Category Archives: interview

Liz Edon Is Dangerous In The Best Way!!!

Liz Edon is amazing. She is a friend and the type of writer that makes me wish I wrote like she does. The first story I read by her was one of her signature catfights and it packed a punch. Now she is giving me goosebumps with psychological thrillers so compelling the stories stay with me. I’m honored Liz took the time to answer some questions about her writing and more!

How long have you been writing? What drew you to noir?

I started writing in 2016 after my husband encouraged me to stop talking about writing a book and actually sit down and do it. What began as a challenge quickly became something I couldn’t imagine not doing.

My path to noir wasn’t planned. Years before publishing my first novel, and without going into detail, I was involved in the smoking fetish and catfight subculture. When I began writing fiction, those themes naturally carried over because they were subjects I already understood and familiar with. Over time, though, the stories grew beyond their origins. The confrontations became less about the fight itself and more about power, loyalty, betrayal, obsession, and the complicated relationships between strong-willed women. Those are the elements that ultimately pulled me toward noir. I still write the explicit material my readers expect, but today they’re part of larger stories filled with flawed characters, moral gray areas, psychological tension, and consequences. I’ve always felt like I belong to another era. I grew up loving crime fiction and character-driven stories where people made bad decisions for understandable reasons. Noir gives me the freedom to explore those darker themes without pretending life always has neat or happy endings.

Your stories often describe tough women who often fight each other. What is the symbolism of the catfight for you?
Some folks assume the catfight is the point of my stories. It really isn’t. The fight is simply the payoff. I’ve had my share of real catfights over the years, and one thing I’ve learned is they’re usually fueled by pride, jealousy, betrayal, resentment, or simply two bitches refusing to back down. By the time the first punch is thrown, the real fight has often been building for weeks. As I’ve grown as a writer, I’ve become more interested in what happens before and after the fight than the fight itself. The fight matters, but it’s the emotional baggage that makes readers care who wins. My catfights aren’t just about violence. They’re about revealing character. You find out who someone really is when they have nothing left to hide.
Your stories also depict a lot of women of a certain age who are not down for the count–what do you like most about creating these characters?
Old women, lol. I’ve always believed women don’t become less interesting with age. They become more confident and a hell of a lot more dangerous. My characters have lived and made mistakes. They carry scars and still refuse to give up. They’re the ones I think readers remember. I get emails from readers thanking me for writing about mature, everyday women, in truck stops, trailer parks, and dive bars instead of another story about a 21-year-old college student and her billionaire, globe-trotting lover. Those stories have their place, but I leave them to other writers. I’m interested in women who have already lived a little, because that’s where the best stories are.
Recent stories of yours have been psychological thrillers, what do you like about unsettling your characters and readers?
My transition into more suspense. A few months ago, for my Medium followers, I made a conscious decision to move away from writing explicit sex stories and focus more on suspense and psychological thrillers. That shift naturally found its way into my novels as well. I discovered that creating tension and uncertainty could be just as compelling as anything overtly sexual. If I can make someone think about one of my stories long after they’ve finished it, that’s even better. If my readers are actually thinking about stories after they read one? I have no idea.
When you are not writing, what do you like to do? What would someone be surprised to learn about you?
You may be surprised to learn that I love gardening. This tough old broad needs a peaceful escape once in a while. I’m happiest outside with a camera in my hand (yes, a camera, not my phone,) hiking a trail, photographing wildlife, or simply enjoying nature. I’ve walked hundreds of miles on trails around the country, and those quiet moments are a nice balance to the dark worlds I create in my books. When I’m not writing, I am producing visual presentations and live event experiences for companies. It pays the bills, but writing is what feeds my soul.
You have a new novel out! Talk about it and any other writing projects you want to share!
I’m excited that my latest novel, The Silver Dollar, is now available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover. The story is set inside a Nevada strip club. It’s very noir about power, loyalty, betrayal, and earning respect the hard way. The main character is Kate Malone. She’s a woman who has been around the block and who doesn’t raise her voice when she can let her fists do the talking. She’s become one of my favorite characters and will be joining Veronica Dahl and Inez Carrera as a recurring presence in future stories. I would love for these characters to meet, but they live in a different literary universe. For now, my focus is on creating more suspense and psychological thriller content for my Medium readers, while continuing to deliver my edgier, fetish erotica stories to my Substack subscribers. I don’t have another novel on the immediate horizon, but there are plenty more stories to tell.

Liz’s bookstore link: https://t.co/CzlZye9pIU

X: @Liz_Edon

Medium: @authorlizedon

The Prison of Angels by Janine Ashbless is out — aka more Egan!!!

