What is Safe, Sane, and Consensual BDSM Erotica?

I love writing BDSM erotic romances. But I also love writing the occasional dubious consent story (always with a warning!). In Enslaved, I wanted to make sure that some of the basics of safe, sane, and consensual D/s play were incorporated into the story in a natural way.

Especially since my heroine, Elisabeth, was basically sent to Trevor’s house by her ex-Dom. She didn’t pick him, he picked her.

So I had to make sure her desire and her explicit consent is given, even if she is a little…scared. Scared can be fun, too—as long as it’s part of the game. 😉

In the excerpt, you’ll see what I mean about consent. There’s another part of the scene that I can’t share here because it would be too long—where they go over her “hard limits.”

While putting that sort of thing in a book might seem like it would sap the fun out, it actually gave me an opportunity to show how much Trevor cares about making Elisabeth feel safe…even when he’s about to do dirty, sexy things to her…

Blurb for Enslaved, Book One in the Enslaved Trilogy

from Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Star:

From a red-hot erotica writer comes an original eBook—a sensual romp across the playgrounds of the unbelievably rich and extremely sexy.

Elisabeth Anderson has seen Trevor and his friends at the infamous Manhattan BDSM club WhipperSnapper, where everyone calls them the BAD Boys, for “Billionaire Arrogant Doms.” The BAD Boys—Trevor Brooks, Marc Wilde, and Roman Chase—are aptly named; they’ve made money hand over fist due to their aggressive investing at the Brooks Wilde Chase Fund. These guys are so rich they can get away with anything, or so the rumors go.

Trevor gives Elisabeth full reign of his estate in Westchester, letting her do as she pleases. He has only two rules. Rule One: she must obey and submit to him while she is living in his house. Rule Two: always answer the blue cell phone. She’s happy to oblige, because being with Trevor makes her want to obey, to love him the way he seems to be falling for her. But Elisabeth’s never been good at being the quiet sub; she’s feisty and gets off on the punishments more than she does by pleasing Trevor.

Elizabeth can’t submit to Trevor the way he needs her to, so his friend and business partner (and fellow BAD Boy) Roman takes her in hand. But love triangles can have sharp edges…and somebody’s bound to get hurt.

Amazon, Barnes & Noble

And here’s an adults-only excerpt that you won’t find in the sample pages.

An excerpt from Enslaved, Book One in the Enslaved Trilogy

Copyright 2012 Shoshanna Evers

Simon & Schuster Pocket Star, All Rights Reserved

Elisabeth unlocked the door and went to the bed, kneeling. She remained as motionless as possible, her eyes shut, to give Trevor the chance to see her before she saw him.

What was going to happen? To spend one evening getting flogged in public was one thing, but to be alone in a bedroom with a Dom she’d met once before was another.

The door didn’t squeak on its hinges as it opened, but she heard it quietly latch shut. And a click as the lock turned in place.

She trusted Gregory, and Gregory said to trust Trevor. Which is why she shouldn’t be so frightened suddenly. Weren’t they just bantering on the blue cell phone not a moment before?

Yes. She could trust Trevor.

She must—at this point, there was no going back. Or was there?

Breathe.

So now she was alone now with him. With Trevor.

Elisabeth could sense he was quite close to her, despite being unable to see him, her eyes still shut. A whiff of expensive cologne that reminded her of something—someone?—and then the heat of his hand on her chilled face.

She whimpered, scared now.

She didn’t know this man. What he was into. What he’d do to her, or make her do to him. Men had some kinky tastes, that she did know.

“Are you okay doing this?” he asked. “Do I have your consent?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Open your eyes, Elisabeth. Look at me.”

She obeyed, and saw he’d dimmed the lighting, casting the guest bedroom in shadow, though still softly lit. Sconces on the walls threw golden highlights across the mahogany furniture.

“You look frightened,” Trevor whispered. “Were you scared I was going to slap you?”

