In Memory of My Dad, by Berengaria Brown

When I was small my Mom was quite ill. My Dad had never had to look after me for more than an hour or two at a time until then, and he wasn’t too sure what to do with me. The first day he bought me a wonderful set of blocks with bridges, and towers, and awesome things in the box, and I played with them all day. I’m pretty sure he enjoyed playing with them too. At least for the first hour or so. But by the second day he was once again at a loss to know what to do with me.

He loved reading, so he sat me down and taught me to read. I was already fascinated that the black squiggles on the pages of my books actually meant something, and picked up the idea fairly quickly. My Mom was ill for several months. Long before she had gotten better I was reading voraciously. All the kids’ books I owned, I could now read, and I read them over and over. When I got tired of that, Dad took me down to the local library, and signed me up for a membership card. That worked well for several years, until I’d read everything in the children’s section. Dad didn’t even blink. He just handed me his adult borrower card and I started to read the adult collection.

Some people were horrified that I might read something little girls shouldn’t know about. Dad wasn’t worried. “If she doesn’t understand it, it won’t hurt her. And if she knows what it means, there’s no need to hide it from her”, he said.

Likely that explains why I write FF, and MM, and ménage, as well as MF romance. I like to read all genres so that’s what I write.

Aquamarine: Courage and Comfort

by Berengaria Brown

Available from Torqueue Press

Edmund’s sister Mavis was tragically widowed by a hit-and-run driver, when he was rushing to the hospital for the birth of their son. Now Mavis can’t cope with the loss of her husband and a new fatherless baby to care for.

Mavis’ friend, AJ, tells Edmund that he and his partner, Utah, must go and retrieve an aquamarine. The stone will bring courage and comfort to Mavis. It will hold the spirit of her dead husband and she will be able to rear their son and have a fulfilling life.

Only lovers can find the stone. Edmund and Utah are a little skeptical, but very willing to try.

EXCERPT

Utah just smiled at his partner. Edmund had all the confidence in the world, and likely some naughty plan in mind. Well, they'd soon see just how doable his plans were. One of the things Utah loved about Edmund was his insouciant acceptance of sex as an integral part of daily life. And Utah's dick was always ready to get involved in sex with Edmund!

Even just looking at Edmund in that tight, body-hugging wetsuit, made Utah's cock grow and harden, and his balls tighten. Down boy he thought widening his stance a little to ease the pressure on his equipment. First we find this mystical aquamarine for Mavis. Then we fuck each other's brains out.

The more he thought about it, the crazier it sounded. Here on a public beach where dozens, even hundreds, of people swam every day, they were going to swim out to a sandbar and find a precious stone. They would then give this stone to Edmund's sister, and with no other help -- no therapy, no psychiatrists, no lawyers, nothing else at all -- she would accept the loss of her husband and focus on rearing her kid. When he put it like that, it almost sounded like he was the one who needed a good therapist. Deluded didn't come close to explaining the lack of logic in those thoughts. Ah well, all he could do was support Edmund. AJ had made it quite plain Edmund would not succeed if Utah wasn't there with him. And anyway, he wanted to be with Edmund. Wanted to help him.

Shrugging his shoulders he swung around to look at Edmund. "Are you ready to go fetch this rock?"

"Yes, sure. But how are we supposed to recognize it?"

"Hell if I know. Isn't it supposed to call to you, or something?"

___________________________________
Berengaria Brown
Website ~ Blog
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Is Length Important

Is length important?

I tend to write short books. I like to read all different lengths, just as I like to read all different genres. But while I write a wide range of genres, so far I have only written novellas and short books.

“Ghostly indulgence” is one of my shortest books.

It’s only a little over 3000 words long, but it’s very hot. For me, this is the kind of length I can read in bed of an evening, before going to sleep—or doing other things! Also, this short means it’s fine to read on a phone if I’m stuck waiting in line or during a commute.

I also keep several shorts like this on my laptop for those boring times when I need to look like I’m working, or be available to answer the phone, but I know if I start a longer book I’ll be called away long before I can finish it.

“Burning For You” is much longer at over 10,000 words. I like this length for lazy weekend afternoons, curled up on the couch, reading, with either a hot chocolate (winter) or a long cold drink (summer) by my side. And this length is still cheap enough to buy to treat myself to several at a time so I can choose what I want to read. Paranormal? Historical? Contemporary? I like to keep a variety of novellas on my laptop so I can choose what I feel in the mood for each time.

