Meet the Muses

Hi Everyone! Today I have the great pleasure of welcoming author Sharita Lira to my blog. Sharita has brought along her muses who will be chatting about their latest projects and sharing some exciting excerpts of their work. Welcome and thanks for being here today!

Switching Gears in Writing

Michael and BLMorticia

MM: Greetings people. This would be the second time I’ve brought along BLMorticia, my wicked sister muse for the ride during a blog appearance. The reason? We like to double team. *laughs*

BL: Did you clear that with Lavinia first? *snicker*

MM: I don’t think she’ll mind. Sharita already let her know what the deal was. So, last time at Angel Martinez blog we talked about homoerotic images. Today we’re doing a writing blog since we both have new releases. You the Silver Star, My Lieutenant and me, my upcoming novella,  The Power of Muse.

BL: Yep, Sharita obviously has quite a wide range of ideas and when she finally figured out she couldn’t write 2 different voices and or genres at once, we became more productive as a group.

MM: Yes, and that’s the important thing. When writing, you like to have a wide range of plots to keep your writing fresh. Who wants to see the same story over and over again?

BL: No one, so Sharita, through us and Rawiya, switches up the genres, subgenres, and settings. My book is a gay contemporary interracial comedy romance.

MM: Power of Muse is a gay contemporary paranormal vampire romance. Yes both are stories about a couple falling in love.

BL: But very different in voice. In your story, the MC is kind of stuffy, proper, and its written in that kind of tone. A lot of dry humor, like you.

MM: I guess I’ll take that as a compliment. Yours, the MC is very funny and his one liners are a source of entertainment in itself, like a sitcom. My favorite bit about My Lieutenant is that Nathan sticks to his guns throughout until Bryant breaks him down. That’s the hilarity of it too. It’s light hearted and funny.

BL: Yours is more serious , has it humorous points but the voice is different and that’s the key. Have you, as a writer tried to write something outside of your “regular” voice. Do you find it hard to switch?

MM: It has been hard for S to switch at times. Like, A Second Chance might’ve really been a BL type of story because of the character, Dennis DeClerc. He and Farris are both jokers.

BL: I have to say I haven’t really became Michael yet. *snicker* Don’t think I ever will.

MM: Its okay, not a lot of people can be me. Regardless of how many pseudos you write under, have you switched it up a little. Try it, it couldn’t hurt.

BL: You might be pleasantly surprised and also, your readers might enjoy it as well. Thanks to Lavinia for having us here today, Writers leave your thoughts and readers, tell us about some of the different experiences you’ve had when reading one of your faves. Would you like to see them do something different? Tell us.

Now available at Amazon, ARE and Bookstrand

Booktrailer

Blurb: Nathan Ellerby's apartment has been ransacked by his ex who didn't like the fact Nathan dumped him. Trouncing through the debris uttering a string of obscenities, Nathan's shocked to see Lieutenant Bryant Duncan at his door claiming he's already caught the offender. Sensing an instant connection, when Nathan finds out Bryant's divorced and he's straddling the fence between being gay or bisexual, Nathan finds himself in a quandary.

 Although the Lieutenant does everything in his power to prove to Nathan he's worthy, Nathan is afraid to lower his defenses which leaves both men wondering if Nathan will allow love into his life even through his doubts.

A very tall, dark, and handsome bald headed man was standing there with a pearly white smile.

“Hey, listen, I caught the guys that went through your things.” He smiled and nodded.

“Seriously?” I opened up the door slowly only to lock eyes with the most, gorgeous man I’d ever laid eyes on.

Fuck!

He  moistened his lips. “Hey, I’m new to the building. My name’s Bryant Duncan.” He put out his hand.

A black Irishman?

I accepted it. His hands were warm but kind of rough just the way I like them. That moment, his skin on top of mine sent heat to my groin. I took a whiff of his cologne. “Nice to meet you, Mr…”

“Call me Bryant, please,” he interrupted me. “Like I was sayin’, I saw the bastards going through your place. When they saw me, they tried to get away but, I called the cops once I got the building security to come up and help detain them.”

Holy shit, my hero…

“You didn’t have to.” I was completely impressed that he cared enough to put his life on the line.

We stood silent a minute.

“Ahem.” The cop came up behind me. “Okay sir, I need you to come down to the station and give a statement. If you could meet me downstairs.” Thiesmann adjusted his belt. “Mr. Duncan, nice work and um, Mr…”

“Ellerby, Nathan Ellerby.” I offered my hand.

The cop took my hand lightly. “Mr. Ellerby, don’t be too long okay?”

He walked back through the door and struggled to crawl under the tape. When I saw that I wanted to laugh but I had more important matters in front of me.

I gazed at him.

“I’m sorry, and you said your name was…” Bryant raised an eyebrow.

“Oh shit, erm.” I cleared my throat, noticing our hands were still locked together. “Nathan, Nathan Ellerby.”

We gripped each other’s palm tightly. “Good to meet you, Nathan.” He released my hand and my gaze then reached into his back pocket of his loose, fitting jeans.

