Personal appearances, make or break?

It's no secret that I enjoy meeting people and that I have several personal appearances lined up for this summer anf fall. I'm not shy so getting out and meeting new people is a real thrill for me but for some people it's a terrifying experience. I was chatting with a group of friends and co-authors when the subject of public speaking came up and it surprised me to learn that a lot of them hated doing readings and signings becuase it made them so nervous to be in front of a group of people. That shocked the hell out of me. I've always loved to write but I started out in this business as a voracious reader and i remember being on the opposite side of that signing table quite clearly, speechless as I'd hand over a book to one of my favorite authors to sign. I could barely speak my name( and my close friends know I don't shut up easily) For me it is an honor to find myself on the signing side, knowing people have come to see me or talk to me or buy a book or two. It can be a bit daunting but it's also a very special feeling that i wouldn't trade away for the world. Here's my question though. Do you think personal appearances can make or break an author? if someone is very shy can it ruin the experience for the readers? What about a bad reading. I know I have been to readings where the author sounded so bad I couldn't wait to leave the room and I know I didn't stop afterwards to buy a book or ask any questions. How do you know if your reading sounds good? Would your friends tell you truthfully if you sounded awful? I got a lot of pointers after my reading at GCLS and I wanted to thank everyone for their honesty and support. Apparently my country accent gets really deep when I get a bit nervous. Getting up in front of the crowd isn't what scared me but being scheduled to read alongside some of my favorite authors that I've been reading for ages, like Susan Meagher, definitely started a swarm of butterfiles in my belly. LOL
Beth
www.bethwylde.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde
b.wylde@yahoo.com

Just A Short Hello On A Friday

Hello all,

Been a while since I popped in here. I apologize for the absence, I was working on getting another Diablo Blanco Club book finished. With luck (crossing all digits and limbs) it will make it to publication before the end of this year. Of course there are other stories spinning around in my head, but it seems only the DBC crowd wants to talk right now.

I did get a nice bit of news this week. Diablo Blanco Club: Unfair Advantage (Mattie's and Bryce's book) won an Award of Merit in the Virginia Romance Writers Holt Medallion contest. It placed 5th in the Spicy/Erotic Romance category.

Other good news, An Invitation: Ariel's Pet (and the companion book An Invitation: Alayna's Training, by Jennifer Cole) will be available in print within the next two to three months. With luck I'll be able to get Grimm's story written and submitted before the end of the year.

Well, must get back to the stories. My apologies for not having more to say. Perhaps on the 28th.

Take care.

Guest blogger -- Sandy Nicks

Please welcome guest blogger Sandy Nicks!

Stimulate the Senses – Boost Creativity

by

Sandy Nicks

As writers, we have to draw our readers into our stories by “showing” rather than “telling.” We want our readers to see, feel, hear and taste everything our characters do. However, there are days when I have difficulty writing a scene and need a creative boost. When this happens, I find that stimulating my senses by enhancing my surroundings, allows me to delve into a scene and become better attuned to my characters and their setting.

I do the following to jumpstart my creative energy and connect what my own senses are experiencing to those that I need to get on the page.

Sight: In addition to my vision board to keep me inspired, I also use pictures to give me a visual of my characters and setting. When I was writing my time travel romance, Circle of Eternity, I kept a photo of a castle I’d found in a book next to a picture of a medieval couple I’d found in a magazine. My upcoming book, Crazy Days of Summer, takes place in Hollywood and the Jersey Shore. I kept photos of the beach and a beautiful home pinned to a whiteboard to visualize those settings. I also love to take virtual home tours. If I need to describe a kitchen or living room, these tours are really helpful. They’re also good for decorating ideas!

Sound: I listen to music all the time and enjoy of variety of genres. When I’m writing a particular scene, I choose songs that either bring out a certain emotion or bring me to another time period. Circle of Eternity takes place in both the present and the twelfth century. When I was writing the twelfth century scenes, I listened to Enya and the Braveheart soundtrack. If I’m writing a love scene, I often listen to Mariah Carey. If the scene calls for action, I put on a rock or heavy metal song. Of course there are times that I don’t use music to enhance a scene - I just like it playing in the background for my own sanity :)

Smell: I keep scented candles on my desk along with scented sachets. I love the beach and have a candle that smells like suntan lotion. I also have numerous ones that smell of the ocean or vanilla and tangerine. These scents bring to mind pictures of gardens my characters may be strolling through or a beach they may be walking on. The aromatherapy also helps me relax!

