Thanks PJ and all the Dish girls for letting me come and talk today. I adore your blog and all the support y’all give to the romance writing community and the Romance Bandits.
I started my writing career with two American historical romances based in Colorado in the 1880’s. (Some of you might have read the installment version of RESCUE on my blog @ http://www.rockymountainromance.blogspot.com/ last year.) Right after I wrote those books the American historical romance market literally dried up drier than the Mojave Desert. Sigh.
So, I tried my hand at contemporary romance, contemporary suspense, contemporary small town, etc. While the stories garnered awards, contest finals and requests for submissions, none quite made the leap into the published world.
So, I was reading one of my critique partner, Jo Davis’ eroticas when an idea hit me. Why not try my hand at an erotic historical? All my books have been more sensual than the average book. Could I push the envelope further into the erotic world? I didn’t want to write sex scenes just to write sex scenes. They’d need to further the story and the plot along like Jo’s did.
Hmmm…what part of erotic fiction did I like? I do like a Dominant/submissive story, but not one where the heroine is a complete doormat. I love ménage stories, but only where two men make the woman the center of their attention. Light bondage? Oh yeah!
Well, now, that all sounded pretty interesting to me. How did I combine that into a historical? Should it be English based, or did I dare try to make it a western? I mean, cowboys are sooooooooo sexy. I know, because I live in Texas.
What if my heroine is hiding from the law? What if she is the only way for my two heroes to track down a gang of outlaws? What if she’s unwilling to cooperate? Wouldn’t that be a reason for my heroes to use special techniques to get information from her?
That’s how Lacy Morgan begins her sensual journey with Marshal Quinn Halliday and his blood-brother, Marshal Dakota O’Keefe.
Here’s the website blurb to the book:
When two steely-eyed, lean-hipped strangers ride into town, Lacy Morgan knows her past has caught up with her. What she doesn’t know is that the U.S. marshals will do whatever’s necessary to capture her stepfather and his gang of murdering thieves, including bringing Lacy to her knees to serve their sexual needs.
Quinn and his blood brother Dakota are searching for the key to finding the band of outlaws who murdered their adoptive father. When they confront the sultry stepdaughter of the gang’s leader, they discover she’s unaware of her natural submissive tendencies.
As they journey to the gang’s lair, each day the men draw Lacy further and further into a sensuality she’s never known and a trust she’d sworn never to surrender to again. Using her lusty body for their combined pleasure, they find themselves ensnared in the same tender trap.
So, coming full circle, I’ve finally gotten an American western historical published. I had to push myself and step out of my comfort zone, but the end product has been well worth the effort.
Have you ever had to push yourself out of your comfort zone? Tried something new or daring? Were you happy with the results or the experience?
