Please welcome Lila! She shares insights about what she's learned about herself while researching and writing her Identity series. Make sure you read the steamy excerpt, the newest book, True Identity too! Whew, girlfriend, you sure know how to bring it!

I believe that during every writer’s journey there’s a separate path that runs parallel to the stories that leads to self-discovery. The things we find out about ourselves can be thrilling, amazing, shocking and in some cases downright frightening. By now, I’m sure all my friends, family and readers have figured out that I write in two different worlds. Primarily I write sensual romance with very complicated characters that one woman said “would take many, many times to plumb the depths of.” My other world, which several people are still trying to digest, is the world that involves the heavier stuff ie *whispers* BDSM and ménage. Which still involves very complex characters, sometimes lots of them, and requires much intense research.

As you can imagine having all these paths running parallel and merging at times is quite a mess for my literary Garmin. I feel a bit torn and tugged at sometimes especially when Arwen, than angel muse, wants me to finish something I started for that sensual path, and Bronwyn, the she-devil, insists that I start something new in the way of the wicked. Talk about conundrums and identity crisis’ *wink*. You had to know all this would lead in some way to me eventually talking about my books. Right? Soon dear ones. First I must finish what I started. We’re on a journey here…

When I first started seeking publication, long before Bronwyn knocked on my door and stood there waiting impatiently tapping her tiny spike heeled boot awaiting entry, I learned that I was good enough. Now just because I learned it, doesn’t mean I believe it every day. I’m still very self-critical. In fact so much so I go through a spell about once a month that I want to scrap it all and end the agony of wondering “am I really good enough? Or is this just a dream? Or nightmare perhaps?” Believe me there are some nightmarish moments in publishing. Like lying awake the night before wondering what will go wrong on release day. Oh, another discovery. I’m an even bigger type A personality that I at first thought. Everything has to be perfect and go down without a hitch or my purple popsicle meter pegs out. That’s the gauge by which one good friend rates my moods by the way—I know if she says purple popsicle I’ve exceeded the tolerance levels of even her and that’s pretty far off the base scale.

So, one amazing discovery and one frightening discovery. On to shocking. Little Miss Bronwyn thought it would be funny to test my limits during all the BDSM research that I do. Now, buyer beware. If you do not want to learn anything about yourself—steer clear of this research. Believe me. You might be thoroughly convinced you’re as vanilla and straight as they come, but somewhere deep inside you is a curiosity and longing that society has driven to the depths of your soul by crying taboo for too many years. A curiosity and longing that needs to be fed and whether or not you want to admit it or not, the thought of all that naughty business is really quite exciting. Isn’t it? It’s okay, raise your hands if you’ve ever even entertained a daydreamish thought about a man ravaging you while holding you down against your will. Or guys in the crowd…ever see visions of that hot woman around the office trotting up in spike heeled boots, tossing you to the floor and grinding that heel in your chest while wielding a riding crop with threats of using it across your tight little ass? Hard to admit isn’t it? Doesn’t a little trill of need, nay desire, run up your spine at such thoughts? *grinning*

Now you might be wondering what any of this has to do with what I discovered about myself, and at the same time your imagination may be running amuck right now with assumptions. So, the big reveal. Through my research I have found that I have a dominantly submissive personality. Quite a mouthful, huh? *pun intended* It’s also quite a dichotomy…*wink* That word’s tossed about a lot in BDSM literature so I just had to throw it in here somewhere for good measure. Anyway. Yes, boys and girls, I have a submissive personality. I am a pleaser. I want to please not only my husband but everyone I come in contact with. It is my fatal flaw. Not only that, I want to hand over my trust and relinquish control in certain areas of my life because quite frankly being in control and that type A personality gets exhausting. There are times I just want to let someone else make the decisions, I don’t want to think. This may be something as simple as where we are going to dinner, or what movie we’re going to see. Please, please don’t make me choose another thing today, dear, just decide and surprise me my head aches from thinking today. Now, just how far does this submission go? Oh dear ones, do you really think I’d reveal all my secrets? Did you think I was going to admit to being some flavor other than vanilla? Imagination is a good thing and should be exercised regularly. Exercise yours now. I won’t be offended. Maybe by doing so you’ll find out something about yourself. Something you never knew, or did and never wanted to admit…

Now without further ado I give you the second book in my Identity series, True Identity.

