Like me, Lorraine loves vampires, sexy men and erotic novels. Both of us also love company, so pour yourself a beverage and join us.
There's always room on the couch for more.
My Inspiration for
Becoming an Author by Lorraine Pearl
Before I begin,
I’d like to thank Kathryn for having me here and letting me tell you all about
my inspiration—and give you a little excerpt from my latest novella, Nocturnal Surrender.
As for that inspiration…
This is the part where you expect me to say I read some great and inspiring
books when I was younger—or even as an adult—and that’s what inspired me to
write. Truth is I’ve never had that experience until recently, long after I
started my writing career.
So what was it
that inspired me then?
Would you believe
me if I told you it was a TV show?
Eh, maybe that’s
not such a strange thing. I’m sure other writers have been inspired by TV
shows. In truth, maybe it wasn’t the show itself as much as it was the actor’s
portrayal of the main character. He pulled me in—as I now know he did to
countless others—and made me love his character.
The show was Moonlight, and the actor was Alex O’Loughlin. If you haven’t seen his work, you should—and not
only because he looks good shirtless. He is an amazing actor and an all-around
good guy. Oh, and did I mention the sexy Australian accent? Hmm, wonder why one
of the heroes in my series is an Aussie? I have no idea.
I’ve loved vampires ever since seeing the movie Interview
with the Vampire. I hadn’t read a vampire novel before that but I ran out
to gather up the first three in Anne Rice’s series. Come on. Who doesn’t love
Lestat?
Still, that never inspired me to write.
It was the vampire PI, Mick St. John, on Moonlight
who captured my heart enough to make me want to write. To actually publish. To
become an author. To give someone else the same enjoyment I’d received from my
new obsession with all things vampire.
I started like a lot of others, with fan fiction.
My Moonlight fanfic was very well received, though it was a long way from the
type of writing I would need in order to publish. But it was my start.
From there, I started learning all I could about
writing.
My first manuscript, which is still not fit to see
the light of day, was a cross between Interview and Moonlight and weighed in at
a whopping 144,000 plus words. I wanted to create a Mick St. John mixed with
Lestat—and I did. If I’d only known how to write well enough back then, it
might have been great. I hope to rewrite it someday—or possibly turn it into a
serial—but I had to leave it behind for now in order to keep moving forward.
At some point I discovered paranormal romance
novels. Then erotic paranormal romance. I was hooked. Kresley Cole’s Immortals
after Dark Series was an immediate favorite. My latest addiction is J.R. Ward’s
Black Dagger Brotherhood Series—this was the inspiring writing I referred to
above, and I only started reading her series last year.
My first manuscript did have some wonderful
romantic scenes in it, but the fact that the hero and heroine never ended up
together meant it was absolutely not a romance.
I eventually decided to write an erotic paranormal
romance novel with some of the characters from that original work. This is
where Night Therapy, an upcoming novel in my Nocturnal Surrender Series, came from. I started it a while ago, put it on
hold and wrote the three novelettes/novellas that precede it in the series, and
am now back to working on it again. I’m hoping for a spring release, but it may
be early summer.
Now what was the point I was trying to make? Oh,
yeah. That’s right. It’s that inspiration can strike from anywhere, and when it
does, you need to grab onto it and let it take you for an amazing ride. I know
I’m glad I did.
How about an excerpt from my latest book, the
novella Nocturnal Surrender?
Chapter One Excerpt
This wasn’t the homecoming Bastian Evanko had
hoped for after two hundred years in exile. Getting berated by his brother
served as a reminder of how strained their relationship had always been.
Apparently the time apart had done nothing to mend old wounds.
So much for a starting over.
Donovan paced behind his mahogany desk, blond hair
falling perfectly down the back of his expensive suit. “You shouldn’t be here.
You know better. This city is no good for you, not with your past.”
Bastian gripped the wooden armrests of the
pretentious-looking chair where Donovan had commanded him to sit. “My sentence
is over. I will come and go as I please now. Spending the last two centuries in
isolation was almost more than I could take.” He loosened his hold when the
wood cracked. If he turned the chair into kindling, he’d never hear the end of
it.
A point Donovan confirmed when he stopped and
glared. “You’d better not destroy my office, little brother. The last thing we
need is a repeat of what happened—”
“Oh, please. How long are you going to keep
bringing that up?” Bastian clenched his fists and stood, nearly knocking
the fucking chair backward. “And stop calling me little brother. Two
years makes no difference after nearly a millennia.”
