Researching Sin in Sin City

When I had the idea for my “Dr. Ally Skye, Sex Therapist” R-rated, comic romantic mystery series, I knew the perfect setting for the books was Las Vegas. The town is known for its sexual excesses, although the 25+ legal Nevada brothels are actually located in twelve rural counties—not in Sin City itself. Still there are plenty of carnal delights in Vegas to keep my sex therapist amateur sleuth busy with both her patients and her new hobby: helping her police detective lover solve sexual crimes. In addition to plotting the perfect murder, I enjoyed creating two fictional casino hotels as part of the setting: one pirate-themed and the other an Arabian Nights fantasy.

As most people know, sex is big business in Vegas.

There are “gentleman’s clubs” like Cheetahs, as well as low-class strip clubs, topless female revues and Chippendales male strippers. Even Cirque du Soleil has a titillating live show.

While prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas, those looking for sex can easily find paid companionship. There are plenty of free newspapers (sometimes called “bachelor guides”) and fliers touting paid “models” and “escorts”. Of course, if you hire one of them and get ripped off—left high and dry, so to speak—who are you going to complain to? So it’s “buyer beware” for those looking for sex in Sin City. Sometimes it’s even murder, which inspired my “Dr. Ally Skye, Sex Therapist” series.

Researching these books has led me to some very interesting websites. In addition to solving sex-related murders, Ally has her therapy patients with their own issues. Several are interested in trying things beyond their “vanilla” lifestyles, such as BDSM and role-playing, while others just want to bring the spark back to their intimate relationships. My heroine isn’t shocked by anything sexual between consenting adults, so as the author, I also keep an open mind while researching kink.

We first meet Dr. Ally Skye in Sex & the Single Therapist, when one of her patients is killed and a good friend is the main suspect. Before Ally and her Vegas insider friends can solve the crime, her investigations take her through a maze of lies, rampant adultery, steroid abuse, child pornography, and another murder. Of course, she also falls for police detective Zack Crawford, so the benefits definitely outweigh the risks of her sleuthing.

I’m currently researching the second book in the series, which features a serial killer who targets phone sex customers.

My research led me to an organization for sex workers (or “adult industry workers”) in Vegas called SCAPA, which is associated with the national Sex Workers Outreach Project. The SCAPA site has resources and information for escorts, prostitutes, dancers, erotic masseuses, phone sex operators, and more.

The third book will open with the murders of a ménage of swinger club devotees.

Two of the most infamous swinger clubs in Vegas are the Red Roster and the Green Door. Each has a long list of rules, such as BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) and No Means No. The Green Door appears to offer more BDSM props, along with the standard group rooms, hot tubs, and couples only areas. The victims in my third book are murdered in my fictional swinger club’s pool.

The fourth in the series will explore the world of the human pony fetish. And I have ideas for working plushies and furries into future books. I admit I find the research fascinating.

What erotic fantasies or kinks do you enjoy reading about? I’ll give away an e-book of my comic romantic suspense, At Her Command, to a randomly chosen commenter on this blog post.

Here’s the book blurb for Sex & the Single Therapist:

A crime of passion…

To clear an innocent friend, sex therapist Dr. Ally Skye investigates a patient’s murder. Soon she’s trading heated words and hot kisses with a sexy cop. Can this free-spirited amateur sleuth and her posse of Vegas insiders solve the crime before the killer targets her?

A sexy complication…

Cynical homicide detective Zack Crawford has the murder to solve. The last thing he needs is a red-hot sex therapist who haunts his dreams. Ally is trouble and, given her job and his luck, she’d probably grade his performance in bed.

A dynamic duo…

Zack and Ally form an uneasy and sexually charged alliance. Murderers, extortionists and psychos are no match for these reluctant partners. Crime-solving was never this sexy or this fun!

For an excerpt from Sex & the Single Therapist, click on this link: Sex and the Single Therapist

And please visit my website to sign up for my e-newsletter and enter my monthly contest!

Thank you, Delilah, for inviting me to guest-blog!
— Marcia 😉

Genre Rivalry

I discovered a new writer the other day that I really enjoyed. She writes cozy mysteries, for which I have a sneaking fondness, and I was getting a kick out of hers when I happened upon a passage that made me wonder seriously if I wanted to pick up anything else she’d written. It was a party scene, and one of the guests had been described in a way that made it clear she was a complete moron. She and another guest, a writer, began discussing books they liked. And, of course, the moron turned out to just love romance.