Jillian Stewart was as straight laced as they came. Or was she? After one man tearing her down to her very foundation, she’s set out on a path of self-discovery. Pursuing a Master’s degree in sociology, Jill’s determined to wrap her mind around the complexities of the BDSM world. Getting into a good doctorate program won’t be easy so she’s pulling out all the stops. After disregarding her professor’s warning against subjecting herself to the lifestyle, Jill finds she’s drawn to her tutor. But this isn’t her world. Is it?

and go into the wilderness of your intuition…

A career Marine Corps officer, Stephan Sachelles has always chosen to keep his lifestyle choices to himself. He avoids the underground house parties on the base to frequent a club miles from home in an effort to protect his privacy. Steph’s been a Master at Steele Image for years and he's enjoyed the company of many of the subs there with no intention of ever settling on just one. How would he make that work…it wasn’t like he could convert his base house into the dungeon of his dreams. Then Jill walks through the door. Steph’s intuition tells him there’s wild abandon inside her fighting for a chance at life. In the depths of her eyes, far behind the over analysis of everything she encounters, Steph sees the heart of a true submissive. But the resistance Jill puts up is driving Steph crazy. While she’s a good student, she just won't let go. Fighting his own internal battle, Steph finds he wants nothing more than to be the only Master to help her find her true identity.

“Where the hell are we going?” Jill asked sharply, fighting Steph’s grip and trying to pull free every step of the way. When Steph didn’t answer, she started to fear he might be on his way to toss her back out of the club on her ass. As determined as she had been an hour ago to get the hell out of here, she now knew she wasn’t quite done with her little field trip, and in the back of her mind she knew wanting to stay had nothing to do with her damn thesis. “You’re not kicking me out are you?” she gasped as they neared the narrow hallway leading back out to the bar area.

“No, I’m not.” Steph didn’t look at her and didn’t slow down. “But if you intend to stay, you’re going to learn to play by the rules that I give you and not continually mouth off. I realize you obviously can’t contain your curiosity, you get so wound up in picking things apart you forget who you’re talking to, but that’s no excuse for rude, and honey, I’m going to satisfy part of that curiosity right now.”

When Jill realized they were back at the spanking bench, icy fingers of dread clutched her heart and it sped up three-fold hammering her ribcage. He did not intend to spank her. No, a voice screamed in her head, while another one niggled its way in and whispered, yes. Oh God, what was she supposed to do? She didn’t even have one of those safe words she’d read about. Would he even listen to her if she did and used it?

Steph unlatched the red velvet rope behind which the bench and several scary looking paddles and straps of all sorts hung. He stepped through and pulled Jill in behind him refastening the barrier as a few other people started to collect. He was not only going to spank her, but other people were going to watch. Jill’s throat constricted and tears of regret at not being able to do one simple thing, be nice not rude, welled up in her eyes.

“What are the tears about already?” Steph asked, pulling her to the side of the bench. “We’re not even started.”

“I’m sorry, Master Steph,” Jill whispered. “I won’t do it again, Sir.” She glanced around at the people collected and mixed emotions swept over her. First she wanted to die and fall in a hole then she wanted to pull her panties down herself and give her ass willingly to Steph. Damn it! She wasn’t supposed to feel this way. Not here, not now.

“I’ve been watching you very closely, Jill,” Steph said in a less hardened voice. “I know you want more than to just watch. I also know you have limits. I’m quite certain spanking isn’t one of them. Is it?”

Jill shook her head like a puppet being mastered by a string.

“We’ll have a much more in depth discussion of those limits later, as long as you agree right now this isn’t on that list.” Steph waited a few seconds before prompting her. “Jill, answer me.”

“Spanking is not on the list, Sir.” Jill swallowed hard and forced out a few more words. “Please don’t make me take off my shirt.” Her voice audibly shook. The memory of Master Kyle’s fingers gliding over what lay beneath it swamped Jill. If Steph made her take off her shirt in here, in front of all these people, two Xanax wouldn’t enough to bring her back to Earth.

“I won’t,” Steph assured her, running his hands up and down her arms. “Now bend over and put your hands on the bench shoulder width apart. I won’t restrain you this time.”

Jill did what Steph commanded. Once she was bent over, he ran a knee between her thighs and forced them hip distance apart. For a moment he was gone and even though the room was filled with chatter and music, Jill heard the silence his absence caused buzzing in her ears. Then he was bent over with his hand on her shoulder and his face so close to hers she could feel his breath whispering across her throat.

“Look at me, Jill,” he said firmly. “This is important.”

Not wanting him to read her eyes again and see that she had figured out that she not only wanted a spanking but needed it, and from him, Jill stalled.

“Jill. Look. At. Me.”

Jill turned her head and was immediately lost in his eyes. They held her prisoner in that moment and she was quite sure she’d have let him do almost anything to her.

