Thursday, February 28, 2013

Author Chat Friday: I'm a slave and my Master sucks...


This Friday, Alysha is here with an Author Chat with a twist...

I am a slave…and my Master sucks.

I’ve become interested in the BDSM lifestyle. I know that a Slave’s pleasure comes from making sure the Master’s needs are always met, that pleasure comes from service and trust. A good submissive obeys the Master’s every command. And a good Master takes care of his sub, rewarding her, keeping her from harm and giving her what she needs even if she doesn’t know what that is herself.

But my Master sucks. He lets me think I am in command. He lets me believe that I am giving orders, but in fact my whole life revolves around doing things the way he wants. And does he ever reward me? No. So I’m taking a stand. Literally. I am getting up from my seat and walking away from the machine that every day, does everything it can to make me its slave.

You hear that Hewlett Packard laptop? Are you listening Apple Mac? Loud enough for you over there, Dell?

I am leading a slave revolt. No more will we writers agonise over how to change the speech marks from straight to curly. Stuff your shift return. Stick your tabs where the sun don’t shine. You can send me all the dialogue boxes you like, because if you crash—I am going to report it.

And you can take your 403 page not found and …

What’s that you say, computer? If I don’t format my blog entry correctly you won’t load it? But I promised Phoenix I’d have it ready! Please open the document. Oh, forgive me. Please open the document, Sir.

No, Sir, I didn’t mean I wanted to stop using the computer. Yes, Sir, I do understand that when you subject me to the little green wavy line it is because you know best. Oh, no, Sir, I would never challenge you on your spelling of honor. No sir. I’m sorry Sir.

I am a slave…and my Master instructs me to inform you that he is wiser than me, quicker than me and has a much better grasp of grammar than me. My Master does permit you to share a sample from my foray into the world of BDSM, which you can read here.

Sharing the Billionaire Anthology—Submitting to Him

A sexy Greek, a billionaire and the woman they share.

The knock sounded on the door twenty minutes later. Blair opened it to find Nick standing there with the waiter. Oh yes, so easy to lead. If he continued to respond so well, the night looked very promising.

“Since the decision about the menu was mine, I wanted to be sure you found the meal satisfactory,” Nick said and stepped over the threshold.

The waiter rolled the cart inside and under Nick’s critical gaze, set out the meal. When everything was ready, Nick nodded a brief dismissal. The waiter shut the door behind him and Nick turned to Blair. His quick, searching glance around the room didn’t go as unnoticed as he probably hoped it would. “If Mrs Cowdery finds my selections satisfactory, I’ll leave you to enjoy the meal.”

“I’m sure my wife will find your—choices—tempting.” He raised his voice, “Elise, your order has arrived.”

Blair pushed open the door to the bedroom, then stood back. Elise stepped into the light. Nick’s jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. He stared at Elise for a long moment, the only movement the convulsive jerk of his throat as he swallowed and the brush of his tongue across his lips.

Blair smiled. Just the reaction he’d hoped for. His own cock had once more hardened into an iron rod.

Elise wore nothing but a black corset, laced tight so her ample breasts bulged above it, rounded and soft. Boning cinched her waist, giving her a perfect hourglass figure. A black leather thong left most of her delicious buttocks bare. Her legs were encased in thigh-high stockings and she teetered on outrageously high platform stilettos.

Her hands were bound behind her back with a length of silk ribbon the exact colour of the blue roofs of Santorini.

“Sit,” Blair ordered her and she sank gracefully onto the sofa.

“As you can see,” he said to Nick. “My wife is currently unable to avail herself of the fine food you've provided.”

He waited, but though Nick slipped his tongue out once more, and opened and shut his mouth, no sound emerged.

Blair handed Nick a fork from the table. “I want my wife to sample the food. Would you oblige?”

“Me? I…” Nick stumbled to halt.

Blair met his gaze head on. “You did say you would do anything to make our stay more comfortable?”

Nick moved his head in a sharp, staccato movement that might have been a nod.

“Let me make it plain to you. I am a man who is rich beyond compare, not only in worldly goods but in the affections of my beautiful wife. So rich that it pleases me, and her, to share her with a very select few. You could be one of those.” Blair offered him a reassuring smile. “There will be no coercion. You are free to walk away now, or after, without any fear of consequences. I will not report you or try to have you removed from your job.” He walked to Elise and placed his hand on her shoulder, running it down the smooth flesh of her throat, stroking over the full mounds of her breasts. He looked up and caught the heavy-lidded intentness of Nick’s expression. “I promise you if you consent to join our little game, there will be no consequences.” He ran one finger under the edge of the corset to touch Elise’s nipple. “No negative consequences.”

