Some parents just—aren’t.

​And that is saying something, coming from me. I do not “do” word contractions. Yet the abbreviation fit.

I could not stand for that boy to be in that house any longer. Because I was a child care service provider, there was something I could do about his situation.

“Mr. Akiyama. We’re waiting on you.”

Officer Glen DeSoto and officer David Corey attended me for tonight’s extraction. I had been waiting for them to show before I knocked on the door of 8211 Labrador Street. There were pockets in the grand city of Reseda that were worse. Right now, I could only think of two places in the San Fernando Valley that could not be described as better.

“Tonight, we will be removing Liam Kroll. He is twelve years of age. Male. Caucasian…”

“We get it man, can we just get him out of there?”

I turned my head and bore my eyes into Officer Corey. He stared at the house, his jaw tense. He refused to look at me. Whether he avoided eye contact because people found my attention disturbing or for the kid we were here to rescue, I could not be sure.

Most people found my cold stare unnerving. But if these officers knew what I was capable of, what kind of past I lived, they would beat me down like a dirty hog. My only saving grace were the lives I had saved along the way. I was not looking for redemption. Redemption was for thieves. For adulterers. For murderers. But not for me. All I could have was an acceptance of past actions I could not take back.

“I would like this to go smoothly. Losing him to a technicality is not acceptable.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Glass shattered inside the house. We all stood at attention. This was routine for this family. Every night the parents would fight. Every night their child would be the one who suffered. Tonight would be the last time Liam would be covered in bruises.

“Jesus. Go man…”

But I was already walking across the street. I pounded on the door as good as any SWAT team member and waited.

Footsteps shook the floor boards of the thirteen-square foot house. The door opened in haste and there stood Liam’s father, Jacob Kroll. I did not believe in stereotypes, however, Mr. Kroll was the poster boy for portly, polish, and poor. He wore a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. His jeans were made for Sunday School—Holy and worn.

“What? We don’t want any!” He tried to slam the door on my face. I slipped my foot in between the door jamb. Fuck protocol.

“Mr. Kroll, I am Kai Akiyama, from child care services. I am here to inform you that your parenting privileges have been revoked by the state of California. Please present Liam Kroll.”

“The fuck?”

Little boy cries filled the house. “Nooo! Momma! Stop!”

Mr. Kroll flinched and turned back. I wanted to shove him aside and enter his place of residency, but that was not procedure. I was teetering on proper regulations as it were.

“Mr. Kroll, let me inside or present Liam Kroll to me.”

He snapped his head back. “Get off my property.”

“Mr. Kroll, if you do not cooperate, then I will be forced to use extreme measures.”

“Extreme measures, huh?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Do you happen to see Officer DeSoto and Officer Corey behind me?”

His eyes flicked over my shoulder.

“We have a warrant to search your house for the illegal storing and selling of contraband.”

Mr. Kroll’s eyes bugged out of his head.

“Let me inside or present Liam Kroll.”

“Papa!” The little boy was right behind him. He wore a brand-new shiner on his left eye. The bruises on his right eye were fading. Guess his family thought he needed another.

Mr. Kroll tried to shove me back. It was the excuse I needed. Soon as his palm touched my chest, I took hold of his wrist, bent it around, stepped backwards and yanked him with me. He was on his back before he could register the twinkling stars in the night sky.

“Liam Kroll?” I glanced behind me.

His face registered shock. Liam stared at his father as I kept the bastard pinned to the ground.

I held out my free hand. “Liam, come with me and I won’t let these people hurt you again.”

“Liam! Get back in the house!” Mr. Kroll yelled.

Officer DeSoto and Corey were on the father in seconds.

“Mr. Kroll, you are under arrest for accosting a CCS agent…you have the right to remain silent…”

My attention remained on the boy. His swollen left eye didn’t hide his uncertainty. But there was hope mixed in with the shyness. I could still reach him. Make him understand that life was not night after night of torment.

He stared into my face and unlike most people, he didn’t look away. There was…a connection. Our souls were the same. Kindred spirits. Ying to Yang. We both burned within the same hell. We both bared the burden of being a disappointment to our fathers.

“Come with me.” My hand offered him refuge, he need only take it.

“You’ll take me with you?”

“Yes.” It was not a lie, but I knew I could not keep him. A part of me wanted to. But I was the extraction officer, not a foster home. The other part of me did not trust myself. My upbringing was not ideal and though my father taught me what not to do, I had no notion of how to raise a child correctly.  

