Title: Wolfsgate
Author: Cat Porter
Date of Publication:
November 20th 2014
About Wolfsgate
My resurrection, they call it.
They have no bloody idea.
Shipwrecked and lost, left for dead,
Abandoned by my own family.
Drugged and addicted.
My wife saved me, brought me home.
I didn’t even know I had a wife—can I trust
her?
I know I want her.
Desperately.
We are two of a kind—the manipulated, the
tossed off, the rejected.
Bitter disappointments, painful secrets,
age-old jealousies are my new shipwreck,
and my wife my new opium.
Is satisfaction to be found in revenge or
revenge in satisfaction?
One thing I do know, without each other we’re
both doomed.
Wolfsgate
A sensual 18th century tale of deception,
revenge, and the hunger for love and absolution.
Order the Book!
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/492014
4. Excerpt:
WOLSFGATE © Cat Porter
He
let go of her suddenly, pulled her arm, and marched her across the green.
“Brandon, what are you doing? Where are we going?”
He
ignored her and kept charging down the hill then through the grove of trees at
the edge of the park towards the great oak tree. They entered under the thick
green umbrella of the enormous ancient oak, its leaves and branches flapping against
Justine’s face and shoulders. Here they once used to play house and attend
imagined fancy dinner parties with William, Annie, Amanda and Andrew years ago.
Now, under its vast, shady canopy Brandon lifted her up in his arms, hooked her
legs around his waist and pushed her up against the massive trunk.
His
eyes fell to her parted lips taking in air. “You’re my wife now.”
“Yes.
Yes, I’m your…” Her breath left her as he unfastened his breeches. The harsh,
irregular bark of the tree jabbed against her back, but she didn’t care about
the discomfort. It reminded her she was alive. Her heart pounded, her every
muscle tightened. His frenzied, wordless need for her thrilled her. He lifted
her higher.
Yes…
There…
Oh, for the
love of…
His
cock pinned her to the tree, and she groaned out loud, her fingers digging into
his shoulders.
“Say
it. Say it, dammit,” he demanded, his breathing heavy.
“I
am your wife.”
“Yes.”
He thrust inside her again, then again.
“Yours
Brandon, only yours.” Her head jostled against the craggy bark as he plunged
inside her over and over. Her lungs squeezed for air, her head whirled with a
rush of emotion as his grey-green eyes pierced hers.
“They’ve
tried to take everything else from me,” he breathed.
Not me. Never.
Quicker
and more frenzied he drove into her, grinding his hips against hers. She
adjusted herself in his arms, and the steady sting of pressure inside her
thankfully shifted and transformed into waves of mounting pleasure. Yes, she
needed this too. She needed to let go.
Simply
let go.
The
cold breeze dried her lips as she cried out with every punishing thrust of
Brandon’s hips. Her fingers locked in his thick, damp hair at the base of his
neck. His breathing grew more ragged and sharp, and his one hand gripped her
bare bottom so tightly it throbbed, but she welcomed the pain.
She
deserved it for years of hurt stamped on Andrew’s face.
She
deserved it for the eerie shadows haunting Brandon’s eyes.
Every
thrust burned, inflaming her further, casting her over the edge along with him.
Her fingers twisted in his shirt, her heart jamming in her chest as her release
ripped through her, her head scraping against the trunk of the tree. Brandon’s
eyes squeezed shut as he convulsed into her.
They
remained suspended together, speechless, unable to move, only clinging to each
other through a haze of perspiration and raw satisfaction. Brandon released her
from his tight grip and helped her find her footing. He stumbled back.
Justine’s shaky hands smoothed down her skirts and adjusted her bodice.
“Are
you angry with me still?” she asked as she ran her fingers through her hair. He
stood rooted to the spot watching her thick mass of coppery tresses tumble past
her shoulders. “Brandon?”
“I
am having a hard time believing what you say about Andrew for he is behaving as
if you spurned him last week and not years ago. If his feelings are still so
intense for you, how is it yours are not so for him?” He inhaled deeply and
slid his hand up and down his chest. “What is it Justine? A few turns between
my legs and you’ve forgotten all about him? Damn, I must be good.”