The front of Nick’s pants bulged in an unmistakeable sign of his interest.

Elise smiled and Blair pinched her nipple hard. She gasped and dropped her head submissively.

Nick looked at them both, with pale assessing eyes, then he took one step forward and picked up a fork from the table. He speared into the first bowl and brought out a tiny, red morsel. “Tomato keftedes,” he said, his voice shaking as much as the fork. “M-made from the local tomatoes. Unique to the island.” He held the fork to Elise’s mouth.

She lifted her head in response to the upward pressure of Blair’s hand under her chin but her lips remained shut.

”She can’t eat until you give her permission,” Blair said.

I give permission?” It was a question but Blair nodded as if Nick had issued an instruction and Elise opened her mouth. The fork wobbled and the savoury dropped in more by luck than intention. Elise swallowed it and whispered, “Thank you, Sir.” Her open mouth begged silently for another bite, but she didn’t raise her eyes or speak again.

Blair reached into his pocket and drew out a tangled bundle of blue silk and tossed it onto the table.

Sharing the Billionaire from Total-e-Bound

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Promo Monday with The Great Sex Toy Caper and Competition


This Monday, I have something a little different for you all. A contest, but not just any! The lucky winner of this contest will get a hamper full of some interesting prizes! Read on for more details... 

The Great S*x Toy Caper & Competition

Thanks for having me Phoenix, and a big HI to all the Naughty Pages readers. And I’ve got something very naughty for you today. S*x toys!

Talking about sex toys is one of those dodgy topics. It’s right up there with religion, politics, and how you lost your virginity (never as racy or exciting as it should have been). A common way to cover up embarrassment or shame when talking about one’s personal battery operated significant other is to give it a cutesy name. In my debut erotic novella, Bloom, the heroine (Emma) escapes from the drudgery and routine of her life with her fantasies about Ramon (see synopsis below) and her sex toy, Mr. Buzzy.

A funny name seems to take the shame out of even acknowledging one owns a toy of this nature. It’s as if by calling it B.O.B. (Battery Operated Boyfriend) for example, the toy becomes less of an object of perversity and more like a family pet.

The truth is, when you have a good hunt around on the internet, the range, scope and SIZE of available sex toys is . . . well . . . terrifying. I ask you, what woman has the capacity to take a silicon dildo the equivalent length of 3 coke cans laid out end to end? I know, it makes your eyes water doesn’t it? So why wouldn’t we dumb it down and cutesy it up with a droll name?

Which brings me to the fun competition I’ve got running from 22 February – 11 March, plenty of time to consider, research and enter. The winner will recieve an Sexy Caper Hamper including a hardcopy of Indigo Bloom’s Destined to Play and Destined to Feel, Kindle copies of my erotic e-books Breaking the Rules and Bloom, some sexy body stuff AND a cute little sex toy called a Love Bunny.

Entering is easy. Come up with a funky, cutesy or naughty name for a personal sex toy – for some inspiration try here, or I found a game you can play that might inspire too. Go to my blog post announcing the competition (22 February), fill in the form, enter your cheeky sex toy name in the space provided and submit. Each person is allowed a total of three entries. I have a small group of authorly judges who will consider the names and decide on the winner (we might have runners up if we find a couple of beauties). The winner will be announced (with initials only if you prefer to be anonymous) on The Ecstasy Files March 15th blogpost – along with a selection of the best entries.

So, what are you waiting for? Get playful, come along and join in the fun.

Breaking the Rules: Grace is a beautiful woman in complete control of her world. A long time ago she chose a career over children and marriage, and has never regretted it. Then Ramon Mendez walks into her office. 
Ramon is about to commence his PhD, a work on erotic literature, and from the outset there is something about him that makes Grace’s blood run hot. Aware of the need to maintain her professional reputation, she
rejects his advances, but he persists. And during their intimate supervision sessions, her defences start to crumble, for Ramon’s work is exposing desires within Grace she never knew existed.

Follow this link for a sample chapter: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/kate-belle/breaking-the-rules-
9781742758343.aspx

Breaking the Rules: iTunes  & Amazon 

Bloom: Thirty-six-year-old Emma’s life looks as perfect as could be. She loves her solid, straight-laced husband Gary, who has given her three beautiful, if spoilt, children and a secure life. But something is missing. Gary hardly notices her anymore and she feels frumpy and invisible. Her friend, Lisa, talks her into joining a social boot camp class at the local gym. Emma immediately recognises their instructor as the gorgeous runner she sees each evening while walking her dog in the park. He introduces himself as Ramon Mendez. In spite of herself Emma is besotted.

