Kira Stone Welcome back, one and all to the Hot Spot, where once again you'll be snooping with Sierra, asking your favorite Changeling authors the questions YOU really want answered! How long have they been writing? BAH! Who cares?! We want the naughty, the juicy, the REAL inside track*! Give us dirt, give us details! That's what the Hot Spot's about!

*All my interviewees have promised to be absolutely honest, but you know writers and their imaginations…

So who's in the Hot Spot for August?

So who's in the Hot Spot for September? The fabulous Kira Stone, author of the Vampire Magic series and the upcoming first installment in the new Rookery Cove stories, Rookery Cove: Breakwater!

Sierra Dafoe: So, Kira, tell us a bit about the Rookery Cove project. What prompted the idea for that?

Kira Stone: I lucked into Changeling about the time the AOEM series was released. I couldn't play on their island, so I devised one of my own. I wanted to do something I hadn't seen done before. (Since I was quite new to erotic romance, that could have been almost anything.) So, I thought why not supernatural sex toys created by non-humans on a mystery island in the North Atlantic. It's evolved a bit since then, but that was the kernel we started to pop with.

SD: How do you like working in the multi-author series? (I haven't had a chance to, yet!) You've also penned one of the Deadly Sins books, Envy. What made you choose that particular sin?

KS: I think each series is shaped by the author running it, so each one is different. Next time a multi-author theme comes along, I highly recommend jumping on board. It's challenging to write within someone else's parameters, but it's also a lot of fun.

As for Envy…it made me think of the most popular girl in school who went to the prom alone. So envied by her peers that no one would approach her, and how lonely that must be. *shrug* Somehow, that became the basis for an M/M plot, and Envy was born.

SD: Devil's Man was your very first published erotic romance, and was greeted with fabulous reviews! Five stars from FAR, Realms of Love, and A Romance Review -- what do you feel made that book your 'break-out' book?

KS: The fact that it was the first one that sold. *laughs* Actually, it probably had more to do with Willa Okati than anything I did. After reading it for the umpteenth time, she told me I didn't need to change a thing and if I didn't submit it she'd do it for me. I love that woman!!!

SD: That's great! So tell us, of all the steamy sex scenes you've written, which one is your favorite?

KS: : First kiss scenes are my favorites, particularly when you go slow, and build the anticipation, like the one between Oliver and Rafe in Deadly Sins: Envy. As for full contact sex… man, that's tough to answer. Probably the scene in the canning cellar from Blood Magic… emotionally, it was a difficult balancing act but Sebastian's wry humor made it so much fun to write.

SD: Which one is something you'd love to try?

KS: Errrr… most of my stories are M/M so I'm not equipped to play their games. But if I had the opportunity, I'd love to give the locker room scene from Devil's Man a try. A satyr, the biggest man slut I've ever written, and a demon who really knows how to shake his tail with me taking Carter's place between them. Yummie!

SD: And while we're on the subject, what's one scene you've researched personally?

KS: Well, all of them, of course. *g* If I don't experience everything right along with my characters, readers won't either.

SD: Rookery Cove comes out this month -- give us a sneak peek!

KS: Here's an unedited excerpt. To set the scene, Gavin, a human, is injured and also very aroused from exposure to a libido-raising perfume. Airk, a flyer, has gone to his clinic for supplies, leaving him alone with Baen, a water sprite. Gavin is attracted to both of them, but they don't seem to like each other much which complicates his hopes for threesome sex. However, he can't seem to stop himself from exploring the possibilities…

Gavin sat up to inspect his leg. It throbbed, but the bleeding seemed to have stopped. It really didn't need much TLC at all.

Baen squatted down beside him. "Does it hurt much?"

"It'll be fine," Gavin assured him. "In fact, if you help me over to my tent, I think I have something that'll take care of the problem right away."

"Your 'duck tape', I suppose. How does one make tape from water fowl anyway?" Immediately he held up his hands. "No, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

Gavin chuckled. "It has nothing to do with that kind of duck."

