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Guest Blogger: Kelli Scott (Contest)
Monday, May 9th, 2011

Branded

The concept for Stormy Wedding was simple. Ellora’s Cave put a shout out about their new Branded line of erotic stories. Branded is a series of erotic tales set within the confines of a marriage.

One of my pet peeves about romance is that the story ends when the marriage begins. And that is where I began my story…at the end…with the wedding. My first-ever erotic story starts at the rehearsal dinner of a wedding and ends in bed. In between dinner and bed, a storm rages outside the wedding venue while a tempest of passion erupts inside.

Why Branded? According to my handy dandy dictionary, branded means (1) a mark burned with a hot iron, as upon cattle, to show ownership. Ouch! And may I say, double ouch. And not the image I want to portray. (2) A trade-mark to show quality or kind. I like that better. (3) To impress deeply upon mind or memory. I like that best. But I do still hear the sizzle of that hot iron, which isn’t all bad.

What do you think? Does the romance and passion end when the vows are said? Feel free to tell me about your wedding, your wedding disaster or your dream wedding. Leave me a comment and email address and I’ll put you in a drawing for a free e-copy of Stormy Wedding or a deck or Ellora’s Cave playing cards. And don’t forget to check out the other Branded titles at Ellora’s Cave. To read an excerpt pop over to my blog: www.kelliscottbooks.blogspot.com

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Today’s the last day of the Dark Fairy contest! Post a comment today to win!

29 comments to “Guest Blogger: Kelli Scott (Contest)”

  1. Desere
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    1
    · May 9th, 2011 at 7:02 am · Link

    I loved this post,I don’t think true passion and romance ends when the vows have been said. I think that yes maybe a little of the romance and passion goes out of it after a while but it true passion and romance is always on the surface and it will boil to the top when least expected and in some cases most needed.

    I hope I am making sense.Great giveaway thank you for the chance to win.

    Desere 😛 🙄



  2. Claudia
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 7:06 am · Link

    Will definitely go check out STORMY WEDDING. Love the double entendre.



  3. Sarah Ulfers
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 7:28 am · Link

    I think that’s why I like series so much, you get to follow a romance into their life.



  4. Marika Weber
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 8:26 am · Link

    I read Stormy Wedding and loved it. I like books like yours that follow a couple past the supposedly HEA. In my own marriage, ours has only heated up more after the wedding. We’ve known each other 12 years, been married almost 7 and I’d marry him all over again. Not to say that we haven’t had our problems, but we work through them and it brings us closer.

    The whole Branded series is great. I’ve read every one of the books and I just sigh at the end……….great stuff. 😛



  5. Grace
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    5
    · May 9th, 2011 at 8:30 am · Link

    “And they lived happily ever after.” Not! That’s the biggest myth out there, isn’t it? I think that naive expectation is part of the reason for the high divorce rate, too. If things aren’t pretty much perfect, this isn’t the right person for me.

    In truth, hard work–and lots of it–are required to keep a marriage happy and a family intact. And even then, it doesn’t always work. I myself often wonder how the couple REALLY works out their differences. It’s all so simple in the final 5 pages of the book, but how does it work in practice?



  6. pookietoes
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 8:42 am · Link

    The passion ended before the ceremony. It takes hard work on both sides and we didn’t have that. I enjoy reading stories that give ideas for fun after the stresses of the day are dealt with.



  7. cheryl
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 9:03 am · Link

    All relationships require work. Marriage requires more because you live together and sometimes that may be quite trying. ❗



  8. Kimberley Coover
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 9:21 am · Link

    “happily ever after” is a cliche. The easy part is over and the work begins in earnest. A good marriage, like anything worthwhile, takes hard work, compromise, understanding and two adults. Once the “honeymoon” phase is over, reality sets in and so do some doubts. This, to me, is normal and healthy. Marriage is a major change in life, and if you aren’t willing to do the work, it doesn’t last.

    I went out with my husband on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday – Thursday we flew to Las Vegas and got married. I was very naive 21, he was a divorced man of 36. It was fun, exciting and wonderful…until I had to call my parents and tell them what I had done….spent the majority of the evening throwing up before the call – Daddy andswered the phone and all he said was “Mary Kimberley what have you done?” ( I am the baby of the family, only daughter and catholic – you can see the enormity of what I had done). I went from being the pampered “baby” daughter to a wife and stepmother of 3 (16, 10, 9 years old) daughters. It wasn’t always easy, I had to grow up really fast. But I made a commitment and felt that marriage is forever. 32 years later and a lot of work, sweat and tears. I am now a mother of 4 (we added a daughter to the family 21 years ago), grandmother of 5. I am 53 and can say I wish I had married differently – but I love the results of that fateful trip to Las Vegas. My only regret is the pain I caused my parents….I robbed them of a wedding and a us all of the experience that goes with it.



  9. Fedora
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 9:22 am · Link

    Honestly, Kelli, I like stories that run with the idea that the passion and excitement START (or at least continue!) when the vows are said. That’s the reality, or has to be if one’s going to stay successfully married–I appreciate stories that help us find ways to make that the reality for us 🙂



  10. kym Amaral
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 9:23 am · Link

    I think alot of marraiges end nowadays because once people say their vows, they have this “false sense of security” and no longer feel they need to try ….

    I love Ellora’s Cave and will be checking out your new book 🙂

    Kym
    krykym(at)fullchannel.net



  11. CrystalGB
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 9:27 am · Link

    It depends on how hard the couple works to keep the passion and romance alive. Your book sounds good. 🙂



  12. Diane Sadler
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 9:57 am · Link

    A marriage is like anything you want badly, a work in progress; it has it’s up and downs, hopefully more ups than downs and ends up being a work of art. I’ve been married almost 32 years and still have a lot of ups and downs but they are worth it.



  13. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 10:21 am · Link

    Good morning all!
    Desere – I think if there once was chemistry, it can be found again. Yeah, sometimes it wans.
    Thank you – Claudia.
    I agree, Sarah, as long as the relationship evolves and grows.



  14. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 10:47 am · Link

    Marika! I’m so happy you enjoyed. I always tell my hubby that marriage is all about having someone to drive you home from the hospital after minor surgery. But it is all about having someone to depend on.
    Grace – I normally make my couples suffer through illness, poverty, hardship (like meeting each other’s family) before they marry. Marriage is not for the faint of heart. A one year courtship is mandatory (unless I throw 2 strangers together in a fake marriage, but they end up loving each other).



  15. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 10:54 am · Link

    Pookietoes – I have a starter marriage under my belt too. Too young. We rushed into it. What can you do? Live and learn, I guess. My gramma used to say you’ll never find a man without flaws, all you can do is try to find one with flaws you can live with.
    Cheryl – I always say I don’t live or work well with others. That’s why I write.
    Kimberley – I always say it’s the marriage, not the wedding. I wanted to run off and elope (same as my heroine in Stormy Wedding), hubs wanted the wedding.



  16. tammy ramey
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 10:57 am · Link

    i have to agree with everyone else that the HEA is pretty much a fantasy. but that IS why we read the book isn’t it?
    i do like the idea of a book that takes you past the vows and into the real work of the marriage and how they keep it going.
    i know there are alot of self help books out there now but wouldn’t it be nice if when you were given your marriage license you were also given a copy of the do’s and do not’s for each bride and groom.
    for instance grooms:do not say “that isn’t how my mom does it” because it is guaranteed to start a fight. bride: do not expect groom to understand why your upset if you don’t tell him.
    each person would be required to make a list of 10-12 rules for their marriage before they were allowed to marry. IMO that would sure save alot of fights,you could just say refer to #4 or #1 or whatever and then talk it out. Good idea? i know it sure would have helped when i was married to be able to tell my husband rule#1 is do not cheat on your partner. of course i thought that was a given but maybe i should have said it outloud before it happened. the point is it would give you a starting point to open up each other and get to talking.
    Oh and a copy of the karama sutra wouldn’t hurt either, LOL



  17. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 10:59 am · Link

    Me too – Fedora. My next story is all about the playful side of sex. Fun and games. Laughter.

