Meet Evanne Lorraine by DA Kentner

In Seattle, Washington, a gentle, demure lady quietly goes about the business of lovingly tending her flower garden. Her dog, having taken refuge from the sun under a tree, idly watches. Knees sore, back strained, she leaves her gloves on the gardening table, trades shoes for soft slippers, hangs her straw sunhat on a hook, pours a glass of lemonade, and sits down at her computer. The tranquil, flower horticulturist immediately transforms to Evanne Lorraine, a leading author of the books you don’t tell your friends you read.
Whether the characters are lonely businesswomen in search of what can’t be found from 9 to 5, dangerous men and the women who deserve them, or water demons who taste like chocolate, Evanne’s skillfully written novels capture the imagination, steal your breath, and set your heart racing.

You can find Evanne, her flowers, and her novels at her website

Q) When did you decide you wanted to be an author?

A) During the process of planning for retirement, I realized the thing I would miss about working as an accountant was the work. Although I love numbers and am very fond of money, I wanted to do something different. Something involving words and reading. I seriously considered a career in library sciences, but found the challenge of writing even more seductive.

Q) You truly possess an affinity for flowers and spend hours researching them and tending to them. Given your expertise, have you considered writing a book on horticulture?

A) I like to keep my hobbies and my work separate. Tending the landscape refreshes my spirit, If I wrote about my passion for gardening the process would become work rather than play.

Q) Your characters are solidly constructed, barely fictional. Where do you draw inspiration from for them?

A) Everywhere and anywhere, while the fictional people may be a tad larger than life, and their outsides a little more than ordinary, on the inside they are everyman.

Q) As well as the “Enyo Chronicles” series, the “Wicked” series, and the “Dangerous” series, you have written numerous single novels such as “Pirate Rules” that take us from the bedroom next door to ethereal worlds we could never envision ourselves. Please describe for us the process you use to construct your settings, be they our hometown, or a race of lusting demons searching for love.

A) Many of my stories are set in places I’ve been fortunate enough to visit. It’s a personal treat to return to a tropical paradise. I usually write those stories during the rainy season. In Seattle the rainy season is most of the year, leaving plenty of time to write about exotic locations. The futuristic story settings are imagined terrains, constructed of dreams.

Q) What advice can you offer those who believe they would like to write a book?

A) Write the story you want to write. Really. There’s no substitute for writing. There is also much benefit to reading–widely and often, English degrees, and creative writing courses.

Read more from DA Kentner

Pirate Rules By Evanne Lorraine

I wanted to pick a favorite title to share. Hard to choose when the heroes are all so demanding. But I’ve got a real weakness for pirates, and no one else writes modern pirate erotic romance, so I did. 😉

Excerpt

Boldly, Zara climbed onto a padded bar stool close to where she’d last seen the rugged pirate. She scanned the crowd with eager interest, hoping to catch another glimpse of the smoldering hottie. Aware her odds of success decreased in direct ratio to the rogue’s hunk factor, she optimistically searched for her dream man anyway.

Why not try for the best?

But, her screening of the bodies crowding the bar confirmed the bad news, no loose hunky pirate. Everyone seemed paired off already. No one’s fault but hers for letting Smiley’s intimidation keep her from playing Treasure Hunt game earlier. Her rumbling stomach reminded her she missed out on the crab feed too.

A rapidly moving waitress disappeared into the crowd with a full tray of gaily-colored cocktails with lime wedges, cherries, and miniature umbrellas. The pretty drinks made Zara thirsty as well as hungry.

“What’s your pleasure, Miss?” the bartender asked with a friendly smile.

“What kind of drinks were in those hurricane glasses over there?” She waved toward the decorated cocktails.

“Those are Caribbean Cruises, Miss. They’re very popular with the ladies.”

Zara hesitated for a bare second. “I’ll have one of those, please.”

“Do you want to run a tab? Or–.”

While she was considering her options, the smoldering hottie she noticed earlier wedged in next to her, claiming a previously nonexistent space. Then he gave her a thorough going over from her well-groomed hair to her cute sandals.

Apparently, she’d passed inspection because he tipped his head toward her in a brief nod of approval.

“Add it to my bill and bring us a plate of coconut shrimp too, and another Long John Silver, thanks, pal.” The intriguing pirate placed his order with an engagingly crooked grin.

“Thank you,” she said, swiveling toward her benefactor.

A seductive pair of dark eyes met hers, making the lively bar scene fade into oblivion.

This close, the man intoxicated her senses. He was so near a faint trace of bleach from his shirt mingled with scents of sandalwood and clean man. The heat emanating from all those hard muscles warmed her skin.

She tried to swallow, but found her mouth suddenly too dry.

The bartender placed her pastel drink neatly in front of her and she leaned in for a fortifying sip.

Casually, she checked out the hunk through lowered lashes. Like Smiley, the man with the sinful voice was dressed as a pirate. But on him, the costume worked. Her smile spread a little wider with relief as she realized the costume meant he had to work for the cruise line. Maybe, he was one of the cooks, since she was positive she hadn’t seen him on deck. She would have remembered.

A good head taller than her lanky five eight frame, and much broader, he made her feel positively dainty–a novel but pleasing experience. His open-necked white shirt framed a nicely rippled chest with a good sprinkling of curling black hair. Well-worn pants disappeared into supple leather boots. His waist was bound by a faded red silk wrap, complete with a wickedly authentic looking knife, tucked into the fabric. Dark curls swirled to his shoulders, providing the perfect frame for heartbreaker-eyes and the devil’s own mouth. At least one day’s growth of beard darkened his jaw. A rap-star sized diamond winked from his left ear.

“Razor Brinks,” he said, holding out a hand.

She accepted the offer to shake, darn near forgetting who she was as his warm grip engulfed her.

“Zara Sterling,” she managed to say her name. Then, because her tongue was faster than her brain, she asked. “What kind of name is Razor Brinks?”

“Mine, Sweetheart,” he drawled, taking her hand and brushing a thrilling kiss across her knuckles, and then rubbing the spot that continued tingling long after his mouth had departed.

Read more from Evanne Lorraine at her website

Pirate Rules is available from New Concepts Publishing and Amazon and Fictionwise