Rendezvous

© Brianna Lee McKenzie 2014

She held me today. She caressed my back as she opened me up and unveiled my innermost thoughts. Her eyes filled with passion as they danced adoringly over me, drinking in the very essence of my soul.

She gave me her full attention. Not like normal, when she concentrates on her husband, or her kids or that dog.  

No, today was different with her. She laid on the sofa with me, a crackling fire kept time with the soft music while a soothing glass of wine relaxed her tense muscles.  As the gentle melody surrounded us, we journeyed to where she had never been before. Exhilaration was the catalyst for an inspiring experience that she would never forget.

It had been a long time since we’d been together and it was just like the first time. As the evening progressed, we explored emotions and sensations that we had never felt before. To my utter satisfaction, she was mesmerized by the intensity of our encounter.  The excitement of our journey was like an ascent into the rapture of ardent pleasure, which propelled us higher and higher until our ultimate reward was realized.

Suddenly, a tear made a shallow river down her flushed cheek and she pulled away, but only for a moment.  Then, a languid sigh escaped her pouting lips and she stared at me with more love than I had ever known.  Finally, a satisfied smile crept across her face and she held me lovingly to her breast.  She murmured the words that I had wanted to hear with every fiber of my soul.

“That was the best,” she whispered through tears of elation. “That was the best book I’ve read in years!”  

Do Not Feed the Trolls!

Pardon me while a wee bit of me Irish comes out.  I found this petition through Ann Rice’s Facebook Fan Page and will definitely sign it. I encourage you to do the same, in support of authors who have been bullied by trolls who have nothing better to do than to downgrade the work of an author who had spent countless hours writing, re-writing,  and editing a book that they had the insurmountable courage to upload to Amazon. 

To be an author, one places a part of his/her soul onto a virtual carousel for all to enjoy.  But, for some, it becomes a chopping block where pieces of their book are ripped and torn, nit-picked and spewed upon by the vicious opinions of those who dare not reveal their true identities.  Although I have received such one-star blotches, I have not been stalked (yet) by these despicable monsters as some in this article have.

This hatred has to stop!  Click HERE to join the thousands of others who have signed the petition to end this type of cyber bullying.  

As my Irish ire grew while penning this post, I found myself writing a poem that sums up my perception of why these people are compelled to review with anonymous animosity.  While the poem is somewhat funny, it in no way diminishes the severity of the anguish that trolls inflict on others. If anything, it brings those evildoers down to size.

To truly feel the essence of the limerick, you must recite it in your best Irish accent.

Pinch Me! Please!

Someone pinch me, I think I’m dreaming. If I’m not, then I have wonderful news!  My short screenplay has been optioned by a production company. If all goes well, filming will begin soon and “Emoticon” will be presented in several film festivals.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about this new development in my career as a writer.  I have come so far from author wannabe to screenwriter.  After so many rejection letters, agent turn-downs and broken promises, my work will now be visualized by the masses.

I suppose that I should retrace my steps for readers who don’t know about the path that brought me to this point and fill in some blanks for those of you who have followed my journey. In 2011, I announced that my novel “Enchanted Heart” had been picked up by a small publisher.  That was a very exciting moment for me. I even wrote about it here. Unfortunately, the publisher had some technical difficulties, which I will not go into because I refuse to create negativity for anyone. Karma, I hear, is like a fire-breathing dragon and I won’t burn bridges or my backside by recanting a story that is better left untold.  All I will say is that the company has gone out of business and the print version of the book is no longer available except as print-on-demand and left-over stock. Sad, I know. I get teary-eyed whenever I think of it.

But, I've moved on. And so has my career.  I would never have imagined that I would write a screenplay until I wrote “L’Inked”, an adaptation of my thriller/romance novel.  My friends who had read the novel commented that it would make a great movie. But I chuckled and said that I had no clue how to present the idea to a screenwriter.  Then one day I was perusing Facebook for interesting subjects and I came across a conversation between two fiction authors who had stepped over the line from novelist to screenwriter. I was intrigued. I asked questions. I got answers, answers that led me to obsessively research the process.  I spent days searching the Internet for insight, guidance and reassurance. I went to the library and checked out books on the subject, made notes, made promises to myself…and then I made excuses as to why I was not qualified to write screenplays.

