Kennedy Layne

kennedylayneauthor@gmail.com

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First and foremost, I love life. I love that I'm a wife, mother, daughter, sister...and a writer.

I am one of the lucky women in this world who gets to do what makes them happy. As long as I have a cup of coffee (maybe two or three) and my laptop, the stories evolve themselves and I try to do them justice. I draw my inspiration from a retired Marine Master Sergeant that swept me off of my feet and has drawn me into a world that fulfills all of my deepest and darkest desires. Erotic romance, military men, intrigue, with a little bit of kinky chili pepper (his recipe), fill my head and there is nothing more satisfying than making the hero and heroine fulfill their destinies.

Thank you for having joined me on their journeys...

CAPTURED INNOCENCE

CSA CASE FILES, BOOK ONE

Available at Amazon

When former Marine, Connor Ortega, was ordered into the offices of Crest Security Agency on a Saturday morning, he didn’t expect the latest case to hit so close to home. A submissive has been murdered in a particularly vicious manner and to bring her killer to justice, he must go undercover. Not hard to do considering he’s already part of the BDSM lifestyle.

Lauren Bailey, a local vendor of bejeweled erotic implements, lives vicariously through her clients due to her fear of bondage. When Connor’s dominant side can’t resist trying to ease her anxieties, she accepts his proposal and agrees to his one stipulation…keep things casual.

When the killer sets his sights on Lauren, Connor is forced to rethink their relationship. He has the training it takes to catch a murderer, but does he have the courage to escape his inner demons and capture Lauren’s heart? 

EXCERPT

Lauren felt lightheaded at his command, and for a brief moment believed she’d faint if she followed it. The butterflies flying in her stomach wanted an escape and she was afraid she’d give them one. Slowly, she bent over to where she could grab her ankles. How was it that he hadn’t even touched her, yet she felt as if they’d just had sex for an hour? A light sheen of perspiration had already broken out over her body and her knees felt like jelly. Lauren forced herself to lock her knees in place.

“You have a beautiful body,” Connor said, slowly walking around her. His bare feet came into her line of view and it struck her that they appeared masculine. The thought made her want to giggle, which was so unlike her. She wasn’t that type of woman, yet her emotions were running rampant. “Your crevice is curved with precision, while your rosebud is perfectly centered and lightly dusted with your red hair. The things I will show you will fulfill every dark fantasy you’ve ever had, Red.”

Heat infused her body as wicked images flashed through her mind. Why wasn’t he touching her if he wanted to show her all of these things? Lauren could feel his heat from inches away and her anus throbbed with the need for contact. She’d never been introduced to anal play, mostly due to the fact the men she’d been with were vanilla in nature, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to experience it. Again, why was he not touching her?

“Palms flat on the floor and spread your legs wider,” Connor ordered, not moving from his position. “I want to see how well you shaved your pussy. I warn you now, should it not meet my satisfaction, that will only add to your count.”

She was relatively sure that Connor knew his words would produce her pussy to cream. Lauren felt the moisture seep through her folds as her hands touched the hardwood floor in front of her. Shifting her feet farther apart, her juices slipped past and coated her inner thighs.

“It pleases me to know that my voice alone can make you aroused,” Connor murmured, surprised her when he slid a finger through her lips. Spasms rocked her pussy, but he did nothing more. She heard him hum and knew that he’d tasted her. “Your flavor is unmistakable. I can’t seem to get enough, but right now we have other things to do. I want you to stand, walk over to the bed and situate yourself on the end of the mattress. You are to place your knees on the edge and keep them separated as wide as you can while your shoulders rest against the comforter. Your ass will be up in the air and exposed to me, while your arms are to either side of you.”

Lauren took her time to stand, the lightheaded feeling have never fully gone away. She was having trouble slowing her heart rate and her mouth had gone completely dry. Did he plan to bind her arms to the mattress? Was that even possible? She didn’t have any type of contraption to do that, but then again, she wasn’t sure what the hair ties were to be used for. They felt no different to her than when she wore her watch on her left wrist. He’d placed them on her, so she assumed he had a reason for doing so.

Making her way to the edge of the bed, Lauren tried to see what he’d placed on the chair. Was that her tube of lubricant that she kept in the spare bedroom for work? Zippers tended to get stuck and chains managed to become tangled...KY Jelly was a simple solution. But she knew his intentions would be totally different. She should be focused on what he had planned for the wrist ties, but her anus was pulsing with what he intended for the lube.

