Yesterday’s Winner!

The winner (by random number generator of the free download of Bitten in the Big Easy is…#2: Betty Hamilton! Betty, send me an email to arrange delivery of your prize!

Ongoing Contest

Don’t forget! The New Dragon Cup Contest ends this Tuesday! Click on the link for details! Keep posting those comments!

Mailings

If you’ve followed me for long, you know I’m up to my ears and depend on my assistant (my daughter, actually!) to put together my mailings. I have just over a month’s worth of stuff to send out now, so she’ll be working in my office this week to get them wrapped!

New Releases this week!

Yes, multiple! Crazy, I know. But something for everyone, I think! Click on the covers to read excerpts!

1) June 6th — Charmed in the Big Easy

Charmed includes these two connected stories:
“Under the Rainbow” by Paisley Smith

When novice witch, MeLeah McKinney is sent on a mission to retrieve a talisman from the grave of famed Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau, she’s not sure how she’ll be able to perform the sex magick ritual required for energizing the relic. Especially given that it’s been a long time since she’s had sex. She decides to gather energy at a live sex show on Bourbon Street. But she isn’t prepared for a little help from Celestine Laveau’s ghost who’s crossed the rainbow bridge to spend one night in the arms of a beautiful woman.

In order to defeat the ancient vampire who endangers them all, just one talisman is hardly enough…

“The Mambo’s Door” by Delilah Devlin

Ingrid Kassel is a fledgling witch, uncertain and not in complete control of her powers, especially after drinking a double-shot of vampire blood. With the same instructions as MeLeah—retrieve an object buried with a daughter of the Voodoo Queen—she angers the spirit guarding the tomb and finds herself entering a shadowy limbo, where she meets beautiful Marie, living in fear of a demon who also desires the black magic candle infused with the powerful mambo’s blood. In desperation, Marie tricks Ingrid, capturing her and seducing her to charge the candle for her own bid for freedom.

2) Available Now! — Suite Encounters: Hotel Sex Stories

This released earlier than its official June 12th date
(includes my story, “Tailgating at the Cedar Inn”)

SUITE ENCOUNTERS features hotel erotica in all its forms, from honeymooners having sex on the beach to loving couples on vacation to coworkers heading downtown for secret quickies, not to mention exhibitionist thrills (and chills) of getting it on in the pool on the roof at The Standard Hotel in front of everyone! The award-winning editor of the Best Sex Writing series, among many others, Rachel Kramer Bussel knows the winning formula of stories of sex in every possible setting — luxury hotels, seedy motels, spas, SRO’s and everything in between.

3) Available Now! — Girl Fever: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex for Lesbians

This released earlier than its official June 12th date
(includes my story, “Ignition Switch”)

GIRL FEVER is Short fiction at its best from rising erotica star Sacchi Green, whose LESBIAN COWBOYS took the top award at the 2009 Lambda Awards. This big book of lesbian quickies satisfies on every level with stories from top-notch contributors that evoke the heat, the urgency and the “gotta have it” moment of the quickie. There are long-time companions, one night stands, meet-cutes and meet only once stories to fuel your fantasies in this only book of lesbian quickies on the market today.

Sudden sex, when your need is too great wait. Sex in planes, trains and automobiles, and roller coasters, carnival rides, elevators, and ferries as well; and if a bed is handy, that’s fine too. Shanna Germain’s “Answering the Call” shows us games EMTs play in an ambulance, while Victoria Janssen’s “The Airplane Story” crams us into the metal-walled bondage of an airliner restroom. Sommer Marsden makes the very best use of “An Hour,” Allison Wonderland gets it “Off and On” in under ten minutes, and Tigress Healey offers “Six Minutes or It’s Free.” But there’s more to it than speed, and the sixty-nine pieces in Girl Fever by skilled writers Cheyenne Blue, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Delilah Devlin, D.L. King, and scores of others offer characters you’d love to fuck, evocative settings, and well-rounded stories that can intrigue and surprise you along the way to seduction.

