Ben & Marcie

Pat,

I agree. After Master Ben, I would have to go with Peter. Something about a man in uniform that just gets me all creamed up! SM

All this talk is making me soooooo anxious for the book. Can we have an itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny excerpt? Pretty please, with Ben's desserts on top?

That being said, I'm kind of worried that this one is coming out on EC as they seem to be reissuing a lot of old stuff, and the new stuff isn't that great.

WMW,

I have no idea what EC is doing, but I cannot believe that the Knights books would be part of that!! Joey's stuff is the good stuff, but again, I am not really sure what the 2nd half of that statement is trying to note. Could the publisher be having issues?

Do not think that we are going to get that excerpt until August and I have not really seen or heard from Joey here on the forum pretty over the course of the whole week. I am sure that she is very busy. She was working on the new Arcane Shot book during her mornings and HT in the afternoon. So, I am not sure where she is on both of them right now.

August is a few days away, and we've all been very good?

I'm concerned EC is having $ issues and HT gets caught in limbo and I won't be able to get my grubby little hands on it. Pure selfishness.

WMW, to my knowledge, HT is on track for the usual publishing/release process. I haven't had any indication that EC is having money troubles, though I know they have been working on re-releasing some of the older titles that were bundled in anthologies, to give readers the option of buying them as single titles. Regardless, if you get a chance, be sure and leave your feedback about the new stuff through the EC customer service contact link. They are very responsive to reader input, so if they hear enough complaints about an issue (like story quality) they usually take some kind of action to make your experience there better. :> Hope that helps!

As far as an excerpt, Maria summarized my situation very well. With me taking care of my mother 4-5 days a week right now, when I have time, I'm having to prioritize the two works in progress, Hostile Takeover and In the Company of Witches, above all the other writing-related things. Which means I miss you guys! :> My hope is to have HT ready to turn in to EC by the end of August, which means an excerpt would likely come around that time frame or a week or so earlier than that, so I can be sure to give you a polished snippet.

Thanks, all - it's about 2am here, and it's been a long day, so I'm hitting the bed! Oh, and PS - continue to read all the back and forth ruminations about Marcie and Ben's story.
I am still on track to participate in the August 6 Bookclub Night, so hopefully I can catch up with you all that night!

I am going to try to make the chat that night, Joey. We are going to be out of town this coming weekend on a MC trip with some friends. Leaving tommorow morning and back on Sunday. On the 6th, we have pool party that we were invited to by at friend who just got a new house, got married and had a baby all in the span of 2 years. So, depending on what time it starts, I will try to be on it.

I was figuring that you are reading all the gossip on this thread as to what we all think will happen in the book. I am sure that we might be dead on in some places and totally off in others. I think the lack of our knowledge on Ben's backstory and also what type of relationship he and Marcie have had since she was 16 is the reason for all the guessing. Just do not know!!! Very excited to find out!

I am guessing that he, more then the others, moved into that big brother protector role that Lucas said in CR that Marcie needed and that Jeremy did not provide to her. I am guessing that she let him as a way to get in close to him and learn all his little secrets. I am also guessing that he had no idea that she had any other motive besides that so when she comes back after him it is going to be totally off the radar! SM

Saint Maria wrote:

I am guessing that he, more then the others, moved into that big brother protector role that Lucas said in CR that Marcie needed and that Jeremy did not provide to her. I am guessing that she let him as a way to get in close to him and learn all his little secrets. I am also guessing that he had no idea that she had any other motive besides that so when she comes back after him it is going to be totally off the radar! SM

Which really shouldn't come so much as a surprise when you think of it (from a girl's perspective, that is); Marcie's been observing and living with a highly successful Dom/Sub couple in Lucas/Cass, in fact, one could assume that she's felt more stability and security with Lucas' firm hand on the family reins and has witnessed first hand his positive influence on Cass's self-worth and confidence as a woman. I'm sure Marcie isn't blind to the fact that Lucas adores his wife, takes care of her needs, and definitely fulfills her desires (I mean, come on, sisters can always tell!).

Plus she's the sister of a very strong woman who just happens to have very deep submissive needs and desires. Not unlikely that submissive genes might run in her family.

But of course, would Ben think of all this? Not likely

Very well said, Minuet!! I agree. I think that Marcie very much understand the relationship the L/C have and she wants that for herself as well. Just as much, if not more, since Joey has mentioned how much stronger her need is then Cass. Marcie knows that she wants, and is willing to make the effort to go after it, but maybe not sure how it will go over?

