Hi Alisha! Welcome to Hooked on Romance! Can you tell us how you came to be published with Samhain?

I've been intrigued with Samhain since they first came on the scene. I loved their books, and I loved what I heard about how they treated their authors, with real professionalism and courtesy.

So I'd been writing for a while, submitted a few works to other places and received very nice rejections, and I came upon an open call for Samhain's Menage and More anthology. I'd never written a menage before, and figured it might be a shot. If nothing else, it would stretch my creative legs a little bit. Let me tell you something: a ménage is the most difficult thing to write. Do you know how hard it is to keep track of six hands? Very.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), my ménage wouldn’t stay within the word count of a novella, and when I finished, it was fully novel length. I decided to query it anyway to the slush pile. Within three weeks, I had a request for the full manuscript. You don’t even know how excited I was. Within another week, I had a contract. While I was half-convinced they had made some sort of mistake, I was more than happy to take advantage of it.

I’m thrilled to say Samhain is as professional and competent as they seem to be. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them so far.

What is the most extreme sport you’ve ever done, or adventure you’ve ever taken, and what did you learn about yourself?

When I was fourteen, I went to go live with my aunt in India for six months. Now, for a spoiled American teen, you can imagine what a culture shock this was. I’d been there before, but only for brief, sheltered vacations during the summer or Christmas with my parents.

Part of the deal I had to make with my mother, though, in exchange for letting me go, was that I learn something that I wouldn’t get a chance to learn in the States. I didn’t realize it at the time, but she was doing her best to push her shy daughter out of her comfort zone. Under pressure from her, I sullenly agreed to take classical Indian dance lessons.

To put this into context, I was not a svelte, graceful teenager. I was a chubby bookworm. I’m not going to lie and say I picked everything up right away, but after months of lessons, I could pull off some convincing dances. I remember only the most basic moves now, but that feeling of exhilaration, of being able to accomplish something you didn’t think you could and feel like a different person; that stays with you.

Tell us about your book Glutton for Pleasure. When did it come out and can you give us an excerpt for our readers?

It came out last month (I love March now!), and absolutely I have an excerpt.

What’s next for you?

I’m always juggling two or three works in addition to a very demanding day job. Right now, I’ve returned to the restaurant introduced in Glutton by continuing with Devi’s sisters: I’ve just finished the rough draft of Rana’s story, and the outline on Leena’s. Neither are ménages as they stand right now, but they are hot in their own way. I need to let both of them marinate in their own juices for a bit (zing, how’s that for a food analogy!).

Oooh, I also just finished a romance about a hermit who lives in the woods, and a hot, injured, naked hunk who lands on her doorstep. Submitting soon, keep your fingers crossed .

Any parting words for our readers before we get to the excerpt?

Yes. I am a lonely person. Won’t you e-mail me? Seriously, I love hearing from my readers. You can e-mail me at alishawrites@gmail.com, visit me on the web at www.alisharai.com, or visit my new blog at alisharai.wordpress.com . Don’t be shy!

The Contest! You didn't think we'd have a guest blogger on HOR and not have a contest did you? Alisha is going to handle this through her website so comment here, but then be sure to hit her site!


EXCERPT - Um, there are some strong swear words in this excerpt. AND strong sexual content. So, please, you know. Don’t read it if you can’t vote or will be offended.

“I didn’t hear you knock.”

Devi spun around, her hand pressed against her chest. “Oh. Marcus. You startled me.”

“I was in the garage.”

He stood in the kitchen doorway in only a pair of unsnapped jeans. A sexy smear of grease highlighted his rock-hard abs. Involuntarily, her gaze slid over his bare chest, the arrow of hair that trailed into his open jeans. She was suddenly all too aware of the little toy she wore, forgotten while she’d toured the house.

“Um, Jace told me to just come on in. He’s upstairs, showering. I hope that’s okay.” He didn’t say anything. “I like your house. Or what I’ve seen of it.”

“Take off your clothes.”

She blinked. “Wow, you’re not one for social niceties, are you?”

“Are you hungry?”

“Not really.”

“Do you want a drink?”

Devi slicked her tongue over her lips. “No. I’m good.”

“Good. Take off your clothes.”

“Marcus.” She frowned, though she really wanted to laugh.

“I want to see if you’re wearing the stimulator.”

“I said I would, and I am.”

“You wore it from the minute we dropped you off?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Devi stared at him, confused. “What?”

He grinned and slid his hand into his pocket. The first gentle vibration had her legs stiffening in shock. The little box came alive, rubbing against her already-stiffened clit like the finger Jace had likened it to. She relaxed and allowed the slow pleasure to sink into her bones. Marcus didn’t allow her time to appreciate it, and he must have turned a dial up somewhere, because the vibrations against her over-stimulated clit increased in their intensity. She moaned and leaned against the couch, her legs boneless and incapable of supporting her weight.

A low male chuckle reached her. “I think we can believe her.”

She opened her eyes to find Jace standing in the room as well. Clad only in a sexy pair of black boxer briefs, water still glistening on his chest and hair, he watched her with a small smile and narrowed eyes already heated with lust.

Just as her climax yawned before her, the soundless stimulation ended. “What are you doing? Turn that back on, this instant.”

Marcus tsked and walked forward until he stood right in front of her. “Didn’t we discuss you giving us orders?”

Heat rose from his body. All of the relentless unappeased desire from the day welled up inside of her. She frowned at him. “I was about to come.”

“We don’t want you to, yet.”

“I don’t care,” she said waspishly. “Turn that damn thing on again or one of you fuck me here.”

Amazing how a couple of days of ceaseless pleasure could lower her inhibitions—she felt no hesitation in making the demand.

“No.” With that simple announcement, Marcus startled Devi by scooping her off her feet.

She shrieked and grabbed on to his shoulders. No one had carried her since she’d been a small child. Pudginess had crept up on her at a young age, so even her father had declined picking her up. “I’m too heavy for you. Put me down.”

He ignored her and spoke to his brother. “Where are the supplies?”

Supplies?

Jace studied her with predatory interest. If she hadn’t already been soaked, that look would have done it. “In my room.”

“Did you hear me? I’m too fat to be carried around like this.”

Marcus walked out of the room and back into the grand entryway. He glanced over his shoulder. “I think the toys were a bad idea. They’ve made her way too contrary.” He jostled her until she tightened her arms around his neck in reaction.

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here. Wreck your back, see if I care. And the toy doesn’t make me contrary. Hours of sexual deprivation make me contrary.”

“Then you should be nicer to the men who are going to end that deprivation,” Marcus explained patiently. “In the meantime, why don’t you pretend your hero is carrying you off to be properly ravished instead of worrying about your damned weight?”

Devi paused. He had a point. Once she thought past her sexual frustration, of course. She relaxed into his arms. “Sorry. I’m not a very good heroine, I guess.”

He handled the dark stairs with ease, not even breathless. He turned right at the top of the stairs and entered a tidy bedroom lit by soft track lighting. Peripherally, she got the impression of heavy wooden furnishings and a huge four-poster bed. Marcus looked down at her, his face cast in shadows. “That’s okay. I’m no hero.”

She slid her palm over his jaw, the slight stubble catching on her skin. “I think you’re doing a pretty good job.”

Devi caught the hardening of Marcus’s jaw under her hand. “Then your judgment sucks.”