But Pamala Hall, one of my friends on Facebook who is not only a screenwriter and producer who owns LionHawk Productions, but is also, a very prolific woman whose inspiring words motivated me to take that first step.  Seeing her posts every day gave me the courage to not only dream but to, in her most encouraging words, “Soar!”

So, I downloaded a free screenwriting program and off I went, climbing higher and higher on that caffeine-induced endeavor that we authors call writing. The first draft was finished after three days and, I have to tell you that mixed with the excitement of the accomplishment was a myriad of emotions.  Relief, exhaustion and utter disbelief that I had actually written a script were among them.  But most of all, I felt lost.  I was overwhelmed by the need to continue that addictive activity. I was having withdrawals!  It was as if my mind was craving that creativity, that focus, that feeling of flying high above a world that I alone could construct!

The urge to practice this newfound art spurred me to write my short screenplay “Emoticon”.  This five-page family drama took only a few hours to write and I immediately sent it to another producer friend of mine who said she liked it, which gave me the courage to list it on InkTip.com where screenwriters pitch their wares.  I couldn’t afford to list my feature screenplay “L’Inked” but it was free to list short scripts, so I entered the pitch into their database in September.  In December, I got the email that a producer was interested in filming it!  On Christmas Day, I signed the release for Trifecta Motion Pictures to option the script for six months.

Now, let me explain.  An option means that the film company has exclusive rights to film the screenplay. It doesn’t mean that the film is guaranteed to actually be produced.  I know, I know.  I tell myself every day not to get excited until the big screen blares my name in the credits.  But, I am proud of myself for getting this far this fast!  Let me bask in the fantasy for a while (or at least for six months). Update: I got an email from Dwayne and shooting will begin in a few weeks!

Meanwhile, I also wrote a feature film screenplay that I titled “Last Chance”.  This one took a little longer because of research and character development.  But I finished it and then put it aside while I dabbled in another thriller, which is still in the outline stage.  Then, I revised, rewrote and edited until I thought that “Last Chance” had a chance in a contest.  So, with high hopes, I entered it.  But it did not make the semi-finals. So, it is back up for grabs! Read the log line here

The good news is, eyes will be seeing my work and my talent will be noticed by producers and management agencies.  Hopefully, some day, mine will be a household name.  If not, at least I can say that I took that step into a new realm of creativity.  For now, I’m just going to SOAR!        

Cliffhanger

Before I wrote L’Inked, I had always composed sweet romantic stories where I would take the reader up to the point of virtual bliss and then I transitioned to the next scene with prolific prose. To me, it was not unlike a portrait of a beautiful woman who was dressed in clothes that hid the most intimate parts and it was up to the readers, or the admirers of the portrait, to peel back the layers in their imaginative minds. And that was risqué enough for me.

But after seeing the attention that Fifty Shades of Grey received, my son asked me why I didn’t write a book like that. I told him that I would never write about BDSM but I that could attempt to write an erotic novel. I toyed with the idea, hovering for some time on that diving-board of doubt, before I finally made myself vault right into the deep end.

All I had to do was to take that proverbial step over the precipice of rising literary ecstasy and describe the scenes in full, provocative detail in which the characters triumphed in a wide range of exotic, erotic experiences. For me, it was simply one more summit to surpass.  But, it wasn’t as difficult as I’d thought it would be.

I wrote the book, complementing  it with as many carnal components as I could without compromising the plot, and I dedicated it to my son. If he had not encouraged me to write such an exhilarating example of the sensual relationship between a man and a woman, I may never have stepped over that cliff.

And after I finished the novel, I began to receive compliments about it. My readers said that they were “sucked into the story” and that the sex scenes only brought the characters closer together, binding them both physically and emotionally. You, too, will be ecstatically amazed that Marc and Cassie balance their challenging struggle to remove the curse that the Voodoo Queen placed on them with exciting love-making that will “blow your mind”.