Why would such a gorgeous man want her, when he could have anyone? His dark hair, neatly trimmed, contrasted sharply with green eyes the color of the emerald ring her mother had given her before she passed. Of course, that emerald was of poor quality, cloudy with flecks of—

“You need to answer me when I ask you a direct question,” Trevor prompted.

Well, then. Let the games begin.

“I forgot the question,” she lied, and gave him what Gregory always called her “brat face,” but that she preferred to think of as a cheeky grin.

“Then I imagine you’re not too frightened to continue.”

Elisabeth laughed. Trevor was totally different from Gregory. From the flogging he’d given her at the club it was clear he knew what he was doing. So what did he need her for? Certainly not to practice on.

“Keep laughing, princess.”

She promptly shut her mouth, her gaze flickering involuntarily over to the large duffel bag on the low dresser across the room. He’d brought it in with him.

“I don’t like to slap faces, but I will make it difficult for you to sleep comfortably tonight.”

“Sorry, sir,” she replied, as nonchalantly as possible, hoping to make it clear she wasn’t sorry. Her nerves continued their skitter jangle, but now she was in her element. She knew how to force a man to earn her respect.

Technically she was supposed to submit to and respect him automatically because Gregory had ordered her to, but that’s not how it worked for her. Never had.

“No you’re not,” he said.

“I’m not,” she agreed. “I’m a fucking masochist. A pain-slut, remember? Do your worst.”

Trevor reached out casually and grabbed her by her hair, twisting the black strands in his fingers until she felt the sting on her scalp. “As you wish.”

Nice.

Amazon, Barnes & Noble

About Shoshanna Evers:

Critically-acclaimed author Shoshanna Evers has written dozens of sexy stories including Amazon Erotica Bestseller Overheated. Her work has been featured in Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and Best Bondage Erotica 2013, the Penguin/Berkley Heat anthology Agony/Ecstasy, and numerous erotic BDSM novellas, including Chastity Belt and Punishing the Art Thief from Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

The non-fiction anthology Shoshanna Evers edited and contributed to, How To Write Hot Sex: Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors, is a #1 Bestseller in the Authorship, Erotica Writing Reference, and Romance Writing categories.

Her BDSM erotic romance The Enslaved Trilogy releases April 8th, 2013 from Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Star imprint.

Shoshanna is a New York native who now lives with her family and two big dogs in Los Angeles, California. She welcomes emails from readers and writers, and loves to interact on Twitter and Facebook.

Sign up for her mailing list to get an email when new books release! https://shoshannaevers.com/blog/

Sexily *Evers* After… www.ShoshannaEvers.com

Email: shoshanna.evers @ yahoo. com (no spaces)
Blog for writers: www.TheWritersChallenge.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShoshannaEvers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoshanna.evers

I don’t usually repeat the same book two weeks in a row, but this week’s theme was sooooo hard for me to find something that “smelled” even a little like crawling. My characters tend to be too proud for that. They pick fights just so they have good excuses to lay hands (in a sexy way) on each other. This was the closest I could recall. Hope you enjoy.

If you post a comment today, you’ll be entered to win
a free download of this book, or its sequel IN TOO DEEP!

“With amazing suspense, and hot, dominant lovin’ this cowboy and his high school sweetheart take the reader on an amazing emotional journey. Mixed with a bit of humor, sizzling bedroom scenes, and cowboys that steal your heart, Ms. Devlin has created a beyond 5 Book worthy start of an incredible new series.” ~ 5/5 Books, Reviews by Molly

Seeking sanctuary could be the hottest mistake she ever made.

The TripleHorn Brand, Book 1

A lifetime ago, Zuri Prescott kicked the dirt off her boots and ditched her small-time small town for the glam city life—and lived to regret it. When she’s framed for a bank job, she lights out for home, seeking refuge with her old high school sweetheart while she figures out her next steps. Only she discovers that the boy she left behind is the last man she should trust.

