Review + INTERVIEW: A Dangerous Game by Dee Dawning

(Formerly Love and Seduction in Las Vegas)

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Summary:

"A Dangerous Game is a complex story covering thirty years in the life of a woman, who at seventeen hits a low point when her father discovers she's pregnant and throws her out of the house. Gritty and spirited, Loretta Bishop after a stint in an Elko Bordello ends up as a Vegas cocktail waitress, making the best of her situation in life.

Over the years, many men and lovers pass through her life, but three stand out: Vinnie, a slick Four Queens pit boss, Gary, a young, impressionable co-worker, and last, Bobby, a handsome, college student.

Seventeen years Bobby’s senior, Loretta is tasked one night with taking the unassuming, modest, pretty boy under her wing and turning him into a ladies' man. At first Bobby seems like a fun boy toy, but when Loretta realizes she loves him and he asks to marry her, Loretta runs away in panic. 

Now on his own it’s up to Bobby to put the methods Loretta has taught him to practical use. Will he succeed and parlay his new talents into love, wealth and power?
*****WARNING: A Dangerous Gamecontains numerous explicit sex scenes, some extreme. If you're not expecting a lot of hot sex, Star Pupil is not for you*****
Star Pupil was previously released as Love & Seduction in Las Vegas"

 Review:

Every reader loves to receive books for reviewing. It's a sign of certain respect and trust from the author looking for honest critisism and thoughts. And every time I get an email like that I get excited with the idea of seeing what's in store for me. After receiving an email from Dee Dawning, I have to say I never, with my whole imagination, expected what I got. And I got the shock of my reader's experience. 

A Dangerous Game (Formerly: Love and Seduction in Las Vegas) is, in a way, a completely unorthodox story about a woman who enjoys her sexuality, a free spirit with her own set of rules and morals and plenty of life experience in the thirty years this book spanned over. This novel has many layers - some I disliked and found a little untasteful and some that I found surprising and unexpected considering some parts of it.

With the first pages you discover that this is written in two POVs alternating sometimes even too fast to keep up. But I didn't mind it and actually saw it fit because it's a very dynamic story. It was kind of interesting how suddenly in the middle of the book there's a chapter thrown in with events that happened years before where we slowly find out about Loretta Chase and her life-story that made her the way she is. So, in year 2005 when most of the events happened, we have Loretta Chase and Bobby Kramer. When they meet, she's almost 40 and he's a college boy looking for a confidence boost and sex lessons. A small task for a woman who loves sex as much as Loretta does. Plus, he's cute. And off it starts.

First I'll mention the erotic scenes. I read erotic books and enjoy sex scenes but this was diiirrrty! I haven't read something this dirty since Selena Kitt books. Some people love them, some people cringe with them. For me... they were a little sensitive to handle, it lacked more romance then it had. They definitely developed a lot of affection to each other. But to be clear, this is not a clear romance story. It has a happily ever after but not in the way you think. I also have to say that I never read or learned about so many sexual terms and synonyms for a penis, come or p*ssy as much as I have in this book. So, I even got educated in dirty language. It was kind of fun, heh.

There were only two things that bothered me. One of them was how fast Bobby went from a blushing boy with little sexual experience to a horny sex machine. It was a bit unrealistic. And the second thing... Well lets just say that was a close call, something that could've become a disaster. It would be a spoiler to say what it is. The only reason I accepted that aspect of the book is because I felt it was one of the ways the author shaped the characters in a unique and a little shocking way. I really liked the uniqueness.

And then there are layers that made this novel very special and even more different then most novels.

Loretta Bishop.

I love that woman! I am completely positive you won't find a character like this anywhere. 

She's a person who went through a lot in her life, may not even appear as a good heroine when you start a book. But only because her character is more realistic.
Loretta Chase is a proud woman, doesn't take other people's shit, but is so incredibly kind. She may have had some low times in her life but she knows who she is, knows what she wants, what she can have and what she needs. Most times, things weren't more that one of those options. But she is a very determind person. There were only three men that made a large impact on her life and forced her to make some very hard decisions.

Bobby Kramer is one of them.

Well, Bobby way a strange character. You'll see many sides if him - sweet and caring, bad and... controlling I was mostly confused by him. He changed too much during the novel and the only constant was his love for Loretta. She fell in love with his innocence and Bobby fell in love with her mature and confident nature. They were quite a pair. His ex - well she was another thing and didn't quite fit in with all this. I guess she was there as a way to show Bobby changed as a person after Loretta.

The ending was a little fairytale touch from the author and I found it comforting. Strange, after that plot. But really nice.

I strongly recommend this novel to all of you that are looking for a story of a strong woman with an inspiring life, a story about a complicating and definitely not an ordinary man and a not-quite-romance that became something much more important and significant. For everyone.

Interview:

After reading and reviewing A Dangerous Game I was dying to ask some questions to the author so I'm pleased to welcome Dee Dawning to the Way Too Hot Books Blog!


DD: Thank you Iva, I'm delighted to be interviewed by you. I used to give four or five interviews a year, but lately I've dropped off to about one a year.

WTHB: So, when did you first got the idea of starting to write? Did you already know you want to write romance stories?


DD: You may be surprised to learn I was a successful upscale home designer and builder for thirty-five years.
As a hobby, I began writing in 2002. At first I started writing (don't laugh) music, book 
and movie reviews. About 2004, I tried my hand at writing fiction. People laughed at 
my first book, a terrorism, action thriller. But my second book, Fortune Cookies was an 
Eppie Finalist. 
Anyway, the great recession wiped out me, my business, and the industry I labored for 
most of my life. So I became a full time author, something I wanted to do anyway.

WTHB: I have to say that I, who doesn't have too much reading experience, never came across on a male erotic romance writer before. Now that I have, I can't help but think why. Even men who write simple romance are much rarer then women. It's not like there aren't many romantic men out there. What are your thoughts about this?


DD: You are of course excluding gay men who write male on male romance. As for straight men who write mf and any of the permutations of heterosexual romance, there are a few of us out there. And there are more than a few who write erotica, which I also write. 
The thing is men writing erotic romance usually use gender neutral names like Leigh Greenwood, J.W. McKenna, S.L. Carpenter and sometime them use female names. I have five novel/novella's out under a distinctly woman's name with a well known ePublisher at their request. They felt their reader liked their authors to be new and women. 
C.K. Ralston, who is more erotica than romance, is a man with our publishing company New Dawning Bookfair. You may or may not know this, but James Patterson and Dean Koontz got their start writing romance

WTHB: Oh wow, I didn't realize that. Thank you for clearing it up. So, your books have some pretty various subjects. Are you open to everything or most things, or do you have some limitations to your writing?


DD: You hit on a good point. My writing is all over the place. I even have a story, The Bastard Preacher, about a televangelist and Girl Power, about a woman politician who forms a third party and winds up running for President. Financially and fame-wise I'd probably be better off if I stuck with one idea and kept writing sequels and spinoffs.

WTHB: What do you think is the main value or quality of erotic romance? What is your own goal of writing it?

DD: I can't speak for the readers, but the value of writing erotic writing for myself is that it's popular, therefore I can count on a certain amount of sales.
My first goal is to please myself. Like I said above, I'd probably have had more name recognition if I'd picked a sub-genre in which to write and stayed with it.

WTHB: Do you get more inspired with situations from life or are you likely to search for the ideas in yourself?

DD: The ideas for my books come from many places, my past, everyday living, things in the news and on TV. They are as varied as the books themselves.

WTHB: Do you get inspired by other books or particular writers? If you do, which ones? 


DD: Frankly, since I've become a full time writer and publisher, I'm too busy reading submittals to read anything but the shortest of stories. However, when I was a reader, before I became an author, I liked F. Paul Wilson, Michael Connelly, Carl Hiaasen and John Grisham and many others.

WTHB: When you write, do you try to keep your story more realistic or do you like to give it a more dream-like, fantasy feeling ?

DD: Both. The stories seem to develop a life of their own and go the way they want

WTHB: It's easy to notice you like your sex scenes a little on the dirty and imaginative side. Are they a vital part of your books or just something you enjoy writing?

DD: LOL, Not fair. With A Dangerous Game which you are probably referring to, the story demanded wild, exotic sex, but I have written tamer books with tamer sex. One book, Sister Laurel & the Atheist, had no sex and didn't sell, so I added sex and called it Fresh Cut Romance and it still didn't sell. 

Also, don't forget I write erotica too, which I think I'm better at. April Showers, Angel Love, Alice in Eroticland and Playing with the Band tend to get higher marks from readers.

WTHB: What is the hardest part of writing a book? Anything that is a big challenge in the process?

DD: All my books start with an idea and from there I run with it. I don't do outlines and seldom know how my book will end before halfway through. I'm not unique in this. Many writers are like this. They/we are called "Seat of the Pants Writers."
That said, to answer your question, sometimes the running isn't smooth and sometimes the ideas are like pulling teeth and I just sort of force my way through it. These books aren't bad, but they're not as good as the smooth running ones.

WTHB: What is your favorite part of the book? The sex, the characters, the ending or something else?


DD: You know Iva, I've probably done a score of interviews and never been asked that. I know early on, I got attached to my characters, especially my heroines, but after fifty plus stories, they're all running together. As for the sex, writing sex scenes is my least favorite part of writing erotic romance and erotica. 
I know you're wondering why, so I'll try to tell you. Sex scenes are the pornographic part of erotic writing. It's meant to titillate the reader. It's really why most readers chose erotica or erotic romance. Oh sure, they want a story with their sex, but they want the sex and they want to be turned on by it. That's the hard part. Writing sex that will turn readers on. Sex scenes take me five times as long to write as the rest of the story. To make them good I go over them many times until I'm satisfied. 
That doesn't mean I'm not proud of a good sex scene. I have said in previous interviews that 'I hate to write sex scenes, but I love'em when I read them.'

WTHB: Do you consider one of your books your very best work, one you're most proud of?


DD: (Grin) If I tell you, will you review it? Actually, I can't pick a single title, so I'll pick several.

Erotica:
1. April Showers
2. Playing with the Band

Erotic Romance:
1. EEK! I'm a Woman
2. French Kiss
3. Naked Research
4. A Dangerous Game
Sorry, That's the best that I can do.

WTHB: What is the best part of being a writer? Besides the writing, heh.


DD: There are lots of good things about being an author. Unfortunately, at this point, money isn't one of them. 
Some of the good things are: No Boss! No Bureaucracies! No conniving co-workers. Nocustomers to please. No dressing for and driving to work! No Parking! Much less gas and wear and tear on car! Pride in creating things! Work own hours!
Some bad things, beside lack of money are: Average 60-70 hour work week! Half of work week taken up by various forms of promoting! No fellow workers to socialize with! Writer's block! No benefits! Higher taxes (self employment tax)! 
That's all the bad things? I think I'll keep writing :)

WTHB: What else are your currently working on besides re-publishing A Dangerous Game?

DD: I have a finished book called EEK! I'm a Woman, which I'll be releasing shortly. It's a sixty-seven thousand word paranormal erotic romance. It's cute, sexy, romantic, has a dark suspenseful side and like many of my books, it's has funny moments.

Here's the short blurb

Waking after a wild celebratory night with a dazzling courtesan, needing to pee bad, Brad runs to the restroom only to discover his penis is…gone. What the H…? He pads to the vanity, flips on the light and stares in the mirror where he is rewarded with the reflection of…Ginger, the girl he spent the night with. What the F… is going on!

Works in Progress include: 
• Rejected (Third book of Letta Storm series) 
• Cowgirls (Cowgirl on Women's Rodeo circuit bets men of Men's Rodeo circuit she can beat them) 
• The Ruthless Preacher (Second book of Televangelist series)
• Bi-Curious (ff)
• Several titles by other pen names

WTHB: Something else you want to say to our followers and other readers?

DD: Just Hi. Thanks for your support and if you haven't been giving me your support, it's not too late to start! In fact, fan or not, I'll send your first book free. Leave your email addy and what you like in comments section and I'll see that you get a Kindle ebook in the genre you like.

WTHB: Thank you very much for the opportunity to read your book and the interview. It was a great pleasure. I hope we will have another opportunity to work together. And good luck :)


Until next time,