Many of its readers also commented that the book would make a great movie. So, after lots of research (and plenty of procrastination), I adapted it into a screenplay. This was another new adventure that I postponed because of my lack of confidence in my ability. But this time, after revving myself up with reassurances, I hit the air running and had the first draft finished in a mere three days. Again, it was not as hard as I had thought it would be.

My next giant jump will be to pitch the screenplay to potential producers, directors and investors. Hopefully, I’ll have an agent to assist me. But first, I’ll have to pitch it to an agent. (Oh my!) I’ve put this off for months, still held back by both the fear of failure and the anxiety of success. I have stretched my leg out a few times, but have quickly retracted it. Now, I must take a deep breath and soar off that cliff, knowing that, whether it’s a crash dive or a smooth touchdown, landing is inevitable. And, I know that bolting forward is imperative because the bluff of uncertainty is even more terrifying than the leap of faith.

Read an exhilarating expert from L’Inked here 

Buy L’Inked here

Write Me a Miracle

 I’ve written a short story about miracles and things that only God has the power over. And yet, as an author, I have a power that few mortals possess. In my imaginary world, I can create characters, make them fall in love, fall out of love, come to some disastrous end or I can bless them with a miracle that will change their fictional lives.
 In my latest short story, I have created a child that possesses the power to perform miracles. It is a controversial concept, I know, but it is one that, in my humble opinion, needs to be written, to be read and to be believed.
 Why can’t mortals make miracles happen, I ask myself? And then, I look at my children and I realize that I was a part of their creation, the miracle of their births, the miracle of their lives and the miracle of their legacies. I am Mother, Healer of booboos and broken hearts, Mind reader and Finder of all things lost. I, a lesser being, a mere mortal, am a miracle worker. I had the power to mold my children into decent adults, a feat that most parents endeavor to accomplish.
 So, why can’t a child, one of God’s blessed babies, be a conduit to His great works? This is the theme to my short story, which I have named “Grace of God”. Why can’t Grace be a miracle worker at the tender age of five? She won’t understand her power and yet, deep in her tiny heart, she knows that she is connected with a higher being, an entity that controls her life and those around her. How will Grace confront, or accept, her newly found ability? How will she, at that young age, realize that she has the power to heal, to change lives, to transform the world? These are questions that I had to ask myself and then answer with a riveting, heart-warming story that will transform my readers’ lives. I have the power to create a world that not only affects my fictional characters, but one that will essentially affect those who step into the realm of my creation. I invite you to enter into a world that I have manifested, the world of my progeny, “Grace of God”. Her world will be transformed…and, I promise you, so will yours. Read the short story HERE for US or Here for UK

A musical and visual link to "L'Inked"

Recently, I published "L'Inked" on Amazon.  I had an online book release party on Facebook where I posted pictures of the characters of the book and suggested music for you to enjoy while reading it.  I'll re-post it all here so that you can not only visualize the faces of the story but you can listen to the tunes that will take you into the scenes as well.

I will start off by showing you the characters of the story and telling you a little about them...

Marc and Cassie Matthews met in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.  They went back two years later for their honeymoon. It was a honeymoon that they would never forget...

They spent their days together, a blissful beginning to a happy marriage.

They spent their nights celebrating Mardi Gras among the other revelers.

Every day, they fell more and more in love.  They were oblivious to the fact that their lives will soon be turned upside down.

They found a quaint little tattoo shop.

They decided to get matching tattoo wedding rings.

Voodoo Queen Madame Cloutier cursed their tattoos, binding Marc and Cassie together forever.  Literally.  With the 'Unity Bond', the couple must be faithful and trusting or they would suffer great agony and then certain death.

A voodoo zombie seduced Marc and broke the bond between husband and wife.  Pain would be their constant companion in this life and the next unless they found a way to reverse the hex.

The first person to offer them assistance was Dodger LaRue, a jazz musician who had also been cursed by the powerful Voodoo Queen.

