Belated Greetings

It's been a long weekend. LOL.

With the holidays and all I've been a little out of it, so my apologies for missing my blog on the 25th and for being so late to get this one out.

Since I don't really have much to talk about, I thought I'd share an excerpt from my newest release, Diablo Blanco Club: Rite of First Claim.

It's R Rated, so if you're under 18, exit now.

.....

I mean it, no minors allowed.....

Okay, I've warned you...

I hope you enjoy it!

Qwillia

Diablo Blanco Club: Rite of First Claim
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-60737-889-1
Genre: BDSM Contemporary
Length: Novel Plus
Cover Artist: April Martinez
Price: $7.99

Blurb:

What's a Dom to do when the submissive he wants runs from the feelings between them? From the moment he met Lyssa Lawrence, Mike knew what he felt was love -- not lust. Convincing her has been an uphill battle even after the two steamy hours they'd shared at the Diablo Blanco Club four years earlier.

Lyssa Lawrence wished the man who claimed to love her wasn't so damned appealing. Twelve years of denying the pull of her submissive nature almost went up in smoke four years ago, but she'd gathered the nerve to tell him 'no' when he asked for more. She'd have stayed away for good if her biological clock hadn't hiccupped, threatening her dreams of motherhood.

In the same way she'd strategized her success in fashion design, Lyssa worked out a plan to get the baby she wanted. The Diablo Blanco Club's annual Midnight Masquerade would provide a number of potential donors to choose from. What she hadn't bargained on was Mike's interference through an arcane Club rule.

When Mike invoked Rite of First Claim, Lyssa finally became his. Now, he had one month to prove that the role of his submissive was one she was born to play.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM theme and elements.

Excerpt:

“You are insane,” Lyssa snapped, tugging at the restraints and twisting against the sheets.

“But,” Mike continued as if she hadn’t even spoken, “I’m willing to let it go because you’ve been a good sub and kept yourself waxed for me.”

At the heat in his fingertips and the rasp of callused pads over her sensitive flesh, Lyssa arched involuntarily into his touch. She couldn’t deny the sensations running through her. She’d be lying if she said her fast, shallow breaths weren’t a result of the slow stroke of his fingers over her nude mound. It was harder still to fight the moan welling in her chest when her reactions brought a wicked smile to his lips.

Wanting to wipe the smug, self-satisfied look from his face, Lyssa snorted. “I did no such thing!” The lie fell smoothly from her lips. It had pleased her to indulge in trips to the spa with Mattie. The fact that the command he’d whispered in her ear that night in the closet prompted the first visit was a moot point.

“We’ll work on your honesty another time, honey.” Two thick fingers spread her nether lips, opening her to his view. “Right now, I’m going to set the ground rules.” Two digits on his other hand slipped into her wet channel, pressing against the taut muscles, searching for the sweet spots he’d instinctively found the last time he’d touched her. “Rule number one: I don’t share. Ever. So no other men.”

The heat in his gaze matched the heat his fingers were building between her thighs. Crying out as he pulled free, then returned, this time using three fingers to stretch her delicate flesh, Lyssa made note of every word he said, locking them away so she could somehow use them as a cudgel to beat away the temptation Mike represented. This couldn’t last. The heat, the passion would burn itself out, and he’d go back to his life, his career. Just like last time. He’d never want what she wanted. A baby. A family.

“Rule number two: I tell you when you’ve had enough. If I think you need to be fucked every hour on the hour for a week, then that’s what you’ll get.”

“What about a safe word?” Her voice was shaky and breathless. Lyssa cringed inside at the hint of excitement in her tone. She should be fighting this, not savoring the sting and heat coiling inside her as his thumb coasted over the tender knot of nerves peeking from beneath its hood.

Lyssa trembled at the sight of his body poised over hers, her paler legs bound open as he knelt between them. His fingers pushed into her body, then pulled out, her cream coating his skin. She jerked her gaze from the erotic reflection in the mirror above the bed.

“Now that we’ve established you understand who’s in charge, yes, I’ll select a safe word.” Mike never lifted his gaze from the movements of his fingers as he caressed her sensitive flesh.

“I choose ass,” Lyssa snapped, unable to keep her gaze from drifting back to the view above her.

Mike shook his head. “Not a democracy, darlin’. I make the rules. You follow them. I’ll choose the safe word. Something you wouldn’t normally blurt out.”

“I know the purpose of a safe word,” Lyssa grumbled, her senses on edge as his fingers teased a particularly sensitive spot deep inside her and his head lowered over her breasts. At the sharp nip of his teeth against a tightly beaded nipple, she arched closer to him, driving his fingers deeper within her. Her head swam with the sensations, her eyes fixed on the mirror overhead, adding visual stimuli to the damp heat of his mouth on her breast, the sting of his fingers stretching muscles that had been empty for too long. Again Lyssa forced her attention from the mirror to Mike. In a ragged voice, she suggested, “How about worm?”

Mike simply looked at her. His gaze drifted from her flushed cheeks to the rapid rise and fall of her breasts and finally to the curve of her belly. “Dragon,” he said. “Our safe word is ‘dragon.’”

