoon, a mysterious stranger offers her the success of which she dreams.
He keeps his part of the bargain. As her sales soar and her star rises, though, she discovers the down side of getting what you thought was your heart’s desire.
Here’s the blurb and an exclusive excerpt for you to enjoy.
Sometimes romance can be hell
Wendy Dennison is tired of being a starving author. The royalties from her critically acclaimed romance novels barely pay her bills. Her devoted agent Daniel Rochester may be smart and sexy, but he can’t get her the sales she needs. Then a charismatic stranger appears at her coffee shop table, promising her fame and commercial success, as well as the chance to live out her dreams of erotic submission. But at what cost?
Nothing you can’t afford to lose, my dear.
Seduced by the enigmatic Mister B, she signs his infernal contract. He becomes both her Master and her coach, managing her suddenly flourishing career as well as encouraging her lusts. Under her mentor’s nefarious influence, she surrenders to temptation and has sex with Daniel. The casual encounter turns serious when she discovers her mild mannered agent has a dominant side. As the clock ticks down to her blockbuster release and Mister B prepares to claim her soul, Wendy must choose either celebrity and wealth, or obscurity and true love.
Exclusive Excerpt (Rated R)
“Gwen, my dear! What are you doing out here?”
Mister B didn’t come from inside. She would have heard the party noise as he opened the door. He simply appeared beside her, as he had that first day in the coffee shop.
He wore a tuxedo with a purple brocade cummerbund, and shiny black shoes with pointed toes. His tourmaline eyes gleamed in the semi-darkness. When he strode closer to settle an arm around her shoulders, his movements had a taut, ferocious energy, like the tread of a panther. Despite her tiredness, arousal flickered through her, curling into a glowing knot in her pelvis.
“Too many people in there,” she replied, extricating herself from his companionable embrace. “And I’ve drunk too much as well. I wish I were at home, away from all this.”
“I’m afraid I can’t grant you that wish, not tonight. We have business to attend to—as I’m quite certain you recall.” His chuckle sent a chill down her spine. “You wanted fame, my dear. This sort of public performance is part of the price. However, I should think you’d find some consolation in your bank balance.”
He stepped behind her, slipped his arms around her waist, and pulled her buttocks toward his lean hips. He was hard. He was always hard. Wendy cursed her traitorous body as excitement flooded her pussy. She was like Pavlov’s dog, salivating in response to a meaningless stimulus.
He rubbed his erection against her satin-sheathed buttocks. She struggled not to squirm. Honestly, she didn’t want to encourage him. But then, what she wanted hardly mattered.
“So tonight…you’re going to take my soul?” she murmured as he sucked and nipped at the tender skin of her neck, just above his diamond-studded gift.
“Don’t think about that part, my sweet. Focus on the pleasure.” One of his hands crept up to cradle her breast. The other raised her skirt. He hooked the elastic of her lacy panties and dragged them down to bare her rear cheeks.
“No, don’t…” She struggled in his clutches as he exposed her. “Please, not here!” A finger slid down her rear crevice and tickled her sphincter. “No—wait…!”
“I’m going to consummate our agreement in the most appropriate manner, my dear. With my cock splitting your tight ass.”
“No!” Somehow she found the strength to wrench herself from his grip. She backed away, into the corner where the rail made a right angle. “Get away from me!”
Mister B put his hands on his hips and shook his head, his expression one of wounded disbelief. “I’m surprised at you. After all we’ve been through together, you reject me? Do you really want to give it all up? The adoring fans? The five star reviews? The fat advances and the hefty royalties?”
“Um…no, no, that’s not what I’m saying…” Panic swept through her. To lose everything she’d worked for? Unthinkable.
~~~
Get your own copy of Damned If You Do at your favorite bookseller:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0727RZ39B/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0727RZ39B/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/damned-if-you-do-lisabet-sarai/1126292735?ean=2940157395711Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/th/en/ebook/damned-if-you-do-10
Excessica: https://goo.gl/dZN3dr
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35009284-damned-if-you-do
And leave a comment on this blog, with your email, for a chance at one of three $10 gift certificates or three copies of my five star BDSM romance The Gazillionaire and the Virgin. For more ways to win, check out my release day post, here:
https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2017/04/out-today-damned-if-you-do-bdsm-pnr.html
About Me
LISABET SARAI occasionally tackles other genres, but BDSM will always be her first love. Every one of her nine novels includes some element of power exchange, while her D/s short stories range from mildly kinky to intensely perverse.
You’ll find information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books on her website, along with more than fifty free stories and lots more. At her blog Beyond Romance , she shares her philosophy and her news and hosts lots of other great authors. She’s also on Goodreads and finally, on Twitter.
Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
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I love the excerpt and the notion of the plot. My birthday’s in two weeks – Amazon voucher time!! 🙂
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Sounds great!
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It was vey good bibbiespaks@yahoo.com.
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made an errormy emal is bibbiesparks@yahoo.com.
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Hi Lisabet! 😀 Great to see your post here! greenshamrock atcox dotnet
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Being a writer makes for hard work. Thanks for doing that for us.
debby236 at gmail dot com
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Congrats on the latest release. It sounds fun! I look forward to reading it. Thank you. pansyparsons at hotmail dot com
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Your book sounds really good. Thanks for the chance to win.
delilahdevlin (at) susanr (dot) com
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Another interesting sounding book. jepeb(at)verizonDOTnet
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I love this cover and I am thankful and grateful for writers.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
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Thank you for hosting me, Delilah!
Actually, there are SIX winners… three gift certificates and three books.
I will count comments on this post toward the contest. You can add entries by joining my email list (but many of you are already there! Or leaving a comment on MY blog referenced above, as well!
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Enjoyed reading your blog.