Introduction and an Excerpt

Hi, and welcome to my first post! *G* I'm thrilled with this new group and the energetic level with which we've kicked things off.

I'm Sherrill Quinn, and today I'd like to talk to you about old beginnings (as opposed to the post topic of last week). When I was 18, I went 700 miles away to college., thinking I was a big girl, thinking I could handle being away from my mommy. I went home the first Christmas, flush with the success of my first semester as an adult. One year later, I couldn't go home at Christmas time and...I cried like a baby the entire two weeks of the break. Every time I turned around, some flippin' radio station or another was playing "I'll Be Home For Christmas", and I'd start up all over again. It was the worst Christmas season of my life, and drove it home to me that I'd never be too grown up to miss my mom. LOL

Over the ensuing years I worked in Human Resources at a small personnel recruiting agency, then moved on to a large home nursing agency, then onto a still larger cable company. During that time I fiddled around with writing--a short story here and there, a couple of them published in now defunct magazines, plus I wrote non-fiction for professional newsletters. But I still lived very near my mom.

Which is why you may be confused that, at age 38, I moved 2000 miles away from home to live in Arizona. I talk to my mom every week, sometimes more than once (nearly every day for the first 2 months after my dad died), and I try to see her at least twice a year. But, saying all that, moving to Arizona was another beginning for me. I started a new job that led to a promotion that led to another promotion that brought me to the pinnacle of my Human Resources career--that of Vice President. Sounds like I finally made it, right? Well, I suppose I had. However, the 60+ hour workweeks and stress that goes along with being an executive (especially one in HR) started playing havoc with my physical health, not to mention my emotional well-being. So I determined to make a change.

Knowing one of the things (the biggest thing) keeping me in the job was my house, I sold it in February 2005 when the housing market in southern Arizona was crazy, and realized a decent profit. I rented a two-bedroom casita (it's adorable!) and, that same month, took an online "how to write erotic romance" class taught by Jan Springer. In April I submitted an entry in a contest and placed 2nd with a request for the full manuscript.

Hey! I might have finally found my niche. On September 1, 2005 I handed in my resignation (and was asked to leave pretty much right away--that's the way it's done there) and, having decided to take time off to recuperate from the grueling schedule and focus on developing my second career, I sat at home and wrote at least 8 hours a day for 11 months. In that time I wrote over 500,000 words, most of which ended up being published.

Phew!

In late July of last year I started back to work on a part-time basis. (Which had been my plan, just a month earlier than I'd anticipated.) My COBRA benefits were going to run out as of the end of February, so I knew the part-time would have to go to full-time sooner than later. The day before Thanksgiving, my boss (the HR Administrator) quit/was let go, and I was promoted to her position (which was full-time). The full-time status started the day after I returned from Ohio for my dad's funeral.

So, now I'm working 40 hours a week, with an hour commute every day, which takes away from my writing. But at least I have health insurance now, and the stress level on the job is so low (comparatively speaking) it's hardly worth mentioning. And I still have energy to write, which is the important thing!

Well, enough about me. I indicated in the title line that I'd give you an excerpt, and here it is. This is from my upcoming Ellora's Cave release (on Wednesday!)--Choosing Madison, in Seasons of Seduction Volume 1.



Gaelen Brecca and Leax Ilan are sent to retrieve their leader's errant bride. Because of the stubborness of the princess and an attack by enemy Raiders, they end up taking Earth woman Madison Marquette along as well. They are enchanted by her beauty, her bravery, and her wit. She might just be the woman these bond-brothers need to complete their triad.

Madison has lived an adventurous life...vicariously through the wild tales of her best friend, tales that Madison has turned into sci-fi romance novels. Grabbing onto the opportunity to truly have an adventure, she is stunned to find lust and love as well. She must overcome her natural tendency to look for safety.

Can her alien lovers secure her sensual surrender as well?

~ * ~

Madison dropped the baseball bat and looked around her living room. For a blazing battle having just taken place, it still looked remarkably neat. Well, except for the bodies lying around. Looking closely, she saw chests rising and falling with their slow breathing, and she sighed with relief. She hadn’t been sure how she’d explain a houseful of dead bodies to the authorities. Or her dad.