Her heart slammed against her ribs as he leaned back on his haunches. He wrapped one hand around his straining penis and lifted his other hand away from her pussy. Her juices glistened on three of his fingers. He opened his mouth and sucked the moisture free. The gleam in his eyes and the way his dark chocolate irises deepened to black sent a shiver skidding along her spine. Involuntarily she tugged at her restraints. The condom packages slid off her stomach onto the bedding next to her. “O-okay,” she stammered.

“Now, there’s one more rule for you to remember,” Mike intoned softly.

Lyssa dipped her head in a small nod and waited. God, she needed to fight this. There was no way she could allow him to know how much she lov—wanted him to take control. She breathed deep and slow, trying to calm the fire in her blood.

Mike grinned down at her and picked up one of the black wrappers. “Appreciate the reminder, love,” he teased, tearing the package open and rolling the latex tube into place. He crouched over her, arms braced on the bed beside her shoulders, and the heated length of his cock slid through the wet lips of her sex before finding her entrance and pressing in. He continued. “Rule number three: this body is mine. Pussy, ass, breasts, lips”—his fingers slipped over each body part as he listed it—“everything belongs to me. To use as I see fit. In any way I want.”

Click here to purchase from Loose Id, LLC

Relentless Passion

By A.J. Llewellyn

Inspiration, when it hits you, sometimes comes instantly. Sometimes it simmers, like slow-cooking food. About ten years ago, I met a very handsome actor I’d seen in a movie (and must remain nameless since he’s firmly in the closet so let’s just call him Bill). I was stunned when he asked me out on a date. It seemed too good to be true. We met at a dinner party and got along famously. We liked so many of the same movies and books and I spent the whole evening pretending I didn’t know who he was. Since there was some ‘heat’ on his career, he seemed to like that I was unaware of his identity.
Our date was scheduled for the following Saturday night and I worried the whole time that Bill would cancel or that maybe I’d misheard…but nope, he rolled up in his battered old Woody that I’d heard all about. I stopped and admired the wood paneling he’d told me about and then we drove to Malibu for dinner at the place we’d talked about, Malibu Seafood. We’d discovered a shared fondness for the place the night we met, so I was a little surprised when he announced we were going some place else.
“I hate that restaurant,” he announced.
What?
I didn’t know how to cover my surprise, so I babbled. I started a follow-up to a discussion we’d had the night we met and he seemed not to have any idea what I was talking about. I was a little surprised since the discussion had been about a movie we’d both seen and how a remake was planned.
“Oh,” he said, “I haven’t even seen the original.”
Huh? I almost questioned him since he’d clearly seen the movie when we’d last talked, but then things went from bad to worse. He seemed distracted by the traffic so I let him off the hook. Then he slotted a cassette into the dashboard (like I said, it was some years ago) and that’s when things got weird. The night we met he said how much he detested Steely Dan and yet, here he was playing it. When we reached our restaurant, I figured things would calm down a bit. I truly had no idea what the hell was going on, but then I decided I’d trick him by mentioning topics we’d never even discussed and see how he handled these curve balls.
“Remember when we talked about…?” I asked.
Bill nodded with conviction. “Oh yes.”
“What’s going on?” I asked when he’d lied for about the fiftieth time since he’d picked me up.
“What do you mean?” His left eye starting to twitch.
“We never discussed any of these things and the things we did talk about you’ve forgotten. Please tell me, are you on drugs?”
His bright blue eyes grew wide. “No sir,” he said, “hell, no!”
“Then what is it?”
He acted all weird and then I noticed something. His ears were pierced. They hadn’t been the night we met and his pierced ears had no jewelry in them.
“Who the hell are you?” I asked.
“I’m Bill’s twin brother.”
You know, I did laugh because it was outrageous, but I was also relieved I hadn’t been eating crazy pie. It turned out these twins switched places often but it wasn’t so amusing when I learned that the real Bill had switched places because he got a hotter date. We stayed in touch over the years and last I heard he pulled the stunt on several people. I couldn’t believe grown men acted this way. One night I ran into him at a mutual friend’s play and I asked him why he did it.
“You have to love before you can be relentless,” he said. I have never forgotten it. I wrote down those – to me – mystifying words until I understood them. It took some months and writing Relentless Passion, the story of twins who switch places all the times on their unsuspecting dates.
It was one of my favorite books to write and I was thrilled when my gorgeous editor, Kelli Collins at Ellora’s Cave, snapped it up. With a stunning cover that captures the island of Capri (where the story is set) and the lemons that are so evocative of the island, it inspired me to write a sequel. Relentless Love comes to Ellora’s Cave early in the New Year.
So now I have a question: what’s the worst thing a date ever did to you?

Here is the blurb and purchase link for Relentless Passion.
Twins Alex and Zeca love to switch identities. It’s harmless fun until Alex wants to date a hot tourist visiting their home of Capri, and asks Zeca to take his place on a date with Alex’s current beau, Antonio. After a day in Antonio’s arms—followed by a long, lusty weekend in his bed during a trip to Naples—Zeca discovers switching places with Alex isn’t so harmless after all. Especially when he realizes he’s falling hard for his brother’s boyfriend.