She
drew nearer to him. “You and I are good together, Brandon, that’s what I know.
I could have said no to you the first time, when you asked me if I wanted you,
but I have chosen to live. Your return home is a whole new world for me and for
you, especially for you. And even though this union was forced upon us, I have
chosen to take this second chance at life, and I am content.”
He
tilted his head at her, his eyes murky pools of seawater, revealing nothing.
“I
enjoy being with you, Brandon,” she breathed, her face burning. “Is that
wrong?”
How did you come up with the
idea for this story?
I’ve had an obsession with the 18th century since I was a little girl
watching Masterpiece Theatre with my parents every Sunday and from a young age
I’ve always enjoyed reading the classics and historicals, both romance and
adventure, like the “Poldark” series by Winston Graham.The notion of an
arranged marriage used to fascinate me to no end. But what happens if the
husband and wife actually, truly, fall in love...how does that happen? I wanted
to track that. Then I thought wouldn’t it be interesting if the two knew each
other before, but in a totally different capacity and now they were being
forced to see each other as husband and wife and live that new reality. There
would be this interesting chemistry of being comfortable with one another, yet
also living the tension within this new spousal/sexual relationship that was
forced on them. I also wanted to explore reaching the point where you have to
grow up and take control of your identity in your own way.
Where do you find your
inspiration?
It’s this strange weave of feelings, experiences past and present
twisted with evocative images or situations I see/read/hear on television or in
books or in music. I make connections and then through that an idea hits me in
the gut and buzzes there, that’s when I know.
Is there anything you find
particularly challenging in your writing?
I find that after the beta reading and the editor having a pass,
revising is a magical time. You’re offered fresh angles, ideas, insights and
suddenly you’re connecting the dots in a different way, suddenly it all makes
sense on other levels, and you’re bringing out nuances and getting all excited
about the piece all over again. Your characters are demanding and declaring and
bleeding all over the floor, and it’s fantastic. Sometimes question every
little thing too much. I often agonize over turns of phrase. Hell, I could
revise forever, frankly. It’s a horrible compulsion. Sometimes you need to step
away, take a deep breath, and get a good night’s sleep. And hire a proofreader
for sure before you send the file off to the digital formatter!
What are your current
projects?
I’m currently working on the second book of the Lock & Key series.
Tell us about your first
book. What would readers find different about the first one and your most
recent published work?
My first (traditionally) published book is a religious children’s myth,
so it’s very different from “Lock & Key” and “Wolfsgate”! But the
differences between L&K and “Wolfsgate” aside from the obvious- a bike club
in contemporary South Dakota vs upper class society of 18th century England- is
a remarkable two sides of the same coin idea, I think. In the bike club there
aren’t the typical rules or restrictions (just those of their “tribe”), they
live on the fringe of society and their moral compass is off the standard
chart.
In the 18th century it’s all about following the formal rules and
restrictions of society. People spoke indirectly and with much art about the
all the stuff bubbling under the surface; it became a talent, that cleverness.
In the biker world, talk is bluntly laid out in a raw, unabashed way without
such rules governing behavior. In the 18th century world, there may be rules
and restrictions (and bindings on their corsets, but no panties!). There is so
much not said outright yet implied in their fancy speech and formal behavior,
so much struggling to get through, so much crudeness and rule-bending going on
underneath the gilded niceties. All that fascinates me just as much as the raw,
brash in-your-face-no-shame culture the biker world represents.
Is there a message in your
novel that you want readers to grasp?
Brandon, my hero is a privileged aristocrat who all his life took all
that he had for granted. It’s not until it all gets taken away and he’s on his
knees, that everything spins in a different direction for him. It takes an
exile, a shipwreck, a near-death drug addiction, a forced marriage, and
realizing that he’s lost everything through the deceit of members of his own
family to bring him to his Ah-ha moment forcing him to get real. He realizes
that the way he used to live his life, the way all his peers continue to live
theirs, is about mindless self indulgence and game playing, which the new Brandon
surprisingly abhors. The best part is that the wife that was forced upon him is
someone he knows, his step-cousin whom he always treated like a little sister.
