The Ultimate Romance-Erotica Book Club Guide

by MJ Nightingale

  4.) Jay has PTSD. Many events and traumas happened to him in his life that could have caused or triggered it. Why was it the event with Madeline and Brontë that triggered his PTSD, and not the others?

  Jay dealt with a lot. His life is literally littered with horrific events, but because he is strong he dealt with them all in his own way. But the death of his wife and daughter, which happened in a traumatic manner, combined with his own guilt over causing the accident eventually brought it on. I do have a friend Like Jay, and this book is based on his own life in some subtle ways. He deals with his PTSD through counseling and medication, and avoiding triggers. My friend copes very well with it, and I am proud to call him my friend.

  5.) What makes Jay's father so adamant about not giving Lou the explanations she wants? Was this the right choice? Why or why not?

  Jay’s father knows through his career in mental health that sometimes the best therapy is through communication strategies. Talking about the past, explaining it to others is important. Avoidance only buries the hurt and pain. When you can tell others about traumatic experiences you learn to deal with those issues. Seeing the look of empathy, sympathy, and seeing yourself in through another’s eyes can be therapeutic in itself. Lou did not think that Jay was a monster, and that definitely helped him begin to heal.

  6.) Lou's initial fear of Jay after his first episode/anxiety attack occurs in her presence causes her terror even though she's had experience with PTSD before. She doubts that it is PTSD. Why is that? What makes her fear Jay is like Robert despite her common sense and experience with PTSD?

  Lou has a past as well, and it involved a physically and mentally abusive ex-husband. Jay’s reaction brings her past back as well. In that moment, she saw Robert’s face and not Jay’s. Initially she doubts it is PTSD because she has her own baggage to overcome, but through careful thinking and talking it out with her friends and then Jay himself, brings the truth to light. So even though she is an intelligent woman, works in the medical field, and has experience with PTSD, it is her own past and secrets that cause that initial gut reaction in her.

  7.) Even after Jay and Louisa reunite, Jay holds back on fully committing to Louisa. Why does he do this? What causes his reluctance?

  Jay has a lot to overcome. A lot! He is terrified to commit because he is still dealing with his own guilt. He doesn’t feel he deserves this happiness that he could have with Lou. It’s not her, it’s him. In this case, the cliché is very true. He is afraid also of yet another traumatic experience to happen and take it all away from him again. Just look at the road he has travelled already, and it’s no wonder he has the doubts.

  8.) Louisa's choice in a house reflects her personality like in my other books. How does her home symbolize her?

  I really had fun matching the homes to the characters in all my books. Lou’s home is a cabin. She is a rustic girl, grew up fishing, riding motor-cross, hunting, so this seemed perfect for her. But she is also someone who needs to feel safe. Having a cabin, yet having neighbors gives her this avenue of a safety, yet some privacy as well.

  9.) Why were some of the minor characters in this book important to the development of the story? Dr. Fairbanks, Pete, Monica and Victor?

  All these characters were essential to moving the story along with the two main characters needing to be pushed into communicating with one another. Dr. Fairbanks provided the medical background, but because he was also Jay’s dad, I wanted the reader to wonder if he could be trusted. I thought this was a good way to strengthen Lou’s doubt. Pete was a hoot to write. He is the voice of logic from a cranky old cussing Florida Cracker. He wastes no time, holds no punches, and tells it like it is. He was kind of like the Fool in Shakespeare’s plays for me. I had to have a character like him in the book. I wanted to really give Monica and Victor back to the viewers. I wanted to redeem Victor in the eyes of the readers who criticized him so much on Goodreads and Amazon. Not like they will be reading this book, but I loved the character of Victor, and they may be right in that I did not give him enough of a backstory in my first book to make the reader empathize with him. I plan on going back to that back later this summer, and adding some scenes to it. So, with that said, Monica and Victor reveal to Lou the things that happened to Jay in Iraq. They are key players in helping Lou make the decision to talk to Jay again. Wasn’t that nice of them? I think so.

  10.) In the epilogue, Jay's proposal to Louisa is planned, but seems to come at the perfect time? Why is that so?

  The song “All of Me” by John Legend definitely influenced me while writing this scene. Jay proposes at this time because it was due to Monica and Victor that they reunited. I am terrified of quoting the lines from the song, not wanting to worry about copy write infringement. But with that said, they both were a bit crazy, and imperfect. I had this scene running through my entire mind while writing the whole back. I hope you liked it. So the proposal had to come while that song was playing as Monica and Victor’s first dance. They were a bit crazy too.

  Chapter 4

  Secrets & Seduction Series

  by MJ Nightingale

  Series Overview: This series had a few things in common; secrets and seduction. I wanted these books to focus on characters that are realistic and have experienced real crisis and traumas in their lives and felt that these secrets were holding them back from happiness. Really, don’t we all have a past that at times we have felt has held us back? I am Monica, her secrets are mine, my sister is Ana and her secrets are my sister’s, and dear friends of mine inspired the back story for Jay and Louisa, those secrets are all true. A lot of the elements in the books are true, some, not all with permission granted by the people whose stories I used. I wanted to tell real people’s stories and I hope I accomplished that. Jay and Louisa are together by the way in real life – a true Happily Ever After. I hope that makes you happy. It makes me happy.

  I also wanted my readers to know that the covers I chose show only half a face, and I did this because of the secrets theme I have running through the books as well. This is something I wanted my readers to know.

  The sex, well, that was the fun part. I wanted real characters, not billionaires, rock stars, and the heads of corporations as characters. Anyone can have great sex. I think I accomplished that in these books.

  Questions:

  1.) Each book in the series has symbolic settings that represent each of the heroines. How was that so?

  2.) How are the heroines of all three books similar? How are they different?

  3.) The heroes in this series, Victor Teddy and Jay, all have a past filled with secrets. Whose secrets are the worst? Whose secrets cause the most problems? Whose secrets help the couples find their happily ever after?

  4.) The heroines in this series, Monica Ana and Louisa, all have their own secrets. All three have had traumatic experiences. Whose secrets are the worst? Whose secrets cause the most problems? Whose secrets actually help the couples to find their happily ever after?

  5.) How do past experiences in all three Books drive the story lines? Is this realistic?

  6.) How are the characters in these books different than the characters you normally read about in erotic romance novels? How are they the same?

  7.) Why all the super-hot sex scenes? Are they too much? Over-the-top? How was sex different for each character and this significant? Why is Monica submissive? Why is Ana submissive? Why is Victor dominant? Why is Teddy so giving? Why is Jay so giving and creative? Why is Louisa so willing to try new things? Are their sexual styles part of your personalities?

  8.) As an indie author, what do you think of M.J. Nightingale's writing style? What do you see as her strengths and weaknesses? Has the author improved over time? Do the books get better as they go along?

  Questions and Answers:

  1.) Each book in the series has symbolic settings that represent each of the heroines. How was that so?

  I wanted to do more than tell a great story. I wanted the book to have a bit of d
epth. I was not simply going for pure erotica. I wanted the reader to see symbolism in the book from the settings, to the gifts, to sounds. Have fun trying to pick some of the other symbols out in the book. Monica’s home is picture perfect suburban living. That is what she wants, or so she thinks. Her home is the two bedroom bungalow of look-alike houses in a gated community. This setting provides her with, emotionally and psychologically, a feeling of safety. Her OCD also plays a part in her home purchasing decision, the organization of it. Ana has the wild Florida home surrounded by nature. Pure freedom, but seclusion. Ana is wild and is quite free in her sexual activities. Having the privacy allows her to partake in her night activities without worry of close neighbors, but the seclusion also reflects her own inner turmoil as well. She has secluded the very essence of herself from the world, from men, and is afraid to love. Lou is a bit of both, she needs the safety but also the privacy. Being in a small town where everybody knows your business hurt her for a long time, she chooses the cabin. It affords her some privacy, but not as much as Ana. Her home also provides safety as well, as it has some neighbors, and security features. Lou is a little bit wild, but needs the comfort of a small home, open plan, and the proximity of safety. All the homes were chosen with deliberate care by me to reflect the heroines in this series.

  2.) How are the heroines of all three books similar? How are they different?

  They are very different. Monica is the most naïve. The reviewers and critics got that right on Goodreads. That is how I wanted her to come off even if they did not like it. She has been traumatized by a rape and is sexually and developmentally delayed in that area. She is not a hard core woman that knows what she wants and what to look for. She is easily led and influenced. Ana is much more worldly and experienced than the other heroines. She is strong, fierce, and protective. The reviewers really seemed to love her. But, she too, like the other woman, is scarred. Her protective nature, however, is also her flaw. Protecting her heart from experiencing love, she denies herself real relationships. Lou is a bit of both of these women. She is strong, yet scarred. Smart, yet inexperienced. She is an over-thinker, but yet not afraid to try new things when push comes to shove. She was fun to write. All three woman have a past that influence the decisions and choices they make as do we all as women. It is hard to overcome your past, but it definitely makes us who we are today. I wanted that to be clear to my readers. These are not your typical heroines either. I didn’t want them to be so fictional that my readers couldn’t relate to them. All three have body image issues, all three have hang ups, all three want love even if they are afraid at first. All three have issues with communicating for themselves, like most people. Honest communication is very difficult and sometimes, like in my books, you need a little push and guidance from others.

  3.) The heroes in this series, Victor, Teddy, and Jay, all have a past filled with secrets. Whose secrets are the worst? Whose secrets cause the most problems? Whose secrets help the couples find their happily ever after?

  All three of these men were fun to write. Victor is hot, mysterious and dark. Teddy is one hell of a man, all heart and family, yum. Jay is the bad boy from all outward appearances, but don’t’ judge a book by its cover. He has strength and heart. I would have to say that Victor and Jay’s secrets are the worst. Victor’s makes his secrets worse because of his pride, and Jay makes his secrets worse because of his guilt. Teddy’s secrets actually help to heal Ana and help them get to their HEA.