4) Sometime this week — Dragon’s Desire

An ancient dragon sends a loyal knight on a quest to find a virgin to ease his curse. Who knew a virgin would be so hard to find?

I have to come up with a decent blurb for this book THIS WEEK.

Suffice it to say, it’s menage (m/f/m and m/m/f). There’s an ancient curse that started way back when, a dragon with a problem, a loyal knight who seeks to “slay” the dragon’s appetite, and a modern, unsuspecting, but surprisingly adventurous virgin. There’s magic, danger, humor, some light BDSM. Oh, and tons of nasty sex.

As soon as I get it back from the formatter, I’ll post the Amazon link and let you know it’s out!

The Wild Ride Continues

Thanks so much to everyone who purchased Two Wild this week! You put it at the top of Samhain’s Bestsellers’ list, and you have it rising up the chart at Amazon!

If you read it, there are a couple of things y’all can do to help me—if you have the time and inclination.

1) “Like” and “tag” the book on Amazon.
2) Post a review at Samhain, Barnes & Noble and/or Amazon. Let another reader know whether you consider the book to be worth their time and money.
3) Okay, one more than a couple! Tell someone about it.

I appreciate all your support.

Live Chat this week!

Cleis Press freelance editors Delilah Devlin, Ily Goyanes, and Sacchi Green will host a chat about LGBT writing on June 7, 7 PM EST, on the ERWA site. We’ll be discussing writing, answering your questions, and generally having fun talking about our favorite genre. Drop by, toss us some questions and prompts, and we’ll all have a good time. http://erotica-readers.com/ERA/AR/Erotica_Authors_Resources.htm

Sunday Report Card

Notice I left the SRC for the very last? That’s because this was not the productive week I’d hoped it would be. I did edits and edits—Fournicopia is done! Dragon’s Desire is done (except for the formatting). I’m still wrapping up the last read through of the galley for Cowboy Lust. I did add two strong chapters to my paranormal for Montlake, but I wanted four! Let’s hope this week rolls along without any family drama or publisher interruptions.

If you see me goofing off online, you have permission to spank!

The Thunder Horse Family of North Dakota

People are always asking me where I get all my ideas. The answer is…everywhere! The Thunder Horse brothers grew out of several encounters. An interesting name of a Marine Corps Officer who happened to be a Kiowa native from Oklahoma, a story about the wild horses in the Badlands and my time spent in North Dakota, traveling across the plains and visiting the Badlands. Put all those elements together, add murders, bad guys and there you have it!

Thunder Horse Heritage
Harlequin Intrigue
June 2012

They once exchanged their wedding vows. Now he vows to keep her alive.

She’d been his wife for barely a day and now FBI agent Tuck Thunder Horse was responsible for identifying her body. So he was more than shocked when Julia Anderson turned up very much alive-and on the run. Julia confessed to witnessing a murder and now needs Tuck to help her stay alive…and protect the baby he hadn’t known she’d had.

Julia and Tuck’s marriage might not have lasted, but there was not time for recriminations with a killer on their trail. As Tuck struggles to put their painful past behind them he can’t help but find himself overwhelmed by his love for his little daughter…and his still-burning passion for Julia. Unable to trust anyone but each other, they know working together is the only way to safeguard their child. Could their one-day marriage turn into a life-long adventure?

Buy at Amazon
Buy at Barnes & Noble

THUNDER HORSE SERIES:
HOSTAGE TO THUNDER HORSE
THUNDER HORSE HERITAGE
THUNDER HORSE REDEMPTION

About the Author:
Elle James spent twenty years livin’ and lovin’ in South Texas, ranching horses, cattle, goats, ostriches and emus. A former IT professional, Elle is proud to be writing full-time, penning intrigues and paranormal adventures that keep her readers on the edge of their seats. Now living in northwest Arkansas, she isn’t wrangling cattle, she’s wrangling her muses, a malti-poo and yorkie. When she’s not at her computer, she’s traveling, out snow-skiing, boating, or riding her ATV, dreaming up new stories.

