Mia Darien is currently working on the sequel to her post-apocalyptic erotic romance “Sanctuary,” so with that in mind I asked her back to my blog today to share an excerpt from Sanctuary with us. It’s Available at Amazon for .99.
About Sanctuary
Life isn’t easy in Sanctuary City. For years, the world has been in shades of grey. The same could be said of its people. Everyone does what they must in order to survive.
That’s what Lydia does. Survive. But more than that, she brings a little light into the lives of the people around her. Sometimes with sex. Sometimes with a kind word. An ear to listen. A shoulder to cry on. Whatever someone needs.
All she asks in return is the means to live, and to keep her secret safe.
Flynn survives, too. Does whatever he must, whatever he’s asked, to get by. It’s not until he meets Lydia that he thinks about actually living again, but it won’t be so easy to find a life with her when he’s not the only one who wants her. When someone wants her dead.
And Flynn’s the one who was hired to kill her.
What is your book about and what genre are you writing in?
Mia: Today, I’m here talking about “Sanctuary,” which is the first book in a novella series called Stories from Sanctuary City. This is post-apocalyptic erotic romance. I know that those are two categories you usually don’t see working together, but somehow, I think it does okay!
The first book follows the character of Lydia. She is, basically, a prostitute, but she’s more than that too. She only asks for what will help her live in this post-apocalypse world (food, water, etc.,) and only what they can give. In return, yes, there’s sex, but she also gives kindness, caring, and compassion in a very cold place and harsh time. She’s got her own secrets, of course, but is genuine in all she gives.
What inspired you to write this first book?
Mia: Anyone who has read certain interviews or guest posts I’ve done will know that I’m a big geek, I really am. I have done role-play online (play-by-email style, usually) since forever. And I still do it. Lydia started as a role-play character, but in a game that I didn’t stick with. I loved the idea of her, though, so much that I migrated her to another game and she really did well there. Eventually, I thought she’d make a great book character, so I created a world for her, tweaked the character, and then came “Sanctuary.”
What was the toughest part to write for this book?
Mia: Honestly? The sex scenes, lol. You would think that writing such scenes would not be difficult so long as you’ve experienced it, but it’s difficult to write them well and not have them sound wooden/mechanical. Close second was my fear for the reactions of readers. It is a love story between (essentially) a prostitute and the man hired to kill her. These are a bit outside usual romance parameters and I worried people would react badly to them, but it seems I’ve managed to bring them to life in the ways I wanted to, the really layered ways, and people have responded well.
What did you learn from writing this book?
Mia: How to make the most of the words you use. It’s a novella series, so the stories are short and you have to make a lot out of shorter scenes. I’ve always been a very succinct writer, but sex scenes in particular, too, make you want to make every single word count. You want the perfect flow. I worked hard on that in this one.
Excerpt of Sanctuary – For MATURE READERS 18 +
Getting to his feet, he walked up beside her and looked out the window at the soul-crushing emptiness. “How do you do it? Everything out there is made to make you fail, and be jaded.”
Lydia smiled at him and the world lit up. “There is still good in people, if you are willing to look for it.” She reached up and laid her palm against his rough cheek. It was so tender and intimate a gesture that it was almost painful on his undeserving skin. “The times must be hard on you to have such a look in your eyes.”
“I…” He faltered, because he didn’t know what to say. Instead he closed his eyes and laid his hand over hers. It was so big in comparison.
“What do you need, Flynn?” she whispered.
He didn’t know that either, but whatever it was, she had it. He felt a longing he hadn’t thought he was even capable of any more. He wanted her, but it was more than that. It was too deep to comprehend.
Flynn kissed her. It wasn’t something you did nowadays, but he suddenly couldn’t imagine going another moment without kissing her. She responded immediately, rising on her toes to meet him, lips pliable and soft.
It had been so long that he had forgotten how wonderful this could be. Her body was warm and supple as their arms wrapped around one another. Lips parted. Tongues tangled. For one long, glorious instant, he felt like he could kiss her until the world ended, a second time.
However, it didn’t take long for his arousal to make itself known. He felt strangely embarrassed, like he might have at sixteen.
Lydia pulled away, smiling sweetly and silently as she took his hand and led him to the bed. She pulled him down on the pile of blankets. They were soft and thick. He couldn’t feel the hardness of the floor beneath them. And when she kissed him again, drawing him against her as she lay back, he wouldn’t have cared if he did.
He possessed her with his mouth while her legs embraced him, inviting him in. When had he ever felt such naked passion and bared longing in his soul?
What had she done to him?
Suddenly, her slender hands were between their bodies. Pulling her shirt open to let her bare breasts spill out. He had to stop for a moment to look at them, so smooth and clear, no tattoos or hardened skin, just a pale expanse of sweet, flushed skin and tantalizing nipples, rising to peaks.
The air was warm. They rose in arousal, for him. He hungrily sucked one into his mouth, giving it what it called for. His rough hand covered the other breast. Squeezed and massaged.
Lydia moaned. She arched her back, thrusting her breasts further into his face. He just wanted more of those moans. Licking, sucking, fondling… Whatever seemed to bring the most noise. Whatever made her arch into him, squeeze her thighs against his sides, grind her pelvis against his throbbing erection.
She ran her hands through his hair and down the back of his shirt. His skin tingled and he lifted his head reflexively, groaning. Her hands slid swiftly between them again, taking off his shirt, rushing it back off his shoulders. He tossed it away.
Lydia’s hands were already at his waistband. He met her eyes. Her gaze was unlike any ever aimed in his direction. It was indescribable, with words like heat, intensity and passion barely scratching the surface. There was something more, something deeper…
She had his pants undone and he wasted no time getting out of them. Hers joined his by the time he had again lowered himself onto her.
Beneath him, her naked body was just as incredible as he thought it would be. Curvy with femininity and good health. No bony joints dug into him. No leathery skin chafed against his.
“God,” he gasped against her neck, touching his lips to the beads of sweat gathering on her skin. “You feel amazing.”
“So do you.” Her breath tickled his ear and sent shivers coursing through him. “I want to feel you inside me.”
He groaned and nearly spent himself right there. The idea of someone as beautiful as her wanting him was almost too much. Flynn moved a hand between her legs. Warm, inviting, two fingers slid in with ease, but snugly enough to entice him away from the idea that she did this for a living. The wetness put truth to the desire he saw in her every move.
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This Week’s Articles Featuring Mia on My Blog
Meet Guest Author Mia Darien and Get Cameron’s Law for Free
‘Descent’ and Zombie Horses with Mia Darien – Free ebook
Friday Freebie – Cameron’s Law by Mia Darien
About the Author
Mia Darien is an Indie author of speculative fiction, and a New England Yankee transplanted into Alabama clay. No matter her geography, she continues to stubbornly and rebelliously live the life of her choosing along with her family and pets. She doesn’t miss the snow.
Contact the Author
Learn more about Mia at http://www.miadarien.com | Amazon Author page | Twitter | Facebook
Ally Thomas 