Blog Tour: Fractured by Mickie B. Ashling
Thank you for inviting me to talk about my latest release. Like the previous novels in this series, Fractured is set in a San Francisco dental clinic. Characters from Impacted and Bonds of Love make guest appearances but Fractured can be read as a stand-alone. My latest dentist is Lance Roberts, new to the Bay Area and hoping to find the perfect sub to complete his Dominant nature. Roque Celdran is a struggling Mexican-American who's just suffered some facial trauma due to an unfortunate encounter at a BDSM club. Neither man expects to find romance in this incongruous setting, but they do. Here's the official blurb and a short excerpt.
Mickie B. Ashling is offering a copy of Fractured to one commenter on this blog. You can comment on LJ or DW if you have an account (I will send a PM to the winner), if you don't have an account, please leave a comment on DW with a contact email.
Fractured (Bay Area Professionals) by Mickie B. Ashling
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press; 1 edition (March 23, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: Fractured (Bay Area Professionals
Roque “Ro” Celdran dreams of a better life, far away from the hand-to-mouth existence of his migrant worker family. He moves to San Francisco to study Landscape Design but finds himself short of cash. Tony, Ro’s identical twin, comes up with a plan to help Ro make ends meet. The BDSM club Tony frequents is looking for gay men to act as submissives to the Dommes-in-training. Ro reluctantly takes the job and falls headfirst into a world he neither understands nor desires.
Lance Roberts is the new doctor at the dental practice started by Scott Gregory and Robin Kennedy. On the surface, he seems to have it all: the Mensa IQ, blond and blue-eyed good looks, and the determination to make it in his competitive field. Underneath lies a frustrated Dom in search of the perfect sub who can handle his obsessive behavior and debilitating need for control.
When Ro ends up in Lance’s dental chair, the last thing either one expects is a physical and mental connection. Ro’s attraction to “White Bread” never pans out, and Lance’s weakness for Latinos always leads to a dead end. Could this time be different? What happens between the two alphas leads to a lot of soul-searching and some surprising conclusions.
Excerpt
While Roque labored industriously over school assignments, his twin, Tony, lived paycheck to paycheck, blowing most of his hard-earned cash at the BDSM club he’d discovered in San Mateo. Tony was aware that Roque was strapped for cash. Every cent his brother earned went toward his share of rent, gas, and truck payments. Paying for books and tuition was a definite hardship, and he couldn’t make ends meet no matter how many new clients they took on. There were only so many hours in a given day, and mowing lawns in the dark wasn’t an option. His debt-to-income ratio didn’t inspire the bank’s confidence enough to lend him more money, and he’d maxed out his credit cards to get by up to this point. He was stuck and out of resources. A semester shy of getting his degree and backed into a corner, he was willing to listen to Tony’s harebrained scheme.
“Mistress Anya is looking for a sub she can use for her demos.”
Roque opened his mouth to protest, but Tony barreled through. “No sex involved, Bro, just a willing guy to go through the motions for her students.”
“I couldn’t get it up for her even if she begged.”
“That’s the beauty of this plan, Ro. She knows you’re gay and have no sexual expectations.”
“But I’m not a real sub, and what students are you talking about?” he’d asked.
“She teaches a class for women interested in becoming a Dominatrix.”
“Why don’t you volunteer to be the guinea pig?”
“I’d have too much fun,” Tony reminded him. “They don’t want a real sub.”
“You’re such a weirdo, Bro.”
“Hey, I don’t call you names ’cause you like to suck cock.”
“Sorry.”
“You need the paper, Bro.”
Roque sighed upon hearing the harsh truth. “What exactly do I have to do?”
“Get naked, for one thing, and allow these women to tie you up and practice their skills. Since you’re into guys, Anya can rest assured that she won’t have to deal with a horny sub who expects fucking to be a part of the tutorial.”
“And she’s willing to pay for this?”
“That’s what she said.”
“How much?”
“A hundred bucks an hour.”
Roque whistled. “And all I’d have to do is stand there and let them tie me up?”
