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Tag: love stories

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New Book Cover Unveiled for Romantic Fantasy "The Chamber of Curiosities"

A new book cover has been created by Design for Writers for Romantic Fantasy, The Chamber of Curiosities by Anastasia Blackwell.

The novel, set in a carnival in an ancient land, is scheduled to be published in early Spring. The story begins the night of a full blue moon when a beautiful aerialist breaks into the cage of a carnival freak, known as The Human Beast. Obsessed to see his face, she entices him to to allow her to shave him  His remarkable transformation inflames the superstitions of citizens, and sets the stage for revolution in the seaport town where they are held captive.

dfw-ab-tcoc-cover-3d-nologo copy

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Scene from Screenplay "The House on Black Lake" offers Shades of "Fifty Shades of Grey"

A scene from the Screenplay adaptation of Anastasia Blackwell's erotic thriller, The House on Black Lake was presented in a staged reading at Beyond Baroque in Venice California. The scene was written before "Fifty Shades of Grey" became a pop culture phenom. Some say author, E. L. James borrowed the name "Anastasia" in her research for the erotic novel. It is also coincidental that Anastasia Blackwell grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has intimate knowledge of the area, while E.L. James lives outside London.

The controversial power play scene brought requests from audience members, who compared its content with the popular BDSM novel and movie, Fifty Shades of Grey[, to publish the scene from the screenplay, adapted from the book.

INT. SANDELEY'S SUMMER HOUSE - FOYER - NIGHT

Alexandra treads quietly through the dark entryway past the
mounted animal heads. Ramey appears from out of the shadows
and swings her around to face him.

ALEXANDRA
(angry)
Take your hands off me.

He is bleary-eyed, his good looks tarnished by alcohol,
jealousy, and something darkly troubling.

ALEXANDRA (CONT'D)
I don't welcome the sexual advances
of my friend's husband, or anyone
else's for that matter.

RAMEY
Is that so?

ALEXANDRA
Meaning what?

RAMEY
You nearly got off with me in the
hallway last night.

ALEXANDRA
Bullshit!

RAMEY
Not very lady-like -

ALEXANDRA
I have no respect for men who seek
the safety of the cage and the thrill
of the wild - but don't have the
guts to commit to either.

RAMEY
Don't lecture me, dear.

He roughly guides her down the darkened hallway leading to
the bedroom corridor.

ALEXANDRA
Where's Ruth?

RAMEY
She stayed the night in Montreal.

ALEXANDRA
You're clearly drunk.

RAMEY
Quiet. You'll wake the children.

RUTH AND RAMEY'S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Ramey sits in a hanging chair in a bedroom softly lit by
chandeliers. There is a fire in the fireplace, as the night
has turned cold. A massive four poster dressed in crimson
silk commands the space. Alexandra is stationed by the door.

ALEXANDRA
I've seen your warlock's den. What
are you, some kind of wizard?

RAMEY
I have a fascination with science
and magick. Does that frighten you?

ALEXANDRA
You don't frighten me.

He rides his hands up the chains.

ALEXANDRA (CONT'D)
Why did you row me out to stay in
the house on the island?

RAMEY
It was like tying you up without
tethers. Knowing I could set you
free - or not.

ALEXANDRA
Cruel games are played by those with
no control over their victims.

RAMEY
True freedom can only be experienced
through absolute containment. When
your body is imprisoned, the soul is
released. And once it happens,
there's turning back.

Ramey observes her intently, and stands.

RAMEY (CONT'D)
You've had a taste of it, haven't
you? It started in the Victorian,
and you went there with me in the
hallway.

ALEXANDRA
Is this the warlock talking, or do
you worship a darker deity?

RAMEY
That's why you fell for the pathetic
charms of Andre Labat.
(he tracks her surprise)
But giving yourself to that little
worm is like a sailor dipping his
cup in the sea when he's dying of
thirst. He'll never quench what I
see in you.

ALEXANDRA
I found the young man quite charming.

He approaches with an ominous gleam.

RAMEY
The night we left you on the island
I made love to Ruth and pretended
she was you.

ALEXANDRA
Save your confessions for your satanic
priest.

RAMEY
(hovering over her)
Does your dark side frighten you?

ALEXANDRA
It must be a lonely world you live
in, where nothing matters other than
fulfilling your perverted needs.

RAMEY
You stay in my house, eat my food,
drive my car, and expect me to babysit
your son so you can go out and
fulfill your perverted needs?

ALEXANDRA
I am your guest, and with whom I
choose to sleep is not your concern.
I'm a single woman - free to do
whatever I desire. I had the guts
to release myself. You, on the other
hand, have no claim on freedom. You
wear the gold band of ownership.
You're no different than your pierced
and branded livestock.

Potent Pause: his eyes darken, flit side to side, and a wry
smile plays at the edge of his lips.

RAMEY
As the master of the household, I
have certain expectations, and rules
that must be obeyed. I would like
you to consent to a punishment for
being such an ungrateful house-guest.
Five lashes would be fair, wouldn't
you agree?

ALEXANDRA
This has gone far enough!

RAMEY
Have you ever taken corporal
punishment from a lover?

ALEXANDRA
Good-night, Ramey.

RAMEY
Walk out that door and I'm taking
you and your son to the airport
tonight.

ALEXANDRA
(turning away)
I refuse to continue with this sick -

Ramey roughly whisks her into his arms, carries her across
the room, and throws her onto the bed.

RAMEY
Turn around and bend over, hands
against the bed.

He unbuckles his belt.

ALEXANDRA
No.

RAMEY
Hide on skin is painful, but it's
the only way to transcend.

ALEXANDRA
The word "no" may sound foreign -
since you've never heard it.

RAMEY
I could tie you up and torture you
with love first - but you don't
deserve it.

ALEXANDRA
You've tortured me long enough.

RAMEY
Then, let's get to it.

Ramey draws his belt from his jeans and Alexandra draws a
breath of anticipation. The tension between the two is
exquisite.

RAMEY (CONT'D)
We're the same, you know. We're the
same breed. I've known it since our
eyes met in the desert.

ALEXANDRA
I'm nothing like your kind.

He slides his opposing hand down the length of the stiff
leather, and pulls it taut.

RAMEY
Do what I say - there's no way out.

ALEXANDRA
You may be a sorcerer, but you are
neither my master, nor my priest.

RAMEY
There's no choice, dear.

ALEXANDRA
My body and soul are not for your
taking.

RAMEY
(overlaps)
We've been conjoined by fate -

ALEXANDRA
That privilege is earned through
commitment and trust.

RAMEY
(overlaps)
And there is nothing -

ALEXANDRA
I will only supplicate myself to a
man who worships me as much as I
worship him.

RAMEY
(overlaps)
We can do to stop it!

He WHIPS the belt up and powerfully STRIKES. Alexandra
releases an involuntary cry, as it barely misses her, and
cracks against the bedpost.

ALEXANDRA
I now realize I made a terrible
mistake.

RAMEY
And, so have I.

ALEXANDRA
Yet, I gave up everything and your
life remains intact.

RAMEY
Look at me. Look into the pupils of
my eyes. They're the place where
you can see inside the mind, and
read what its thinking.

She gazes up into his tortured eyes.

RAMEY (CONT'D)
You're moving away from me, Baby.
It's like you've fallen into the
bottom of a well. You're crouched
down there, but I can't get to you.
I can't save you.

Alexandra solemnly stands and moves to the door.

ALEXANDRA
I didn't ask you to save me.

She turns and walks to the door.

ALEXANDRA
I believe it's you who is looking to be saved. You
need to save yourself, before
it's too late.

She exits.

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A Woman on the Wildside - Sex and the Cemetery in Argentina

"The place was tranquil, in a disturbing way, beautiful in a gothic manner of opulent splendor, a facade for darker stories - a ghost town in the literal sense."

NOTE:  A Woman on the Wildside is a series of blogs currently being written by Anastasia Blackwell, chronicling her experience as a single woman traveling in Argentina, with the purpose of publishing the complete series.

"I imagined a late night tryst beneath a full moon, bare skin against cold stone, alive in the shadows of death, a delicious shock of electricity riding spine to heart, and the drive to create new life”.  

