Guest Author: Lauren Dane featuring Laid Bare
Friday, July 31
I had high expectations for Laid Bare, and was very fortunate to be able to read an ARC of this book prior to its release date. It was a book that captivated me from the very beginning. Erin is such a strong, confident person who knows who she is and is not afraid to express herself in her music, her life, and her sexuality. I have to say I think she is one of my favorite female heroines so far this year. She lives her life to the fullest and with no regrets. To me that is very powerful.
And Todd… can I just say WOW, he left me breathless. Even at the start of his relationship with Erin he is a sexy, commanding hero, despite his wariness to acknowledge his true desires. After the end to their brief love affair, both go on to lead the lives they have chosen, for better or for worse. But the journey they lead the reader through to come back to a place, despite all that they have experienced, and find love again is what I found most compelling.
I simply loved Erin and Todd, add Ben to the mix and it was just icing on a very tasty cake. This was a scorching hot, and at times tenderly emotional love story that I highly recommend. I can’t say this enough….I LOVED IT!

With Laid Bare, it was a vivid scene of my heroine, Erin, that started the story for me. Here’s this woman, she’s young and confident, she owns her power and her ambition and most definitely makes no apologies for who she is and what she likes. This scene turned out to be the opening of the book and it frames who Erin was ten years ago:
Music, raw and hard like sex, pulsed through the speaker stack, caught the people in front of the stage as much as it had her in its grip.
The bass line throbbed through her like a second pulse as the scent of beer and sweat settled into her system. Sweat slicked her forehead and slid down the line of her spine. The muscles in her forearm corded as she played, her fingers finding their way as they had time and again. A secret smile marked her lips as her half lidded eyes focused on something not visible to anyone else.
Yes, it was a man’s world up there, but she’d kicked down the door with her Doc Martens and she wasn’t giving her spot to anyone else. She loved making music, and it fit her like a second skin.
It made her alive.
Her dreads swung forward, partially obscuring her face—adding, she knew, to the overall effect. Her belly, glistening with sweat, slid against the back of her bass where her shirt ended and her low-slung jeans began.
Up there, under the blue lights, she didn’t have to work at it. She was. She was exactly where she wanted to be, a guitar strapped to her body, calluses on her fingers from playing. The muscles in her upper arms were well defined because she hauled equipment around for gigs. There wasn’t any doubt, any self-consciousness. She lived the life she wanted.
Erin Brown had stopped apologizing for wanting things. She grabbed experiences with both hands and gobbled them down.
The book is firmly rooted in music. It’s how Erin communicates her pain, her rage, her joy, her grief. All my books have soundtracks I listen to while I write and edit. I use music to create a feel, so that I can easily slide back into that story when I start writing each day or if I get interrupted to go back and get into the book again after being in another story for a while.
As we return to Seattle ten years after this opening and a super hot fling Erin finally broke off with Todd, her sexy next door neighbor, we see she’s changed and so has he. He’s back and accepting of who he is inside, of what he wants from a woman and she’s not the same, self assured woman she was before. Yes, she still owns her desires, but something horrible has happened to her, it’s dulled some of her boldness.
There are parts of the writing process with this book where it was very dark. Lots of Tool, Deftones and Kittie. Other times it was more emotional and I broke out the singer songwriters like PJ Harvey and Ani Difranco. This sort of framing helped me keep Erin’s state of mind, her heart and what she was struggling with, really clear in my head (and I hope, in the book).
And along came a story element I hadn’t actually envisioned at all when I wrote the synopsis and proposal for my editor. Ben. This book was not meant to be a ménage when I imagined it. But Ben would not let go. He wanted to be in the story and I fought it enough to run into story problems as I tried to adjust here and there to give him a bit more page space until finally I just gave in and let him love Erin. Once that happened, it was like the story simply flowed from me onto the page.
The book was totally unexpected in many ways as I wrote and I’m very pleased with how it ended up. Sometimes you have to whip your characters back into shape and not let them wander around, but other times, you need to listen to the music, to open up and give the characters and the story a bit of a lead, let them roam a bit because sometimes there’s a hidden bit you hadn’t imagined, but that works really well for the story.
This book is about music and music helped frame this story. It’s gentle and sweet in places, hard and dark in others. I hope, like my tracklist, the rising and falling, the ebb and flow of Erin’s life and the lives of her two men will click with readers the way it did in my head!
