In The Hot Seat with H. C. Brown today is Elizabeth Noble

Title: Chained Hearts (book #3 of Sentries)

Release Date: June 8, 2012

Author: Elizabeth Noble

Author Website: www.elizabeth-noble.com

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Buy Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3014  (available in eBook and print)

Genre : scifi/futuristic, paranormal, action/adventure, romance, D/s

Blurb:  Todd and Nick Ruger are alive and on the run in the Yellowknife Protectorate, but maybe not for long. After narrowly escaping New Colorado, where they were implicated in the assassination of Chancellor Shaffer, they’re running out of steam: Todd is gravely ill and Nick’s injured. Just when it seems like the harsh winter will get the best of them, they find refuge with a doctor in the isolated town of Elk’s Ridge.

On the surface, Elk’s Ridge seems the ideal place to rebuild their lives. Nick begins training as the doctor’s apprentice, and Todd works in a lumberyard until they’re recovered enough to return to their duties as Sentries. They make friends, forge a new life, and most importantly, there’s no sign of anyone from New Colorado.

They should have known it was too good to be true. Victor Raleigh, the new Vice Chancellor of New Colorado, knows all about Nick’s psychic abilities, and he wants them in his corner. When Nick is betrayed and captured, Todd sees no alternative but to head back to the war zone to rescue him. But will Nick be the same man Todd loves after Raleigh’s pet psychic vampire is through with him?

Welcome Elizabeth Noble! 

What is your Hot New Release?

Thank you so much for having me here today. I love your blog.

My current new release is Chained Hearts (book #3 of Sentries). I have an upcoming release due out September 12 called For the Long Run.

 H.C. Thank you...I love your books :-)

2- Can you tell us a little about yourself and you books?

Eh, I’m sort of boring. In addition to writing I’m a veterinary nurse for a busy practice. I have three grown children and now live with my two dogs and two cats. A few years ago I took out the lawn of my front yard and put in a flower garden, which when it’s warm is where I spend a lot of time weeding and plotting fun for my characters.

Now, my books, that’s another story. I think my guys are quite exciting, they certainly have more adventure and excitement in their lives than I do in mine.

I tend to stick to stories involving an adventure/action type plot. Some have paranormal sub-plots. In them the main characters are gay men. There is plenty of exploration of their relationships, not in the context of them being gay, but in the broader sense of a romantic relationship between two people, their personal ups and downs.

3- Have you ever used events or stories contemporary or historical in your work?

The majority of my books take place in the future, but oddly enough I do a fair amount of research on historical events and archeological evidence of past cultures. For the first book of Sentries, Marked Yours, I investigated what sorts of artifacts left over from a society and culture several hundred years ago we might still see signs of today.

Chained Hearts has scenes taking place in a certain type of housing common to parts of today’s cities in the Rocky Mountains. It’s a little thing, barely important to the plot overall, but I feel it’s these types of fun tidbits that really help flesh out a story.

Writing science fiction requires the inclusion of ideas and concepts taken from actual research, past and present. Astronomy/Earth Sciences are a favorite hobby of mine, so different articles I’ve read or a documentary I’ve seen often has a way of creeping into my books, sometimes in a small way and sometimes as a major plot point.

The overall plot of the Sentries series was inspired by events and conspiracy theories that took place during the first half of the 1900’s. There will be more development of that, as well as how the society Todd and Nick live in evolved, including the slave industry in book four, Collared Souls, which I’m currently writing.

For the Long Run is a contemporary, my first contemporary and in it there are multiple situations and concepts drawn from things I’ve read in the news. There are two main plots, one is paranormal, and the other revolves around the challenges of two men in a relationship in today’s world, focusing on the parents of one of the characters and their acceptance or lack of acceptance of their gay son. The main characters in For the Long Run start on the road to a BDSM lifestyle, and their journey is woven throughout the story. There was a lot of research into the psychology and physical reactions of both Dom and sub. I ended up finding some experts that were kind enough to act as consultants for me.