Sheriff Colt Triplehorn knows trouble when he sees it, especially when it comes in the form of a familiar trespasser, caught naked between an angry bull and her underwear. Sure she’s up to her usual no good, he grants her sanctuary at his ranch—the better to keep an eye on her, and purge her from his system once and for all.

Reconnection is sweet and hot, but the heat can’t hide the truth. When Colt inevitably finds out what Zuri’s running from, it’s too late to put the fire out, and he’s got a career-compromising choice on his hands. Follow the letter of the law, or follow his heart.

Product Warnings: When a sheriff captures the girl who got away, expect revenge so hot it leaves brands on two lonely hearts…

Colt heard her sobs as soon as he pushed through the front door. Moving quietly, he entered, noted the mess and guessed the cause of her sorrow. He’d have spared her this, but she’d given him the slip. Tommy had followed her to the apartment and called him to let him know where to find her.

For whatever cockeyed reason, Zuri had begun to withdraw from him. Pulling away the moment she realized her problems were going to linger for a while. He suspected that she worried about hurting his reputation, that she’d be a burden, but they hadn’t had the privacy to talk about what was weighing on her mind.

Coming up behind her, he knelt and reached for her upper arms. He pulled her back against his chest then wrapped his arms around her. “It’s going to be okay, Zuri.”

She didn’t fight him, but also didn’t cling. She lay limply against his chest, her body shaking with her deep sobs. “You can’t know that. You’re a sheriff, you can’t want this.”

You can’t want me was what he heard. He tightened his fingers on her upper arms and gave her a gentle shake. “Don’t tell me what I want.” It came out more harshly than he intended, but it seemed to do the trick.

Zuri stiffened. Her sobs subsided. When she reached up to pry his fingers from her arm, he let her go. She crawled forward on her knees then turned to face him.

Her expression nearly killed him.

Her soft brown eyes were large in her face, her lashes wet and spiked. Her chin wobbled. Gone was any hint of stubborn pride.

At a loss for what to say next, he took off his cowboy hat and raked a hand through his hair. “Billy says I can take you home.”

“This is my home,” she said, her voice thick and raw.

He shook his head. “You’re not stayin’ here.”

“I have work to do. A mess to clean up.”

“I’ll hire a cleaning team. You don’t have to do this.”

“It’s my own damn mess.” Her chin firmed, lifted.

Now there was the hint of starch he’d hoped to find. “Then we’ve got ourselves a problem.”

“What’s that?”

“I have a job. One that requires I be in Caldera County to perform.”

“There’s nothin’ stoppin’ you here.”

“Sure there is. You see, Billy says you’re my responsibility.”

“They released me.”

“With promises from me to make sure you met your court dates. And he expects to contact you in the meantime at my home.”

“You’ll just have to tell him my plans changed.”

He almost smiled. Her eyes gleamed, not with tears, but with anger. Something he could work with.

Slipping his cuffs from his back pocket, he dangled them from a finger. “Now, we can do this the easy way…or…”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “You wouldn’t.”

“I will if I have to.” He held out his other hand. “Gonna come peaceably?”

He read relief in the lowering of her shoulders, but not defeat.

Her glance cut to the side. “I’ll need to pack.”

“There’s not a thing you need. I have a suitcase in the truck. All those pretty things Tommy bought you.”

“I’m not some charity case.”

“Never wanted you to feel that way,” he said honestly. “Didn’t mean to ride roughshod over you these past few days, but I wanted this over. For us to be able to move on. Fact is, I need you, Zuri.”

“I’m not right for you. Not—”

“Don’t say you aren’t good enough.”

Her eyes filled. “You know what I came from, what I’ve been accused of. Folks can’t be that forgiving, not in Caldera.”

“Folks will learn to judge you by the company you keep, by the good things you do.”

A tear escaped her eye and trailed down her cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you, Colt. I couldn’t stand that.”

