Monday, March 29, 2010

Please welcome my guest today, author Saskia Walker, author of many romance genres - all of them with erotic content.

Hi folks! First of all let me thank my hostesses. It’s lovely to be here at the Naughty Author Chicks blog. Seeing as I’m amongst fellow naughty writers and readers, I thought I’d talk about the erotic theme of my latest novel-length publication—pagan sexmagic.

RAMPANT is set in the Lowlands of Scotland in an area called Fife, where there is a long history of witchcraft. The heroine, Zoë, travels to the area from London for her first vacation in a long while. She’s very practical sort, and she doesn’t believe in any of that paranormal nonsense. ;-) However, when she arrives in the village of Carbrey, she quickly finds herself immersed in erotic magic. There are witches aplenty, and a ghost who seems intent on sharing erotic visions with her. It’s quite a baptism by fire for our Zoë, as you might imagine.

There are several men pursuing our heroine, and she quickly figures it’s something to do with the cottage she is staying in. More to the point, it’s to do with a previous occupant—a long dead witch who haunts the place, and who some of the locals want to bring back to life. Luckily for Zoë, an attractive neighbor steps in to guide and protect her. Grayson, a white witch himself, tries to educate the newcomer about the local traditions and beliefs. At first she thinks its all nonsense, but he really captures her attention when he talks about the power in the natural world, and the concept of sexmagic.

Sexmagic relates to a pagan set of beliefs which suggests we are closely linked to nature and we can source the power there. In the act of lovemaking, the magnetic energy between lovers is something that some practitioners believe can be harnessed. Zoë finds it very hard to believe, but before long she’s given plenty of demonstrations!

Here’s an excerpt from the scene where Grayson tries to explain the concept to her:

Sexuality. Just the way he said it made Zoë’s body tighten with anticipation. “I take it this ties in with what happened between us last night, about sensing the atmosphere?”

“Yes, it does.” Grayson’s response was steady, but he was looking at her as if he was savoring the memory of what had happened between them, as if he wanted to do it again.

She had to reposition herself on her seat, because her body responded so rapidly to the suggestion of having sex with him again. Casually crossing her legs, she wondered if she looked as keen as she felt. “Go on, you have my full attention.”

He took a moment to respond, his gaze lingering on her. “Okay, we understand the part about the age-old, pagan belief that you can harness the power in the natural world?”

She nodded.

“That belief extends to the energy, the power, and the magic that is inherent in the act of sex.”

She didn’t doubt the power of it, that part was all too overwhelming last night. She’d never had sex quite like that before; she’d practically passed out afterwards. His voice had gone low and soft when he said “sex,” and she had no doubt that he was thinking about it is well. “So how does one get at this...power?”

“It’s quite simple. It’s the same as any natural power source, just like the power of the moon or the sun. Be open to it.”

That easy, huh? She tried not to be skeptical.

“And when two or more people create it together,” he continued, “it’s an intense form of energy that is deeply connected to them.”

Two or more? That made her think about the orgiastic dreams she’d had.

“It’s a potent life force that can be harnessed in a psychic manner, if you know how.”

She frowned. “Are you saying you’re psychic, if you were able to sense that energy, last night?”

He took some time to respond to that one. “Let’s just say I’m open to it.”

Open to it, as am I, she thought. What was left of the food had been abandoned.

“Is it like tantric sex?” Someone in the office had recently been extolling the virtues of that one, she recalled.

“Tantric sex identifies the energy in a similar way, yes, but practitioners tend to focus on the sex act itself, or use the spiritual energy as part of a meditative cycle.”

He lifted her hand in his and held it for a long moment. Her pulse raced. Then he bent and kissed her palm. “Tell me, what did you feel when I did that?”

It took a moment to put her brain back into gear, after the unexpected sensual offering. “The touch of your mouth, and then heat running over and under my skin, I guess.”

“Like an energy force, yes?” He was looking up at her from where he was bent over her hand, and then he breathed along the inside of her wrist, offering her a whisper of sensation, powerfully erotic, nonetheless. “The more aware of the energy we are, the greater we can experience and adapt it.”

Returning to her hand, he licked her palm. A shiver ran through her, right to her clit, and she exhaled loudly.

He looked at her with a question in his eyes.

