Welcome Lila Munro!

To make sure the Erotic Romance Party goes out with a bang, our final guest of the week is author Lila Munro, who sees the world rather differently these days... Welcome, Lila!

Living Through a Writer’s Eyes

Ever wonder what the world looks like through the eyes of a writer? I can guarantee you one thing the world looks much, much different for a writer. At least from this writer’s eyes it does. How do I know this? Let’s just say I’ve shopped with my normal friends and I’ve shopped with my writers friends…trust me we see things differently.

How many writers out there walk around with a notepad or recorder in their pocket or purse? In the car? Normal people? So, that was about a hundred to zero. The first clue that the writers in the crowd see things in a completely different light than the normal folk. You see, through a writer’s eyes, every single person we come in contact with is a potential character waiting to introduce themselves. Every situation is a potential scene. Cool looking cars, tasty food, off the hook clothing, tattoos, piercings, hair styles—they all have the potential to end up in a book. I seriously doubt normal people notice as much about people, places and things as a writer does. For me the world is a buffet of story ideas.

Now take that idea and apply it to not only a writer, but say a writer who writes erotic romance—or take it a step even further—to BDSM and/or ménage. How much different do you suppose the world looks to those writers even compared to “normal” writers? So different a normal person would burst into flames if they spent a few minutes in my mind. 

My life as a writer didn’t start off in that world. My life as a writer started out as a regular, every day, run of the mill, erotic romance writer. I had the solid story lines, the believable characters and the hot sex to top it all off. However, my characters led a pretty vanilla life. Then one day, a new muse set her little foot up on my doorstep and a new era in my writing life began. Research ensued—lots of it in fact. And a strange thing happened. As differently as I viewed the world before, that difference may have increased by ten-fold. For instance, a simple trip to the fabric store one day turned into a BDSM researchers dream. How many normal people do you suppose go along feeling the fabric and knot testing it to make sure their heroine won’t lose circulation in her cute little toes if her hero ties her up with it? How many people might look at rings to hang curtains with and their thoughts wander toward inexpensive and quite cute nipple clamps? How many uses are there for a tracing wheel, hem clips or a ruler? Now you’re getting a view from a naughty writer’s point of view.

Now, let’s leave the fabric store and wander over to, say, a kitchen accessory store….What can we find here that might lend itself to creative license? Hard rubber spatulas…paddle material. Olive oil…nifty lubricant. Cute little popsicle molds…ice play with class. Feather dusters, candles, industrial rolls of saran wrap, and the list goes on. Oh, let’s not forget suction cups...need I say more? Wonder what’s over at the hardware store…

Of course this store lends itself to a bondage lover’s dream come true. Eye bolts, chains, outdoor plant hooks to be disguised as a place to hang someone’s arms over their head. Fence posts to create a nifty outdoor place to spread eagle someone for a little flogging. And rope of all sorts, some of which is even neat colors—of course you need to keep in mind research is necessary to know what gauges are best and which one’s won’t leave burn marks. Oh and look over in the gardening section at all the cool cane poles that normal folk associate with staking up their tomatoes. Guess what else they’re good for. Yes, a good wallop to someone’s tender back side. And speaking of tender backsides, just what do you suppose a good leather and horse supply store mind give me in terms of ideas. Crops, and reigns, and chaps—oh my!

See how much differently the world looks through the eyes of someone like me? If I can find all that in normal stores what do you suppose happens when I go to a reputable naughty store…

Thanks Marie for having me over today. I so appreciate the chance to be here with your fans and readers. Today I’ll be giving away a PDF copy of Identity Crisis, book one in the Identity Series. Just simply leave a comment so we know you were here and not just being a voyeur. J 

Lila Munro is a writer of contemporary romance currently residing on the coast of North Carolina. She is a military wife and takes much of her inspiration for her heroes from the marines she’s lived around for the past fourteen years. Coining the term realmantica, she strives to produce quality romance in a realistic setting. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, trips to the museum and aquarium, taking field research trips, and soaking up the sun on the nearby beaches. Her works include The Executive Officer’s Wife, Bound By Trust, Destiny’s Fire, A Slower Lower Love, Salvation, Force Recon: Beacon Bayou, and Identity Crisis. Currently she’s working on sequels to several series to be released throughout 2010-2011. She’s a member in good standing with the RWA, Passionate Ink and EPIC. Ms. Munro always works as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Rebel Ink Press. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted via her website http://lilamunro.weebly.com , her joint effort website http://www.wickedmuses.blogspot.com or through Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Lila_Munro  You can also contact her via email at lilasromance@gmail.com   For more information about Rebel Ink Press please visit their website at www.rebelinkpress.com

IDENTITY CRISIS by LILA MUNRO

You have to leave the city of your comfort…

Jillian Stewart was as straight laced as they came. Or was she? After one man tearing her down to her very foundation, she’s set out on a path of self-discovery. Pursuing a Master’s degree in sociology, Jill’s determined to wrap her mind around the complexities of the BDSM world. Getting into a good doctorate program won’t be easy so she’s pulling out all the stops. After disregarding her professor’s warning against subjecting herself to the lifestyle, Jill finds she’s drawn to her tutor. But this isn’t her world. Is it?

