1-How long have you been writing?
SL: Professionally, almost 4 years.
2- What is your
favorite genre to write?
SL: M/M by far. I do
M/F and M/M/F as well but I love writing men over anything.
3-What are you working
on now?
SL: Right now I’m
doing a story for the Love Landscapes from M/M Goodreads and a new story with
another author who is one of my favorites. Top secret. *smiles*
4-When you begin a
story do you start with character or plot?
SL: I usually start with the characters. At
times I see a good looking man and some details for a story might jump out at
me. Most of the time I have no title or character names but I have some basic
plot points for that muse.
5-Tell us about your
latest/upcoming release. What inspired it?
SL: My latest release is the 4th in
the N’awlins Exotica Paranormal series, Mon Frere: Facing Our Fears. This
series features twin vampires in love who are in the process of taking a third
lover. In this book their coming to terms with their own insecurities as well
as facing an arch nemesis.
Reader Judie S inspired me to write this
series. She wanted twincest with angst so Ryland and Ryder were born.
Ryland and Ryder are in danger…
Celebrating their 298th birthday, the Durand
brothers are still at an impasse over their third, Dale Mooney, and the cause
of their maker Gren DuMont’s death. As they battle personality clashes, Ryland
and Ryder set out to slay Gren’s killer as well as conquer their own fears;
Ryder’s fear of losing Ryland to Dale and Ryland’s fear of the unknown lurking
around their safe haven in New Orleans.
With little help from the demon Valios, the
twins travel to Paris to meet the murderer face to face but will their own
insecurities impede their goal of slaying the killer? At this point they only
have each other to rely on and the fate of all vampires lies in their hands.
“Happy birthday, dear Ryland and Ryder! Happy
birthday to you! Yay!” Dale, Kajika, and Waylon sang the dreaded song for the
twins to celebrate their two hundredth and ninety-eighth year on earth.
Although this was a joyous occasion, Ryder could think of a million other
places he wanted to be.
My brother doesn’t love me anymore.
Ryder sighed inwardly and thought about the
moment he and his brother had alone a little while ago. Everything was perfect.
They were at the club, inside the office, alone, just the two of them, as it
had always been. Ryder asked for Ryland to let him drink from him while they
made love. Not fucked but made love. No one would satisfy him as much as Ryland
could despite anything anyone had tried to throw at him. Everyone, including
the luscious Kyla, tried to tempt him into bed, but like Ryland, he had a
conscience. A fucking conscience to tell him no, don’t fucking be with anyone
other than your brother and Dale. Why? Why the hell should Ryder care so much
when his brother didn’t give him the same regard? Ryder bristled at the thought of turning down
all those offers to have mindless sex with others while Ryland got his fill of
the human.
Damnit.
Ryder clicked his teeth and glared at Ryland
who shared a kiss with Dale. Of course he wouldn’t kiss him in front of Kajika.
Their nephew had no knowledge of their relationship.
“Happy birthday, brother. Mon frère!” Ryland
gently kissed the side of Ryder’s head. “I am thrilled we made it to this
point.”
“So am I.” Ryder shrugged his shoulders and
got up from the table, wanting to get away from the party. He wasn’t in the
mood to celebrate anything right now.
“Unc, what’s wrong, huh? Would you like a
little cake? I know you don’t really eat this, but… I was hoping you and Unc Ry
would for your party.”
Ryder shook his head. “No thanks, Kajika. I’m
good.” Ryder walked to the window, aching to go outside and hunt for food, but
he knew Ryland would be upset if he did. It was the perfect time to do so too;
a perfectly clear night and cool air, meaning there were plenty of good tasting
humans walking around to prey on in the Quarter.
After all, it was almost the end of summer
festival season. Many tourists were still in town, getting drunk at wild
parties, not caring about their welfare. Ryder loved to prey on them because in
his mind, if they were too stupid to pay attention, they didn’t deserve to
live.
“Mhmm, Ryder, come have a little, please? It
is actually very good. Kaj made sure the color was similar to blood, and it
isn’t overly sweet. You must try a little, my dear brother. It’s our party,
Ryder. Come enjoy yourself.”
Ryder only shook his head and kept looking at
the moon, wishing he was outside. Despite the happy time this was for him and
Ryland, he refused to be part of this celebration after Ryland rejected him
earlier. His eyes narrowed, looking out the glass at the bright full moon in
the sky. “Ah, Gren, wherever you are, I wish I was there with you right now.”