     I strode down bustling Avenida Alvear, past the Cathedral with  open door confessionals and prayer stalls lined with candles.  The sweet smells that wafted from the bakeries and candy shops filled my senses with delight, and. I ached to stop and try the fine leather boots and jackets in the windows of upscale boutiques, but I was running late.

     Tamerlane Rivera appeared as I made my way past Our Lady of Pilar Church to the entrance of the Recoleta Cemetery, its stone façade in stark contrast to the swirl of white clouds floating, adrift in a sea of blue. He wore a black cashmere coat over a white collared shirt open at the neck, and dark wash jeans.  His embrace was firm and confident, affording a kiss to my cheek that left a trace of musk and spice.

     At the finale of the demonstration at the Tribunal he had offered an invitation to show me the sights of Buenos Aires. I had agreed, despite numerous warnings that a single woman must be cautious when traveling in Argentina. I did not regret the decision, as his beguiling good looks had the same affect in the harsh light of day as the romantic warm hue of moonlight..

     “I grew up in the barrio of Recoleta, on the street that houses many of the embassies.  Most of the wealth in Argentina is held by the people who live within the district.”

     He guided me past a vendor cooking glazed walnuts, through neo classical gates and Doric columns into one the most famous cemeteries in the world. Inside the walled gates was a city of extravagant mausoleums that housed the remains of wealthy, famous, and infamous Argentinean citizens.   

     “Most locals born to the neighborhood are baptized in the church, educated, build careers, get married, raise children, retire, and move to the exclusive city of the dead, when they pass on.  It is expensive real estate and there are no simple stones, the kind used to mark the remains of common people.”

     “No Exit,” I remarked.

     “I’m sorry?”

     “Your description reminded me of an existential Jean Paul Sartre play.”

     “He is one of my favorite philosophers,” he said.

     “Mine too,” I said, in half earnest, distracted, by the vast array of artistry used to render the essence of a human life.

     The place was tranquil, in a disturbing way, beautiful in a gothic manner of opulent splendor, a façade for darker stories - a ghost town in the literal sense.   

     The elaborate marble mausoleums were decorated with statues in a wide range of architectural styles, tightly attached, like miniature houses, decorated with sophistocated sculptures, art, and photographs. 

     A strong French influence was apparent, but pyrmids, Egyptian motifs and Masonry symbols added an eclectic flair. Laid out like city blocks, the main walkways lined with trees led to narrow streets meandering for what seemed like miles.  There were thousands of homes, and many offered clear views inside doors and windows, of elaborate, wood caskets adorned with precious metals.

     The most touching was the crypt of a young woman who had mistakenly been buried alive, and then died of fright when she awakened. She had been reburied behind glass, in case she reawakened a second time.

     “Eva Peron is buried further down this walkway,” he said, and led me along a narrow path to an elegant crypt lined with flowers and notes from her fans.”      “She would have been forgotten beneath a slab in the country had she not used her beauty and eloquence to reform the country. “

     “I read she was embalmed by her husband.” I said..

     “Yes, and was stolen by thieves after he died.  She was held as the property of his widow for a period of time.”

     "A woman’s worst nightmare,” I said..

     “Beauty and power exact a price,” he remarked, with a warm smile.

     Evita rose from poverty to become an international icon for her rhetoric, personal style, and tireless work on behalf of women and the poor.  A victim of uterine cancer, she lost her life to what created life and defined her as a woman. 

     “Is her husband, Juan, buried beside her?” I asked.

     “Her family would not let Peron lie beside her since he remarried after her death.  The crypt next door is for sale for $500,000.  Money buys position.”

     “It’s heartbreaking that she lies here alone, a spectacle to tourists, with a plot ‘for lease’ next to her, when her passion and commitment to her husband and her country were unconditional.”

     “Legacy is all that matters.”

     We passed the statue of a warrior on horseback. ”This famous general was revered for his slaughter of the local natives. A monument to genocide,” he said.

     Tamerlane paused before a broken-down crypt, with glass shattered and laced cobwebs. The dusty coffins inside could be clearly seen and a top was slightly ajar, which made the scene even more macabre.

      A high pitched cry came from inside the crypt and the wrought iron door began to open. I gasped and I jumped back, nearly into Tamerlane’s arms.

     “It’s a feline not a ghost,” he reassured me, while barely stifling his amusement.  “Cats are brought here to live when their masters are laid to rest. They keep the rodents at bay.”

     A tabby cat stepped outside and sauntered leisurely down the street to the next abandoned home.

      When a citizen dies their surviving family members are required to pay the caretakers to keep up the property.  If their relatives fall into hard times or lose interest in their old relatives, the deceased are left to the ravages of nature.”

     “Foreclosure in the cemetery,” I replied.

     A dark shadow passed overhead and the sultry scent of the aquatic permeated the air.  A shroud of black clouds threatened to flood the streets of the departed.

      Tamerlane turned to me with a mysterious smile.  His gaze lowered to my lips, my heart began to race, and for a brief moment I was lost to fantasy.  I imagined a late night tryst beneath a full moon, bare skin against cold stone, alive in the shadows of death, a delicious shock of electricity riding spine to heart, and the drive to create new life”.

     “There is no escaping Capitalism if you choose to lie with him,” he remarked, and looked deeper into my eyes as though to capture the image of forbidden love I had conjured.

     “Who owns your soul?” I asked, in a shallow voice. 

     “My soul is not for the taking,” he replied.

     “Does that mean it’s not been given?”

     “It means it has not been bought.”

     The heavy clouds began to give way to a torrential downfall.

     “Come, let’s find shelter,” he said, and took my arm to lead me outside the walls of the city of the dead.

Recoleta Cemetery

 

Recoleta Cemetary
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A Woman on the Wildside - A Taste of Freedom in Argentina

Author Anastasia Blackwell joins protesters in front of Tribunal in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

" I to be rocked to the soul by a passion I couldn't control, an obsessive,  unquenchable desire that burned through the night, blazed shadows against the stars,  and brought new meaning to a world gone stale.  Purpose."

Please Note:  "A Woman on the Wild side" is a blog written by Anastasia Blackwell chronicling her journey in Argentina, featuring a mysterious young man named Tamerlane Rivera.  The series will be published upon completion.

A Rebel is Born

America 1776 - a new constitution affords "men" their God given divine right to life, liberty and the pursuit of  happiness.

America 2013 - "The divine right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness  will never hold up in court,"  a prominent attorney told me.  "Courts are created for attorneys to make  a living and justice is for those who can pay for it."

"An injustice to one citizen is a blow to us all," I protested.

He nodded with a patronizing mile.

     'Art is a powerful means of expressing social, political and emotional discontent, and rebellion is often best clothed in subtext.  But sometimes you have to speak your mind, and not give a damn about the consequences', I wrote in my journal.

To that end, I took action.

In a serendipitous moment, alone on the Buenos Aires streets while visiting my son studying abroad in Argentina,  I came upon a political demonstration.  The passion and vigor of the congregated masses transformed the air with the thrill of  possibility.  The  throng  took me deep into their folds and moved me, like the undertow of a current,  to face an imposing judicial building.  Beneath the colorful flags of the demonstrators and the brightly lit Tribunal voices elevated by loud speakers exposed truths, both esoteric and unspeakable.

They cried out against a government that had lost touch with the needs and desires of its citizens. They spoke of  inflation, political corruption, unjust courts,  and greedy banks, and even darker, of  torture, underground justice, and stolen and murdered children.  It was a triumphant showdown of man against institution, beneath an enraptured sky.

The speeches of men and women of all ages and ethnicities echoed through the night, as tears were shed  and a torrent of human emotions swelled up and filled our hearts.  Light flooded from the windows of the stoic building, held strong by its columns,  unmoving, defiant, secure in its weight and position, as the police closed in.

We stood before the Goliath building, a glorious sea of humanity,  together in our purpose to fight for our God given rights  - the promise of Democracy.

A man positioned himself next to me - tall, powerfully built, dressed in a pea coat and jeans, with golden skin and lush dark hair spilling to his collar, topped by a black fedora displaying a gold crescent pin.  He bestowed warm brown eyes and a smile, his teeth glimmering white beneath the bloated moon.  His Spanish baritone resonated like a caress.

"You are an American?" he asked.

"How did you know?"

"We cannot allow government institutions  rule us through fear,"   he stated simply.

The night had grown cold with the passing clouds, and I folded my arms and drew my coat tight, while  searching his intense eyes.  Lost there, I saw something of myself reflected back, a part of me I had not known existed until that moment - and something profound began to awaken.  Flags waved the image of revolutionary Che Guevara and patriotic music stirred the citizens to near riot.

"I am a single mother.  How can I stand up against a powerful male patriarchal system?  The American constitution was meant to be democratic, but it was forged by founding fathers, not mothers."

“Your founding fathers fought a similar battle, only as the bastard children of a strict and unyielding father across the Atlantic. You can accept their remedy or choose your own.  There are many ways to revolt and many ways to achieve your goals once you set them,” he said, with a charming smile.

"Are you a revolutionary?"

"A transformationalist."

"I'm not familiar with the ideology."

"My name is Tamerlane Rivera.  Welcome to my country," he said, and he offered his hand.

The crowd roared, canons fired, and a zealous, chaotic energy infused the square that was intoxicating, exhilarating.  Yet, it wasn't enough - I wanted more.

I wanted to be rocked to the soul by a passion I couldn't control, taken to the furthest edge of mind and body,  by an obsessive, unquenchable desire that burned through the night, blazed shadows against the stars and brought new meaning to a world gone stale.  Purpose.

journey shifted in the moment, my perception of reality altered, like awakening to a winter morning with  a freshly fallen blanket of snow, pristine, untouched, ready for the weight of the first footsteps to bring life  a hidden landscape ready for the taste of something new.

Challenging the Tribunal

Anastasia Blackwell

9-16-2013

 

 

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New Novel "The Chamber of Curiosities" Explores Obsessive, Possessive, Forbidden Love

My soon to be published novel "The Chamber of Curiosities" explores the star-crossed love story of Darney Veska, a charismatic circus "freak" and the beautiful young trapeze artist, Clare Dupuis.  Set against the back drop of a carnival in an ancient bastion perched above a vibrant seaport, it is a tale of obsessive, possessive, forbidden love.

More about the book, scheduled for publication in 2013 at:

http://firestar68.wix.com/chamber-of-curiosities

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Is Christian Grey Channeling Lord Byron?

The stilted language of Christian Grey, of Fifty Shades of Grey, has me wondering if he is, in fact, a vehicle for the spirit of Lord Byron. 

 E.L. James,the author of FSG, a West London housewife and former TV exec, married to an academician and screenwriter (who edited her books), lives and was educated in the land of Byron. Ms. James has admitted that the story of obsessive love and dominance and submission is her own fantasy. However, it is highly doubtful she has spent time in the company of twentysomething Seattle billionaires (if there are any). Rather, her sexual fantasies would have been forged by likes of such romantic figures as Lord Byron, and his contemporaries Percy Shelley, and Keats.

I am a native of America's Pacific Northwest, Christian Grey's fictional stomping grounds, and know well how those guys walk, talk, think,and act - and Christain Grey would be laughed out of the states of Washington and Oregon, had he ever existed. And, let's be honest, most women would prefer to be held captive in Byron's gothic castle than in a sterile Seattle penthouse.

Clearly, Christian is of a different breed, land, and era. Perhaps the time of Lord Byron, who was a brilliant poet, war hero, and notorious naughty boy whose aristocratic excesses included incest, and the seduction at age nine by his nurse, Mary Gray.  A descendant of  "the wicked Lord Byron", who was known to be eccentric and violent, Byron gave over his beloved ancentral home, Newstead Abbey, in 1803 due to financial problems, and stayed there as a tenant of Lord Grey.

E.L. James began writing "Fifty Shades of Grey" as fan fiction of Twilight, so the character of Christian was based on a the character of Edward, who (as written) is well over a century old. Byron was a highly popular poet, and leader of the English romantic movement, in the early 1800s, and was said to have fallen into an abyss of sensuality before departing for Greece to redeem himself and fall to a greater cause.

