Struggling artist

“Why are you here?” #OutNow #MFRWHooks #EroticRomance

April 26, 2023 by Adriana Kraft

Her passion smolders – will it ignite?

Welcome to MFRW Hooks, where the authors of Marketing for Romance Writers share snippets from their stories to entice you into wanting more. Be sure to click on the links at the end to travel!

SMOLDERING PASSION
PASSION SERIES BOOK ONE

OUT NOW!

BUY LINK

https://books2read.com/u/3nDdOe

Set Up: Barely awake the morning after a big blowup with Harry, Melissa answers her door wearing only her bathrobe. But it isn’t Harry – it’s the Center’s other co-director.

EXCERPT

Melissa couldn’t prevent a frown. “Why are you here, Claire?”

Appearing a little sheepish, Claire said, “I guess telling you I was in the neighborhood will hardly work, because I haven’t been to Brooklyn since I was a little girl. And that was a ways back.”

Melissa couldn’t suppress a giggle. “So you’re one of those Manhattan ethnocentrics.”

“Uh-huh.”

Melissa clasped her hands at her waist, resolved to wait out the ensuing silence.

“Okay.” Claire inhaled and exhaled before continuing. “I want you to sketch me.”

“Really? I’m honored.” Melissa’s pulse quickened. Her fingers ached. It would be good to work again. This might be exactly what she needed.

“You’ll do it?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I’m talking about one of your tasteful erotic type drawings. Me in the nude.”

“I didn’t think you’d want to be sketched wearing a business suit.”

“I am fifty-seven.”

Melissa scowled. “Do I care? Maybe we can come up with something that will inspire fifty and sixty-year-olds to pose for erotic drawings. Let me change and I’ll be right back.”

“No,” Claire said, grabbing her hand. She hesitated momentarily before adding, “I don’t want to wait. Surely, you must sketch or paint from time to time wearing only a robe.”

“Of course.” Melissa tugged on Claire’s hand. “Come on, and I’ll show you my studio.

“As you can see, it’s not much,” she said, leading Claire into her favorite room. “A couch, easy chair, desk, which is my workspace and which also substitutes as a prop sometimes. And of course lots of art supplies.”

“And beautiful sketches and paintings,” Claire intoned, as if they were standing in a church or a museum. “You are extremely talented. We really must set up a show for you through the Center.”

“So do you have a particular medium or pose in mind?”

“No, you’re the artist. I see you have a music center.” She reached into her shopping bag, withdrew a CD, and handed it to Melissa. “Do you mind playing this? It’s one of my favorites from the seventies. It will embolden me.”

“No problem. Though I would never have guessed you needed anything to strengthen your resolve.” Melissa peeked at the label. “Helen Reddy. I like her stuff.”

“Thought maybe it’d be too old-fashioned for you. I’m glad you like it. She throbs with heat.”

BOOK INFORMATION

Title: Smoldering Passion
Passion Series, Book One
Can be read as a stand-alone
Author: Adriana Kraft
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Publication Date: April 7, 2023
ISBN 978-1-4874-3815-9
Length: 70,259 words
Genres: Erotic Romance, LGBT Romance
Pairings: MF, FF, FFF, FMF, MFM

Tags: Contemporary, Menage, Bisexual, New York City, struggling artist, age gap
Heat rating: four flames

BLURB

Her passion smolders. Will it ignite?

When art student Melissa Hopkins finally unpacks the two boxes her Aunt Phoebe left for her and sees Phoebe’s black and white photos, it’s like opening Pandora’s Box. A simple quest to find a new job morphs into an about face—not just in her art, but in her career and personal life. Short on funds now that her graduate stipend is ending, she applies to work where Aunt Phoebe once worked: a center for sexuality and sex studies.

Sworn off women after a disastrous relationship, Center Director Harry Gage ignores the danger signals and hires the striking young woman who reminds him of his former lover. Her air of innocence will captivate center viewers, so he’s sure she’ll be a hit on camera. What he’s not prepared for is how she pierces his heart.

When the sparks flare up, is it love or just sex—and what must each of them risk to find out?

Don’t miss the rest of today’s enticing book hooks – click on the links to travel!

At least he didn’t turn her off… #OutNow #MFRWHooks #EroticRomance

April 19, 2023 by Adriana Kraft

Her passion smolders – will it ignite?

Welcome to MFRW Hooks, where the authors of Marketing for Romance Writers share snippets from their stories to entice you into wanting more. Be sure to click on the links at the end to travel!