Lauren
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I loved Laid Bare, and can't wait to read Coming Undone (sequel to Laid Bare)! Brody (Erin's elder brother) was my favorite supporting character and am so excited that he will be getting his own book. My many sincere thanks to Lauren for agreeing to be my guest while preparing and promoting her book, as well as the ARC of Laid Bare so that I could read it before it was featured.
If you did not already know, Lauren has been celebrating the release of Laid Bare by having an awesome contest "Laid Bare with Flair" on her blog (please see sidebar for widget and more details). It is still going on with daily giveaways of books and clothing accessories (jewelry, scarfs...), from a variety of great authors, but hurry because her contest ends on Aug 3rd, 2009.
Laid Bare's official release date is Aug 4, 2009, and one lucky commenter has the chance to win this amazing book. Yes, that's right, Lauren has offered to give away one copy of Laid Bare, in addition to giving away one copy of Relentless. Two books and two winners. That's what I call a great way to start the weekend!
And don't forget you can earn 5 extra entries to win Lilli Feisty's book Bound to Please by blogging about Lauren's guest post & giveaway at Seductive Musings. See the Monday's Muse post this week for specifics on how to gain these entries.
How to enter the Lauren Dane giveaway:
- To enter you must leave a meaningful comment
Rules and disclaimers:
- This contest is open to anyone
- The contest will end Monday August 3rd at 11:59 pm EST and the winner will be contacted via email on Tuesday August 4, 2009
- Winners will be selected using Random.org
- The winners will have THREE days from the date they are contacted to provide the requested information. If you do not respond within three days a replacement winner will be selected. NO EXCEPTIONS
- The book(s) will be mailed directly from the publisher or author and no substitutions are allowed
- Seductive Musings is not responsible for prizes that are not honored, distributed in a timely manner, lost, stolen, or damaged during transit
- All giveaways are subject to change/cancellation without prior notice
Good Luck!!!
Join us tomorrow for another special guest, Tymber Dalton
60 Comments:
I'm looking forward to this one - it sounds great!
This book sounds great! I can't wait to read it.
Thanks~
Amy M
I've read To Do List & Taking Care of Business & loved them. Just ordered Giving Chase & can't wait to read all 4 stories. I'm glad you includded some M/M in yur menage. I've read on numerous blogs that this is becoming very popular. Men have been fascinated with the F/F for so long - what's wrong with the other way around?
I love Lauren's books. Laid Bare looks to be another fantastic read, and while I don't always like menage, I think I will love this one. Thanks for the giveaway!
I really love your author interviews and guest blogs. They provide so much more insight to the process and journey they take in writing the books. It was really interesting to read about how Lauren let the music guide her and how some characters just won't quit :)
I can't wait to read this book!
(jmomblogs@gmail.com)
This book sounds great and I'm looking forward to reading it.
Awesome post and interview!
Razlover(at)hotmail(dot)com
Very interesting to learn a little more about how Laid Bare's characters evolved, Lauren! I love hearing about the music and other elements that inspired and are part of the shape of the story, too. Looking forward to reading it!
f dot chen at comcast dot net
Don't enter me, since I've read both Laid Bare(thank you, Lauren) and Relentless (fantastic)! Just popping by to say hi! And to say that you must read both of these books!
Laren Dane is one of my go-to authors. Always.
I can't wait to read this! Huge fan, great interview BTW Lauren Dane rocks!
I'm a big Lauren Dane fan and loved Undercover (especially loved how seamless the menage aspect flowed)! So I definitely want to get my hands on her new books.
I'm always amazed when authors say that they hear the music soundtracks throughout their stories. I write poems and don't hear songs; I hear beats, but that's to be expected.
I wonder if soundtracks were heard in the early days (elementary school) or not, though....
This sounds like a really great book,I like how the heroine is a musician,I haven't read many books with musicians in it.
I'm looking forward to reading it.
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
wow what gret books
great interview congrats on the great reviews
such hot covers
kh
kimehak@yahoo.com
Great post. Love Lauren's books. Laid Bare sounds wonderful. Fabulous cover.
The bookcover looks amazing and blurb sounds really good. I have this on my wishlist :).
Relentless sounds like a great read as well.
Pam S
pams00@aol.com
I'm looking forward to the release and love the cover!