I have also published several longer books around 22,000 words. This is the length I like to take on vacation for lazy beach or pool-side reading. Or just to sit under a tree with on a perfect day. The longer the book the more characters and subplots the author can introduce, so that adds to the reading experience.

So what is better: short or longer? Hmm. I’ll take one of each please. But then, I also write ménage.

Ghostly Indulgence: a hot little Halloween read for you

BLURB

Nurzhan and Spyridion are ghosts. The only night they can become corporeal is All Hallow’s Eve, when they should be busy haunting. Hopefully, there will be some time for fun, as well. They’re determined to get to know each other much better on this one special night. But how can they live a whole year without touching each other again?

EXCERPT

The closer it got to Halloween the harder Spyridion tried to think of a way to get up close and personal, in private, with the truly yummy Nurzhan. The problem was, all ghosts were so busy at Halloween. They were supposed to devote themselves to scaring people all night long, yet this was the only time they could become fully corporeal and fuck properly as humans. It hardly seemed fair that on the one night a year they were guaranteed multiple outstanding orgasms, they were fully occupied jumping out of closets and saying “Boo” to unbelieving humans. Although he didn’t want to totally abdicate his duties on that night, surely he could spend an hour or so in bed with the one ghost he desired above all things, Nurzhan. How to set it up was the problem.

Spyridion was in one of his favorite places, sitting on the steeple of St Thomas the Apostle by the Sea Church, looking out over the ocean, when he saw Nurzhan floating toward him. Damn, that man was fuckable. Shoulder-length black hair, silky-soft and swirling around his head. Eyes so deep a brown a man could drown in those sexy, dark pools. And built. Oh yeah, big all over, especially where it counted the most.

Spyridion knew Nurzhan was interested in him. They’d even exchanged a few touches and a kiss, but he wanted a whole lot more than that. And he wanted it the one night of the year when they were both able to become corporeal.

Nurzhan wafted down onto the steeple and settled himself beside Spyridion.

“Hi there. All ready for the big night?” Spyridion asked.

“Yeah, well, um, I’ve been thinking about that.”

“You have? Me too.” Spyridion felt excitement tingle through him. If he’d had a pulse it would have been racing right now.

“I don’t think it’s fair the way we ghosts aren’t recognized for all the hard work we do each All Saint’s Eve. It’s time we stood up for ourselves and made people realize we have rights, too.”

Well, damn. That wasn’t what I was hoping he’d say!

Available from Torquere Books

Berengaria Brown

http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/

http://berengariabrown.webs.com/

Pets in Romance Stories

Do you like your hero or heroine to have a pet or two? Does it make them more real to you if they cuddle a kitty after yelling at their true love? Or cry into their horse’s mane? Or maybe she owns a really clever pet bird that frightens away a would-be bad guy? Do you like the thought of your hunky hero going for a run with his dog?

I can think of one mystery author who always includes a cat or two in her books and the cats’ characters are every bit as vivid as that of the humans. And sometimes far more interesting to me, as a reader too.

I know of another author who adores animals and it shows in every line she writes about her shapeshifter wolves.

Then there are books I’ve read with a pet introduced in chapter one and never mentioned again in the book. I’m always left wondering, “What happened to the pet when the lovers hooked up? Is the pet going to get an HEA or not?”

There are a group of well-known authors who have written entire series of books where the hero or heroine is basically just a foil for the animal character that solves the mystery/ saves the world. That is another entire genre of book.

According to the God of all Knowledge, WikiAnswers, 63% of American households have a pet, the vast majority of them either a dog and/or a cat. Hamsters, fish, mice, guinea pigs, birds, snakes, bunnies, iguanas and ferrets are all in the top ten pets depending on who you believe.

So this is where I came in. If so many people own pets do they want to read about them in their books? Because they have a pet do they feel better if the hero/heroine has a pet?

Or do they see pets as something a kid needs to grow up with, rather like a bike and a football? Or just another household chore to perform? Do the laundry, cook the supper, walk the dog?

