Caress of Pleasure
(A Dark Pleasures Novella)
by Julie Kenner
I’d thought that he was mine, the dark, arresting man who commanded not only my body but my heart. Dante had swept into my life, and I’d succumbed to the burn of passion in his arms.
I’d believed we had a love that would last forever, but he’d shattered my dreams and broken me into pieces when he’d walked away, taking a piece of soul with him.
Now he has come back seeking my help, and though I try to keep my distance and protect my heart, I cannot deny that the fire between us burns hotter than ever. And I cannot help but fear that this time our passion will reduce us both to ashes.
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An Exclusive Interview With Julie Kenner:
~ with Jillian Stein of Read Love Blog
I just loved Dante and Brenna and the passion they share…both because of their attraction and their past. Was it a tough decision to put them back into a situation where they would have to work with one another?
Oh, no! Not at all. That was the fun of it. Getting them in a situation where it’s going to be the most uncomfortable, and then watching the fireworks J
Speaking of the passion between Dante and Brenna….their sexy scenes are beyond smoking hot! Have you ever written a scene that had you blushing?
Ha! Sure. Probably at least one in each of my books since Release Me. After all, I want to heat things up for both the reader and the character. And I am a reader. And when I’m writing I am the characters. So …
I have mentioned before that I love this paranormal series and the different feel these supernatural beings have. Is it difficult to come up with a new spin on things in such a popular genre?
That is a really great question, and I’m going to go with yes and no. If you’re sitting down and thinking “I must come up with something new and different,” then yes. Because, hello, big filled-up story world out there. But I don’t tend to work that way. I have a character and a situation. And because they’re my characters and my situation, they’re going to by definition be a new spin. Ultimately, it’s about the characters and the presentation.
Who would you choose to play the roles of Dante and Brenna in the big screen?
That is SUCH a hard question for me because I don’t write with celebrities in mind, and so no one really “is” the characters. But let’s see. For Dante either Bradley Cooper or Josh Holloway (Sawyer from Lost). And I think I’m leaning toward Josh!
Brenna’s harder. I actually think I might like to see Jessica Pare, who plays Megan on Mad Men. She’s got such a fire to her, you know?
I just saw you were at a book signing, and with the signing season kicking off, I’m curious to know what has been either the most interesting or most unique item you’ve ever been asked to sign?
OMG, my mind is completely blank. I can’t actually think of anything weird that people asked me to sign (perhaps I have blocked it?). Once, though, I was at a signing with Dee Davis, my bff and critique partner, and this guy chatted with us for an insanely long time (and blocked the table for readers). Kept going on and on about how his aunt would love these books, and we figured that surely he was going to buy a couple from each of us. Then he looked at his watch and asked us if we had any books by Kurt Vonnegut. Then he left to pick up his car from the mechanic at Sears. It was, in a word, surreal.
Speaking of signings, do you have any piece of advice for new authors on surviving their first signing?
Know where the restroom is! You will be asked!
And don’t be shy.
And don’t be disappointed if you don’t have Nora Roberts’ line. The books will sell after you’ve gone, too!
I’m always curious what habits writers have while writing. Do you write with music on? Or do you prefer the quiet?
I prefer the quiet, but my office is by the kitchen so when the family is down there cooking or rattling around the house and I’m on deadline, I will default to headphones. I tend to listen to a thunderstorm white noise tape. But I’ll also do classical music or soundtracks with no words. Right now, the soundtrack from the TV show Sherlock Holmes is my go-to music!
What would we find on your desk right this very minute?
An iPad
My 2 computer monitors
A small scanner
Two pairs of glasses.
A paperweight from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals
Two hair scrunchies
Two bottles of Perrier.
Notes for the last scene of the book I’m revising.
Two AA batteries for the mouse that’s about to die
My iphone
4 random Post-it Notes
My mouse
My mouse pad
Three pens
1 iPad stylus
A stapler
Headphones
A yellow highlighter
A lens-cleaning cloth. No, 2 lens cleaning clothes (apparently, I like pairs of things)
And my newest toy, a Boogie Board Sync
Can you give us a little hint as to what you’re working on now?
I’m doing revisions on Under My Skin, which is book 3 of my Stark International trilogy which features Jackson Steele and Sylvia Brooks. The first book, Say My Name went on sale earlier this month, and I’m thrilled that the reviews have been awesome … and that the book hit the New York Times and USA Today lists!
Biography:
Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures.
Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries.
J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.
Visit J. Kenner’s website and follow her on:
