Today’s guest is erotic romance author, Doris O’Connor. She’s talking about a writer’s inspiration and where it comes from. Please leave a comment for Doris on this fascinating post which includes a HOT 18+ excerpt from Too Hot to Handle:

One thing I am always asked is where my inspiration comes from. The other one is, but how does it work, really? Trying to explain to a non-writer that I simply follow the voices in my head always has me looking over my shoulder nervously, in case they call the men in the white coats, and cart me off to the mental asylum.

I suppose it must sound strange to someone, who hasn’t experienced it. Even hubby had a hard time getting his head round the fact that my characters are real people in their own right, who I have regular arguments with. He is used to me muttering now, when I write, or telling him about a particularly stubborn hero, who will simply not do as he’s told. I don’t know why I even try to argue with them to be honest. They always win!

Arguing just means they’re going into a sulk and stop talking to me, and then what do I do? Well, I go and catch up on my ever growing TBR pile. Never fails to get the voices back.

So, inspiration—where does it come from? Anything and anywhere would be the answer to that one.  A lot of my ideas come to me in dreams. I have dreamt entire scenes before now. The bath is another place to shut my eyes and let my mind wander. Sometimes it’s a picture, an overheard conversation, a newspaper article, even my children.

Whole parts of Too Hot To Handle were inspired by my then three year old. I smile to myself now when I read them, his little sayings forever memorized.

The other big inspiration for Too Hot To Handle was found in True Blood. I’m a huge fan of the series and I’d already used Eric for the hero in my Erotic romance Scandinavian Scandal, so when I first thought about Alex Giovanni, Alcide popped into my head.

I’m sure you can see how he would be inspirational right? 

I knew he needed a strong, fiery heroine to stand up to him and his interfering Mamma, so Kitty popped into my head. I wasn’t entirely sure about Alex’s profession. Originally this story was first set in an office.  Then I thought about setting it in Italy and Kitty was an au-pair. And then I was early for school pick up time one day. I sat in my car, waiting for the fire engine to leave, after one of their educational visits, and I observed the interaction between some of the staff and the firefighters, and I giggled to myself. Something about firefighters that turns grown women into giggling school girls…

Now there was a story just begging to be written, so Alex became a firefighter and Kitty a school teacher and the rest is beautiful history. Being a panster the story took on a life of its own, and Alex’s Mamma, well you have to read the book. She undergoes something of a journey herself and is a constant through the series of the Giovanni Clan. I’m still toying with the idea of giving Stella Giovanni her own book.

So, there you have it, a little insight into how this story came about. I can’t always pinpoint my inspiration this precisely, because an idea can hit me out of nowhere and with no warning. My upcoming Naughty Fairytale with Breathless Press, for instance, just grabbed hold of me one day and I sat down to write and couldn’t stop until it was done.

And with Too Hot To Handle too, once I started writing it, there was no stopping me, until Kitty and Alex had their HEA. Because it has to be a HEA. I couldn’t write a story without one.

Blurb:

When firefighter Alex Giovanni returns to his old neighborhood to fulfill family obligations, he is reunited with the woman inhabiting his dreams. The sexy siren ran out on him after one explosive night many years ago. Hiding behind her sensible clothes she portrays the perfect image of Miss Prim and Proper and Alex vows to unlock the passionate woman he remembers. Mixing business with pleasure has never been so much fun.

Kitty Jenkins’ orderly life gets turned upside down when Alex walks into her school. Their passion filled night four years ago has left her with a secret that threatens to tear them apart. Giving into Alex is out of the question, regardless of how much her body craves his touch.

When secrets spill and disaster strikes, can their passion turn into love?

Excerpt (Adult-rated, 18+):

Kitty’s heart beat a strange staccato against her breastbone. What had possessed her to slip back into her school girl outfit, she would never know. Yet here she was, dressed like some third-rate hooker, about to embark on a one night stand. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she knocked on the door of Alex’s hotel room. All was quiet on the other side, and she was just about to turn round when the door opened; and Kitty’s greeting stuck in her throat.

Dressed in nothing but low riding jeans, Alex smiled at her, and she hastily wrenched her eyes upwards from the incredible abs on display. Covered with a light dusting of chest hair that trailed down to his jeans, they would give any model a run for his money, and Kitty swallowed. Dressed he was bad enough, but like this he was breathtaking, and judging by that lazy smile he knew it, too.

“Room service around here just keeps on getting better.” Alex’s husky voice raised goose bumps on her exposed skin. “Coming in?”

He hooked one finger under her chin and tugged the end of her shirt tails with the other hand, forcing her to take a step toward him.

“I-I shouldn’t be here, really. I’m not sure why I’m even here.” Kitty mumbled the words, and heat spread into her cheeks.

Alex merely smiled and pulled her closer still. “Liar, we both know why you’re here. Question is, my naughty little girl, will you step through the door and expand your curriculum?” Alex’s heated whispers against her ear sent her heart into overdrive, and she leant into his warmth.  His clean, male scent wrapped itself round her senses, and her stomach flip-flopped in delicious anticipation. It had been so long since any man had held her. That had to be the reason for her immediate reaction to this man.

“Well, Sir, that all depends what you have in mind, because I have been very naughty.”

Alex went very still at her breathy statement, and Kitty bit her lip. Has she read this wrong? Was he not up for a little role-play? She hesitantly raised her eyes to his face to read his expression, and the heat in his gaze scorched her skin.

“So, I’ve heard. Come here, and take your punishment.” His deep voice had dropped several octaves, and he grabbed her by the wrist and spun her into the room. The door clicked shut, the sound loud in the quiet room, and before she could even blink, he had her pinned against the wall. One jeans clad thigh spread her legs wide, and he raised her hands high above her head, whilst his other hand blazed a trail of heat along her exposed tummy. His mouth claimed hers in a bruising kiss, and she opened to his quiet demand automatically. His tongue found hers in an erotic dance that left her jelly-legged, breathless, and grateful for his big body holding her up against the wall.

He groaned his approval when she kissed him back, and he deepened the kiss, his fingers slowly slipping south, until they dipped under the elastic of her thong.

“My, you are a naughty girl. What have we here?”

He chuckled into her neck, and Kitty gasped when he thrust one finger into her wet core.

“So wet already, and we’ve only just started.” He flicked her clitoris once, and the slight pain caused a renewed burst of moisture to coat his fingers as he inserted another finger into her and found her g-spot. Kitty moaned into his shoulder as sensations built deep inside her core, and he licked himself down the column of her throat towards her breast. She screamed when he bit one nipple through the shirt and bra and thrust her hips at him, desperate to reach the release his talented fingers were driving her toward.

“Not so fast. You’re being punished, remember.”

Alex smiled and withdrew his fingers.  He licked each digit in turn, murmuring his approval and then stepped back, his heated gaze roaming over her body. Kitty clenched her thighs together in a vain effort to relieve the hot ache in her pussy.

“Spread your legs, naughty girl.” Alex growled the demand, and Kitty’s eyes widened at the steely determination she saw in his face. “You will not come until I give you permission. Do you hear me?”

“Yes.”  Good God, does that porn star voice really belong to me?

Alex’s eyes narrowed, and Kitty automatically dropped her gaze. She licked her lips, seeing the huge erection straining the flies of his jeans. Oh my. He was clearly as turned on as she by their little game. But how far would he take this? And did she trust him enough to find out?

“Yes, what?” His deep voice held an edge of steel, and she bit back her moan. That voice alone would send her over the edge. Who’d have thought a little role-play could be so erotic?

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good girl. Now strip – slowly.”

Alex’s voice brooked no argument, and Kitty hastened to comply. She fumbled with the tails of her blouse until Alex stepped forward and ripped the thing clean off her.

“Not that slowly.”

His eyes wicked, he unhooked her bra and sent that, too, flying. He whistled his approval as her breasts fell free. He cupped each mound in turn, and spun her around and toward the double bed, which took up one side of the hotel room. The slap on her ass took her by surprise, and she yelped. He soothed the sting with his large hand massaging her ass cheeks, and he chuckled into her neck.

His fingers once again dipped into her wet folds, and she froze when he inserted one digit, slick with her juices, into her anus.  Heaven help her, that felt way too good. Heat spread across her skin, and Alex bit into her earlobe, as his fingers continued their erotic dance in and out of her forbidden passage, and her body betrayed her arousal by a renewed gush of moisture between her legs.

“That’s my naughty girl.” Alex’s erratic breathing into her neck pitched her own arousal sky high, and she put up no resistance when he urged her onto the bed, his naked, warm, torso heating her back.

“Get on all fours for me.”

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Many thanks, Jennifer, for letting me crash here today.