I'm continually amazed at all the quality writers Siren has managed to snag, and today's feature author is no exception! With her debut novel tearing up the bestseller chart on Bookstrand, she's a hot commodity! Please welcome my guest, Taylor Berke!
What got you started in writing?
I think
that it is a combination of two things.
I love having new goals, new ambitions in life and then there are the
crazy movies that seem to run through my head when listening to music or
staring out the window of the car while my husband is driving. I have always been a bit more ‘naughty’ in my
thoughts than most other people. Writing
has given me a wonderful canvas for making my imagination come to life.
How did you feel when you got that first acceptance?
That moment was so funny and prophetic really. It was the day after Hurricane Sandy and my
hubby and I were standing in the backyard with my father looking at the crazy
amount of damage we had to our home and land, when my husband’s phone chimed
and he got the most adorable smile on his face.
When he showed me, I was of course floored and shocked (I had no idea
that it would be actually accepted) and then started screaming and jumping up
and down. My father, who had no idea
that I had written such a book or anything on paper for that matter, thought I
had cracked from the stress and lost my marbles lol! I took it as a beautiful sign that everything
would turn out well.
What’s your biggest challenge as a brand new author?
I believe it would be finding the time to write and letting
my imagination run wild. I have a very
demanding full time job with my amazing husband and beautiful children. Add on two huge dogs and you have mad chaos!
What’s next for you?
Well, in Stony Creek Cowboy, I had such an enjoyable time
creating a whole town full of endearing and hysterical characters that I had to
make it into a series. So now I am
halfway into writing the second book in the Stony Creek Series, Stony Creek
Hero. It is Ben and Lizzie’s story. Definitely a fun one!
Where can fans find you?
Tell us about your newest release.
Here goes for Stony Creek Cowboy, book one in the Stony
Creek Series!
A widowed MD, who wants to live life to the
fullest and a headstrong, wounded Cowboy have a battle royal on their hands,
and not just with each other!
STORY
EXCERPT
Jackson had
just pulled up to the curb by Barry’s Feed store. His father had sent him into
town on an “emergency” run for his mother. Apparently, she suddenly had to have
an extra bag of high-protein grain for her flock of chickens that couldn’t wait
until her husband Bill had a moment off. Coincidentally, it just happened to be
right across the street from their sexy new neighbor’s office. He wondered if
his mother was up to no good.
Sam and
Phillip had done a really good job with the old building. An example of
post-modern architecture, it had nice stonework decorating the front and
roofline. Just as he was admiring the built-in flower boxes in front, he
noticed an unwelcome visitor go through the front door. Jackson had never like
Len Drexel. He treated his horses and women the same way, badly. Without
thought, Jackson jumped out of his big black dually and walked across the
street to follow Len in. He stood in the doorway listening with unabashed
interest, quickly moving to controlled anger that Len was showing interest in
his woman. His woman? Where did that shit come from? Why the heck was that
thought becoming more and more appealing to him? He must need to get himself
some. However, he decided to figure it out later and deal with the situation at
hand, because one look at Billie told him that she was upset. He was going to
kill someone. That someone had been Len. Instead, he had invited her out to
lunch.
“I must say
that I have never been so happy to be ignored in my entire life,” Julia said
with a smile.
“Jackson, you are a naughty boy. Come over here and give me a
kiss.” Jackson dutifully walked across the room and graced her cheek with a
peck.
“I will be
right back. Just need to use the restroom and we can take Jackson up on his
lovely offer of lunch, okay?”
“Yes,
ma’am,” replied the man smiling openly at Billie.
As soon as
Julia left, Billie leaned back against the beautifully painted wall that
Phillip and Sam had made, taking in the very tall and masculine man in front of
her. He practically emanated sexual energy and power. How could she go from
fear to lust in ten seconds? Looking at the handsome man before her, well, it
obviously was possible. Her mouth suddenly feeling dry, she struggled for
something to say.
“It seems
that you are going to be forever saving me from situations. I haven’t felt this
well protected in, well, forever. A girl could get used to this, Jackson.” She
practically glowed at him.
“Just call
me your masterful hero and we can call it a day!” he said suggestively.
“Funny,
cowboy. No, really, thank you. I didn’t care for him. He made me so nervous. I
am not exactly a wimpy girl, but there was something in the way he looked at me
that didn’t feel so great.”
Jackson
looked at her sideways and decided to play a bit. “I hope you don’t feel that
way when I look at you,” he said with a laugh.
“Heavens
no! Not even speaking the same language, I feel so different.”
Jackson
turned his suddenly heated stare to capture her eyes. He walked over to her,
and in a husky voice, he asked, “How do I make you feel, then, if not afraid,
Billie?”
He leaned
toward her and ran a finger along the side of her neck. The gentle rubbing of
his roughened skin sent an entirely different sort of shivers down her body.
His gorgeous green eyes felt like they were caressing her soul, practically
melting her to the floor where she stood.
Billie
tried to concentrate on answering him, but it proved difficult. How could this
man affect as no other man ever did? He had such a sense of confidence and
control about him. She couldn’t even play coy.
She
answered him obediently. “Excited, very excited,” she whispered back.
Jackson’s
right eyebrow just lifted slightly as he let his gaze roam over her body, as
though erasing the previous man’s possession and marking her with his own. This
gaze was one that she didn’t mind, actually felt she was starting to crave. He
made her feel safe with this look of blatant ownership. It wasn’t a feeling she
was used to, but definitely getting to really like.
“Really.