  4.) The heroines in this series, Monica, Ana and Louisa, all have their own secrets. All three have had traumatic experiences. Whose secrets are the worst? Whose secrets cause the most problems? Whose secrets actually help the couples to find their happily ever after?

  Monica was raped, Ana lost the ability to have children due to an STD she contracted from her husband, and Lou was a battered wife. I can’t really quantify whose is worst, they all suffered pretty badly at the hands of someone else emotionally, psychologically, and physically. Lou’s situation, I think, helped the most because once she was honest about her past to Jay it helped him learn another way to deal with his own mental illness. Because both Jay and Louisa have trauma, they can learn together how to best help each other.

  5.) How do past experiences in all three Books drive the story lines? Is this realistic?

  Well the series is entitled Secrets & Seduction for a reason. We all have secrets and pasts that interfere with our choices. This baggage makes us who we are and what we do. There is no denying that. But we all learn to deal with it, in our own times and in our own way, if we are lucky. I think it is very realistic. So many women have reached out to me after reading Afraid to Love because the infertility story line touched them in some way. That has been the biggest compliment I have received yet about any of my books. I also used past traumas that I myself have dealt with or close family members, so I do find them realistic. I went through infertility, was raped at seventeen, have been diagnosed as having OCD. My sister was made infertile by a cheating husband, and had to have a complete hysterectomy. I have a friend who was battered by her husband. I have several friends who fought in Iraq, and one of my very close, dear friends deals with PTSD every day his life. These books are very close to my heart.

  6.) How are the characters in these books different than the characters you normally read about in erotic romance novels? How are they the same?

  I wanted these books to be about regular women you might meet. No millionaires, no rock stars, no CEOs, no doctors, just regular people. Why? Because regular people want that fantasy of finding love, the love and passion that make life worth living. I thought readers would love to read about regular people just like them. But, if a millionaire, or rack star wants to read my books, I would be happy with that too. But, mostly I wanted the message to be that real people can find their happily ever after and find their prince charming if you look behind the warts, the baggage, the secrets, and the scars. There are good people all around you. Just keep looking. I found my true love at thirty four. The character of Lou found it in her thirties. The real Ana hasn’t found it yet, and that is why I dedicated that book to her, the real Ana, so that she won’t give up and may someday find it. As for how these books are the same as other erotic romance novels, well my books at least, all have a happy ending, and the sex is off the chain!

  7.) Why all the super-hot sex scenes? Are they too much? Over-the-top? How was sex different for each character and this significant? Why is Monica submissive? Why is Ana submissive? Why is Victor dominant? Why is Teddy so giving? Why is Jay so giving and creative? Why is Louisa so willing to try new things? Are their sexual styles part of your personalities?

  Sex sells. Sex is great, or can be. To each their own when it comes to how creative you want to be. The fun part is trying, and you won’t know until you do. Do I think it was over the top? Maybe, I do think I may have gone overboard for my own personality and personal likes, but the sex and the kind of sex each character had was also part of their personality. Monica was doing all kinds of crazy new things. But, she didn’t have the experience at all to say yeah or nay when Victor suggested it, so she tried it all, and found she liked it very much indeed. So, she is submissive. Victor is the dominant one in that relationship. He is used to being in control, and because he feels like other parts of his life are out of control this makes him feel like he still has it. Ana, the wild one, well, that should say it all. She is looking for the next thrill. Her submissive nature is due to the fact that her cheating husband has scarred her psychologically and she feels if she had been more submissive she may have pleased him, and avoided the path that she took. If I ever write another book with her character in it again, I am going to bring out her DOM side now that her confidence is up. Tying Teddy up might be fun. If the readers beg me enough, I may do it. Teddy’s whole life has been about giving back. A sister with a physical disability, a family of adopted, unwanted children, loving interracial parents, a career in law enforcement. It is who he is, as is his
sexual nature. Lou, on the other hand, wants new experiences, is desperate for them, and Jay is very creative and very giving. They are perfect for each other. He wants to please because he has failed before, and he surely does please Lou. Again, it all comes back to psychology, the characters past affects them.

  8.) As an indie author, what do you think of M.J. Nightingale's writing style? What do you see as her strengths and weaknesses? Has the author improved over time? Do the books get better as they go along?

  I definitely think my writing style has improved. Like I said earlier, I want go back and revisit my debut book, clean it up, get rid of contractions because I was so worried about word count, and make Victor more relatable and lovable. I think I have evolved, balancing the sex with the story. I think I did a much better job with my third book with dialogue and creating enough empathy for my characters by revealing more back story at appropriate times. I hope you all enjoy them and give them a chance after reading my responses. I hope my answers also helped give you some more insight into why I wrote what I did. I would love to hear from you. You can find me on Facebook or email me at authormjnightingale@gmail.com.

  Chapter 5

  Emma’s Home (Fairfield Series, Book 1)

  by MaryAnn Jordan