My husband constantly complains at the twistiness of my brain, usually as I try to explain my latest plot and the elements Iâm combining to create the story. At times like that I put my nose in the air and remind him how much more difficult his life would be if I focused those particular talents on him, rather than use them in my books! But that slightly unscrupulous willingness to cause drama and turn the well-known on its head, while a pain in the butt in real life, is a good gift for an author.
Honest, honey. It is⌠*shifty eyes*
Recently I started branching out from historical romances and took on the world of fantasy/paranormal, but I couldnât leave my love of history and myth behind and had to add my own twist to some familiar concepts.
It started simply enough with reading about Churchill, Manitoba, the Polar Bear Capital of the world, on the internet. Of course, I clicked on link after link, going from sites about modern-day Churchill to Inuit culture and myths, and so on. Before you could say, âGet back to workâ I had the outline for Arctic Destiny, which was released by Elloraâs Cave Publishing earlier this year. In this book a sexy Polar bear shifter and the tenacious lover he had to leave behind collide with erotic, soul-stirring and potentially heartbreaking results.
Next came the idea for a series of stories centered on a group of friends working in a tattoo parlor. Sounds simple enough, until I started working on the plots and deciding on the characters. Somehow I ended up researching the mythology of the Kingdom of Dahomey, a part of what is now Benin, in West Africa, and no, PLEASE donât ask me how I found myself doing thatâŚI have no clue. Then suddenly I was browsing Scottish sites, then Norse, then⌠You get the idea!
The end result is two books being released by Elloraâs Cave in July as part of their Pricked series, the first of which is now available for pre-order (WOOT!) and is slated to be released on July 7, 2012. In Fleeing Fate, the first in my Unveiled Seductions series, the banshee heroine needs the help of a delicious, banished West African storm god who isnât sure heâs the right man for the job. But Jakuta recognizes a gathering storm when he sees one, and he knows GrĂ inne will blow through his life with all the force of a sensual, emotional hurricane.
In book two, Stone-Hard Passion, Jasmina Elalmadhoun is a jinn on a missionâto seduce her client and friend Vidar Jarlsen, a troll. I know, I know. Youâre all out there thinking Iâve truly lost my mind this time, just like Jasminaâs friends think sheâs sprung a brain leak for being attracted to a troll. But even if no one else can appreciate him, Jasmina sees how yummy he is, and I hope youâll all agree when the book is released on July 27.
And the characters keep coming, so this is a world I hope to continue exploring for a long time. After all, a girlâs got to keep her twisty brain occupied and herself out of trouble.
Authors are a bizarre breed. We can get away with talking to invisible people, arguing with them, and threatening them with grave bodily harm (or worse) when they get too cocky. (Of course, we rarely ever win said arguments.) And to think: no one comes along with friends in pretty white coats! (Well, they haven’t found me yet, anyway.)
Then…there are the plot bunnies: those evil, twisted, corrupted, insidious, little nuggets of “Ooooo….” that plant themselves in our poor, overworked brains. Is it any wonder why we talk to invisible people?
You see, most folks would think such things would be wonderful and lovely, that it would be marvelous to have these seemingly-nonstop ideas just flowing carefree through their minds. *snorts* Have you wondered why these things are called plot “bunnies”?
One idea is not enough. Oh, no.
The plot vermin (think: Night of the Lepus, people–seriously) breed uncontrolled, unchecked. We (the vic–er, authors) are powerless to stop them. So we eventually give in and listen. We make notes, research, might even start writing. Then… BAM! Another evil hare is born! This new one is sparkly and pretty and, ohhh… it would be amazing if we…
Do you see where this is going? It’s terrifying, I tell you.
Facebook has become a prime breeding ground for these things. Friends post pics (usually of hot, sexy men–you folks know who you are!), then the bunnies start humping each other like mad. Nevermind that there are deadlines and sequels and stories already set to go. The bunnies? They don’t care! They fuck like…well…bunnies, and before I know it, I’ve got a folder full of pretty men waiting for *their* story.
Why anyone would name such devious things after cute, cuddly creatures is beyond me. đŻ
*****
What do online gaming, Spongebob, cooking, writing, and an unnatural addiction to Mountain Dew all have in common?
Not a damn thing, which is what makes Mychael Black an interesting bird indeed.
Born in north Alabama, Mychael now resides on Marylandâs Eastern Shore. Having run the gamut of labels in regard to gender and sexuality, Mychael now shuns societyâs views on normality and embraces a poly-everything attitude. Call Mychael her or himâit doesnât matter. Just keep reading the books.
That women and men are different isnât a new idea.
Not only are we physically different, our minds work in different ways as well. Men and women often have a difference in sexual attitudesâthough there are always exceptions to the rule! Men are more physical and are stimulated by things they can see and touch, whereas women rely on their emotions and a sense of connection with another person to turn them on (though a great body always helps!). The male and female brain even react differently to different erotic situations, with a manâs brain reacting more to visual stimuli and a womanâs brain reacts more to psychological simulation.