SMOLDERING PASSION
PASSION SERIES BOOK ONE

OUT NOW!

BUY LINK

https://books2read.com/u/3nDdOe

Set Up: The Center where Melissa works regularly produces videos that might appeal to an older audience. When Harry assigned Melissa to work on camera wit Max, a recently widowed long time Center performer more than twice her age, she balked. Now she’s waiting in a café to meet him for the first time.

EXCERPT

Melissa studied the man entering the café and looking around as if he was meeting someone. She knew immediately when his eyes met hers. His face lit up in a broad smile ,and he walked directly to her table. Clearly, Harry had shared her picture with him and hadn’t bothered to give her the same courtesy.

“You must be Melissa,” the man said easily. “I’m Max. May I join you?”

She nodded and shook his hand. He didn’t have to bother asking. She was here at his request. The twinkle in his eyes was quite infectious. She smiled softly. “Please, have a seat. I’ve ordered coffee.” She waved at the waiter.

“Let me take a moment to look at the menu,” Max said. Melissa took the opportunity to consider him more carefully.

She gave him credit for staying in shape. While he wasn’t buff, he wasn’t flabby, either. He was mostly bald, with gray hair, including a mustache. What did they say about bald men? She couldn’t remember, but she thought they were supposed to be more sexy.

She frowned. At least he didn’t turn her off. He appeared healthy and seemed quite comfortable with their situation—more comfortable than she was. And there was that inexplicable sparkle about him. She sat back in her chair and relaxed a bit. Maybe this wasn’t going to be as bad as she’d feared.

He sat the menu aside and smiled at her. “So do I pass?”

“What?”

“Figured you were sizing me up. Thought maybe you expected a dinosaur, or a dirty old man at the least.”

“I…” She grinned at his broad smile. “I didn’t know what to expect. You do seem quite civilized. And no, you don’t strike me as a dirty old man. So what about me? Do I measure up for what you have in mind?”

Max leaned back and practically roared. “You’re kidding!” He shook his head at her. “No, I see you’re not. You’re a very lovely young woman. Agnes would approve of you. She liked women with an air of mystery about them.”

~ o ~

In case you didn’t know, Mr. Kraft and I don’t shy away from writing steamy romance featuring older characters. Max, who is in his sixties, will have his own story in Ripening Passion, scheduled to release in June. Stay tuned!

BOOK INFORMATION

Tags: Contemporary, Menage, Bisexual, New York City, struggling artist, age gap
Heat rating: four flames

BLURB

Her passion smolders. Will it ignite?

When the sparks flare up, is it love or just sex—and what must each of them risk to find out?

Don’t miss the rest of today’s enticing book hooks – click on the links to travel!

“Someone may see us.” #NewRelease #MFRWHooks #EroticRomance

April 12, 2023 by Adriana Kraft

Her passion smolders – will it ignite?

Welcome to MFRW Hooks, where the authors of Marketing for Romance Writers share snippets from their stories to entice you into wanting more. Be sure to click on the links at the end to travel!

Smoldering Passion (Passion Series Book One)

JUST RELEASED!

BUY LINK

https://www.extasybooks.com/Smoldering-Passion

Do you love New York or hate it? I love it. Our newest release, Smoldering Passion, pulls together some of what my husband and I love best about New York and pays tribute to a favorite aunt of mine.

In today’s hook, we took advantage of the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Central Park in hero Harry’s Manhattan apartment. It’s Melissa’s first morning waking up there. They’re at the kitchen island, where they’ve just finished breakfast…

EXCERPT

“So,” Melissa said quietly, feeling her cheeks warm. “Am I your type, Harry?”

Harry smiled and got to his feet. He reached out his hand for her. “Stand up, woman, and let me show you.”

She stood, and he gathered her in his arms. His strong hands cupped her rump, her breasts crushed against his chest, and their lips met in a midair tango. She smiled against his. Yes, she must be his type. He sure was her type.

Holding hands, he guided her to the tall window overlooking Central Park. Rain continued to pelt the window, but it was refreshing to lean against Harry’s frame and imagine the park before them.

He nibbled on her ear and laved at her neck.

Melissa craned her neck, basking in the feel of his tongue. She experienced a sudden pang of guilt for getting him to talk about Aunt Phoebe without sharing her own story. Maybe she should’ve simply blurted it out.

His tongue scraped across the roof of her mouth. She no longer had a pressing need to talk about her aunt. “Mmm,” she moaned, “that’s lovely. I love rainy Monet mornings like this.”