While struggling with his feelings for Antonio, consoling his semi-celebrity father (who’s having woman troubles) and trying not to upset Alex (who might be in love with Antonio…or his tourist tryst…or maybe the neighbor lady), Zeca wonders how any of them will make it through all the relationship woes with hearts intact.

As Antonio says, “Love has a way of fixing things itself.”

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-8884-relentless-passion.aspx
Aloha oe,

A.J.

Guest blogger -- Marie Carlson

Please welcome guest blogger Marie Carlson!

Monster in the Blood: Writing Werewolves and Mental Illness

by Marie Carlson

I recently sold my first werewolf short story and couldn’t be more thrilled. (Alas, details aren’t public yet, but believe me, I’m really excited about being a part of this publication.) I started writing paranormal romance and erotica specifically to write about werewolves (the tagline of my website is “Paranormal romance beneath the full moon.”), but for awhile it felt like I was selling everything but werewolves: vampires and demons, shapeshifters, fortunetellers and mindreaders, and even a contemporary erotica. My poor, beloved lycanthropes, I wasn’t doing right by you.

But now I am, and I want to talk a little about why I like writing werewolves and some of the potential perils of that pleasure.

At the heart of it, I enjoy writing werewolves because their struggle to control the animal inside reminds me of my struggle with mental illness. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a number of years ago, and at the time, my life-long love of lycanthropes really clicked. (The first horror movie I ever saw was The Howling, not too many years after it came out. I’ve loved werewolves ever since.) I’m not the first person to compare lycanthropy to bipolar disorder. It’s an apt comparison, though.

Werewolves struggle to control their temper and their mood swings as the full moon draws near; I struggle with my mood swings and temper when my brain chemicals are unbalanced. Werewolves deal with feeling like monsters dangerous to the ones they love; I worry that I’m lashing out against the people I care about most. Beneath the full moon, werewolves’ bodies go through changes they might not anticipate or understand, turning them from one thing into another; for me, each day is a struggle to balance who I am unmedicated with whom the medicine makes me.

I have to be careful writing werewolves as a bipolar metaphor, though. I don’t want to hurt people living with mental illnesses. Just because I have bipolar doesn’t mean that I can validate the treatment of mental illness in a story. Just because I don’t think the presentation is harmful doesn’t mean someone else isn’t harmed by it.

Too, it’s so rare to see a main character who has a mental illness that I don’t want my presentation of it (whatever presentation that is, it definitely changes from story to story) to become The Way to Write Bipolar.

I also don’t want to offend other people with mental illnesses by comparing them to supernatural creatures. I write about werewolves as a metaphor for bipolar because I like to write about monsters (or “monsters” considering how frequently they are the protagonists in my created worlds) and because approaching bipolar through a fictional metaphor with which I was already familiar helped me to process what was happening to me.

All that being said, I do have some advice for writing about werewolves and for writing about people with mental illness, though this is framed less as “advice” and more as “things which annoy me in the stories I read.”

1) When girls and women become werewolves, they are frequently presented negatively as a sexual predator, while boys and men who become werewolves are sympathetic creatures who struggle with what they’ve become even if they are sexual. I love sexual supernatural women. I hate when they are treated as something dangerous and horrible. This is also true for women with mental illness; I have seen more than one portrayal of particularly bipolar women as sexual predators when they are manic.

2) When people of color are werewolves (or other shapeshifters) only because they are somehow closer to the earth or more animalistic or other racist crap like that. People of color can make excellent werewolves (and shapeshifters)! Just not because being “non-white” makes them less human. (“Non-white,” talk about an othering phrase. White is not the default. Also, I am a little too fond of scare quotes, I think.)

3) Rape. Mostly I mean rape as a plot device, but it’s been so long since I read a plot which included the rape of a woman, either as background trauma or to make the plot more intense, that actually worked for me that I don’t want any rape in a story. Yes, rape happens a lot. No, it’s not the be-all and end-all of what women fear. Yes, you can tell a tense, frightening, stressful, scary story without any rape at all. Rape shows up a lot in werewolf fiction, particularly when it is horror as opposed to supernatural adventure or paranormal romance, and I am tired of it.

4) Characters with mental illness played for comic relief. Sure, I sometimes laugh at the things I do that are influenced by bipolar, and sure, people with mental illnesses have senses of humor, but that doesn’t mean you get to be the one cracking the joke.

5) Characters with mental illness who are one-note characters: the only thing in their lives is their mental illness. Yes, the bipolar influences a lot of what I do, if not, in some ways, everything. That doesn’t mean I am only a woman who has bipolar. Many other things have just as much influence over my life, and I would love to see characters who have mental illness, but that is just one facet of nuance characterization.

There you have it, five problems I run into when reading stories about werewolves and about mentally ill characters that not only influence what I read, but what I write as well, as I try to avoid those pitfalls of bad writing.

