Happy hump day! If you made it this far, treat yourself to a cup of your favourite hot beverage and relax. Unless you're at work, in which case relax whilst still looking like you're working.
Okay! Now you're relaxed, how about a chat with Lea Bronsen about her new book, viking romance TORN AVENGER? If you want dark, m/m historical romance, this is the book for you! Lea was kind enough to answer a few questions for me, as well as sharing a teaser, so read on and enjoy!
Hi Lea! Tell us a little bit
about your newest release.
Hi, and thanks so much for
having me! Torn Avenger is a gripping, emotional story of murder and
passion where two ancient worlds collide.
As the second son of a
Viking earl, Alv Gunnulfsen wasn't meant to inherit a throne or
avenge a murder. But when his brother is slain during a raid and
their father dies of grief, Alv is expected to take command and claim
the killer's death. In a world of ruthless retaliation and strict
social codes, he must also maneuver cleverly to protect a troublesome
secret: his attraction for men.
Roeland van Dijk, a
wealthy Dutch merchant settled in Norway, has done the unthinkable to
protect his family — hacked off the head of a Viking rapist. The
wrath of the blond savages will cost him his freedom, and possibly
his own head… Unless he's willing to accept the love of another
man.
Was there any part of
this story you found particularly tough to write? If so, why?
Yes,
historical accuracy bothered me a lot. I
wanted to set the story in a real period in history. Alv was to
represent the last of the Viking raiders and Roeland the first of
European merchants to settle in Norway. I had to conduct quite the
research to make sure these two strong civilizations actually met!
Also,
I wondered whether the Norwegians and their European “invaders”
co-lived in peace or bloody confrontations occurred. I couldn’t
find any information, but thought it quite probable that some
Vikings, tempted by the precious goods imported into Bjorgvin and the
wealth of their merchants, raided the trading post the same way they
were reputed to in the rest of the world. Why wouldn’t they? In
this case, I allowed myself some artistic freedom :)
Sounds like you got really in-depth, so a little artistic freedom is probably allowed here and there! Shifting directions a bit, who are your biggest
influences – they don't have to just be literary ones!
Oh, I’ve always
been an avid lover of rock, from early, bluesy stuff and backstreet
glam, via grunge, to industrial/alternative rock and
thrash/heavy/death metal. The whole palette of rock music has had a
major influence
on me since I was old enough to buy my own vinyls, lol. I can’t
imagine an existence without it to make me vibrate and feel alive!
On the literary side, I’m
a huge fan of psychological thriller authors like Mo Hayder, Cody
McFadyen, and Lisa Gardner. I simply thirst for dark,
hold-your-breath thrillers that blend graphic violence and gore with
the sickest forms of mental deviance. Their inspiration is evident in
some of my books. *Ahem* it probably says something about me…
We have similar tastes in music! I'll need to check out some of those authors, since that sounds like my kinda thing too. Apart from writing,
what are your great passions in life?
I have three lovely
daughters aged 7, 15, and 17, and when I’m not busy at my day job
or nose-deep in one of my stories, I try to spend as much “quality”
time with them as possible. I love taking them out fishing, mushroom
picking, boat/motorcycle riding, cooking, mountain climbing, and
chess/card playing. Children are gifts of life and time passes very
fast, so it’s important to spend it well.
Wow, I'm impressed you fit the writing in! What else are you
working on right now? What's up next from you?
My next release is the
dark erotic crime MMMM ménage The Audition, about a young wannabe
actor challenged to comply with the film producers’ dirty fantasies
in order to get a movie part. It’s hot, it’s dirty, and one of
the main characters is a ruthless drug lord, so there’re elements
of crime and danger, too. I really hope my readers are going to like
it.
Aside from that, I’ve
started work on the sequel to my debut novel Wild Hearted, a gritty
inner-city crime drama that came out in 2013. Let me tell ya I’m
super excited about bringing my two favorite characters, Tomor, an
imprisoned gang leader, and Luz, his long-lost love, back to life in
a whole new psychological thriller!