Liam’s eyes flickered in a type of knowing. Children his age began to understand the world, how adults worked, how adults told untruths. I was sure he could see through to the demon inside me. The connection we shared ripped me open. Its intensity blew apart the hidden, dirty bits I tried to keep from surfacing.

His steps were tentative. Slow. But his trust in me slayed all my pride. His arm reached out…

“Liam!” His mother came around the door. She took one look at the scene, snatched her child and ran back inside the house.  

“Damn it!” I turned to the officers. They had everything in hand. Mr. Kroll was being cuffed. I chased after Liam and his mother and entered the small abode riddled with…things. The Kroll family horded everything from books to bottles, signature plates to thimbles. They had enough to fill a five-bedroom house. Only this was a two-bedroom, two-bathroom cookie cutter home built when most people rarely grew taller than five feet.

The ceiling was so low, my six-foot-one-inch height made me want to duck as I maneuver around the “pathways” in between piled furniture. I pursued Mrs. Kroll as she ran into the kitchen.

When I got there, I froze. The blood drained out my face and all the way out my feet. 

Big news! Those who have watched the making of Seducing Sensei will finally get completion! You're going to want to hit the read more down below and all the way to the end because there are some amazing offers, free music, an awesome trailer and great excerpts available to you. 

In one week and a day, on March 31st, 2017, the first book of the "Notice Me Senpai" series will be released into the wild! For those of you who've been patiently waiting, you can get the book on pre-order for 99¢ with the convenience of having it delivered to your kindle the moment it's ready to be shipped out! But this deal ends April 8th, so today's the day! Click on the button below to order!

Looking for love, Moriel Reis finds it--but why here?

A professional teacher by day, Moriel learns that students can sometimes be the best teachers. Eighteen-year-old Scott Cooper and Itsuma Karter, two of his students share similar interests—including lust for each other. Emotions flare when Itsuma challenges “Mr. Reis’s” authority.

After Moriel harshly disciplines Itsuma in front of the entire class, the young student vows to regain a piece of his wounded pride back. Torn by loyalty for his smoldering friend and classmate, Scott Cooper watches his homeroom teacher with dreamy, lust-filled eyes.

The heated conflict begins a fiery battle between Itsuma and his teacher. As this passion translation becomes a lustful tale, a surprising ‘hot for teacher’ story becomes a love affair, and a passionate adventure.

This out of the ordinary exploration for the two students allows them entrance into a world of erotic confessions, taking them on a journey into the velvet art of seduction that begins when the fighting ends. But as their taboo sexual persuasions beckon for something more, in lies the question… do two wrongs make a right?

Moriel, Scott, and Itsuma learn the answer.

If you're having trouble seeing the excerpt below, click here:
https://issuu.com/trollriverpublications/docs/seducingsensei_trpexcerpt

Warning: graphic boy on boy love.

Now, because you guys are so awesome, and I love you so much, I'm giving you a download of the song, True Love, that's in the trailer. Don't worry, you're not infringing on stolen music. This particular piece was commissioned by me and I have all the rights to it. If I want to give it away free, that's my right. And that's what I'm doing, so click below for an mp3 download of True Love the official song of Seducing Sensei.

You're best bet to win a signed copy is joining the book launch! I'll send the prize wherever it needs to go, and you have a better chance of winning a book in the book launch giveaway as it's just for my awesome readers, but... if you live in the US or CANADA, you have one more chance to win a signed copy by entering the Goodreads Giveaway. See details below!

And now here is where I thank all of my readers. Your support and guidance has helped me push the publish button! Thank you. I hope you enjoy Seducing Sensei. If your ever so inclined, drop me a line and tell me whose book should be next in the Notice Me Senpai series.

Happy reading!

Until next time,

♥ ~ Stephy

I love Halloween so I'm wishing you all a safe candy-filled, diabetes coma induced party!

But I just don't feel it would be a complete party send off without an excerpt!

So here we go! Another Seducing Sensei teaser...

“I need to go,” Scott said.

No. No, no, no, no, no. Sending him back to that place was my hell. “So soon?”

Scott pulled away. “Yeah.”

Hands on my clock read a little after eight. I didn’t like this. Ever since he spent the night he’d been going home earlier. “Stay.” I grabbed his hand.

My Cowboy turned away, avoiding my eyes and swallowed. “I can’t. I have to go.”