“What were my instructions?” Connor asked, his voice in her right ear. The warmth of his breath caused her to tilt her head as shivers rolled through her. “At this rate, we’ll have to toss out counting how many spankings you obtain. Maybe I should integrate them within this scene. It might help you focus on me instead of what is on that chair.”

Lauren wasn’t sure if she should answer or not, considering Connor had spoken after his initial question. Instead, she quickly climbed onto the bed and situated herself the way he required. The vulnerability of the position wasn’t lost on her. She gathered up the comforter in her fists for something to hold on to and wished her mental state had something similar. As it was, she felt as if she were in free-fall.

“I think that is what we shall do, so that after our scene I can hold you and fall asleep peacefully. Knowing how we’ll both be satiated, mentally and physically, can be rather exhausting.” Connor walked over to the chair, but since her cheek was resting on the blanket, she couldn’t see what he’d grabbed. He walked back and continued until he was behind her. She resisted the urge to move her hips. “Have you experienced the pleasure of a butt plug, Red?”

“No,” Lauren whispered. The sound of her voice seemed far away as blood rushed through her ears. She tried to attach his title to the word, but her long pause was evident. It seemed to give him so much power, yet that was what she wanted. “Sir.”

“By the time this scene ends, your words will flow together nicely,” Connor said, his promise ringing through the air. “Now, I’ll ask once again to give you more practice. Have you ever experienced the pleasure of a plug?”

Lauren’s breath caught as she felt his finger brush over her tight ring. In a whoosh of air, her words came rushing out. She’d never been touched there by a man.

“No, Sir, I haven’t.”

“Now, see, wasn’t that easier?” Connor asked. She heard the familiar click of the tube, knowing he’d flicked it open with his thumb.

Cindy Spencer Pape

Happy November!

Today is All Saints’ Day to some, Dio des los Muertos (Day of the Dead) to others, and New Year’s Day to yet more people, as Samhain, Oct. 31 is the end of the pagan year. Hopefully we all made it through Halloween without any jack-o-lantern attacks or candy-induced sugar comas. In the US, November brings us Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, and stores full of so much cheesy holiday stuff, we all think about screaming in public. Black Friday sales, Santa Claus parades, football, more football, and neighbors with loud leaf blowers.

Oh—and NaNoWriMo. Yep, November is National Novel Writing Month. Because frantic holiday over-planning doesn’t give us enough to keep us busy.

The idea behind NaNo is to give writers the encouragement and community support to write that novel that’s been rattling around in their brains. You join up, track your word count, and hopefully you end up with a 50K novel by the end of the month. Or a 50K half of a novel, at any rate, if your aim is for something mass market length. It’s a neat idea, and it really can work.  Even during pumpkin-everything season.

In 2006 I sold my first 3 books—to 3 different publishers. I hadn’t written any sequels, so I needed to come up with at least a couple on a pretty speedy timeline. The one was intended to be category-length, 50-60K, so that seemed perfect. I joined NaNo, and Crazy for the Cowboy, 65K in length was done by the end of the month. Though I’d written three previous novels, I’d completed nothing in this kind of timeframe, nothing since my first sale, and therefore nothing as a professional author. (In my own opinion, of course.) The book was readily accepted by my publisher, and is, in fact, still available from The Wild Rose Press. It also got good reviews, and continues to be a personal favorite. In my mind, that NaNo project was an unmitigated success.

The next year I left my day job and began to focus on writing full time. My writing speed was pretty good, with months that very often exceeded 50K. Therefore, I didn’t choose to participate in NaNo, since it wasn’t a particular challenge anymore. By 2011, though, I began to slow down. 2012 was a really slow year, and 2013 so far hadn’t been particularly impressive. I was in a rut. A short novella that should have taken a week or two began to take me months. My most recent Gaslight novel seemed to take forever and I began to actually miss deadlines for the first time in my writing life.

That’s why I did sign up for NaNo this year. I need the kick in the pants. I need the public reporting in order to keep myself honest. I need to WRITE. Not just promo, not second-guess my career, not spend time playing games or scrolling on Facebook. I went out and rented office space, so I can’t use my one-year-old granddaughter as an excuse. No excuses. Just writing.

While I will be working on my next Gaslight book during November, I will be primarily focused on a new project in a new genre. Nano seemed the perfect time to break my stride and write something new. Something out of my comfort zone. Of course I will also have edits, revisions and all the other stuff that goes with being a professional writer. This year’s challenge isn’t just to write 50K in one month—it’s to do so while juggling everything else that life has to offer.

