United By Books is pleased to let Sommer Marsden Take over the blog for the day to tell you a little bout her and her book Big Bad. So without further hold up take it away Sommer....
The Scariest Twist
By Sommer Marsden
It’s very easy to write a book. It’s even very easy to write a paranormal book. Well, at this point it is—for me anyway…sometimes. It’s easy to turn it in, do edits, promote it and talk it up (mostly). What is never easy for me—the scariest twist of all—is waiting for reader response.
Since this is a reader driven blog, I figured I’d say that.
A big part of what makes a writer is the ability to connect with readers via work. I’ll say that again: via work. It’s great to chat and tweet and FB each other, and all that jazz, but if the work doesn’t land…well, pardon my French, you my friend are hosed.
So far, every time I’ve had a release, I’ve held my breath, sure that this…this is the one I will be nailed for. My readers will point and laugh, wonder what I was thinking, turn their backs on me, stop buying my books, stop talking to me on Twitter and Facebook and…gasp. Not like me anymore.
So far that hasn’t happened.
But it’s always a worry. At least for a person like me.
Reader response and putting yourself out there for ‘judgment’ as it were is always the scariest twist. Above bad guys, vampires, werewolves…and other deadly things. Vulnerability is the most terrifying thing of all.
That being said, I have a question and you know, curiosity killed the erotica writer—
Do those of you who have been rabid avid readers all your lives like our new Twitter/Facebook/Blogolicious world where you can interact (usually) with your favorite writers…or do you miss the mystery of a writer who just writes and isn’t available for chatter and chat?
I have an electronic copy of Big Bad to give away to one lucky commenter. If you go to my blog http://sommermarsden.blogspot.com Unapologetic Fiction and comment on every stop of the Big Bad Blog Bash, you’re in for a chance to win Ruby’s socks (pictured on my blog—werewolf sex not included). Now away we go with an excerpt…
XOXO
Sommer
Excerpt from BIG BAD by Sommer Marsden
“So you came over and broke into my house for sausage?” I kept my body angled toward the stove to keep myself in command. I was on the verge of just turning off the fire and leading him back to my bedroom. Instead, I put the splatter guard on the frying pan and turned the oven on to warm some bread.
“In my defense, I tried the store first. But all was dark.”
“I kept closed today. A busy day inside my head, I figure folks could live without me for one day. We are within two miles of like…three big grocery stores.”
“Still, this place has been here forever.” He straddled one of the tall short-backed stools that sat at my dining island. His fingernails trailed a small crack in the countertop and I found my eyes glued to the way he touched it. I wanted Ellis to touch me that way.
I wrapped a loaf of French bread in aluminum foil and popped it in the oven. The butter dish almost fell out of my hand because I was shaking. He laughed and desire flared in the pit of my belly.
“You don’t need to be so nervous.”
“But I do.”
“Why?”
I shrugged and carefully set the butter dish on the counter. “Should I even have cooked this meat for you?”
That got me an honest to god laugh and I smiled. It was unusual to see such an open and calm look on his serious face. Ellis was one of those men who looked brooding even when he wasn’t. “You gonna toss it to me raw?”
“I didn’t mean…I mean, I’m not trying to offend…I…” I shook my head, frustrated with myself and how flustered I was.“My god. I don’t know what the fuck I mean beyond is it okay that I’m cooking this?”
“Of course.” He took my hand and I felt a curl of heat that begged me to flame it. That insisted I lean in and kiss him.That I let him take me and bend me to his will. I swallowed hard and pulled my hand away.
“Okay then.”
I set the sausage, still sizzling on the plate in front of him. Tugging the bread from the oven with a mitt, I swore as I burned my arm on the top of the metal door. Two things happened simultaneously. My skin blistered and my kimono gaped and Ellis was there, shutting the door and pulling me against him. He sat on the stool and yanked me into his lap. I reached for the butter and he stilled my hand. “Old wives’ tale,” he said.
“What?” I couldn’t think being this close. I couldn’t feel or smell or see anything but Ellis Bach and as much as I had fantasized about him, as much as I wanted him, it boggled my mind that not only had I not thrown myself at him yet, I was sort of being coy. But not intentionally.
It was instinct. I was being cautious. Like an animal uncertain of the person offering it food and affection.
“Do you want wine with your burn? Food! Do you want wine with your food?” I tried to pull away and he held me tight, one arm slung almost casually over my midsection but it felt like an iron vise.
“Where you going, little bird?” he rumbled in my ear. My nipples went hard, my skin hot and cold and prickly.
“To the counter,” I breathed.
His lips were a millimeter away, the heat off of his skin slid along mine. It felt like a physical touch, that heat off his skin. “But here’s a counter. Funny thing about counters is you can set things on them and then do stuff. Like little birds in silky robes. I could put you up there and spread your legs. Then I could really eat.”
Blurb for BIG BAD by Sommer Marsden
Lust according to Ruby:
You read those books where they explain it all away. They make it fine with rationalization. But what if I just want to? What if that's my whole reason? My life is not a romance novel. I don’t need justification. I’m a grown woman who knows what she wants.
I want Ellis. And I want Tyler.
And I won’t apologize...
What’s worse than wanting both your best friend who’s a vampire and the just-back-in-town alpha werewolf you find yourself fixated on? Finding out that the werewolf in question wants you, too. But he isn’t too keen on the sharing part. Oh, and by the way, you’re his dead mate.
Okay, okay, dead is harsh—reincarnated.
What’s worse than that? Realizing that you believe the whole crazy tale of reincarnation. Because it seems to be true.
And yet you still want them both—together. Vampire and werewolf and you in the middle. Stuck between two predators who want you and only you. To complicate it all, you find out that you can have it. With your new/old mate’s blessing. But just one time before he claims you as his.
Are you brave enough to take it? That one shot?
Well...Are you?
Warnings: This title contains graphic sex and language, spanking, m/f/m sex, multiple partners.
Buy link for Big Bad (also on ARe, Kindle, Bookstrand and other popular vendors)
Big Bad through Excessica
Big Bad Kindle Edition
United By Books would like to thank Sommer Mardsen for taking over for the day, with a great post and giveaway. To enter the giveaway answer Sommer's question in a comment with a valid email address to contact you if you win. The giveaway will go from 10/19/11 - 10/23/11 winner will be picked on Monday