* * * *
Ryland shook his head and stopped eating the
small piece of cake his nephew had given him. Suddenly, he’d lost his appetite
for human food and set the dish down on the table. “I’ve had enough, Kajika.
Thank you very much.”
Kajika nodded and hugged Ryland. “You sure,
Unc? Are you all right? And what’s wrong with Ryder? Did something happen
between the two of you earlier?”
Ryland inhaled and twitched his nose. “No,
nephew, nothing to worry your pretty little head about.” Ryland softly stroked
Kajika’s hair and pressed his lips to his temple. “Why don’t you go and talk
with Waylon a little bit, hmm, and send Dale back over here. There’s something
I want to ask him.”
Kajika flashed him a smile and did as Ryland
asked.
Ryland watched Kajika with interest, hoping he
didn’t read too much into his brother’s poor attitude and lack of hospitality.
It was hard enough to keep things from Kajika and Dale without Ryder acting
like a spoiled brat.
Ryder, you need to stop acting like a petulant
child! You’re making me angry, and you felt a taste of my wrath earlier
tonight. Don’t push me anymore, mon frère. Don’t fucking test me on our
birthday!
Ryland closed his eyes tight, sending the
message to his brother across the room. When he opened his eyes, he noticed
Ryder look back at him with a slightly startled expression but then he looked
back out the window. Obviously Ryland’s threats didn’t concern him all that
much.
“Yeah, babe, what’s up? Ready to have our own
little party, hmm? I mean, I’m enjoying hanging out with Kajika and my older
brother, but I want you so badly tonight.” Dale wrapped both arms around
Ryland’s waist and pulled him close.
Dale’s touches caused a tent in Ryland’s tight
leathers. He sighed inwardly. “Just tonight?” Ryland elbowed him in the chest
and flashed him a wicked smile. “Lover, we need to ask Kajika and Waylon to
leave. I have a very upset twin over there that needs our attention. He’s
acting like a spoiled brat, but I need to at least attempt to make him feel
better.”
Dale glanced in that direction before turning
Ryland around to face him. “Oh, yeah? You mean…”
“Yes, that, love. I refuse to allow him to be
the gloom and doom of our birthday celebration. And actually, I might need to
have a little alone time before you come with us. Is that all right?”
Dale’s smile turned down, and he dropped his
gaze. “Aw, shucks, sugar, I suppose. I mean, I know you guys are brothers and
all, but even if I don’t participate at first I’d like to watch, you know? It’s
hot seeing the two of you together.”
Ryland stroked the side of his face and
planted a firm kiss on his lips. “I would agree that it is, but I believe he
needs a little brotherly nurturing first. He thinks I don’t love him anymore. I
need to settle his fears before he goes out amongst the masses and kills everyone
in his path. He can get that way, you know. I’m saving the world heartache by
reeling in his energy and allowing him to unleash it all on me.”
Dale looked sheepish, disappointed. “Oh damn,
man. All right. I’ll wait in the other room or something. You wanna say bye to
Kajika and Waylon right now then?”
Ryland sighed and kissed his lover once again.
He really hated disappointing Dale, but his brother’s mood bothered him a lot
more. He’d read things from his mind and heart that needed urgent attention, and
that meant leaving his lover alone for a while. Ryland leaned his head against
Dale’s and caressed his chin. “Yes, Dale, let’s do that. The quicker we can say
goodnight, the faster I can get to my twin and make him happy.”
Michael Mandrake pens complex characters
already comfortable with their sexuality. Thorough these, he builds worlds not
centered on erotica but rather the mainstream plots we might encounter in
everyday life through personal experiences or the media. To find out more
please visit http://tabooindeed.blogspot.com.
Author Sharita Lira: In one word, crazy. Just crazy enough to have 3
different muses running around in her head, driving her to sheer exhaustion
with new plot bunnies and complex characters.
This happily married mother of two beautiful children
loves music, computers, reading, and still enjoys reading and writing
fanfiction. She’s a proud member of the Erotica Readers & Writers
Association, as well as an advocate for rights of LGBT citizens. She’s also a contributor to the heavy metal
ezine Fourteeng.net.
For more information, please visit http://www.thelitriad.com as well as her Facebook fanpage, The Literary Triad.
The Literary Triad - http://www.thelitriad.com/#!
Rawiya - http://rawiyaerotica.wordpress.com
Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/rawiyamikembl
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/TheLiteraryTriad
Signup for Newsletter