4. Is there anything you find particularly challenging/ rewarding about writing?

The actual writing! The challenge is to sit down and actually write the story. It’s easy to get caught up in research or plotting. The rewarding part comes from seeing the finished story with all the nuances and extras added in that I never planned for in the beginning.

At some point, and this is going to sound a little nuts, but it’s true, the story and the characters take on a life of their own. Things happen in a book I had no idea would happen when I started writing. It’s almost like discovering a whole new world and then watching what the inhabitants do.

Of course the absolute best part is when there is a finished product that gives other people entertainment and happiness. That is the point, after all, to take others to another place and immerse them in a story and characters. I want readers to enjoy going to those places, no matter what the genre or time period.

The most difficult part is the waiting between submitting a manuscript and getting an acceptance or denial.

H.C. Me too. I love to write. The submission process drives me crazy too. Most readers don't understand this part of our lives.

5. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How has that childhood dream affected your current career?

There was never a time that I didn’t want to be a writer, and I was always telling stories of some kind.

I always had an affinity for animals and wanted to work with them. It seemed no matter what I ended up gravitating toward a career in pet care.

Now, along with being a writer I’m a veterinary nurse, so I guess I kept to what I wanted when I grew up. I think the readers of Sentries will see a correlation in one of the characters. And of course all my guys are animal lovers.

Q: Do you have a writing schedule?

I try to get some writing every day and shoot for a few thousand words, sometimes that happens, sometimes not.  I work a full-time job, so my writing is scheduled around that. I’m not able to really get much done at work. On days I don’t write I write more in the afternoon and evening hours. Writing has always been something I’ve done and I think that sort of schedule developed and is now a holdover from when my children were little, easier to write when they were in bed.

Q: What kinds of books do you like to read?

Fiction books I like are scifi, fantasy, thriller/suspense. I love spy stories. Non-fiction type of books I enjoy are archeoastronomy, earth sciences, ancient history and anthropology.

Q: What can readers expect from you in the near future?

Right now, I’m working on the fourth installment of Sentries. The book is titled Collared Souls. It will take Todd and Nick on another ‘assignment’ from their government and have them digging into the past. They’ll learn some reveals about how their own lives have been affected.

I have another scifi series I’ve started called Novi Orbis which involves colonizing a new world.

In the works also is another contemporary set partially in Cleveland, Ohio and is a suspense/thriller book. I also have a space thriller involving pirate ghosts I hope to have done by the end of this year.

Would you like to share an excerpt?

If it’s okay I’d like to share two.

H.C. I'm sure these excerpts will leave everyone panting for more :-)

Chained Hearts:

The horses were barely in their stalls with food, water, and fresh straw when Nick was pushed against the inside of the barn door and a long, throaty sigh was forced from him. Grinding his pelvis against Todd’s, he slid his hands along his master’s sides until his fingers hooked in Todd’s belt. He was pinned by his master’s weight. Todd had one hand fisted in Nick’s hair, turning his head to meet his mouth. He pushed down Nick’s pants with his other hand, wrapping his fingers around Nick’s cock with enough power to make him gasp and his breath stutter.

His head, cushioned by Todd’s hand, banged gently against the wooden door, making it rattle softly. Todd pressed his mouth to Nick’s, sucking his lower lip between his teeth and thrusting in with his tongue like he was starving and Nick was his only meal. Nick was forced to stand, legs spread, barely able to move while Todd kissed along his jaw, nibbled at his ear, and worked his way along the line of Nick’s neck, leaving a trail of bites.

Nick’s skin was on fire, heat spreading from every point Todd touched. The fingers around his cock tightened, almost crossing the line between pleasure and pain, making Nick moan and pant.

“You kneel only to me.” Todd slipped his lips down Nick’s neck and licked a path back up. He pulled Nick’s head back, nipping under his jaw. “I’m your master, no one else. You kneel only to your master.” He clamped his fingers with more pressure around Nick’s swollen flesh. “Got it?” He pushed his thigh between Nick’s legs and then up.