“Do you know what a safe word is?” Steph asked her.

“Yes, Sir.” A voice came out of Jill but she was certain it wasn’t her own. It was some slut’s voice from the past.

“Have you ever had one before?”

“No, Sir,” she squeaked.

“Jill, you’re safe word is red for the rest of the night. If you’re in too much pain physically or emotionally at any time, use it and I’ll stop. Do you understand?” Steph’s eyes never left hers.

“Yes, I understand, Sir.” Jill’s hands nearly slipped off the bench they were so damp with cold sweat.

“Does what I’m about to do trigger that physical danger fear?” Steph asked, running his fingers along her throat.

“No, Sir.” Jill didn’t even hesitate. For some reason, she didn’t feel threatened and she was pretty certain Steph already knew that before he asked. Damn him.

“What’s your safe word?”

“Red, Sir.”

“Good girl.”  

Jill squeezed her eyes shut as Steph flipped the end of her skirt up her back and slid her emerald green thong over her hips and down her thighs to hang suspended between her ankles. Great. Now everyone behind them could see her fat ass. That knowledge was worse than knowing Steph would soon spank her. His palms ran over her ass checks and up her spine, then back again, the circles he traced getting smaller and smaller until he caressed only the center most part of her backside as of defining his territory. Just as Jill was caught in the lull of his feather light touch, his hands left her and one of them came down across her right cheek with a resounding pop. Jill surprised herself by staying rigid. The first swat was only a tap for as loud as it was. Steph ran his fingertips over the offended flesh for a few seconds then came down on her other cheek a bit harder.

Nothing. There was no fiery heat pooling anywhere, no electricity licking her insides…Pop! Steph slapped her on the first cheek once more and Jill surged forward. That one hurt and she bit back a grunt. It was then that Steph fell into a pattern. He would strike one cheek soothe it with a gentle stroke then assault the other cheek and repeat, all the while the heaviness of the swats getting more intense until Jill’s ass seared and tears formed in the corners of her eyes. And there was the heat. The blessed heat of arousal settled between her legs and her pussy throbbed and clenched. Steph continued the punishment until Jill was gasping and a steady stream of relief ran down her face, across her lips and down her chin to fall to the floor beneath her head with a sad plop. She hadn’t imagined it. It was quite possible for her to be turned on by pain, and quite real.

Then the spanking ceased. A solitary finger ran down the seam of Jill’s pussy and across her clit then Steph pulled away from her completely. Jill tilted her head to find him once again bent over staring at her. The finger that he’d run over her was under her nose glistening.

“You can’t possibly lie to me anymore, Jill. At least not about this,” Steph told her softly.

Steph smiled at her then slipped his forefinger between his lips and sucked her muskiness from it. Jill’s pussy palpitated with need.

Lila Munro currently resides on the coast of North Carolina. She’s a military wife and takes much of her inspiration for her heroes from the marines she’s lived around for the past fourteen years. Coining the term realmantica, she strives to produce quality romance in a realistic setting. Her genre of choice is contemporary romance that spans everything from the sensual to BDSM and ménage. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, trips to the museum and aquarium, taking field research trips, and soaking up the sun on the nearby beaches. She’s a member in good standing with the RWA, Passionate Ink and EPIC. Her works include The Executive Officer’s Wife, Bound By Trust, Destiny’s Fire, A Slower Lower Love, Salvation, Force Recon: Beacon Bayou, and Identity Crisis. Currently she’s working on sequels to several series to be released throughout 2010-2011. Ms. Munro also works as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Rebel Ink Press. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted via her website http://lilamunro.weebly.com , her joint effort website http://www.wickedmuses.blogspot.com or through Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Lila_Munro  You can also contact her via email at lilasromance@gmail.com   For more information about Rebel Ink Press please visit their website at www.rebelinkpress.com

Said Claudia Rhyes at Manic Readers about Identity Crisis, book one of the Identity series:

“Identity Crisis is a hot and fun read. I was a little confused at the beginning and how it started out, but the author cleared it up quickly. This is the first story I have read by this author and I am eager to read more. I loved the detail and description, especially when it came to the main characters and what they wanted. The author painted a tale of a rich, spoiled man who finds want he really wants at an unexpected place. I love the fire that Tori has inside of her. Again, the detail, conflict, and overall romance of the story gave you just enough without going overboard. There are also naughty little treats hidden within this tale that will make you need a cool glass of water and a fan.”

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=publisher&qString=Rebel+Ink+Press

One lucky commenter will win a copy of True Identity! Leave a comment with your email address and Lila will select the lucky recipient!

Good Luck!

Until the next time.

Margie