Taste: Using taste to boost my creative energy is solely for me as a writer. I need coffee to keep me going and water to keep me hydrated when I’m at my desk for many hours. Chocolate is a regular part of my writing routine as are bowls of candy like Nerds. You have to treat yourself to something sweet now and then!

Touch: My fingers on the keyboard. When I glance at pictures, listen to music and smell the fragrant air, my fingers flow freely across the keys, typing the words of my story. I’ve also contemplated putting a container of sand under my desk so I can wiggle my toes around and pretend I’m at the beach!

Whether you wish to evoke just one or all of your senses, creating an atmosphere that connects you with your story is beneficial. When I’m writing and use these techniques, it transports me to a wonderfully romantic world – a place where my hero and heroine resolve their conflicts, meet their goals and fall in love.

Thank you, Cassandra, for having me as a guest blogger!

Sandy Nicks is the author of Falling for Autumn, book one in the Sisters for All Seasons romantic comedy series by Vanilla Heart Publishing. Book two, Crazy Days of Summer, is scheduled for release in September 2010. Circle of Eternity, also published by VHP, is a time travel romance and was released in February 2010.

Sandy lives near the Jersey Shore with her family and many spoiled pets. To learn more about her books, read excerpts or send a message, please visit: www.sandynicks.com.

MalePOV Course being taught June 29-July 2nd!

This will be a lengthy post as I'm pimping the workshop I'm teaching next week.

Writing from the Male POV to Create Stronger Heroes

Course Description:
In this workshop, learn the ins and outs of character creation from a side of romance we rarely hear from, the male romance reader/writer! Kinky Erotic Romance author Sascha Illyvich shares with us tips on how to create more memorable heroes, avoid some common pitfalls and have more fun with our writing!

What you’ll learn from this class
• Male Archetypes and how they affect our characters
• How (il)logical men think and why they act the way they do
• How to take any male character from any movie/story and modify him to fit your story
• How to get your man to express his true “self”
• What men REALLY care about and how to work with that for your characters*
• A man’s self view*
• The GAY MALE Viewpoint*
• The Male Cycle of Emotions and how it compares to the female cycle of emotions
• A man’s journey in life
• What men really think

A few extras

Using character creations sheets (don’t groan!) that have all the relevant information you’ll need, you’ll be able to craft male characters that are just as deep as your female characters. Getting inside the heads of your male characters is the most important aspect of “how to write” them.

Cross gender writing can make or break an author’s career if they cannot portray the opposite gender clearly and accurately. With the growing popularity of M/M romances, it’s becoming increasingly important for males to be portrayed in the proper light! We’ll cover all that here and a lot more over the next week.

Instructor Bio:
I started writing ten years ago, releasing poetry and an occasional short erotica story before focusing on kinky erotic romance in various subgenres. My books have been listed under the Road to Romance’s Recommended read list, as well nominated for the CAPA.
I am also the host of the Unnamed Romance Show on Radio Dentata and continue to write for Renaissance E-books, and Total E-bound. Readers can find my work, plus free reads at http://www.saschaillyvich.com
I’m also part of the WriteSex Panel, a blog group that’s defining erotica for writers in any genre! Find us at http://www.writesex.net


Cost: $20 via paypal. Send payments to stpbigbangbaby@yahoo.com

Sascha Illyvich is a published male romance author with 10 years of experience and 2 years of successful workshops!

Guest Blogger -- Laura Tolomei

Please welcome guest blogger Laura Tolomei!

MY ALPHA MEN, THEIR LOVERS & THEIR WOMEN

Lately, I’ve focused on those incredible alpha men we all love—in more ways than one LOL—to the point of having released several books about them. Well, actually, one is a series, the Virtus Saga, while the other is Tasting Leon’s Mark, a novel that is in fact part of a series in the making. Anyway, what I’m basically interested in is their sex life, considering they both have a steady liaison with a man.