You can reach Elle James at www.ellejames.com or email her at ellejames@earthlink.net. Also see her sexier alter ego Myla Jackson at www.mylajackson.com.

How villainous should a villain be and how do you balance him out?

Note: Leave a comment. One lucky person will a print copy of my best seller Joy Ride.

First of all, thanks to Delilah for hosting me today. She’s been one of my aspirational authors from the day I joined my RWA chapter and met her. The lady knows how to turn a fine word!

When writing a villain in an erotic romance the question always sits there as to how totally bad the villain should be. And is he or she a major player in the story or just a means to an end.

The dictionary defines a villain as an evil character in a story. The villain usually is usually referred to as the antagonist the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters. A villain is “a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel; or a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot.”

When I was creating the villain for Out of Control he was definitely not a deliciously wicked person. In fact, he’s the kind of person you want to shoot on site. He’s a major, major player in the story, because the history of his interaction with the heroine is the pivot on which the entire story turns.

“He sat in his den, pouring another shot of his favorite, aged whiskey, hoping it would calm his nerves. His hand trembled slightly as he lifted the glass to his lips again.

The whiskey burned as it slid down his throat, but it was a good sensation of heat. Comforting. Settling his jittery nerves. Last night’s little…adventure…had soothed him for a while but seeing her again this morning had jacked him up again. Brought all those tiny lovelies back again.

She had returned, his elusive little flower. This morning, he’d seen her entering Cole Landry’s office. So sweet, just like he remembered.

He’d Googled Dana Moretti last night on the computer, and the face looking back at him made his blood run hot all over again. He’d never forgotten his little Carrie. She’d been special. The only one who hadn’t cried out. The only one who’d struggled against him, turning him on with her odd sense of bravery. Now she was back. Finally. After all these years. She wasn’t getting away from him again. Not this time.”

And the heroine. The fear he instilled has been with her for most of her life. How would she feel being back in the place where her life took a turn for the worse with the villain still at large? What effect would it have on her digging into the files of the other crimes, ones where the victims hadn’t been lucky enough to escape as she had?

“She studied the screen on her laptop. The notes she’d transferred from her study of the case files stared back at her. There was nothing dressed up about the facts. They were brutal. Gruesome, even, and very explicit. The deputies who’d found the bodies had left nothing to the imagination. The pictures they conjured were like something out of a torture chamber.

A shiver skittered over her spine as she felt the ghost touch of those calloused fingers probing her body, heard Kylie’s high-pitched little screams. Remembered the terrible pain. Felt the tape ripped from her mouth and strange hands trying to be gentle with her.

When she’d seen Kylie’s body, she’d thrown her head back and screamed so long and hard her throat ended up raw for days. She’d fought to get to her sister, but other hands restrained her, voices tried to soothe her, and finally the sting of a needle had plunged her into blackness.

Now, with each case she examined, she relived it over and over again. Her stomach convulsed, and once more, she felt like throwing up.”

And then of course I needed a hero who was heroic enough to balance the villain, because I’d taken a chance and made the villain a totally despicable person.

“She was still rocking when she heard sirens in the background and the squealing of tires as a car–maybe more than one–pulled up behind her. Then her door was yanked open and Cole was crouching beside her, unbuckling her seat belt, putting one arm around her and smoothing back her hair.

“It’s okay.” His voice was calm and reassuring. “It’s okay, Dana. I’ll take care of whatever it is.” Read the rest of this entry »

What Makes a Good Sex Scene?

I can tell you that question occupies far too much of a romance writer’s mental space. 🙂

We all know the usual responses:

1.It has to be true and specific to the characters.

2. It should be a part of their emotional as well as physical attraction.

3. There should be a reason for the sex itself to be on the page.

But the deep dark secret is that we all want something we haven’t seen before. A tall order for a writer but since I want that as a reader too, I spend a lot of time thinking about that extra special thing I can add without losing the essentials of the emotional connection.