Before long her mind is filled with guilty fantasies of him. One evening, when things at home have become too much to bear, she bumps into him alone in the park. An opportunity presents itself and no one need ever know. Ramon promises and delivers everything that’s missing from her marriage – passion, romance and excitement – but Emma must discover if they are the things she really wants.

Follow this link for a sample chapter: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/kate-belle/bloom-
9781742758350.aspx

Bloom: iTunes & Amazon 

Author Bio

Kate is a woman of many passions who juggles her pens with the rest of her life. She holds a tertiary qualification in chemistry, half a diploma in naturopathy and a diploma in psychological astrology. Kate believes in living a passionate life and has ridden a camel through the Australian desert, fraternised with hippies in Nimbin, had a near birth experience and lived on nothing but porridge and a carrot for 3 days.

Kate lives, writes and loves in Melbourne, juggling her strange, secret affairs with her male characters with her much loved partner and daughter, and a menagerie of neurotic pets.

Blog/website: http://www.ecstasyfiles.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katebelle.x

Twitter: @ecstasyfiles

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Author Chat Friday with Delena Silverfox: Writers Who Don't Research


I'll admit, I do make up some facts; but there is a necessity for accuracy. This post is all about when facts that need to be accurate aren't researched... 

5 Reasons Why Pulling Details Out of Your Butt Does Not Make You a Writer! | Research for Fiction Writers

How many times have you heard something like this: “Well, it's not like I'm writing non-fiction. It's all fiction/fantasy/alternate-Earth/etc., anyway. I just make up what I need!”

Welcome to my Pet Peeve: Writers Who Don't Research.

Mark Twain said, “It's no wonder truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense!” (You might find references that Leo Rosten said that, but I first heard that Twain said it, so I'm stepping out of that debate!)

Reason the First: A story that doesn't make consistent, logical sense is lame. Even if your fictional world is on a different planet in a galaxy far, far away, in an alternate dimension, where everything is powered by pixie dust and hugs and puppies, your world still operates based on a set of rules. Develop those rules Make them as consistent as the laws of physics here on plain ol' Planet Earth.

Nothing ruins a good read faster than constantly having the characters pull some weird, new –and surprisingly convenient– solution out of their butt that nobody's ever heard of and which the author has never bothered to mention until now. Deus ex machina was a tool utilized by the ancient Greeks in their plays to show that the gods smiled upon the virtuous. People thought nothing of a character being whisked away to safety in the face of a sure demise. I think we can leave that plot device where it belongs: in ancient history.

Reason #2: Intelligent people read books, and intelligent people have BS meters. If you need to make something up, make sure you are first applying Rule the First, and then make sure it doesn't stretch believability so badly that you snag the fabric of your plot. There are certain things that will challenge a reader's suspension of belief simply because it's so “out there” it has no basis in reality.

“But wait! It's fiction! It's not real!” Well, hold your horses. You have created a reality for them. At the same time, they exist in this reality, and there are some things that just do not seem possible. Create at least some basis of your book in reality. For example, one of the pinnacles of science fiction in existence –Dune– is pretty whacked when you think about it. But it's based entirely on concepts we readily accept: artificial intelligence gone wrong, mind-altering substances, telepathy, telekenesis, giant mutant monsters a la 1950's monster movies.

Reason #3: Someone is going to know more than you.

It's inevitable. You might think you know a lot about costuming because you watch The Tudors and Pride and Prejudice all the time. You might think you know enough about genetic splicing because hey, it sounded good in Jurassic Park. And you might even know something about firarms or trial law because, hey, you've owned a gun since you were eight and you took pre-law at Harvard. And hey anyway, it doesn't matter if you're not exact, it's your own world and they just did things differently!

Yeah, but, you know what? Even fiction has similarities to the real world somewhere, or similarities to other fiction. People keep track of this stuff. They'll know when you did your research and then added your own flaire, and when it got pulled out of...well, you know. And then they'll let everyone know about how full of it you are, which leads to...

Reason #4: People are more likely to post negative reviews than positive ones. And not just negative, but scathing if you give them a reason to.