I couldn’t help but follow his arms. They were so big, muscular. I could imagine them cradling me during the night.

“Here we go. My number just in case you need me for anything,” he grinned.

I took the piece of paper, still gawking at those lovely brown eyes. I tried to keep myself from drooling. “Man, I don’t know how to thank you.”

Bryant waved his hand, smiling. “No problem, man. I live right down the hall. I just happened to be on my way out to run some errands.”

“Yeah?” I leaned against the door frame. Suddenly, the robbery seemed less important.

“Yeah, those fools were doing it in the middle of the afternoon.”

“Interesting.” I licked my lips, looking away for a moment. I wanted to continue talking to Bryant, but Thiesmann was waiting on me. “Listen, umm, again, I don’t know how to thank you for what you’ve done. It was very brave of you.”

Bryant smiled, “Like I said, no biggie.” He put his hands together and rubbed them briskly.

This time my eyes didn’t follow. I tried to think of something else to say to keep his attention. “I, um…I need to figure out a way to repay you for this. Maybe, I could take you out to dinner or something?”

Bryant grinned, nodding. “Yeah, maybe we can have a bite to eat. If you need my statements or anything, make sure you use that card and give me a call,” he said before disappearing back down the hallway.

 “Thanks so much, Bryant. I’ll be calling you to setup that dinner.”

“Cool.” He backed away. “See ya, Nathan.”

“Bye,” I said, watching his cute backside make its way down to apartment 17D. “Shii…” I mouthed to myself after I closed my door, grinning like a Cheshire cat. The man was my hero, in the span of five minutes I was in love.

Thank goodness for petty crime!

BL is currently a published writer with Rebel Ink and Naughty Nights Press. Her first two novellas, My Lieutenant and Something Fresh Served Hot will be due out in November. She writes bi weekly for Erotic Diaries with Rawiya and a column twice a month on Blak Rayne Books

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Coming Soon to Amazon, Are

Booktrailer

Blurb: No such thing as vampires!

William Chatterley is an up and coming author looking for a partner after many dead end dates. Finally, he believes he’s found a suitable mate in Andrew and they see one another.

The vampire Jude is weak from being without love in his life. When he sees the author, he desires him right away but his companion is a stumbling block.

How will he get passed it and when he does, will the mortal want to be his partner? What will he choose? Will Jude convince him to become his eternal lover?

PG Excerpt

“Yes, yes, come to me my child!” Jude lay his head against a dead tree. He sensed two virile young men he might like to enjoy for a double entree. Since he couldn’t have love why not fill up his belly with young blood for nourishment. He waved his long fingers and opened his eyes, gazing around the open field till he caught sight of the two he’d seen in his mind’s eye.

As always the faces were skewed when he looked deep within to see his prey but now that they’d come into view, he noticed one he didn’t want to destroy.

“Wha…I…” At a loss of words was Jude, gawking at the handsome man running away from another. “My, I’ve never seen in all my years a more gorgeous sight.” That moment the old immortal felt his muscles strengthen and his face tightening. A new feeling of love and inspiration came over him.

A mortal, so lovely and beautiful, the desire to live started to return.

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Michael Mandrake is a BRIT!

A 39 year old Brummie who loves to write tales of love and romance between two men that aren't afraid to show their sexuality.

At least that's what this 39 year old mom from the US thinks he is. They talk on a regular basis, Sharita and her muse.

Now for the truth, Sharita, who also writes under Rawiya and BLMorticia is a happily married mom of 2 who loves everything about British culture and hopes to visit someday.

Michael M is her most successful pseudonym. To date, he is the only muse with 2 sole author books, 2 more coming before the end of 2011. He is contracted through XOXO publishing, Sizzler Editions, and does shorts through STARbooks Press.

Michael shares Sharita's love for writing tales where the characters aren't perfect, they cross into new territory and resolve their struggles through communication and mind blowing sex.

At the moment, Mandrake’s books are only small steps into what’s to come. Look for longer works from Sharita and the muse, Michael very soon.

To find out more about Sharita and her work please check out her links below.

The Literary Triad - http://www.thelitriad.com/#!

The Literary Triad on FB - https://www.facebook.com/TheLiteraryTriad
Michael Mandrake - http://tabooindeed.blogspot.com

BlMorticia/Rawiya – http://blrawiyaerotica.blogspot.com

Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/rawiyamikembl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSharitaLira
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3542690

Its Raining Men Blog - http://rainingmenamen.blogspot.com

GLBT Bookshelf - http://bookworld.editme.com/The-Triad-Miachael-Mandrake-Rawiya-BLMorticia

Wow, great excerpts and thanks again for taking the time to be here today Sharita. I definitely think it's a good idea to shake things up in your writing. It keeps things interesting both for you and for your readers. I'm not sure I could manage all the different pen names however. I have a hard enough time managing the one! lol! I started writing paranormal, but I'm having a great time with all my contemporary characters at the moment and who knows. There might even by some m/f works in my future. Never say never. As writers we just have to go with what inspires us at the time.