Ramblings Of An Erotica Writer: Perception

Dear Readers,

Perception is in the eyes of the beholder. A book gets judged by its cover—and being a graphic and cover artist, I know this better than most.

Is it fair? No. However, it is reality. Some people just see the world as they’re going to see it. There are aspects around them that make them associate these things with the good or bad.

For my wedding last month, I had my hair dyed black, with a few blue streaks—nothing major and very subtle, to the point most people didn’t notice they were there, unless they really looked. Including this one woman who occasionally comes to the medical building I have an office in.

As many of my strange stories start out, as this is where a lot of it happens—I’m a smoker, so obviously, I do go outside with my book to have a cigarette. It’s in a parking out with a cement ledge I sit on, right next to a parking spot. Last week, this woman parked, and got out. I smiled, she smiled, went in. No big deal right? My hair was up, the weather cloudy, so my hair looked black.

This past weekend, I went to Sally’s and purchased an array of products, because I was bored. Without getting into the exhausting process I went through to achieve the current results, I have black and a lot of vivid blue hair. Black on top, down to the line of my chin, where it jaggedly cuts into the blue down 7-10 inches, depending, since my long hair is layered.

Today it is sunny. In the sun, my hair is without a doubt BLUE. Even the black-blue closer to my roots shimmer a similar color. I’ve done a lot “worse” to my hair, shocking, if you will. It’s hair! It grows back. Didn’t think much of it.

So imagine my amusement this morning, while I’m sitting outside with the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, trying to figure out if Rene was Arlene’s ex-husband in the TV series as well (I don’t remember if he was, as I recall him being her current boyfriend on TV), having my cigarette, and that same woman walks out of the building toward her car.

I looked up at the woman and smiled—she didn’t return it. She skirted around the area I occupied by a 10-foot radius (a very hard feat to manage since it isn’t a big space with the other cars). The woman glared at me. She couldn’t stop staring at my hair when got into her car and, surprise, surprise, locked her doors.

To be honest, I smiled, and then laughed. She wasn’t impressed with my reaction—I believe she took offence. At first glance, she didn’t clue in who I was. Not that I expected her to. But when I met her eyes through her windshield, I saw it—the recognition. She’d figured it out. Like come on—I’m in the same place multiple times a day, you’ve seen me before; I didn’t jump you, steal your car, demand money or whatever else you thought I’d do. Was a PARTIAL dye-job enough to make you forget that? With her brow furrowed, she backed up and left, but that puzzled look stayed on her face.

I wonder what her opinion of me would’ve been had I truly woke up this morning and decided I was *Goth* today. Right now, I have jeans and a red jacket on. Nothing majorly “abnormal,” but I could’ve donned my “dom” boots with a lot of metal and 6-inch heels, stripped red and black thigh highs, black skirt and a rocked a skull t-shirt. Could’ve been cargo pants and a t-shirt 10 sizes too big for me. Sweats and a hoodie.  My fashion is as unreliable as Vancouver’s weather, just as my hair is. People’s reactions don’t seem to be.

No matter what color the hair, style of clothes or anything—we’re still the same people on in the inside, just in altered packaging.

What do you think?

Kayden McLeod 

Coming Soon...Lost To The Night

Coming Soon…

The Bruja Ligera
By: Kayden McLeod

Found In: Lost To The Night Anthology, Presented by Denyse Bridger  

Genre: Paranormal Romance (Witches)

Rated: PG 13

Publisher: XOXO Publishing

Summary:

Sorabella is a white witch—in hiding. She is used to the idea if her true identity comes out, she’ll be shunned for being crazy, or worse. A risk she isn’t willing to take. Until now. Her relationship with her boyfriend has gotten more serious than she’s used to. They’ve moved in together, and Tyler still doesn’t know about what Sorabella can do. She fears it’s too late to tell him, and given he’s closed minded to the entire subject of magic, doesn’t make the situation any easier. But with an encounter with her old tormentor from high school—who happens to be Tyler’s sister—everything is revealed to the wrong people. Now, she has no choice but to come clean with Tyler, and face the music. Good or bad.

Excerpt:

Tears glittered in Sorabella’s eyes when she realized she had to tell Tyler everything. She had to get this over with, and see the disbelief in his eyes when she told him the truth until he demanded a demonstration that would seal his opinion once and for all.

It had always been like that.

Then he would have what he asked for, and then he would run as fast for the hills as he could.

The door opening made her jump, a ripple of pure hatred that was not her own teased her mind, a blackness so bitter her lip curled.

One look in the mirror told her exactly who had walked into the bathroom.

“Well, look whose hiding in the bathroom crying. Just the same baby you were back in junior high, aren’t you?” Kylie said in a singsong voice that went through Sorabella’s nerves like acid.

Over the last few years, Kylie had gained some weight, just about everywhere. Her stomach ballooned over her jeans that were too tight and cut too low, made for a body she had when she was seventeen, and not twenty-three.

“Look who came to gloat over something she knows absolutely nothing about.” The words escaped Sorabella’s mouth before she could pull them back, her tone biting and sarcastic.

“I know more than enough, Sory.” Kylie snapped. “I know you’re into black magic and stuff, summoning demons and all that. I have watched the movies, I know what witches do.”

Sorabella barely contained her bitter laughter. She was, for lack of a better term, since there really wasn’t one, a light witch. One that celebrated nature and used only energy from the earth, and simple vocal and herbal spells to power their magic.