But first a word about them, the heroes, Duncan Caldwell and Leon Sterling, whose similarities far outweigh their differences, which are mostly due to their settings—the planet Sendar for the former, planet Earth for the latter. Dark ruggedly handsome types at the top of the ladder—Duncan the High Council Leader, the top level in his world’s hierarchy, Leon a successful businessman with a steadily rising career—they happen to have a gorgeous blond lover whom at first, they had trouble fitting in their busy schedules, but eventually had to admit they could not live without him.

Christopher Templeton and Sean Davis both love and adore their alpha males to the point of sacrificing almost everything simply to humor all their whims, including the most difficult ones to accept…women.

Yes, my alpha males like sex in all its infinite combinations, which include women, too. So they have no scruples to bring one, or more if necessary, into the pre-existing relationship, to have fun mostly, but also…why not? To broaden their lover’s horizons. Not an easy task, considering how indifferent or downright hostile both Chris and Sean are, but to convince them, Duncan and Leon know they have to find the right woman. So when they do…

The Sex

Virtus Book 1

By Laura Tolomei

GENRE: GLBT, Gay, Fantasy, Paranormal, Ménage, m/m, m/m/f

ISBN: 978-1-55487-516-0

HEAT LEVEL: 4 flames

RELEASE DATE: March 15^th, 2010

PUBLISHER: eXtasy Books

COVER ARTIST: Angela White

BUY LINK

http://www.extasybooks.net/ebjmsite/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_comingsoon&product_id=7318&category_id=54&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=44

The Game

Virtus Book 2

By Laura Tolomei

GENRE: GLBT, Gay, Fantasy, Paranormal, Ménage, m/m, f/f, m/m/f, m/m/m, m/f/f

ISBN: 978-1-55487-568-9

HEAT LEVEL: 5 flames

RELEASE DATE: May 15^th, 2010

PUBLISHER: eXtasy Books

COVER: Angela White

BUY LINK

http://www.extasybooks.net/ebjmsite/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=ebook_flypage.tpl&product_id=7879&category_id=54&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=50

M/M/F EROTICA

Catching sight of the wrong person, Chris’s eyes turned icy cold. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all, Angel.” Prince Caldwell drew him closer to the couch. “We were just about to get started, but three’s more fun than two.”

Before the blond angel had the chance to complain, Duncan kissed him deep and hard, his tongue challenging, pressing to overcome his surprise, yet demanding at the same time his complete surrender. Together, they had explored sex with a variety of partners, but regardless of what gender was in their bed, the prince had never allowed Chris to kiss him, afraid it would show the depth of his feelings. Now he needed no disguise, free to be himself for the first time, so he increased the pressure to make Chris overcome his initial surprise, wanting only to turn the wet invasion into an exciting new game. And his blond angel responded beautifully, aroused beyond expectations, his body tense, cock hard pressing on Duncan’s stomach in spite of Ylianor’s presence.

“You weren’t kidding, lover.” Young Templeton grinned, pulling slightly back. “You really want to do it now.” The blue-gray eyes flashed in excitement. “But what about her?” Chris did not even look at Ylianor.

“She knows all about us, so there’s no need to worry.” Duncan, too, had eyes only for Chris. “And she’s at our complete service.” He breathed in his ear, his voice thick with desire to overcome his lover’s objection to the person, rather than the situation. “Come on, Angel. We’ve shared women before and it’ll be no different this time.” Then he gripped the stiff bulge, still concealed by the clothes, and slid it seductively.

Even if his looks told otherwise, Chris did not comment, choosing to play the game despite the guest for his cock’s needs seemed to outweigh any argument, so they kept kissing in front of Ylianor. Now firmly grasping the naked skin, Prince Caldwell teased his blond angel’s hard length, throbbing and twitching from pleasure, until, feeling Ylianor’s growing excitement reach critical levels, he knew it was the perfect time to plunge her into his world, full of growing desires in anxious wait of an explosive release.

Pulled from imagination into reality, she stared not at one, but at the two huge cocks demanding imperiously her wet attention, which she lacked the experience to give if it had not been for Prince Caldwell’s apt instructions. Come on, Princess, they need your mouth, so stick them in and swallow. And to make his point clearer, he grabbed her head and pushed it on Chris’s bulging tip. With the prince taking charge, Ylianor had no choice but to comply and her mouth wrapped obediently on the hungry shaft, her tongue darting out to explore its long length while her lips traveled to the bottom.