In an instant, Donovan moved to face Bastian. His
eyes turned silver and his fangs extended. “Do not think to challenge me, little
brother. As long as I have to keep cleaning up your messes, I’ll call you
whatever I damn well please.” He waved a dismissive hand and returned to his
desk, eyes reverting to their usual pale blue as his fangs receded. The monster
within was hidden behind his baby face once more. No one would ever suspect a
murderous creature lurked beneath that innocent façade.
With a deep breath, Bastian sucked in the amped-up
vampiric testosterone saturating the air. The tension between them was
suffocating, and the next move rested on his shoulders. He could take the
all-too-familiar road of trying to prove himself with a physical display and
allow the powder keg to explode, or…
“You’re right. I have made many mistakes, but you
also know I’ve done nothing wrong since you stood up for me with the Elders and
convinced them to spare my life.” Hand extended, Bastian crossed the room and
stopped a respectable distance away. “Please, Donovan, let’s put the past
behind us and move forward. How can I make amends if you won’t give me the
opportunity?”
There was silence except for the ticking of the
large antique clock on the bookcase. Soundproof walls allowed in nothing from
the nightclub beyond the office door, or from the bustling city outside.
Donovan glanced at the proffered hand then locked
gazes with Bastian, his expression unreadable.
For a moment, Bastian wished vampires weren’t able
to shield their thoughts from each other. His shoulders stiffened. A few more
seconds of being ignored and he’d lose the tenuous grasp he had on his temper.
In the past, he would have blown by now—verbally
and physically—without regard for the consequences. His poor impulse control
had created a rift between him and Donovan long ago. He never did anything
right in his brother’s eyes, resulting in far too many years of Donovan’s
condescending attitude. But he wanted his brother to see he was different now,
and the only way for that to happen was to fight the anger.
Pressure built under his gums. His fangs ached to
descend. Swallowing hard, he licked his teeth.
Still normal, but not for long.
With a nod, Donovan finally accepted his hand.
“Okay, I concede. Looks like you might have really changed this time.” He
immediately stood and pulled Bastian in for a hug, landing a hard smack on his
back. “It’s good to have you here, little brother.”
Jaw clenched at those words, Bastian
returned the show of affection with an equally powerful blow.
A few blood-infused drinks and a half hour later,
Donovan gave Bastian a tour of his club.
Nocturnal Surrender sat in the middle of the
Lansford Strip, flanked by a casino and a hotel. The Sin City of the East truly
lived up to its name, and just as they had in Las Vegas, vampires capitalized
on the sin aspect.
Bastian surveyed the club and its patrons. Every
vamp in the room had silver eyes and extended fangs—no need to hide since it
was supposed to be fake. Unsuspecting humans, including timid tourists who
looked out of place, became meals for immortals. He held in a chuckle when he
noticed a few mortals wearing various shades of vampire contacts. Some even had
artificial fangs.
Hard rock music blared from hidden speakers. Candles
flickered on tables and shelves, adding contrasting old-world ambiance. Gothic
arches framed the doorways.
He inhaled deeply, drawing in the wondrous scent
that permeated the open room. Blood.
When Donovan finished showing him around, they sat
in one of the many crimson-colored booths.
The Nightclub with a Bite. Bastian had to laugh at the sign behind
the bar, its dramatic lettering exaggerated by fang-like projections. He looked
to Donovan and raised his glass. “I’ve got to commend you. Opening a
sanguinarian nightclub was a stroke of genius.”
“Amazing, isn’t it? Just like the blood houses of
old, but with all the modern conveniences.” Donovan rested a hand on his
brother’s back.
Warmth spread through Bastian at the loving touch.
It had been many centuries since Donovan yielded any real compassion. Could
this be the new beginning Bastian had hoped for all these years? Would he
finally be deemed worthy, good enough, and not a screw up? Would he no longer
be considered a scourge on the Evanko name?
When Donovan pulled away, a cold and empty spot
remained where his palm had been—not unlike the one that had been left in
Bastian’s heart long ago. The first time, after Donovan turned his back on him
when it became clear he would live by his own rules and not the Elders’ Code.
The second, when that bastard of an Enforcer, Christof Rosenbaum, murdered the
woman he loved.