Yes, I am betting that Ben will not have thought of that at all as far as Marcie is concerned because he sees her as a little sister. More important, Cass' little sister, and while it might be OK for Cass, at first, he does not allow himself to either recongize it or accept it in Marcie. He might not feel she can handle it or more likely, him? Again, do not know their past history and that makes if hard to guess. SM

In all of the KotB books, the guy has been chasing the girl for commitment, so I think this dynamic will continue... in some way.

WMW,

I do agree, but I think at first it is going to be Marcie doing the chasing. Once he does come around to the idea, then I think he will be doing some chasing. However, I think they both have some skelatons around from their pasts and those are going to be the issues that they are going to have to deal with to "Make it Work".!! SM

Somehow I doubt that Ben would let Marcie "top from the bottom." So doesn't that imply that ultimately he does the pursuit once they are rolling???

Anyway, Joey, if you read this post, my heart goes out to you with your mom. I haven't yet reached that point with my parents, but I've seen how hard it can be. Thanks for logging on @ 2am your time! "See" you for book club night....

BF,

Yes, we know how much Master Ben hates subs who "Top from the Bottom". Once they are rolling, very much so. But, she still is going to have to get his attention first and prove to him, or maybe let him see, that she is a submissive. Once she does that, yes, I think he will take over in that regards since he knows that she has no experience or very little if any.

Joey has said that they are going to have somewhat rocky road, and with his past I cannot see that any other way. Then there is her rape and I think that will be addressed to and might be a reason as to why she comes off so strong on the outside that no one, at least no Dom, even considers her for a submissive. She never shows it just like Ben limits showing his emotions. So, I think watching the shields come down for both of them in this book is one of the things I am most looking forward too!! SM

SM,
With you on the really looking forward to this book sentiment. Having a more definitive release date would also be nice, but that is totally out of Joey's control. I plan to re-read the first 4 books just in time to read Ben and Marcie!

BF,

Yes, I am planning on doing that as well. We are now off for a weekend trip to Northern WI. Will be back on Sunday!!

Keep the Master Ben ideas coming! SM

Have a safe trip SM!

Minuet wrote:

Which really shouldn't come so much as a surprise when you think of it (from a girl's perspective, that is); Marcie's been observing and living with a highly successful Dom/Sub couple in Lucas/Cass, in fact, one could assume that she's felt more stability and security with Lucas' firm hand on the family reins and has witnessed first hand his positive influence on Cass's self-worth and confidence as a woman. I'm sure Marcie isn't blind to the fact that Lucas adores his wife, takes care of her needs, and definitely fulfills her desires (I mean, come on, sisters can always tell!). Plus she's the sister of a very strong woman who just happens to have very deep submissive needs and desires. Not unlikely that submissive genes might run in her family.

That's an awesome and very intuitive perspective, Minuet! At one of the conferences I attended last year, I had a conversation with a Domme whose older teenage daughter had started exhibiting the signs of that preference as well (though she was unaware of her parents dynamic), so it was interesting to hear her thoughts on what it is like to see that similar characteristic manifest itself, and how to handle it. I'm managing something similar in this book of course.

Maria, you are correct - some of it is spot on, some of it's not so spot on (but interesting alternative paths, if I could pursue multiple plotlines - grin), and yes a lot of the accuracy will have to do with knowledge of the backstory and how they handle that. Thanks also for jumping in with the excerpt info for WMW. WMW, hopefully I'll have something for you all later on in August!

Oh, I will make one correction, though. Fortunately, Marcie was not raped. She was sexually assaulted by Jeremy's friend, but it was at the level of ripping clothes and trying to overpower her physically stage when Cass luckily came home and intervened. There is some fallout from that, of course, but I think the fact it was her sister who stopped it, and her sister who has shown her on so many levels what a powerful woman is, helped her heal and go forward without much baggage from it.

You are also quite correct in that Ben has a zero tolerance policy toward topping from the bottom. He considers it a personal challenge to correct (grin). Have a great trip, Maria. We'll be delighted if you can make it next Saturday, but the pool party sounds fun. Particularly with our 100+ degree temps right now!

Oh, and BR fan, thank you for that kind thought about my mom. Look forward to seeing you 8/6 as well! And all of you who can make it!

Joey - good luck with your mom!

The reason I'm so anxious is that the Knights are so freaking awesome, and each book/novella is so emotionally fulfilling. And Ben is the last man standing, the uber-Dom. I know that I will not be disappointed in the book even if it deviates from my imaginings, in fact it will exceed them. Especially in long-running series when you have a very popular character I've noticed how disappointing some books can be from other authors, *cough* acheron *cough*. So I'm so *squeeeeeeeeeeeee* about the book... I want to know when its out so I can take one of my vacation days to just enjoy reading it at my leisure rather then pulling an all-nighter and being a zombie at work the next day. The scraps (aka excerpts, outtakes, etc) are like an appetizer before the awesomeness of the book.

