@gaylecranfield visits the blog with new @EvernightPub release 'The Forever Forest' #eroticromance

The Forever Forest

A series of unusual, and unexplained murders in Bath, England, pushes Detective Sergeant Rebecca Leigh and Psychic Investigator, Gabriel Lewis, to work together. 

They discover a link to a new Steam Punk nightclub, The Wolf's Den, where owner Darius Wolf, when interviewed, disorientates Rebecca.  On exciting the club, Rebecca collapses, seemingly intoxicated, leaving Gabriel no choice but to take her to his home.

She has no memory of meeting Wolf, but attraction between Rebecca and Gabriel reaches boiling point as she discovers Gabriel is not as he seems. The timid psychic is a Dominant in the bedroom and turns her world upside down, as the normally strong willed Detective realizes what has been missing in her past relationships, the submission Gabriel requires from her.

Darius, now obsessed with Rebecca, gains access to her dreams when she is kidnapped by him, leaving Gabriel having to find a passage into Rebecca's dreams and save her from The Forever Forest.

Excerpt 

"You mentioned Jekyll and Hyde earlier, I'd that how you see me?" Gabriel asked as they sat eating their pasta.

"A bit yes. You seem so quiet normally, but this morning, when we were in your bedroom, you were a different person. More forceful."

"I asked you this morning if that scared you and you said no, but when you walked in here today you seemed very nervous."

"Apprehensive I think is more the terminology you should be using."

"Why?" he asked casually.

"The word dominant conjures up many images in my head. I've read books, and I know what it means."

"Is that how you see me?"

"Yes." She gulped.

"You are a very astute woman. You've already worked me out from this morning?"

"Yes. I'm a Detective you know, it's my job." She tried to make a joke, but she knew it just sounded like panic.

"The term Dominant can mean all sorts of things in life."

"What does it mean to you?"

"I'd like you to look at yourself," he said, deflecting her question.

"In what way?" she asked.

"You are an extremely dominant woman in your work, and I presume you are like that because you are in a very male oriented world and have had to learn to be like that. Am I right?"

"To a certain extent, yes," she agreed.

"But I get the feeling that is not your natural personality." He took a long drink from his glass and refilled both glasses again.

"How so?" She nodded in thanks to the wine and picked her glass up and put it to her lips. The wine, along with the food that Gabriel had prepared, was a taste sensation. "Every now and then I see Alice falling down a rabbit hole, only fleetingly, but it's there."

"That's a strange analogy, explain." She smiled as she put her glass down and picked up her fork once more.

"I know you're good at your job and you are obviously very thorough, but I get the feeling that this persona, this hard woman, is not the real you. You have been dragged out of your comfort zone with this career and have had to learn to adapt."

"Keep talking." This man was good.

"You are an extremely foreboding personality and I wouldn't want to cross you at work, but last night and this morning I saw a different side to you, a timid side, and one I'd like to explore a little further." She went to open her mouth, but Gabriel put his hand up to stop her saying anything. "Before you jump down my throat, hear me out please."

"Ok." She was beginning to take offense at his hint that she was weak.

"You do not socialize with people from work, do you?" 

"No, they're a bunch of arseholes. I like a few of them, but I still wouldn't choose to  spend any amount of with them, Tanya is probably the only one I would see out of work."

"So is that because you don't want people to see the real you when you take your mask off?"

"I'm sorry?"

"When you get home, do you close the door behind you and lock the woman away and the little girl is released?"

Rebecca didn't say anything, visions of her unicorn pajamas folded on her bed suddenly flicked through her mind.

"I take it by that silence I'm correct."

"Go on..."

"Let's take another avenue. Tell me about your last relationship."

"Er, ok, I met Harry when I was working on a stalking case few years ago. He was the victim before you ask."

"And you started a relationship with him?"

"After the case was over, yes, I did. He was a lovely man and wanted to marry me, but it wasn't what I wanted."

"What did you want?"

"Something else."

"And what was that?"

Silence reigned as Rebecca couldn't quite give him a reason why she didn't want to marry Harry.

"Did you ever take that mask off in front of him?"

"Why do you keep going on about a mask?"

"Because I think, and please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, that you are such a force in your work and all you want to do when you get home is curl up and lock the door with a book and a glass of wine. Am I right so far?"

"Possibly."