His hand slipped from mine. I should have kept my mouth shut. I’d troubled him. He wanted to stay but felt a responsibility to his family. I didn’t doubt his feelings for me but family needs outweighed selfish desires. That I understood. Still, when he picked up his shirt and put it back on I thought my insides were doing a freefall. Like a trap door opened below me and plunged me into darkness.

Scott put his shoes on while Itsuma and I watched. Neither of us gave protest. After he collected what he needed, my Cowboy sauntered over, leaned a hand on the couch and swept me in a kiss. I forgot words. Language. Coherent thought. Our tongues caressed each other in a dance of mindless instinct saying I will return. He better. Dizzy in my stupor of love, Scott pulled back, turned to Itsuma and gave him the same as he gave me.

Watching the beautiful Cowboy and the Japanese Prince left me breathless. Their eyes watching each other, their lips tangled in a gentle battle. The kind of goodbye that left a man gasping and sent blood pressure soaring. If Scott didn’t concede to Itsuma soon, we’d find ourselves back at the beginning, satisfying each other.

Scott finally pulled away. Itsuma smiled up at him, claiming his victory over not pulling away. Tempting his classmate for another round. But the adore for each other in their eyes rang clear. Scott pulled away and gave me a lopsided grin.

He leaned over to my ear. “Goodnight.” His salutation wrapped around my cock and stroked from base to tip. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. His whisper froze me in place. Holy shit. His voice was a whiskey bourbon aphrodisiac. Yes please, may I have another?

My Cowboy walked across the room and half my heart went with him out the door. We sat there for a moment in silence.

“Bastard.” Itsuma flashed his impish grin.

I eyed my Prince. “You’re not leaving so soon are you?”

“Baka, he made sure to leave us wanton.”

“Don’t call me an idiot. No more bad words or I’m putting out a jar.”

Itsuma tsked and crouched. His agenda had nothing to do with eating or studying. It didn’t seem like he wanted sex. No, his body language suggested something physical, but not carnal.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What’s your angle Karter?” I wasn’t prey and refused to relinquish control. The jitters I’d get before a match roiled in my stomach. My muscles tensed in preparation. Oh, we were going to have fun.

“You know,” Itsuma said. “Scott’s goodbye technique is effective. It’s what got me thinking about him in that way.” He stared at me with unblinking eyes.

“Jealous?” My heart rate sped up. Excitement skittered up and down my spine.

“No.” He held still. A panther ready to pounce. “You know better Sensei. We need to have a discussion.”

“About?” I tried to look harmless as a hare. Yes, come get me. I’ll fight you for the top position.

Itsuma held his unnerving smile, a technique all the best mental fighters possessed. Confidence intimidated opponents. But I had my own techniques. I knew better. And yet, I wanted so badly to take that smile off his face, or ravish those lips. Either way was fine with me. Scott may have left us wanting so we wouldn’t fight, but his plan wasn’t going to work out. But, I wasn’t sure what we were fighting for. Was it for Scott? Dominance? Losing face? Or was he still being petty over his precious iPod?

We both lurched at the same time. I had him on his back in an instant, but he rolled with my momentum and somersault us over until he was on top. I expected as much from a black belt.

“So who’s this Kai Akiyama?” He said.

Crap. He remembered Kai’s full name. He was probably going to google stalk him later. There wouldn’t be much to find. “High School friend,” I said.

“Yeah. Like me and Cooper are high school friends. I got that. What do you two have to work out?”

“I said it’s none of your business.” I swept his arm and leg, rolling us on the ground fighting for dominance. I stretched out on top of him. Itsuma rose his middle. Damn. I didn’t expect him to know wrestling moves. I kicked his feet out from under him and we slammed down, me still on top. I had him pinned.

“Did you play with him like this?” Itsuma said.

Before I realized what happened, I was on my back. He had the concept down. Trying to flatten my legs so I couldn’t gain ground, but I’d been trained for this and he was still an amateur.

“It wasn’t like that.” I hooked my arm over his neck and crawled over his back. Wrapping my arms under his and locking my hands over the back of his neck. 

He struggled. Itsuma tried to flip over. Crazy ass kid. It was difficult matching his speed. But I was able to keep him unsteady and unbalanced.

Itsuma coughed out. “Is he gay?”

Not really. “He’s like you.”

“The hell he is!” Itsuma twisted his body like a contortionist. He gained more speed and energy. Because of that we rolled and I was on my back with him on top. “Sensei you need to learn to take me seriously.”
Yeah, as if. “Well, you do like to horse around.” 

