Trinity Tachel has no use for society’s rules. Not after the New Orleans
police failed to investigate the murder of her sex-worker mother. Not
after she was abandoned to the Louisiana foster care system as a
child. And certainly not after fighting through freshman year to
prove herself worthy of a spot at the prestigious Filton University.
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Trinity is overjoyed when she’s invited to spend the summer in the Los
Angeles mansion of retired porn star Missy Mariola. Escape the daily
struggle to survive as a New Orleans college student? Yes please.
Shock proper society by openly embracing an adult film star? Even
better.
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But when Trinity returns to New Orleans for her sophomore year, she’s an
unrecognizable version of herself.
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Missy Mariola has taken over Trinity’s life. Missy doesn’t want Trinity to
work, makes all the rules-and even chooses Trinity’s housemates.
Trinity finds herself living with people she despises, including a
hot New Orleans cop who has a frustrating habit of showing up during
her worst moments.
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Trinity has to decide if she wants to remain the abandoned child of her past
or embrace a future with people who love her.
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Daughter of the Lost is a roller-coaster journey of
self-exploration and finding family-even among your mortal enemies.
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No, it’s not time yet.”
Trinity batted at the finger incessantly poking her shoulder and pulled a pillow over her head to
block out the blare of the alarm clock. And, for just a moment, she escaped. She slipped back
into a world of sleep so seductive she would have willingly traded her remaining days to let it hold
her for eternity.
But Tali was relentless. She wedged both of her hands under Trinity and rolled her limp body to
the edge of the bed.
“This isn’t New Orleans,” she said. “It’s going to take us two hours just to get to the airport.”
“Then I’m dropping out of school.” Trinity yawned and pulled her pillow tighter over her ears.
“Fuck it,” Tali whispered. “Me too. We’ll stay here and start our own business.”
“Sex shop?” Trinity asked.
“Sex shop.” Tali grabbed Trinity’s hand and held it up in a blind show of unity before dropping it
to the mattress.
They had started the summer in separate rooms, rooms so far apart it felt as if they were still
living in different zip codes—distant and lonely and better at following each other’s lives via
social media than actual human interaction.
And Trinity had missed her. Though they were temporarily residing at the same address, eating the
same food, and driving the same car, she missed the days of living their lives together out of
Tali’s cozy dorm room at Richardson Hall—Tali tangled up in James, Trinity trying to peel
herself off Seth’s sweaty body. Waking up to Tali’s beautiful smile every morning. Hugging her
tight every night. Together in their freshman-year sanctuary, they knew no matter what they had
to face that day, they could come home to their safe space—their stability no outside force could
crack. Apart in Tali’s massive LA home, it felt like their floor had fallen out.
And Tali had missed Trinity too. By June, they had started making excuses to sneak into each
other’s rooms. Trinity’s room was too hot. Tali’s was too cold. Tali’s room was too close to the
noise of the busy city streets. Trinity’s room had sheets that were too fucking expensive to sleep
- By July, they had given up the excuses and just moved into the one room. And it felt like a
sleepover that would never end, Trinity’s best friend next to her, passing a bottle of wine back and
forth over stories of their freshman year at Filton University. Their school work, their boys, the
battles they had fought together. Going back to school now felt like tainting the memories they
had already created. It was far better to start over in LA.
The door to their room burst open, and a harsh light from the hallway spilled onto the bed. The
curvy outline of a silk robe and high heels was the only shadow cutting through the glare.
“Did I just hear my girls aren’t leaving me?” a voice cried into the room, startling them both from
their last moments of sleep.
“Jesus, Missy,” Tali said. “Did you just creep outside our room all night? Don’t you ever sleep,
woman?”
“You can call me Mom, Tali. I didn’t shove Trinity out of my vagina, and even she calls me
Mom.”
Tali turned her back to the open door and stole Trinity’s pillow before slamming it down on her
own head.
“You’re grossing everyone out, Missy. Can you at least put more clothes on before you start
talking about your pussy today?”
“Absolutely not. You know how much I hate clothes.” Missy ran across the room and jumped into
bed between the girls, wrapping her arms around their heavy shoulders and pulling them close.
Trinity breathed into Missy’s hair and took in the lingering scent of high-end perfume mixed with
higher-end liquor she had surely been sipping all night in preparation for the morning. She
smelled like home now, fleeting though it might have been.
“Good morning, Mama,” Trinity whispered, smiling into Missy’s neck.