You know when you have a crush on a character? First let me say that Janine Ashbless is a magician, this series is so compelling and more time for me to spend with my crush, Egan! Janine has been very kind to interview him for me and yeah, I am swooning! Come spend some time with me, Janine and Egan–and of course get the book if you have not already!!!

Janine Ashbless: Today I’m here with Egan Kansky, one of the two main men in my new novel, The Prison of the Angels. Egan is a renegade priest-slash-trained-killer working for a secret agency within the Vatican, and his rival in love is a fallen angel; they’re both after my heroine Milja. Hello Egan – you’re looking good!

Egan: Sure, thanks. I think.

JA: I mean, at the end of the previous book, In Bonds of the Earth, you were literally dying.

Egan [coldly]: I got better.

JA: Roshana had beaten seven shades of hell out of you, hadn’t she? Smashed both your legs. Broke a bunch of ribs.

Egan: Nephilim are deadly dangerous. And they only get worse after you kill their bodies. That’s how you end up with demons.

JA: But Milja dealt with her. She told you how, I presume?

Egan: She did. She’s incredibly resourceful, is Milja. And brave. And loyal — in her own way… Sure, I’d have left the Big Guy to rot, in her position. But she went back for him, despite the odds.

JA: You make a good couple, you two. And you’ve let slip to her how you feel about her, at last. Yay! You’ve told her twice, in fact; you just don’t remember the first time.

Egan. Ah … that wasn’t smart of me. We both know that it can’t happen.

JA: Funny how it keeps happening, then. You just can’t stay away from her, can you? Can’t keep your hands off her, either. We know what happened in that lodge in Norway last night!

Egan [looks uncomfortable]: I never said I was a good man. Just the opposite, actually.

JA: Yeah… I remember last time we talked. But, for the record, I want to tell you I enjoyed writing your sex scenes even more than I did those for fallen angel Azazel. In this love triangle I’m sort of on your side, to my amazement.

Egan: What do you mean?

JA: I know Azazel’s technically better-looking, ‘cause he’s an angel, and he’s like this non-stop sex-machine, and he’s even sort of sweet in his murderous Baphomety way…

Egan: Is this your idea of a pep-talk?

JA: But you — Wow. You are so complicated! You are a mess of contradictions, and you’ve got these layers and layers of half-lies and denial and really serious kink and darkness under a shell of “nice”. I’ve just loved finding out about you! You’re like a puzzle that I’ve had to solve while writing the trilogy. And every time you get close to Milja it’s, like, more agony and anguish for you! It’s really hot, from my point of view.

Egan: You’re a bit of a sadist, aren’t you, Ashbless?

JA: And don’t you respond well to that! Come on, Egan — you love it when Milja pushes you to the edge. It drives you nuts when you’re constrained and out of control. I mean, if we look back to the first book, Cover Him with Darkness, that very first time you met Azazel…

Egan: Whoa. We are not going there!

JA: Oh, we’re going further than that, lovely boy. I’ve got a scene lined up for the three of you that’ll send you to the edge and beyond. It’s going to break you, Egan. Don’t panic; you’ll thank me for it afterward.

Egan [through gritted teeth]: Oh, I really doubt that.

JA: You will. Because I’ve got to break you to make you open up to Milja. To tell her the thing that you’ve been hiding from her all this time.

Egan: You mean … about the other archangel? Rome?

JA: No. I mean about you. I mean that. You’re going to give up your secrets, Egan. Even the worst one in your heart. Because you can’t really love her until you trust her.

Egan: Please, no…

JA: C’mon. You know how I love it when you beg. [laughs] Brace yourself Egan — it’s got to get worse before it gets better…

The Prison of the Angels, the final novel in the Book of the Watchers trilogy, and the story of a young woman who releases a fallen angel from centuries of imprisonment, is now available from Sinful Press.

“When there’s war in Heaven, on which side will you stand?”

Sinful Press
Amazon UK

Amazon US

Kobo

Google Play

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Praise for this series:

Book 1: Cover Him with Darkness

Book 2: In Bonds of the Earth

“An absolute must-read.”

—Rose Caraway, The Sexy Librarian

“Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, only much better written and with much more sexiness involved.”

—Clitical

“Oh it’s incredible. I love this series and the final book is a masterpiece.”

—Anna Sky, Sexy Little Pages

Janine Ashbless is a writer of fantasy erotica and steamy romantic adventure – and that’s “fantasy” in the sense of swords ‘n’ sandals, contemporary paranormal, fairytale, and stories based on mythology and folklore. She likes to write about magic and mystery, dangerous power dynamics, borderline terror, and the not-quite-human.