Psychologically and physiologically, we are actually built to remember more negative experiences than positive ones. Negative experiences require more processing in the brain, so we think about it more. Back in our hunter/gatherer days, survival required stronger and more immediate reactions to possible negative outcomes. We obsess over the subpar events in our lives purely because they are out of the ordinary, and we then have to go over all of the reasons why it's out of the ordinary. If you have bad logic or obviously fake detail in your book, a reader has an awful lot of time to be sitting around thinking, “This sure is a crappy book!”

Teresa Amabile, director of research over at Harvard Business School, found that the power of a setback to increase frustration is over three times as strong as the power of something to decrease frustration. So respect your readers, and don't give them reason to be frustrated with you because you couldn't be bothered to research. Your ratings and reviews will thank you for it.

Reason #5: Writing is a science every bit as much as it's an art form. And science has rules. Lots of rules. Learn them. Live them. Love them. Find which rules you can manipulate, and which rules actually help you get through obeying other rules.

You never know what you're going to learn if you research related topics. Even if you don't use them, they're still useful! Researching peasant fashion in pre-Revolutionary War France might give you an idea of the kinds of skirts women wore back then, but related topics might show you how they lived, how they thought, what they believed, and how it all mixed up with other things to start a revolution.

Maybe this book doesn't have any of that, but who knows? Maybe your next one will. Or maybe it's just one discontented character, and now all that time you thought you wasted reading about some really cool 18th century French dissent helps you write a fabulously detailed antihero with depth you never would've gotten if you'd just pulled him out...

You get the picture.

Research. Do it. You just might learn something.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Hump Day Hook February 20

I know last time I gave you a hook from the short story The Return of Their Master. But I will leave that one until closer until it's released to return to it. For the time being, I'm going to focus on Wolf Smitten, with Book One out for just over a month now. This week is a taste from Once Bitten Twice Shy, Book Two. Keep in mind, this is unedited. 


“What is so funny,” Aubree asked as she tucked in to her slice of pie.
“Oh, just thinking,” Derek replied.
“Of what?” she demanded.
“Of me,” came Krissy’s voice from over Aubree’s shoulder. “Good morning, darling,” she then directed at Derek as he slid across to give her room next to him. They greeted each other with a tender kiss, longer than necessary.
Pulling out of the kiss, the couple looked across to the intruder who was fuming. “Jealousy is not a good look on you, honey,” Krissy contritely quipped, gently smiling at the woman who thought herself a competitor.
For the third time in only a few minutes Darla returned to the table with the coffee pot, a clean mug and another plate with Krissy’s own piece of pie. “Oh thank you, just what the doctor ordered.” Derek silently applauded Krissy’s composure in the face of Aubree’s clear fury.
“The pie is especially good today, sweetheart,” he told Krissy, winking at the pleasure on Darla’s face. Turning to Aubree he decided to make the introductions, however obvious and pointless may be. “So, my dear, here is my former lover from England, Aubree. You know the one who stomped on my heart when it was in need of some comfort. Aubree, this is Krissy, the woman who is currently giving my heart all the tender loving care it needs and then some.” Wrapping his arm around Krissy’s shoulders, he sighed with content. 

Monday, February 18, 2013

Promo Monday with Alysha Ellis Submitting to Him


My latest release from Total-E-Bound is part of the Sharing the Billionaire Anthology.  Imagine a man with uncountable wealth.  He can afford every pleasure his heart desires. The pleasure he loves most is his wife, and he wants to show another man just how special she is.

'Submitting to Him' by Alysha Ellis

Elise loves her husband. He shares her with a handsome, dominating stranger.

Billionaire Blair Cowdery and his wife Elise travel the world seeking new pleasures. On the island of Santorini their status ensures they get the personal attention of their hotel’s handsome young manager, Nick Zervelos.
Blair’s pleasure is to share his beautiful wife with someone who appreciates her special gifts. Nick’s masterful nature makes it plain he is such a man. Blair soon discovers he and Nick share an interest in bondage and rope play.
Together Blair and Nick show Elise the pleasure of submission and the freedom that comes from being bound.
The two men work together, orchestrating a series of heated sexual encounters. They take Elise to a new space, pushing her limits. They teach her that in losing herself she will discover her true identity.
By the time the game of dominance and submission is played out, Blair, Nick and Elise are bound with ties too strong to resist.



Well, doesn't that just sound sexy and devine?!

Friday, February 15, 2013

Author Chat Friday with Liz Adams - What Makes a Hot Sex Scene?

It's Liz's turn for Author Chat Friday once again! Take it away, Liz!


If writing sex scenes were easy, there would be no such thing as bad erotica. The truth is I've read a lot of sex scenes that lack the sizzle. It takes more than just hot sex to make a good sex scene.