WMW, I have utterly no problem with you being anxious for the book's arrival - I'm glad you all feel that way about Ben's story! I do hope it will live up to expectations, because of course authors are always nervous about a greatly-anticipated book. For example (though I'm certainly not at this level in any way, shape or form), I had a lot of sympathy for JK Rowling when she was writing the last HP - I mean imagine the pressure of knowing how much everyone was expecting out of THAT book.

I haven't read Acheron, but wonder if SK had the same struggle. Writing requires playing a lot of mental games with yourself - staying aware of the march toward deadline without getting so aware of it that you stifle your creative juices; getting those creative juices going on a day when your brain is in total non-creative mode; and trying to write the best story possible without getting bogged down/paralyzed by supersized expectations of it (laughter). I can't wait to share it with you all, though. It's more cerebral than I expected so far. Marcie and Ben are both hugely intelligent and intuitive characters, so there's a lot of complex interplay between them. It's fun to write but also requires me to be on my toes - because both of them are (grin).

Thanks again for your comment. I love hearing that I've caused people to stay up all night, but I hope you get to use your vacation so you don't lose needed rest!

Well, I am back! Just back in from our three day vacation and I am dragging serious ass! Over 600 miles on the back of a MC in less then three full days. I do not know if I am getting back on that think again for a while.

Well, lots of very interesting conversion about, laides and Joey! Much fun talk about Master Ben. Right now I need to hit the shower! SM

OMG!! Well, am at work and taking a bit of a break. Hubby said we actually rode over 700 miles this past weekend. Yikes! No wonder I feel like crap. Legs ache, butt hurts and I have no engery at all. Sounds like Marcie is going to feel after one of those two hour sessions that she is going to have with Master Ben!! Or is that closer to 4 or 6, Joey?

How are you doing on HT, Joey? Things looking good for you on it? Awesome that WMW is so excited for the first little excerpt. Sandy and I are pretty much sure that both of us are going to pee our pants. That is of couse if I can get Sandy out of mourning for Master Ben. ( I think she is still kind bummed about him finally getting a permenent hook up! ) No more mermaid playing or being about to get anxious about an inpromtu blow job possibitiy at the Zone. So sad...

Well, gotta get back to work now so I get out of here! I so just wanna go home and crash and play with the kids. SM

SM, hope you have recovered from that 700 mile run - that's a lot of ground to cover, and I'll bet you saw some beautiful scenery. Saw your post over on Eruis7 question and figured I'd give you an update over here so the other B&M folks would know where we are. Unfortunately, not much new to report on the books. My mother has entered Hospice care and has a prognosis of 4-8weeks. I'm with her 4 days a week, my brother is with her 3. I'm finishing up the Bound by the Vampire Queen final galley, which is due Monday, and then hopefully on the three days I'm home each week I'll be able to do some work on In the Company of Witches and possibly Hostile Takeover. I have to focus on ICW first because it's the one that has a contracted deadline/advance attached to it, but I've touched base with EC, and of course they've been wonderful as always, indicating they'll be ready for HT whenever I can turn it in. Berkley has also been very patient, trying to extend the deadline for ICW as much as possible. So that's where we are right now. At least on a positive note - when we do finally get the books released, hopefully they'll be worth the wait! :>

Thanks as always... I'm going to post the paragraph on my mom over on the thread where I made the formal announcement about her some weeks ago, so everyone will be up to date, but since it tied into your question, wanted to post it here as well.

Thank you, Joey! I just have one question, and when you can answe it that is fine. I know you have a lot more going on right now.

Understand that first, the BBTVQ Galley, due on the 22nd, I know, and then you do need to focus more on the 2nd ICW book. However, just how much of HT is even left? One or two edit rounds maybe? Maybe still a end of August or beginning September?

Wll be very patient for my Master Ben, yes. Love all the hot new photos of him popping up on the forum thanks for MK! Cannot wait for the except.

Best wishes to you and your Mom. SM

SM, I haven't worked on it since last we posted about it, so we're still in the first edit round. That means I need to finish that round, and do the two after that for it to be finalized and submitted. Glad there's some good eye candy happening to tide you over (smile).

I just emailed my EC editor to let her know I won't make my intended end of August submittal. If I had to guess, at this juncture, I'd say October (and that's a guess). Sorry to keep you guys waiting on these books. RL sometimes is what it is, but I appreciate your patience and loyalty throughout. Hope in the interim you're finding some good reads - life is better with a good book!

Joey, don't you dare apologize for that! You just do what you have to do and spend your time with your mother. She needs you right now. The books can wait. All of us will still be here waiting with bated breath for what's to come just as soon as you are able to get to them.

Hugs and best wishes to you and to your mom, always!