He placed his cool, damp hand on Gavin's leg, near the tear in his flesh. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think we'd better wait for Airk. He has a gift for tending to the injured." He flashed a wicked, sexy grin. "I'd be willing to kiss it and make it better though."

"Why don't you try kissing my lips instead?" After the words were spoken, Gavin held his breath. He didn't know what made them slip out like that, but he wasn't willing to take them back. He really did want to find out what it would be like to kiss the blue skinned creature.

"I thought you and Airk…"

Gavin nodded. "Is that a problem?"

"Not for me, but it may be for him. He's the monogamous sort."

"So am I. But we haven't made any promises to each other. I'm just…" He didn't know what he was doing. Winging it, he supposed. For whatever reason, it had become equally important to him to learn about Baen as he had Airk. "I'd just like to kiss you. But if you aren't interested, I understand."

Baen literally lunged at him, knocking Gavin onto his back once more. He scarcely had time to suck in a surprised breath before Baen was on him. This was no sweet surrender, but a full frontal assault. Baen didn't ask for permission to cross beyond the barrier of his lips. He attacked with teeth and tongue and lips, seducing his way inside. Gavin held onto him, intrigued by the wet yet solid feel of his body, as he tried to match the water man kiss for savage kiss.

"Want you," Baen panted out. "Want you bad."

SD: YUMMMM!!!! Now it's time for the profile part of the interview -- all those intimate details we loooove to hear!

General:

Favorite beverage? At the moment, it's Starbuck's Strawberry Crème or their green tea/blueberry frappe thing.

Favorite food? Anything I don't have to cook.

Favorite self-indulgence? Sleeping in!!!! Well, reading a book by one of my favorite authors simply for pleasure would be high on the list too.

Favorite place for a weekend tryst? Any place with a bathtub big enough for two and an endless hot water supply.

Men:

Blond, brunette or redhead? BLOND!!!!!! (okay, okay, the others can come play too…)

Smooth or hairy? Hairy…more than a line, less than a gorilla.

Muscly or thin? Muscly. I don't wanna squish 'im when I play rough. *g*

Sub or Dom? Hmmmm… Dom. But he MUST be a considerate and observant one. I have a very low tolerance for anything that smacks of humiliation.

Sex:

Lights on or off? Off. I'd rather use my other senses.

Rope, silk scarves, or handcuffs? Silk. Definitely.

On you or on him? Depends on the partner. Usually on him.

Quantity or quality? Quality, but that doesn't mean there can't be plenty of it!

Strangest place you've ever done it: Choir loft of a church.

Strangest place you'd like to do it: On a large boat in kind of rough water, with several other couples who are doing the same thing. I'd give the back of a motorcycle a shot too.

Writing:

Favorite writing apparel? Tee-shirt and shorts.

Favorite writing implement? I've taught myself to write on the computer. Please be suitably impressed. It was a major accomplishment for me.

Favorite form of inspiration? Reading the erotic writings of other authors, looking at romantic gay art, talking to friends about "what if". Really whatever the scene or my mood calls for.

Favorite part of writing? Getting reader feedback. I put a lot of thought and effort into my stories, and to hear that someone enjoyed the end result makes the creative process so rewarding. (Trite, but true.)

And now, the down, the dirty, the REAL nitty-gritty:

Sex, or chocolate? A smart man wouldn't make me choose. *wicked grin*

Interviewer aside: I think Kira's got possibly the handsomest author web page I've seen yet. Make sure to check it out at www.kirastonebooks.com!

*blushes* My webmaster is a personal friend. He knows I adore one of his poser characters so he surprised me by draping Sebastian all over the site. I owe him sooooo much.

Until next month, this is Sierra Dafoe, your Hot Spot super-snoop, asking the questions you really want to know! Make sure to check out Kira Stone's fabulous addition to the Deadly Sins series, Deadly Sins: Envy, and her upcoming Rookery Cove: Breakwater!