Marie Carlson lives in the USA and spends her nights writing about sexy monsters. Her publications include "Like a Thousand Miles of Fire," Bite Me, Torquere Press; "Hunter, Prey," Like Tooth and Claw, Circlet Press; "Blazing Star," Cast the Cards, Storm Moon Press; and "Beneath the Changing Moon," Voracious Vamps, Total E-Bound. You can find her online at www.mariecarlson.com.

Wolf Magic - A Tale of werewolves, witches and seduction

If this looks familiar, it's because it is.  The story was originally called "Lost" and is the first story from the Opeth Pack Saga I created several years ago.  After pulling it from one publisher for lackluster sales, I revamped the story a tad, sent it into Sizzler Editions and viola, it got a new cover and release!

Funny thing about re-releases.  Depending on the publisher/author pairing, if the author is in the right place with her work (talking romance authors primarily but applicable to any genre really) then the book will flourish in the nature that the author hoped for.  Mistress Kitty and Trent used to be at one publisher and it sold a few copies but FemDomme never does well at most houses due to the oddities I'll discuss in another post. Over at Sizzler Editions it does much better due to our heavier hand in erotica. 

Authors in general have a lot to learn about publisher/author pairings. I dealt with one author over the weekend who got screwed by a seemingly decent (yet new) publisher because she is a new author.  When will authors stop taking chances on new publishers without research is beyond me and I've made that mistake three times now.  I know better. 

The thing is, this was really a promo post and not a rant so here's the promo for Wolf Magic!

An enthralling contemporary fantasy, and a passionate erotic romance. Marco and Selene. Werewolf and witch. He is the sexy, rebellious young werewolf whose anger and violence are legendary.
She is a sexy, mature witch into whose care the elders of his pack have given Marco. At once she realizes he is more dangerous and powerful that the other werewolves. To Marco she is the most desirable woman he has ever met, and he knows he will never give up until he possesses her. As she attempts to show him wisdom, he subjects her to his very considerable charms.
Something has to give – and does. As nights of torrid lovemaking and nights of the full moon when he tears himself from her side alternate, neither suspects that they are at the center of a conspiracy by the leaders of Marco’s pack, or that they may all be pawns in an ancient prophecy from the dawn of time. For the love that binds them both is bringing death nearer with every beat of their hearts. Marco is strong and Selene wise, but these are as nothing to the power of the danger that threatens them.

PS, what I also got was new copy.  I"m not a copywriter. My publisher is.  30+ years of experience in this industry has taught her a thing or two.  So I let her control the copy ;)

Now for that excerpt (Link pulls you to my Radio Dentata blog)

Enjoy!

Sascha Illyvich

Selfish Promo- Giveaway

Today I'm going to do a selfish promotion. I'm co-sponsoring a giveaway on Getting Naughty Between the Stacks and I was overly generous when I decided to do so. You can get a copy of my new book Out with the Undead, both of my Mistress of Tiethla books and Teacher's Pet which I wrote under the name Wynter O'Reilly.

Here's the information on Out With the Undead
Genre: Romance
Digital ISBN: 978-1-61650-188-4
Length: Novel
Digital Publication Date: September 6, 2010
Cover art by Valerie Tibbs 

This is what happens when three women's lives become hopelessly entangled.

Brigit has dealt with being one of the few female Guardians all her life. Now she's asked to help train another woman while dealing with her Charge, Liam, and the changes he's going through. To add to her workload, she  needs to help Hunter, a female in her employment. Brigit pushes her own needs and wants to the back burner until they are almost boiling over. Liam wants her, but it's against the rules. Edward can give her the normal life she wants, but is he all he's cracked up to be?

To call Hunter's home life crappy is an understatement. Only after discovering everything she believed about herself is a lie do two men turn her world upside down. Driven to the brink of sanity, she needs to learn who she really is.

Regan's service worker job never prepared her for her duties with the pack.. Traumatized vampyre victims, creatures who become children when hit by sunlight, and werewolves are just a few things she must learn to deal with. But she's not sure what to do when a vampyre wants to make her his mate, and she falls for her lycanthropic boss. 

Content warning, vampyre ménage a trois, explicit sex, harsh language,

Free Read and a Print Book! Both from Ellora's Cave!

I have a free read available! It's called CAUGHT RED-HANDED and you can download it for free from Ellora's Cave!



Dru Summers can never wait until Christmas morning to open her presents. So when her husband Ryan puts a new one underneath the tree on Christmas Eve, she can’t help but sneak downstairs to take a peek while he’s sleeping. When Ryan catches her in the act, he decides the best way to deal with her behavior is to give her that spanking she so richly deserves. To her surprise, it turns out to be the best Christmas present of her life!

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-8706-caught-red-handed.aspx

Hope you like it!



I also now have a print book available from Ellora's Cave! It's called IF YOU DARE and it includes four hot, sexy stories - EROTIC EXPOSURE; JUST RIGHT; MR. RIGHT-NOW and 20011 EPIC AWARD Finalist GOOD COP, BAD GIRL! Isn't that cover steamy?!



Four Sexy Stories!