“Yes, master,” Nick panted out. His knees didn’t want to hold him up anymore, and he was sinking down onto Todd’s leg. Shivers ran through him from the pressure on his balls and around his cock. He tried moving his head, chasing Todd’s mouth for another kiss, but he was held in place.

He’d missed feeling the sheer power of his master’s body and couldn’t be happier to see this side of Todd returning. Nick loved this, being taken, owned, and totally at the mercy of his master’s whims.

Without warning, Todd pulled his hand out of Nick’s pants, stepped back and to the side far enough to grab the barn door latch, and gave it a yank. Nick would have fallen out the door and into the snow had Todd not been there, immediately winding his arm around Nick’s waist and pulling him tightly against his chest. The fingers in Nick’s hair relaxed and brushed through the messy strands as Todd kissed him.

Stepping away, leaving Nick wanting and gulping for air, Todd smirked and held him to the wall with one hand for a few more seconds until Nick was steadier on his feet. Todd leaned down, snatching up two of the packages he’d put on the floor at their feet. Nick took the other two and trailed after Todd to the house.

Once inside, Todd relieved him of his packages and nodded to the fireplace. “You get out of those clothes. Wait over there. I’ll start a fire.”

Silently, Nick took off his clothes, draping them neatly over one of the armchairs. He knelt on the floor a few feet from the fireplace and watched, appreciating how the muscles of Todd’s arms bunched and smoothed as he carried firewood to the hearth and piled it inside. With an ease born of many years’ practice, he had the fire blazing in no time.

He smiled at Nick before leaning down and taking off his boots and socks. His suit jacket, pants, tie, and shirt joined Nick’s. Pulling a bottle of brandy from one of the packages, and washcloths from another, he ducked into the kitchen and returned with two glasses. Todd poured a small amount for each of them, took a small bottle of oil from another of the packages, and settled beside Nick, holding a glass out to him. Thick comforters were taken from another of the packages, and those Todd piled near the fireplace.

Nick took a sip, appreciating how the liquid slipped down his throat and spread warmth through his chest and limbs, pooling in his groin. A flush worked up from his balls, fueled by the warmth of the fire outside and brandy inside. “It’s good.”

“Hmm.” Todd leaned closer, cupped the back of Nick’s head, and pulled him in for a kiss, gentle at first, but as they shifted closer, Todd’s kisses became predatory. He set his glass to the side and relieved Nick of his. Both hands now free, Todd had his arms around Nick, pulling him in close.

Nick’s heart thundered against his sternum. Todd eased him down on his back, resting his weight on Nick, hips straddling his thighs, penises lined up, rubbing together, making Nick shudder. Lifting off Nick, Todd flipped him onto his stomach. Grasping his wrists, Todd stretched his arms and pinned them to the floor. He dropped his weight onto Nick again, leaned down, and whispered in his ear, “Hands flat on the floor, don’t move them.”

Inching down Nick’s body, Todd sucked on the flesh over his shoulders and down his spine. Nick felt how the blood in each spot rose. Todd licked over the marks Nick was sure were there, then bit down with enough force Nick gasped. He couldn’t move his hips and was unable to find friction. Todd’s weight held him in place against the floor.

Todd slithered farther down; kneeling between Nick’s legs, he pushed them wide again, whispering the soft command, “Stay.”

Nick groaned, “Please.”

“No.” Todd snickered, and Nick felt oil-slicked fingers slide between the cheeks of his ass, making him push his legs farther apart until he was completely spread eagle under Todd.

For the Long Run:

This takes place at the beginning of the book, the main characters meet in a sports bar and have what looks like is going to be a one night stand.

This man, Eric, was cut from a rare cloth. He knew what he wanted and how to get it. Jay was a natural submissive and picking out the right dom, even for one night, was a job and a half. This guy, he wasn’t new to the Dominant-submissive scene. He knew what he was doing, cared about his partner’s needs and was willing to see his sub was provided for properly.

They ate, watched the game, cheered and booed and had the most fun Jay had had in longer than he cared to remember.

