Author Tali Spencer is here at Love Bytes today with her blog tour for her book Victory Portrait.

Welcome to the blog, Tali!

Author Name: Tali Spencer

Book Name: Victory Portrait

Series: Pride of Uttor #4

Release Date: April 6, 2016

Pages or Words: 78,600 words

Publisher: Resplendence Publishing

Cover Artist: Melody Pond

Goodreads

Blurb:

Imperial captive and former Sebboyan prince Peta Kordeun has one great wish: to meet Darius Arrento, conqueror of his country and a man he has idolized since childhood. That wish comes true the day the Uttoran emperor assigns Peta to assist the artist who will be painting the great general’s official portrait.

General Darius Arrento would rather take a crossbow bolt through his flesh than sit for a portrait, until his friend the emperor forces his hand. The notorious artist, Brazzi, uses semen and other sexual fluids to bind his colors—and Arrento is captivated by the artist’s pretty helper. Before long he is driven to possess the gorgeous young man who draws battle maps and whose naïve charm has won more hearts in Uttor than Arrento has won battles.

When Arrento learns that Peta, the slave he covets and wants for his own, is one of the despised Kordeun princes, he storms from Uttor toward a far corner of the empire—where he quickly finds himself embroiled in a plot to tear Uttor’s empire apart. His emotions and loyalties frayed, the great Arrento is in the battle of his life…and Peta may hold the key to his survival.

Categories: Alternate Universe, Fantasy, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

 

 

When Sex IS the Attraction

Thank you so much for having me visit to talk about Victory Portrait and a few of my thoughts, for what those are worth, on insta-love and insta-lust.

Insta-love is a rare beast, because love is way too personal and intimate and complicated to happen instantaneously, though I do believe it can progress so rapidly as to seem instantaneous. Then there’s the more common beast known as insta-lust. You know…that powerful physical, hormone-driven, neurochemical tsunami of sexual desire that can knock a human being right out of their rational, highly evolved, ridiculously well-educated skull and turn her or him into a set of raging genitals.

That kind of lust.

Instant sexual desire happens. A lot. Sometimes it leads to fun, and sometimes to disaster. We all know of people for whom sexual infatuation became a kind of temporary madness, or led them down a road littered with destructive acts and consequences. Sexual infatuation often goes hand in hand with narcissism, jealousy, and fear. There’s even a popular notion that it cannot be controlled, though of course it can be. People just like to use unfettered desire as an excuse.

Sometimes, though, sexual obsession can keep two people close enough, for long enough, that love miraculously emerges from the cacophony.

Victory Portrait, the fourth book in the Pride of Uttor series, begins with the deliberate throwing of one main character into a state of sexual infatuation. When triumphant general Darius Arrento first sets eyes on Peta, the slave charged with helping a famous artist paint Arrento’s portrait, he develops a passion for the beautiful youth—just as his old friend the emperor predicted. As the sittings progress, the general’s passion becomes a burning desire to possess Peta sexually. It doesn’t help that the artist’s unusual method of painting involves sexually stimulating Peta while Arrento watches.

Peta, too, finds his attraction to Arrento—whom he has worshiped from afar—becoming more and more sexual. At first he’s perplexed both by Arrento’s response and also his own. Peta’s only known one other man, but this is his dream and he rushes headlong into the lusty general’s sexual embrace.

Because sex is the driving force that pulls these two characters together, Victory Portrait includes lots of early sexual tension and sex acts. Don’t think, though, that the book is all UST and no satisfaction. Arrento finds a way to get what he wants…only to find out that his “what” comes with a “who.”

Love doesn’t occur between objects. It happens between people and for genuine love to grow they have to see each other clearly. See the faults; accept the faults. See perfection fade. See rejection and find a way around it.

If the general and the slave have any chance at all of becoming a couple, they must get to know each other—and themselves—outside the sexual attraction. And that’s where the rest of the story comes in.

 

 

“You want me to assist the painter. Only that?” Peta asked.