EROTIC EXPOSURE
Normally shy, Liz Bellamy agrees to pose for a sexy calendar to help raise money for an animal shelter. She almost chickens out after meeting photographer Kent Draper, but soon discovers being half naked in front of the sexy shutterbug’s lens is a turn-on. And when a girl gets that aroused, well…a little shyness won’t stop her from getting what she wants.

JUST RIGHT
When Goldie Lockwood gets lost hiking and comes upon an isolated cabin, little does she know it belongs to three hot werebear brothers. The guys aren’t thrilled to discover she ate their food and slept in their beds, so naughty Goldie suggests a spanking as payment. Now hot, bothered and wanting more, Goldie must decide—sex with one brother? Or all three?

MR. RIGHT-NOW
Maid of honor in yet another wedding, Kate laments her bad luck in finding her own Mr. Right. Her friends point out she’s trying too hard, and convince her to put her search for the perfect man on hold in favor of some simple fun.Kate goes for it by propositions the gorgeous best man, Dawson McKenna. She soon finds herself doing things she’d never dreamed—and falling for Dawson. But she was the one who made the rules. How can she now tell him she wants more than just a weekend fling?

GOOD COP, BAD GIRL
Julie Hanson is mortified to learn the uniformed stud who showed up at her birthday party isn’t a male stripper hired by her girlfriends. Kirk Chandler is a real cop. And she teased him about giving her a birthday spanking! But Kirk returns later that night bearing gifts—and an offer to give her that spanking. Julie is about to get a night of pleasure that qualifies as the best birthday present ever.


Read an Excerpt
http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com/ExcerptIfYouDare.html

Buy it from Ellora's Cave!
http://www.jasminejade.com/pm-8802-615-if-you-dare.aspx


Happy Reading!

*hugs*
Paige

"Stories so hot they'll make your cheeks blush!"

http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com/
http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/

BDSM - It's a Whole New World

Hey all,

Did the title scare you?  Relax.  CJ hasn't crossed over to "the dark side".  But that is exactly what this blog is about today.  The stigma this "fetish" has among the rest of the population.

What do I mean?  What kind of stigma am I talking about? Well, let me tell you a story.

Now, most of you know that I flirted a little with this topic in the great story, Don't Spank the Vamp.  In it, some more vanilla types of BDSM were used.  Namely lite bondage and some spanking.  When I did the research for the book, I found that even though they might not admit it in polite company, many couples who have a healthy sex life have in some way tried out a little BDSM.  And it was interesting to see how the subject made a lot of "normal people" uncomfortable.

Right now, I'm writing a new novel.  One of my hottest.  It's called Incubus and as the name reflects, it's about what happens when an innocent is sacrificed to an insatiable sex demon. 

In the story, there is a part where the demon ties our heroine up and initiates her in the sexy art of bondage and alternative sexual positions. But while I've done some "personal" research on the subject, *grin*,  there were some things I wanted to do in the story that I hadn't any experience with.  So I had to go do some more research.

And what I found shocked me.

As I googled different words trying to get to where I wanted, I found myself really struggling.  For the average person who doesn't know their way around the BDSM community, it's almost impossible to find any "real" information.  Everywhere I tried turned out to be porn sites, extreme BDSM blogs and even some horrible graphic rape sites.  

And don't even ask about the images that came up.  *shudder*  Now I'm not a prude, but my stomach turned at some of what I saw.

Now, my point is instead of finding real information on BDSM so I could make sure my scenes were accurate and true, I was inundated with disgusting pictures and stories of violence and abuse.  And I'm a damn good researcher who knows her way around the web.

So, is it any wonder a regular computer user, someone who might be curious about BDSM, wanting real information, maybe even to try it out, takes one look at what they found online and runs the other way?  Is it any wonder many "normal" people believe that those who practice BDSM are sickos and perverts?  All because of what is perceived through a google search. 

Such is the power of the internet.

Now I persevered, and I found the information I sought, but it was tough going and took me twice as long as normal.  Yet I was able to find the truth.  That this activity isn't sick and it doesn't have to be violent.  BDSM is NOT synonymous with torture.  Far from it.  

As with anything else having to do with sex, if both parties are willing and enjoy it, then BDSM can be a satisfying addition to the bedroom scene. (if you don't try it somewhere else first)

But until the perception changes, the first thing you find as you google may be all those sites that show this type of sex as vicious, abusive and violent.  And that's a shame.  Because anything that can add to a couples pleasure shouldn't be labeled as perverted, it should be applauded and embraced.

Stepping off my soap box...

Until next month,

CJ England  

Follow Your Dreams

http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

PLOTTING YOUR STORY

Link lost his wife, Sarah, and felt his life was over—and for a while, it seemed it was. When friends invite him for dinner he meets Chad, and begins to feel, and live again. Are these decidedly new, and quite different, feelings for real? Is Chad the one? And if so, could it be Link’s chance at A New Beginning?

Available @ www.romancedivine.com - http://www.allromanceebooks.com - Amazon.com Kindle Books - http://www.bookstrand.com.