Jay excused himself to use the bathroom, when he returned Eric was leaning against the end of the table. “Needed to stretch.” He grinned and when Jay slid into his booth, Eric didn’t sit across from him, but this time eased in beside him. “It’s getting late to drive a few hours home.”

Eric’s hand rested on Jay’s thigh making his stomach clench, his breath quicken and his jeans snug in even more closely. When Eric’s fingers inched down to his inseam and dug in slightly Jay let out a long, slow, very low moan. It had been a while since anyone had bothered seducing him and wasn’t simply a quick pick-up looking for a fast lay.

While watching the game, Eric leaned back and relaxed against the booth, casually sipping his beer and continued working his fingers up and down Jay’s inner thigh until his heart rate had to have at least doubled. Leaning back, Jay slid down a bit in his seat and opened his legs wider, inviting Eric to touch more.

Fingers moving farther up until Eric pressed in against the crease of Jay’s groin made him rock his hips forward ever so slightly. Eric continued working him through Jay’s jeans, applying pressure to his balls, moving back to his thigh then up to his balls again. Enough pressure to make Jay press against him and moan softly each time the pressure eased away.

“Keep your hands and beer on the table; we wouldn’t want to attract the wrong kind of attention.” Eric’s voice was low, soft and the command still came across loud and clear. Jay was only too willing to comply. “Better stay quiet too, I’m not up for a bar fight tonight.”

By the time Eric eased his zipper down, Jay was already wet and sticky with precum, heart pounding, teeth digging into his lower lip to keep from groaning loud enough to be noticed or defy the quiet order Eric had given him.

Using just one finger, Eric rubbed up and down Jay’s cock, following the thick vein from base to crown. The edge of his fingernail scraped very gently around the soft, tender flesh. Jay slid farther down in the booth and let his head rest against the wall, spreading his legs even wider as he pulled in a few quick shuddering breaths. Eric repeated his touches a few more times before pulling his hand away and resting it on the table.

“Sit up straight and zip yourself up. My car is outside. Where are you parked?”

“Parking lot outside.” Jay followed Eric’s instructions, leaning heavily against the table top trying to organize his thoughts. “Green Jeep Cherokee.”

Nodding, Eric stroked Jay’s thigh again. “You sit tight, I’ll go pay up our tab and we can go over to my room.”

Jay couldn’t do much more than nod before Eric was out of the booth and heading to the bar. When he returned Jay looked up at him and smiled. “Ready?

“You betcha.”

The air was crisp and cool but did little to cool Jay as he watched out of the corner of one eye how Eric moved, fluid and muscular he was a powerhouse. Jay was a runner with a completely different body build. He admired how Eric’s muscles slid under his skin, bulging and stretching as he moved.

They walked to Jay’s jeep, which was near the edge of the lot. It was parked so the driver’s side wasn’t easily seen by either street or bar. He hadn’t done that on purpose, it was just a very lucky turn of events.

Walking with him to the driver’s side, Eric extended one arm and leaned his hand against the vehicle. He glanced up at the sky. “Looks like we might get a storm tonight. You should stay the night with me.”

“Yes, sir,” Jay murmured, shivering when Eric’s other hand ran along his shoulder and down his arm.

A soft rumble from deep inside Eric’s chest eased free. He stepped closer to Jay and took hold of his arms, pulling him in close. “I’d like to very much give you what you need.” He licked Jay’s lower lip, sucking it between his teeth. Stepping even closer he pressed one hard muscled thigh between Jay’s legs, pressing up while at the same time pushing him down with his hands.

“Thank you,” Jay whispered, sliding his arms around Eric’s waist and moving his hands over his back appreciating the smooth, firm muscles stretched over Eric’s frame.

When Jay rocked his hips forward against him, Eric pushed his tongue inside Jay’s mouth, skimming everywhere, thrusting in time with the rocking of Jay’s hips. Breath coming faster and shallower, Jay returned the kiss, reveling in how Eric’s body felt against his.

Eric lifted his leg higher, applying more pressure and broke their kiss. Nipping along Jay’s jaw line he whispered in Jay’s ear, “You’re not even close to me letting you come yet.”

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