Now suck hard. Following the command, he pushed her head again to make Chris enter deeper, so she drew it in, fitting as much as she could, until it gagged her. Choking and coughing, Ylianor pulled back, but the prince’s firm hold did not allow her to get too far.

Use your tongue to avoid choking. At the words, she felt a twinge of sympathy that made her double her efforts despite the dangers.

Beginning to get more familiar, Ylianor dipped on the tip of the erection, feeling it twitch every time her tongue wrapped around its bulging head, licking the bumpy surface and teasing the tantalizing foreskin, until it became flaming hot. And what gave her more pleasure than anything else was reading young Templeton’s pleasure, both in his blindingly bright colors as in the stiff shaft that seemed unwilling to leave her mouth, however inexperienced it may have felt. More than that, she realized his quivering every time Duncan pushed her head forward was in fact a sign he was about to lose control and it made her wetter than she thought possible.

Having her same perception, Prince Caldwell increased the tempo, pushing her head faster on the long stem in a rhythmical fashion that would surely bring the demon to a point of no return. As if to accelerate the process, Duncan bent on Chris’s ear. “Go ahead and choke her, Angel.” She clearly heard.

At those words, the first jet reached her throat and like the prince had threatened, she gagged on the fluid, shooting out of the convulsing shaft in a seemingly inexhaustible supply, its bittersweet taste filling her senses.

Prince Caldwell grinned in satisfaction. “Great come, Angel, but don’t relax because we have many other ways to play our game.”

Tasting Leon’s Mark

GENRE: Contemporary

THEMES: GLBT, Gay, Ménage, Paranormal, m/m, m/f, m/m/f

ISBN 978-1-60313-690-7

RATING: Erotic, Controversial

RELEASE DATE: April 15^th, 2010

PUBLISHER: Whiskey Creek Press Torrid http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/torrid/

BUY LINK

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/torrid/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=499&zenid=47c5e836051ffbe648cdd24366b03fdf

M/M EROTICA

“Where’s she?” Sean demanded coldly, not daring to take his gaze off the hunter, but dying from the chance to do so.

“All in due time, sweetie. Right now I just want you.” Grasping his shoulder, Leon pulled him close, hungrily attacking the prey’s soft lips and bruising them.

Sean opened wider to let him through, his mouth completely filled by the fiery tongue, straining to reach the throat. He sucked it avidly, trying to satisfy its impossible desire. All through the excruciating evening, he had only been able to think of Leon, of sex with Leon, of passionately loving Leon in a way that would quench the burning heat the damned hunter had unleashed first in the restaurant, but mostly with his ardent kiss. Now though, he knew that as usual, he had played along the hunter’s persuasions, falling straight into his trap once more. Yet, his cock did not seem to mind, his reaction surprisingly interested in what he would soon have to face. Its hardness pressed on Leon’s stomach as their tongues battled in a silent duel, clashing against each other, wrapping around their wet lengths, struggling for predominance.

Deepening the kiss, Leon shoved the prey to the staircase, making him climb backwards until he pushed him through the door leading to their dressing room, the space Sean had wanted for work outs, if not brazen admiration of his body, with or without clothes, in the huge mirrors hanging on the walls. The room was dark, though the mirrors caught a little of the light from the hall, reflecting it back on the opposite walls. Sean could not see anything anyway, especially since the hunter kept his back turned, his mouth trapped, his body pressed while his hands fumbled with the latch to free the bulge he had already felt in need of his special attentions. When he managed to pull it out of its confinement, Leon pulled slightly back.

“Now be a good boy and suck it,” he ordered, pushing down on his shoulders.

Obediently, Sean dropped to his knees, wrapping his wide-open mouth on the demanding shaft standing imperiously in front on his face. Lapping avidly the bulging head, he immediately tasted the plastic, sure sign he had already fucked the woman. Not knowing whether to feel offended or thrilled, he worked harder to suck down Leon’s thick cock, pulling it to his throat until it almost choked him. His tongue darted its own erotic way over the long stem, licking and lapping the soft skin in forceful strokes that made it twitch in pleasure. Leon pushed to get deeper, his hips holding a steady rhythm in an effort to drown inside the warm cavity, making Sean cough from time to time as the cock edged dangerously close to the choking spot right before the throat’s dip. Despite these sensations, the prey loved every moment of it and would have gladly continued if at a certain point, he did not feel her presence.

