Thursday, 25 April 2013

Spotlight Author Interview with RE Hargrave by Sally

R.E. Hargrave is our next spotlighted author and we'd like to thank her for taking the time  to talk with us!





R.E. Hargrave lives on the outskirts of Dallas, TX where she prides herself on being a domestic engineer.  Married to her high school sweetheart, together they are raising three children from elementary age to college age. She is an avid reader, a sometimes quilter and now, a writer for Renaissance Romance Publishing. 

She has recently released To Serve is Divine, Volume 1 in The Divine Trilogy.
 
Catherine O’Chancey is a reserved, demure, and graceful submissive. All traits she trained hard to enhance when she discovered the world of Dominance and submission in college. In an attempt to start fresh after the unexpected death of her last Dom, Catherine moves to Dallas, TX to escape the shroud of darkness he left behind in her life. She has tried to fight the need that resides deep within her to submit, but finally has to admit she can’t for it is not a choice, but part of who she truly is. After months of mental preparation, she ventures back into the lifestyle by attending a coveted open-night event at Dungeons and Dreams, an exclusive BDSM club.

Is it fate or coincidence that Catherine garners the attention of one of the club’s board members who happens to be on the hunt for the perfect sub – a partner who enjoys receiving pain and pleasure as much as he enjoys doling it out?

Jayden Masterson is many things: a firm Dom, a shrewd businessman, and a gentleman. What he isn’t, is someone who partakes in relationships outside of contractual ones with his multiple, un-collared, regular submissives. While he likes rough sex, he is not an animal, and can find pleasure only if it is consensual. What his harem is missing is a pain slut; could there be one in his future?

Upon meeting Catherine, Jayden feels an instantaneous spark inside him that has him wanting to know not just her body, but her mind. He wants to unravel her mysteries and discover her secrets. Through pain can they find the pleasure they seek? Can part-time pain lovers find full-time fulfillment when it’s not in their contract?

 Interested yet? Here's a small excerpt from the book that may help:

 
It didn’t take long for Catherine’s sure touch to have Master’s cock stretched tight, the flesh an almost angry red in a visual display of his need. Gliding her hand up his length, she licked her lips when the first viscous bead oozed out from the slit. She waited for Master to give the command; to tell Catherine to take him into her mouth.

                In her mind Catherine prepared, searching out that peaceful space she went to when participating in sexual submission. It was a quiet place with a blank slate; no preconceived notions, just opening her mind to accept what her Master asked of her body. One thing marred her special place – a cane enclosure kept her confined – other than that, she was open to do Master’s bidding. She needed to show Micah that she alone was enough for Master, even if she could never say the words out loud.

                For the second time that night, Catherine’s world shifted beneath her feet when Master gave the command not to her, but to Micah.

                “Come forward and take me in your mouth, Micah.” Master’s instructions were quiet and contained to their box.

                When Micah came forward and his tongue flicked out at Master, Catherine’s first instinct was to ride the feeling of jealousy which was welling up inside of her. While she watched, his mouth closed over the top and Master’s cock disappeared behind Micah’s lips. Her breath hitched in a choked sob of disappointment and anguish.

                You asked for this, Erin. You have no right to have your feelings being hurt like a petty child by this. Look at what is in front of you. How can you not appreciate that sight?

                The urge to smack herself was strong. She’d pushed for this, and true to Master’s word, he was accommodating her. Catherine had no recourse to be upset. Questions began forming in her head; details and information she wanted about Master’s past, but she knew it wasn’t the time. Sunday would be her time. Looking upon the men before her, Catherine felt her inner turmoil settling. The two of them together were hot. Did anything else really matter right now?


Because we want you to enjoy this amazing book, The Hive is hosting an ebook giveaway. Enter now for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
R.E Hargrave is also doing a giveaway of her own. If you'd like to receive an autographed bookmark from the author, all you have to do is take a photo of yourself reading To Serve Is Divine and email it to her. Details can be found here.

 
To Serve is Divine, Volume 1 in The Divine Trilogy, is available through amazon in paperback or for  Kindle. Also available on Amazon (Kindle Edition) is her first novel, Sugar & Spice (Sugarplum Dreams) Links to purchase any available formats can also be found here: http://www.rehargrave.com/p/get-it-here.html

 
















Questions for the Author




1.     Where are you from? 
  
      Currently I’m on the outskirts of Dallas, TX. We’ve lived in Texas since 1998. Prior to that my husband was in the Air Force, which had us in Montgomery, AL for four years. Prior to that, was a small town in the Mojave Desert: Ridgecrest, CA. That’s also where I met my husband, in my Advanced Algebra class at Burroughs high school. My childhood was spent alternating between Ridgecrest (where my mother lived) and Spartanburg, SC (where my father lived).



