I like doing these little recaps. They are for my benefit only. Selfish, I know. Maybe interesting to you if you’re a writer and want to compare productivity. Maybe interesting to a reader if you want to keep track of what’s in the works.

Wish me luck. I always aim high, but realize that real life has a way of tripping me up now and then. 🙂

It’s Saturday, but only about 2 AM. Had a long talk with Sasha White tonight. We talked about things we want to do and see on our vacation/retreat, and after I hung up I started doing the worry thing—you know, what do I wear? what should I pack? Sheesh, I have to make a list (whenever I get restless or worried, I HAVE to have a list).

So here I am. One thing I was worried about was whether I’d really find time to write (that is one of our goals for the trip after all). I have to worry about that because I have so many balls that I’m juggling in the air right now that I don’t have a lot of slack time. The trip will be part vacation and I will be visiting Canada for the first time, but I justified it to myself as a writer’s retreat. Seems Sasha has some big goals too, so we’ll be guilting each other into getting something accomplished.

Can’t wait. I fly to Edmonton, Alberta on Thursday. My flight’s at a god-awful hour—6:42 AM. And since it’s an international flight, I think I have to be there two hours ahead of time. I may not go to bed the night before. The last trip I took with Sasha, that cruise to the Caribbean last winter, I left at about 1:00 AM, stopped at the Waffle House on the way for a very leisurely breakfast and arrrived at the airport well ahead of schedule. I’d rather be very, very early than rushing to the gate. I can always sleep on the plane.

So, today (after I get a few hours of sleep), I’ll be making my lists (packing list, things to get done before I go). My lists are always horribly ambitious. I just have to remember the priorities. Have to get my hair done Tuesday, nails on Wednesday. And lord, someone remind me to pack my passport. Forgetting it would really blow.

Anyway, I fly to Edmonton, spend a couple of days with her at her place, then we’re going on a road trip to Seattle for our writers’ retreat. We’ll be there five days, then drive back to Edmonton following a different route so we see some different scenery. We plan to see Banf, Jasper, Vancouver. We may even go see our friend Vivi Anna in Calgary!

Okay, so I’m finally yawning. I think I’ll try to go to sleep again. Later!

I subscribe to a website called Giveaway of the Day. They give away a new piece of software every day—with a limited 24-hour window to download. Most days it’s geek stuff I don’t have a clue what it does, but today, I’m playing with a mosaic-building software that uses your photographs to build an image.

Take a look!

This is the picture I selected as my “master”—the image I wanted the mosaic to mimic. It’s a picture I took pointing up a drainhole in an old fortress in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Here’s the mosaic the program generated:

I’m guessing I need to find master images with a bit more contrast between light and dark.

If you try it and want to share your image, send it so I can post! Oops! Which reminds me I still have Bearded lizard photos to post!

My “Brand New Look” contest ends today! Be sure to check Monday’s post for the contest rules and the prize list!

Please welcome my guest today, Juniper Bell! ~DD

I’d like to give a big thank you to Delilah for having me on her blog. Delilah, you’re one of my heroes and it’s a thrill to be here! Call it a Release Day treat for myself—my latest book, My Three Lords, comes out today from Ellora’s Cave.

My Three Lords is an erotic Regency ménage about one newly married young lady and three very naughty lords. I wrote the story because the idea came to me, because lords were the Alpha heroes of their time, and the thought of three of them … mmm. I didn’t worry about whether such a story could have happened in that time period. Regency romances come in many flavors, from sweet to steamy, although I generally picture formal balls and strict rules of behavior. Think every Jane Austen movie ever made.

I don’t think of threesomes … or in the case of my book, a foursome. Would a gently bred girl and three noblemen really end up in bed together?

So I did a little research, and lo and behold, people back then did all kinds of things they weren’t supposed to. Or at least, they thought about it. I found examples of erotica written around that time—not during the Regency itself, but from ten years earlier and about fifty years later. And some of what I read made me blush. One book, written by “Anonymous”, wrote about lusty governesses seducing schoolboys, anal sex, lots of man-on-man sex, woman-on-woman, multiple partners, group sex, even brothers and sisters experimenting.

I have no idea if his story is true. But at least it proves that people thought about sex then—a lot, in his case. Erotic books were written, published and read. But I wonder, why should that surprise me? The infamous Marquis de Sade was still alive at the time my book takes place (1811). Casanova had only died about thirteen years earlier. Those guys would put some of our current-day studs to shame.

After all, why would the Regency-era sex drive be any less than ours? Human nature hasn’t changed that much. Just because social behavior was strictly controlled doesn’t mean people didn’t get down and dirty in the privacy of their own bedrooms. In fact, maybe the lure of the forbidden made it even more tempting.