She walks in Beauty is one of his most famous poems - note the reference to "a heart whose love is innocent","all that's best in dark and bright", and "one the more shade".

 
She Walks in Beauty

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One the more shade , one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

I have felt an affinity for Byron since I touched his name, carved by his own hand into a Greek column outside Athens. "Fifty Shades of Grey was written after The House on Black Lake, and my blogs on obsessive, possessive love, and other similar romantic topics were hot on the search engines when the author wrote Fifty Shades. Is it possible James also channeled my name, Anastasia, and "the scene with the belt" from "The House on Black Lake" during research for her novel?

Anastasia Blackwell

 
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Anastasia Blackwell Interview on Obsessive/Possessive Love

In a series of interviews in historic Jacksonville, Oregon I was asked about the nature of obsessive possessive love and the character Ramey Sandeley. Here are my thoughts.

 

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Author Anastasia Blackwell Interview on Taming Bad Boys

 

In a series of interviews set in Jacksonville, Oregon I was asked about the bad boys in [amazon_link id="0982500203" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]The House on Black Lake[/amazon_link]. Here is an excerpt from the interview:

 

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50 Books for Lovers of 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

Scene from 'The House on Black Lake' trailer.

[amazon_link id="B0167CVNLE" target="_blank" ]Sugar and Spice (The Duty and Destiny Series Book 6)[/amazon_link]

Please Note:  [amazon_link id="0982500203" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]The House on Black Lake [/amazon_link]has been adapted to screenplay. Visit Home Page to view cinematic trailer.

The themes of obsessive love, BDSM, alpha males, control and submission, the use of wealth and power to allure, exploit and control, are all explored in [amazon_link id="0982500203" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]The House on Black Lake[/amazon_link]. Ramey Sandeley is a man who it has been said that "God gave too much and so he has price to pay".  He has everything that a man or woman could possible want, but he has never known a truly soulful love. When he meets Alexandra their perfect lives are blown apart and they are taken on a journey that compels them to explore the dark side of human behavior and dig deeper into their psyches. He believes the body must be contained (and sometimes beaten) for the soul to to be released. He threatens Alexandra with a whipping when she returns from a liason with a young French Artist Andre Labat and warns her that once the soul has been released from its human bondage there is no turning back.

The [amazon_link id="0982500203" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]House on Black Lake[/amazon_link] mirrors many of the same themes as the [amazon_link id="0345803485" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Fifty Shades of Grey[/amazon_link] trilogy. Yet, the characters are at different points in their lives. Ana and Christian are fortunate to meet when they are both without responsibility and available.  Ramey and Alexander fall in love at first sight.  However, they are both are newlyweds when they first meet, and have children when they reunite (she has divorced and he is still married). Yet, the longing and desire for something deeper, more profound and primal are universal at any age. Their journey is both exciting and torturous, as integrity and faithfulness are at stake as well as the confinements of society.

Other books popular with women who loved "Fifty Shades of Grey follow. The list offers a wide selection that includes recommendations from readers of all ages, and levels of  sophistication and education.

1. [amazon_link id="1936305623" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Gabriel's Inferno[/amazon_link] by Sylvain Reynard

2. [amazon_link id="B008NHMPBE" target="_blank" ]Innocence Tempted (Generational Sins Series)[/amazon_link]

3.[amazon_link id="B004XVM2M6" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]An Ordinary Girl[/amazon_link] by Barbara Elsbord

4. [amazon_link id="0452156610" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Sleeping Beauty Series[/amazon_link] by Anne Rice

5. [amazon_link id="1456527738" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Sempre[/amazon_link] by J.M Darhower

6. [amazon_link id="B007FIIF34" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Insufferable Proximity[/amazon_link] by Z. Stefani

7. [amazon_link id="0425247988" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Wicked Burn[/amazon_link] by Beth Kery

8. [amazon_link id="0425227693" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Sweet Restraint[/amazon_link] by Beth Kery

9.  [amazon_link id="B00FRK2VIM" target="_blank" ]Sweet Surrender (Complete Series)[/amazon_link] by Maya Banks