Then, they sought help from the Voodoo Museum, where Dominique Delacroix was very firm in her belief that the couple's lives would never be the same unless they perform an Uncrossing.

They met Mariah, the proprietress of a voodoo gris-gris shop where they obtained the necessary items for the Uncrossing.

They performed the Uncrossing Spell but they soon learned that a curse still lingered, one that kept them bound to the city of New Orleans forever.  They realized that the only way that they could leave was to enlist the help of another couple.

Greg Walsh

Gwen Walsh

But the curse still lingered...

Cassie was seduced by a voodoo zombie.

Would they finally be released from the curse or would their Mardi Gras honeymoon become a Voodoo nightmare?

Buy the book in the U.S. HERE or in the U.K. HERE

An excerpt from the book:

“Come, my goddess.  Your chariot awaits.”

Almost true to his words, there was a horse-drawn carriage waiting by the curb.  Cassie’s heart quivered when Marc took her hand and helped her step into the buggy.  She was so completely enchanted by the fairy-tale encounter that Marc had planned for their last evening together that she hugged him while the carriage moved forward.

Not wanting to break the embrace, yet yearning to feel her lips upon his, Marc pulled far enough away from Cassie to stare into her eyes while the street lights illuminated them with sparks of visible bliss.  He memorized her face, a face bathed in pure splendor while she stared back at him, clearly filled with adoring emotion.  He moved his head closer to her until his breath was upon her upturned lips as he whispered, “I want this night to last forever!”

Against her will, a tear slipped from Cassie’s lashes and melted into the heat of the skin on her breast that the fabric failed to cover.  She dared not move in order to wipe away the evidence of her passionate response to Marc’s romantic gesture.  Instead, she concentrated on his lips that moved as if in slow motion toward hers.  Her heart pounded erratically while her mind reeled with ecstatic anticipation until the warmth of his kiss sent her into a whirlwind of elation, and electrifying sensation of pure, dizzying desire.

Her arms encircled his neck, pulling him closer so that she could merge her body to his as if they were one entity, as she was certain they were meant to be.  With her breasts pressed against his muscular chest, Cassie clung to Marc while wrapped in his powerful yet tender arms.  Entranced by the way his lips gently caressed hers, undulating against the sensitive skin of her hungry lips until she increased the intensity of their kiss. 

As if he’d been waiting for that very moment, that not-so-subtle invitation to take the encounter one step further, Marc groaned with yearning as he moved a heated hand toward her breast.  Pausing while covering that perfect mound with his palm, he allowed her ample time to protest.  When she responded with roving fingers that ascended, urgently searching for the ripples of muscles on his shoulders, he parted her lips with his tongue.  Passing her teeth, seeking its mate within her mouth and upon finding its partner, his tongue frolicked with hers while simulating the very intimate dance that their bodies longed to enjoy. 

Just when they thought their kiss would last until their lives ceased, the driver announced, “Brennan’s Restaurant!”

A collection of songs that will take you to New Orleans...

Marc and Cassie danced to this song in their hotel room



This song describes Cassie's struggle with accepting love


One of Marc's favorite songs

One of Cassie's favorite songs


A little bit of zydeco, straight from Louisiana


I call this the tattoo girl song



Here are a few videos about New Orleans, voodoo, and Mardi Gras...









Sadly, Six Flags New Orleans, which I mentioned in the book, was abandoned after Hurricane Katrina swept through the city



Just for grins...




I hope that you enjoyed this video and musical tour through New Orleans.  Now, all you have to do is buy the book and then come back here to fully experience the sensual thriller that is "L'Inked".

For U.S. purchase, click HERE or for U.K., click HERE

That Voodoo that you do

I love it when I learn something through research.  In my latest thriller/romance novel, I researched Voodoo in New Orleans.  I discovered that it is closely knitted with the Catholic religion.  I read that the slaves, who were brought to Louisiana where Catholicism was forced upon them, adapted their culture in order to appease the authorities.  The slaves began to use images of religious saints as a means to continue their voodoo culture.  Today, there are more statues, candles and other personified items with the image of Catholic saints than there are African imagery.