“No, this isn’t a good morning, love.” Missy ran a hand over Trinity’s dark hair and down to her
cheek. “This is the best morning. My girls are staying in LA and opening up . . . what did you
say? A sex shop? My beautiful, genius girls. You can do anything, but you choose to stay here
to get into the family business. We’ll have to get started immediately.”
She pulled her phone out of her robe pocket and started punching out a text to her assistant as
she read aloud.
“Make sure to rush order the molds we had made of my vagina. My girls are dropping out of
school to start a sex shop.”
She finished typing, reached a finger high in the air, and slowly brought it down toward the send
button before Tali grabbed the phone and threw it across the room.
“Fine.” Tali grunted as she dragged her legs to the side of the bed. “We’ll go back to school. But
when we both end up hospitalized from sleep deprivation, you’re the one that’s going to have
to come get us. You.” She pointed a sleepy finger at Missy.
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**FREEBIE ALERT!**
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Get book 1, The Porn Star’s Daughter FREE July 22-26!!
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Find it on Amazon
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Question: When did you begin writing and what inspires you to continue?
Kay Stephens: I began writing romance in 2015 as a creative outlet during a messy
divorce. And my first book was as ridiculous as the failed marriage—no character
development, no plot line, no underlying message. But it was incredibly fulfilling to
realize I had used my energy to create something rather than devolve into negative
emotions.
My romance writing improved significantly with two other, simultaneous life changes.
Following my divorce, I lived my own romance stories that continue on today with my
current (amazing) husband! However, my boss took the divorce as an opportunity to
both slut shame and sexually harass me, both in the office and in my home. It was life
changing to see how some important people in your life can raise you up and give you
space to become the best version of yourself, while others can work tirelessly to destroy
you. And it was in that life disparity that I found a message that continues to motivate
me—growing through the positive people into your life while combating the destructive
people (and learning to distinguish between the two).
Question: Who would you say is the ideal reader for Daughter of the Lost?
Stephens: The ideal reader loves love, has faced bullying, and finds strength reading
about how other people have combated bullying. They not only accept others’
differences, they accept and embrace their own differences too.
Question: How do you respond to the negative stigmas associated with reading
romance (shame, embarrassment, guilt…)? Do you feel that the genre is growing and
changing to adapt to modern times?
Stephens: If I could wave a wand and erase the negative stigmas associated with
reading romance, I would be the wand-wavingest girl on the streets. However, since I
cannot, I try to appreciate the stigmas for two reasons. First, these stigmas are such an
efficient way to identify people to avoid, because it takes a really broken person to
stigmatize an activity that makes people happy and has no negative impact on the
world. Second, these stigmas create such a strong reading community. Romance
readers are an amazing, supportive group in part because they continue bonding over
what they love despite outside condemnation.
I feel the romance genre mirrors societal norms and continues to adapt to modern
times, specifically in relation to misogyny and other forms of bigotry. Like society, the
romance genre is far from perfect, but we are seeing movement toward stronger female
characters and more representation in modern romance novels than those written in
prior decades. Readers now seem to be rejecting authors that refuse to evolve—just
another example of a strong, supportive community!
Question: Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
Stephens: I have one quirky writing habit that I always hoped no one would ask about.
Even during the hottest days of the summer, I must wear my favorite writing sweatshirt.
It’s hot pink, three sizes too big, and rocks the Circus Circus logo across the chest. Yes,
the Vegas casino that looks like the set of a 1980s gameshow. But I’m always cold, I
refuse to be uncomfortable, and if I’m being completely honest with myself…I love
Circus Circus. So it’s a win for everyone except my husband who would probably burn it
if he didn’t think it would lead to certain divorce.
Question: Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
Stephens: “It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are
so many of us.” – Jane Goodall
I have been considered a difficult woman since birth. But now that I’m writing romance
novels about the sex-work industry from my cozy little nook in the US Bible Belt, my
difficulty scores are measuring off the charts. It’s nice to remember I’m in good and
plentiful company.
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KAY STEPHENS is a lawyer
turned romance novelist, divorcée turned member of the illustrious
third-wives club, and party girl turned . . . uncomfortably old party
lady. Kay spent her early days living throughout the world, from
Boston to Barcelona to New Orleans, before finally settling down in
Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has the extraordinary privilege to write every
day due only to the loving support of her wild-ass husband and four
crazy teenagers. She has written for Your Tango and been featured in
Bustle and Female First among others.
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Kay’s debut novel, The Porn Star’s Daughter, is a steamy, laugh-out-loud
story about self-acceptance and sexual empowerment. Kay writes for
the people who like to shame the slut shamers, who wear their
too-tight skirts with pride, and who laugh at society’s
ever-conflicting expectations of them.
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Website
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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