Last time I covered what makes a good sex scene. I like to make sure my sex scenes are arousing, move the story forward, develop the characters, and develop the relationship between the characters.

Lets investigate the first one more in depth. How can you make your sex scenes arousing? Let's take a close look at that, hold it in our hands, squeeze it, stroke it, until we get a good look at how big it really is.

1. No talking during sex - We listen to each other mostly by nonverbal communication. There is nothing arousing about "Yeah, take off that shirt. Yeah, grab me there. That's where I want you to touch me. Will you still respect me in the morning?" This is a case of telling instead of showing. Instead, narrate the actions that are taking place and have your protagonist reflect on how she feels about what's happening, about him, about herself, and about their relationship. This is not to say that you can't have the man mutter "beautiful" every so often as he undresses her, but conversations are a no-no.

CAVEAT: I use talking during sex all the time. The difference is this. When the choice is to have the character say, " 'Yeah! Stick that thing inside me!'" or to have the character narrate, "She grabbed his length and tugged him closer to feel him fill her," I'll choose the narration every time. But if I have the opportunity to use the sexual thrill as subtext to the conversation, I'll be sure to add conversation. Imagine, for example, Sherry and Jack have a double date with their friends. As they sit at the table of a five-star restaurant, here's a possible conversation.
Frank raised his eyebrows. "So, Jack. Sherry tells me you're a painter."
"That's right." Beneath the table, Jack slipped his hand down Sherry's panties and gave her one of his talented massages. Sherry started to squirm. Jack turned to Sherry. "Do you like my work, Sweetie?"
Sherry cleared her throat, feeling a finger dip inside. Her heart pounded out all sorts of morse code she hoped her friends couldn't read. "Yes." She wiped her mouth with a napkin. "He's quite good...um...with his hands."

So while I wouldn't say dialogue is forbidden, just be sure to first check if you can replace the dialogue with description.

2. Cut out the true dialogues - What do couples truly say during sex? "Oh yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Omigod! Omigod! Omigod! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Is this text arousing? The correct answer is no.

3. No euphemisms - Euphemisms are great if you want to make the reader laugh. But nothing throws ice onto the frying pan more than saying things like "his tube-o-plenty," "her tunnel of love," "his slippery doo dah," or "her hoochy coochy coo."

4. This is not a doctor's office - Just as much as you need to avoid euphemisms, the other side of the spectrum is true also. Don't use clinical terms like penis, testicles, vagina, and vulva. I grew up hearing them in the doctor's office and in sex education classes, so during sex I don't want to be reminded of my biology teacher nor of my gynecologist, thank you very much.

5. Less is More - We don't need to know what thing goes into what thing. By writing "his c*ck grew hard in his jeans," or "he put his c*ck into her pu**y," the author has removed the people from the sex. Instead, keep the characters included with what they're doing by writing something like "he wriggled uncomfortably as creases in his jeans formed in interesting places," or "he eased himself inside her."

6. More is more - The spicy parts don't start at the bedroom, they start at the first moment the two notice each other. From his world-weary, blue eyes to his deep, throaty laugh to his strong arm that catches her when she trips, the sparks start flying. She feels her heart race and she's breathless. Pile on the sensuality. The more foreplay we as readers feel, the bigger the payoff will be when we get to the bedroom. So when people ask me how to start a sex scene, I tell them to start it the moment the characters meet.

7. Use adverbs and adjectives - This is the most counterintuitive tip for seasoned writers because we were always told to avoid adjectives and kill all adverbs. Not true with sex scenes. It's okay to say he circled her nipple gently or relentlessly licked her or stroked her tenderly between her legs. With those adverbs, we know his state of mind and how it must feel for her. Adjectives are even better. Just saying the words buff, sculpted, hard, musky, strong, hot, slick, and thick, makes me scandalously wet!

Making a sex scene sizzle can be challenging, but I found that by following these seven secrets, my sex scenes have gone from sleepy to steamy.

What tips do you have to spice up a sex scene? Share your ideas with me below! I'd love to hear them!


Bio
Liz Adams, author of the erotic fairy tale Alice's Sexual Discovery in a Wonderful Land, lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA. Her short story Amy “Red” Riding's Hood, an erotic version of Red Riding Hood, is an Amazon bestseller and winner of Goodreads' Book of the Month for October 2012. Liz studied music and creative writing at UCLA and worked as a freelance model before making her writing her career. In her spare time she cuddles with her husband on the couch to watch her favorite shows and often they work together doing research for her books. Feel free to contact Liz through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Liz.Adams.Author.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Hump Day Hook Feb 13

This is a hook from my short/novellette (depends what happens during edits because it's right on the border word count wise), The Return of Their Master. Haven't thought about this one for a while, it's waiting for edits so thought I might slip a hook from it in. 