Some writers go with unusual sexual positions, added partners, added toys and not quite mainstream ways of having sex.

I’ve done some of these scenes.

Two of my books, Freya’s Gift (Samhain) and Dinah of Seneca (The Wild Rose Press), feature a fertility ritual with at least three participants. And maybe a little pagan-style historical drugs to get things rolling. I say this jokingly but I wanted those sex scenes to be earthy and intense. If they were hot to the readers too, great. My first priority was to convey the experience of what it was like for the participants because the rituals meant a great deal to them and were part of their emotional healing after great tragedy. The ancient world was not often a nice place.

But pagan rituals only work in pagan times.

Modern romances have modern ways of looking at sex. When I decided to write a superhero romance series, I admit that part of the attraction for me was coming up with unique ways to use those abilities during sex. Because, really, what’s the point of having a superpower if you can’t put it to good use? 🙂

In Phoenix Rising, the first book in the superhero series, the hero is a fire starter and a telekinetic. Now, telekinesis is very helpful during sex. It’s somewhat like having another hand. 🙂 But since Alec Farley also had an explosive power and could control fire, I wanted the other big sex scene to also be literally explosive. One near-nuclear explosion and a little bit of flying and I had it. I think it worked pretty well for the characters and for the readers.

Luminous, the second book in the series, is a more down to earth story, The first tale is more like an X-Men story. Luminous is a Batman-inspired urban story with a heroine named Noir who hides her invisibility under layers of intimidating black leather. Emotionally, shedding those layers is big obstacle for her. Because at least when she’s wearing them, she can be seen. When naked, there’s nothing to see.

Her hero, Aloysius James, is a police detective with a sarcastic streak and a hidden idealism. He has no powers other than he’s unusually perceptive and he sees right through Noir’s tough shell. Still, he’s not sure how to approach a woman he can’t see, even if he does think she fills out the black leather in all the right ways.

Aha, I thought. Now there’s a challenge. Write a sex scene where one partner literally cannot *see* the other. No facial expression, no clues from physical movement. Touch alone.

We often overlook the importance of touch. For example, when I was walking in the woods with my son the other day, I closed my eyes. Instantly, the ground beneath my feet felt different. Before, it had seemed solid and flat. But now that I was paying attention to what my feet were experiencing, it felt like anything but a flat surface. All the slight rises and dips were there. I felt the twigs I stepped on through my sneakers.

It seemed to me that a sex scene by touch alone could offer an entirely different perspective. They’re both naked, only one is physically exposed while the other is emotionally naked. It’s tender and sweet and, I hope, hot. It suits both of them and the story. So I have high hopes that it will suit readers as well.

As for the next sex scene, in the third book, Phoenix Legacy (coming in November), I went in a completely opposite direction. Tender isn’t a word I’d use. At all. But when you’ve got a hero hopelessly addicted to pain because of the adrenaline that flows when he psychically heals his injuries, sex becomes an entirely different kind of challenge.

You can find Luminous either at the Samhain store or the major ebook retails like Amazon. Information and excerpts about the other books can be found on my website, www.corrina-lawson.com

Links:
My author page on Samhain
My author page on Amazon
My website

Corrina is former newspaper reporter with a degree in journalism from Boston University. She turned to writing fiction after her twins were born (they were kids three and four) to save her sanity.

Corrina is currently a senior editor of GeekMom and a core contributor to its brother site, Geek Dad, both on Wired.com.  She also writes for Sequential Tart, a webzine about comics and pop culture written solely by women. Often you can find her hanging out on comic book writer Gail Simone’s forum on Jinxworld.

She has been a finalist in the national Golden Heart contest sponsored by the Romance Writers of America and is the winner of several regional RWA contests. Phoenix Rising, her first full-length novel with Samhain, was a Samhain bestseller.