“Among other things.”
“Like what?”
“The usual-sensation play, deprivation, flogging. Just another night at the hands of a beautiful Dominatrix.”
“There’s a reason I don’t go to your club, Tony.”
“Why?”
“The people who go there are usually a bunch of pretenders. They’re not really into the lifestyle. They talk the talk and wear the outfits, but nine times out of ten, it’s all for show. As soon as they go back home, life goes on as normal-missionary sex in the dark.”
“What would you know about the lifestyle?”
“Only what I’ve read,” Ro admitted, “and the books say that true players don’t hang around clubs posturing.”
“You’re making snap judgments after one visit,” Tony protested.
Roque had to concede that Tony might be right. “Check in with me after a few weeks, and I’ll tell you if I’ve changed my opinion.”
“Try and keep an open mind, will you? You haven’t had a whole lot of success finding the man of your dreams by sitting at home each night. Maybe you’ll find him at the club.”
“Who’s had the time to actively pursue anyone?”
“There’s more to life than work and school.”
“Tell it to the bill collectors.”
But the idea had taken root, and Roque allowed himself to be talked into a meeting with the famous Dominatrix. Anya was a platinum-blonde Amazon, a head taller than most of the people at the club. She had a spectacular body that she showed off in the skimpiest leather outfits and four-inch stiletto heels. Roque couldn’t help but be intimidated by her. He was five foot eleven, taller than most of the men in his family, and wiry from years of working the land, but he looked like a child in her shadow. Her Russian accent and pale-blue eyes completed the picture of an untouchable woman who scared everyone she met. She ran her BDSM club with a firm hand and rarely had trouble with clientele or staff.
Anya had taken an instant liking to Roque when Tony dragged him into the club for his interview.
“You’re sweet,” she commented after completing her cross-examination. “Are you positive you’re gay, solnushko? My ladies would eat you up.”
Roque nodded. Thoughts of diving in between Anya’s thighs sucked the spit right out of him, and he couldn’t respond any other way. If sex with her was part of the deal, he’d have to call it off. There was no way in hell he’d survive.
“Don’t worry,” she assured him, sensing his anxiety. “You’re safe with me.”
“Thank you,” he said gratefully. “I can really use the money.”
“That’s what Tony says. Are you into this lifestyle, Ro?”
“No.”
“You mean no, Madam.”
“Madam,” Roque amended. “Sorry.”
“Since you’re not a part of our world, I don’t expect you to know the rules. Forgetting to call me Madam is only a problem if we’re in front of others. I am curious about one thing,” she added. “Why does Tony think you’re a sub when you’ve never been here as a client? Do you have a Master at home or do you visit elsewhere?”
Roque shook his head. “No. Tony thinks I’m a sub because he is.”
“Twins don’t always share the same kink.”
“That’s what I keep telling him. I don’t take orders from anyone, and as a matter of fact, the entire concept of submission is lost on me.”
“And yet, he seems to think you share the same need to submit. Perhaps he sees something you don’t.”
Roque shrugged. “We’ve had many discussions on this very topic.”
“If nothing else, our little experiment will bring some awareness, don’t you agree?”
“True,” Roque had replied, unaware of the implications of her casual statement.
Bio: Mickie B. Ashling is the alter-ego of a multifaceted woman raised by a single mother who preferred reading over other forms of entertainment. She found a kindred spirit in her oldest child and encouraged her with a steady supply of dog-eared paperbacks. Romance was the preferred genre, and historical romances topped her favorites list.
By the time Mickie discovered her own talent for writing, real life had intruded, and the business of earning a living and raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing and the inevitable emptying nest, dreams were resurrected, and the storyteller was reborn.
She stumbled into the world of men who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and intolerant world. Her award-winning novels have been called "gut wrenching, daring, and thought provoking." She admits to being an angst queen and making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.
Mickie loves to travel and has lived in the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East but currently resides in a suburb outside Chicago.