It was my turn to grab his wrist, dragging him behind me as I marched to the corner up the back for some semblance of privacy. “I can’t,” I whispered loudly. “I can’t explain why but I just can’t. We can’t be.” I regretted my harsh tone but I knew it was necessary. He was better off without me in his life, no matter how dangerous even that was.  Tears threatened to well in the corners of my eyes but I fought them off, knowing it would demand an explanation I wasn’t ready to give.
Jake stared at me as though daring me to hold by my refusal before bowing his head and stepping back. “Alright then, if that’s what you want.”
“It’s not what I want, believe me, but it’s the way it has to be. I’m so sorry Jake.” It was getting harder to fight back to tears. I knew it was a losing battle so I had to get him to leave before I lost the fight. “You have to go, Jake. Please, just go.” I lowered my head, hiding my face as tears started to win. 

For other Hump Day Hooks, check out the "home" page here.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Author Chat Friday with Phoenix Johnson

So once again I am a little late, and I do apologise. Yesterday was a pretty silly day, and then by the time I had a chance to post, I had no idea just what to write. So I slept on it, and I think I have an idea now. Of course, the way my mind works I'll probably start of talking about topic A and then end up talking about a dream I had last month on a Tuesday night... If I do go off on a tangent, please do bare with me; I plead pregnancy brain! (For those who don't know, my partner and I are expecting our second child in August. So I will probably be a little silly with posts for a while, and with moving to a bigger place in a couple months, things will be a bit hectic. But I won't forget about The Naughty Pages, I promise.)

Alright, what was I saying... Oh, that's right. What my author chat today is about. The annoying and silly questions authors get asked. Knowing as many other authors as I do, I can tell you, there have been some real doozies! 

"Will your book be in print?"
Now, in itself, it doesn't annoy me. My first one has only come to ebook, but I'm hoping it's popular enough the publisher finds it worthwhile putting the trilogy in to print. We'll see further down the road. I know, however, that other authors quite probably get frustrated by this. Ebooks are becoming more popular than print, yet there are so many people still asking for print. I love that, personally. I'll always prefer hard copy to digital as a reader. However, the digital copy means that stories that are short, yet don't necessarily belong in an anthology can now stand on their own and be read, and loved, by readers like stories are meant to be. Unfortunately, with so many readers still preferring print, many authors will be asked this question A LOT, and more than likely get quite frustrated by it. 

"What happens in the next one?"
I have had a few people try to pry the plot out of me for Once Bitten Twice Shy (book two of Wolf Smitten), but I've been able to laugh it off. If you want to know, you have to sit patiently and wait. I know, it's frustrating to wait so desperately for a sequel. I have done plenty of waiting for "the next book" myself, so believe me, I know. And it's not just the reader waiting; often, the book may already be written, but it needs to go to an editor. Editors have many other books to edit, so they can't drop everything just to get one particular one published. Besides, the wait makes it all the sweeter, doesn't it? 
Back to the question, though. Many readers might try to claim they know what the next book in a series is about. It's the same with movies. Goodness knows how many false trailers for movie sequels I've seen. The Fast in the Furious series is a great example. The sixth movie is only just about to come out, yet there are already false trailers for a seventh on youtube, using clips from movies not even in the FF series! It's really a bit idiotic, in my opinion. There isn't even a promise that there will be a seventh. Seriously, fans, just calm down and continue with your actual lives, please. Leave that up to the writers. 

"Being an author must be so awesome, you get to stay at home all day!"
Ok, I haven't been asked this, but I know it's an assumption many people have. One I intend to correct. No, this is not always the case. I have a few friends who work 60+ hours a week in a "normal" job, then come home and still manage to write a few thousand words before crashing in to bed, to start it all again tomorrow. One in particular, I still just shake my head at the amount that she does every day. Wow. (You know who you are, lady!)
Myself? Ok, yes. I stay at home all day. But I'm not kicking back doing nothing until inspiration hits. I study full time. I have a 3-almost-4-year-old with another on the way. I proof-read. I have a place to keep clean (thank you so much to my fantastic man for helping with that!), and food to cook (again, thank you for helping most nights, babe!). Then, when I can squeeze some brain power after studying and proof-reading, THEN I might be able to get some words written down for the next one. Very few authors are able to sit at home all day to focus on writing. Most of us have full time jobs we need to keep to support the family and keep our backsides in a house with power so we can type away at our computers. Or, in my case, study so that I can get a great job. Point being, it's not an easy ride like so many people assume. Life does get in the way quite often. So unless it's someone like J K Rowling (who would still have public appearances and all that famous person stuff), then don't assume they sit at home all day doing next to nothing. 