Colt reached out a finger and wiped the tear away. Then he cupped her face between his hands, locking her gaze with his. “The only way you’ll hurt me, Zuri-girl, is if you let me walk out that door alone.”

She drew in a breath, opened her mouth to speak, but then came up on her knees and flung her arms around his shoulders. “I’m so glad you said that. I wanted to give you an out, but it would have killed me to say goodbye. Guess I’m selfish.”

Colt held her close, smiling into her hair. “Guess I’m selfish too, because I wasn’t jokin’ about those cuffs.”

“We’re a pair, aren’t we?”

Tugging on the back of her hair, he forced her head back. “If you come home with me, you’re gonna live under my roof. My rules.”

Her lips curved. “Didn’t mind your rules so much the last time.”

“Glad you’re so eager. But I’ve got this ring that’s been burnin’ a hole in my pocket for twelve long years.”

“You kept it?”

“Belonged to my grandmother. I wasn’t gonna throw it away. It’s been waitin’ for the right girl to come home.”

“Your rules?” she said, arching a brow.

“You have to come home as my wife.”

* * * * *

Be sure to check out the snippets on these other authors’ blogs:

Caris Roane
Eliza Gayle
McKenna Jeffries
Shiloh Walker
Taige Crenshaw
HelenKay Dimon
TJ Michaels
Lissa Matthews
Myla Jackson
Lauren Dane

The Joys of World-Building: Mapmaking

I write gay romance; it’s what I’ve been known for since day 1 in 2005. I’ve written in countless genres, too—from sci-fi to contemporary, bdsm to fantasy, and everything in between (maybe except steampunk…haven’t gone there yet). My biggest love, though, in reading and writing, has always been—and always will be—fantasy. I’m huge fan of it and its subgenres: sword & sorcery, epic fantasy, high fantasy, historical fantasy, urban fantasy, the list goes on. When writing it, I take my time on the world itself. I have several books and websites that I refer to when I need to jog my brain on details of the cultures, the lands, and so forth.

One of my favorite aspects of world-building is the mapmaking. I’ve seen some amazing hand-drawn maps from fantasy authors, but I’m not quite that talented. So I use software for it. Profantasy.com has several great programs you can buy, from fractal maps to campaign maps, and only the gods know what else. While I’ve used the trials of a few to get a feel for them, my all-time favorite program is actually an open source program called AutoRealm. I don’t remember who introduced me to it at this point, but I’ve used it for years.

I’ve made maps for Aurora (Magic & the Pagan world) and Socendor (Secrets of Socendor world), and now I’m working on a huge one for a new fantasy world I’ll be playing in under a different pen name.

Once I’ve created my basic land masses (usually with the polycurve fractal tool), there are several categories of icons I have to choose from with which to decorate the lands: vegetation, city/town/stronghold markers, land features like mountains, etc. When I’m happy with the placements, I move the file into Paint.Net and color it, adding labels for towns, cities, rivers, etc.

I can easily spend hours and hour, day after day, working on a single map. I make notes of directions, distances between places, even how big certain notable places are. In the end, I rarely share these maps. I create for my own personal reference, to be honest. Maybe one of these days, I’ll recreate the maps for Aurora and Socendor (since the originals went missing) and share those.

Mapmaking is very time-consuming, but like any art, it’s well worth it.

* * * * *

Bio:

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 Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Having run the gamut of labels in regard to gender and sexuality, Mychael now shuns society’s views on normality and embraces a poly-everything attitude. Call Mychael her or him—it doesn’t matter. Just keep reading the books.

https://www.mychaelblackbooks.com/
https://www.mychaelblackbooks.com/category/blog/
https://www.facebook.com/mychael.black
https://www.shaynetheauthor.com/

* * * * *

Click on the cover to buy it!

Book 1, The Lost Son, is available now. Book 2, Dragonblade, is due out July 2, 2013.

