Today, there are two posts on Living the Dream. If you are looking for the October Frights Blog Hop, scroll down. If you want to take advantage of a great giveaway, check the end of this post!
This morning I want to welcome fellow author, Siren Allen who’s got news about her latest book and a giveaway for you, too.Take it away, Siren.
Dress codes and giveaways with author Siren Allen!
I’m excited to announce that I have a new Sci-Fi romance available. The book is titled, Silver, and it’s available on Amazon. I thoroughly enjoyed writing Silver and I fell in love with the characters long before I began writing the story. Silver is an alpha male who is used to getting his way, while Malia is sort of shy but slowly learning to hold her own on a ship full of males.
I wanted her to be comfortable in her own skin AND in her clothes. Though she’s on a ship with all males, there’s no reason why she has to dress in big baggy jeans just so the crew members won’t lust after her. Their ability to control themselves has nothing to do with her and her dress code. So when her mate, Silver, asks her to change clothes, her answer is no.
Her answer HAD to be no. The topic of the way women dress is important to me. Too many times I’ve heard, ‘well, if she wasn’t wearing a short skirt they wouldn’t have thought she was easy’. Or, ‘she was asking for it with the way she was dressed’.
NEVER is a woman asking for it because of the way she’s dressed. Men can play outside on a basketball court with their shirts off and not be considered easy or fear that someone will do something to them because they’re half naked.
Men can get drunk in the club, stagger home and not fear getting raped because they’re intoxicated. They may get robbed, but getting raped probably wouldn’t be one of their worries. Now, I’m not saying that this type of crime doesn’t happen to men, because it does. But with the recent events, I feel the need to focus on women and what we go through. I travel a lot for my job. On my current assignment, I work nights which causes my husband to worry about me.
I must admit, I worry also. I wear baggy scrubs to work. I shouldn’t seem easy, right? I’m not drunk and staggering, so I’m not asking for it, right? Still, I fear walking across the dark parking garage late at night. I fear walking up the dark stairwell into the hospital I work in. I don’t just fear getting robbed, I fear getting raped. And it’s not only the horrible act I fear, I fear what happens next. The charges I have to press and the probing questions that will be asked. I fear that no one would believe me or even if they did, the culprit would get off with a slap on the wrist.
No woman should have these fears, no matter how she dresses. When I wrote Silver, I knew my heroine would be surrounded by males. I didn’t want her to be afraid. I didn’t want her to constantly worry about what she was wearing or how she looked or fear them hurting her. As the author, I was able to control the outcome of her situations. But outside of my writing, in my own life, I’m not as fearless as Malia.
I worry not only about myself, I also worry about my teenage nieces who are now going off to college. I even worry about other women, complete strangers I see in the grocery stores late at night, alone. I find myself praying that they make it home safely.
In Silver, I didn’t want Malia to have these worries, not from her own crew. Of course she’ll face them later on from other crews. But her guys are respectful. Her guys are loyal and would never hurt her. Her guys would give their lives to protect hers. Of course, her mate still doesn’t like her wearing hip-huggers. Unfortunately for him, Malia will never let a man dictate how she lives her life. I admire her. Below I’ve included info about the book and the awesome giveaway I’m having. I hope you enjoy reading Silver just as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Blurb:
All Malia Valdese wants to do is survive in the Outlands and serve food to the patrons of her diner. She doesn’t want anything to do with the handsome silver-eyed stranger who keeps showing up after closing, asking her weird questions and making her feel something she hasn’t felt in years, desire.
She doesn’t care that he’s the sexiest male she’s ever seen or that he stares at her like she’s the main course. Steering clear of him is her plan. Well, it was the plan, before he turned her world upside down with four words…. You’re coming with me.
Apparently she has no say in the matter.
She’s not on the menu. But she’s what he hungers for.
Her scent tells him she’s his and the wanted pictures popping up all over the dark-net tells him he needs to lay low for a while. Having her next to him in bed while he tries to clear his name is the plan. Unfortunately, his enemies are closer than he thought and now they’ve found his weakness…. her. Can he shield his mate from the consequences of his dark past? Or will she flee to his enemies to escape him and the intense emotions he stirs inside of her?
No matter what she chooses, he has no intention of letting her go, ever.
Excerpt
Silver waited on her to get dressed. When she reentered the room, he saw red. “Not happening. You are not wandering around my ship in that.”
“What?” She stared down at her clothing.
“Those jeans are too tight. I can see all of your curves.”
“They’re hip-huggers. They’re supposed to fit like this.”
“I’m the only one who should be hugging your hips.” Her smile proved she wasn’t taking him seriously. “You know what, I’m tired. I don’t feel like giving a tour.” Silver sat down on the mattress, eyes still on the jeans hugging his mate.