"Harry met you in a work environment, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"When he was possibly at the lowest time in his life being stalked, making him jumpy and needy."

"True."

"And you were the strong Detective Sergeant Rebecca Leigh, crime fighter extraordinaire."

"Now you're taking the piss." She laughed. "You had me believing you then."

"Look at the situation. Was it the tough DS Leigh he fell in love with, or the little girl lost that escapes to her fantasy world in books or TV?" Silence again. "How was your sex life?"

She blushed. "Good, I think." She hated talking about her sex life as she'd discussed with Tanya that morning.

"Was it always you that took the lead, perhaps always instigated sex?"

She thought for a moment. "He was busy, always working long hours."

"And you weren’t?"

"That's not the point," she answered abruptly.

"It totally is the point. He saw you as the dominant personality in your relationship and in all aspects of it, and I don't think you are. Yes, you are dominant in your work life, but you want to be that woman who is taken care of, too."

"I think I get what you mean."

"So I want to explore that side of your quieter personality, not the tough CID Detective Sergeant."

"How do you intend to do that?"

"There is one avenue I want to explore with you, Rebecca. It will probably make you very apprehensive."

"What's that? You're killing me here, Gabriel. Get to the point will you?"

"I want you to submit to me."

"What, in everything I do?" She panicked.

"No, just in the bedroom or wherever sex occurs. Your life is your own. I would not try and change that. I like that side. It's feisty, but it is Rebecca I want to explore further, not Detective Sergeant Leigh."

"I'm not into whips and chains and things."

"Stop panicking. It's not all about that. It's about control. It can be, but that's not what I want from this."

"What do you want from it?"

"Basically, to Dominate you in our sex life."

"I'm not sure about this, Gabriel. Is this something you're used to?"

"It has been in the past, yes. It can make a very interesting relationship. Basically I want to pleasure you in every way possible, and I want to ensure that you have enough orgasms to make your ears bleed."

"And what do you get out of this?" she asked curiously.

"To take care of you. Don't worry, you will satisfy me, too, but my purpose will be your pleasure."

"The perfect man?" She chuckled.

"You said it, not me." His eyes looked over his wine glass, and although she couldn't see his mouth she knew he was smirking behind the blood red liquid.

Gayle Cranfield was born in London and found her forever after, Mark at the age of 14.

After nearly 30 years of being together, they have two children, both at a university, and now live in Wiltshire in the South West of England somewhere between Stonehenge and Bath.

Whilst on a road trip around California in 2013, she read some disastrous books and when she returned home decided to write one of her own. Having never creatively written a word since school, she picked up her iPad and hesitantly started to write in secret thinking she'd write a short story, before she knew it she had 97000 words!

That was four books ago. She has written three erotic thrillers for Siren Publishing and this time has written her first erotic/paranormal, The Forever Forest, and has chosen Evernight to publish it for her.

"It is great to see your work come alive," Gayle says. "Although you have various Beta readers telling you it is a great story and a real page turner until a publishing company says 'Yes we want your work' you only think your friends are being nice and trying not to hurt your feelings. Seeing the front cover being emailed to me for approval is always the best part and Jay Aheer has done the most amazing job, as she always does ,with all the Evernight Authors.

 www.gaylecranfield.co.uk

 www.facebook.com/therightturnbook

 www.bookstrand.com/gayle-cranfield

 Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s_ss_i_0_9?k=gayle+cranfield&sprefix=gayle+cra

 Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_8?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gayle+cranfield&sprefix=Gayle+cr%2Caps%2C225

 Amazon Australia

http://www.amazon.com.au/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/378-0496966-8868115?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Gayle+Cranfield&rh=n%3A2490359051%2Ck%3AGayle+Cranfield

 www.Twitter.com/@gaylecranfield

Naomi Clark is my guest author with #newrelease 'Blood Witch' #FF romance from @EvernightPub

Lola Guntram is used to being an outcast. She's the only blood witch in Fort Rosser, mistrusted by other witches and happier working solo. But when her dark practices make her the prime suspect in a brutal murder investigation, she's forced to turn to others for help. Not that she has many allies – her ex-girlfriend thinks Lola is the killer, and the local coven leader thinks Lola will corrupt them all if she gets too close.

