Thirteen Milestones of Primal Hunger

I love sexy alpha men and the dark paths they have to travel to get to the ladies strong enough to take them on. So it's no surprise these are the kind of men I have in my books. Every writer is different, and inspiration can come from anywhere. Unfortunately, I never know when I'll be hit upside the head. Sometimes characters drop in on me while I'm in the middle of something else. Other times they're inspired by something I'm watching or listening to.

Picture this…hot July day (in Alaska hehe). I've received a rejection from Ellora's Cave for a partial I'd sent them. The rejection is kind, flattering, yet still disappointing. By this point I'm frustrated beyond belief with my writing career.

So there I was…watching netflix with a sprinkle of DVDs mixed in. Angry, frustrated and looking for my Supernatural set. Earlier the awesome Kim Knox had suggested I sit down and start working immediately on something else to send. They'd already said no…what was the worst that could happen?

On the screen, a character from some obscure sci fi movie drops to the ground from a crash landing on a remote planet. He doesn't have any issues with the environment, gravity, or the fact that he'd just had his spine rammed against his lung cavity in the crash from hell. I rolled my eyes and replayed the scene in my mind the RIGHT way. And suddenly, inspiration strikes! I see my hero drop from a seat wedged high up in the air. A destroyed vessel. Fire. Prince Azros is born.

Prince Azros drew in a slow breath. His lungs burned from smoke and fate knew what else. The stench of blood and scorched metal left an acrid tang on the back of his tongue. He released the safety harness and dropped to what was left of the deck.

His eyes watered from the combination of heat and smoke. He put a torn sleeve to his mouth and nose to block the worst of it. A waft of cool air came toward him and with his free arm forward, he blindly stumbled toward it. His gloved hand reached something and he squinted. The chassis had been ripped open. Shock and nausea warred with the need to get out of the still-burning escape pod. It was a miracle he survived the crash. With a pang he thought of the others, praying to the fates for a way to set them free.

He pushed through the gaping hole. Wheezing coughs shook his chest. The raw taste of rotting vegetation and stagnant water permeated through the coughs. Breathable, precious air sucked into his abused lungs. He dragged off his gloves and let them drop to the ground.

Azros moved from the burn path to a crop of vegetation. A piercing side pain broke through the adrenaline rush and he pressed a palm against the exposed skin. His fingers touched something warm and sticky. Blood.

The rest, they say, is history. So what happened next?

Thirteen Ways Primal Hunger Marked Milestones and Random Stuff in my life

1. Primal Hunger is, to date, the first novel I've ever completed past a rough draft.

2. I got to play with genetic camoflauge. What is NOT to love about a man with tiger stripes triggered by his need to protect? 

3. Ellora's Cave wanted it…and more in the series!

4. I was trained in hand-to-hand knife tactics during my last overseas tour in the service. Primal Hunger let me use that in two very awesome scenes (both involving the kickass heroine, Kendra).

5. In one of the sparring sessions, Kendra and Azros have a sexually charged matchup that was so much fun to write. The weapons used in the sparring room are dull blades, but charged with an electric pulse that bites when it touches you. This was also a shout out to the service. I was sent to train with my sister service in close combat tactics. During one training course, a taser is dropped in the pockets of one or two people. You never know who has it, but I guarantee, it keeps you on your toes when you're waiting for a real weapon to show. That training saved my life more than once. Truth.

6. Primal Hunger was my first release of 2012 AND my Ellora's Cave debut!

7. Primal Hunger was the first of my books to hit the top 10,000 at Amazon.

8. The full was requested the week of my five-year wedding annivesary. We had a wonderful dinner that night to celebrate both wonderful occasions.

9. The hero's physique and mannerisms were inspired by Richard Grieco from Tomcat. Omg…isn't he just YUM?

10. Ellora's Cave accepted the novel the same day I received notice of my pending military retirement.

11. First book I'd written where my husband said…wow…I love that premise. I think it was the idea of a pleasure house on the outskirts of asteroid mining routes…but that's just me. 😉

12. I was able to explore terraforming with fun things like genetic mutations and breathable air limitations. Nothing like creating your own world and then making it a pain to live there.

13. I worked on edits for Primal Hunger my first week as a full-time writer.

So that's it. From start to finish, Primal Hunger was an intense part of the past eight months. It's been a wild ride, and I'm looking forward to finishing book 2 in the series. Until then…don't take my word for it. In the word's of Destiny Lion, owner, operator, and genius behind Destiny's Palace, we bid you welcome. 😀

My name is Destiny Lion. According to my worthless father, with that kind of name I was destined for fighting or stripping. Turns out he was right on both counts. I don’t hold it against him. This is Destiny’s Palace, my Kingdom of Kink, and I fight for what’s mine.

My humble establishment lies in the nexus of three asteroid mining routes. The five-dome facility meets the needs of those who can afford our prices. What’s your pleasure, stranger? Goods, services? Sex? Ladies, gents, or all others? Don’t let the weapon-toting security personnel worry you. They’re here to protect those who partake of our services. My skies aren’t always friendly. Rest assured, your comfort and protection are our top priorities.

I take pride in our establishment. We are the best, and quite possibly the only, game in town.

How did my people come to stay at station Destiny? Well…each story holds a special place in my heart. Stay a while and I might just share a few with you.

I don’t shock easily, but every now and then I get one helluva story to tell. For instance, who knew near-death experiences could send a Valorian Prime into a mating frenzy with my chief of security? It’s a great story. You should ask them about it. The start of the fifteen-year Sheon Wars began as most great stories do…with forbidden lust. After all, isn’t that the best kind?

Azros del Mar hates the Sheon. Having suffered brutal abuse at their hands, he is left physically scarred and angry. An escape that nearly cost him his life results in a crash landing on a remote planet. There, surrounded by danger, he finds a woman who fires his blood, triggering a mating hunger so intense it sends him to the edge of sanity.

Kendra is a warrior in hiding. The last thing she needs is a hot-bodied, feral Valorian upsetting her mission…no matter how sexy or tempting the broad-shouldered tiger-mix may be. But when her body begins to show signs of feral heat, she realizes the one man who can soothe the hunger could easily destroy everything she’s worked for.

With war on the horizon, they must fight to stay alive. And together.

Excerpt | Ellora's Cave | Amazon | All Romance | Barnes and Noble

So now it's your turn! What movies, books, or shows have you watched where you were irritated because there was no way that could happen…or if it did happen…there would have been a different reaction. I'd love to know your thoughts! Have a wonderful week!

Keep Reading!

Dawn

Currently reading: Anne McCaffrey's Nimisha's Ship

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