While writing, how do you plot your stories? Do you visualize the scenes in your mind as if you’ve turned on a movie projector, or do you outline everything before beginning with written notes? How do your ideas come to you?

When I begin a story, I start with a germ of an idea and the plot develops around the minute amount of information filling my head. From that point, my characters come alive once I’ve put a name and identity to them.

Other people I’ve talked to use the personal touch in writing. They find a partner and act out the different chapters in the book. I’ve often wondered what happens when they get to the intimate scenes. The spicier the scenes tell you one thing; the sensual playacting helped create an erotic chapter in the book plus probably gave the people acting out the scene plenty of enjoyment. LOL

Whatever style a writer uses, the end results is usually a well plotted book made for the enjoyment of the reader. I hope anyone reading mine gets lost in the plot as well as identifies with my characters. This is my intention in weaving a story that ends HEA.

How many writers out there use the method of playacting to create sensuous scenes in a story or are the images all in your head to transfer onto the wide screen of the computer?

http://www.mary-suzanne.blogspot.com/ http://www.webspawner.com/users/romancewriter/index.html

3 Ways NOT to write a novel

So many authors are writing a novel this month. That's right! NaNo(National Writing Month) is all around and in the air and if you participate you end up with a 50K word novel by the end of the month. (Too much stress for me but I so admire those who can take the pressure!)

*** Don't be too generic

*** Don't write a story where everything is 'good'

*** Don't rely on one style of writing so that all of your sentences sound/read the same

For more details about these tips and many more visit Creating In Flow

I can't wait to read the results of this year's NaNo!!!

Nano And Finding A Room Of One's Own

This is my first year attempting NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and so far, so good. Is anyone else reading participating? I started off by finishing my novella Lust and Red Velvet. I wrote my blurb, synopsis, and cover letter and sent it to a publisher a few days ago. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed. Lust and Red Velvet is about love, lust, and the power of another lust - gluttony. I have always loved playing with my food in stories and this one is no exception.

My main project - the behemoth, at the moment - is Let Down Your Hair, my erotic version of Rapunzel. I wrote my outline/synopsis about a week ago and finished the first chapter yesterday. That one is going to be quite kinky and very sexy. I've always enjoyed telling twisted fairy tales, especially those sprinkled liberally with sex, and Rapunzel is no exception.

On top of all this I write about human sexuality and sex toys for several companies. People have asked me how I find the time, the inspiration, and - especially - the lack of interruption to get so much writing done. This article describes my own experiences dealing with interruptions with tips on how you can also get your own work done.



I took to heart advice I heard from SF/F writer Marion Zimmer Bradley at a convention (might have been WorldCon) when she talked about writing with young children at home. As expected, she was constantly interrupted, and as any writer knows, once you're in The Zone and "real life" knocks you out of it it can be hard to get back into that creative state of mind. It's even harder to stay in that state of mind when you are called by the laundry, cooking lunch, cooking dinner, a clogged up toilet, "I can't find my socks!", "Honey, where's the TV remote?", etc., etc., ad nauseum. So Zimmer Bradley made sure she had her own writing room and she posted a sign on her door, something to the effect of "I am working until X hour tonight. Do not disturb unless it's an emergency."

My version was (note the tense) "I am working from X hour until X hour. Do not disturb upon pain of death unless there is an emergency. And I mean a REAL emergency. If you need anything, either wait until I'm free, figure it out yourself, or ask Bill (stepdad)."

At first it didn't work because I was, as usual, constantly interrupted. Then I figured out my part in it. I needed follow through. When yet another "emergency" came to my attention, I pointed to the sign. After a couple of days, the importance of my time got through and I was left alone from that point on. When I finished writing for the day, I went back to my family and showered it with time and attention. I was accorded the respect I deserved and today I write in the living room, next to my husband and son, and they know I work in the mornings and early afternoon. My husband (Bill) takes care of everything, freeing me up to write, which is especially important since my earnings pay the bills. Yes, without electricity, no one gets to play World Of Warcraft.

So there you have it. Not only must you make it clear that your time as a writer is important, you must follow through and make sure your folks don't walk all over you. I aim for 1,000 words per day, or 500 at a minimum even if they're trash. I create a schedule, since I do all my writing in the morning and early afternoon. Yes, I have a day job. You have to schedule in your writing time and just sit down and do it. If you wait for the muse to inspire you, you'll wait forever. I noticed that once I start writing, even if the words don't come right away, something soon clicks and I start on a writing streak. It doesn't all come so easily for me. The hardest scenes for me to write are the sex scenes because they often take energy I don't have. So I really have to psych myself up for them. But I manage to belt them out and they're very hot.

So here's what you need:

* A Room Of One's Own (Apologies to Virginia Woolf)
* Uninterrupted Time
* Follow through on your own boundaries
* A schedule
* Supportive family (esp. those who live with you)

It's not impossible to get your work done even if you are missing bits and pieces of this list, but the important thing is to write. And NaNoWriMo is the perfect opportunity to get your writing down to a daily routine.

So everyone, if you are participating in NaNoWriMo this year, what is your project?

THE BUSINESS OF RELIGION!