Now she’s all grown up and there’s an intense attraction between them. Justine
our heroine is the lifetime outsider who has her own struggles, but she’s the
only one in the family who’s grounded at Wolfsgate physically and spiritually.
She saves Brandon from certain death and saves him from himself. The big, brave
love and vision of this quiet, unassuming young woman is his salvation on a
personal and professional level. At the core of this story is the healing of
two souls.
Does music play any type of
role in your writing?
Music is really important to me when writing. I generate playlists for
every story choosing songs according to the time period, mood, character
journey or the atmosphere of a scene. I can sit there and have one particular
song on replay for a long time as I write. Other times I need silence. I’m
always listening to the playlist when I workout, walk home from taking my kids
to school or while I’m doing housework...it keeps me in the “zone” of the
story. I listened to a lot of Bach and cello music for this one and Depeche
Mode.
Are experiences based on
someone you know, or events in your life?
I’ve traveled somewhat, so I understand the shock of returning home and
seeing everything with fresh, new eyes and how that impels you to change
aspects of your life. I’ve experienced a lot of death in my family and a few
friends over the years, so I understand the bite of that kind of loss, the way
it makes you look at everything in your life in a new way both good and bad.
What books have influenced
your life most?
My first big classics, I think. Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Pride
& Prejudice, Persuasion, DH Lawrence’s books, and Edith Wharton’s novels
and A Tale of Two Cities, War & Peace, Crime & Punishment. The
haunting, bittersweet scenarios, these strong characters who are trying their
best and have these huge needs and wants for themselves, and especially the
women who have to overcome such harrowing odds. Historical fiction I adored the
Kristen Lavransdatter series set in post Viking/medieval Scandinavia- talk
about world building! Also modern works like Henry Miller’s books recounting
bohemian random wanderings and musings but so tightly written and incredibly
free at the same time. Also, the “Autobiography of Malcom X”, that searing
search for self and truth had a huge impact on me in college.
Are there any new authors
that have grasped your interest?
I really enjoy Kristen Ashley’s early work, and Shay Savage is one of
my absolute favorites. I just started reading CD Reiss- she’s fantastic. I
recently read a Jay Crownover novel for the first time and enjoyed it very much.
Can you share a little of
your current work with us?
Brandon, a young aristocrat returns to Wolfsgate, his ancestral home
after two years of being thought dead and lost at sea and another two years of
being held prisoner by his addiction to opium. Upon his return he learns his
uncle and cousin are responsible for his addiction and they’ve also married him
off to his step-cousin Justine, who they are able to manipulate, in order to
control his fortune for themselves. Justine, however, manages to bring Brandon
back home, helps him through his addiction, and together the two of them
struggle with a web of lies and deceit while an unexpected, intense attraction
for each other explodes between them. The two of them both realize how much
they need each other to overcome past hurts and losses and to deal with the
uncertainty of their present. The desire for revenge battles with the desire
for a new beginning as past loves and overwhelming compulsions beckon and blur
the lines of trust and truth. Is satisfaction to be found in revenge or revenge
in satisfaction? The wrong choice could spell disaster.
Do you have anything
specific that you want to say to your readers?
I want to thank my readers for their support and all their good wishes,
they mean a lot to me! I very much appreciate that they took a chance on “Lock
& Key,” and I hope they take a chance on “Wolfsgate.” I know many readers
have never read a historical, (like I’ve never read a zombie book, for
instance) but try it, you might like it! I really enjoy hearing from readers
and being in touch. Social media never ceases to amaze me as an immediate
gratification outlet for our enthusiasm. xxoxx !!
How can readers discover
more about you and your work?
My webpage, via Facebook and Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. I love
Pinterest!
Website
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
@catporter103
Instagram
Email
Do you have a special time
to write? How is your day structured writing-wise?