This isn’t the first time I’ve stumbled across a mystery writer taking potshots at romance writers. If a romance author shows up in a mystery, for example, she’s usually a ditz. Sometimes she dresses in peasant outfits or pink chiffon with a picture hat. She almost always wears too much makeup. And, of course, she’s almost always stupid, unless of course she’s the murderer, in which case she’s not stupid but evil.

I’m not sure why mystery writers feel they have to take shots at us. I’ve never seen a mystery writer or reader portrayed negatively in a romance novel (although given the thousands that have been written, there may be some somewhere). Yet some mystery writers seem to take particular delight in unloading on their romance writing sisters.

This is all the more puzzling when you consider that romantic mystery writers (like Carla Neggers or Tami Hoag) have their feet in both camps. It’s not like there’s a hard and fast line between us. Nonetheless, mystery writers apparently feel that romance writers need to be put in their place.

They’re not the only ones who feel that way, either. Phillippa Gregory, the author of The Other Boleyn Girl, and other historical novels, made an offhand comment recently commending a fellow historical writer for being attuned to the time period she was describing, unlike romance writers whom Gregory disdained for being dilettantes. Now I’m sure some writers of historical romances screw things up (so, I’m sure, do historical novelists), but I’m also sure that lots of them are meticulous researchers because I’ve read the descriptions of their research. I’m guessing Gregory’s main complaint is that historical romances concentrate on, well, romance, while Gregory and her fellow historical writers put their interest elsewhere.

The point here, frankly, is that this genre rivalry doesn’t do much for any of us. People who read Eloisa James, like me, aren’t going to drop her just because Phillippa Gregory says historical romance sucks. Mystery writers’ potshots don’t diminish romance writers or romance novels; they just make the mystery writers look petty (and some mystery writers could learn a lot about creating credible relationships by checking out romances).

This whole “my genre’s better than your genre” thing is getting old. After all, many romance readers like me also read in other genres as well. And when I see romance readers and writers being insulted, it makes me a lot less likely to read that particular writer again. Think of it as the literary equivalent of cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Meg Benjamin
megbenjamin.com

Have you ever looked at your significant other and thought, geez, that guy needs a makeover? And if they did, what would you change?

This is my heroine’s dilemma in my August release, REDEEMING THE ROGUE. The story begins in London, England in 1881 and moves across the Atlantic to Washington, D.C. Michael Rafferty is a sexy Irishman who is most comfortable in London’s dark underbelly, ferreting out violent Fenians (a group desiring Independence for Ireland) in the hopes of finding the one responsible for the bomb that killed his family. His black hair is unfashionably long and shaggy, his wardrobe is not that of the aristocracy, and he has no need for knowing about the fourteen types of forks and eleven types of spoons on a well-laid Victorian table.

However, when the British minister assigned to Washington D.C. turns up dead. Rafferty believes the one responsible is the man he’s been chasing. The Home Office decides the best way to catch a murderer is for Rafferty to temporarily assume the position of British minister and head of Washington’s ligation. He just doesn’t exactly look the part.

Enter Lady Arianne Chambers, who for reasons of her own, agrees to mold Rafferty into an acceptable diplomat. While they cross the Atlantic she modifies his appearance, teaches him etiquette – that is, when he shows up for lessons – and teaches him to dance in a sort of reverse Pygmalion.

Little did she suspect that Rafferty was transforming her as well. Together they face Washington society, find themselves involved in the assassination of President Garfield, and are forced to defend themselves against charges of treason.

So, my question for you is…if you could change your significant other, what would it be? His hair? His weight? His clothes? His manners?

Let’s talk and I’ll send one person leaving a comment a copy of REDEEMING THE ROGUE.

Donna MacMeans
www.DonnaMacMeans.com

“[Redeeming the Rogue] is pure joy; funny, sexy and exciting.” 4.5 TOP PICK! Romantic Times Bookreviews

“Irish rebellion, smuggled guns, and the assassination of American president James Garfield form a lively backdrop for this sweet, sexy, and smartly told Victorian romance.” — Publishers Weekly

The winner of yesterday’s One-Day-Only Contest is at the bottom of this post!
Thanks, everyone, for playing! ~DD

Sexual Tension in Books

by Sayde Grace

Hello everyone! First let me just say a huge thank you to Delilah for letting me take over today!! I’m really excited to be here! Today I’m going to talk about different forms of sexual tension. A few months ago I did an online chat where I talked about adding emotion to your sex scenes. During the chat one of my side topics was sexual tension. Since then I have started a new manuscript where the sexual tension is thick enough to cut with a butter knife.