2.     How long have you been writing?  

     October 2010 was when I posted my first chapter to fanfiction.net, putting something out in a public forum. I’d dabbled with a few things earlier than that which have not been shared so far. However, in 2006, I began working on YA mermaid tale which I hope to get back to and finish now that I’ve learned so much more about what goes into creating and writing a story from start to finish.




3.     What book(s) have you published so far?


Sugar & Spice (volume four of The Candy Collection: Sugarplum Dreams).  
Lacey Harrison has been dealt an unexpected hand in life: being a single mom. With her father's help and that of the residents at Royal Hills Nursing Home, she thrives and goes on to become a successful baker. She is content with her life but knows that she and her daughter Candy are missing something. Will things change for the better when Trent Childress moves into town and adds some spice to her sugar? *This is a YA novella



To Serve is Divine (book 1 of The Divine Trilogy) Catherine O’Chancey is reserved, demure, and graceful. All traits enhanced by the world of Dominance and submission. Dallas, Texas is her destination for a fresh start from a tragic experience. After much deliberation, she attends an open-night event at an exclusive BDSM club because the need to submit which resides deep inside her is not a choice. 



Is it fate or coincidence that she garners the attention of a Dom who is on the hunt for the perfect sub – a partner who enjoys receiving pain and pleasure as much as he enjoys doling it out?



Jayden Masterson is a Dom who doesn’t have an interest in relationships outside of contractual ones with his submissives. He likes his sex rough as long as it’s consensual. However, upon meeting Catherine, he finds that he is interested in more than just her body. 



Could she be the ‘jewel’ he’s been searching for? *This is a BDSM Erotica



4.     What are your current projects and can you tell us a little about them?



Sure! I’d love to. At this time I have two manuscripts undergoing editing. Haunted Raine will be released July 2, 2013 as part of the Summer Heat anthology being published by Renaissance Romance Publishing. When the house put out the open call for “beach reads” I knew I wanted to participate, but also that I wanted to do something outside of the box, not your typical white sands, palm trees, and fruity umbrella drinks. What resulted was a fun piece to write which involved ghosts, history, and Voodoo. The listing is now up on Goodreads if you want to go ahead and add it to your “Want to Read” shelves. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17827068-haunted-raine

Here’s the summary: Distracted by the everyday routine of raising children, being a wife, and keeping a home, Lorraine Morrissey let life pass her by. Her wakeup call comes when she realizes that with their children gone, her husband Richard is rarely home, and she’s filling her solitary days with trivial tasks. A crazy idea to save her marriage leads to a summer beach vacation unlike any she’s ever taken; one that involves unknowingly buying a haunted house.



The second manuscript in editing is A Divine Life which is the second book of The Divine Trilogy slated for release in early August. The third book, Surreal, is being written now, and is scheduled for a March 2014 release. For those familiar with To Serve is Divine in the fanfiction version (yes, I’ve pulled to publish, but trust me, I’ve put my blood, sweat, and tears into overhauling that bad boy – it’s not just a name change story), you will find that A Divine Life is the main reworked body of the fanfiction. TSiD and Surreal are the expansions going back to the beginning of Catherine and Jayden’s story, and then carrying on into their future.



Those are just the contracted projects. I also have a few stories started in various docs that I work on whenever the characters talk to me, and of course my fanfiction is patiently waiting for me to return and finish a couple of posted WIPs (work in progress), in addition to more unposted WIPs in those infamous docs (time will tell if the unposted WIPs become more fanfiction or originals).



5.     What inspired you to write your first book?


Since my first book was technically a fanfiction to start, I’d have to answer that by saying I wanted something kinkier than what was I finding in the fanfic databases at the time – so I wrote it. When I began, I’d expected it to be about six or seven chapters, and that I’d never write anything after that again; I just needed to get it out of my system. Well guess what, folks? Once you start writing, it doesn’t just ‘get out of your system’. No, it festers and grows, and multiplies until you find that you’ve written over thirty stories and decide that maybe it’s time to stop dabbling in fanfics and make it real.



6.     How long did it take you to publish it, after you started trying? 


I was rather fortunate in that I didn’t have to sell myself to a house; they came to me. I’d made it known that I was considering entering a contest – in which reworked fanfics were allowed – following the BDSM theme where the winner would be offered a contract. Checking with my loyal readers to see if they would feel like I’d sold out (or any of the other emotions which people feel in regards to pull to publish) drew the attention of RenRom. They asked me to have a meeting with them to discuss the possibility, and the rest is history.



7.     How much of the book is realistic?


I’m hoping the entire book is realistic! All joking aside, when I began writing the first incarnation of To Serve is Divine, my research into the BDSM lifestyle began. As I’ve addressed this topic before, please allow me to provide a link where you can find the post on just how much research I did: http://www.sarahaisling.com/blog-stop-and-guest-post-to-serve-is-divine-by-r-e-hargrave/

But don’t take my word for it; perhaps these excerpts from reviews can better answer this question:



“Can I just say, as a reader of Fifty Shades of Grey... this story beats it by 100% I am so thrilled with this story and love the BDSM aspect of it. The author really knows what she is talking about and her details are incredible. I highly recommend this book with all that is good and holy in this world.”



