Read all about it!!! Aliyah Burke is rocking our house today!

I am most fortunate to have snagged Aliyah Burke today. If you haven’t read her work…well…you need too.  Her stories will consume your day and I personally  lost track of time while immersed in her book What the Earl Desires.  So enough of my fan girl gushing.

Lets start the interview.

Good Morning! Thanks for having me here.

Kidding right? It is my pleasure and I am ready to share the joy. Lets get started.

 

1)Out of your published stories, which character is your favorite?

LOL, right…like I can answer this. J I don’t have a favorite one, there’s something special about them all for me.

2) How do you come up with the titles of your books?

I’m pretty particular about the titles of my books, I always want them to tie in with the story and more often than not I can’t progress until I have a title to put across the top of my manuscript. It takes a while, usually a similar process to picking out character names to me with books open regarding terminology and such for at least one of the characters. Like my newest release, Under the Mask, is part of the Titillating Treat series at Passion In Print and the description said “One in a mask or both…” so I began with that and worked through things like Masquerade, Domino, etc until I came up with the title I have. Not sure if any of that made sense, but what can I say, it’s my process. J

3)What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a writer?

The struggle of not being put into a category. I don’t just write one thing and I don’t want to be only known for say IR stories. Yes, a lot of what I write are IR stories but that’s not all I write. Same with military genre or anything else. I’m an author and want to be known as a romance author…a good one would be awesome but I want the same chances as everyone else who write. If that makes sense. Not just being told I write what I do just because it’s what’s “hot” or something like that.

I would say another challenge is being taken seriously that what I do isn’t a “hobby” or just so easy to spit the work out on paper (or into the computer). Many people are like, or that’s it? That’s all you do. So you don’t have a “real” job? Wrong, this is a real job and it is extremely rare for me to take any time off, I work seven days a week 365 days a year. My writing schedule is already full into 2014. Therefore, that’s another huge challenge for me and I’m sure many people who write.

4)Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I don’t have a favorite author; I read such a variety of work I don’t think I can pick just one who is my hands down fave.

5)Do you have a favorite out of the books you have written?

No, same as with the characters each one holds a special place within me.

6)If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I would say Judi McCoy who was a member of my local RWA chapter who always taught us to finish the book because “you can’t fix nothing.” Her death this year was a shock and she will be greatly missed by the writing community. In addition, I would say Cathy Maxwell. She always has time to answer questions and give some advice no matter how busy she is when I have contacted her. However, this is not to say that the writers I am around and interact with on a daily basis aren’t wonderful as well. Most often, the writers I have the pleasure of dealing with are always open to helping me if I have a question/problem and that’s part of what I love about being an author. This may be a solitary job for the most part, but there are so many who are willing to help.

7)What’s your favorite scary movie?

Anything by Alfred Hitchcock. I don’t do movies like Saw, Final Destination or the like but to me Hitchcock could (and still does) have the ability to scare me. I think scary movies are at the bottom of my pile to watch, so I don’t have much to pick from.

Stephen King and Dean Koontz movies scare me too.

8)What’s the first costume you remember wearing as a child?

A witch. I remember this because witches scared the crap out of me so my parents dressed me up as one for the contest. I was apparently the scariest child there as well as being the most scared, for I won. Got my picture in the paper and everything (which you can see my scrunched up unhappy face). But…it was not my best experience. J

9)Favorite Halloween candy?

Candy corn and those little pumpkins, my downfall and a way to my good side right there.

Again, thank you so much for having me here, Kass. I had a wonderful time and look forward to stopping by at a later date.

You are always welcome to visit Luscious and I thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by.

Aliyah was gracious enough to leave us a pic and tidbit of her newest release. Check it out below!

http://www.passioninprint.com/ShowList.php?AUTH=_AUTH33

Here’s a short excerpt from my next release, Under the Mask, coming in Oct from Passion In Print. Contemporary, IR/MC. Part of the Titillating Treat series. Enjoy!

Kailey Cox adjusted her facial mask, ensuring her total anonymity, lowered the shoulders on her peasant top, and stepped through the open ballroom doors with Artemis at her side. The massive room in the prestigious hotel overflowed with people, who like her were in costume. She was attending a huge fundraiser in support of banishing illiteracy in both children and adults. Something she agreed with wholeheartedly.

“This is gorgeous.”

She glanced at her companion, Karma Whitfield–best friend in the world–who stood beside her dressed a stunning and sexy Artemis costume. Had they not arrived together, she wouldn’t have known it was her.

“I agree. Tell me something, how’d you get tickets for this again?” Kailey gazed about, taking in the champagne fountains, chocolate waterfalls, and other lavish displays.

“I know people.”

Rolling her eyes, she laughed. “You mean you slept with a guy who gave them to you.”

Karma tugged on the hem of her very short skirt appearing extremely unrepentant. “Hey, I knew him.”

“You know you’re wrong, girl. So, so wrong.”

“Hush. He was smiling when I left him. Besides, you need the night out. What better way to forget the asshole extraordinaire than by spending some time with incredibly rich, most of which are hot, men.”

She didn’t care about rich. Nevertheless, being out was a nice thing as opposed to not being out again, spending another night at home, and dwelling over what had been her life for the past year.

They took flutes of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray. She drank and thought about her ex-husband Brad. The divorce had been long and drawn out. Nasty, lasting over a year. Some of her friends–not Karma–had tried to set her up on dates. She’d refused them all.

Divorcing or not, she was still a married woman until it was final and she wasn’t about to commit adultery. Despite that fact, Brad had had zero qualms about doing so. She’d walked in on him with not one, but two, other women. In their own bed.

“Forget the rat bastard.” Karma touched her bare shoulder before pushing Kailey’s long black locks back.

“How’d you know?”

“We’ve been friends since we were in diapers, long enough for me to know. This is a party. You are officially divorced now and get to find some fine ass stranger to shake out the cobwebs.”

She almost snorted her drink. “Cobwebs?”

Behind her headgear, which obscured most of her face, Karma winked. “You’ll remember. It’s like riding a bike.” She waved a hand around. “Have fun.” Karma blended into the crowd, leaving her alone along the outskirts.

Part of her wanted to retreat further, like to her room. This wasn’t her anymore. Brazen and outspoken had not been her for a while. She preferred the sidelines, the shadows. But she didn’t run, didn’t hide. She wore a costume. No one would know her. This was her night.

She had plans to make the best of it. A smile tipped her red-glossed lips in a satisfactory manner. First, she would explore this room and mingle. After all, like Karma said, this was her time now. She was free.

The hotel was magnificent. Lavish ornaments from the Orient added an exotic flare to the place. She mingled, chatted, danced, and drank. Finally, needing some time to herself, she stepped outside to get a breather. She stood along a balcony, trailing her fingers along the smooth marble balustrade. The night air cooled her heated flesh yet didn’t chill her.

“Pray tell, what’s a lovely gypsy woman doing out here all alone?” A deep voice questioned from behind her.

She’d gotten many compliments on her outfit and tried to ignore why it was this one, spoken in a seductive and alluring tone, that affected her more than the others had. Turning her head, she hesitated, unable to make anyone out. Maybe she’d had too much to drink and it was her imagination.

Pity for the voice was nice. Deep and raspy, it stroked along her skin. The reaction it created in her only solidified the knowledge of her dry spell.

“Looking for me?”

She licked her lips and tilted her head to the side. Definitely wasn’t her imagination. There was someone out here with her.

“Well, yes. Unless you are here as the Invisible Man.”

A decadent chuckle. “No.”

“So are you remaining in the shadows or do I get to see you?” Seriously, if his body matched his voice, she’d have died and gone to heaven.

“You’re the gypsy. Can you not tell what’s in my future?”

She smiled and trailed a finger along the rim of her champagne flute. “Of course I know. I don’t give away fortunes for free however.”

“Oh, I’m willing to pay.”

She dragged her tongue along her lower lip, set her drink down, and walked toward where the voice came from. The dark corner of the balcony. Her gold coins tinkled with invitation every step she took. She paused and blinked. “Step into the light.”

There was a whisper of sound and she found herself staring up at a tall, powerful man clad in a warrior costume. Her breath left her in a rush as she tried to stifle her instantaneous and lustful reaction.

A gold helmet covered his head, which, courtesy of the cheek and nose guard, obscured his features. Muscles were there, muscles she wanted nothing more than to touch and to feel surrounding her. A red cape, secured with a gold emblem at his right shoulder, left his arm bare with the exception of leather cuffs. Without a shirt on, she could see his well-defined abdominals and pectorals. Leather sandals with wide straps crisscrossed up his powerful calves.

Hot damn!

On one side, she could see a shield and a sword hung from the other side. He had smooth copper skin and obsidian hair. Men in skirts weren’t supposed to look so good. Well, technically it wasn’t a skirt; it was a wrap, part of his tunic. Either way, the man looked delicious.

He flowed toward her, stopping when their feet were touching one another. “Hello, gypsy woman.”

Her belly exploded in a flurry of want and lust. She reached out and rested her hand against his bared chest. His skin was warm beneath her palm.

“Hello, Spartan.”

“You know the costume?” He sounded suitably impressed.

“Oh yeah. I came with Artemis, she informed me who everyone was.” Why tell him she had seen a lot of movies with Spartans in them when using Artemis as a reason for her knowledge seemed viable enough. The emblem holding his cape was a remake of the Spartan shield that bore upon it the letter lambda, which stood for Lacedaemon.

He stepped closer, brushing more of his hard body against her. “Interesting.”

“What is?” She had a hard time focusing on anything but him.

“That a gypsy would hang with a Greek goddess.”

She tucked a loose curl behind her ear with her right hand while her left touched his chest. “I am no fool, when she extended her invitation for me to walk with her, I took it. For I had no wish to be turned into something small and slimy. I know how to play nice.” He chuckled, a deep and tempting sound. Her other hand joined the first. Goodness, he was solid. All over. “Although, I am curious about something.”

“Which is?”

She swallowed and licked her lips again. “I know about kilts but what do Spartans wear under their wraps?” Her fingers smoothed along his sides enjoying the taut skin, the heat of him, and the feel of a man.

“I could tell you. Or.” He leaned down, brushing her cheek with his own and continued, “I could show you.”

Her lids fluttered as desire struck hard and deep. This was what she needed. A night of mindless sex with a hot-as-fire stranger.

Readjusting her arms so they surrounded his neck, she held his gaze. The five-inch heels helped bring her closer yet she still had to stretch to place her mouth within millimeters of his.

“Show me,” she breathed.

~Aliyah

www.aliyah-burke.com