I started reading Lauren's books a couple of months ago and after reading the first one, i've been on a mission to collect them all and i'm getting there.
I can't wait to read Laid Bare, i'm dyin to get my hands on it!!!!!
You rock Lauren!!!! :-)
Hi Lauren!!
I'm really looking forward to this book!!! :)
Thank you so much for having me today and for the wonderful review too. I'm thrilled you liked Laid Bare.
Chris and Amy - thank you both!
Mary - it worked between these men, but it doesn't always and in a contemporary I try to just let the characters find their own comfortable place with each other. I did LOVE writing the scenes between the three of them, LOL.
Tracy, I hope this one works for you!
Oh yum! I can't wait for August 4th! Lauren, this book looks like it has everything! Strong heroine, menage, BDSM, music. OMG -- were you reading my mind for what I love in a book?
Up through Undercover I think I have read everything Lauren has ever written, and *loved it*! Budget constraints have kept me from Relentless and make Laid Bare a stretch, but I will find a way!
Thank you, Lauren, for sharing a little bit of your process with us, and for giving away copies of your lovely books.
And thank you, Carrie, for the great week of authors!
~bella
I just got a whole bunch of Lauren Dane books, and I can't wait to get this one.
I can't wait to get a copy of this book. I absolutely love the cover art. I loved how music helped guide this book. I love music of all kinds.
JMOM and Razlover - I hope you enjoy it!
Fedora - thank you! it's funny how each book has its own history and culture.
Lori - aww thank you, you know that means a lot to me.
Book Junkie II - Wow, that's a lovely compliment, thank you.
Joder - that's a wonderful compliment - I try really hard to write menages so each of the characters fit together and are all fleshed out, three dimensional characters.
Laney - we all have our triggers. Some writers can't have any sound at all, some can't use music with lyrics, etc.
Elaing - that was a fun part of it!
KH - thank you!
Crystal - I can't agree more. I absolutely love that cover, thank you!
Pam and Tetewa- thank you!
Kerry - you're so good to me, thank you.
Hey Blanche!
MAN OH MAN!!! This book sounds reeeeelly HOT!!! Pease count me in!! I've read several of Lauren's books so I'm sure these will be great too!!!
Such a sexy cover! I'm looking forward to a new Lauren Dane book. "Laid Bare" sounds so exciting from the blurb.
Now this sounds like the kind of book I need to be reading. Please count me in for the giveaway and I love the cover.
jessica(at)fan(dot)com
Shawna Lewis
weloveourdohs@juno.com
I love the colors of toyr bolg so so so Pretty
I also love your book guveaways I guess who doesn't huh. Thanks for the is chance to win to Your the best have a good weekend, Shawna.
That is a beautiful cover! I have loved every book that I've read written by Lauren. From every excerpt of Laid Bare that I have seen this is going to be another favorite of mine.
All of your work is awesome so i dont expect anything less in this new one i have to say I love the whole music and BDSM asspect I love music and i think everyone should have their own sound track at different points in their lives so i cant wait to read this Have an awesome release day and i cant wait till i can read it
I read any new book of Lauren's as soon as it releases. Can't get enough of them.
I have read some LD in the past and look forward to reading this one one day.
Laid Bare sounds like a book I'd like to read.
As commented by others, that is an outstanding cover. I'm not an "ink"
fan, in fact, I pretty much can't
stand tattoos, but that's me! This
particular design is quite taste-
fully done!
Pat Cochran
Bella - I hear you on the budget stuff, books are important but so is eating, LOL.
Erica - thank you, I hope you like them!
Heather - thank you! I love the cover too. Tony Mauro is doing my contemporary covers and I'm very happy about that. (though I have to admit, I love the futuristic ones too!)
Tamara - hope you enjoy Laid Bare
Romantic Epilog - music to my ears, LOL, thank you!
Jess - thank you and good luck!
Shawna - good luck!
Susan - aren't you sweet! Thank you.
SiNn - wow, that's a wonderful compliment, thank you.
Seton and Chey - good luck in the drawing!
Pat - I really think so too. He really got my heroine down perfectly and how he incorporated the tattoo rose into the overall design really ties it all together
I love Lauren's books! I really want to read this one.