Dragonblade

Secrets of Socendor, Book 2

Winning this battle requires a faith stronger than steel…

Legends tell of a dragon-forged weapon so powerful, it possesses the ability to traverse time itself. Knowing the havoc it could wreak, the dragons sealed it deep beneath the mountains.

No one was meant to find it, let alone wield it.

General Kalen Ysindroc, leader of the human king’s armies and the long-lost son of Socendor’s most feared wizard-king of old, is in a race against time. His half brother, Braen, is searching for the sword as a means to return their father from the grave. Kalen must not let that happen. Joined by his elven lover, wizard Micheil Thierauf, he sets out on a journey beneath the mountains to stop Braen from doing the unthinkable.

As secrets come to light that test Kalen’s faith in every way possible, including his trust in the man he’s loved nearly all his life, the right path is as clouded as the murky, dragon-blood-tainted waters of the Ebon Sea. And Kalen is forced to make a decision that could very well be his last.

The Winners!

 

The winners of these two books were picked by a random number generator. Teresa Hughes (April 7 comment) wins the copy of the The Mammoth Book of Futuristic Romance! Melissa Porter (March 30 comment) wins the copy of the signed ARC of Shattered Souls! Teresa and Melissa, congrats! Email me to arrange delivery of your prizes!

Night Crow Pendant Contest

I have a brand new contest!

What can you win? This is a handmade pendant. It’s a domino, which I altered with ink and paint and a bit of silver foil. It’s not as dark as this picture makes it out to be, but it is eerie! I’ll gift it along with a black leather cord necklace to one lucky winner!

What do you have to do to win? Simple. Comment on my blog—on any posting, from now thru April 25th. I’ll choose a winner at random from among all the comments. Good luck!

For those of you who haven’t seen my recent posts on Facebook, I’ve been busy building inventory for a brand new website store. You can see some of the things I’ve made on my Pinterest board!

And here’s a suggestion so you don’t miss out on future fun things—SUBSCRIBE to my blog via email. See the box in the left-hand sidebar!

Sloan—The Country Town With Heart

Back in late 2003 I started reading erotic romances and, in particular, books from Ellora’s Cave. I also started wondering if perhaps I could write one of these hot and spicy romances. Not a bad idea, I decided. My mind turned to aliens crash landing near a small country town, and my first Ellora’s Cave book Talking Dogs, Aliens and Purple People Eaters was born.

Along with the characters, the country town of Sloan where I set my story took on a real personality. I liked the town so much I’ve set two different series there. (Talking Dogs and Fancy Free)

Here are a few interesting snippets about Sloan:

1. It’s a reasonable size town, not far from Auckland, New Zealand, but surrounded by countryside.

2. The café is the place to go for great coffee and to pick up all the local gossip.

3. UFO sightings are a common phenomenon in this area. Strangely enough, the sightings often occur just after a juicy piece of gossip starts circulating. I wonder why?

4. Some of the locals make big money, taking tourists to view crop circles.

5. The Women’s Division usually sets up a stall and sells tea and scones.

6. The Thirsty Cricket, the local pub, is also a good place to catch up on gossip.

7. One of the main employers in the area is Fancy Free. They manufacture condoms and sex aids.

8. The board of directors of Fancy Free consists of retired people who took a chance investing in their school friend’s dream of developing a condom company.

9. The Children of Nature cult also makes their home in Sloan. They are totally against the use of birth control and often stage demonstrations.

10.  Unknown to most residents, aliens live and love among them. There’s even a talking dog.

11. There are lots of great picnic spots around the town. Couples can picnic by the river, swim at the waterfall or find a private spot to get romantic. They should, however, watch out for Peeping Toms!

12. Sloan is a vibrant town with a lot of younger people who live in non-traditional relationships. Watch this space.

In Biding His Thyme, book four in my Fancy Free series, readers get their first inside look at the Children of Nature cult. Things are not as they seem! There’s definitely something strange going on.