So if all that whet your appetite for Lea's stories, read on for a closer look at TORN AVENGER!
Clickety-click.
As the second son of a Viking earl, Alv Gunnulfsen wasn't meant to inherit a throne or avenge a murder. But when his brother is slain during a raid and their father dies of grief, Alv is expected to take command and claim the killer's death. In a world of ruthless retaliation and strict social codes, he must also maneuver cleverly to protect a troublesome secret: his attraction for men.
Roeland van Dijk, a wealthy Dutch merchant settled in Norway, has done the unthinkable to protect his family — hacked off the head of a Viking rapist. The wrath of the blond savages will cost him his freedom, and possibly his own head… Unless he's willing to accept the love of another man.
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After a moment, Alv looked up again and almost gasped from the erotic vision in front of him. While shaving Roeland, he’d only seen his wet, hairy chest and stomach, but the handsome man moved to a kneeling position in the basin and washed his lower body. His stunning maleness made Alv hot and bothered. They had discussed, argued, shared personal details, and apologized to each other, but now, the seriousness of their conversation faded. The sight of Roeland’s cock bathing in white foam between his legs had Alv’s own cock jolt and press painfully against his pants.
Oh, Roeland attracted him on several levels—mental, emotional, and physical—and Alv longed to discover and develop more of everything with him. Hedin was an exciting lover, but nothing like what Roeland had the potential to be.
Speaking of Hedin, it’d been a surprise to see him again this morning, right after Elke left. He’d arrived in a terrible mood and refused to excuse his disappearance act. It was outrageous of a slave to come and go like that, but Alv had too much on his mind to think of punishing him.
For one, he worried about Roeland’s future. He’d inherited part of Father’s wealth, but not his title. After returning to Eðni, he’d claimed to be the only one who could decide of what to do with his brother’s murderer, but it wasn’t true. He had no standing, no support from his fellow citizens. They could choose to kill Roeland if they wanted to—all it took was a word from Mother. It made her idea to have Alv marry Elke and adopt the community’s natural heir that much more important to push through.
“There’s something we need to talk about,” he said, hoping Roeland wouldn’t oppose to the plan.
“What?”
“Normally, I would ask you, but since you’re not in a position to make decisions, I’m just going to tell you.”
“About what?” Roeland frowned.
“I’m marrying your sister.”
Roeland stood so fast in the basin, water splashed to all sides. He stepped out and leaned into Alv’s face. “Don’t you dare to touch her!”
“But I’m not…”
“Hasn’t she suffered enough?” Roeland bellowed, his dark eyes slit with anger.
By Thor, he was insanely sexy, standing naked and wet, so near Alv could feel his damp bodily heat, water drippling from his hair and rolling alongside his tanned, chiseled cheeks. Alv couldn’t help hardening more, and needed to focus on the words that came out of Roeland’s luscious mouth to be able to answer. “She has already accepted.”
About the author
Lea Bronsen likes her reads hot, fast, and edgy, and strives to give her own stories the same intensity. After venturing into dirty inner-city crime drama with her debut novel Wild Hearted, she divides her writing time between psychological thriller, romantic suspense, and dark erotic romance.
For more information about Lea Bronsen
* * *
Coming Oct. 20
A dark erotic crime ménage by Lea Bronsen
If you like your men dangerous and dirty…
Ruthless drug lord Ricardo “El Loco” Ferrer launders his black money by investing in movie productions. As a teen, he learned to enjoy blow jobs in jail. Now a man of power, his favorite pastime is checking out new acting talent…and convincing them to “please” the team of producers.
Young wannabe actor Jaden Moore comes to a shady side of town to audition for a movie part. He longs to shine, wants to walk the red carpet with cameras flashing and a crowd cheering. He assures the film director and the investors he’ll do anything to reach the top, but is he willing to comply with their dirty fantasies?
Available for pre-order
Add it to your shelf on Goodreads
Hey Naomi, thank you so much for interviewing me! I loved it!
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