“Tell me what you and your friend have to work out.” Itsuma wrapped around me with his arms and legs, holding himself so even a strand of hair couldn’t get between us. He’d reversed our positions only he didn’t put me in a choke hold. He held onto me like a monkey using his two hundred pounds of muscle to keep me turtled. He was incredible. It made me hot for him.

“It’s personal.” I struggled using grappling methods to get out from his hold.

“Then I’ll find a way to get in your business.” Itsuma turned me over and ground my head into the floor.

“Why are you so angry?” Ouch! He’d dug a knee into my back.

“Oh, I’m not angry, Sensei,” Itsuma said, but his tone specified he was a more than pissed off.

“All right!” I said. “I’ll tell you. Let me go.” Although his punishment was intoxicating, the thought of my Prince angry with me didn’t sit well.

Until next Thursday!

♥ ~ Stephy

I've been thrown several life vests. I see how I need to change the story. My goal now is the write the first draft of Pyromage and work on edits for Seducing Sensei. Writing and editing.

On another note, I'm working towards the Seducing Sensei book trailer. So while I read through all my "life-vests" here's another excerpt from Seducing Sensei that may or may not make the final cut (but probably will).

Being this close to Kai brought out all the bad memories, the pain, the trip to the hospital, the heartache, rejection, betrayal. Really, could I call him a friend? I hadn’t in a long time.

“Are you all right?” He said. But there was no concern in his eyes. Only his stubborn poker face.

I regained my balance and tried to push him away as forcefully as I could. He might as well be bolted to the ground. He didn’t even move under my hand. It was me who stumbled away. This time he didn’t motion to grab me. Thankfully I didn’t trip this time.

My body went numb. My mind went blank. My only urge was to run, flee, escape. The body shakes returned in force. There was no Itsuma to hold me this time.

“If this is how you act around me, what is the point?” He said.

“You were supposed to meet me at the grill.” I tried holding myself to put back the pieces of my failing courage.

Kai stepped into my house and shut the front door. “I would rather speak in private. I have something personal to say.”

Fucking Kai—doing whatever he pleased. He hadn’t changed. We stared at each other. Kai looked the same as he had five years ago. His black hair still shined. His short locks waved and shifted whenever he moved like a damn shampoo commercial. Those golden eyes still pierced with a laser focus that seemed to be able to physically push people away. Narrow chin, slight nose and a perfect complexion made him devilishly handsome. Operative word being devilish. But that face wouldn’t fool me anymore.

“So I have a favor,” I said.

“What? No how is life? How have you been? What is new?” Kai folded his arms as if he had a right to be pissed.

“Fuck you, you god damn asshole! You’re five fucking years too late. Go to hell!” I screamed my head off. Wetness trickled down my face. Shit. I couldn’t look at him. Not like this.

“Communication runs both ways.”

My head snapped up. “Communication? Well then you’re the worst listener ever.”

Kai breathed a sigh of relief.

My trembling became a source of energy. The energy enough to punch him in the face. “No you don’t get to come here and find resolution fucktard. You used me like a god damn toilet...” my knees wobbled. I caught myself and leaned against the back of my couch. Oh god, why did I call him?

Flashes of memory came rolling in. Six years of trying to forget him and what he did came rolling back like it was yesterday. Kai staring at me like he’d never seen blood in his whole life. The hospital. The nightmares. Watching him sling an arm around a girl, ignoring me as they passed. The pain of rejection when I needed answers and he wouldn’t return my calls.

His voiced snapped me back into the present. “Granted, I probably deserve your ire—”

“Probably?” I screamed like a woman who’d been cheated on. “Ire? No, you son-bitch, there’s no probably about it. What you did doesn’t just cause ire fuck face.”

“You always did have a flare for theatrics.”

I am a much more resilient writer than some may think. I also have a read-between-the-lines third eye. Everyone's comments have been helpful. Yes, everyone's. This does not mean I'm changing the story to everyone's whims. I am however taking into account consistent themes.

Here are some of the changes I need to make:

1. Scott needs resolution with his family.
2. Ending too lackluster.
3. Show the pressure Itsuma is under from the expectations of his family. Show how he doesn’t want to go back to Japan and why.
4. Show Mori knows they are 18 years at the beginning.
5. Maybe expand on Scott and Mori talking after the first sex scene about Itsuma and why he did/does what he does.
6. Change Scott’s reaction to Mori coming to his “rescue” to be more as though Scott is trying to protect Mori. 
7. Write Kai's story next.