Now that’s very interesting, baby.” Baby? He called her baby? She had to
confess to herself that she liked the sound of that. Getting personal must be a
good thing. All thoughts of setting up the office, Julia, Len, and lunch simply
faded away while she soaked up his endearment. How long had she just wanted a
man to be affectionate like that? Just to want her, quirks and all. Forever, if
she was to be truthful. She was under no misconception that Jackson was falling
for her but she closed her eyes to indulge in the temporary fantasy of it all.
ADULT
EXCERPT
“Jackson?
Where are you? I know it is going to ruin your image of me being a tough city
girl and all, but I am actually afraid of the dark.”
She let out
a squeal as strong muscular arms gently wrapped around her from behind. She
certainly hadn’t been freezing yet but was definitely getting cold. Now all she
could do was sigh with the double pleasure that his arms afforded her. They
were providing both warmth and stoking the fires of her simmering arousal. In
this position she could feel his entire body dwarf her with his great height as
he was plastered against her back. She leaned her head back to rest against his
chest, trusting him enough to again close her eyes. She felt like he was
burning into her and she didn’t mind the flames one bit. His hands shifted and
began a gentle inspection of her waist and hips. His hot fingers applied
massaging pressure as she suspected he was inspecting her body. She moaned her
approval while allowing her hands to slightly reach back of their own accord
and rest on his rock-hard thighs. She felt her feminine parts flood with
moisture as his hands lightly but confidently started to run down the front of
hers as well. As his gentle exploration continued, she heard the change in his
breathing. Hot rushes of air caressed her throat. He was leaning down, allowing
his fingers to massage the lean muscle of her thighs while he ran his lips over
the shell of her ear. She allowed herself to mimic his movements by running her
hands over the raw power of his legs. It was all muscle and hardness beneath
her questing fingertips, so much so she felt faint. She didn’t have any experience
with men built like Jackson was. Matthew has been her study partner, not this
specimen of raw masculinity.
At the feel
of his lips touching the pulse behind her left ear, she began to quiver. More
moisture pooled at her core as she was sure her legs would give way. Her mouth
was slightly parted as she began to pant while Jackson eased his hands upward
over the silky shirt. He paused his hand’s exploration for a moment to lave the
base of her neck and bite.
“Jackson,
what you do to me,” she said wondrously as she continued to try to control her
gasps of pleasure as he found her sensitive spots.
“Does it
feel good to you, baby? Do you want me to continue? You don’t have to answer,
just nod your head yes.”
Billie felt
her head bob with permission as though it had a mind of its own. Her hands
continued to rub his muscled thighs, gripping at the jean material every time
he nipped and touched. Just then his hands began their quest anew. They slid up
and down the sides of her waist reverently as if they had never touched silk
over curves before. Suddenly her position was shifted slightly to the side as
his left hand grasped her chin. His thumb caressed briefly over her full bottom
lip before his own took possession of hers. This kiss was different than the
one before. His tongue immediately thrust into her warmth as his hips started
to mimic the rolling movements of their hips. She could feel his hard cock
pressing and sliding against the space between her cheeks, fueling the fire in
her body. She was actually momentarily distracted by the thought that she might
have a moistened spot on her skirt from the cream running from her. As he
feasted on her mouth, she could feel his hand firmly start to stroke the
underside of her breast. Arousal as she had never encountered roared through
her body. For his part, Jackson felt like he was being gifted for his good
deeds in this life. She felt like an angel. A sex angel sent here to tempt him
into never leaving the world of sin if it meant she was in it. His cock was
painfully erect in its position, rubbing the back of her succulently firm ass.
He
continued to plunder her lips, twining his tongue with hers, over and over
again. However, it was the feel of her body under his searching hands that put
his blood to near boiling. Roughly now, he cupped her breast while moving his
mouth to nip at her neck. She is perfection, he thought while stroking the lush
globe in the palm of his hand, plucking at her nipple. He tried to be gentle
but finally having her at his mercy to tease and explore left him unable to do
more than knead her mercilessly while groaning his arousal. He had backed them
up against the door to the nearest stall just as his hand delved under the
opening in her blouse. He felt the lace of her bra as he momentarily gentled
his touch to lightly stroke her nipples with his fingertips. She was
perfection. He could hear her ragged breaths and scent her arousal in the air.
He had to have her. Now. His hand plunged beneath the scrap of material
covering her breast and felt the shock of burning pleasure from his groin to
his legs. He was sure his boxer briefs were wet with his pre-cum, and he
threaded his fingers in her hair while pulling her head back to expose the
other side of her neck.
Billie felt
his teeth against the base of the other side of her neck but couldn’t protest
as the air rushed from her lungs. Please, dear lord, let him fuck me now. She
felt his hand that was roughly squeezing her breast as it alternated not only
from side to side but from softness to rolling her nipples between his thumb
and forefingers. She felt him move his other hand to the edge of her skirt. She
felt him suddenly freeze, just as the hem of her skirt was slid upward so she
could feel the cool air hit her wet slit. Voices outside indicated the approach
of more than one man.
He felt her
stiffen in probable fear and quickly tucked her into his arms while lifting her
up. As though she weighed not a feather, he silently walked down past the last
stall of horses and into the tack room. He fumbled for the doorknob that led to
the outside and privacy the darkness afforded. He could see the tears form in
her eyes as the moonlight emphasized her probable embarrassment at being
caught.
“It’s okay,
baby,” he whispered while gently kissing her forehead. “I have got you and
won’t let anything hurt you. Just trust me, Billie.”