10.[amazon_link id="B00H31227I" target="_blank" ]Forever Wicked: A Wicked Lovers Novella (1001 Dark Nights)[/amazon_link] by Shaya Black

11. [amazon_link id="B00BC24MBI" target="_blank" ]Naughty Bits Part II: The Training Session[/amazon_link] by Joey W. Hill

12. [amazon_link id="B004R1QOW6" target="_blank" ]An Irresistible Bachelor[/amazon_link] by J. R. Ward

16. [amazon_link id="B00LG69EOU" target="_blank" ]Bound (Forbidden Series - Book 1)[/amazon_link]

18. [amazon_link id="1463437121" target="_blank" ]Surviving Passion (The Shattered World Book 1)[/amazon_link]

21. [amazon_link id="B002ZI4MY0" target="_blank" ]A Tall, Dark Cowboy[/amazon_link] by Mackenzie McKade

22. [amazon_link id="B005F0WRB0" target="_blank" ]Rocky Mountain Heat(Six Pack Ranch Book 1)[/amazon_link] by Sarah McCarty

26 [amazon_link id="B003F76A5E" target="_blank" ]Lost Star[Interstellar Service & Discipline][/amazon_link] by Morgan Hawkes

28. [amazon_link id="B004XVM2M6" target="_blank" ]An Ordinary Girl[/amazon_link] by Barbara Elsborg

30. [amazon_link id="B00XK6SGG6" target="_blank"]Liberating Lacey[/amazon_link] by Ann Calhoun

31. [amazon_link id="1523244836" target="_blank" ]BDSM Positions: The Beginner's Guide to BDSM[/amazon_link]

32. [amazon_link id="B01AHDSD26" target="_blank" ]Bound, Spanked and Loved: Fourteen Kinky Valentine's Day Stories[/amazon_link]

33. [amazon_link id="B002B9MH40" target="_blank" ]The Wicked West[/amazon_link]  by Victoria Dahl

34. [amazon_link id="0425247163" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]The Principal's Office[/amazon_link] by Jasmine Haynes

35. [amazon_link id="1439197059" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]The Taker[/amazon_link] by Alma Katsu

36. [amazon_link id="1466401885" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Beautiful Disaster [/amazon_link] by Jaime Mcguire

37. [amazon_link id="1609280806" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Rock Me[/amazon_link] by Cherrie Lynn

38. [amazon_link id="1475034911" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Breaking Sin[/amazon_link] by Teresa Mummert

39. [amazon_link id="1451533969" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Love Unscripted[/amazon_link] by Tina Reber

40. [amazon_link id="147500544X" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Honor Student[/amazon_link] by Teresa Mummert

41. [amazon_link id="0965240967" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]The Story of O[/amazon_link] by Pauline Reage

43. [amazon_link id="0425263916" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Reflected in You[/amazon_link] by Sylvia Day

44. [amazon_link id="1611183766" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Master of Shadowland Series [/amazon_link] by Cherise Sinclair

45. [amazon_link id="0425245659" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Sweet Series [/amazon_link] by Maya Banks

46. [amazon_link id="1936305941" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Poughkeepsie[/amazon_link] by Debra Anastasia

47. [amazon_link id="B006LFVZ8E" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Existance Trilogy [/amazon_link] by Abbi Glines

48. [amazon_link id="0425263908" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]Bared to You[/amazon_link] by Sylvia Day

49. [amazon_link id="1463651058" target="_blank" ]Untouchable[/amazon_link] by Lindsay Delagair

50. [amazon_link id="B006XZ2FC2" target="_blank" container="" container_class="" ]From Rags [/amazon_link] by Suzanne Wright

Author Anastasia Blackwell grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is familiar with the world of Christian Grey.  In a series of interviews set in Jacksonville, Oregon she discusses the controversial novel.

 

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50 Great Love Scenes in Romance Novels

Please Note: [amazon_link id="09825002The House on Black Lake Trailer may be viewed on Home Page.