The moment I come home from taking the kids to school, I’m making a cup
of coffee and sitting down at my laptop. And I don’t get up until I need to
pick them up from school in the afternoon. Then after they come home and I help
with homework and clean up a bit around the house (snort!), cook dinner, I’m at
the laptop until midnight plus.
Why did you choose to write
romance stories?
I enjoy romance because I enjoy that struggle the hero and heroine
experience to be together. They’re struggling with what they think they want,
what they think they need, and plenty of conflicting external drama. It gets
messy, and I like picking through that real life mess and getting swept up in
the bravery it takes to finally recognize and make a stand for what you really
need, want and believe in.
What is for you the perfect
book hero?
I read a recent article about why we love Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy so
much, and how it’s because we see him become transformed by his love for
Elizabeth. So true! That’s what I want in a book hero. I love a good Alpha who
goes for what he wants and won’t take no for an answer, who’s hiding some dark
secret maybe that he can only share with his woman eventually. But at the core
is his transformation into the better person he can only be through his
experience of connecting to this woman that he must make his. I find that
journey of his extremely intriguing, breaking down the barriers, finally
getting to the point of do or die, him making a stand and finding a new
strength.
When you start a book, do
you already have the whole story in your head or is it built progressively?
I have the beginning and I have the end. Those two are always very
clear. But then many times, I have no bloody idea how to get from A to Z.
That’s where the fun and the madness begins. You have to know your characters
and be open to what they want.
When and why did you begin
writing?
I’ve been writing short stories and poems since I was ten. I was an
obsessive reader as a child, and being an only child I had an intense
imagination. Journal writing has been essential to my sanity throughout my life
as well. It was and is the only way I could make sense of things and feel
centered. About three years ago I started writing full time again. We live in
Greece now and when the political and economic situation began to crumble here
I had an extremely emotional, gut wrenching reaction, and I realized I had to
keep centered for my children and myself. Focusing on writing again, and
writing love redemption stories and continuing my children’s stories kept me
sane and engaged in the positive and also helps keep me full of hope for a
better day. I do it every day without fail. Like working out and taking my vitamins.
No question. Ever.
When did you first consider
yourself a writer?
It was about twenty years ago when I first got a few freelance articles
published in New York City. One was in an international politics magazine
(strange, but true!) and the other was in a small local newspaper. It was a
fantastic feeling.
List three books you have
recently read and would recommend.
I finally started reading the Outlander books this past July. I’m
almost finished with book 2. Jamie...sigh. Jamie and Claire...big sigh. I
really like Shay Savage’s “Transcendence” blew me away, it was so emotional and
bittersweet. And the Evan Arden series, which funnily enough I never in a
million years thought I’d want to read about a murdering sniper, but I tried
it, fell for Evan, and was hooked in a big way. I enjoy Lorelei James’s brash
cowboys very, very much. C.D. Reiss’s Spin and Ruin just now left me
breathless.
Tell us something that
people would be surprised you know how to do.
I’m a trained actress. After I graduated from college and worked for a
few years in a couple of art galleries, I decided to make my actress dream come
true and got into a theatre school in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of NYC
and studied for several years. I auditioned and did the whole struggling
actress thing, working odd jobs of all kinds both day and night from hostessing
at restaurants to the night shift at law firms to special event planning and
catering companies to make a buck. There was never a dull moment!
Will you write more about these
characters?
Yes. I have plans on writing about another pair who appear in this
story.
About Cat Porter
CAT PORTER was born and raised in New York
City, but also spent a few years in Europe and Texas along the way. As an
introverted, only child, she had very big, but very secret dreams for herself.
She graduated from Vassar College, was a struggling actress, an art gallery
girl, special events planner, freelance writer and had all sorts of other crazy
jobs all hours of the day and night to help make her dreams come true. She has
two children’s books traditionally published under her maiden name. She now
lives in Athens, Greece with her husband and three children, and freaks out
regularly and still daydreams way too much. She is addicted to the History
Channel, her iPad, her husband’s homemade red wine, really dark chocolate, and
her Nespresso coffee machine. Writing keeps her somewhat sane, extremely happy,
and a productive member of society.
Website: http://www.catporter.eu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catporterauthor