TELEVANGELISTS - Prophets for God or Profits for Themselves?

Today I’m going to blog about my sensational upcoming book, The Bastard Preacher. More accurately I’m going to write about what prompted me to write the book.

The Bastard Preacher and the scheduled sequel, The Bastard Candidate is about a handsome, charismatic, but ruthless young man, named Jamie Lee Vincent. Jamie Lee attends a tent revival in his medium sized Texas Town and receives an epiphany. Unfortunately, his revelation, instead of being about God is about easy money and sex.

Before I start, let me say that my book is fiction. It is not based on any facts other than history has revealed certain famous television preachers to be less than they pretend to be. Or would it more correct to say they turn out to be more than they pretend to be. From Tony Alamo to Jimmy Swaggart, the list of disgraced preachers is long and disappointing. Some like Jimmy Bakker have even gone to jail. Others like Ted Haggard, are being kept under lock and key, while they undergo re-programming to remove homosexual tendencies. Is it any wonder why I am dubious about the sincerity of certain high profile television preachers and skeptical about televangelism in general?

Things I’ve Noticed

From luxurious lifestyles to self-promoting, I’ve noticed things about some television ministers through the years that turned me off about religion. Some so called men and women of God live so lavishly that Congress even initiated an investigation into the extravagant lifestyles of six Mega Church leaders in 2007. Whatever happened to the humble servant of God?

Family Values

Some of these high profile couples, who basically tell us how we should like our lives, can’t even keep their home life out of the papers. High profile religious couple Paula and Randy White of the Without Walls International Church, who were one of the above mentioned six, divorced a couple of years ago. And Prophetess Juanita Bynum declared herself the ‘face of domestic violence’ just before her high profile divorce from Pastor Thomas Weeks III.

God’s Love

Many of these purveyors of God’s love have trouble telling the difference between love and hate themselves. In my book, I used a quote from a famous television pastor as an epigraph at the beginning of each chapter. I will let some of these quotes make my point.

I believe that all of us are born heterosexual, physically created with a plumbing that's heterosexual. Rev. Jerry Falwell

You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist. Rev. Pat Robertson

AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals. Rev. Jerry Falwell

If I do not return to the pulpit this weekend, millions of people will go to hell. Jimmy Swaggart

I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say, 'You helped this (911) happen. Rev. Jerry Falwell

We have imagined ourselves invulnerable and have been consumed by the pursuit of ... health, wealth, material pleasures and sexuality... It [terrorism] is happening because God Almighty is lifting his protection from us. Rev. Pat Robertson

I know me, and those close to me know me. But sadly, the outside world thinks I'm some kind of a crook. Rev. Benny Hinn

Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. Rev. Pat Robertson

If I have stepped on anyone’s toes, I apologize. My intent was to talk and write, not about religion itself, but those people of religion, who use it as a tool to obtain wealth and power. People who set themselves up as role models, as pillars of society and give us hypocrisy.

Whether you agree or disagree, I’d like to hear your thoughts. And now a few words about The Bastard Preacher and an excerpt. I think this book is like nothing you’ve ever read.

The Bastard Preacher Coming November/December

Blurb

If there are truly evil people in the world, Jamie Lee Vincent would be a prime suspect.

Smooth and handsome, sociopath, Jamie Lee Vincent decides there's easy money in religion after attending a big tent revival in his home town of Tyler, Texas. Catching the interest of Reverend Sonny Riverton's youngest daughter, the lovely and vivacious Missy, he charms his way into her bed and in short order the Riverton clan.

Utilizing his charm and natural-born talent for chicanery, Jamie Lee takes over the ministry, and when his popularity soars finds himself among the most revered of television preachers. However, the wealth, fame, sex and power he now enjoys isn't enough-nothing is ever enough!

Excerpt

When she neared it was do or die, he had to say something. Strolling by, she peeked up demurely and smiled. In a second, she slipped past him. Jamie Lee half yelled, "Hey."

She spun around, an expectant look upon her pretty face. "Me?"

He nodded then blurted out, "You seem to like that song. Would you like to dance?"

The reverend's daughter flashed perfect pearly white teeth when the corners of her mouth curled into a broad smile. "Why yes. I'd love to."

Jamie Lee slid off the stool, took her soft hand, and led her to the dance floor. Jamie Lee's tool stayed rigid and the song being slow and sexy made it worse. Dancing close to this hot lady, there seemed no way he could hide it, nor did he want to. He wanted her to know that he was hot for her, so he pushed his hardness into her softness.

Initially, she didn't respond, but after a few thrusts, she pushed back, slightly. Oh yeah.

He took his left hand away from hers and looped it around her, joining his right hand on her sweet backside. He squeezed and pushed himself into her again. She pushed back harder and moved her now free hand around his neck, pulling his lips down to her lips. They pecked, and then kissed.

Nice sized breasts pushed into his chest. His tongue slipped past her teeth and entered her mouth.

Was that a sigh? A moan he heard?

They'd stopped dancing. Instead they swayed to the sexy rhythm of the music and their lusty need.