A love scene in a novel (as in real life) reveals the innermost characteristics of the individuals involved. Physical strength or weakness, depth of passion, creativity, hidden fears and sorrows, need to control or degrade, to surrender or dominate, shame and pride, fetishes, tenderness, empathy, repressed memories, boldness, cautiousness, secrets, flaws and scars, deformity, and exquisite physical perfection can be revealed when the cloak of civilization is thrown off and humans revert to their animal nature.

The circumstances of a mating can be highly romantic or base and ugly. No matter the social status of the individuals, age, nationality, relationship, or gender it is always a primal act, unscripted, and powerful in emotional resonance. Whether cruel and disgusting or highly gentle and romantisized love scenes are unscripted dramas that tear away the monotony of daily life.

The act may result in the creation or transformation of life, that is its overriding power. There is an aura of spirituality to love scenes, and for those who seek a higher level of excistence making love to another is the key to another realm.

In The House on black Lake Alexandra is a world weary mother struggling through a devastating divorce. She has not had a lover since her husband, and has never experienced a deep and satisfying physical connection with a man. In her journey on Black Lake she encounters three men with whom she experiences powerful emotional reactions.

Charismatic Ramey Sandeley awakened something deep and unknown years ago when she first took his eyes on a snowy night in the desert. Her life dramatically changed in that moment, but she has not been able to consummate her feelings as he is a married father of five.

However, the intense attraction leads Ramey to lure Alexandra into increasingly dangerous scenarios. Andre Labat is a young French artist who seduces Alexandra into an afternoon of love in his bungalow where he teaches her about the nature of love and the power of trust. Georgie LaPointe is narcissistic rock God and Cousin to Ramey who grooms his hair in the eyes of his lovers and makes love to recordings of his singing. Georgie introduces Alexandra to the dark side of sensuality.

As a repressed woman Alexandra's experiences with these powerful men are clothed in an atmosphere that may appear forced, but she is not necessarily an unwilling victim and reacts in a manner true to her desires. Through her journey on Black Lake Alexandra is transformed and empowered as she learns to accept "the beautiful freak" inside her, the lonely soul that seeks  love without boundaries and the pursuit of passion at all costs.

Most people rarely see acts of love, so novels offer opportunities to find inspiration in respectable forms of art.

There are some ground-breaking love scenes in my new Medieval Romance Novel: The Chamber of Curiosities, set in an ancient carnival.

The best love scenes in romance, according to my surveys, are featured in the following novels.

1. Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kindsdale

2. Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare

3. When He Was Wicked Bridgerton Family Saga by Julia Quinn

4. One Dance With The Duke by Tessa Dare

5. Pleasure for Pleasure Ellis Sisters, Book 6 by Eloise James

6. Dangerous to Love by Elizabeth Thornton

7. The Diamond Slipper, by Jane Feather

8. The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

9. The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

10. Outlander by Diana Galbadon

11. Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

12 Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas

13. Tempt me Tonight by Toni Blake

14. Match Me if you Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

15. Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

16. Ride the Fire by Pamela Chase

17. Heart of Fire by Linda Howard

18. Devil in Winter The Wallflowers, Book 3

19. Midsummer Moon by Laura Kinsdale

20. Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas

21. Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas

22. Princess of Fire by Shannon Drake

23. Mad, Bad Duke by Jennifer Ashley

24. Madness of Lord Ian Mackensie by Jennifer Ashley

25. Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas

26. Love Storm by Susan Johnson

27. Wicked by Susan Johnson

28. Absolute Pleasure by Cheryl Holt

29. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julie Quinn

30. The Valley of the Horse by Jean M. Auel

31. Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

32. Surrender A MacKinnon Ranger's novel by Pamela Chare

33. The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

34. Green Darkness by Anya Seton

35. Passion by Lisa Valdes

36 The Proposition by Judith Ivory

37. Years by Lavyrle Spencer

38. His Second Hand Wife by Cheryl St. John

39. Wild Oats by Pamela Moisi

40. Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath

41. Married by Morning

42. If you Dare by Kresly Cole

43, If you Desire The MacKarrack Brothers Part 4 by Kresly Cole

44. Thunder and Rose by Mary Jo Putny

45. Hot Shot by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

46. Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

47. Thornbirds by Collen McCullugh

48. Night Magic by Karen Robards

49. Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

50. Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsdale

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