When writing erotic fiction, itâs important to consider who Iâm writing that fiction for. Predominantly, I write fiction for women, but when Iâm writing for a male audience, I approach things differently. When I write for men, I spend less time trying to create a connection that is any more than sexual, and more time on description. When I write erotica for women, for the most part I like to have a connection on another level between the male and female character (or even the male, male, and female, or female, female and male, and any other combinations you can think of!). I also like to have a âhappy ever afterâ or at least a âhappy for nowâ ending. For men, a chance encounter on purely a physical level is enough.
Recently, I received a review which made me smile. The reader actually questioned whether or not I was female because sheâd read my short story collection Some Love it Hot! When I sat down to write this collection, it was alongside my first title Rescued. In my head, I knew I wanted to write one collection for female readers and another for men. Some Love it Hot! was my “male” collection and it was this title where someone had questioned my sex. That was a huge compliment to me. It meant Iâd done my job right and achieved what I intended.
Strangely enough, even though I write predominantly for a female audience, Some Love it Hot is still one of my best-sellers.
My latest collection, Down in the Sand, although has some stories from a male view point, is definitely written for women. There have been few times in my life where Iâve felt sexier than when Iâm on holiday. All that tanned skin, hot sun, and a couple of cocktails beside the pool. What in life could be better? It was this feeling of sexy relaxation that got me writing this collection. Keep reading for an excerpt of one of the stories, “Stopover.”
Cool lotion trickled onto her upper back, making her squirm. Moments later, his warm hands made contact with her skin, smoothing out the creamy fluid, rubbing the muscles of her shoulders and the back of her neck with firm strokes. The massage eased away the last of the tension from the long flight and Zara couldnât help her whole body relaxing under his attention.
His strong fingers worked their way down, rubbing the muscles along either side of her spine, down to the dip of her lower back. He skirted the curve of her ass, his fingers going lower, slipping beneath the edge of her bikini bottoms.
Would he do it? She wondered. Would he have the nerve to try to go further, right here where numerous other people sunbathed and splashed in the pool? His body hid her mid-section from one side and there were only rocks on the other. While people might be able to see her head and shoulders, to anyone who might catch a glimpse of them, they simply looked like a guy applying sun lotion to a girlâs back. Read the rest of this entry »
I’m preparing for another weekend away—the last in a long, long while. While I’m gone, I have friends coming to entertain you. Please be sure to stop by and say hello—and yes, those comments count in the grab bag giveaway too!
Here’s a question for you now. Have fun!
If you could take any job for just one month (assuming you have the skills and knowledge), what job would you like to have?
Hi there! My name is Margery Scott and I write…pretty much everything. Historical western romances, time travels, contemporary romances, mainstream suspense, etc. The list goes on. I’ve even tried writing erotica, but it’s not my thing. I’d like to be able to write HOT, because I’d love to get a bit more steam into my books, but it comes off sounding more like an episode of I Love Lucy or The Three Stooges—not exactly the reaction I’m going for. My books do have sexual tension and chemistry between the hero and heroine, though, although the fantasies my characters have aren’t exactly XXX-rated.
Fantasies. Everybody has them, right? They don’t have to be sexual, they just have to be make-believe scenarios about situations and people that are so far removed from our real lives that the chances of them actually happening are a million to one—daydreams about what could be, what life would be like if…
Fantasies are perfectly normal and healthy. In the bedroom, as long as both partners are in agreement, anything goes. Outside the bedroom, in your own mind, whatever you want to dream up is perfectly okay.
In my latest release, The Next Victim, small-town reporter Shannon has a fantasy—she’s living in New York, she’s bigger than Barbara Walters, and she’s making a kazillion dollars every week. It’s her only fantasy—until Ben Carver, the new police chief, shows up. They lock horns, but even though she fights it, her fantasy is changing—and suddenly, Ben is the star.
Workaholic detective Ben Carver is convinced the next target of a serial killer is Shannon Ames, the sexy reporter who lives in his apartment complex. As he works to prevent her from becoming the next victim, he starts to feel emotions he’d long thought dead. But the secret Shannon carries could destroy any hope of a future together—and might even get her killed.
It’s not erotica, it’s not even particularly steamy, but although both Ben and Shannon have their reasons for fighting their attraction to each other, hormones and chemistry win out—and eventually give them their happy ending where their fantasies become reality.
It’s such an odd idea—Abraham Lincoln killing vampires. I want to know if they weave in real history with the story, or if they ignore it and write their own. Of course, I want to see The Avengers much, much more, but this one appeals to my sense of humor. What about you? Will you watch it in theaters? Wait for it to come out on DVD? Or will you give it a skip altogether?
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Contest Updates
Don’t forget! The Tater Redâs Grab Bag & Elvis Contest continues! All you have to do to enter is post a comment. Check the link for a picture of this great prize!
The winner of the free download from Saturday’s post is Kathleen Charles! Kathleen, congrats, and be sure to email me with your choice of downloadable book (check my Samhain and Ellora’s Cave titles).