There are many ways to add sexual tension. Such as adding more serious conflicts between the main characters or on the other end of the spectrum having the characters have no conflicts except wanting each other can add tension. I prefer to have my characters bickering. Now, I was once told that bickering isn’t an element strong enough to build a plot on. That’s true, however using that as a character trait is different. Having a couple with a major plot is your main concept but giving them a trait where when near each other they bicker can create friction between them. That friction can be just the beginning to passion.

That is just one way to create sexual tension. Some authors keep characters touching. A stroke of a hand down an arm will do it. Sometimes the gentle press of lips near flesh but never touching. And even a certain glance will create tension. Little gestures go a long way in tying characters together with readers.

Adding an emotional element to any form of creating sexual tension will draw your readers deeper into the relationship. As a reader I know that what ties me to a character is how something affects that character emotionally. When that character is fighting with the other how does she feel? What are her hidden emotions? By bringing those hidden emotions to your readers they will connect your readers to your characters.

Those emotions can be presented in the smallest ways. Just a thought here or there. A slight sigh. A cuss. A blink. Those little actions can reveal emotions that are behind the sexual tension.

What are things you look for as a reader when it comes to tension,
relationships, or traits?

The winner (by random number generator) is…Christy M! Christy, email me with your address so I can get your package into the mail! Congrats!

For those rest of you, remember, the Fugly Ring Contest continues!

Myla Jackson’s Cookin’ up Some Summer Fun!

I’m getting tired of the same-ol’-same-ol’ when it comes to recipes and cooking. And as hot as it’s been I’m looking for something that will give me fresh interest in eating meals. So I went online and found these two recipes and I’m going to try them today.

The first is a recipe for Bruschetta, a light appetizer I learned to pronounce while in Italy last March (hint: the ‘ch’ is pronounces with a hard ‘c’). I had some amazing Bruschetta in Venezia (for those who haven’t had the fortune to go to Italy, that’s what they call Venice). Okay, so here’s the recipe. Let me know what you think.

Roma Tomato Bruschetta
• 6 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil (no stems)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 French baguette
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
2. In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
4. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
5. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Now, since I’m a meat and potatoes kinda gal, I was looking for something I could grill and keep the heat outside. I’m not a stickler segregating my food by country of origin, so I found this great kabob recipe online as well.

Teriyaki Kabobs

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak, cut 1 1/4 inch cubes
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 12 cherry tomatoes

Directions
1. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and salt; mix well. Pour half of the marinade into a large sealable plastic bag or shallow glass container; coat beef in marinade. Seal or cover; refrigerate for 4-8 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
2. Drain the meat, discarding the marinade. On metal or soaked bamboo skewers, alternate meat, green pepper, onion and tomatoes. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.
3. Baste with reserved marinade. Continue turning and basting for 8-10 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness (for rare, a meat thermometer should read 140 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well done, 170 degrees F). Serve meat and vegetables over cooked rice.

Let me know what you think and Happy Eating! While you’re waiting for the food to cook, try one of these short reads….

Myla’s Most Recent Releases

She’s ready to leave Temptation behind…

Welcome back to the Ugly Stick Saloon with this short story about Charli’s first erotic adventure.

Charli Sutton is tired of the same-ol-same-ol in Temptation, Texas and her job at the Ugly Stick Saloon. Her itchy feet tell her that if it ain’t happenin’ here, it’s time to go back to Austin and raise a little hell.

Obsessions

Thanks so much for having me back, Delilah!

One thing I’m really good at is obsessing. Some of my obsessions are fun, and some are less-so, and a lot of them keep me awake at night.

The most recent is what kind of new couches I want. I’ve spent hours looking online but all the ones I like are the wrong colors.

And before that it was a steam mop. Of course as soon as I bought one at Walmart, I found one on Amazon $20 cheaper.

And there are the strawberry lemonades at McD’s. Some days nothing else will do.

But let’s talk about the fun ones.

Last summer, it was The Tudors. I watched every episode, bought the first three seasons (Charles Brandon lost his appeal in season 4) and started reading Phillipa Gregory books.

Then it was Hawaii Five-O, or should I say Alex O’Loughlin. I even bought The Back-Up Plan with him and J-Lo because he was just so adorable in it. I watched some terrible movies just to catch a glimpse of him.