Do you find your characters talk to you, helping with the direction the stories go? I am looking forward to reading Laid Bare, it looks very interesting. Good luck with it!
chrismiL19991@yahoo.com
I've been hearing great things about Laid Bare, and already have it on my wish list. Started listening to the song track you have posted, and the vibe from these songs gives me a great visual, I can't wait to read it.
Ah, nostalgia...I remember back when the working title was Outshined - guess I've been reading Lauren's blog for quite some time! ;-)
Love Lauren's books and the secondary characters in her books are great too. I am so glad she's so prolific.
Lauren, congrats on the new release! I love your books. This sounds great.
Rhonda
rwolf(at)evansville(dot)net
It's interesting how music is a critical aspect of Lauren Dane's writing process! Congrats, Lauren!!!!
deliah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com
I am so looking forward to reading Laid Bare. I've never read a menage story before, wonder if I will be able to get into it like I normally do.
calila1988(@)yahoo(.)com
This books sounds so up my alley. I teach music and love romances where one of them is a musician or deals in the art world, can't wait to read this.
I love Lauren's books and these are actually the only 2 I don't already own. She's got amazing characters and mmmm, menage.
Hi Lauren:
I'm at the back of the bus here but wanted to come and enter Carrie's wonderful contest for one of your books.
I just finished "Undercover", and absolutely loved it. Very unique and I appreciated the strength of Sera, Ash and Brandt. I felt you crafted a very unique menage relationship in science fiction setting. I am looking forward to "Relentless".
I've read nothing but wonderful things about Laid Bare, the synopsis and Carrie's review make it sound even more appealing.
Best
L
Hi Lauren!! Loved your post! As with the music that came with writing your book, was the lyrics as important as the sound that guided you and the story? As someone who can't hear, I do love to feel music when I'm able to and some too that I remember when I could hear would touch me so much and some of the lyrics did that for me too.
Love your books and so thrilled about this one. They gave you one awesome cover!
OMG, this book is number one on the wish list anyways, but now that I have seen the "soundtrack" I definitely have to have it, Tool, Deftones, PJ AND Ani??? This book has my name plastered all over it!
BTW Lauren's heroines always rock!
And please do not enter me in the comp, as I will buying it asap.
I loved RELENTLESS and can't wait to read LAID BARE. The reviews over this book have been phenomenal. Way to go Lauren!!
The cover is just so beautiful.
I won Relentless in a contest and loved it I just had to get undercover too. Menages are one my fave reads. Laid Bare sounds great I can't wait to read it. I love the cover. Great post.
Lauren I love all (and own most) of your books. When I was talking to a friend the other day we were wondering if you'd ever considered writing Edward and Polly's (from the Chase Brothers Series) story? It would be an amazing read given what wonderful men their 4 sons are and it would be great to see what trials and tribulations of their parents made them the way they turned out.
Charlotte
I have a couple of your books and have enjoyed a lot.
I've read a bunch of your other books and this one seems just as good. I can't wait to read it!
lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com
Lauren,
The premise for the story is unusual, not in a bad way, in a rather good way. Too many times you read a story where it's instant attraction and the rest of the story plays out with no dilema. I like how you've made them live their lives until they find eachother again. But oh, that blurb is mean. It kind of leaves you hanging. Which granted, means it's done it's job.
I have a confession to make. I already head Relentless on my TBB and TBR list because the cover and blurb grabbed at me a while ago, but it wasn't until Carrie invited you on Seductive Musings that my tiny brain put the connection together.
I now have another Lauren Dane book to add to that list.
Thanks ~ Nicole
I am looking forward to reading this book. It sounds wonderful!
I cannot wait to read this one Lauren...you know how much I Love your books and this is an awesome cover
I love the cover! I want those tats.
Sounds like a great book! I love menages and I am really curious to see what it is that shatters Erin's life.
One question - You talk about how important the music is. I'm not really familiar with the music from the playlist for this book, Is the song from the trailer one of the song you associate with the book? Or was the song selected by someone else? Cool trailer BTW.
lynda98662 @ yahoo dot com
I'm a Huge Fan of yours Lauren! I've read Many,many of your books!!Love ya!!! c(dot)barkowski(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sounds like a great read! I've heard so much about this book and I'd really love to read it!
Awesome cover, I could buy the book only because of it!!
Hi Lauren,
I really loved "Wolf Unbound" from your Cascadia Wolves Series - a great and hot story - and can't wait for your new book :)
Best wishes,
Ina
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