Today I'm happy to be a part of the blog tour for Ann Mayburn's newest release, Princess of Lust. Please help me welcome her back to A Buckeye Girl Reads as she answers some questions about the book!
The drums of war are beating in both Heaven and Hell and only the love of a half-demon Princess, Natalia, can stop the oncoming slaughter. Unfortunately, Princess Natalia has her hands full trying to keep her human concubine from killing her demon lovers, in addition to learning how to survive the deadly pleasures and politics of the Court of Lust. With the abuse of opium increasing in the mortal world, High Prince Belal, ruler of the Deadly Sin Sloth, is gaining power by the day and threatens to soon rule all of Hell. In a desperate attempt to curb Belal’s powers, Natalia is sent to mortal earth to stop what has been prophesied to be a major turning point in the war. Cut off from her men in Hell, Natalia soon realizes that all is not as it seems. What may have at first been a blessing has become a curse.
Who was the hardest character to write?
I’d have to say Gregor. He is so passionate about
his beliefs and very much set in his old world ways of how a man should act.
Finding the right way to tell his story was a challenge because he would often
refuse to do anything that didn’t go as he wanted. By that I mean I could stare
at a blank page for six hours trying to write a scene my way, or have it done
in fifteen minutes writing his way.
Which character was the most fun to write?
Oh, Natalia, of course. ;) What woman wouldn’t want
to be the focus of all that male attention. It is also fun for me to see the
world through her eyes and experience the wonders of Hell and the historic
cities of mortal earth through her experienced, yet still innocent eyes.
What was the hardest thing about writing the second
book in a series?
Trusting myself to tell their story. Because so
many people loved ‘Daughter of Lust’, the first book in the series, I suffered
a bit of stage fright writing the second. I worried about living up to their
expectations and fretted over disappointing my audience. Then I gave myself a
brisk mental slap upside the head and just wrote the damn book. J
Thankfully, it turned out wicked awesome.
How did you come up with the series name?
That’s easy. Everything Natalia does is part of an
effort to keep Hell from falling into chaos. Because of her love for her
father, a demon prince and Keeper of the Deadly Sin-Lust, she is willing to not
only leave the mortal world, but also endure real physical pain and exhaustion
in an effort to help him retain his throne. Her love for her men and the
denizens of Hell drive her to take risks with her own life and suffer all so
they may be safe. So, ‘For the Love of
Evil’ seemed a natural fit.
What is the most fun thing about writing an erotic
paranormal romance? The hardest?
Honestly,
every part of it is fun! I’m not restricted to mundane things like gravity,
though I do keep track in my writing to make sure I don’t accidentally have an
extra limb thrown into the love scene. I would say the most challenging is
keeping everyone separate in the readers mind during ménage scenes where there
is more than the traditional 1 man+1 woman set up.
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Excerpt
She
followed the psychic threads of their link, going through the large formal
sitting area, down a hallway, and finally reaching her library. At the entrance
to the room, she paused and took a moment to admire Gregor. He sat looking off
into the distance in his favorite padded leather chair, facing the paneled
windows. While she feared heights, he seemed to enjoy being able to see the
intricate quilt of her father’s kingdom spread before them.
The deep
auburn tones of his hair caught the light streaming through the window, and she
longed to run her fingers through the rough silk. During his time in Hell, he’d
been outdoors frequently and the slight tan to his skin seemed darker,
especially in contrast to the unearthly pale tones of demons. Around his neck
lay a gold collar made of links interspaced with dragon skin. A small swirling
pattern of diamonds and sapphires made up the centerpiece of the choker. This,
her personal mark, identified Gregor as belonging to her. Compared to some of
the other collars she’d seen, it was simple but it suited her.
Gregor
tilted his head slightly to the side, his rough features catching the light and
throwing his profile into deep shadows. “I missed you last night. Though I’m
not surprised you went to him instead of me.”
She
flushed as the accusation hung in the air, his jealousy surging through their
link and hurting her heart. Leaning against the doorway, she crossed her arms
over her chest and watched him carefully. “I wasn’t with Raum last night.”
A small
amount of tension went out of his shoulders. “Then you were with Eline.”
“No.”
He surged
from the chair, knocking it over in his haste. Anger and disgust curled his
handsome features as he gripped his hands into fists at his sides. “Another!
How many men do you plan—?”
“Enough!”
The word exploded from her, carrying a hint of the demonic power that still
slept in her soul. It echoed through the room as if she’d screamed inside of a
rock cavern. Taking a deep breath, she said in a much softer tone, “I wasn’t
with another man.”
Gregor
took a step forward, then another as his nostrils flared. Finally, he stood
right next to her and placed his face against the curve of her neck, inhaling
her scent. His voice came out in a grating rumble next to her skin as he said,
“I don’t smell either of them on you. The scent is almost…sweet.”
She
stepped past him into the library and started to straighten the chair he’d
turned over. Before she could do more than touch it, he was at her side and
lifting it for her. Without another word, he took a seat in the chair and
pulled her into his lap, pressing his face against her chest. “I missed you.
Who was she?”
“The
Queen of the Succubi.”
He
laughed softly then harder, until she was glad he’d sat down or he would have
fallen over with her in his arms. “Really? Next time can I watch?”
Bio
Ann is Queen of the Castle to her wonderful
husband and three sons in the mountains of West Virginia. In her past lives
she's been an Import Broker, a Communications Specialist, a US Navy Civilian
Contractor, a Bartender/Waitress, and an actor at the Michigan Renaissance
Festival. She also spent a summer touring with the Grateful Dead-though she
will deny to her children that it ever happened.
From a young age she's been fascinated by myths and fairytales, and the romance that often was the center of the story. As Ann grew older and her hormones kicked in, she discovered trashy romance novels. Great at first, but she soon grew tired of the endless stories with a big wonderful emotional buildup to really short and crappy sex. Never a big fan of purple prose, throbbing spears of fleshy pleasure and wet honey pots make her giggle, she sought out books that gave the sex scenes in the story just as much detail and plot as everything else-without using cringe worthy euphemisms. This led her to the wonderful world of Erotic Romance, and she's never looked back.
Now Ann spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get into her 'sexy space' and has learned to type one handed while soothing a cranky baby.
From a young age she's been fascinated by myths and fairytales, and the romance that often was the center of the story. As Ann grew older and her hormones kicked in, she discovered trashy romance novels. Great at first, but she soon grew tired of the endless stories with a big wonderful emotional buildup to really short and crappy sex. Never a big fan of purple prose, throbbing spears of fleshy pleasure and wet honey pots make her giggle, she sought out books that gave the sex scenes in the story just as much detail and plot as everything else-without using cringe worthy euphemisms. This led her to the wonderful world of Erotic Romance, and she's never looked back.
Now Ann spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get into her 'sexy space' and has learned to type one handed while soothing a cranky baby.
Where to find Ann:
