Bergman unwraps delicious romantic treat with 'Chocolate'

Bergman

Dripping with vivid description, 'Her Chocolate Fantasy' was a real damn good read. Bergman has a simple – and by that I mean, clear – easy stride in her voice, too difficult to resist; I fell into the story. Bergman spends so much time setting up scenes and intimate encounters, that by the time the character(s) is in the throws I have no other choice but to feel how I feel, horny as phuq. Which brings me to my point: Bergman has an authenticity in her narrative I completely enjoyed. Every day moments, beaming sunlight, a gust of wind, the aroma of a cooked meal, these details paint luscious, vivid images Bergman has wonderfully permitted her lead female to have. Sarah is a delight to read, vulnerable, but not feeble, sexy and smart, not always the go-getter but sensuous. And when she finally meets the man of her daydreams, my only piece of advice: Be prepared. Have an unopened bag of ice handy. Drape it over a fan and crank that blade full blast, because, oh lord, it's one helluva freaking hot ride.

1. Before you tell us about your book, why don’t you share a little bit about yourself.
Well, let me see here. I’m a single parent of a teenager daughter, who like her mom is very artistic but in the way of making movies and making models on the computer, is the love of my life. I was born in Jamaica Queens New York but mainly I was raised down south in Alabama and Georgia where I was raised in a town called Roswell. Right now I reside in Atlanta in Buckhead.

2. Outside of writing, what sort of activities do you enjoy?
Well I like to go for walks when I can, I also love to cook and bake. I use to collect Cobalt Blue glass items of all kinds, since it’s my favorite color. I also use to collect cookbooks so I have a big collection.

3. Do you have a favorite food, snack, and/or beverage?
My favorite food is pizza as far as snack I love pistachios now and beverage is tea, hot or cold.

4. Authors draw from a wide variety of experiences, from their own lives as well as the lives of others. Which is the richest source for you?
I think like most writers, we all put a bit of ourselves in our books because most of the experiences that we put our hero and heroine in, we could only wish for ourselves. I know that my richest source for ideas is myself. I put a bit of myself into most of all my books. I also get some of my ideas from pictures I see or maybe an article I’ve read about or maybe even talking with a friend or fan of mine and then something in my head says, “THAT’S IT….USE IT!”. So I run with the idea and develop the characters and storyline from there.

5. Of the stories you have written so far, which is your favorite and why?
Oh my…..heck that’s like asking what your favorite candy bar is. Hmm…I have to say that my favorite out of all ten of my books has got to be “The Admission”. I wrote this story, which I had based on one of my favorite movies of all time “The Heiress” because it was a story that had to be told. I of course changed it up a bit but I kept the idea of the struggle between the daughter and father, like in the movie, how much the father resented the daughter so much that he would belittle her in every single way possible to break her. Even though throughout her life, she only wanted her father’s acceptance. I think it’s also my favorite because of the cover itself. I usually had like a guy and a girl on my cover but with this one, I only had the heroine on the cover. The main reason for this is because the guy that I had wanted to be on the cover, I couldn’t get him on it because his pictures were with two other companies. I dedicated the book in his memory since he had died because he was a great friend as well as a beautiful soul and he is missed daily by those he had touched.

6. Embarrassing moment. Do you have one? Or better yet, are you sure you want to put it out there?
Oh lord…..well this particular embarrassing moment happened when I was a teenager in high school. I had a breast reduction when I was a teen and the local news was doing a segment about teens that had plastic surgery. My doctor who did my surgery had asked me about being on it and answering some questions. Well when I did, they soon told me that they would be at my school, doing some taping of me while I was doing daily activities. Also they would come to my house as well.

When they came to my school, everyone was shocked including me because that particular day, I was coming from band class (yeah I played clarinet) and I had to pass the office…well standing there was the principal, assistant principal, the secretary along with the coaches for the football and basketball team and my old home economics teacher. They all told me that they didn’t know about me having a reduction and I kinda laughed a bit and said yeah yeah I did. Well the bombshell came when the assistant principal said to me, in her clear Southern accent, “Why Jamallah, had I known that you were getting a reduction, I would have asked you to at least save me something for myself.”

*insert smack on the forehead and groan*…..at least that’s what was going on in my head while everyone else was laughing it up and I laughed it up too and walked away saying “OH MY GOD!”

7. What genres do you write for? Are there any that you haven’t that you would like to explore?
I mainly write Interracial and Multicultural Romance….Contemporary and Erotica. But I do have to say that I would love to write horror.

8. What advice would you give new authors?
My advice is to ask around, talk with some of your favorite authors or just authors in the genre that you want to write in. Don’t give up….no matter how many rejections you get and you feel like life is hopeless and you might be thinking to yourself, “Why am I even doing this?” Don’t give up no matter what.

Also it’s best to get into groups that have writers, whether budding or experienced, and that way you can find out some of the best info about publishers, editors, cover artist, etc.

9. Now that we’ve had a chance to get to know you, tell us about the latest story you have out now?
Her Chocolate Fantasy is my first self-published story. I’ve been writing with my publisher, Secret Cravings Publishing, since 2011. But I’ve always wanted to publish one on my own. So I said that 2014 would be ‘THE YEAR’ that it would happen.

Basically it tells the story of Sarah Alexander, who even though she works as a file clerk, her real passion is to become a chocolatier and own her own shop. Chocolate is her obsession and she loves it along with a man who she has been eyeing for years, executive Max Taylor. Soon these two come together and what happens between them is something that honestly HAWT and EROTIC. All I can say is that Phantom of the Opera much less going to the Opera PERIOD will never be seen the same way again.

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BLURB

From Her Chocolate Fantasy:

Hello my name is Sarah Alexander…..and I’m a chocoholic

I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember…..

Chocolate has been my passion since I was young and even as an adult, I dream about this yummy confection.

Well I don’t always dream of chocolate though…..

I do dream about Max Taylor, one of the executives in the office where I work at as a file clerk.

I mean who wouldn’t want to dream about a man who sends my heart racing every time I would look his way.

Soon Max and I get to know one another and we both realize that we have one thing in common with one another besides our love for one another…..

An obsession over chocolate…..

HER CHOCOLATE FANTASY is a story about what happens when you get two chocoholics together…..and all of the hot sweetness that happens in between.

________________________

EXCEPT

From Her Chocolate Fantasy:

We continued laughing and talking, but when the waitress brought out our dessert, all laughing ceased, and I simply stared at what she set on our table. The dessert was like nothing I had ever seen. Have you ever had one of those out-of-body experiences? Where your soul just leaves your body and you’re floating overhead, looking at yourself? Well, I didn’t have one of those—this was something that would never be documented…ever.

The dessert filled a huge champagne glass, topped off with whip cream, dark cherries, and chocolate shavings. I could see the different layers of whipped cream and what looked like either chocolate pudding or mousse, along with dark cherries. I couldn’t do anything but stare in shock, my mouth gaping over what I was seeing before me. I looked over at Max, who was obviously trying to suppress his laughter by covering his mouth.

“Please tell me you don’t eat this entire thing by yourself,” I said.

He shook his head, still holding his hand over his mouth, while he looked back and forth between me and the dessert. I honestly didn’t want to eat the damn thing; it was too beaut
iful to disturb. Grabbing my purse, I took my phone out, and like an idiot, I took a picture. No one would have believed me if I told them how gorgeous it was. As I snapped the picture, Max leaned into my view, his head beside the champagne glass, and a goofy look on his face. I started laughing as I put the phone down, and soon we both grabbed our spoons to dig into the decadent confection. I found out that the chef used chocolate mousse rather than pudding, but I honestly didn’t care; every bite I took was like heaven on earth.

As we ate, every once in a while, I would look over at Max, and it seemed he was watching me while we ate. My gaze fell to his lips, and I stared as the spoon entered his mouth. I couldn’t help but watch him, taking in the way the spoon would enter his mouth, only to slowly exit from between his lips and then he’d lick off the remaining cream. His movements were so sensual, I had to cross my legs and squeeze my thighs tightly together. The sensation I experienced while watching him perform such a seemingly innocent act intensified each time he licked his full lips.

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Find HER CHOCOLATE FANTASY on Amazon

Find Textual Encounters on Amazon

Find Textual Encounters on Smashwords

Find Textual Encounters on Kobo

Web Links

Website: http://jamallahbergmansstoriesoflove.weebly.com/

Email: jamallahbergman73@gmail.com

Twitter: @silentbutloud1

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/jamallahbergmanauthor

Romance Novel Center Profile: http://www.romancenovelcenter.com/jamallahbergman

Authorgraph: http://www.kindlegraph.com/authors/silentbutloud1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5805513.Jamallah_Bergman

Parker's Non Friction a comedic, romantic romp from an unlikely hero

You know right off the bat when an author addresses a woman, 'princess' the hero is going to fall, hard, and stand up slowly, aching from emotional pain. Remember that old saying: Nice guys finish last? What this sagely advice really means is recognize a nice guy when you see him, because for some reason a bad boy is more attractive, alluring, and spontaneous, good in bed, and all sorts of presumptions. Parker has hit it out of the park with Non Friction. He flips the tried and true romance tropes over and gives us a funny, true-to-life, romance story about love; the most important part of love, knowing what you really want and then going after it. To do that, you have to make some mistakes. Are they worth the discomfort? If love was easy we'd all be born with a manual. And that's what makes this story great. I cheered for Oliver. I wanted him to find happiness again. I yelled at the screen whenever the guy just couldn't get his act together. A definite must read for anyone who ever thought nice guys finish last.

1. Before you tell us about your book, why don’t you share a little bit about yourself.

Thanks, Alex! Well, I’m Morgan Parker but that’s not my real name. I use a fake name for a variety of reasons, namely to avoid taxes and death threats. When I’m not dealing with tax problems or exes (fake and real exes alike), I’m a normal Canadian guy with two wives and a kid. I meant two kids and a wife. The kids are a boy and a girl, and the wife is a lady, which is the diplomatic thing to say, I suppose. And no, I didn’t list them in order of favorite but pretty close because, hey, I’m human and I pick favorites.

2. Outside of writing, what sort of activities do you enjoy?

What a great question. I rediscovered how much I enjoy living recently when my wife and I made a spontaneous trip to Chicago to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. I love being active and watching people; I spend a great deal of time at our local hi-tech incubator which shares space with Google, and I love seeing how successful entrepreneurs interact socially just as much as I enjoy witnessing the social change that is happening on Chicago’s “challenged” West end. People are my passion and if I could sit and observe people, that’s what I would do for a living. Instead, I write about them.

3. Do you have a favorite food, snack, and/or beverage?

Nothing beats a double-espresso cappuccino from my favorite (but local) coffee house, Balzac’s. One sip is enough to remind me that all of life’s greatest experiences have a taste to them. Heaven, I’m sure, tastes like my Balzac’s cappuccino. Love, for example, tastes like lemon-filled cookies, and relaxation tastes like Hershey chocolate.

4. Authors draw from a wide variety of experiences, from their own lives as well as the lives of others. Which is the richest source for you?

My distorted view of my experiences has provided all of my inspiration thus far. Distorted because our memories change with time. What we might remember as a painful and life-ending breakup may someday be remembered as a simple, romantic struggle.

5. Of the stories you have written so far, which is your favorite and why?

Textual Encounters has been my favorite because there really wasn’t much writing to it. I literally pieced together a bunch of texts and the story emerged from this dialogue between two people. I felt there was an enduring love story between Jake and Christine, one that was based on character rather than appearances, chemistry or anything else. As well, I think a lot of us have had a “textual encounter” or two and know just how different these textual relationships are, how much they can touch us and how deeply they can cut us.

6. Embarrassing moment. Do you have one? Or better yet, are you sure you want to put it out there?

Are we talking about today, yesterday, or any day? I manage to embarrass myself anytime I open my mouth, Alex. I think that’s why I’m typing my answers.

Okay, today I was at Balzac’s and, Leah, the young woman who made my cappuccino, stared me straight in the eyes and swore that she knew me from somewhere. I shrugged, lost, unable to provide her with a reassuring response. She said: “Look at me.” I looked at her, and then she added: “Where do you know me from?”

A smart guy might have humored her and said, “I know you from my dreams,” or “I’m not sure because I would never forget a pretty face like yours,” or something equally sweet. Instead in a writer and being unable to outline my response and later edit it, I spewed the first thing that came to mind, which was: “I’m horrible with faces. Sorry I don’t know you.”

Conversation over, and instead of crafting a heart with the froth of my cappuccino, she just dumped the non-fat milk into the cup and walked away.

That was a little embarrassing, especially since I’m well aware that you never upset your barista. Tomorrow will have to be a cap-free day now. Ugh.