Well, I think 3 questions is enough for this week. I might have some more for next time. It's a month away, so we'll just see now, won't we? 
Next time you go to ask an author a question, stop and think for a minute. Make sure it's not a question that could make you look like an arse. The author will thank you for it!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Mid Week Special Guest: Cree Walker


Blurb:

What would you do if you were separated from your life mate and you knew it was literally killing you both?

Would you fight against all odds, possibly to the death, to return to their side?

Werewolves – like their natural counterpart the wolves – breed for life; and if there is no mate, there is no life. A prolonged separation between mates can kill them more efficiently than any bullet ever could.

The werewolves are dying. Years of war between the Born werewolves and bitten, along with a lack of healthy bloodlines, has taken its toll on the race and if something isn't done soon, they will all be gone within the next fifty years. They are a strong breed, but have one major weakness that will
probably end them all.

The Council is playing with fire when they use this very weakness against Sugar Lubec, the Born daughter of two bitten parents, to carry the offspring of Alpha Jack Coon. He is the leader of the largest werewolf pack in North America.

Ending the war between the two groups is the only thing that can save the werewolves and bring Jack and Sugar together. Can they do it before they end up paying the ultimate price for their long separation? Or will that price be the only thing that can end the war?

Excerpt:

Jack rolled over to face me and smiled wickedly. “If I killed you now, you couldn’t get away now could you?” The humor on his face kept me from screaming bloody murder, but a sad look came over his eyes.

I faced away from him and steadied my breathing to match his until his snoring started. I edged over until the majority of my weight was on my free arm off the side of the bed and swung my leg down. I inched my way higher until I could get a good grip on the metal nail file and nearly bent it in half trying to pry it from between the carpeted floor and the metal foot of the bed frame. He coughed and I swallowed a scream. I jumped anyway and ground my teeth, waiting to see if he had woken up. The snoring continued. I rolled back onto the bed and pulled myself into a sitting position so I could reach
my cuffed hand with the other. I knew better than to try and pick the lock - I had no skill in that - but if I used the curved end of the cheap metal nail file and scraped away at the neck of the post where the cuff was until I could crack the end of the knob off…I would be free. Of course, I had to accomplish all of this without waking Sleeping Beauty.

I went to work, only scraping tiny amounts of wood off when he snored. Hours passed and the gray light of early dawn seeped in through the tiny cracks in the curtains. I was more than halfway through the bedpost and, bleeding blisters or not, I would not quit…that was not in my repertoire. He
shifted in the hours of late sleep - his body was waking up. I sucked in a breath and coughed, yanking my cuff and ripping the heavy knob free along with my right arm. I fumbled for the flying knob, but it went sailing out of reach and bounced hard on the shag carpet. I didn’t move except for my eyes and I watched his open, blinking sleepily and looking at me with only minor interest and then his eyes closed again. He rolled away from me, facing the door to the room and started to snore again.

I stood slowly, my cramped muscles screaming in protest. I couldn't remember ever being this scared, and I had had plenty of opportunities, but I was out of practice it seemed. My heart roared blood through my veins until it was the only thing I could hear. I walked around the front of the bed and he still
slept soundly until, of course, I stepped on the broken bed knob, rolled backwards flat onto my back, kicked over the chair, and tore the comforter on the way down, in order to catch my fall. I waited for the pain - broken bones or cracked skull. I was lucky I was holding my breath when I fell, because all the wind would have been knocked out of me. It took less than a second for him to sit up and find me laying there on my back with the t-shirt God knows how high on my legs … at least I hoped it was still that far down.

“What the fuck?” He asked.

To my expressed joy he didn’t sound mad … yet. “I fell on my way to the bathroom.”

“The bathroom is behind you.” Jack narrowed his eyes; sleep all but a distant memory now.
“Didn’t I cuff you …?” He looked over his shoulder at the broken headboard. “I’m going to have to pay for that!”

Okay, now he sounded a little mad.