If Mr. Anonymous could write scorching erotica in the 1800’s, I can write scorching erotica set then. Maybe my story wouldn’t have happened, maybe it would. Who knows? But I’ll wager my best silk gloves that some adventurous lords and ladies thought about it. Ah, the seductive power of fantasies.

So is My Three Lords historically plausible or not? I say, based on my research, that I have no idea. But if you read it in the spirit of erotic fantasy, absolutely.

And that’s the best way to enjoy it anyway.

Here’s the blurb and an excerpt from My Three Lords, which releases today from Ellora’s Cave.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

How is one innocent country girl to choose between a Duke, a Marquis and an Earl? Must she?

When Miss Alicia Silverwood marries the Earl of Dorchester, he whisks her off to Notre Plaisir, a country manor where erotic surprises await in the company of three powerful lords.

The young Earl needs a wife and heir. The cynical Marquis de Beaumont needs a playmate. And the commanding Duke of Warrington needs a reason to live. As for the new Lady Dorchester, she’s about to discover the true nature of her own sensual needs. On top of that, she’s falling in love.

It might take a miracle for Lady Alicia and her three lords come to an arrangement that makes them all happy. Or perhaps all that’s required is a little scandalous rule-breaking.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I make you two promises, Alicia. The first is that I shall not take your maidenhead. Only one man may do so, and that is your husband. The second is that tonight you will experience more pleasure than you’ve ever imagined, thanks to me. If the Earl were here tonight, you’d receive no gentle caresses, no stroking such as I intend to give you. Your nipples would be left untouched, save for a rough tweak or two. Whereas I intend to savor their sweetness and watch them stand to attention like pink sentinels of your desire.”
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Just a couple quick announcements, then on to my weekly truth-telling…

Today, I’m going to work on getting together a set of questions and a list of prizes I will give away this week for a SCAVENGER HUNT to celebrate the unveiling of my new web design. So be sure to stop by every day, see what’s happening and post those comments!

Also in the planning stages is a blog tour to spread the word about the release of Darkness Captured in September. It’s not too early to plan, and I need your suggestions. What websites do you think I should approach to see whether they might host me for a day? You all have your favorites, I’d love to start a list so I can try to get on their calendars.

In addition, I’ll be preparing a contest widget that I’d love for any of you out there interested in putting it on your site. Of course, there will be bribes… 🙂

So on to the truth-telling…

This week:

* I wrapped up a story that was supposed to be a Quickie for Ellora’s Cave, but ended up being a novella. I was a little irritated with myself for not following the plan, but you won’t mind, right? The tentative title is A Long Howl Goodnight, and the story is related to the MIK series because it involves wolves from the Dark Mountain clan (last seen in MIK-6).

* I began work on my next Western for Samhain. Can’t tell you what it’s about yet, but I like the opening. My heroine is a writer, and strangely, every time I have a writer-heroine (the only other time was DiDi in Bad Moon Rising), I manage to portray her very close to my own personality.

* I continued teaching and providing detailed feedback for the FFnP Logline, Premise, Query and Synopsis class.

* And the big excitement was the finalization of my new web page design! Woohoo!

Next week, I hope to wrap up a short story for a Call for Submissions. I want to get through chapter 3 of the new Western. I want to finish the last bit of planning for the second Viking book, and I’ll be running that scavenger hunt! Lastly, I’ll wrap up the FFnP class.

Thanks for suffering through that last bit. 😉

If you’re reading this on my blog, you know I have a new website design. Woohoo! No, there wasn’t a thing wrong with the old, but I like to change it up now and then because I get bored with the same ole thing. I invite you to browse through my site if it’s been a while, because I’m constanty updating content. If you find a link or something that looks wonky (we can’t catch everything!), just let me know!

I should have a grand opening party or something, and run a scavenger contest to make you look around. Maybe I’ll start that Monday and run it for a week. What would you like for a prize(s)?

The little one goes home today. Even despite her running like a wild thing through the house, I managed quite a bit of work yesterday. My EC editor, Mary, asked me to add words to A Long Howl Goodnight to bring it up to novella length. I wrote an epilogue. I also added pages to a new Western novella. I have one really grumpy hero (there are a pair of brothers), which I find very, very sexy. And she’s the second writer-heroine I’ve had. It’s strange, but when I cast a writer, I somehow reflect a very accurate internal picture of me in the story.

Let me know what you think of the new site! And let me know what you’d like as prizes for a scavenger hunt! ~DD

I have the little on underfoot all day today. She’s still in bed, so I have a moment’s peace. I have to make this quick! (How do they find so many things to talk about?!)

If you could have the voice of any famous person, living or deceased, whose voice would you claim as your own?

You’ll find my answer in the comments later this morning!