Many animals offer their human endless love, trust and companionship. They don’t fuss about unwashed blankets or unironed clothing. They adore being petted and at least pretend to listen when you talk to them. But does this uncomplaining attitude then make the hero or heroine look bad when they are upset at how their lover is treating them?

So what do you think? Should book characters be pet-owners? Or is this likely to make them be less appealing to their lover? After all, it is hardly romantic for the heroine to say, “I can’t go out without you tonight. I have to clean out the bird cage.”

I think, for authors, it comes down to the old saying “write what you know”. If you adore animals it will show in how you write them and the reader will love to read about Spot and Fluffy. If you consider the horse as just something that needs to be brushed from bite to kick, it’s better to avoid putting that in your novel. And readers respond to this. They love to read about genuine animal characters and their relationship with the hero and heroine. But the heroine’s pet that only appears in chapter one as a quick-fix solution to move the plot along—the reader sees right through that and feels cheated.

Raw Claiming

by

Berengaria Brown

BLURB

Ayla thought it’d be just like Y2K all over again. But this time the world really did change. Now, she’s living in a community with far more men than women and has to choose some to live with. Ethan and Gideon helped rescue her, and she’s drawn to them. The sex is great, but she has to learn to live in a community that must become self-sufficient.

Also, what’s going on outside? Has the world changed forever? Will the men be torn from her and sent outside again? Should she go, too? And into what?

EXCERPT

It was plain to see Ethan and Gideon planned to claim her and fuck her. Well, she was okay with that. She’d seen a hell of a lot more men than women here, and their messages on the radio had said “marry one or more men,” so it’s not like being expected to fuck was a big surprise. Indeed, it was logical. Survivalism and army stuff were more man things than woman things, really.

Besides, it’d been so long since she’d had a steady partner. Not since she left the city. Once she’d moved in with her parents, her social life had pretty much shriveled up and died. Apart from a brief affair with a local farmer, sex had been just her and her fingers for way too long.

Ethan was tall and muscular with a really sexy voice. Her pussy creamed at the thought of being tucked up inside his arms. Gideon was a bit more of an enigma. He’d talked to her on the way back to this place—wherever the hell it was. They hadn’t traveled on any main roads, that was for sure!—but he hadn’t really revealed much about himself. Still, he was easy on the eyes and seemed gentle and considerate. In the lottery of survival, she figured she hadn’t done too badly to end up with this pair of men.

The real question was, how would the sharing thing work? Would they fuck her one at a time? Like, one night on, one night off? Or would they both be in the room and take turns immediately one after the other? Would she suck one while the other fucked her? Or—and this was a totally panty-drenching thought—would they take her together, one in her cunt and one in her ass? She’d never personally experienced such a thing, or even talked in real life to a woman who had, but she was well aware that it happened.

Ayla stood silently in the doorway of Ethan and Gideon’s—what? Room? Apartment?—and waited to be told what would happen next. The other men were unloading the two trucks, but Ethan and Gideon each had one of her suitcases and had brought her directly here.

They dumped the cases against the wall and pulled her into the room.

“You know you’ll be claimed by one or more of the men here?” began Gideon.

She nodded.

“You don’t have to accept the first man who asks you. But you will be expected to accept someone.” She nodded at Ethan this time.

Ethan cleared his throat. “Um, well, we were hoping you’d accept us.

We like you, and think you’re sexy and, um—”

“And since I have to sleep with someone, and since you rescued me, it may as well be you?”

“Yeah, pretty much. It’s not exactly a very romantic proposal, I’m afraid,” said Gideon.

“Yeah, well, it’s not exactly a romantic world anymore.” She mimicked his words and intonation.

“You’ll take us?” Ethan’s face was split by a huge grin.

Ayla nodded.

“You won’t regret it. We’ll look after you, I promise,” said Gideon.

“Yes, we will. I promise, too,” said Ethan seriously. “Now, can we fuck? You’re truly delicious, and my dick’s been harder than a spike ever since you first spoke to me on the radio.”

Ayla grinned, too. This really wasn’t how she’d expected her life to go a few months ago, but the whole world had changed and she was willing to change with it. Besides, what red-blooded woman could resist two sexy hunks who planned to fuck her?

“I’m ready, but how will this work?”

Available at Bookstrand

Berengaria Brown

http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/

http://berengariabrown.webs.com/