I’m delighted to welcome Shiloh Saddler to my site today, to talk about her latest release, her addiction to coffee and the hotness that is Matt Bomer.
Tell us about yourself. Both your writing self and your non-writing self. What are your interests and hobbies? Do you have a day job, etc?
Let’s see I’m addicted to coffee. That’s like the first thing everyone who meets me learns. I’m a cat person and love spending a lot of time with my black cat. I enjoy being in the outdoors and am hoping we’ll get snow soon so I can go snowmobiling. I live a quiet life and spend a lot of time in my pyjamas, book in hand.
The best part about being a writer is setting your own hours. I’m a night owl and I’m often writing or editing until midnight or one o’clock in the morning. During the day I often make my office at the local Starbucks. And people watching has now become a hobby. So watch out!
Give us the background on your latest release.
Saltwater Lover primarily takes place aboard a slaving ship in 1800. I had to do a lot of research on the slave trade and voyages from Africa to America. I was surprised to learn there was no mandated size for a slaving ship and many were small ships with a barebones crew. The Captain had a lot put on his shoulders to look after his cargo, man the ship, and see to his crew. I hope I conveyed all of those responsibilities in my portrayal of Captain Mather.
How did you get started with writing? And what was your route to publication like?
I have many friends who are writers and they encouraged me to write some of my sexy ideas down. It took a lot of convincing to get me started and then I was hooked.
I was lucky. The first novella I wrote was accepted by the e-publisher I submitted it to. I like the digital age. I’m a big fan of ebooks.
What are you currently working on?
I’m working on a historical M/M interracial wolf shifter series set in the antebellum south. This will be my first time going outside the bounds of straight historical romance. I’m actually having a lot of fun with my wolf shifter guys.
Do you have a particular Muse for your writing? Do any of your characters bear startling resemblances to sexy celebrities or people you admire?
No. Every story is inspired by something different. I don’t keep track of celebrities very much. As a GLBT historical romance author my muse tends to be more of a historical nature. Perhaps a history textbook I read or a documentary I saw on TV.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Both writing-wise and non-writing-wise?
I see myself continuing to write GLBT historical romance, however I may expand to other genres: contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi. I will have built up quite a backlist of titles and hopefully gotten myself a website.
Non-writing wise I see myself owning a house and having a writing office and fighting over the computer chair with my cat.
And now for some silly questions…
Muscled or skinny? Muscled
Tall or short? Tall
Boxers or briefs? Briefs
Moustache or beard? Beard
Long hair or shaven head? Long hair
Tattoos or piercings? Tattoos
Intelligent or funny? Intelligent
Blond, brunette or red head? Blond
Hottest celebrity (tell us why, if you like)? Matt Bomer from White Collar. That guy is sexy and smart. I like a man who walks a little on the wild side.
Top same-sex crush (or opposite sex if you already like same-sex!) Carrie Underwood. She’s beautiful inside and out and she can sing!
Most disliked celebrity (tell us why, if you like) Miley Cyrus… I think she’s gone crazy.
Favourite food Chocolate
Favourite book (tell us why, if you like) That changes all the time! Right now I’ll say
Favourite place in the world (tell us why, if you like)
Anything else you’d like to add?
Now give us the blurb, an extract and buy links for your latest release.
In 1800, Kojo is a native African with deep connections to the spirits—but those spirits choose not to save him from the slaving ship. He’s captured and taken aboard, where he meets Captain Mather. During the long journey to America, not even the spirits can save him from their growing attraction. Love blooms. A doomed love. For when they land, Kojo’s fate is to be sold.
Captain Mather can’t imagine Kojo being treated as a slave. Desperate to spare him from that life, the captain hides him, taking him to his home. When he’s blackmailed by a mutinous former crewmember, there seems little choice but to sell his ship and pay. Anything to save the man he loves.
Excerpt:
When the captain reached him, Kojo’s pulse quickened, jumping several beats. The man’s green gaze scanned his muscular chest, glistening with sweat from the long walk. He wrapped a hand around Kojo’s chin, drawing his face gently toward him. His touch was not forceful as Kojo had expected, only enough pressure to direct the movement. The captain smelled of tobacco and rum and a spice Kojo couldn’t name. It was a manly, intoxicating scent.
The man’s calloused fingers trailed down Kojo’s neck, lingering for a moment at the base of his throat. Kojo felt the man’s hot breath on his lips, merely inches from his own. His round face and toned arms made it hard for Kojo to guess his age. A few strands of silver were mixed into his beard and at his hairline but were hard to see—perhaps forty?
Unbridled lust gleamed in the captain’s eyes and yet Kojo wasn’t terrified. It made him feel alive, wanted. Under the man’s predatory gaze, Kojo’s cock thickened, straining against the confines of his breechcloth. No man had looked at him or touched him like that before. And he liked it.
The captain smiled, the harshness in his eyes easing by a fraction.
Kojo’s cheeks burned.
One of the catchermen laughed, peering at Kojo’s loins.
The heat in Kojo’s cheeks spread throughout his whole body. He lowered his gaze, staring at his feet.
The captain shouted at the laughing man and he shut up.
The muscular white man guarding him started arguing with the captain. Kojo didn’t know what they were saying, but the man pointed at him. The captain must have told the man to guard another section of slaves, because his guard changed.
Returning his attention to Kojo, he tipped up his chin as if to tell him not to be ashamed. Then he slipped his fingers around the sacred bead hanging on a piece of leather from his neck. Kojo figured the man was going to cut it off with the small knife hanging in a sheath on his belt. But he didn’t.
The captain’s hand barely brushed his chest as he let go of the bead. The contact was so light Kojo wondered if he had imagined it. Gooseflesh rose on his arms. Then he was gone, leaving him alone with his strange, unmet desires.
Buy Saltwater Lover now:
Liquid Silver Books: http://www.lsbooks.com/saltwater-lover-p863.php
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/o4j6udk
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/m67rhqb
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-saltwaterlover-1374822-340.html
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/saltwater-lover
Now give us your author bio and website/social media links.
Shiloh Saddler likes to do research for her steamy romances first hand. She has invented a time machine and travels back to the 19th century on a regular basis. There are experimental settings on her time machine which could propel her into the future and even other worlds. She believes love and a good book makes anything possible.
Social Media Links:
Blog: http://shilohsaddler.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiloh.saddler?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShilohSaddler
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00H6CN5D4
Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this interview and wish you the best of luck with your latest release. Many sales!