AAD NOLA Author Spotlight: Melissa Schroeder

When Brandy Walker, my personal assistant, and I went to Hawaii, I took a side trip up to the North Shore and spent some time with the hero of my newest release, A Little Harmless Fascination. Conner Dillon made an appearance in A Little Harmless Lie as the former FBI agent who had been looking for Dee for years. In ALH Fascination, we find our former agent, now security specialist, at a crossroads in his own life. Ordered to take a rest after a visit to the ER, Conner begrudgingly goes to
Hawaii. Of course, by the time I meet him, he is happily settled into the Hawaiian lifestyle.

He’s not a huge man, although he is tall with a swimmer’s build. It is hard to miss the lean, sculpted muscles mainly because the man meets me wearing a tank top and a pair of board shorts. He looks just as good in that as he probably did in the power suits he used to wear. The steel grey eyes were shaded with sunglasses the moment we stepped outside, but he didn’t put on any shoes.

We are sitting on the Lanai that overlooks a tiny bit of a beach. The house itself is small but situated in an area I personally love. You get a great view of the mountains along with the ocean. Jillian made us lava flows and then retreated back into the house to write. She’s an author on deadline, so I know better than to mess with her.

MEL: Thanks so much for having me over today. Brandy and I were thrilled that you could make time.

CONNER: smiles First of all I am lucky that I have little to do these days. I still keep in touch with the business, but I don’t feel the need to know every little thing that is going on. That’s nice. Plus, it’s my favorite time of the day right now. Tide is rising, there are some surfers out, and the breeze is nice. Speaking of we, where did Brandy go?

MEL: I laugh. She got her lava flow and headed over to talk to Adam and Mick. She has her own bike so she wanted to chat a bit about that. So, I guess we should get down to the interview just in case Jillian wants to do something tonight.

CONNER: She’s in a zone. I won’t see her for a while. In fact, there is a good chance I will be in bed for her which is always a sad thing.

MEL: So, you came over here to relax, then you got involved with Jillian. Other than the obvious, Jillian, what are the other things that make you want to live here?

CONNER: I would have never thought I would say this, but the slower pace of life is the thing I like the best.

MEL: So, you were sick of the rat race?

CONNER: Now sure if I was sick of it, or it just made me sick. I lived it for so long it was just part of my life. Shrugs. It wasn’t until I came here that I knew what I was looking for something different.

MEL: What are some of the other reasons?

CONNER: I have friends here. Micah and Dee, and to an extent, the Aiona and Duprees are now regular visitors. And Maria Carino, formerly Callahan, is here too. Her father trained me and I trained her so we’ve known each other a long time. It was good to reconnect.

MEL: So onto the really personal stuff. You’re a Dom.

He nods and takes a drink.

MEL: There has been much talk of BDSM in the media as if it is new or new to the romance book scene. But, as someone pointed out, much of the discussion is from the female point of view. For you, what do you get out of your lifestyle?

CONNER: It isn’t that I can pinpoint things and say exactly what I get because like every one else, each relationship is different. When I started out years ago, it was to gain some control. I used to have an issue with my temper when I was younger. Not with women, but in sports, work, etc. If I wanted to be an agent, I had to gain some control over that. And from that, I started researching BDSM. It wasn’t something I just fell into. I started getting interested when I realized I liked to control things, then it opened a whole new world to me.

MEL: So, what does it do for you a Dom? I understand the side of the submissive, and I am sure a lot of my readers do. But, since it has been ignored a bit, can you tell us what you gain from the experience as the Dominant.

CONNER: For me, it is a connection that cannot be beat. These days, everyone talks about love and trust. Personally, I don’t think you can have love without the trust. If you don’t, it seems warped in some way. How can you truly say you love someone but don’t trust them? With BDSM, from the Dom point of view, this just takes it to another level. A sub has to really trust the person he or she is with to allow them that control. This sub is giving you a gift their pleasure. There are different levels with different people just like other relationships. It is when you know you have that true connection, when everything is for you to take, and to give back, that you can get that true connection. It doesn’t happen that often.

MEL: And other than Jillian, have you had that connection with anyone else.

CONNER: No.

MEL: There has been much talk about this in the media that being a submissive means they give up complete control so that the submissive is lesser and that putting women in that position you leave them vulnerable for abuse.

CONNER: A person, because not all submissives are women, in that position actually has more power than most people give think. A good Dom knows how to push their sub to the limits, but it is the sub who ultimately can hold back the control. That person has to trust his or her Dom to give over that control. For people who live in the life, that is the ultimate goal—to have a perfect balance between the Dom and sub.

Before I can respond to that, the sliding glass door opened behind me and Jillian steps out.

CONNER: Hey, babe, all done?

JILLIAN: Sure enough. I was thinking I was in the mood for some fish tacos. Do you and Brandy want to come?

MEL: We have a luau to get to and looking at the time, I will need to tear her away from Adam and Mick if we can get back to Honolulu in time.

Ten minutes later, I am pulling out of the small driveway so that Brandy and I can make it to our Luau happy to have enjoyed a small glimpse into the happiness that Conner and Jillian now share.


Melissa is the author of over thirty five books in the last eight years. She spends her days complaining about bugs and the heat and dreams of her husband’s Air Force retirement in the cool Northwest. She loves to interact with readers and she can be found all over the place. Her next release is Possession, the second of book of the Harmless spinoff A Little Harmless Military Romance series.

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Conner and Jillian’s story is now out in digital!

AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
ARe
SMASHWORDS

Wanting her isn't smart, seducing her is inevitable, but falling in love with her could be downright deadly for both of them.

A Little Harmless Fascination
Harmless Book 7

Security expert Conner Dillon isn’t a man who often takes a vacation. So when he is ordered to take a month off and his sister insists on a trip to Hawaii, he isn’t very happy. But, after seeing his landlady Jillian Sawyer again, he might just find something—or someone—to occupy his time.

For years, Jillian has always had a crush on Conner. Now an erotic romance author with a thing for Doms, she finds herself beyond intrigued by the man. He is good to the core, but there is something else darker in him that calls to her.

After one night in bed, they both find themselves addicted. In Jillian, Conner has found the perfect sub…and in him she finds someone she can trust. Falling in love isn’t what they expected, but walking away is impossible—especially when they realize someone wants Jillian dead.

WARNING this book contains the following: An uptight security expert who prefers schedules, a romance writer who does not, tattoos, a trip to the Aloha Swap Meet, two hunky neighbors who irritate our hero, Hawaiian scenes, and of course this would not be a Harmless book without a trip to Rough 'n Ready. Ice is recommended as any Harmless Addict will tell you, but the author takes no responsibility if a reader should become overheated. Read at your own risk.