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News, kinda…
I can’t give you the details because they aren’t set in stone just yet, but I have two book deals in the making right now. I have an offer from one major publisher to write the first two books in a series set in southern Louisiana where some kinky shit happens and some extremely heavy duty kinds of guys like to play. And I have a two-book offer from a newer major publisher to write the first two books in an ongoing paranormal series that features a heroine with a drinking problem and her cop ex-husband. I know, that’s all so vague, but until the contracts are signed, I’d like to keep it that way. Just know they are full-length novels, so you’ll hear a lot of whining from me for over the next months. đ
I’ll name the winner of Saturday’s free download tonight. So be sure to post! ~DD
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Let’s Flirt!
Isnât flirting fun? If youâre into romance, you certainly appreciate flirting.
Flirt â the word brings to mind fluttering eyelashes, sideways glances, fingertips gracing a creamy collarbone, pink tongue delicately peeking out from ruby lips, the hint of cleavage when she has to bend to retrieve her purse. Women know the art of subtle flirtatious body language.
But men can come up with some goose bump producing moves. In my novel, Sleeping with the Lights On, my heroine Sandra Holiday feels the rub of Carsonâs boot against her ankle beneath the table and canât be sure heâs purposely arousing her or keeping beat to a tune in his head.
Much flirting happens through verbal banter. We all know the words arenât necessarily what makes a good flirt but the way theyâre uttered; the double entendre, or combined with a wink or a smile.
Rachael, in Tattoos, Leather and Studs has two men flirting with her. Sheâs on a blind date with a man who looks like he might be a bad boy and the leader of the pack â and is sexy as you know what. On stage is the leader of the band that could pass for a GQ model. But looks can be deceiving. Tattooed date says things like, âyour eyes, flecks of gold and green are amazing.â Sophisticated looking rock singer has a different approach. âIs it feeling any better, chicky?â He cast a leer at her chest. âCan I lend a hand?â
How about that first flirtatious utterance â the opening line, sometimes called the pickup line?
A friend of mine was at a country bar, scanning the crowd. A tall-blond-snake-skin-boots-tight-Levi-covered-buns-hunk drawled, âWhat you looking for?â When she responded, âSomeone to sweep me off my feet,â he didnât miss a beat. Swoosh!
This same friend has the best of luck with first lines. And what rings flirtatious in one country may not translate verbatim. When she met a sheikâs son at a jazz concert who told her she was prettier than all of his fatherâs wives, how could she refuse a date?
My favorite first line came from a guy at a public dance. He had the biggest brown eyes, thick dark lashes, and a smile that melted me. And then he said, âHello, I love you. Would you like to dance?â Okay, a wee bit corny but it must have worked; weâve been married now for over half our lives. After he spoke those words, the Doors had a hit single with nearly the same line. Maybe not so corny after all.
Tattoos, Leather and Studs
Rachael suspects her date, Jason, is a drug dealer, and sheâs torn between her attraction for this hot bad boy and running for safety. But a famous rock star vying for her attention and spiked champagne pose far more trouble. On a blind date sheâll never forget, Rachael learns first impressions can lead her down a dangerous path and straight into the arms of love.
After two failed marriages and countless relationships, Sandra Holiday thinks sheâs met the man to end her years of less than perfect choices; choices that not only derailed her travel-related career plans but also left her single and broke.Â
Carson Holiday, a Las Vegas country crooner with swoon-inducing good looks, spent his adult life pursuing a recording contract and love, never holding on to either. After eighteen years, he drops back into Sandraâs life, reigniting an attraction he canât deny.
When Carson reappears, Sandra must choose again. Only this time, nothingâs as it seems. A secret admirer, a redheaded stalker, and an eccentric millionaire throw her on a dangerous path, with Carson her only truth.
As life confronts her with yet another turning point, will her decisions find her eternally sleeping with the lights on â or will she finally discover a way to turn them off?
It started simply enough with reading about Churchill, Manitoba, the Polar Bear Capital of the world, on the internet. Of course, I clicked on link after link, going from sites about modern-day Churchill to Inuit culture and myths, and so on. Before you could say, âGet back to workâ I had the outline for Arctic Destiny, which was released by Elloraâs Cave Publishing earlier this year. In this book a sexy Polar bear shifter and the tenacious lover he had to leave behind collide with erotic, soul-stirring and potentially heartbreaking results.
The end result is two books being released by Elloraâs Cave in July as part of their Pricked series, the first of which is now available for pre-order (WOOT!) and is slated to be released on July 7, 2012. In Fleeing Fate, the first in my Unveiled Seductions series, the banshee heroine needs the help of a delicious, banished West African storm god who isnât sure heâs the right man for the job. But Jakuta recognizes a gathering storm when he sees one, and he knows GrĂ inne will blow through his life with all the force of a sensual, emotional hurricane.
What do online gaming, Spongebob, cooking, writing, and an unnatural addiction to Mountain Dew all have in common?
