I’m welcoming the wonderful Ashe Barker to my Tickle Me Pink spot and she’s sharing Faith with us…
Hello Jaye, and a huge thank you for inviting me to be tickled pink over at your blog today to chat a little about my latest release, Faith which was released last week. This is my first story to be published through Stormy Night so I’m even more excited than usual.
The heroine, Faith, tells her story in her own words so we do get to know her quite well. Even so, I thought it might be interesting to probe a little further so I fired some finely honed questions at Faith. Here’s what she had to tell us…
Me : In the book you describe the first time you spoke to Ewan, but you had seen him before. Tell us honestly, what was your first impression? What three words spring to mind?
Faith : Tall. Gorgeous. Terrifying
Me : So you were attracted to Ewan from the start?
Faith : I doubt any woman with a pulse wouldn’t be. But I was happily married and it was a case of look but don’t touch. Admire from a distance. Even if I’d thought about it seriously, I’d have said he was out of my league.
Me : So what changed?
Faith : I got to know him I suppose. He’s still terrifying sometimes, mainly when he has a paddle or a cane in his hand, but he’s nice too. He’s kind and he cares about me. Really cares. I rely on him and he never lets me down.
Me : Tell us something about Ewan that doesn’t come out in the book. What’s his worst habit?
Faith : He hogs the bedclothes. He’ll pull the duvet over to his side and I have to snuggle right up close to keep warm. Come to think of it I suppose that’s not such a bad habit. Maybe his worst trait is that he can’t sit still. He’s always busy, always active. He makes me feel tired just watching him.
Me : When did you realise you were in love with Ewan?
Faith : More or less straight away I guess, but I didn’t admit it to myself for a while. It was just – awkward. It didn’t seem right so I pretended we were friends, nothing more. Ewan just kept on chipping away. He’s very determined.
Me : Would you say that was one of his best qualities? Determination?
Faith : Yes, definitely. He knows what he wants out of life. He’s generous too, and very considerate. A perfect gentleman – Except for the paddle and cane, obviously.
Me : Quite. So, what will you be getting Ewan for Christmas this year?
Faith : That’s a problem, he has everything he wants really. I’m thinking about one of those exciting days out, maybe a sky-diving experience, or motor racing. I’ve also bought a rather beautiful corset which I’m intending to wear on Christmas Eve.
Me : Sounds fabulous. We know that Ewan has been pretty much all over the world for his work. When he’s not working what would you say is his dream destination to spend a holiday?
Faith : As you say, when he travels he’s always working. I think his dream place would be somewhere to relax. A desert island maybe, or a cottage somewhere really remote like the Outer Hebrides. No phone, no internet, just us.
Me : One last question. Where do you see yourself and Ewan being in five years’ time?
Faith : Now that is difficult one. We’ll be together, I’m sure of that, but whether we’ll still live in the same house, sorry, houses, I don’t know. We could have them knocked into one, but there are so many memories here, not all of them good. I think I’d prefer to start afresh somewhere else. Ewan won’t mind as long as we’re together.
Me : Sounds wonderful. I wish you every happiness. And thank you for chatting to me today.
Faith : My pleasure. Bye…
Here’s the blurb…
After her husband’s sudden, tragic death, Faith is left widowed after only six months of marriage. She wallows in grief until a neighbour, Ewan, reaches out to her. Although his work takes him away a great deal, Ewan slowly becomes Faith’s rock, helping her heal and encouraging her as she struggles to rebuild her life. As time passes, Faith grows more and more attracted to Ewan, but one thing holds her back: Ewan is a dom, and she is not ready to be a sub.
Though the idea of kneeling naked at Ewan’s feet excites her in a way she can’t fully understand, Faith fears that his sexual appetites would prove too much for her. But when he discovers that she has been exploring the lifestyle without his knowledge and hiding her activities from him, Ewan issues an ultimatum: either she becomes his submissive, or they go their separate ways. This is just the push Faith needs, and in the end her decision is not a difficult one.
Ewan quickly proves to be a firm, commanding lover who is more than capable of mastering her completely. He challenges Faith’s boundaries and introduces her to a level of sensuality she never dreamed she could experience, and Faith soon finds herself at peace in a way she has not felt in years. But when fate takes another turn and she learns the truth about her husband’s death, can Faith count on Ewan to be by her side as she adjusts to a new reality yet again?
Publisher’s Note: Faith is an erotic novel that includes spankings, sexual scenes, anal play, extensive BDSM content, and more. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.