Her gaze met that of the auburn-haired man and she swallowed at the heat she saw in his eyes. She looked at the other man, Gaelen, and saw the same raw lust reflected in his gaze. Boy oh boy, these men were hot and making her hot. They had been so fierce in their battle, so competent in the way they’d handled their weapons. Plus there was just something about a man in a uniform…

Gaelen touched his collar and spoke. He motioned to Julie.

She grabbed Madison’s hand and pulled her over to where the two men stood. Gesturing to the men one at a time, she said, “Madison, meet Gaelen Brecca and Leax Ilan. Gaelen and Leax, my friend Madison.” She tittered with nervous laughter. “There. Introductions are made. May we please go? Now?”

Madison ended up standing in front of Leax. He wrapped one brawny arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. She glanced over her shoulder and caught his slow wink just as a tingling started in her extremities and quickly spread inward. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to cry out at the unfamiliar sensation.

In what seemed like one heartbeat to the next, she went from being in her house to standing in a small, round room. She felt dizzy and a bit flushed. A man stood nearby, a small implement in his hand that looked a lot like a syringe. He started toward her and she tried to back up. When she pressed against Leax’s big body, his hands came down on her shoulders and lightly squeezed. His deep voice murmured to her, words indistinguishable but the tones soft and gentle, calming.

She vaguely heard Julie telling her it was all right, that this was a doctor, but all she saw was a stranger heading toward her with a needle in his hand. “No probing!” she yelled.

Julie tried to soothe her. “It’s all right, Maddie. He’s just going to implant a translation device.”

Madison heard every word her friend said, but the one that stuck out was “implant”. She shook her head, then swayed as the movement aggravated her already spinning senses. Leax swept her up into his arms and the doctor moved in. Before she could do much more than blink, he’d gently inserted the tip of the syringe into her ear. She felt a small prick and wiggled her jaw against the resulting tickle.

“Do you understand me?” the doctor asked.

She nodded and touched one hand to her ear. She looked up at Leax. “You can put me down now.”

“But I enjoy holding you, little one,” he said. His voice was deep and soft, bringing to mind tangled limbs on silken sheets. Her nipples hardened and her breathing quickened as he glanced down. His arms briefly tightened, but he released her and let her slide to the floor. He kept one arm around her waist and held her against his body, letting her feel his arousal.

“Lee, why don’t you show our guest to her quarters?” Gaelen’s intense gaze rested on Madison for a moment before he held out his arm to Julie. “Princess, if you’ll allow me to escort you?”

Julie slipped her hand through the crook of his arm. As they stepped out of the room, she looked over her shoulder at Madison and winked. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she said with a nod toward Leax.

Madison’s face heated and she scowled. She was more tempted by this big man—by both of them—than she cared to admit. There was something of the forbidden in having sex with a stranger, and Madison tried to stay away from things she wasn’t supposed to do.

Always being the good little soldier.

She supposed she could consider it research. Even as nervous about this situation as she was, she had to bite back a grin, sure neither man would appreciate her sense of humor at their expense.

Leax held his arm out to her, much the same as Gaelen had done for Julie, though Gaelen’s face hadn’t held such a wicked grin. Lust rolled off Leax in waves, helping alleviate most of her remaining anxiety. He was sinful temptation she just might not fight.

Copyright ©2007 Sherrill Quinn. All Rights Reserved.

Choosing Madison, part of Seasons of Seduction Volume 1 - available Wednesday, March 21st at Ellora's Cave!



5 Hearts from the Romance Studio! “Anyone who likes a quick, hot read will like this story. Madison, Gaelen and Leax are richly described and the sexual tension adds to the dynamics of this short read... The science fiction aspects of the story don't overwhelm the romantic side of it, but add to the reality of the situation. This erotic romp on the futuristic side is done very nicely.”

Sherrill Quinn
Follow your passion to the edge...and beyond
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