She nodded. “I see that you’re getting at.” She swallowed, aware that her hips kept rocking backwards and forwards on the stool.

His gaze dropped. “What did your body do, when I licked your hand?”

Was talking about sex usually this sexy, she wondered? Had she ever even talked about it with a man, before? A man she was going to have sex with? “I got aroused, and my body gravitated to you, I suppose.”

“Like a kind of magnetic energy, like so many natural forces—the tides, the phases of the sun and moon.” He put both his hands on her stool and dragged it closer, positioning her knees inside his open thighs.

The bounce made her pussy want more of that kind of action. He rested his hands around her bottom, and leaned in for a kiss. Static seemed to cling to her face when he brushed his mouth ever so softly over hers, barely making contact. Every nerve ending in her body reacted, keyed up with anticipation, edgy and ready for the contact.

Moaning softly, she leaned into him, wanting it so much, needing it, until it was her that kissed him, and she put her hands around his head and drew him close, her back arching as she opened up to him.

Mmm. He’d have my full attention, how about you? :-)

I’ve got a signed copy of RAMPANT to give to one commentator today Tell us if the idea of sexmagic appeals to you – or indeed if Grayson appeals to you! Let’s face it, he’s kissing her, and he is gorgeous. All this talk of ghosts and magic and yet our London lass is not running away. The Naughty Author Chicks will draw a name and I’ll post the book to the winner.

RAMPANT is due out from Harlequin Spice in just a couple of days. If you’d like to read another excerpt from the book, go here: http://www.saskiawalker.co.uk/rampant.html

Hugs

Saskia

Saskia Walker
http://www.saskiawalker.co.uk/home.html
http://www.saskiawalker.blogspot.com/

14 comments:

Wynter said...

Welcome, Saskia. Love the hot excerpt. Can't wait to read the book.

Saskia Walker said...

Hi Wynter! It's lovely to be here. I'm so glad you liked the excerpt.

Savannah Stuart said...

Welcome to the blog! Sounds like a hot read ;)

Saskia Walker said...

Hi Savannah!(waving!) Thank you for the lovely welcome.

Jina Bacarr said...

Hi, Saskia!! Welcome to Naughty Author Chicks! I remember when we were in San Francisco at the RWA Conference and we talked about RAMPANT.

And I've got it all on video: Presenting Saskia Walker in a video podcast we did in San Francisco: Saskia Walker at RWA San Francisco

Saskia Walker said...

Hey Jina! Thanks for the lovely welcome!

Dalton Diaz said...

That excerpt is my kind of show and tell. Yum!
Thanks for coming to play with us today, and how cool to get to see you on Jina's video. Thanks, Jina!

Naima Simone said...

Hi, Saskia!
Before today I had not heard of sexmagic but let me tell you...umm...yes-indeedy it does appeal! And a resounding YES, Grayson does too! Hot excerpt!!

Saskia Walker said...

Hi Dalton! I'm majorly embarrased about being on video at all, I have to say. I think I giggled a lot. I can't look (I'm laughing!)

Naima, (love your name!) thank you! Grayson was an interesting character to write because he had the qualities you'd want in a hero (and he was very sexy!) but he also turned out to be deliciously mysterious and often serene, because of his pagan beliefs and his respect for the natural world. A complex man, definitely the most complex I've written. I hope readers will enjoy him.

Stephanie Adkins said...

Welcome to the Naughty Author Chicks, Saskia! Love the excerpt! :)

Saskia Walker said...

Hi Stephanie!

Sue A. said...

Hi Saskia, I like that you describe Grayson as mysterious, it makes me want to uncover the mystery of the man, open the package so to speak.

How did the title come about and in what context should I think about RAMPANT?

Saskia Walker said...

Hi Sue, thank you for your comment! I'm so glad Grayson appeals. :)

The title suggested itself to me as I was writing notes for the opening scenes. It refers partly to the erotic content and the way the heroine becomes sexually empowered by her adventures during the story. It also refers to the magic, which is running wild amongst certain of the characters. The editor liked the suggestion in the title and the way it worked with the story, so I got to keep it. (Sometimes titles get changed.) Thanks for a great question! No one has asked me that one yet. :)

Saskia Walker said...

Thanks to everyone who entered. Savannah is the winner! Savannah, I'll be in touch.