“Yes. I just want you to understand you will be naked and…Brazzi will want you to be sexually aroused.”

“What?”

“It’s what Brazzi does. Not for himself—not unless you’re a woman—but for his method. He was tried three years ago on charges of obscenity because he uses…sexual fluids for mixing his paint. He truly is a genius. His colors are astonishing.”

“And you want Arrento to see me like that? Naked and…being used?”

“No.” Gaspar was being firm. “I want a portrait of my general. And I happen to think that the sight of you will keep his ass firmly planted for whatever sittings the painter requires. You see, Darius has one weakness—only one. He cannot resist a thing of beauty—and you, my pretty slave, are the most breathtaking young man I have ever had the privilege to look upon.”

Peta flushed. Gaspar wasn’t smiling. The man was serious.

Could he do it? Did he want to do it? Peta knew he was pretty. His looks had blessed and cursed him all his life. His beauty had attracted Kesme as a fellow cadet and was what Kesme had praised that last night when they’d made love…and Peta’s face was what Lukacz, his own father, had sought to destroy, thinking that doing so would release him from predation and unnatural desires. And now Gaspar, too, wanted only one thing…

“Just sit there and look pretty,” he said, heart sinking as he grasped what Gaspar was asking him to do.

“Only if you’re willing. I’m not completely oblivious to what this sort of service might entail. It could be rather…awkward. On the other hand, it might not be for long. Darius can be stubborn. It’s possible he won’t show up.”

And just as possible that he would.

Peta wanted to say no but he could not get his mouth to form the word. He might never get another chance to see Arrento, perhaps hear his voice. Be in the same room with him.

He’d be silent…naked…terribly exposed even in his utter worship.

But he would at least be able to say he had seen the great man.

“I’ll do it,” he said.

Buy the book: 

Resplendence Publishing

Amazon

ARe 

 

 

 

Tali Spencer delights in erotic fantasy and adventure, creating worlds where she can explore the heights and shadows of sexual passion. A hopeful romantic and lover of all things exotic, she also writes high fantasy and science fiction. If you would like to see inspiration pictures for her characters, or glimpse how she envisions her worlds, check out her Pinterest boards.

Thanks to a restless father, she grew up as a bit of a nomad and still loves to travel whenever she can. Her longest stint in one place was Milwaukee where she went to college, enjoyed a series of interesting careers, and raised three surprisingly well-adjusted sons. She later married her true love and put down new roots in Philadelphia, where she lives in an ongoing Italian American family sitcom. At least she’s learned how make good pasta. When not writing, Tali reads everything from sweet goofy romances to medical research, manages her fantasy football team—go Gekkos!—and takes long walks with her loving, if slightly neurotic, poodle.

Tali’s other books include the three preceding Uttor books: Captive Heart, Dangerous Beauty, and Adored, all with Resplendence. Her gay male high fantasy stories, Thick as Thieves, Sorcerer’s Knot, and The Prince of Winds, are published by Dreamspinner Press. She often posts free stories and excerpts on her blog.

Where to find the author:

Facebook

Twitter: @tali_spencer

Pinterest

Blog

 

 

Tour Dates & Stops:

18-Apr: Prism Book Alliance

19-Apr: Decadent Delights

20-Apr: Bonkers About Books, Full Moon Dreaming

21-Apr: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

22-Apr: Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

25-Apr: The Novel Approach, Happily Ever Chapter

26-Apr: BFD Book Blog

27-Apr: My Fiction Nook

28-Apr: Bayou Book Junkie, V’s Reads

29-Apr: Oh My Shelves

2-May: Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Book Lovers 4Ever

3-May: Kirsty Loves Books, Open Skye Book Reviews

4-May: Alpha Book Club

5-May: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

6-May: Molly Lolly

9-May: A.M. Leibowitz

10-May: Divine Magazine

11-May: Love Bytes, Man2ManTastic, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat

12-May: Andrew Q. Gordon, Nephy Hart, Rebecca Cohen Writes

13-May: Louise Lyons, MM Good Book Reviews

 

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