    Kym – with marriage comes trust or security, maybe a little bit of settling. It’s not a done deal, though. Too easy to get out, but if it’s not working, should it be hard? I don’t know. There is something to be said for a cooling off period.



  18. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 11:04 am · Link

    Thanks – Crystal! Marriage is sometimes like Boot Camp. My DH is sick right now and I’m no nurse.

    Diane – 32 years is something to be proud of. I’ve been at it for 17. Where have all the years gone?

    Tammy – A while back on the news there was a story about a couple who had an actual contract, like “you do this” “I’ll do that”. I thought it was kind of crazy, but every time I look at a sink full of dirty dishes, it seems brilliant.



  19. Diane P. Diamond
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 11:19 am · Link

    Well, I truly think that once married, and once you get to know each other better and find out each other’s likes and dislikes, then the true passion begins. Okay, it’s not all the time and sometimes, you have your up’s and down’s but, that’s what makes making up even better. I’ve been married for 40 years now, and still experience passion. Although, it’s not as intense or as often as it used to be. 😀 lol

    Thank you for this great giveaway. 😛



  20. Janie Bowen
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 12:12 pm · Link

    I think marriage is what you make of it. Some get hotter & stronger as they get to know each other and some implode because of selfishness or neglect.



  21. Suzanne Morrell
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 12:29 pm · Link

    Marriage is definitely what you make of it…same goes for sex, whether married or not. You have to be willing to be adventurous and open-minded to continue to be able find new experiences to enjoy. Sometimes it only takes an open mind to be able to enjoy sex. The mind (and what your choose to think up) is the sexiest part of the body hands down! 😉



  22. Becky W
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    22
    · May 9th, 2011 at 12:35 pm · Link

    I enjoyed reading this post today. I don’t believe that the romance and passion ends when the vows are said. I do think that the couple have to work together to make their marriage work. I think a when you get married that you can still have romance and passion there.
    beckyqward(at)gmail(dot)com



  23. Kortny
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    23
    · May 9th, 2011 at 1:07 pm · Link

    I married because of other circumstances and love wasn’t one of them but….
    If you’re in love with the person you marry, passion and romance never die. It just takes a little work to keep that flame burning.

    Love the book cover!



  24. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 1:28 pm · Link

    Diane D – There is nothing that feels better than that new love feeling, but sometimes we can get it back for a few minutes, like when the hubs looks at me a certain way. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.

    Janie – I agree. Marriage is a tricky place. No one knows or “gets” why two people stick it out. They are hard to define.



  25. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 1:38 pm · Link

    Suzanne – the key to a woman’s happiness in and out of bed is absolutely in her head. I think that’s why there are so many guys out there scratching their heads. Sexual satisfaction might end at night in bed (or the couch, hot tub, shower, whatever), but it starts every morning and continues through out the day with love and respect and kindness. A nice butt and broad shoulders doesn’t hurt.



  26. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 1:45 pm · Link

    Thank you – Becky. We want to hope a couple gets their HEA once the book is over, but there is always more obsticles and conflict even after the vows are said and the honeymoon is over. I want to explore many of the road blocks couples encounter. Babies. Fights. Work issues.

    Kortny – Thank you. I love my book cover too. I held my breath when I first got it, thinking it might be really naughty, but I love it. And marriage is not easily defined. It wasn’t that long ago that marriage was not always about love. I love stories of marriages of convenience that turn into love.



  27. jennifer mathis
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 5:11 pm · Link

    i dont think the wedding vows change the passion in anyway at least it didnt for me . I was against having to go through the torture of a wedding when me and mine was already together but he insisted so I did it just to make him happy … I still tell him it was the most costly piece of paper I ever bought .

    meandi09#yahoo.com



  28. kelli Scott
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 5:28 pm · Link

    Jennifer – I managed to keep our costs down by getting hitched at a state park, we did our own food etc…I did go way overboard on the dress.



  29. Jen B.
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    · May 9th, 2011 at 9:16 pm · Link

    The story only begins at the wedding. For me, I love my husband more each day. We just celebrated our 20th! 😀 Thanks for the giveaway.



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