He had tried to save Elise after she’d been
sentenced to death for revealing vampires’ existence. That had made him a
traitor to his kind, and the Elders’ wrath landed squarely on his shoulders.
Two hundred years.
****
Okay, you might want to know where the
good—erotic—scenes are. Maybe I’ll give you one more excerpt to calm your
desires. Well, in truth, if I did my job right, it should actually heighten
your desires.
Chapter Twelve Excerpt
Bastian slid his arms
around Nicole from behind, and she shuddered as her breathing hitched. Her
heart thundered from being startled. If he hadn’t held her so tightly, she
would have spun around and smacked his chest.
He ushered her to the
small dance floor. “I’m glad you made it. It’s been a rough night, and I need
to unwind,” he said, remaining behind her as he swayed to the heavy beat of the
music.
Only a few couples were
dancing so Nicole and Bastian had room to move freely.
She leaned her head
back against him and reveled in his powerful embrace. Her body tingled in all
the right places. “Shouldn’t you still be working?”
“It’s a slow night, and
Donovan had some other business I sat in on. But I want to forget about all
that for now and just enjoy your company.” He eased one hand up and moved her
hair aside then pressed his lips to her neck.
She closed her eyes. In
seconds, his sharp teeth grazed her skin as his hand slipped back around her
waist. Clasping his arms, she prepared for his fangs to sink in. But instead of
biting her, he kissed and sucked her flesh. Her breaths grew ragged as his
hands roamed a little north and south, her own hands on top of his.
The music’s rhythm was
corporal, and their bodies moved in time with the seductive beat. His erection
pressed against her rear, her heels bringing her closer to his height. He
teased at the top of her skirt, dipping his fingers under the material
slightly, the same as she’d done to him in the private room the night they met.
Payback was a bitch.
She opened her eyes but
desire made her dizzy. Her body ached for him to slide his hand downward, to
touch her intimately. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough people dancing to
hide their activity. Everyone would see.
His other hand came to
rest under her breast, pushing against it with demanding force. Occasionally,
his fingers slid over her hard nipple, adding fuel to the fire burning in her
veins.
He definitely had a way
of driving her mad.
When the song ended, he
whispered in her ear, “I think we should get out of here.”
Throat
dry, she fought to get her words out. “I think…you’re right.”
****
I guess that was a sensual scene, not erotic. Oh,
you wanted a full-on sex scene. Now come on. What fun will it be when you read
the book if you’ve already read the sex scenes? You know they need to finish
what they started on that dance floor.
The Nocturnal Surrender Series
Lansford,
Pennsylvania is the Sin City of the East. No wonder it’s become a hot spot for
vampires. With the sanguinarian nightclub, Nocturnal Surrender, run by one of
their own, they can easily sate their hunger without divulging the secret of
their existence—and without leaving a trail of dead bodies behind them.
That hasn’t
stopped the Hunters from trying to find a way to eradicate these creatures. The
game of cat and mouse has gone high-tech, and biological warfare is on the
horizon. What will happen when the battle between mortals and immortals
threatens to expose vampires—to all of humanity—for the murderers they truly
are?
In The Nocturnal
Surrender Series, not only will the vampires have to deal with the bigger
problems of survival and secrecy, but they will also have to navigate the
issues in their own lives. Love, hate, and retribution are part of the high
stakes game they all play. Life and death situations combine with emotions and
lust to fuel the series. Each couple will have their own obstacles to overcome
while they are dragged into the larger, millennia-old battle between humans and
vampires.
Who will live
and who will die? Who will love and who will hate? And how will they put their
differences aside to save themselves?
****
The Nocturnal
Surrender Series is an erotic paranormal romance series—with a dark fantasy
edge. If you love sexy vampires that actually bite, then you've come to the
right place. Be sure to check out the links above to find out more about the
books in this series. This is only the beginning of the exciting series that
will be full of...
Love,
hate, and...retribution.
Back to the topic of the post for a minute:
inspiration. So what inspires you in life, whether it is to write or to do
anything else?
Before I go, I’d like to thank Kathryn again for having me here. Can’t wait to return the favor.
And I’d like to thank everyone for taking the time
to read this. Hope you enjoyed it. Don’t forget to leave a comment and answer
the inspiration question, or just comment in general.
Lorraine Pearl
Author of erotic paranormal romance.
Save a horse, ride a vampire.
Lorraine’s blog: http://authorlorrainedpearl.wordpress.com