Janine has been seeing her books in print ever since 2000, and her novels and single-author collections now run into double figures. She’s also had numerous short stories published by Black Lace, Nexus, Cleis Press, Ravenous Romance, Harlequin Spice, Storm Moon, Xcite, Mischief Books, and Ellora’s Cave, among others. She is co-editor of the nerd erotica anthology Geek Love.

www.janineashbless.blogspot.com

www.janineashbless.com

Goodreads

Janine Ashbless Facebook

Amazon UK Author Page

Amazon US Author Page

Masturbation Monday No. 91 & My Kinkly Interview With Kayla Lords!!!

Nichy’s hand was in Tyler’s as they walked on the beach. His fingers slipped along the edge of her retro bathing suit, just at the curve of her backside and she leaned in closer to him. They toward Renee and Gavin, and Nichy could not help but stare at the couple. The section of the beach where they were was mostly isolated. It was not the warmest day, but it was warm enough and the feeling of Tyler’s hand on her backside made her feel whimsical. But looking at Renee and Gavin startled her. Gavin was on his back, and Renee curled toward him. Because the beach was practically isolated, Renee touched him intimately with such tenderness…it took Nichy’s breath away. Renee’s bathing suit was not dissimilar to hers, because they had gotten them together and had them delivered to the office. They had put them on in the bathroom right away. This was before they had ever been lovers, but Nichy could not deny that she had looked over at Renee more than once or twice while she changed…it was really hard to resist looking at Renee’s curvaceous form. Nichy watched Renee caress Gavin absently, her eyes were closed but her hands knew exactly where to go. Gavin’s breath was affected by Renee’s every touch, though his eyes were closed as well. Closed eyes yet they were having such an intense encounter, that Nichy wanted to look away but she could not. Their chemistry was so real, and she wondered if they were in love. With their eyes still closed, they moved themselves into a kiss. Renee pushed her sunglasses up into her hair, and held Gavin’s face.

Nichy gasped, and it turned into a bit of a choke.

“You okay Nich?” Tyler asked her, squeezing her bottom.

She nodded, not even thinking that he could not see her.

The huge ring on Renee’s finger was blinding, so much that you could not really tell what finger it was on.

But Nichy knew.

Gavin opened his eyes, and saw her staring at them. He smiled, grabbed Renee’s hand and swung it.

“We’re engaged!!!” he cried.

Renee turned around, and smiled at Nichy and Tyler. She waved her hand on her own, and reiterated,

“We’re engaged!!!”

Tyler’s finger slipped into the crotch of her bathing suit, and that unexpected caress distracted Nichy. He had thoroughly fingered her on the train, and now again. His knowing fingers caressing her from behind.

She moaned from pleasure, and then a confusion of emotions washed along her like waves onto the beach…

This week, in addition to my post, I have an excerpt! Kinkly posted my red-hot interview with Kayla Lords. Here is a snippet:

Kayla Lords is the creator of Masturbation Monday, a wildly popular meme that has made Monday the best day of the week! The taboo-conquering meme is a showcase for sexy stories to get you hot and bothered any day of the week! Kayla took time out of her schedule (Masturbation Monday is only one of a myriad of projects she is working on!) to tell us how she got started, about her commitment to community and about embracing our desires.

F. Leonora Solomon: What inspired you to start Masturbation Monday? Why was focusing on masturbation so important to you?

Kayla Lords: Masturbation is where I got my blogging start. At 32, I had never had a real orgasm, I’d never really masturbated, and a guy I liked a lot dumped me because I couldn’t let myself relax when we had sex. (Not that I’m shedding over any tears over being dumped by him.) I’d blogged in the vanilla world about my divorce the year before and at the same time discovered sex blogs. I’d seen, first hand, the power of shared experiences and a shared story, and I knew that masturbation was so taboo that I would either be ignored or I’d find people who understood. (Thankfully, it was the latter, and not the former.)

For me, masturbation was the beginning of the end of my own self-created sexual repression. In my late teens and early 20s, I was a girl on fire when it came to sex. I loved sex … until I didn’t. Through masturbation, I found that part of myself again, but because I’d also broken through some of my own sexual insecurities (good girls don’t touch themselves and all the BS we’re taught at too young of an age), I felt freer and more alive. I was braver and willing to try new things. It helped that I’d ended a bad marriage and was discovering that I really wasn’t a troll who should live under a bridge. I was and am a desirable, sexual woman. Without masturbation, I wouldn’t have realized any of that…click here to read the rest of the interview!!!

More Masturbation Monday here:


beach by f dot leonora

I'm Being Interviewed by Go Deeper Press, Go Deep with Me!

I am so honored to be interviewed by the amazing Go Deeper Press today…go deep and follow me there! And while you are at it, do browse around and take in all their exquisite sexiness…