Help comes in an expected – and alluring – form. Tristesse is a demon on the run, beautiful, enigmatic, and suspiciously keen to assist Lola while she chases down the real killer. How can Lola refuse? With the police breathing down her neck, accusations flying, and inhuman monsters on the streets, Lola needs all the help she can get. The killer is angry, desperate, and determined. But so is Lola Guntram. And she doesn't care how dark or bloody the magic has to get – she's going to stop them.

Read an excerpt

There was probably never a good time to have the police knock on your door, Lola reflected. But three am on a September morning was definitely one of the worst. The fog outside seeped into the house with the stone-faced detectives, and the brisk chill of the night sank into Lola's bones. She'd only been home a couple of hours; only just stripped off and gone to bed. Now, huddled in her ancient rocking chair by the embers of a dying fire, she didn't feel as exhausted as she should. She felt like someone had stuck a live wire up her ass.

            “I know this can't be good news,” she addressed the female detective, who introduced herself simply as 'Hardy.' “So you'd better just get on with it.”

            Hardy, a brunette who did look exhausted, raised an eyebrow. “What makes you so sure it's not good news, Miss Guntram?”

            Lola tried a smile. “Do the cops ever show up after midnight with good news?”

            Her partner, Scherer, looked fresher. He sat on the edge of his seat like he might spring up any second, but he smiled back. It wasn't an entirely happy expression. “You caught us out, Miss Guntram. This isn't a social call.”

            “Then don't drag it out,” Lola said. His nervous energy was infectious.

            They exchanged a knowing look. “Where were you between ten and midnight tonight?” he asked.

            The blunt question created a knot of dread in her stomach and she had to swallow hard before she answering. “Working. I was with a client. Why?”

            Hardy fixed cold blue eyes on her. It was a searching look, penetrating. If Lola didn't know better, she'd wonder if the detective was trying to probe her psychically. But both detectives felt like nulls to her sharp senses. “Can you prove that?” she asked.
            Irritation mixed with the dread. “Yes, of course. I have a diary in my office and you can call the client – although she probably isn't going to be any happier to hear from you than I am. What's this about?”

            Scherer couldn't quite manage Hardy's gimlet gaze, but his half-smile had disappeared. “What exactly is your job, Miss Guntram?”

            Lola shifted in the rocking chair, wishing she could cover herself with the blanket she sat on. But it would make her look vulnerable and she had a distinct feeling that wouldn't do her any favors.  She settled for tightening the belt on her robe and pushing her shoulders back. Three years of childhood ballet lessons had taught her that good posture always created a good impression.

            “I'm a spiritual consultant. I help clients with difficult decisions, life choices, with emotional and psychological problems.” That was an edited, socially-acceptable answer. Lola wasn't about to get into witchcraft and spellcasting. She rubbed her wrists absently, glad her robe had long sleeves that hid the scars on her arms.

            Scherer sneered at her answer, making her doubly glad she'd given the short version. “So you're a New Age guru or something? Separating the gullible from their money?”

            “Scherer,” Hardy said, “let's not get distracted.”

            “Yes, I'd love it if we could stay on track,” Lola snapped. “Maybe we can start with you telling me what this is about? It's late, I'm tired, I have an early start -”
            “Why does 'spiritual consulting' take place so late at night?” Hardy asked. “That strikes me as odd, Miss Guntram.”
            The sound of her own surname was starting to grate on Lola. “It's a new moon tonight. Very good for certain practices.”  Were they ever going to get to the fucking point? She couldn't think of a single thing she'd done that would bring them to her door, and it felt like she'd never find out at this rate.

            “So if we checked with your client, they would confirm you were nowhere near the Red Lotus tonight?” Hardy asked.

            Lola blinked. “The Red Lotus? No, of course not. Why would I be there?” The idea was so laughable, she almost forgot her nerves and irritation for a second. The Red Lotus was a pretty exclusive S&M club – members only, sky-high fees, that kind of thing. It was also owned and managed by Lola's ex-girlfriend. Even if she'd been into the kink that the Red Lotus offered, Lola could never have gone there. It would have been mortifying. She felt herself blushing at the very thought.