What can be a challenge for one person can be an everyday occurrence for someone else. The trick, I think, is to make sure that you set challenges that mean something to you. Another friend is doing half-NaNo. She’s not joining up, but has set a private goal of 25K—because that’s the right one for her. Even if you don’t participate in a formal challenge, it’s good to give yourself new goals once in a while.

So now you know what I’ll be up to in October. I might not be online much, and I sure won’t be savoring any pumpkin lattes, since I’m fueled by Diet Coke instead of coffee. But I will be writing. And that means I’ll not only be advancing my career (hopefully) but I’ll be doing something that matters to me.

And that will be something to be thankful for.

* * *

To sign up for National Novel Writing Month visitwww.nanowrimo.org

* * *

Cindy Spencer Pape firmly believes in happily-ever-after and bringsthat to her writing. Award-winning author of 16 novels and morethan 30 shorter works, Cindy lives in southeast Michigan with herhusband, two sons and a houseful of pets. When not hard at work writing she can be found dressing up for steampunk parties and Renaissance fairs, or with her nose buried in a book, or online at:

Website: http://www.cindyspencerpape.com

Newsletter group: http://yhoo.it/ni7PHo

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CindySPape

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/gjbLLC

Donna McDonald Interview

Biography:

Donna McDonald is an Amazon best selling author in Contemporary Romance and Humor, and lately has been climbing the Science Fiction list as well. 

Science Fiction reviewers are calling McDonald “a literary alchemist effortlessly blending science fiction and romance”. Contemporary and humor reviewers often write to tell her that the books keep them up reading and laughing all night. She likes both compliments and hopes they stay true forever. 

McDonald’s idea of success is to be sitting next to someone on a plane and find out they are laughing at something in one of her books. Ideally, this would be happening while she was heading off on her next adventure to feed her creative soul.

Anyone who knows me (Leanna) is fully aware that I am a bit of a literary stalker with Donna McDonald; doesn’t matter what she’s written, I’ve read it and love it!   Whether she’s portraying a divorced and retired father’s second chance at love or a futuristic space romance opera, she’s on point and on fire!  Donna has graciously accepted our offer to chat a bit about what makes her tick - so let’s give her a huge TLR welcome!

TLR: Would you describe your writing style in three sentences or less?

DM: I’m a total “pantser”. My usual mode is to write in a near panic state while driven by the urge to get down that scene playing over and over in my head. I talk to myself as I’m writing. I talk about my characters like they are real people.

TLR: What would you say was the deciding factor in becoming an author?

DM: I have a been a writer all my life and made a living as one several times. However, publishing my books and becoming an “author” was the really hard decision. I lost a job through downsizing and spent the following year taking care of my daughter who died of cancer. After spending several months staring at walls and doing nothing, I decided life was too short not to take a chance with my writing.

TLR: Once you made the decision to take the plunge, how long did it take from your completion of your first novel to publication?

DM: I count that time in terms of what happened. I put in six or seven months of hard writing work to perfect a couple titles, suffered through five rejections of them from agents and presses, and researched long enough for me to absorb everything Mark Coker of Smashwords was saying to authors who had good books and no one willing to market them.  Quick answer is about a year from finishing my first marketable title and putting it up.

TLR: Being successful in two genres (Contemporary Romance and Science Fiction) is no mean feat.  That being said, is there genre that you’d like to tackle in the future?

DM: I need multiple genres to be a happy writer. When I started writing romances in the early 90’s, ‘paranormal’ was the only category for everything different and I loved those stories. In the future, I’m going to be writing more work that will fall into the newer paranormal categories. Next year, I’ll work on a ‘dragon’ book. I might try a romantic suspense one day.

TLR: One thing I’ve really enjoyed about your work is that your heroes/heroines are for the most part nearing or at middle age (or older).  Was that something you consciously chose to portray and why?

DM: Yes, it was intentional. My children are the ages of the younger heroes and heroines typically found in romances, and those stories are needed. My writer voice was meant to be used for the ones closer to my age. I feel blessed that so many readers have responded well to those books, but I think that’s because I’ve had the nerve to talk about love, sex, and romance happening after 35--lol. Since that statement always make me laugh, I taught myself to write comedy because it fills a great need in me to make readers laugh. I save every note I get where a reader tells me that they laughed out loud over something I wrote.

TLR: With the recent exposure (if you’ll forgive the pun) of erotica and erotic romance, how do you manage to keep your scenes sexy and engaging without being excessively

explicit?

DM: At a recent reader-author conference, I was on a ‘sex in romance’ panel. While I don’t have any ‘throbbing members’ in my books, I also don’t have any ‘cocks’ either. I personally have no problem with any term that is applicable for the story, but language is being used to judge books these days. I assure you that most writers could write anywhere along that spectrum. I chose my ‘middle road’ language for my sex scenes for the comfort level of the reader audience I imagined in my head. Okay and because of friends from old day job teasing me about my sex scenes. They used to look up terms and I vowed that they wouldn’t find them again in my books. So maybe I owe them for my workarounds.

In Dating A Cougar II, I had a dirty joke going on between Walter and Harrison, so I got by with using a term I haven’t used in other books. Honestly though, I’ve had some reviewers call some of my work erotic. I’ve had others who say the sex scenes are mild and boring. I’ve had reviews that say the scenes are ‘hot enough to be interesting’. All these comments make me laugh. I personally describe my scenes as explicit because I intentionally describe sexual acts. This kind of judgment is very subjective. I write what feels right to me. There are different levels of sexuality in each of my books. To me, the sex between a couple is an aspect of each relationship. Dating A Metro Man has the most sex because Seth used it as a way to keep Jenna connected to him. Dating A Cougar II and Dating A Silver Fox have the least amounts--maybe. I never think about it in those terms. I let it evolve as part of the overall character development in every novel.

TLR: What are the perils and joys of writing series books and stand-alone titles?  Which do you find easier/more difficult to write?

DM: I love to read series books, so I naturally write them. If I love characters, I want to see them again in subsequent books. I want to know that their happily-ever-after is working out for them. In the Never Too Late series, I wanted the friendships to be in every book. In the Art of Love series, I wanted the family to remain a family that shows up on each other’s doorsteps. This just seems normal to me. To date, I only have one or two single title books (The Right Thing and Quickies Volume 1). They have their place among my titles, but I tend to think of the future in terms of series or at least trilogies.

TLR: In your “Art of Love” series, you’ve really fleshed out the creative personalities of each main character.  Do you have any creative pursuits in addition to writing?  How do you think that’s helped you write this series?

DM: I am glad you asked this question. I love art, but am not greatly talented at all the things I admire, such as painting, drawing, sculpting, and so on. I made the characters artists because in the process of seeing my titles published I came to see myself as an artist. I now think of what I do as creating and see each book as a work of art. It makes me feel very good to describe my work this way.

TLR: Speaking of your AOL series, will we ever get to read Drake and Brooke’s story?

DM: <sigh> Yes. You will. I promise. I started the book in 2012, and tried to write it earlier in 2013. It just wasn’t working for me. I would sit and stare at the screen day after day. Finally, I decided it just wasn’t time to write it. So I set it aside and finished DAC II. Now I’m working on Book 5 of the Forced To Serve series. After that though, I’m going back to Covered In Paint until it is done. Brooke’s issue is hitting a little too close to home for me in terms of storyline conflict. Yet I still feel it is the story I need to tell. I am waiting until the Muses and I get into agreement about it. I love that series too much not to finish it. There’s actually a book after Brooke and Drake’s story.

TLR:  I’ve noticed that the first book in the AOL series, “Carved In Stone” is currently being offered for free at many online retailers.  Do you find that this has made a noticeable difference in your sales on subsequent series installments?

DM: I’m a free book advocate. It is a great way to let readers try your work. If they don’t like your book or your writing, then they have lost nothing. If readers do like the free book, then they will buy the others. A lot of my fellow authors do not agree with this strategy, but I remember buying my first romances at used book stores or checking them out of the libraries. I realize now that these did not make the authors of those books any or much money. When readers have to be careful with their buying dollars, like I used to have to be with small children in the household, this kind of thing matters. Maybe I would not feel this way if I thought I only had one more book in me, but I have dozens still to write. Having a few books free has helped me get them into reader hands.

TLR: Tell us, who’s books are on your TBR list?

DM: Wow. Well, you don’t have enough room here for me to list them. I read JD Robb, Janet Evanovich, Jennifer Cruise (her old books), and am tapping my foot waiting for the next Darynda Jones book. I read across genres and recently finished Aramus by Eve Langlais which is book 4 in her excellent Cyborgs: More Than Machines series. She’s awesome. Shortly before that I read Thea Harrison’s Elder Races series—the whole series. I don’t get a lot of time to read, but when I do, I read obsessively if the books are good. I read everything by Robyn Peterman—beta read for her sometimes—she is incredibly funny. I also read JM Madden’s and Teresa Reasor’s military romances. I recently added Sharon Hamilton to that list. I also read Liliana Hart—her dragon book hooked me. I met Julie Ortolon at a conference and realized that I have 3 of her books on my ereader—lol.  I read what interests me and look for unique stories. I’ve started a paranormal book listing site called Risky Readers. It is bringing a whole bunch of new books to my attention. My TBR pile is as daunting as every other reader’s.