“Me, too. Particularly when I can share them with you.” He snickered. “Though I would’ve expected you to prefer bright sunshiny days with pristine blue skies.”

“I like those, too. But don’t forget, I’m an artist. I have many moods. I also enjoy the first snowfall, and certainly spring flowers.”

“I bet you like to jump in leaf piles, too.”

“How did you know?” she said, squeezing his butt.

“A lucky guess.” His nose rubbed back and forth across her neck. His busy hands slipped inside her robe to cup a breast each.

She took a long breath as he played with her nipples. “So cozy,” she murmured, lowering her eyelids.

Her eyes popped open when she realized he was tugging at the sash of her robe. “Harry,” she scolded, “we’re standing in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. Someone may see us.”

“Nonsense,” he whispered into her ear. “Can you see anything through the raindrops?”

She shook her head and did nothing to stop his fingers, already playing at her mound.

“Besides,” Harry continued, “you know New Yorkers. They never look up.

BOOK INFORMATION

Tags: Contemporary, Menage, Bisexual, New York City, struggling artist, age gap
Heat rating: four flames

BLURB

Her passion smolders. Will it ignite?

When the sparks flare up, is it love or just sex—and what must each of them risk to find out?

BUY LINK

https://www.extasybooks.com/Smoldering-Passion

Don’t miss the rest of today’s enticing book hooks – click on the links to travel!

Suddenly feeling very warm… #ComingSoon #MFRWHooks #EroticRomance

April 5, 2023 by Adriana Kraft

Her passion smolders – will it ignite?

Welcome to MFRW Hooks, where the authors of Marketing for Romance Writers share snippets from their stories to entice you into wanting more. Be sure to click on the links at the end to travel!

Smoldering Passion (Passion Series Book One)
RELEASES THIS FRIDAY APRIL 7!!
https://www.extasybooks.com/coming-soon/Smoldering-Passion

EXCERPT

Set Up: it’s the end of Melissa’s first week at her new job, and she’s scheduled for her first on-camera scene that afternoon (which you can read at this link: https://wp.me/p9O7pv-39w)

Harry found Melissa in the library Friday morning. He knew he would. She spent more time in the library and the small screening room than anywhere else. He’d kept track of her fairly closely. That was his job—he always monitored new hires, though maybe not quite as closely as this one.

She looked up from the table where she was working.

He nodded. “How are things going?”

“Fine.” She patted the materials in front of her. “I never thought about how much is known about sexual practices in ancient cultures.”

He smiled and walked further into the room. “Guess there’s been a healthy amount of curiosity about sex for a long time. At least in recorded history.”

“Apparently. I’ve been particularly intrigued by how sex was depicted in art.”

“Yes, that’s right.” He drew up a chair and sat down. “You’re an artist, aren’t you? I forgot.”

Melissa shrugged. “Sometimes I forget, too.”

“So what is your medium?”

“I work in pastel and acrylics, mostly. I also do charcoal. I’m not sure I’ve actually found my ideal medium.”

Harry nodded. “Suppose that takes time. I guess I’m still searching, too.”

“Oh, not at all,” Melissa said quickly. “You’re an artist with a camera. By now I’ve seen hundreds of your still photos. I especially like how you do black and white. Even the videos display an artist’s care for not explaining away mystery.”

He frowned.

“You take a highly charged subject—sex—and treat it with sensitivity and honor. There must be a ton of videos out there that treat sex as simply connecting the dots.”

“You’re right about that.” He chuckled. “Yeah, there’s a lot more to sex than connecting the dots.” He gave her a long stare.

She blushed.

“What now? I’m not talking about love.”

“I didn’t think you were.”

“Love, at least as it’s understood in popular culture, enhances sex, but it’s not absolutely necessary for sharing profound sex.”

“I’m discovering that—to my surprise. It’s almost as if sex, in itself, can be an art form.”

Suddenly feeling very warm, Harry rose to leave.

Book info

Title: Smoldering Passion
Passion Series, Book One
Can be read as a stand-alone
Author : Adriana Kraft
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Publication Date: April 7, 2023
Length: 70,259 words
Genres: Erotic Romance, LGBT Romance
Pairings: MF, FF, FFF, FMF, MFM

Tags: Contemporary, Menage, Bisexual, FM, FF, FFF, FMF, FMF, New York City, struggling artist, age gap
Heat rating: four flames