Faith : Buy Links
And here’s an excerpt from Faith. The heat is starting to build between these two.
“How long are you here for this time?” We’re sitting on my one and only sofa, the remains of a Hawaiian pizza on a tray at our feet.
“In the UK? A month. But I have to go to London next week, and Bristol the week after. I have meetings in Paris as well next month—early planning for their 2024 Olympic bid.”
“Sounds exciting. I love Paris.”
“Come with me.”
“What?”
“You heard.” His gaze intensifies. No dimples. He’s serious.
“I couldn’t.”
“Three days. Four at the most. You could spare the time. Come.”
“With you? In the same hotel?”
“Of course in the same hotel. Separate rooms though. If you insist.”
If I insist? Christ!
“Think about it. You’d have a good time, I promise you that. Sightseeing, fine food.”
“But wouldn’t you be working?”
“Some of the time, not all. We’d have plenty of opportunity to relax.”
“What about the sex?” Oh. My. God. Did that come out loud?
“Well, I hadn’t got to that bit yet, but if you insist on raising it now…”
There’s an expectant pause before I cover my face in my hands. The flush is burning from my neck up. I’m mortified, so embarrassed I could crawl down the back of my sofa and just die there. What on earth made me say such a thing? What must he think?
“I’m sorry. I can’t believe I said that.” I splutter the words through my hands.
“I’ve heard worse suggestions.” He doesn’t sound offended. Or even particularly surprised. Maybe women proposition him all the time.
“But—it’s you. You.”
“Certainly is. Last time I looked.”
Why doesn’t he take this seriously? “I can’t sleep with you.”
“Okay.”
“No, I mean, I just can’t. However much I might want to. It wouldn’t be right.”
He leans back and reaches for my chin, tilting my face up out of my hands. I’m still blushing, which seems to make him smile more. The dimples are very much in evidence now. At least one of us is enjoying this exchange.
“We’re both single. We can do what we want. Do you want me to fuck you?”
“Of course. Who wouldn’t?”
“Well, quite a few people, I suspect. But let’s not write a list.” He pauses, then, “Do you?”
Tears are prickling behind my eyelids. Any moment now I’ll be making as big a fool of myself as I did that first time he came round, blubbering all over him. I don’t answer. Can’t answer.
Not good enough, it seems. “Do you, Faith?”
“No. Yes.” I whisper the words.
His gorgeous brow furrows as he cocks his head to one side. “Which is it, Faith? Yes, or no?”
“I don’t know. I’m confused. In any case, it doesn’t matter what I want, or think I want. This wouldn’t be right. You and me.”
A bit more about me…
Until 2010 I was a director of a regeneration company in Leeds, in the UK, before becoming convinced there must be more to life. So I left, and at last I’ve been able to realise my dream of writing erotic romance. I’ve been writing seriously for about two years but I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, erotic and other genres. I love reading historical and contemporary romances in all pairings – the hotter the better. But now I have a good excuse for my guilty pleasure – research.
In my own writing I draw on settings and anecdotes from my own experience to lend colour, detail and realism to my plots and characters. My stories are often set in the north of England where I live but I draw inspiration from all over. An incident here, a chance remark there, a bizarre event or quirky character, any of these can spark a story idea. But ultimately my tales of love, challenge, resilience and compassion are the conjurings of my own lurid and smutty imagination.
On the rare occasions I’m not writing my time is divided between my role as resident taxi driver for my teenage daughter, and caring for a menagerie of dogs, rabbits, tortoises. And most recently a very grumpy cockatiel. I’m a rural parish councillor, and I’m passionate about evolving rural traditions and values to suit twenty first century lifestyles.
My other titles include the ‘Black Combe’ trilogies, The Dark Side, Sure Mastery, The Hardest Word and A Richness of Swallows, all set in the atmospheric moorland of West Yorkshire or Cumbria and with a strong BDSM theme. The Three Rs is a stand-alone novel set in Berwick in the Scottish border. I’ve also written a couple of short stories, Re-Awakening, and a raunchy pirate tale, Right of Salvage, as well as a novella, Carrot and Coriander. All are available from
Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com Barnes and Noble All Romance
I have a pile of story ideas still to work through, and keep thinking of new ones at the most unlikely moments, so you can expect to see a lot more from me.
I love to hear from readers. You can find me on my blog, and I’m on Facebook, and twitter too.
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Big thank you to Ashe for introducing Faith to us and good luck with those ideas!