            “Well, you tell us, Miss Guntram.” Hardy leaned forward again, resting her elbows on her knees and clasping her hands under her chin. The movement put her face in shadow, with the room only lit by a soft peachy lamp, and Lola was struck by the thought that Hardy would be beautiful if she didn't look so tense and tired. “You see, a woman was found dead there tonight.”
            Lola's heart jumped, then plummeted. “A woman? Not Rowan?” Her voice squeaked and she covered her mouth as if she could recover the sound.

            “Ms Morgan is fine,” Scherer said. Lola felt some of her dread drain away.

            “She is the reason we're here, however,” Hardy said. “She seems quite sure you're responsible for the killing, you see.”

Buy Links

Evernight Publishing

All Romance Ebooks

Amazon US

Amazon UK

From the author

I think one of the fun and frustrating parts of being a writer is that the idea you start out with is often not the story you end up with (or is that just me?). BLOOD WITCH is a prime example.

This novella started out as a way to keep myself occupied during my Christmas break last year, and turned into a labour of love. It's also turned out to be a bit of an exquisite corpse, in the sense that it's a patchwork of ideas and characters from other projects I started and abandoned in the past. Some facts:

1. The opening scene is an adaptation of something I scribbled in a notepad before work one morning. A witch (then called Lilah) was being interviewed by the police. At that point I had no idea why and I never wrote any more. I did steal that opening and turn Lilah into Lola for BLOOD WITCH.

2. The start of chapter two, where Lola visits her ex-girlfriend, Rowan, started life as an urban fantasy parody I was writing to amuse myself. It was supposed to be part of a really OTT cliched UF story, but I ended up taking it too seriously (as I am prone to do) and decided to make it part of BLOOD WITCH.

3. One of the side characters, Caleb, was originally a secondary character in a paranormal romance I was writing a few years back. I got about 20k in before realising I didn't really know what I was doing, but I liked Caleb and decided to work him in somewhere else.

BLOOD WITCH has come a long way from my initial idea of a short story about a witch falsely accused of murder. That core idea is still a big part of the story, but the world has grown beyond my plans and I now see this as the start of a series instead of a stand-alone mini project. I'm so glad my original plan changed so much because now I get to explore and share a whole new bunch of ideas and characters with you!

For #MWtease return to The Club, from June 16 @EvernightPub release 'A Dom for Patti'

This week I'm teasing from June 16 release 'A Dom for Patti' and I thought it would be fun to use a poster 

Hop to the next #MWTease

Author @mroth_author visits the blog with new @EvernightPub release 'Shake Down'

Hi there, everyone! I'm Michelle Roth and I'm here to introduce my latest release, Shakedown. Diamond and Diamond is a bit of a departure from anything that I've written thus far. My previous works have all been ultra-realistic contemporary romance. Shakedown still has the sexy, steamy elements just like any other erotic romance, but it also incorporates a bit of suspense and mystery as well. I certainly hope you enjoy!

Private Detective Mike Diamond is the low man on the totem pole. More often than not he finds himself investigating insurance fraud or cheating spouses. When he's assigned a dog-napping case, he is on the brink of refusing until he meets the client. One look at her changes everything.

When the police refuse to investigate her case, Cassidy Werner turns to Diamond and Diamond Private Investigators. Despite the bad first impression he's given her, Cassidy still hires Mike to help her find her prize Tibetan Mastiff. As she gets to know him, she realizes that he's not only dedicated to getting Roddy back for her, but also a pretty great guy.

Right after she receives a ransom demand, things begin to heat up between them. Will Mike be able to crack the case and save her dog? And if he can, does that mean that he gets the girl too?

Read an Excerpt

He was relieved to find the lobby was empty, so he stopped back at Lara's desk and asked, “Can you believe that shit? A dog napping?”

He didn't think for a minute she hadn't overheard every word. That woman was like the KGB and Secret Service all in one. Anything happened in this office, she had it under immediate surveillance.

Lara cuffed him on the arm and said, “She's in the bathroom, idiot.”

Mike winced, feeling bad he'd probably been overheard. But, seriously, who hired a PI to find a lost dog?

Seconds later, the bathroom door slowly opened. He almost did a double take as the woman stepped out. Aside from red eyes that had clearly been crying, she was a looker.

She was elegantly dressed and somewhere near his age, with a riot of auburn curls trailing down her back, like some sort of mermaid siren. All ripe, lush curves. He'd always liked his women soft.

