Terrific Tuesday with Belinda McBride:)

Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

Hi! I’m Belinda McBride, I live in Northern California near Mt. Shasta, and I write erotic romance. Hmm…I specialize in sci fi and paranormal, and from there, anything goes. LGBT, m/f, BDSM, you name it. My paranormal sci fi Belle Starr is an EPIC finalist this year, and another of my books, Sex and Chocolate: Toxic was nominated for a CAPA in the paranormal division.

My newest release…well, actually I had two release within a week of each other. The first is An Uncommon Whore at Loose Id. That’s a m/m space opera about a Helios, a slave who is much more than he seems. He’s found by his former bodyguard, who was also his lover. Griffin Knows that he must return Helios to his people and his rightful position, but if he does so, might lose the love of his life.

The second release is Last Call Europe: Devil’s Advocate at Changeling Press. Of course, Satan’s favorite demon is also an attorney…LOL! A young tiger shifter couple bargains a night of sex with Jedidiah Wormwood Worth in exchange for his legal skills. Jedidiah thinks the job will be a breeze, and thoroughly enjoys his night with David and Mya, but things don’t go as he expects. When the morning comes, life will be very different for the Councilor!

Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?
Actually, yes, several projects have kind of frightened me. An Uncommon Whore was one, because I’d never done a m/m story before, so I felt I was stepping out on a limb with it. It started as a m/f story, but it just felt wrong with a heroine. When I tried a male voice, it simply clicked for me. Also, the subject matter was somewhat harsh in places, but Helios was such a graceful character that he made it easy!

The hardest, most scary thing for me is to write the sequel to a popular book. I hate that!

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?
Well, tiny bits. For example, I love Chinese martial arts, so they are heavily featured in the Black Planet series. Belle Starr was inspired by a late night adventure with my Siberian Huskies. I collect gemstones, so gems and minerals tend to pop up in storylines.

How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?
It depends on the project. I’m starting an urban fantasy series set in an alternate Las Vegas, and am doing quite a bit of research for that story. When I’m doing a story like Belle Starr, I don’t worry about research, per se, but I make sure that the rules of my make-believe world are all organized. I hate reading a series where a character is his aunt in one book, then her aunt in the next.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?
Again, it varies from book to book. In An Uncommon Whore, I wanted to convey the message that sometimes we are powerless, and can only accept and learn from the situation that we are experiencing. In the Black Planet books, there is a character named Guo Lee, who is an incredibly powerful character. In spite of his age and skill, he sweeps floors and wears canvas tennis shoes. I think he was inspired because I once met an incredibly powerful and influential man, and he was the most humble person I’ve ever met.
Sometimes there’s no message at all, just fun. J

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?
I’m both. I can sit down and take off sometimes, but once I have a clear feeling for the book, I lay out the beginning, middle and end, as well as character charts. The better you know your characters, the more likely you won’t lose control. And yes, I’ve had books just take off on their own. Belle Starr was like that; Belle Oakley had such a powerful presence that the entire story was completely improvised. And I think it turned out fine! Soul Keeper was also completely pantsed, and that book ran around 95K!

How long did it take for you to be published?
I spent about a year writing, and then started submitting. Imperative: Missing You was rejected once, then picked up at Changeling Press, Soul Keeper was accepted at the first publisher I sent it to, and it took about a year for them to respond. That was a very long wait! LOL! So about a year from finishing to contracts for them both.

If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?
“Be patient, grasshopper.”

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?
Laptop all the way. I do take pen and paper notes if I’m away from the computer. I have been known to outline a story on a napkin. Must haves? Silence, a comfortable chair. That’s pretty much it.

Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?
I have to say that Georgette Heyer’s anti-heroes from Black Sheep and These Old Shades influenced me. They were dark, sexual heroes who gave me naughty thoughts. I really got enthused when I read Emma Holly books. I have an ever-changing series of favorite authors, but Neil Gaiman, Laurell Hamilton, Marjorie Liu and Charlaine Harris (her Grave series) are always at the top of the list.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
Not really about me, but my daughter is Johnny Depp’s yacht chef.

For Fun:
What is your favorite Spring Break vacation?
Hmm…since I don’t really take a spring break vacation…here’s one from my memory: When I was little, we used to always visit my grandparents. One year, Grandma hid the Easter eggs. My brother and cousin were big bullies and always pushed us away from the eggs. Well, Grandma had a chicken that laid green eggs, so she put a raw green egg at the top of a pole. They climbed to the top, Craig put the egg in his pocket and Donald reached in to grab it. They both got egged!

