Abigail Barnette is the erotic romance pseudonym of Jenny Trout, YAauthor, blogger, and funny person. Writing as Jennifer Armintrout, she made the USA Today bestseller list with Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Her novel American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online. She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to kill her.
www.jennytrout.com
@jenny_trout
Sophie Scaife almost ran away once, trading her ticket to college for a ticket to Tokyo. But a delayed flight and a hot one-night stand with a stranger changed her mind, putting her firmly on track to a coveted position at a New York fashion magazine.
When the irresistible stranger from that one incredible night turns out to be her new boss - billionaire and publishing magnate Neil Elwood - Sophie can't resist the chance to rekindle the spark between them... and the opportunity to explore her submissive side with the most Dominant man she's ever known.
Neil is the only man who has ever understood Sophie's need to submit in the bedroom, and the only man who has ever satisfied those desires. When their scorching, no-strings-attached sexual relationship becomes something more, Sophie must choose between her career and heart... or risk losing them both.
Amazon
Unemployed, blacklisted, and pregnant, Sophie Scaife’s life is totally upside down. Her relationship with publishing magnate Neil Elwood is on the rocks. Her best friend’s career is igniting. And Sophie is afraid she’ll make one of the toughest decisions of her life alone…
When a devastating diagnosis forces Neil to return to London, Sophie throws caution to the wind to follow her heart across the Atlantic. Keeping a scorching D/s affair as red-hot in sickness as it was in health is a challenge, even for two lovers as inventive as Sophie and Neil. But Sophie is more than willing to try anything her Sir commands, and their fantasies of control become a welcome refuge from the daily stress of illness.
While Neil’s wealth and privilege make adjusting to her new situation easier, Sophie finds herself rebuilding her life around an uncertain future. And while both of them face the changes between them head-on, they’re all too aware that their happiness may be fleeting—and Sophie could lose Neil forever.
Amazon
After a tumultuous year, Sophie Scaife’s relationship with her boyfriend and Dom, billionaire media mogul Neil Elwood, is hotter and happier than ever. His sizzling Dominant side pushes Sophie to new and challenging heights of submission and erotic exploration as she follows her Sir’s every whim. But with his daughter’s impending wedding and a milestone birthday turning Neil’s thoughts toward settling down, Sophie faces a much different future than she’d planned.
Caught in a conflict between her new wealth and her desire for independence, Sophie fears she’s becoming just another Fifth Avenue trophy wife. With her fashion journalism career over and her new effort as a writer uninspiring, Sophie has to work harder than ever to prove her intentions to Neil’s family and friends.
Sophie isn’t the only one struggling to adapt to her new lifestyle. When private jets and designer labels threaten her bond with Holli, Sophie finds herself walking a fine line between the world she now inhabits and the past—and people—she fears she’s left behind. After a shocking revelation divides her loyalties, Sophie is in danger of losing her best friend or fracturing the trust of the man she loves.
A common question writers get asked is, “Do you listen to music while you write?” And the answer is, yes, quite a lot of us do. Some writers can’t listen to music with lyrics. Other writers have to listen to lyrics that remind them of their books. Some, myself included, like to put together playlists that serve as a kind of movie soundtrack to the scenes I’m writing. These are the top 5 songs I chose for the Boss series, and why:
The Boss:
1. “Will Do,” TV On The Radio. This song is specifically mentioned in a steamy scene at the W hotel. The first line of this song, “It might be impractical to seek out a new romance” caught my ear and I thought, “Well, that sums up this relationship perfectly, doesn’t it?”
2. “Leisure Suite” Feist. Sophie set the chorus of this song as Neil’s ringtone, due to the sexy, campy feel.
3. “Sail Away (Rae and Christian Remix),” David Gray. Some songs I put on the list just because they sounded so hot. This was one of those songs.
4. “Riversong,” A Fine Frenzy. I listened to this one over and over while writing a pivotal moment in Neil and Sophie’s relationship. The lyrics weren’t what touched me about this song so much as the tempo.
5. “I Feel Better,” Gotye. This could be Neil Elwood’s theme song with regards to Sophie. While the book is written in Sophie’s first-person point of view, it was important for me to remember what was going through Neil’s head, too, and this song helped remind me
The Girlfriend
1. “Fljótavík,” Sigur Ros. This song comforts Sophie in a rough time. The lyrics are so sad and hopeful at the same time. I used to cry listening to this and writing!
2. “Slow and Steady,” Of Monsters and Men. I tried to incorporate more Icelandic stuff into this book, since Neil spent his late childhood and teen years there. I like to imagine he would keep up on the music scene there. This song called such a strong image to my mind of both Sophie and Neil trying to hold things together for themselves externally while being unsure and overwhelmed inside.
3. “Overjoyed,” Bastille. A lot of th music I picked for this book had a little bit of melancholy to them. Love through fear and sadness is the theme of this book, and this song got that vibe across perfectly.
4. “Only You” Ellie Goulding. The Girlfriend isn’t all doom and gloom. It’s hard to shift from complex emotional content to scorching hot sex scenes and make it fit well. Since this song has both bases covered, I used it for a lot of inspiration.
5. “Learnalilgivinanlovin,” Gotye. When I think of this song, I think of Sophie and Emma trying to forge a kind of friendly relationship in an extremely weird situation. While the lyrics don’t necessarily fit perfectly, the theme sure does!
The Bride
1. “Let Her Go,” Passenger. This is so, so Sophie and Holli’s song. Sometimes, we take the people we love most for granted. I hated writing about forty percent of this book because of that, but I love the way it ended. I’m the biggest fan of Sophie and Holli’s friendship.
2. “Elephant,” Tame Impala. The only reason this makes the list is because my husband and I were listening to it in the car and he said, “This seems like a song Neil would have on his iPod.” Damned if he wasn’t right!
3. “The Story,” Brandi Carlile. Family is the theme of The Bride. This song perfectly paints the emotions I was trying to get across. Shared history, if the good outweighs the bad, is what builds a family. I’m really proud of the little family growing together in this series. With a ton of kink at the core of the storyline, who would have thought?
4. “Birthday,” Katy Perry. I have a suspicion that Sophie danced around to this song many times in anticipation of Neil’s surprise birthday party.
5. “S-S-S-Single Bed,” F.O.X. It’s so fun to write about a couple who can be sexy, yet irreverent about sex at the same time. Playful music helps keep that attitude in perspective.
Working to music really helps the writing pass faster, but full disclosure? I sometimes spent more time finding songs than writing the book!
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