I didn’t come to GLBT erotica first, but I’ve embraced it! For those authors looking to give it a try, read on…

From Adrienne Benedicks of the Erotica Readers & Writers Association:

Erotica has always been on the cutting edge when it comes to carving out niches for the “sexual outlaws” which is what GLBT folk were thought of, and are still considered to be, by much of mainstream society. GLBT erotica is a genre to be reckoned with.

ERWA will help interested authors with two GLBT “Live Chats with the Pros.” Delilah Devlin and M Christian will be on hand to answer questions, offer advice, and exchange ideas with authors of GLBT erotica. Whether you’re penning your first gay fiction, or are a spicy-seasoned pro, don’t miss these opportunities.

1) Delilah Devlin will host a live chat Thursday, June 7th, at 8:00pm EST, (5:00pm PST; 1:00am GMT).
Delilah Devlin is a prolific and award-winning author of erotica with a rapidly expanding reputation for writing deliciously edgy stories with complex characters. Ms. Devlin has published over 100 erotic stories in multiple genres and lengths. She is published by Avon, Black Lace, Kensington, Harlequin, Atria/Strebor, Cleis Press, Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing, and Berkley. If you want to know how to do the deed, Delilah is the lady to talk to. This is your chance to chat live with her.

2) M. Christian will host a live chat Saturday, June16th, at 3:00pm EST (12 noon PST; 8:00pm GMT).
M. Christian, associate publisher for Renaissance E Books (which includes Sizzler Editions), is an acknowledged master of erotica with more than 400 stories in such anthologies as Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, and Best Bisexual Erotica, Best Fetish Erotica. If you want to know what GLBT editors want (and don’t want) and how to make your submissions stand out, M. Christian will be happy to answer your questions.
How to find the chat? ERWA chats are held on the ShadowWorld chat server, channel, #erachat. Follow the link. On screen you’ll see ‘Connect o ShadowWorld IRC’. In the Nickname box, key in your name. Leave the channels box at #ERAChat, and click ‘Connect’. A chat text box will appear at the bottom of your screen.

Mark your calendars! See you there…

Memorial day memories

I’ve always looked forward to Memorial Day. I was a Navy brat and we would have the best celebrations with my Dad, and his friends. I loved listening to their stories about the submarine they were assigned to, and all the exciting places they visited. I had strict Military values instilled on me at an early age. I was taught to respect, and give thanks to anyone who served our country.

Ever since 9/11 I have seen many changes in our military, but the one that is nearest to my heart is how we back our Military men and women more than ever. We  openly acknowledge what they do for us by stopping and thanking them for their service. Our country is a safer place because of the sacrifices they have made.

I understand what they have had to give up because It has always been a part of my life from a young Navy brat to a Navy wife, and now a military mom. I have three in the service, my two sons serve our Navy and my daughter is part of the Marines. As a Mother I have had many sleepless nights. My children have served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and my oldest son was a Diplomat working with the North Koreans during their time of aggression. I am very proud of them and it warms my heart when I see a stranger salute them as they walk by.

I’m sure you can see why Romanatic Suspense is my favorite genre to read, and the one I write. The Seals, Special Ops men and our government agents have always fascinated me. I love the intrigue and mystery during a mission and how every move they make affects their family and team.

In my Guardians of Hope series you follow a group of men made up of FBI Agents, Navy Seals and Special Ops  working together to track down a ring of gun smugglers and drug manufacturers who threaten our freedom and the safety of our families here at home.

To be released late 2012, early 2013 through Black Opal Book, Rescued from the Dark:

What if you woke up from a nightmare, trapped in a world of darkness, with no memory of how you got there?  Rescued from the Dark is a passionate, gripping story about  FBI agent, Jason Michaels, confronting his duty to his country, and struggling with his feelings for a woman with no memory of  their love.

Undercover Agent, Jason Michaels, infiltrates the terrorist cell and risks everything, even his life, to save the FBI intern who stole his heart, then walked away. Once Mercy wakes from her coma Jason struggles with the fact that she does not remember what happened, but anguishes with the idea that she believes their unborn child belongs to her ex. Jason soon realizes the terrorists vow to get her back to claim their secrets locked in her memory, no matter what the cost. In a race against time, Jason and Mercy struggle to fight their attraction, and put their differences aside, as they launch a manhunt to save their country and each other.

