Guest Post: JR Loveless

This week my guest is the fantastic J.R. Loveless. She's stopping by on her blog tour, and I hear there's a prize at the end of the tour. Continue reading to find out  how to enter.

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Show Me My Characters Contest and Week 5 of the His Salvation Blog Tour

Well we are on week number 5 of my His Salvation Blog Tour and this week's stop is on Hayley B. James's Bee-Hive! Thanks for having me, Hayley. :D  

I think the blog tour has been extremely successful so far. Thank you to everyone who has been participating and remember to keep commenting as each week counts as one new entry into the Grand Prize drawing! This week's contest is going to an easy, but interesting one. The prize? A signed paperback copy of His Salvation! Keep reading to find out how to win. :) 

Am I the only one who pictures the characters of a story differently than the way the cover art portrays them? Or what about when a movie is made from one of those books and they cast someone and you can't help but wonder, what the hell were they thinking? When I'm reading a story and the writer describes them a certain way, that forms an image in my mind and it sticks. That's what I see as I read and it usually doesn't match the person on the front cover and a majority of the time it definitely doesn't match who they cast for the film. 

There are a couple of movies made from novels that I was disappointed in who they cast. Twilight being the main one, but I have since seen who they cast for The Host and wanted to rant and rave and throw something at the casting director's head. How can you possibly tell me Melanie looks like that?! Not even close! 

Or the upcoming movie The Mortal Instruments... I loved the books, read the original three she put out, and really enjoyed all of the characters she created. Especially Magnus. ;)  But I'm really disappointed in who they cast as Clary and Jace and Simon. I think it's pretty obvious when the casting directors choose the people they do that they have never read the books the movies are being made from. 

JK Rowling was smart. She made sure they gave her the choice of who and made sure that they stayed as true to the books as possible. You definitely can't deny that the three main actors looked just like the characters in the novels. Stephenie Meyer should never have given up the right to have a hand in the development of her stories. Granted, it hasn't hurt her bank account any by allowing them to do so since people are still flocking to see the movies, but I do know if I ever have the chance to have one of my books made into a real live feature film, I am going to insist on having a say in who is cast as my characters.

Well there's my take on it. What's yours? 

The contest this week is to find me pictures on the internet of who YOU think my characters look like when you're reading my books. You can choose any book of mine - Touch Me Gently, Chasing Seth, Swift's Temptation, His Salvation, White Rain or Fragments of a Unicorn's Soul. You can either link to them in your comment or send me a separate email with the pictures in it after you've commented at jrloveless (at) gmail (dot) com. Make sure you DO post your comment if you choose to email the images in order to enter for this week's contest of an autographed paperback copy of His Salvation as well as an entry into the Grand Prize drawing.

Websites to follow updates on my current works in progress, blog tour posts, events, contests, and upcoming releases: jrloveless.blogspot.com or facebook.com/authorjrloveless

Blurb: In an attempt to atone for his sins and find some solace, ADA Agent Gabriel Romero helps other Deviants in need. But with threats from both sides—Normals and the Deviants who despise them—he finds it harder and harder to outrun his ghosts, especially after a difficult mission to rescue twin brothers held at an enemy compound, where Gabriel meets Alexander Ryker. Gabriel finds his new charge unexpectedly attractive, and that’s a complication he does not want—one he thinks he doesn't deserve. 

Despite the frosty reception from the stubborn agent who rescued him, sheltered telepath Alex feels an instant connection through the pain he sees in Gabriel's eyes, and he does everything he can to gain his attention. The realities he must face while mastering his ability are hard, but failing to learn to defend himself is not an option. Soon he'll need his newfound strength to convince Gabriel he deserves to live and love again.

Excerpt:

They set a time for after dinner, and Alex accompanied Hayley back into the farmhouse. He trudged upstairs to his bedroom, deciding to take a nap for a little while. He thought back over Lizard’s claim of Bryan assigning Gabriel to train him. Why would the man push Gabriel to spend time with him? Sighing, he shoved open the door to his room and entered, closing it behind him. His eyes downcast, he didn’t notice the small package resting on his pillow until he flopped down on top of the bedspread and it poked him in his cheek.

He sat up and picked up the little white box. No wrapping, no bows, and no name to indicate who left it there. Alex frowned as he tugged the top of the box off, his eyes widening and his breath catching at the gorgeous silver cross on a sterling silver chain inside. He immediately lifted it out, fingering the simple charm. Who’d left such a beautiful gift for him? The cross measured probably about two inches long and an inch wide. He turned the box over, looking for a name, but didn’t see anything to give him a clue where it came from.

Alex stood and walked to his mirror, slipping the chain over his head, and studied himself. The chain seemed almost delicate against the tanned skin, the cross glinting as it shifted with each breath he took.

Smiling softly, he went back to his bed and lay on his back, enjoying the tinkling sound of the cross sliding on the chain. His Grams would have loved the simple cross. Memories of his grandmother reading to them from her Bible every Sunday flitted through his mind as he began to drift off to sleep. The good memories gradually changed, becoming vicious and unbelievably horrifying.

In the dream he woke to find his twin lying in a pool of blood on the floor of their room. Jason’s bright green eyes stared unseeingly up at the ceiling above them, his face twisted in fear. His heart had been wrenched from his chest and dropped carelessly on the carpet beside him. Alex tried to scream for help, but no sound came out. He stood, stumbling over his brother’s body while rushing to the door. Pulling it open, he found the hallway littered with the bodies of the other inhabitants of the ADA. Jackal lay in such a grotesque way, his limbs seemingly pulled from their sockets, his jaw broken, leaving his mouth gaping wide. Alex gagged, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Alex,” a voice called from the end of the hallway. He looked up to see Gabriel standing there, his hands covered in blood, his face twisted and cruel. “I killed them, Alex.”

“No,” Alex whispered, his hand coming up to cover his mouth while shaking his head furiously.

“I did. I killed them, Alex, just like I killed my brother.” Gabriel stepped closer, his hand rising up toward Alex.

Alex flinched backward, his breathing coming fast and furious. “Stop, Gabriel. I know this isn’t you.”

Gabriel’s power slammed into Alex’s chest, nearly caving in his ribcage and causing him to scream out in pain as he flew backward. His lower back cracked into the nightstand, sending the lamp crashing to the floor. He tumbled to the floor after it, glass from the broken light cutting

into his palms and forearms. “You’re so pathetic,” Gabriel spat at him, advancing into the room to tower over him. “Do you really think someone as powerful as me could be interested in a weak, sniveling little kid? Your feeble attempts to seduce me actually disgust me.”

Pain lanced through Alex’s heart, and he struggled to stand, to get away. Gabriel merely laughed maniacally and flicked his fingers at Alex, power surging from the tips to force him back down into the glass. “Did you truly believe I wanted you? As if you were anything but a plaything. A

toy to amuse me until something better came along.” 

A noise behind Gabriel alerted Alex they were no longer alone. Isaac appeared in the doorway, a sinister gleam shining in his eyes. He smirked and leaned his shoulder on the doorjamb, crossing his arms over his chest. Alex glared at Isaac. “You. What did you do to him?”

Isaac cocked an eyebrow at him, pushing away from the door to stride to where he lay, and crouched near him. He stroked one finger down Alex’s cheek. “Me? What makes you think I did anything to him, Alex? He speaks the truth. You know it deep inside. Why would a man with Gabriel’s power and sexuality want a gnat such as you? Did you know his cock tastes as spicy as his lips? And when he comes, mmm, the lusty growl he lets out makes me spunk just from hearing it.”

“No!” Alex shouted, denying what he heard, yet unable to cover his ears or block out the images of Isaac touching Gabriel, of Gabriel fucking the other Deviant. 

Isaac looked up at Gabriel, grinning wickedly, and reached out to open the man’s jeans. Alex sobbed as Isaac lifted Gabriel’s hard shaft free of his clothing, his hand sliding down the length while he leaned forward to swipe his tongue over the weeping tip. Shutting his eyes, Alex tried to block out the sounds. But the reprieve of not having to watch was short lived. “Open your eyes,” Gabriel demanded.

“No,” Alex pleaded.

Lightning danced along his skin, and he screamed, trying in vain to fight the inevitable. More electricity crackled through him, this time causing his eyes to fly open wide to the sight of Isaac’s mouth engulfing Gabriel’s prick. Gabriel groaned, his gaze holding Alex’s malevolently.

His fingers buried in Isaac’s hair, he guided the other Deviant’s movements. Pleasure built on Gabriel’s features, his mouth parting and his breath coming faster. Alex would have given anything in that moment to be able to look away, to stop the awful scene in front of him. A final

guttural groan issued from Gabriel, signaling his release and shattering Alex’s heart into a thousand pieces. Isaac drank greedily. He gasped for air when he pulled off, but turned to look into Alex’s eyes. “What should we do with him, Gabe?”

Alex brought his gaze up to Gabriel, praying in his heart the man he loved would wake up and realize what he was doing. The next words Gabriel spoke froze the blood in his veins. “Kill him.” 

He screamed in terror, willing his muscles to move. “Alex. Alex!”

His brother’s voice came from far away, shouting over and over. A sharp, stinging pain exploded across one cheek, and Alex sat up, still crying out. “Alex, please wake up!”

Tears poured from Alex’s eyes. Jason shook him, hard. “Alex, it’s a dream. It’s only a dream. Wake up.”

Blinking furiously, Alex focused on his brother’s face, a look of fear etched into it like in the dream. “Jace?”

“Oh, thank God,” Jason breathed, gathering him into a tight hug.

Alex clung to his brother, his face buried in the crook of his neck. He felt Jason smooth his hands up and down his back, and realized he was shaking so bad his teeth practically rattled in his head. He’d never experienced such terror or helplessness before. Not even when they were on the run. There’d always been a way to survive. “Jesus, Alex. When I heard your screams downstairs, my heart nearly stopped. I thought… we all thought you were in danger.”

Alex registered the sound of others in the room and pulled away from Jason to see several Deviants standing in the doorway. He flushed and glanced away. Surprise jolted him when he saw Gabriel staring intently at him from near the window. “Everyone out,” Gabriel rumbled

fiercely.

The door closed behind the others, leaving Jason and Gabriel in the room. Jason ran a shaky hand through Alex’s hair while peering into the identical green eyes. “What happened, Alex?”

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