Guest Post & #Giveaway with Sophie Morgan, author of Diary of a Submissive

Hi, I’m Sophie Morgan, author of The Diary of a Submissive, out now and published by Gotham Books. The lovely Jenese very kindly invited me to write a guest post for Readers Confession and – having seen the theme of the blog – I hope you don’t mind me taking the opportunity to make a confession of my own. While my book is real life erotica, I love paranormal romance. And lists. And, since Jenese wasn’t specific about what I could write about, I’m going to take this opportunity to highlight some of my favourite fictional heroes (ha, this is what happens when I’m left without boundaries).

Sophie’s top five paranormal heroes
(in no particular order, except the first one, who is my favourite fictional boyfriend ever).

Lucas Cortez (Kelley Armstrong)

I know most people are all about Elena and Clayton, but while I like them as characters both individually and within the wider Pack dynamic, they’re not the centre of my (Other) world. Armstrong’s skill writing in the first person meant that having read Elena’s perspective for so long, when I read that the next book in the series was to be focused on Paige Winterbourne I was both disappointed and a bit disinterested in it. This is mostly proof of my stupidity. By three chapters into Dime Store Magic (still one of my 'reread sporadically on a wet Sunday for fun' go to books) I was smitten with her. Then when Lucas, the motorcycle-riding lawyer wizard with a cause, made his appearance to help her I fell in love with him pretty much as fast as she did.

Lucas is an interesting character – powerful both intellectually and magically, but with a strong sense of morality that makes him a lovely romantic hero. Plus I love the relationship between him and Paige, the equality of it, the humour and affection in it, the fact they’re constantly disappearing off into cupboards to canoodle when they get the chance to. There are very few couples I am so invested in that as a reader I’d be devastated if they broke up. Paige and Lucas are that – and with their every outing and Otherworld mention I’m straining for indications Mr Cortez might go all Pacino-in-The-Godfather. Suffice to say if he did I’d be gutted. Cracking writing and a brilliant character.

Dorian (Richelle Mead)

I first got into reading Richelle Mead’s books after a friend who knew the depths of my Kelley Armstrong obsession loaned me the first couple of Succubus books to tide me over (or possibly shut me up) while waiting for the then-latest Women of the Otherworld book. Georgina Kincaid is a great heroine, but Mead’s premier hero in my opinion comes from the Dark Swan books. And, no, it’s not Kiyo. He’s just a bit obvious for my taste, I’m Team Dorian all the way. He’s sneaky, funny, sarcastic and at times utterly immoral. And yet, he’s fascinated by Eugenie, and his strange kind of love for her makes him do uncharacteristic things. Their relationship is messy, impractical in so many ways, and yet it just leaps off the page for me. Wonderful stuff. And it’s not just because he has a penchant for bondage, honest...

Eric Northman (Charlaine Harris)

Alexander Skarsgard is incredibly hot (although he’s not getting my vote for the Christian Grey role), but for me Eric Northman of the novels is much more fun – not least because his relationship with Sookie in the books, especially in the later ones, is more intense and – ok, you’ve got me – way smuttier. Eric ticks lots of the boxes of a great romantic hero - confidence bordering on arrogance, moments of immorality but a deep-seated love for Sookie that means when the chips are down he always goes the right(ish) way. He's blunt, honest, and says little but what he does say is usually worth examining for double meanings. He's also a warrior through and through when those he cares about most are threatened. Where’s the bad?

Dante Baptiste (Adrian Phoenix)

One of the lesser known romantic heroes on my list, but he’s a vampire rock star. I could tell you more, but come on. Vampire rock star. The Maker’s Song series is worth reading for lots of reasons – great characterization, the strong relationship between Dante and kickarse FBI agent Heather Wallace – but the bottom line is how many vampires on the run do you know who sideline as a rock star? Fun, filthy and ultimately fulfilling.

Acheron (Sherrilyn Kenyon)

I've read quite a few books by Sherrilyn Kenyon but the Dark Hunter series is my favourite by some distance. I love the merging of normality with some beautifully woven mythology that blurs classic Greek myths (Ash is from Atlantis after all) with Kenyon's own universe. It's rich, interesting, really well drawn and has quite a sassy narrative style that makes me laugh out loud in places.

As for Ash, how can you not love him? He's so hot he made the goddess of chastity swoon, charismatic and a legend among legends with the kind of distressing back story that makes your heart ache. If there was ever a god in need of a cuddle it's him. He's brilliantly cagey and eccentric at times, which makes for some unexpected twists and turns, while his relationship with Tory is lovely because she's the only woman immune to his charms, and thus he knows she loves him for him. He chooses an ordinary human woman for his partner - and treats her like a goddess. Who wouldn't like that in a romantic partner?

So come on, who have I missed? And do you think Jeremy is better than both Clay AND Lucas? Have your say in your comments below - and please don't hesitate to let me know who I should add to my Kindle to make me swoon...

In Diary of a Submissive, Sophie Morgan candidly explains what exactly an independent, 21st century woman gets out of relinquishing her power and personal freedom in a submissive relationship with a dominant man for their mutual sexual pleasure.

In the wake of Fifty Shades of Grey, here is a memoir that offers the real story of what is means to be a submissive and follows Sophie’s story as she progresses from her early erotic experiences through to experimenting with her newfound awakened sexuality. From the endorphin rush of her first spanking right through to being collared, she explains in frank and explicit fashion her sexual explorations. But it isn’t until she meets James, a real life ‘Christian Grey,’ that her boundaries and sexual fetishism are really pushed. As her relationship with James travels into darker and darker places, the question becomes: Where will it end? Can Sophie reconcile her sexuality with the rest of her life, and is it possible for the perfect man to be perfectly cruel?

Daring, controversial, and sensual, Diary of a Submissive is filled with a captivating warmth and astounding honesty such that no one— man or woman—will be able to put Sophie's story down.

About the Author:

Sophie Morgan is a journalist and author. Her book The Diary of a Submissive is published by Gotham Books and out now.  It has been described as ‘the real life Fifty Shades of Grey’, although Sophie would like to point out she doesn’t bite her lip and would get Silence of the Lambs flashbacks if a strange man offered to show her his red room of pain. (book recommendations gratefully received!).

Follow Sophie on Twitter @mssophiemorgan

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