For more information and sneak peaks into my books visit me at:

Website:    www.lyndakayefrazier.com
Blog:    http://lyndafrazier.blogspot.com
Twitter: Lynda_kaye
Facebook:   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynda-Kaye-Frazier/189048967838229

See posting just beneath this to learn who won the latest contest
and what’s up for grabs with the brand new contest! ~DD

Branding and Sub-genres in the Romance World

I’m fairly new to this writing business, and I’ve been treating the entire thing as a game. But it’s a game that I take seriously, and one that I’d like to win. My playfulness has made me eager to experiment with different genres and sub-genres, but my desire for victory has kept me conscious of the importance of developing an author ‘brand’. The two approaches initially seemed like they were in conflict with each other, but I’ve lately been thinking (and hoping) that maybe they aren’t.

In writing terms, ‘branding’ means that a reader should know what to expect from an author. We are taught to develop name recognition by giving the reader a recognizable product in each book. Superstars like Stephen King or JK Rowling may try branching out from their original genre, but for most authors, it’s expected that we will be more consistent.

For romance writers, it’s often not considered enough that we limit ourselves to romance; we’re frequently expected to stick to a specific sub-genre as well. When I feel like a good contemporary with interesting characters and a touch of humour, I look for Dani Alexander; if I want something a bit more dramatic, maybe I look for Sue Brown. Fantasy romance? Emily Veinglory. M/M Mystery? Rick Reed. Most of these authors write other sub-genres as well (except for Dani, who needs to stop making silly covers and WRITE FASTER), but they’re considered to have a specialty. And beginning authors are encouraged to develop their own specialties so readers can start to develop ‘brand loyalty.’

I started out strong on that front. Contemporary m/m, or m/m/m. Often with horses. Often set in Canada. I don’t want to toot my own horn, but if you’re looking for a contemporary m/m romance set on a Canadian horse farm – I’m your girl!

But then something happened. I wrote m/f. Shining Armor has my favorite strong, handsome, and vaguely confused male character, but this time, he’s falling in love with a woman! And there’s another anomaly coming out this fall when Carina publishes Shadow Valley. Joe Cody would have been HOT as a gay guy, but, no, he had to be straight. And he’s pretty hot that way, too.

And then I wrote science fiction! The Shift is “Gay Alternate Worlds” according to Samhain. I say, it’s SUPER HEROES! Yippeeeee! Fun! Don’t even get me started on the YA novel that’s coming out under a different pen name. Writing… once you start, it’s hard to stop!

So, I’m destroying my brand, and I don’t seem to care. I’m hoping readers won’t, either. So far, I’ve gotten an encouraging review for The Shift that acknowledged that it was a departure but said, “I think it is awesome when an author tries new plots and new characters instead of repeating the same thing in every book.” (Reviews by Jesse Wave) I’m hoping that most readers feel this way. I’m pretty sure that I do. If Emily Veinglory can make me believe in the romance of a fantasy setting and I see her name on a historical, I think I’m going to trust her to make me believe in the romance there, too.

Hopefully, people will take a chance on me, too. I like to think that I’m creating a brand, but it’s not tightly linked to sub-genre. Instead, I hope that my writing will appeal to people who want realistic characters – sometimes self-absorbed, self-pitying, or otherwise annoying, but realistic. I hope that my writing always has drama, and always has humour. And whether they’re part of the central romance or not, I absolutely insist that my stories always have strong female characters who would be absolutely capable of carrying their own stories, if they so chose!

How do you guys feel? Do your favorite authors mix it up, or stick to one sub-genre? Would you follow them if they branched out? What is it that makes you keep coming back for more?

Kate Sherwood
www.katesherwoodbooks.com
http://kate-sherwood.dreamwidth.org/