and go into the wilderness of your intuition…

A career Marine Corps officer, Stephan Sachelles has always chosen to keep his lifestyle choices to himself. He avoids the underground house parties on the base to frequent a club miles from home in an effort to protect his privacy. Steph’s been a Master at Steele Image for years and he's enjoyed the company of many of the subs there with no intention of ever settling on just one. How would he make that work…it wasn’t like he could convert his base house into the dungeon of his dreams. Then Jill walks through the door. Steph’s intuition tells him there’s wild abandon inside her fighting for a chance at life. In the depths of her eyes, far behind the over analysis of everything she encounters, Steph sees the heart of a true submissive. But the resistance Jill puts up is driving Steph crazy. While she’s a good student, she just won't let go. Fighting his own internal battle, Steph finds he wants nothing more than to be the only Master to help her find her true identity.

Please enjoy an excerpt:

Steph retrieved his beer and tugged on it as Dillon initiated his line of questioning. The normal protocol for this punishment was that each time a question was asked, for every additional lie the sub told, a piece of clothing was removed. However, Steph hadn’t even had a chance to firmly establish what things Jill might be into and had no idea what her hard limits were, but he had a feeling being naked in front of strangers would be an iffy one for her. Even though her wrist fluttered wildly after he’d peeked down the front of her shirt, the shutters she could so cleverly pull down at will had flown up for a moment and a streak of terror flashed across her face.

“What is it you’re studying, Jill?” Dillon asked, maintaining a bit of distance. Steph knew his game, however. Dillon invaded someone’s space an inch at a time and before a sub knew it, she had no space left.

“Sociology,” Jill said with a scowl.

“Excuse me, pet?” Dillon asked, moving a bit closer to her feet.

“Are you deaf?” Jillian shot at him.

Dillon’s mouth fell open and his eyebrows shot up. “Does she know the punishments for disrespect yet?” he asked Steph.

“Either she didn’t read them at all or not thoroughly enough, which surprises me as analytical as she is. Maybe now’s a good time for that,” Steph answered. “Describe a couple of our choices to her, Dillon.”

“Well, my first choice is always a trip to the dungeon where I chain my mouthy sub to the wall and flog her senseless,” Dillon told her. “If I wanted to be creative, however, I’d strip her down butt naked and send her around the bar with a  sign on her back allowing any Dom within reach to swat her mouthy ass with the most convenient thing available, hand or otherwise.”

Steph watched Jill’s eyes closely. The mention of chains sent a wave of sheer terror through her as did the mention of being stripped and paraded around for all to see. With her jaw set tightly, Jill’s lips were soon ringed with a ghostly outline as she tried to conceal her trembling.

“Care to try again, Jill?” Steph asked her. “Dillon asked a question. The question wasn’t out of the way and he deserves your respect.”

“Sociology, Sir,” she muttered, sending Steph an angry glare.

“Do you enjoy that?” Dillon’s eyes never left hers and Steph doubted that Jill even noticed his fingers creeping along the bar top toward her toes.

“Yes, very much, Sir,” Jill answered, squirming, seeming uncomfortable with her elbows on the hard surface of the bar. Steph knew from his quick study of her records she had no medical issues involving joints so he knew some level of discomfort was acceptable at this point. Being a bit less than comfortable now would pave the way to be more so later.

“Is this your first trip to a BDSM club?” One of Dillon’s long fingers skittered across the toes on Jill’s right foot. She tried jerking away, but Dillon caught her foot and firmly planted it back where it had been then continued to brush the top of her foot. “No, no, pet. Right here. I won’t hurt you. Now answer the question.”

“Yes it is, Sir.”

Steph was satisfied thus far that Jill was being honest. Her eyes were clear, her pupils were normal size and free of obstruction and what he saw there was nothing but the truth.

“And you’re working on a thesis?” Dillon now stood even with her knees, rubbing a thumb along the back of her right one. “What is it you hope to learn?”

Jill’s eyes grew a bit wider and her pupil size increased ever so slightly. Steph glanced at her throat and noticed her pulse had quickened at that question. She had an answer but didn’t want to share it.

“What makes the people that do this tick. I need to know why this works.” Her breath hitched as Dillon’s palm met the back of her thigh. “Sir.”

“And why is that important to you?” Dillon asked.

That did it. Her pupils blew up and a mixture of fear and apprehension swirled in them. Whatever her reason, it scared her and she didn’t want anyone knowing. Then the shutters slammed shut hiding the hint of vulnerability Steph was sure he’d seen.

Today, Lila is giving away a PDF download of her book Identity Crisis. To enter the draw, just comment on her post, or reveal a secret fantasy of your own :). The contest will close at midnight tonight, and the winner will be announced tomorrow on this thread.