Fractured is now available in paperback or e-book format here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_76
You can contact Mickie at mickie.ashling@gmail.com or leave a comment on her website at http://mickieashling.com or her blog http://mickiebashling.blogspot.com.
This journal is friends only. This entry was originally posted at http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4273534.html. If you are not friends on this journal, Please comment there using OpenID.
Mickie B. Ashling is offering a copy of Fractured to one commenter on this blog. You can comment on LJ or DW if you have an account (I will send a PM to the winner), if you don't have an account, please leave a comment on DW with a contact email.
Fractured (Bay Area Professionals) by Mickie B. Ashling
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press; 1 edition (March 23, 2014)
Amazon Kindle: Fractured (Bay Area Professionals
Roque “Ro” Celdran dreams of a better life, far away from the hand-to-mouth existence of his migrant worker family. He moves to San Francisco to study Landscape Design but finds himself short of cash. Tony, Ro’s identical twin, comes up with a plan to help Ro make ends meet. The BDSM club Tony frequents is looking for gay men to act as submissives to the Dommes-in-training. Ro reluctantly takes the job and falls headfirst into a world he neither understands nor desires.
Lance Roberts is the new doctor at the dental practice started by Scott Gregory and Robin Kennedy. On the surface, he seems to have it all: the Mensa IQ, blond and blue-eyed good looks, and the determination to make it in his competitive field. Underneath lies a frustrated Dom in search of the perfect sub who can handle his obsessive behavior and debilitating need for control.
When Ro ends up in Lance’s dental chair, the last thing either one expects is a physical and mental connection. Ro’s attraction to “White Bread” never pans out, and Lance’s weakness for Latinos always leads to a dead end. Could this time be different? What happens between the two alphas leads to a lot of soul-searching and some surprising conclusions.
Excerpt
While Roque labored industriously over school assignments, his twin, Tony, lived paycheck to paycheck, blowing most of his hard-earned cash at the BDSM club he’d discovered in San Mateo. Tony was aware that Roque was strapped for cash. Every cent his brother earned went toward his share of rent, gas, and truck payments. Paying for books and tuition was a definite hardship, and he couldn’t make ends meet no matter how many new clients they took on. There were only so many hours in a given day, and mowing lawns in the dark wasn’t an option. His debt-to-income ratio didn’t inspire the bank’s confidence enough to lend him more money, and he’d maxed out his credit cards to get by up to this point. He was stuck and out of resources. A semester shy of getting his degree and backed into a corner, he was willing to listen to Tony’s harebrained scheme.
“Mistress Anya is looking for a sub she can use for her demos.”
Roque opened his mouth to protest, but Tony barreled through. “No sex involved, Bro, just a willing guy to go through the motions for her students.”
“I couldn’t get it up for her even if she begged.”
“That’s the beauty of this plan, Ro. She knows you’re gay and have no sexual expectations.”
“But I’m not a real sub, and what students are you talking about?” he’d asked.
“She teaches a class for women interested in becoming a Dominatrix.”
“Why don’t you volunteer to be the guinea pig?”
“I’d have too much fun,” Tony reminded him. “They don’t want a real sub.”
“You’re such a weirdo, Bro.”
“Hey, I don’t call you names ’cause you like to suck cock.”
“Sorry.”
“You need the paper, Bro.”
Roque sighed upon hearing the harsh truth. “What exactly do I have to do?”
“Get naked, for one thing, and allow these women to tie you up and practice their skills. Since you’re into guys, Anya can rest assured that she won’t have to deal with a horny sub who expects fucking to be a part of the tutorial.”
“And she’s willing to pay for this?”
“That’s what she said.”
“How much?”
“A hundred bucks an hour.”
Roque whistled. “And all I’d have to do is stand there and let them tie me up?”
“Among other things.”
“Like what?”
“The usual-sensation play, deprivation, flogging. Just another night at the hands of a beautiful Dominatrix.”
“There’s a reason I don’t go to your club, Tony.”
“Why?”