At first, he thought it was just his overexcited imagination playing tricks on him, but when he felt the strange pull again, he could not stop from turning around to look deep into the room. With the darkness, his eyes could not quite make out any details, but he clearly saw the shape standing in the middle of the room.

“Well, as long as you’ve seen her.” Leon’s husky voice caught him off guard. “You might as well take a closer look.”

As he switched on the light, the room brightened altogether and Sean’s heart stopped cold at the sight of a familiar…too familiar scene. “She looks—” He began, unable to form the words, drowning in a sea of memories and sensations.

“Exactly like you did.” Leon’s husky breath finished the thought as he, too, looked at the figure standing blindfolded and tied to the hook above her head. “Except for the blindfold, of course,” he added as an afterthought.

Because, like Leon so aptly puts it, “Gay doesn’t define you. It simply limits your choices. You’re a person, first of all, who happens to have his own particular tastes, which should never, ever become a label.”

Laura Tolomei

www.lallagatta.com

Guest Interview -- Tracy L. Ranson

Midnight Seductions Guest Interview

Tracy L. Ranson

1. Tell us about your most recent release. Thanks for inviting me here to Midnight Seductions. I’m so happy to be here! My latest release is entitled SEDUCING THE DUCHESS from DCL Publications. I don’t have an exact release day for it but it will be soon.

2. What genre do you prefer to write? Is there a genre you’d like to write in that you haven’t tried yet? I generally prefer historical because that’s always been a favorite of mine but I’m pretty much have written all over the spectrum. The only thing I haven’t tried yet is M/M romance and that’s not in my long range plans…yet.

3. What do you like to read? Everything I can lay my grubby mitts on. From historical fiction/non-fiction to the latest crime thrillers. My favorite types of books are where they give the pieces to a larger puzzle at end of the book but don’t tell you how to put them together until the very end. Think Dan Brown –THE DAVINCI CODE and ANGELS AND DEMONS.

4. What do you feel is your strength as an author? For instance: characterization, dialogue,
sexual tension, sex scenes???? To be honest with you, I’m not very sure because I’ve been given very high praise for all those categories so it’s really hard to tell.

5. How did you choose your pen name? Does it hold some significance special to
you? It’s my own name actually (married too!). It means a lot because I took my husband’s name when we got married and since I’m very much in love with him, I wanted to use that name.

6. Where do you see your writing career taking you? Goals for two, four, six
years. My main goal is to be published by a NY publisher and get an agent. I’m already halfway there. I have a major agent looking at a partial right now and I’m sitting around on tenterhooks waiting to see what she says. Also, within the next four to six years, I want to be on the NYT Bestseller list and retired from working a day job!

7. Do you ever use people you know as characters in your book, or composites? All of the above! My villains are based on one person mostly but they’re mostly composites. My hero on the other hand is solely based on my husband who has been my lasting inspiration for everything. It doesn’t hurt that he looks like he stepped off the cover of one of my novels. LOL…I keep a list locked away of who I based what character in my books only to be released when I’m gone. Hopefully some of those folks are gone before I am!!!! LOL….

8. Do you find that your creativity is more active mornings, afternoon, or
evenings? Mostly between 7-9pm in the evening is the best time. Usually if I have a day off, I’ll start writing early in the day and see how much I can get done before the day is out.

9. What well-known author would you compare your work to or hope that you've
achieved the same level of excitement? I guess Debbie Macomber or Lori Foster. I’ve met Lori several times and she’s a terrific lady, always involved with her community. I would soooooooo love to have that same level of fan excitement!

10. What’s your favorite leisure activity? Why? Oh, there’s so many! Sewing, cooking, baking, knitting, crocheting, cross stitch…the list goes on and on. I love them so much because there’s not a whole lot of thought that goes into them and it allows my mind to wander to create new storylines!

Find out more about Tracy at: http://www.tracylranson.com/