Thank you so much for having me stop by today. I snuck
under Captain Raphael’s defenses (otherwise known as El Angel) and wormed my way onto his ship to talk about what it’s
like being a pirate. He’s the hero of Temptation Released, available now
from Totally
Bound (the um, book is available. Captain Raphael is already taken. Sorry.).
There’s no doubt that he’s sexy, and I’m ever grateful he allowed me to sit
with him instead of hauling me off when he found me poking around in the galley.
After the interview however, when I asked why he kept
a smug smile in place throughout, all he would say was that the chair I sat in,
brought back interesting memories of his Lady Elise. Hmmm...that captain...he
does have the devil in his eyes and I’m a mix of grateful and jealous that I’m
not that dear, sweet woman who captured his heart.
Me:
Hello Captain Raphael. Thank you for agreeing to sit with me.
El Angel: Sit with you? (he chuckles
low). Was it not you who barged her way onto my ship?
Me:
Um, well...let’s move one. You did agree to answer a few questions. The first I
want to know is what did you do before you took up piracy? Why did you decided
on the new career move?
El Angel: My past isn’t pretty. It
was hard and cruel. Mi padre died shortly after I was born and mi madre’s
sister had run off to be with an English prig. They wanted nothing to do with
us so it was survival at all costs. Piracy was a natural detour with a bonus—this
presented me with a way to seek out my black hearted cousin. (He turns his head
for a moment. I don’t press for more).
Me:
Okay. Um, let’s see...this is a good one. Pirates are bad lads, we all know
that. But what was the naughtiest thing you ever got up to as a boy?
El Angel: Me? I was an angel as a boy
and I am an angel as a man. Look at my name. Even my lady will tell you about
the delights of heaven I can bestow. Now, you tell me...into what kind of
naughtiness can an angel engage? (his gaze is steady and his seductive words
sound like a challenge. I am no match for him and scurry to the next question).
Me:
Ah, where do you keep your parrot?
El Angel: Lo siento, no parrot for
me. I am not one for pets...of the furred and feathered kind that is.
Me:
Ooh, here’s one. What’s a swash? And how would you recommend buckling it?
El Angel: (He straightens and speaks
like the knowledgeable seafarer that he is). You see, a swash is pretty turbulent.
The water, she can be violent and fierce and a wise sailor knows when to steer
clear to calmer waters.
Me:
So it has nothing to do with piracy? With women?
El Angel: Ah, you play on words. Si,
a swash can be similar to a woman. But with turbulent women, sometimes cutting
through and immersing yourself is the best course of action. In this case, as
I’ve found with my Lady Elise, the buckle has to be secure and tight.
Me:
You mean you...? Oh, never mind. Next question. Apart from you, who is the scariest
pirate on the high seas?
El Angel: Nearly all of them, truth
be told. I don’t think I’m all that scary. My goal, after all, was to exact
revenge against one despicable and cowardly cur of a man. If someone got in the
way of that, so be it.
Me:
In your own words, tell us what your first impression was when you met Lady
Elise.
El Angel: Dios mio, she was a
temptation such as I have never encountered. And such courage and beauty and
defiance. She set my blood to race that afternoon and it hasn’t cooled yet.
Me:
If you were shipwrecked on a desert island, what three items would you want to
take with you?
El Angel: Lady Elise, rope and...a
knife. What? We’d have to eat, wouldn’t we?
Me:
I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to speak with me captain. One
last tidbit. Have you done the Totally Bound Jolly Rogered quiz yet? What was
your score?
El Angel: Quiz? What quiz? Oh, you
mean test. (he snorts) I have no need of your test. But it amuses my lady so I
will no doubt find myself indulging her wishes.
As I am escorted off his ship, I challenge you. Why
not give the test a go yourself and see how good you are at knowing your pirate
lore? Check out this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YWVMRQC.
You say you want more? Of course! There are three other talented authors indulging in pirate tales. Check them out:
Right of Salvage by Ashe Barker
Ruined By The Pirate by Wendi Zwaduk
The Running Game by Meg Harding
*Pirate sightings*: In celebration of the general
release of the Jolly Rogered stories, there will be a Facebook party on July
15. Join me, Meg, Wendi and Ashe as we delve into all things pirate. https://www.facebook.com/ events/1435843353343133/?fref= ts
We’ll have fun, games, and a chance to win all four Jolly Rogered ebooks!
We’ll have fun, games, and a chance to win all four Jolly Rogered ebooks!
About Ayla
Handed a historical romance at the age of twelve, Ayla Ruse fell in love
with love and with happy endings. Having
grown up living life tasting a little of this and a little of that has not
changed this attitude, but it’s expanded her views. Love isn’t always happy and it isn’t always
the way a person “thinks it should be.”
Sometimes it’s outside the box, and it’s always a challenge.
The challenge of finding and holding onto this love is what drives Ayla
in her fiction. She likes stories that
strip love – among other things - down to the skin and tests the attachment and
beliefs of the participants. Sometimes
that test can come in the form of multiple partners, overcoming a desperate
fear or even being sexually inventive.
Ayla loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her through her
website at www.aylaruse.com, blog www.aylaruse.blogspot.com or on Facebook. For more links, visit
her about.me page.
2 comments:
Thank you Wendi for keeping me sane today. Loved visiting with you!
you are quite welcome. I had a blast :-)
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