“As I mentioned before, I don’t have any personal knowledge of the BDSM lifestyle, but my impression while reading was that the author did her research and portrayed it in a realistic way. Reading To Serve is Divine certainly gave me a new sense of respect for the BDSM community and a better understanding in general.”



“What I loved about this story from the get-go was how real and true to life it was. You can tell from the start that this author has put a lot thought into every aspect of the story, from the setting to the characters.

It was so refreshing to see that an author has taken the time to research this genre carefully before putting pen to paper and not just thrown porn into the written form.

The characters are not perfect, they are flawed, and that makes it such an amazing story to read, because you can relate to them so much, even if you are not in the lifestyle yourself.

Everything about this story pulled me in and I wasn’t left disappointed at the end like other stories out there. If you are new to the lifestyle or have read a lot of ‘smut’ out there, I urge you to give this a go and let this author open your eyes to just a little bit more, you won’t be disappointed.”



“Loved this story! Catherine and Jayden draw you into their hearts and lives. Her need to serve and submit and his need to dominate her and help her see what an amazing woman she is. Well researched BDSM is always a awesome read. R.E. Hargrave did a great job and you never thought that what was going on was impossible in that world. The characters evolve slowly and realistically. I recommend this to anyone that wants a glimpse into the mind of a true submissive and the Dom that we all wish we had. Just go read it...you won't be disappointed!”



8.     Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

     While the research and the lifestyle I’ve portrayed are real, the situations and backstories are completely fictional. However, I did write a little bit of myself into the main female character: Catherine O’Chancey.



9.     What book(s) have influenced your life the most? Why?  
     
     Oh, this is tough one, given my voracious appetite for reading all of my life. While it may be slightly clichĆ©, I’d have to give credit to the Twilight Saga for being the most influential. Without it, I never would’ve taken that leap into writing fanfiction which led me to where I am now.



10.  If you had to choose, which author/writer would you consider a mentor? 
     
     Laurell K. Hamilton. Her writing style holds nothing back, and I love everything I’ve read by her. More than that, I love how interactive she is socially. Ms. Hamilton isn’t a reclusive writer that hides away and secretly submits manuscripts which miraculously appear on shelves one day. She Facebooks, she tweets, she blogs . . . she lets you know she’s a real person.



11.  Who or what inspires you to keep writing?  

     That’s a loaded question . . . lol. Inspiration is all around if you’re open to letting it in. Be it a song, a picture, an argument you overhear coming from a house while on your nightly walk – you just never know where the prompt for your next project will come from.



12.  What do you consider to be your best accomplishment so far?  

     Hands down, my kids. My oldest just turned seventeen and is in his first year of college, and he’s just the tip of the iceberg. All three of my children are brilliant, beautiful, and amazing individuals. They have morals, they can hold an intelligent conversation, and they have hearts the size of Texas. What mom wouldn’t be proud?



13.  If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?  

     Considering I have already ‘done it over again’, I can honestly say that, no, I’m very happy with how the first book in the trilogy came out, and I wouldn’t change a thing.



14.  Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

     Thank you. The Trilogy is seeing the light of day because of y’all – because of your support and encouragement over the last two and a half years; because of your insightful reviews where you challenged me and cried with me. It seems so plain, but there really aren’t words to express how much this all meant to me other than simply, thank you.



15.  Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? 

     Believe in yourself and never give up. If your story needs to be told, you will find a way. That journey can be made easier if you remember some basic writing tips that need to be considered when publishing:

    • Remember that a character POV should be at least 600 words long before you shift to a new “voice”.
    • The dreaded “LY” words: stealthily, greedily, slowly, only, early, shockingly, etc. Writers tend to depend too heavily on adverbs, and the publishing standard is that you’re permitted ONE –ly word per 300 words of text. Take your total document word count and divide by 300. The answer is how many of the –ly words you’re allowed to have. If you’re over, you need to edit.
    • Details will make or break you, and trust me, it’s easier to have too much which needs to be edited out, than to try to add more in, so don’t be afraid to describe that car, the outfit, the meal, but most importantly make sure the reader can envision your characters. You should be dropping reminders throughout your manuscript of how they look: height, style of dress, hair color, eye color, etc.
    • Watch your tenses. Nothing throws a reader off more than jumbling past and present.
    • Have fun. Chances are if the story is boring you while you write, it’s going to bore readers. Don’t be afraid to let your imagination take flight.


Links for R.E. Hargrave:

Be sure to check out R.E Hargrave's books today!


 
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