And, he was ogling this obviously distraught woman like she was a steak. Not that he wouldn't be more than interested in taking a bite, but it was clear that now wasn't the time. So instead of voicing his thoughts, he stuck his hand out and said, “Mike Diamond. And you are?”

“Cassidy Werner,” she said, not bothering to stick her hand out.

Well, apparently she'd heard him. He'd need to apologize, if the look on her face was any indication. He dropped his hand and said, “My office is this way.”

She gave him a look that screamed 'You're on thin ice, buddy' but moved toward the open office door that Mike had gestured to. He followed her, once again appreciating the hourglass waist and full hips. Damn.

He moved behind his desk and gestured to one of the worn chairs. When she had settled in, he asked, “So I understand your dog has been kidnapped?”

About Michelle

Michelle Roth is a novelist from the Great White North (Toronto, ON). When she’s not disappearing into foreign lands, or making two perfect strangers that she invented fall in love, she’s probably curled up somewhere with a glass of wine and a good book.

In her spare time she is typically hanging out with her awesome boyfriend and their two equally awesome cats. She likes taking road trips to nowhere in particular, cooking elaborate meals then making other people do the dishes, and being nerdy on the internet. Her books are currently available on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and any other place that sells absolutely filthy romance novels.

Twitter: @mroth_author

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrothauthor

Website: http://www.michelleroth.net
Newsletter: http://michelleroth.net/mailing-list/

GooglePlus: http://google.com/+MichelleRothAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8178847.Michelle_Roth

Amazon Author: http://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Roth/e/B00KQNZOAW

Email: michelle@michelleroth.net

Buy the book:

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Roth/e/B00KQNZOAW/

Evernight:  http://www.evernightpublishing.com/shakedown-by-michelle-roth/

Bookstrand.com: http://www.bookstrand.com/michelle-roth

Welcome to Scintillating Sunday Showcase blog hop #ScintillatingSunday @mile-high-muses

Welcome to the weekly Scintillating Sunday Showcase,  where eight paragraphs, sentences, or words from a romance or erotica novel will elevate your sensual expectations and take romance to soaring heights. 

From upcoming Evernight Publishing release, 'A Dom for Patti'

She took one of his hands and put it between her legs.

The invitation in her move sent tingles dancing over his lower stomach. He pushed two fingers into her creaming pussy and moaned into her open mouth as she kissed him. His cock leaked, his stomach clenched and he pulled his fingers from her. “Patti.” He whispered against her mouth. Water ran between their lips, down his chest as he lifted her and levered her against the shower wall. He couldn’t say any more, the need to fuck robbed his voice. 

Her legs wrapped around him. She clung with one hand to his shoulder and used the inset soap holder to help him lift her. “Fuck me, Cameron.”

Her soft request against his lips brought a smile. “I’m about to, sweet.” He rammed his cock up into her and was rewarded with a gasp of pleasure in his ear. One hand on the wall, he grasped under her ass with the other, kneading as he thrust into her slick wet channel. The water slipped down his back. Patti’s moans filled his ears. Her fingers pressed into his shoulder muscle sending an exotic sting down his arm.

She stiffened against his body, pressing her breasts against him so that her hard, peaked nipples grazed on his chest. At each thrust, she clenched her pussy on his cock, until with a low, nearly soundless moan, she pressed her nose and mouth to his as she came.

Cameron’s eyes closed with lust. He bit her bottom lip as he nuzzled at her mouth trying to breathe and kiss her at the same time. His orgasm ripped through him. His legs went like jelly and he bent with Patti clinging to him, leaning on the wall heavily until the delicious waves of cum pulsing from him waned. He dragged in a breath and clasped Patti against him. The smile that suddenly sprang to his lips turned into a laugh, the orgasm was so good. “Mmm, I’m winded from coming.” He beamed at Patti as she leaned her head away to look into his eyes.

She smiled, too. “If you let me down I’ll help you soap up, although I’m feeling a little winded, too.”

Cameron lifted her off him and slid her to the floor. “Only a little? I’ll fuck you harder next time.” He picked up the shower gel from the little chrome stand in the corner of the shower and squeezed some onto her hands and then his own. “Hell, I can’t wait to smooth this over you.” He started on her breasts and Patti stepped closer to reach his hard, muscled ass.

Copyright Elodie Parkes , Evernight Publishing upcoming June 2015 release

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