“Everyone wears them,” she rubbed her hands over the offensive fabric.
“Everyone isn’t my mate.”
“So you’re one of those kinds of males.”
“What kind?” The kind that didn’t want his female showcasing her body to his crew.
“The kind that wants his female to be obedient in all things, even how she dresses.”
“Of course not. You have a mind. You’re free to make your own decisions.”
“Except when it comes to clothing.”
“Except when it comes to clothing that shows all of your curves. My males, they are unmated. Though they’re loyal, I don’t want them staring at you, lusting after you.”
“Well then maybe you should change clothes too. I don’t want any female on this ship lusting after you. Fair is fair.”
“There are no other females on this ship.”
“Oh, well, I don’t want your males lusting after you.”
“My males wouldn’t…. wait, if I change clothes will you?”
“No,” she threw her arms wide, a frustrated expression on her face. “I was just trying to show you how stupid this whole conversation is.”
“The tour is over.” Silver laid back on the bed.
“The tour never started.”
“And it won’t, not this night.”
“Are you really going to allow our first argument as a couple to be over a stupid pair of pants?”
“This is our second argument. The first was when you awoke and realized I’d kidnapped you.”
“Oh, yeah.”
He placed his hands behind his head, waiting her out. She was a curious one. She wanted to explore. She would give in. The sound of her clothes rustling reached his ears. He grinned. He knew she’d give in.
Even now she was moving over to the dresser to search for something else to wear, something more suitable for a mate. Something that wouldn’t lead to him bruising his males for staring at her.
Silver was just about to sit up when he felt her hands on his knees. What the hell? He raised his head and glanced down to find her on her knees in front of him. She rubbed her finger over the zipper of his pants, licking her lips as she did so.
“Malia,” he croaked. What was she doing?
“Remember what we did earlier?”
“How can I forget?”
She leaned forward and kissed his zipper. His hands balled into fists.
“I remember,” he told her.
“Did you like it?” She whispered.
“It was the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“And do you want it to happen again?”
“Yes,” he groaned. Right now. Every day.
“Then I suggest you get up and take me and my hip hugging jeans on a tour.” Malia stood up and walked over to the door. “Come on, or you won’t come on me, again.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“You kidnapped me. Fair is fair.”
Damn, he should be pissed. Instead, he found her audacity attractive as hell.
“You win.” He strode over to her, resisting the urge to fix himself in his pants. “But after the tour, I want some more of what we did earlier.” Silver pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
“So do I.”
Silver opened the door, eager to get this tour over with. When she stepped out in front of him, his eyes strayed to her hips. Damn.
“Are you sure you don’t want to change?”
“I’m sure.” She strode down the hall staring at the ceiling of the ship.
“Or at least put on a longer shirt.”
She tugged on the edge of her shirt that barely covered the top of her jeans. Her tug did nothing to help.
“This shirt is fine.” She stared over her shoulder at him. “Come on,” her grin was contagious. “I’m ready to explore.”
He would allow her to wander the ship in those jeans today. But as soon as they touched down on a station he was buying her more clothes, bigger clothes.
Buy links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZJG2P3
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LZJG2P3
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01LZJG2P3
Author bio:
Hi, my name is Siren Allen. I’m a writer and lover of all things supernatural and romantic. I reside in southern Mississippi where I write steamy romances that are guaranteed to make you blush. When I’m not listening to the characters in my head and jotting down their adventures, I am busy working as a Clinical Laboratory Technician.
I love to travel, preferably with my husband, so he can do all of the driving. I enjoy time with my family, who are just as silly as I am. My hobbies are reading, writing and shopping, though I hate trying on clothing. If I wasn’t a writer or a Laboratory Professional, I would probably be a Secret Agent. But that’s the beauty of being a writer; you can create your own world and be whoever you want to be. In my imaginary world, I am Queen and my siblings are my minions.
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – www.amazon.com/Siren-Allen/e/B00ELF795O/
WEBSITE – http://sirenallen.com/
FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/authorsirenallen
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/SirenAllen
PINTEREST – http://www.pinterest.com/sirenallen/
Siren’s Newsletter: Join to stay updated on my new releases and giveaways:
Siren’s World: Join my Facebook group to chat with me about reading, writing and whatever else comes to mind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1787481798155719/?ref=bookmarks
****Siren’s Sci-Fi Giveaway: Be sure to enter the rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a gorgeous Sci-Fi necklace.
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a576fb1c12/?
Living the Dream 
Thanks for sharing!
Reblogged this on Siren Allen.
Thanks for doing a spotlight on one of my favorites, Siren Allen! I can’t wait to read this book!!
You are most welcome. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!
What a great spotlight. It shows Siren’s depth not only as a writer but as a person. With that said, I’d love to be stuck on a ship with these guys myself!