After that it was Jason Aldean. I must have listened to Wide Open (the CD) a hundred times, especially the song “This I Gotta See.” SUCH a romantic song.

Then it was Justified, or…Timothy Olyphant. I watched the first disc from Netflix, then bought the first season and watched it in something like three days, and I have season 2 on its way from Amazon. I watched all HIS movies (some were pretty good—I bought The Broken Heart Club, Catch and Release and The Perfect Getaway).

I wish I could get obsessed about something like exercise or healthy cooking or keeping the house clean…heck, what’s the fun in that?

What are some of your obsessions?

Check out my new release, Riding Out the Storm, my first ménage from The Wild Rose Press!

Jill Gavin is trying to overcome her bad girl reputation. After a year of celibacy, she’s ready to start a grown-up relationship with Ethan Dewitt, one of her co-workers at the Strait Advertising Agency. A weekend conference seems the perfect chance for a romantic weekend. Jill didn’t count on her boss sending her former lover Zach Purser with them, and she certainly didn’t count on the spring blizzard that strands them in a motel room along the way. She’s stuck in a room with her past and future lover. What’s a former bad girl to do? And if Jill acts on her desires, what will the men think of her?

By the way—my husband knows I write erotic romance, but he DOESN’T know I wrote a ménage, so let’s just keep that between us!

Emma Jay

**Psst! Ms. Paisley and I have an announcement to make! We’ve just contracted to write two anthologies and one co-written book with Ellora’s Cave! The books are dark and kinky and filled with vamps and witches. We can’t wait to start sharing more details! ~DD

Is Kink the New Black?

When Ellora’s Cave first announced their new kink line, I thought I’d never be able to write kink. Until I realized just how kinky my fantasies really are!

Kink is definitely a new trend in erotic romance and I think it’s here to stay. But do you have to be into a particular kink to enjoy reading about it? I don’t think so. For me, anyway, it’s all about the fantasy. And kink romance, like bdsm romance, is all about the power exchange between the characters.

While doing research for Nurse Lovette, I was amazed to discover how many forms of kink there are. From furries to tickle fetishists, they all had one thing in common and that was the sub / dom (or in my case, domme) relationship.

In Nurse Lovette, Avery is a woman whose medical fetish fantasies have prevented her from finding intimacy with her sexual partners. Her therapist encourages her to find a partner who is willing to explore these fantasies in real life. Avery quickly discovers there’s more behind her inability to find intimacy than she realized.

Everybody has a kinky side although it might not be as extreme as Avery’s. Is there a kink or fetish you enjoy reading about that you might or might not try in real life?

I’ll put the commenters names in a hat and draw one for a free download of Nurse Lovette!

Or click here to buy it now from Ellora’s Cave!

After two failed marriages, Avery Walker is encouraged by her therapist to explore her secret obsession. She can’t get off without fantasizing about submitting to intimate examinations—performed by a hot female nurse. When she joins a medical fetish website, she expects to find a partner who’ll provide a little probing and maybe some sexual release to help Avery get in touch with her kinky side.

Then she meets Nurse Lovette…

The consummate professional, Darby Lovette is determined to keep her relationship with Avery one of nurse and patient—nearly impossible when the gorgeous woman is on the exam table, willingly submitting to unspeakably intimate “procedures”. The fact that she’s loved and lost helps Darby maintain her resolve; falling in love isn’t part of her treatment plan. But Avery’s determination to explore sex with a woman just might be the cure for what ails them both.

Reader Advisory: This book employs myriad toys created especially for erotic exams, no holes barred, and, ahem…perhaps a sensual enema—or two.

An Exotika™ erotica story from Ellora’s Cave

Chapter One

Avery Walker pushed her untouched pastry away. She couldn’t have swallowed even if she’d been hungry. Today, not even the soothing scent of fresh-ground coffee and cinnamon buns could quiet her nerves. Today, she was meeting Darby Lovette in person for the first time.

Today, she was facing—and sharing—her darkest, most taboo fantasies.

Encouraged by her therapist, Avery had joined a fetish dating website. After two failed marriages to men, she had very reluctantly decided it might be time to confront her secret desires head on, to see if her therapist was right about the fact that fear was the only thing keeping her from having a real relationship. She’d signed up under the moniker Model Patient Seeks Nurse and had anonymously detailed the particulars of her fetish.

Avery had studied enough psychology in college to know a fetish like hers could drive a wedge between fantasy and real intimacy. How could it possibly help to bring her closer to anyone?

And a stranger at that?

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