7. What genres do you write for? Are there any that you haven’t that you would like to explore?

I’ve seen The Secret and I’m supposed to say that I write “bestseller fiction,” but that’s simply not the case. Because all of my stories incorporate a love story of some form, they’re more likely to be considered Romance with a splash of Humor.

I’d love to write for the Mystery and Suspense genres (Ian Rankin, Colin Harrison, Dennis Lehane are among my favorites) but because no one really takes me seriously, I think I’ll stick to my current genre.

8. What advice would you give new authors?

Understand people first, understand Story second, and always pretend you’re experiencing life the same way a 4-year old would. Think about this: you know better than everyone else at 4. You’ll lick that electrical socket at 4 despite your parents telling you not to – you’ll even remove the safety plug to get to that socket. You’ll take stupid risks as you step up onto the roof and throw your ball straight into the sky and think it will make it to the moon, then you’ll say “$v#% you!” to the world as you chase that ball into the middle of the street without looking first. As writers, especially Indie writers, we need to take those same risks that a 4-year old would and ignore what everyone else says if we want to succeed or at least stand out.

9. Now that we’ve had a chance to get to know you, tell us about the latest story you have out now?

My first stand-alone novel, Non Friction, follows a man in his 40’s after his wife walks out on him. Faced with loneliness and a mad desire to win his wife back, he decides to write a novella and it generates a ton of interest, particularly from one fan, Emma. Through Emma, our main character evolves as a man and as a writer, creating his greatest work of all and realizing that if he deserves anything, it’s this: better.

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BLURB

From Non Friction:

Holding her always felt perfect, but at that moment it felt like pure fucking heaven. She fit in my arms, she fit against my chest, she fit into my soul. When she breathed, I breathed (okay, neither of us had stopped breathing, but I swear if she had stopped, at that moment, I would have died right along with her).

“Emma,” I said, using my chin to nudge her head and force her eyes toward mine. I didn’t want to use my hands to nudge her because that would mean releasing her, and I refused to do that, refused to let go. “Look at me.”

At last, she tilted her head and our eyes locked. The mood was better now than it had been when we kissed that very first time at my house. Way better.

Except the elevator stopped and the doors opened. We needed to step off onto the fifth floor.

“Let’s talk,” I said. “Just talk. Nothing more.”

I took her hand, laced my fingers in hers, and led the way to my room. She didn’t resist, object or put up any kind of fuss.

And just like that, the perfection of Emma made everything else in my world irrelevant. Which was pretty messed up because I had literally been minutes away from a massive fuckfest with Dawn. But here, walking through the hall to my room, then slipping into my room with Emma’s hand in mine, I would have traded anything and everything in this world for a night of innocent cuddling. Just holding Emma in my arms, savoring the lemon-cream essence of her, listening to her voice, feeling her (fully clothed) body against mine… all of that meant more than a dozen lifetimes ever could.

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Find Textual Encounters on Amazon

Find Textual Encounters 2 on Amazon

Keep up with Morgan Parker's author page on Facebook

The Sassy Wordwench killed in car accident, friends to hold auction to help her son

*  *  *  Update  *  *  *

The Colourful Word Wench has launched the donation drive and auction. < Follow this link, and there, read the navigation instructions before bidding on a particular item. CWW has done a great job keeping the page as clutter-free as possible so people like you have a fun time looking around at all the amazing donations that have poured in since the donation launched, Monday, March 10, 2014, and runs through March 24, 2014, so check back often. New items are arriving, and new bids are posting. Thank you.

*   *  *

Carson K. Carlisle had a smile that could light up the room. Her positive outlook and sweet, fun-loving personality seemed never-ending. She loved her son, family, friends, and those book wenches she spent so much of her spare time with, reading and sharing her favorite book boyfriends.

Carson, known to readers and bloggers and authors in the indie-publishing community as The Sassy Wordwench, died this weekend in a car accident.

Following the news of her death on her Facebook wall, family and friends began to share their memories of her. The outpouring of love that continues to appear is evidence of the kind of person that she was, adventurous, spirited, conscientious, and caring.

Friends, authors, bloggers, editors, Carson's legacy lives on in her son. Her close friend, The Colourful Wordwench who co-operated the FB page Word Wenches Guilty Pleasure is coordinating an auction, the proceeds from which will help defray the cost of Carson's funeral expenses and provide support to her son.

In this time of need, please consider making a donation. Word Wenches will be hosting an auction for items donated. Please message her directly for details.

Thank you,

Alex