“The people who go there are usually a bunch of pretenders. They’re not really into the lifestyle. They talk the talk and wear the outfits, but nine times out of ten, it’s all for show. As soon as they go back home, life goes on as normal-missionary sex in the dark.”
“What would you know about the lifestyle?”
“Only what I’ve read,” Ro admitted, “and the books say that true players don’t hang around clubs posturing.”
“You’re making snap judgments after one visit,” Tony protested.
Roque had to concede that Tony might be right. “Check in with me after a few weeks, and I’ll tell you if I’ve changed my opinion.”
“Try and keep an open mind, will you? You haven’t had a whole lot of success finding the man of your dreams by sitting at home each night. Maybe you’ll find him at the club.”
“Who’s had the time to actively pursue anyone?”
“There’s more to life than work and school.”
“Tell it to the bill collectors.”
But the idea had taken root, and Roque allowed himself to be talked into a meeting with the famous Dominatrix. Anya was a platinum-blonde Amazon, a head taller than most of the people at the club. She had a spectacular body that she showed off in the skimpiest leather outfits and four-inch stiletto heels. Roque couldn’t help but be intimidated by her. He was five foot eleven, taller than most of the men in his family, and wiry from years of working the land, but he looked like a child in her shadow. Her Russian accent and pale-blue eyes completed the picture of an untouchable woman who scared everyone she met. She ran her BDSM club with a firm hand and rarely had trouble with clientele or staff.
Anya had taken an instant liking to Roque when Tony dragged him into the club for his interview.
“You’re sweet,” she commented after completing her cross-examination. “Are you positive you’re gay, solnushko? My ladies would eat you up.”
Roque nodded. Thoughts of diving in between Anya’s thighs sucked the spit right out of him, and he couldn’t respond any other way. If sex with her was part of the deal, he’d have to call it off. There was no way in hell he’d survive.
“Don’t worry,” she assured him, sensing his anxiety. “You’re safe with me.”
“Thank you,” he said gratefully. “I can really use the money.”
“That’s what Tony says. Are you into this lifestyle, Ro?”
“No.”
“You mean no, Madam.”
“Madam,” Roque amended. “Sorry.”
“Since you’re not a part of our world, I don’t expect you to know the rules. Forgetting to call me Madam is only a problem if we’re in front of others. I am curious about one thing,” she added. “Why does Tony think you’re a sub when you’ve never been here as a client? Do you have a Master at home or do you visit elsewhere?”
Roque shook his head. “No. Tony thinks I’m a sub because he is.”
“Twins don’t always share the same kink.”
“That’s what I keep telling him. I don’t take orders from anyone, and as a matter of fact, the entire concept of submission is lost on me.”
“And yet, he seems to think you share the same need to submit. Perhaps he sees something you don’t.”
Roque shrugged. “We’ve had many discussions on this very topic.”
“If nothing else, our little experiment will bring some awareness, don’t you agree?”
“True,” Roque had replied, unaware of the implications of her casual statement.
Bio: Mickie B. Ashling is the alter-ego of a multifaceted woman raised by a single mother who preferred reading over other forms of entertainment. She found a kindred spirit in her oldest child and encouraged her with a steady supply of dog-eared paperbacks. Romance was the preferred genre, and historical romances topped her favorites list.
By the time Mickie discovered her own talent for writing, real life had intruded, and the business of earning a living and raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing and the inevitable emptying nest, dreams were resurrected, and the storyteller was reborn.
She stumbled into the world of men who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and intolerant world. Her award-winning novels have been called "gut wrenching, daring, and thought provoking." She admits to being an angst queen and making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.
Mickie loves to travel and has lived in the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East but currently resides in a suburb outside Chicago.
Fractured is now available in paperback or e-book format here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_76
You can contact Mickie at mickie.ashling@gmail.com or leave a comment on her website at http://mickieashling.com or her blog http://mickiebashling.blogspot.com.
This journal is friends only. This entry was originally posted at http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4273534.html. If you are not friends on this journal, Please comment there using OpenID.