Question: I’ve given you a list of things that have occurred in Sloan to date. Use your imagination and tell me what you think should happen in the town of Sloan next…

Contest: Complete the rafflecopter and go into a draw to win a $20 Amazon OR All Romance eBooks voucher (winner’s choice). Winner will be drawn on 15 April 2013.

Rafflecopter code – a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note – if the code doesn’t work use this link – https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MGU2NDU3NmU4ZjgyMDYyNTRhYTFjNjRiOGU1YWYxOjc=/

Blurb: Biding His Thyme

Born in the Children of Nature cult, Sorrel “Bitter” Thyme is destined to spend the rest of her life there, but not if she has her way. She’s perfected the dream cream that enhances orgasmic pleasure in those who use it. Now she must approach Fancy Free management with her invention while making sure the cult leader doesn’t learn of her idea and steal Sorrel’s chance of escape.

Jake Ramsey, a Special Air Services soldier on sick leave, agrees to go undercover in the cult to help local police close a case against the leader. Sorrel is his inside contact, a woman who is constantly ridiculed by the other cult members.

The partnership works well and kisses meant to cement their cover take on new possibilities. Jake uncovers secrets, and their loving heats up, passion coalescing into more than friendship. Then Sorrel is tossed into danger. What began as a favor is now deadly serious—-a game Jake must win to keep Sorrel safe.

Books set in Sloan:

Talking Dogs:

1. Talking Dogs, Aliens and Purple People Eaters – https://www.ellorascave.com/talking-dogs-aliens-and-purple-people-eaters.html

2. Never Send a Dog to do a Woman’s Job – https://www.ellorascave.com/never-send-a-dog-to-do-a-woman-s-job.html

3. Romantic Interlude – https://www.ellorascave.com/romantic-interlude.html

Fancy Free:

1. Fancy Free – https://www.ellorascave.com/fancy-free.html

2. Christmas is Coming – https://www.ellorascave.com/christmas-is-coming.html

3. Feeling the Buzz – https://www.ellorascave.com/feeling-the-buzz.html

4. Biding His Thyme – https://www.ellorascave.com/biding-his-thyme.html

Bio: Shelley Munro

Shelley Munro is tall and curvaceous with blue eyes and a smile that turns masculine heads everywhere she goes. She’s a university tutor and an explorer/treasure hunter during her vacations. Skilled with weapons and combat, she is currently in talks with a producer about a television series based on her world adventures.

Shelley is also a writer blessed with a VERY vivid imagination and lives with her very own hero in New Zealand. She writes mainly erotic romance in the contemporary, paranormal and historical genres.

You can learn more about Shelley and her books at https://www.shelleymunro.com. Also, feel free to drop her line via her website or join her newsletter via the link from her blog to hear more about new and upcoming titles.

https://www.shelleymunro.com/blog

https://www.facebook.com/shelleymunro

https://www.twitter.com/shelleymunro

Before we talk, I want to remind you that two contests will be ending on this coming Thursday…

First, I’m giving away a pendant on the Smokin’ Hot Firemen website. There are two things you have to do to be eligible for the drawing. (Both are easy and painless!). Don’t miss out!

Second, my Two Signed Books Contest I’m hosting on this site also ends. And all you have to do to be eligible is post comments on blogs.

Okay, so back to our little chat. I’m up to my ears as usual. So many projects in so many differing stages. My mother asked me what I was working on, and by the time I finished listing them her eyes glazed over. It’s that bad. I did finish one little project on Sunday. Whew. So glad to mark another done! Have I shown you my work chart lately? It lists everything due January through June. Keep in mind it’s what I HOPE to accomplish.

