Guest post with Starla Kaye!!

I’m turning my blog over today to Starla. Show her your love and leave some comments.

Take it away, Starla!

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Maggie’s Secret Wish

Having fun with my characters from Maggie’s Secret Wish…

 

An author spends a lot of time with their story characters from creation (like giving birth), to working with them to tell their story (like watching your child grow to maturity), to letting them go (like sending your mature child off into the world). Sometimes those characters linger in your thoughts even as you move on to other stories. Occasionally it is nice to “visit” with them again or to “see” how they are doing beyond the end of the story.

I did a post recently at another host blog where I had a chance to play with my one of my characters again. I shared a diary page that my heroine, Maggie, might have written. It was such fun and let me get more into her head…and let my readers get to know her a little better as well. I’m going to take another stab at that concept, using the hero, Ian, this time.

First, I will give you a short idea of who he is and his basic issues at the moment. Ian MacDonald is Scottish, recently turned forty and has begun to question what he is doing with his life and what he really wants to do. He isn’t exactly unhappy with his full-time career as an erotica writer and his part-time career as a professional Dom. He just feels his life has become sort of same-old, same-old. Like most people, when he was younger he expected to mature into adulthood, establish his life’s work, find a woman to settle down with, and then have a family. But because of what he has done and what he does now, he doesn’t believe he will ever have that kind of normalcy in his life. He is certain most women would never consider him as suitable husband material. He struggles with accepting this belief and clings to a small hope for a true love relationship. In his state of minor depression, a friend of his convinces him to try Madame Evangeline’s exclusive matching services for a one night stand. His friend points out that most of (if not all of) her matches have gone on to Happily Ever Afters.

Dear Secret Diary that absolutely no one can ever know about…

     What has become of my life? Am I forever to live vicariously through my characters’ love lives? I have brought so many “people” who seemed such unlikely matches together. I have helped them face complications and conflicts that could have keep them apart. I have watched them strive determinedly on until they made their compromises and found happiness together. With each HEA ending, I feel good, as do my fans, who often write me about my having written another story that touched them. This is a good thing. Yet I also suffer sadness. Loneliness.

     It isn’t as though I’ve led a celibate life. I have never lacked for women to go out with or to spend a satisfying night in bed with. Still, I have come to realize that isn’t enough. I see couples walking together hand-in-hand in the park near my home. I see couples sharing special glances, quiet conversations, and stealing kisses in public places. I see couples out with their children. I want all of that. But I have serious doubts about ever finding such happiness for myself.

     Now my good friend is pressing me about trying this one-night-stand matching service of Madame Evangeline. He used her service and managed to find the woman of his heart. He wants the same for me. Do I dare try? Could she possibly find someone who can accept me for all that I am? A woman who could see beyond what I have done, what I still do?

     I am not a coward, but I must think this over. Maybe….

Now that you have a taste of the story line and have had a chance to step into my hero’s head, I hope you at least go to my website and learn more about the book. Or go to the publisher’s website and see my book as well as other books from Decadent Publishing.

Title: Maggie’s Secret Wish, part of the 1 Night Stand series

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Release Date: June 10, 2011

Genre: Contemporary erotic romance, light BDSM

Buy Link: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=283&osCsid=692c2c366b239c44e73b57cb2ccef52a

Author Website: http://starlakaye.com

Excerpt

She gaped in horror. Five emails from Madame Evangeline. Five!  What about her message had captured the matchmaker’s attention enough to have her keep trying to contact Maggie? The spanking stuff! Oh, jeez. That had to be it. Nothing else about her basic info could possibly draw a stranger’s interest.

Fingers shaking, she opened the first message.

I’m so pleased you contacted me, Ms. Malone. I’m sure that I can find someone perfect for you. Please email me back so we can discuss this further.

Palms sweating, she opened the next message.

I’ve done a basic background check on you, Maggie, as I’m sure you’re aware I do for all my clients. Your websites are quite well done, unique. I could see your special imaginative flare. I noticed it in your query message as well. I’m positive I can find the perfect match for you. Please contact me as soon as possible.

Maggie drew in a nervous breath. Madame Evangeline had mentioned imaginative things in her original email, certainly meaning the fantasies. How embarrassing. Yet she opened the third message.

I know exactly what you need, my dear Maggie. You need time away from your work, time to satisfy your secret desires, time to let a very special man attend to your every wish. I eagerly await your response.

Satisfy her secret desires? Let a special man attend to her every wish? Oh, yes! Need thrummed through her, making her squirm in her desk chair.

Heart racing, she opened the fourth message.

What you need, dearest Maggie, is a special night at one of the Castillo Resorts and Hotels. I’m thinking the one in Maui would please you most. The more I study the websites you design, the more sure I am of your sensuality, of the type of man who could please you. I look forward to you contacting me soon.

How could the other woman know about her preference for Maui? How could this unknown woman sense so much about her? See how much of herself she put into each of the website designs? It was eerie…exciting, too.

She gathered her courage and opened the final email, one sent only an hour ago.

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