Favorite St. Patrick’s Day memory or ritual?
When I can, I go out and listen to some of the local Irish and Scottish groups perform. That’s always fun!

I’m a March Madness fan. Do you follow the college basketball tournaments? If so, who’s your favorite team?
Nope. Not a sports fan. Sorry! I do root for Karen Ramstead and Team North Wapiti in the Iditarod!

Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.
I write for Loose Id, Changeling Press and New Concepts Publishing. Most of my books are available at All Romance E Books, Fictionwise, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.com, as well as at their publishers.

My website: http://www.belindamcbride.com
My blog: http://www.belindam.blogspot.com

TITLE: AN UNCOMMON WHORE

AUTHOR: BELINDA McBRIDE

GENRE: SCI FI/SPACE OPERA, M/M

BUY LINK: http://www.loose-id.com/An-Uncommon-Whore.aspx

EXCERPT WARNINGS: M/M sexual interactions

BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=TK0Ub47US0w

BLURB:

“As a general rule, you won’t find the love of your life while you’re on your knees under a table.”

Helios Dayspring

Pasha is a slave, whoring for travelers at the most dangerous bar on Warlan. He has no memory, no future of his own, yet deep inside Pasha knows that that he is meant for better things. The day that Pasha spots the dangerous pirate in the bar, he knows that he mustn’t let the stranger slip away, regardless of what he must do to attract his attention.

Captain Griffin Hawke spent the greater part of a decade searching for his lost king, only to find Helios Dayspring crouched between his knees, swathed in the robes and shackles of a whore. Though he is appalled by the downfall of his king, the hardened officer finds himself falling for the allure of the sensual creature who has taken his place. Returning Helios to his position on the throne is the only right thing to do, yet Griffin knows that in doing so, he risks losing his lover forever.

“A whore is a whore is a whore, unless he’s something else completely. I guess I must be an uncommon whore.”

Helios Dayspring

* * * * *
EXCERPT

I continued to evaluate the room, when my attention was caught by a long, lean figure sprawled negligently at a table near the back exit. Even seated, it was plain that he was taller than the average humanoid. He was hard muscled and battle worn. His black hair was overlong and tumbled in a wavy mass down his neck. The profile he gave me was hard as a blade. An arched nose accentuated cruel, sensuous lips. He wore a black leather patch over one eye, and a scar bisected his high, hard cheekbone. Since he was blind on my side, I took the occasion to watch him openly. He couldn’t possibly see me behind the veil, but I was certain that he felt my stare.

He surveyed the room slowly, stopping to watch a whore take position between a gambler’s knees. After a few moments, the pirate reached down and readjusted his cock, and then turned his attention elsewhere. He might be interested, but he was here for a reason other than sex.

But God! His head turned slowly in our direction, and my mouth grew dry. My head spun at the impact of that gaze. His remaining eye was black as night and as fierce as flame. I felt the weight of his gaze from behind the veil, where my eyes were covered by a mesh panel. He looked at me for a few heartbeats and then moved on.

I shifted uncomfortably; my cock had grown long and heavy beneath the sheer gauzy robes that covered me from head to foot. Pain lanced through me as it reached the limits allowed by the chastity ring that shackled me. Every instinct urged me to cross the room, to take his arms and look into that dark face…to make him see me.

Sadly I could only go where summoned, and not far from the dark man, a nervous-looking human was gesturing to U’shma. My chest went tight as my owner rose to begin negotiations with the john. They whispered and they argued, and finally U’shma signaled defeat. Not really defeat; the twitch of his blunt fingers told me that he’d negotiated a higher-than-expected price.

Rising smoothly to my feet, I carefully manipulated the folds of fabric that shrouded my body and face. There were perhaps three seconds for me to decide on a course of action. An erupting fight in my path held me steady in place, buying a few more seconds and ultimately, the opportunity to act. I’d paused within a few paces of the dark man when a body inevitably slammed into mine, throwing me in his direction. My hand lashed out, knocking over the goblet of sweet wine that sat on the table.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered as the bloodred fluid soaked into his shirt and beaded off the battered black leather of his pants. He growled in annoyance and stood, hands brushing at the wet stains. I was tall, but he towered over me. His shoulders were nearly as wide as U’shma’s blockish form, and the black eye was as fierce as I’d imagined it would be.

Once again my lust surged, my heart pounded, and I knew that this man could not be allowed to walk away.

Happy, happy 18th birthday to my 'other daughter', Samantha!