These are not all the changes. I know there will be more. But what I love about this process is that I can ask my readers if I'm on the right track. Strike the right track part. Replace with where I go off the rails. Because I do. I'm one of those writer's that gets it wrong the first time. Guidance from readers saves me. That's my way of saying thank you.

Thank you.

When a beta reader goes off on a tangent it's awesome. Not only do I get to torment, but I've given you the feels.

Torment might be the wrong word.

Nah...

Suffer.

I really am a horrible person.

And I'm here to bring you all along for the ride. Point, laugh and say, "At least I'm not as bad off as you."
It's true. I went to Austin, the weird capital of the US, and even they thought I was too weird. *shrug*

So back to being grateful...

Without input writing can be a huge mirrored box. Over and over again. Beta readers help writers grow, stretch and learn more about themselves. So...thank you...for being tormented by a too weird for Austin pervert.

God, I hope my niece and nephews never see this blog (or come across my novels).

So that's it for the Seducing Sensei update.

On the Pyromage project I've gotten 17,600 words in a .docx file. I've got about 20 pages of notes/scenes in the livescribe book. So that's about another 5K. And I keep writing.

I've decided to do something different with Pyromage, but that is for another update. There is a reason why I was late with this update and I feel the hand of Editing (like the hand of God) pulling me back into the abyss of publishing. Troll River Publishing has a lot going on this month. You can take a look here if you want to see the newest releases coming out! Go ahead! A least those authors don't torment their beta readers...or do they?

My god, you must be sick of me giving updates of my latest work. However, the picture you see above is the last panel of Zoe's story boarding for the trailer of Seducing Sensei. Now all I have to do is...

...put it all together.

Here's what we have so far:

• Music
  

• A title.
  

That's easy...Seducing Sensei. I'd thought of the title Teacher's Pet, but I think I'll save that one for a later book.

Combine my 87 images to the music and we'll have a trailer. Holy hell it's been fun. I think Zoe made the process awesome. She kept feeding me images every week. After panel 40, my face was turning red and I was a total fan girl...

What to do now:

Hire someone to put these all together. This YouTube video is what I'm going for:

Yeah, sorry for the warning but some people don't take my dirty blog seriously sometimes. Anyway...

So all this work and still no video, yet. But there will be!

As for the rest of the book. I've penned the last word of the first draft and have put it in the drawer to simmer. Don't freak...I'll leave it in there for a few weeks, bring it out, edit it over a week, then send it out to the betas!!

But as soon as I shelved it and could think about something else, my paranormal, fantasy, dragon story reared its sexy legs up and...it too is an all male menage. Hell if I know what's going on with the inner workings of my head but there you have it. I don't even know what genre to call this one other than all male menage dragon story. It's been in my head since 2014 and it's never let go. So...I'll be posting about that one until I have more news about Seducing Sensei. I'll send out an email to all my peeps so if you want to be apart of my crew, scroll to the top and sign up for my readers group list. You'll get a free story too--just to see if we're compatible. If not, no worries! 

So now, whip-lash back to S.S. (Seducing Sensei) I'm putting all the updates of SS in chronological order for posterity purposes for later. One day, we'll look back and smile.
http://www.snmckibben.com/a-dirty-blog/good-luck-finding-a-book-trailer
http://www.snmckibben.com/a-dirty-blog/storytelling-vs-genre-writing
http://www.snmckibben.com/a-dirty-blog/current-events-notice-me-sempai 
http://www.snmckibben.com/a-dirty-blog/seducing-sensei-update 

In other things to do before this book comes out...I need:

• Cover
• Beta Readers/Crit Partners
• Line Editor
• Marketing Plan

All of which is underway shortly. Zoe is working on the cover. I'll prolly have a cover reveal. But before that even, I'll have beta readers/crit partners look at the story and then a line editor. After that editing we'll get a copy editor. Then it will go up for pre-order and a marketing plan will ensue. But I'm so excited! I have my trailer almost there. Everything is coming together. Ahhhh...the birth of a book. Thanks so much for following me on the journey!

Until next week!!

XOXO ~ Stephy

I'm starting the illustrations from the last blog teaser here. But the excerpt is part of the book that is further down the story line. (Please understand this is a first draft and you may find grammar errors. I'll be having this edited by a professional and certain passages may change when released.) Enjoy!

Until next week! Happy reading!
XOXO ~ Stephy