When the song ended, she broke the kiss and stepped away. "Thank you. That was quite an experience."

"One more?" he pleaded.

"I'm afraid not. I'm much too attracted to you."

Jamie Lee knew she wanted him and felt frustrated. Don't get angry. Remember, charm. "That doesn't make sense."

The next song, a fast one started. He cast his most winsome smile. "This is a fast one. C'mon it'll give us a chance to cool down."

She shook her head so hard her ribbon came loose. She pulled out the ribbon and let her hair fall well past her shoulders. "You're much too good looking. Dancing with you makes me want to do improper things. Sorry."

Dumbstruck, he watched as she turned and dashed back to her companions.

Twice in one night, a girl denied Jamie Lee. When he rejoined Tommy, thinking about what happened made him grow madder. He wondered if it was too late to visit his old standby, Glenda. Why not?

Jamie Lee thought about leaving, when he glanced once more in the direction of the hot blonde. She studied him.

After averting her gaze, she whispered something in her companion's ear. Then to his surprise, the guy looked straight at him and waved him over.

He leaned over and whispered to Tommy, "I'll be right back." He slid off his stool without waiting for a reply and headed toward their booth. The guy who waved him over smiled, stood up and held out his right hand. He stood tall and had dark hair.

"Hi, I'm Michael Riverton." The blonde kept eyeing him, but didn't say anything. "We're here with the Riverton Big Tent Revival. Did you happen to make the revival tonight?"

He shifted his gaze back and forth between him and her. "Jamie Lee Vincent. No, sorry, I missed it. Had a date."

"I'll bet," the blonde said.

"Well, Missy here—she's my younger sister—she bet me five dollars, you need saving. Now tell me straight, man. Are you a sinner?"

Jamie Lee raised a solitary brow. "Aren't we all?"

"Good point." The blonde said, holding out her hand. Jamie Lee grasped it, but didn't shake it. "Missy Riverton. This is our sister Bobbi Sue and her husband Grant."

They nodded and Jamie Lee nodded back. "Charmed, I'm sure."

"What my brother was slowly getting around to is, I'd like to give you a personal invitation to come to the revival and be saved. How 'bout it?"

Jamie Lee bent down and kissed the back of her hand. "Will you be there?"

She nodded. "Oh yes, I'm a channeler. I'll be on stage helping people experience God's forgiveness and feel his grace."

Jamie Lee's head cocked to the side. "If you will personally save me, I'll come."

Her face brightened a hundred watts. "I can do that. Here's my card. Hand it to the security guard tomorrow." She winked. "You don't have a date tomorrow do you?"

Jamie Lee's seductive smile emerged. "Only you, sweet Missy."

She nudged Michael. "Oh, isn't he charming? I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot of fun saving you."

She looked at her brother, then her sister. "You guys ready?"

Michael and Missy slid out of the booth on one side, while Bobbi Sue and Grant slid out on the other. Easing up to Jamie Lee, Missy stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "See you tomorrow."

Jamie Lee could only nod.

"And if you need to talk sooner, my phone number is on my card."

He flicked the card and smiled. Hot damn and hallelujah.

Dancing As Fast As I Can

Ever had one of those days where you had more to do than you have hair on your head?--and I've got a lot of hair on my head. lol

Today is one of those days. First, I had to complete my blog over at Three Wicked Writers Plus Two. It's all about promotions. Stop by if you get the chance. http://threewickedwriters.blogspot.com/2010/11/promo-school-part-ii.html Next I need to make a blog post to Four Strong Women--http://fourstrongwomen.blogspot.com I'm still working on that one--it will be a rant. Trust me, I've got hot buttons. And then I have to post at the Nice 'n' Naughty Authors blog too. Not sure what I'll do there. http://nicennaughtyauthors.blogspot.com

And here I am at Midnight Seductions dancing just as fast as I can. LOL I've got to have all of these blogs up and rolling---promoted--before high noon. I have this thing about having blogs up by high noon for the sake of having the MOST exposure possible.

I love blogging but had gotten out of it for a while--but now I'm back and loving every second of it. I love being busy in general. But there are times when we're just too busy, aren't there? Today is one of those days for me. My brain is on overload and my life is getting in the way. A few days ago on my own personal blog http://tessmackall.blogspot.com I talked about how my family basically has no respect for my writing. Constant interruptions from them simply toss me out of my writing zone, and I'm getting very little done.

However, I am constantly working. Right now I'm in promo mode. I've got new releases coming soon, and I'm gearing up for the big push. Not exactly sure when the release is yet--possibly December, maybe very early January. But it's a co-authored book with Natalie Dae http://nataliedae.blogspot.com, set to release from Ellora's Cave. http://www.jasminejade.com/default.aspx?skinid=11 The title? Black Cougar Curse. I've also got a second book slated for release with Ellora's Cave in January with a Valentine's Day theme--Twelve Days of Love.

So, I need a tattoo on my forehead that reads: Busy Am I LOL

Do any of you ever have those days when you're just dancing as fast as you can?
Stop by my website and keep up with me. Or just stop by any blog. lol I seem to know them all.
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