1	BDSM novel (done)
2	CL-13–zombie short story (done)
3	Serialized novel, First   3 Episodes (late!)
4	Serialized novel – Episode 4
5	Delta Heat-4 novella: Twice the   Bang (done)
6	CM –   Episode 5
7	CM –   Episode 6
8	BDSM-2 novel (untitled)
9	Super-Secret short story (done)
10	CM –   Episode 7
11	Triple Horn Brand-3 novella
12	Strokes-2, short story compilation
13	CM –   Episode 8
14	Femme Noir-3 novella
15	Cowboy Heat-short story
16	Cowboy Heat anthology
17	CL-14: short story
18	1-chapter proposal for novel
19	Penthouse short story
20	Kindle novelette
21	CL-15 short story
22	Decadent publishing novella
23	Paranormal novella for Samhain

It’s completely ridiculous, right? But some of these are very short. One is something I parcelled out, because the publisher wants it parcelled out. But still… And I’ve started the Smokin’ Hot Firemen blog. Another blog for the High Octane Heroes will be coming shortly. And three different book campaigns will begin.

I’m tired just thinkin’ about it. And now you know why I have so many guests lately. So if you see me screwing around, remind me about priorities. I don’t mind nagging. I respond very well to the crack of a whip. 😉

So here’s the question for you…

If you could build a recreation area atop a penthouse rooftop of a 20-story building, what would be the theme of your elevated playground? Would you open it to the public? Or would you keep it for yourself and your besties?

 

Collaboration and a Strip Club

Thank you for having me on your blog today, Delilah!

Recently, I’d been asked to join a brand new blog, along with nine other authors. Being a relative newbie to the industry, I was honored by the request and jumped at the chance to be a part of this talented group. This was the opportunity to interact and collaborate with other writers that I’d been looking for.

The idea of writing an anthology started with a chain of e-mails that was mostly kidding around. The discussion started with a note about Valentine’s Day and progressed to the topic of St. Patrick’s Day. Of course (we are romance writers, after all), the discussion then shifted to a sexy leprechaun and the “treasure” at the end of his rainbow, to which the response was “Lucky Charms!” It was mentioned that Lucky’s would make a great name for a strip club…with its strippers called Lucky’s Charms. Then, someone said, “Hey! We should write that!”

See, folks? This is one way plot bunnies are born. Collaboration, even when unintended, can be magical.

After the initial shock of agreeing to write an anthology wore off, we got to work. With four weeks to go until St. Patrick’s Day, the clock was ticking. Unlike other anthologies, our stories are connected to each other through common theme. All of the stories are set in or around Lucky’s Bar and Strip Club. We were able to quickly hash out the details and interworkings of the club. Our resident attorney checked into the laws that govern strip clubs in NYC. Not that some of our guys didn’t (accidentally) break them, but it’s always good to know the rules.

We utilized Dropbox as a way to share documents. This is an invaluable tool for long-distance collaboration. It gave us a central location to store things such as marketing materials and cover art. It also helped to keep things on track as we went through the editing process. And it reduced the number of “Lucky’s Charms” titled emails in my inbox. 🙂

Have you ever wondered how things can come together so perfectly, despite writers block, time constraints, surgeries, illnesses and general life stuff? Because all of these things occurred during the process of creating Lucky’s Charms.

Synergy.

We came together as women. As writers, sisters, and friends. We worked together and got the job done. Through collaboration, we’ve created a blog and an anthology I am very proud to be a part of.  I can’t wait until we do this again!

 

A Love, Lust and Laptops Publication:

From the ladies of Love, Lust and Laptops comes a special anthology filled with sexy tales of the men and women of Lucky’s Bar and Strip Club.

Anything could happen at Lucky’s Bar and Strip Club. Underneath the neon lights, the loud music, and the tear-away costumes, new lovers meet for the first time and old flames ignite anew. Shifters claim their mates, and leprechauns pay unusual gambling debts. Undercover operative solving crime? Advertising executive seducing the boss? All business as usual at Lucky O’Reilly’s.
Have you gotten lucky tonight?

Currently available for FREE at Smashwords.

Coming soon to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance eBooks.

 

Read the rest of this entry »