TLR: If you could choose to have a career other than being an author, what would it be? Why?

DM: I have cleaned houses, worked for a newspaper, waited tables, been an account clerk, and then put in 18 years in a technical field. I’ve done plenty of other things for money--lol. Writing fiction is the most fun, interesting, fulfilling work I’ve ever done. I love talking to readers and writing books that I think will entertain or make them laugh. I truly cannot imagine doing anything else.

TLR: Do you have any guilty pleasures?  How do they figure in to your creative process?

DM: I am learning that massages, facials, and exercise classes are not luxuries, but necessities to keep going. Writing demands a lot of hours in the chair and takes a toll on my body, especially those long obsessive days. Bruce knows I like romantic getaways with walks, fireplaces, and wine. I love going to the beach. All these things rejuvenate me. But when the worries of the world push in too hard, I revert to what has always worked. I go to my ereader and pull up a favorite book that I know will take me to a place where I can really escape—lol.

TLR: What do you hope your readers take away from your books?

DM: I hope they put down my books and smile for the rest of the day. I hope they think of something funny that happened to the characters and laugh. And I hope they realize that I’m writing about people just like them who have the courage to take chances and really get to live a full life.

TLR: Do you have a favorite among your stories? Which one?

DM: Wow. This is another nearly impossible question to answer. Each book means something special to me. I have reasons for loving each. Over all, I would say Captured In Ink was the most fulfilling book in terms of storyline. It is a highly uplifting story. I also think fondly of Dating A Saint because after I finished its complex storyline, I felt like a  real writer. I remain proud of Dating A Cougar because it is a story of my heart and continues to create controversy with its sexy 50 yr old. Dating Dr. Notorious taught me that writing can be fun. I wrote the entire novel in 2.5 week and rarely slept or ate, but I laughed the entire time I was writing it. The entire Forced To Serve series is challenging and entertaining to my writing mind with its fight scenes and bad guys. I can feel myself growing as a writer in each one of my paranormal books.

TLR: Which of your characters would you say you most resemble?

DM: Regina Logan from Dating Dr. Notorious is my alter ego and I like her bravery. Her character voice is a reflection of my writer’s voice. Like her, I don’t mind shocking people. I want everyone to worry a little about what I’m going to say next.  Readers of the series know that I have to have Regina appear in a every book—lol.

There are bits and pieces of me in every single character I create, but Jane’s reaction to Walter’s advances in Dating A Cougar II is the most auto-biographical I have gotten in a novel. I was 41 when I met a 28 yr old male who kept pursuing me. I finally married him this year—lol. It took me a decade to believe it had any chance at all of working out long term. He never doubted it and never wavered about staying in my life. So I feel very qualified in writing my ‘cougar’ stories. Like Walter, my husband was mature for his age and I was youthful for mine.

TLR: What was your biggest surprise about the writing process?

DM: My biggest surprise is that each and every book I publish causes me the same amount of nerve wracking angst as I turn it over to the readers. Even with 18 original titles out there, I still had crazy butterflies when I pushed the button to release Dating A Cougar II. I don’t think this is going to change.

TLR: Please share with us your upcoming releases and projects.  What twists/turns do you see your writing taking you in the future?

DM: Putting the books into audiobook format has required me to tweak my writing style a bit. It’s taking me a little longer these days to put the words down on the page, but they read better when I do. Upcoming releases? Dating A Cougar II was late September. The Demon’s Change will be out in the next month or two. The Demon Master’s Wife and Dating Dr. Notorious will be out in audiobook before Christmas. Covered In Paint doesn’t have a release date, but I promise I will be back to working on it soon. Next year I’m going to be finishing both Next Game I Play and Next Move I Make. Then later in 2014, I will be doing something new I think—maybe the dragon book.

TLR: Where can readers learn more about you and your work?

DM: They can go to my website at www.donnamcdonaldauthor.com. They can go to my Never Too Late for Romance blog at www.donnamcdonald.blogspot.com and/or the Demons, Dragons, and Space Opera blog at www.donnamcdonaldparanormal.blogspot.com. My books are available at most ebook retailers. I have an Amazon author page and a presence on Goodreads. I’m on Facebook at Donna Jane McDonald and Twitter (@donnamcdonald, @scifiwoman13, and @riskyreaders). They can email me at email@donnamcdonaldauthor.com.