Welcome to Morgan King.

I love it when I get to know new authors. Morgan King is part of the Evernight Publishing Family and is here to tell you about her love of books and then give us a taste of her new book called Duty to Love.

Over to you Morgan.

To me books and love go together hand in hand; you can never have too much of either. When combined even better.

I remember various stages of my life based around the different discoveries I’ve made of books that include sex.

The first has to be The Body Book, by Claire Rayner. My mother introduced me to this when I was four and I now have a copy for my son to look at. I believe we should feel comfortable talking to kids about sex and it never hurts to have a book to help.

Then when I was ten my sister left her copy of Forever, by Judy Bloom, lying around and I sneaked of to read it at least four times. It’s the first time I remember thinking maybe sex isn’t yucky.

When I was a teen I found a copy of My Secret Garden, by Nancy Friday, on the home bookshelves and it was a key factor in making me comfortable with my own sexuality.  

I read an awful lot of romances during my teenage years, yes mainly Mills and Boon as that was what I could get my hands on in vast quantity and if nothing else they were great stress relief during hormonal years.

For many years, while at University and working 9-5 I didn’t read much for pleasure and when I did it was mainly thrillers, then I had my first son and I couldn’t face the blood, gore and evil characters any more. I frequently walked to the town Library and started picking up romances and discovered a whole new world of romance that wasn’t Mills and Boon, but was well crafted, fun and erotic. I devoured books by Stephanie Laurens, Kresley Cole, Mary Balogh, Christien Feehan, and many more. Somewhere along the line I found Lora Leigh and in searching her back catalogue I discovered Ellora’s Cave and the world of e-publishers of Erotic Romance. For my next birthday I got an e-reader.

Reading really does expand your horizons, bit by bit the books I read got hotter and hotter and I’d finally started reading the sort of story I felt inspired to write. I mean books I’ve read have inspired me to write before, my favourite novel is The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michel Faber, and yes it is about human nature and sex, and when I read the first page I thought This is the book I wish I’d written, but know I never could have. The first story I wanted to write and felt I could because I instantly saw the beginning complete with regency setting, the very hot middle and the happy ever after end is Duty to Love, although the final story ended up being twice as long as the first draft!

Duty to Love is published by Evernight Publishing and available from Friday 22^nd February.

I’m a huge Jane Austen fan so writing a regency romance was a foregone conclusion. I also love ménage, for me I enjoy reading a man’s point of view and feeling the depth of his emotion, with two men there is all the more of this. I also wanted to write something convincing, a regency ménage that doesn’t require a complete suspension of belief. I hope I’ve succeeded. 

So let's find out more about her new book Duty to Love.

Blurb:

Duty to Love is an erotic regency romance; the story of two brothers and the one woman they have both fallen in love with…

A craftily worded contract and fate finds Arthur, Earl of Hentonury, having to marry not the lady he expected but her younger sister Amelia, the woman he knows his brother James loves and hoped to marry. Arthur cares for both Amelia and James how can he choose between his love for them and his duty?

James may be the younger son, but he has taken leave from the Army and will fight for Amelia.

Torn between her feelings for two brothers Amelia wishes to marry Arthur but can't bear to lose James.

Is there any chance the three of them can find happiness together? Will duty or love win out?

Ohh that sounds great! How about an excerpt? Ready?

Arthur was in his study but not alone.

The two men must have sensed an intrusion, her approaching presence, for they turned to face her. Their faces became animated upon seeing her, giving smiles so similar she felt the weight of their combined warmth pulling an upwards movement from her own lips.

“James!” she uttered his name on a cry before racing forward and flinging herself into his arms. Unprepared his arms brushed her sides and hung around her back in a low, loose hold.

Sensing his discomfort Amelia shifted back to look at him, then turned to Arthur. Were they upset with her? Now she was to be married to him, was Arthur concerned that she might appear overly familiar with James?

She had thought James might be happy for her and Arthur. She would not be wedded to some stranger, moving to live far away; they could carry on, the three of them, friends as before.

Things weren't the same, though; faced with two men, tension stiffening their postures, expressions equally tight, Amelia realized she had been naive. Marrying Arthur might well mean the end of her friendship with James. They could no longer be frequently in each other’s company, completely at ease with each other, for she would belong to Arthur. A married woman was an entirely different prospect for a friend than a young girl running wild.

When Amelia had imagined James coming back from the Army and herself entering society, she had pictured them enjoying the season together, James, with his dashing good humor, providing light relief from the monotony of town entertainments. Now she would not be having a season, and James, while as dashing as ever, did not appear in good humor.

“I'm sorry, Arthur, I did not think. It's James. You know I would not be so improper with anyone else.” She took a step back from James, glancing at Arthur anxiously.

“Except me?” Arthur's tone sounded pointedly hopeful, and Amelia realized he was teasing her.

Amelia grinned. “Except you.” It used to be that James was the only one who teased her. Even when the three of them had larked around together Arthur had always been the voice of caution, unintentionally acting as a springboard to James and Amelia's rebellion.  Recently Arthur had begun to tease Amelia, and every time he did it added to the feeling of warmth that centered inside her when Arthur was near.

Had James noticed the changes in Arthur?

Amelia turned to look at James just as she felt him tug her back into his embrace. “Come here, you little hellion.”

This time he held her tight, her breasts pressed flush to his chest and his hands cupping her hips. For all their previous play together Amelia had never been held like this before. It was no casual embrace; it seemed full of intent. 

Amelia only realized James' s intent when he leaned down and guided his lips to hers. The initial pressure was fairytale light, unexpected, and led to everything she'd hoped a kiss could be.

It was teasing, playful; his lips glided against hers in subtle movements, retreating then advancing into firmer contact. There was a little nip of teeth and a quick taste with the tip of his tongue.

Amelia let herself be kissed, and she reveled in the flurry of sensations her lips were experiencing. Greedy for more she let her hands roam freely over James's back, tracing the shape of his muscles, over his powerful shoulders to the unclothed skin of his nape.

James's hands tightened on her, pulling her closer, until their hips pressed as close as their chests. Amelia felt breathless, heady. It was a novel sensation. She'd never been one for allowing her corset to be laced too tight. She'd never imagined Arthur could make her feel like fainting.

But, oh God, it wasn't Arthur kissing her. Amelia jerked trying to free herself of James's hold. Arthur was watching her. He was watching her kiss another man. She was kissing her fiancé's brother while he watched.

Why not go check her book out:  www.evernightpublishing.com

Here's more about Morgan:

When reading other Author Bios I often identify with what has been said, so yes it is all true for me too: writing and being published has been a lifelong dream (seriously it has, but I’ve been busy doing lots of other stuff especially reading), I also have a day job (helping to create positive change is really important to me so as well as getting involved in lots of community projects I work in Charity Management), I live somewhere beautiful, although not in the US but in the East of England, steeped in inspiring countryside and history, when I’m not at work I’m often being a princess, pirate, monster or whatever takes my four year olds fancy and most importantly I would love to hear from you, this is the first story I’ve shared so if you contact me I’ll probably do a little dance and will certainly smile inside for at least a week before replying.

 morganking@hotmail.co.uk or look for me on facebook.