Even now, there is no conflict between Catholicism and Voodoo.  In Voodoo, the role of the spirits is separate from that of God, whereas the saints share the same role in a Catholic’s life.  Voodoo, it seems, has always been very liberal in accepting and assimilating aspects of other spiritual beliefs. 

Take St. Peter, who stands at the door to Heaven.  His Voodoo counterpart is Legba, the guardian to the gateway to the spirit world.  Aida Wedo, the primary female Voodoo spirit, is their version of the Blessed Virgin. I find it very fascinating that the culture is so adaptable and that those who practice it persevere in keeping it alive despite the changes around them.

When I was a child, I believed that Voodoo was evil and scary, involving blood, snakes, zombies and chicken feet as the movies and books had portrayed.  Well, that part is true.  But most of the black magic Voodoo is kept underground and out of sight.  In fact, until the ‘Seventies, there were authentic voodoo gris-gris shops in New Orleans in plain sight.  Now, there are shops that cater those who are interested in the religion.  Whether or not they are authentic and not just tourist traps, one can only speculate.  

The religion was used for positive practices as well.  Like in the Catholic religion, there were spirits for protection and good will.  Erzulie Dantor, patron of unwed mothers, protector against domestic violence and patron of lesbians in the Voodoo religion reflects that of the Catholic Madonna.     

I found myself delving into the similarities of both religions by reading several websites and becoming quite interested in the information that was offered.  In the bibliography of my upcoming novel, you will find a list of these websites to peruse as well. 

I am one to weigh each side of the scale before making any decision on which way to vote.  Being a Christian, naturally, I will still practice Christianity.  But, as a teen, our church was thoughtful enough to expose us to different religions.  As Ambassadors, we visited a Jewish Synagogue and several other religions and learned about their beliefs.  The reason for this, our Youth Counselor told us, was that we were all created by one God and that we should embrace our neighbors no matter what their religion. 

So, I embraced the Voodoo culture, if only for the few weeks of research.  And now, hopefully, I have portrayed it accurately in “LInked”, my thriller/romance novel.  It is due to be released in October, in time for Halloween.  I have incorporated Black Magic, giving the story some heart-stopping moments, so be warned!  Don’t worry.  I’ll hold your hand, in the virtual sense, of course.  I might even embrace you! J

Cover design by yours truly using images from these two websites (and a few of my own): http://www.dreamstime.com/res3186598-stock-pictures  &  http://www.public-domain-image.com/

I’m not 50 Shades of Green (with envy)

I keep hearing the buzz about the E.L. James trilogy.  The e-books are flying off the virtual shelves and into digital devices everywhere.  Instead of seeing faces, I see the paperback version with that grey tie or the mask or better still, the handcuffs staring at me.  Or there are 50 types of tablets that display the spicy scenes that are rocking the readers’ worlds.

My friends ask me, “Did you read 50 Shades yet?”

I answer, “No.”

“Are you going to?” they ask.

Again, I reply, “No.”

“Why not?” they ask.

“I don’t need to.”

This answer is given because I don’t need to be seduced by words on a page or a screen.  And I have two very good reasons why the Fifty Shades Trilogy is not on my reading list.

1. I have written a sensual thriller that could rival the threesome.  You can buy it HERE if you are in the U.S. or HERE if you are in the U.K.
2. I have a very attentive husband who could write his own version of the secret seductive pleasures that no woman can resist (which is why I tell people that he is the model for my male characters)

Although I probably will not read her books, I applaud Ms. James in her success and wish her all the best.  I don’t discourage anyone from reading the trilogy.  In fact, I hope that you enjoy every luscious syllable.  I just hope that after you have read it and you are looking for something else to read, you will find my books interesting.   

So, go ahead, finish reading that trilogy and come on back to the worlds that I have created.  The scenes are a “shade” lighter on the spice but they are still full of adventure.  I look forward to (gently) rocking your world!      

Scroll back up for a nice selection of worlds created by me J