Never had either she or her mama ever delved into the deeper, darker magicks. The power in the ancient tombs which held spells that was immoral, and made every part of Sorabella shudder in disgust.

Even in the extensive library in her mama’s home, no one would find such a book. Only the spells that didn’t require anything more than energy, stone and herb were displayed on those shelves.

“Like I said, you don’t know anything.” Sorabella snapped, feeling her anger flare, normally tampered down so well, but it was now flowing through her veins and heating everything it touched.

She hated Kylie in that moment, for rushing her into something that she wanted no part in yet. She wasn’t ready, but now the cat was out of the bag, she might as well see it to the end. To wait, would allow it to dull in Tyler’s mind, and she wanted an honest reaction.

“Well what do you do then?” Kylie demanded impatiently.

“Right now I really wish that mind control was in my repertoire.” Sorabella’s finger ran down the length of the counter, allowing the energy to flow into her body from the surface, and power her magic.

The electric current made her hair fly around her head, but she didn’t care. If Kylie wanted to know what she did, that was fine. It was time she came out of the closet to someone. Before, when she was younger, her tricks had been meaningless, but she hadn’t understood her magic then as she did now.

At least, now that Sora was grown up enough to take a mature interest in it.

The lights went out in the bathroom, the lock sliding into place. Kylie shrieked. Her voice was strangled in the absolute darkness of the windowless room.

“What are you doing?” Kylie asked in a small tone.

Sorabella whispered a small fire spell, the wickless flame appearing in her palm at her bidding.

“What is it that you fear most Kylie Green? It was snakes, wasn’t it?” Sorabella’s voice held a trance-like quality, as she focused on maintaining the spells she had set in motion, applying more energy, and stretching her concentration even more.

She was a strong witch, strong and almost as skilled as her mama. Sorabella had been learning her craft almost since the day she was born.

Kylie had practiced hatred just as long, but never fear.

A hiss sounded from the floor, the fire from Sorabella’s hand showing Kylie what she feared most. A black and white striped snake slithered from between the bases of the stalls, making Kylie fall back and shriek again.

“How are you doing this?” Kylie’s high-pitched voice vibrated through Sorabella’s skull like a bad guitar whine.

“I’m the darkest witch you know, remember? Since I cast black magic and all.”

It was too bad for Kylie, that she was the only one between them that knew the snake in front of her, and the three behind her that she hadn’t seen yet, were about as much danger to her as if they had been stuffed.

It was obvious from the terror on Kylie’s face that it was perfectly satisfactory, almost gratifying so.

Then Kylie turned. A coral snake slithered its way around the heel of Kylie’s shoe. She raised her foot to stomp on it, kicking it away from her, but it did no use.

To make the serpent react, he would need to feel pain. To feel pain, he would have to be real, alive.

The lock on the bathroom door slid open, but not by Sorabella’s doing. Who could have done that, with no key to get in?

The lights blazed overhead once more, revealing that the snakes were gone. The spells dispersed like they had never been, mist hovered in small area of the room as they dissolved quickly.

Kylie was pale, shaking in the corner and staring at her mother who walked into the room with a confident grace. Lynda had seen her own interpretations and impressions of what had happened seconds before Sorabella released the energy back into the atmosphere.

Sorabella wasn’t naïve, and she knew Lynda had seen something before the bathroom had resumed to its normal state.

“My dears, is everything all right in here?” Lynda asked quietly, no rightful suspicion on her guileless face.

Kylie said nothing to her mother, but ran out of the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind her.

“Sora, I think I would appreciate an explanation.” Lynda said sternly, hands on her hips as she waited.

“Umm…”

“And absolutely no lies,” Lynda responded immediately, her eyes going small. “You have never lied to Tyler or I before, and I don’t want you to start now. Err no that is wrong, you have never lied to us accept for this one thing.”

“What one thing?” Sorabella reeled, knowing she should tell Tyler before she told his mother. This didn’t seem right.

“That you’re a witch.” Lynda said calmly.

Up And Coming Blog Tour

Dear Reader,

I’m thrilled to announce I’ve booked a blog tour with Roxanne Rhoads, of Bewitching Blog Tours, in November for The Foxworth Coven Series. Roxanne is a fabulous publicist, and also does publicity for Entangled Publishing, is the owner of Fangtastic Books, and is a paranormal author herself.

Bewitching Blog Tours: http://bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com/

Cheers,

Kayden

Natural Urges Is Now Released!!!

Buy Link: http://www.solsticeatnight.com/products/Natural-Urges%3A-The-Foxworth-Coven-Book-Two-%252d%252d-PDF-EBOOK.html


The Foxworth Coven, Book Two, Natural Urges


Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance (Vampires, Deities, Shifters)

Love conquers all…and evil seeks to destroy it

Arcadia Foxworth has no idea what destiny has in store for him. He thought his life as an elite Council Hunter of Rogues was his perfect career choice. But little does he know his fate truly lies in one little powder keg, Korbin Callows. She’s beautiful, graceful—and a stripper. After having woken up, remembering nothing about her old life, Korbin had to pull herself together and make tough decisions to survive a harsh world. And now people she doesn’t even know are out to kill her. She finds herself relying on Arcadia to manoeuvre the new dangers presented to her, as she starts to recall who she really is. A powerful being that could make every vampire in British Columbia fall to their knees, including Arcadia.