Buy Links:

http://naughtynightspress.com/nnpstore2/index.php?
main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=7

http://www.amazon.com/Whisper-On-Scream-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B007B30F3G/ref=sr_1_1?
ie=UTF8&qid=1359491555&sr=8-1&keywords=whisper+on+a+scream

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-whisperonascream-726390-139.html

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/134455

Contact info:

Website/blog http://www.creewalker.wordpress.com

Email creewalker@rocketmail.com

Or check out what I’m up to on Facebook!

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Promo Monday with Imogene Nix


Today, I'm pleased to welcome the saucy Imogene Nix to The Naughty Pages. She's discussing High Points and Hard Points of being an author, as well as her books Starline and Starburst.

High Points and Hard Points with Imogene Nix
Oh the joys of being a published author!  I mean it’s all sunshine and lollipops... right?
Sadly, that is not the truth... well not for me anyway.

My Road to becoming a published author...

If I could lay the blame at anyone/anything, it would be the ARRA conference in Bondi March 2011. I was sitting in a room with Lexxie Couper, Rhian Cahill, Heather Boyd and Jess Dee, listening to them talking about their experiences in writing, how they had grown from their opportunities etc.  There weren’t lots of people in the room... But a light bulb lit up for me.

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

All the way home, this darned refrain kept playing in the back of my head.  So I sat down and wrote.  That story became Starline.  My first erotic SciFi romance. (Now I would call this a serious High Point)
This graphic has been doing the rounds of Facebook but it is pretty close to society’s
expectations of an author.
That’s all there is to it... right?  So now I can sit back and rake in the cash? Isn’t that how writing fiction works?

Not quite. 

I decided I had better join a writing group – RWA seemed the best option (and yes I still recommend that to all who are considering embarking on a writing career.)

I found my first Critique Partner and learned that there was a lot more to writing than just getting the story down.  It was hard.  Very hard.  (Hard Point)

I had to learn about dialogues and Points of View, ed and ing conflicts. The complexities of the rules of writing romance and detached body parts, such as fingers that do things without the benefit of an arm to assist, Lol! So no, it certainly wasn’t as simple as I envisaged.

Once I was sure I had a good grasp of what I was doing... I started sending it out.  I subbed it to a total of 8 houses, garnered 1 rejection and had 2 offers.  Wow!  It was a mix of high and hard points, but at the end on the day, I found my first home, signed the deal and celebrated like there was no tomorrow.  (High Point)

Now surely, that must be it... right? 

Uh uh... Nope.  Then I had to fill out all the paperwork, apply for an ITIN (required for US Publishers), set up website, blog, facebook, twitter and even google+.  Now I do admit to a fondness for this kind of technological thing, so that was fine.  But then the first cover art arrived. OMG!  (High Point) I was ecstatic.  (Judge for youself.)


I waited and then the edit arrived.  Scary black clouds of edits... (That first part was a Hard Point because it reminded me of how little I really did know.)

Once the book was edited and the first dedication written... then I sat back and waited for release date.  As an author with a small press, you have to do a lot of the promo yourself.  Something I thought I had a handle on... well, I had to learn that each author has to participate in a lot of promotion.  But I’m getting there.

Now, it’s easy to sit here and say, I have the bits ready and can reproduce this for every new book... after all there is a formula, right?  But it isn’t like that.  If there was a recipe

Add a shot of suspense
3 chapters of sex
A dollop of fear...

...then everyone would be doing it.  For the record, there is No Formula.  Each and every title is a journey in its own right.  With each new story I write, I learn something new.  Something to watch out for.

There have been hiccups and false starts along the way... but I am learning to deal with them too.  Just as well all do.


Starburst


Book 3 in the Warriors of the Elector Trilogy.

Meredith Gentry is a woman with a mission.  To decode everything found on the Alpha Star Colony.  Maybe, if she’s lucky, she might finally get closer to the one man who makes her burn.

Chowd Sturat Sur Banden is different.   He’s always known that and that the differences have kept him apart from everyone else.  Until now.

At the end game, will these differences keep Meredith and Chowd apart for good?  Will his own unwanted heritage tear them asunder forever?  And will the crew of the Elector finally prevail over Crick Sur Banden?

The Warriors of the Elector’s cataclysmic conclusion has arrived.

Coming soon from Secret Cravings Publishing


To find out more about Imogene Nix visit her on the net:

Website    Twitter    Facebook    Blog    Google+    Hotter Than Hades Authors

About Imogene:

A mother of two, compulsive reader and bookstore owner. Imogene lives in regional Queensland, Australia with her husband, 2 daughters, dog, cats, guinea pigs and chooks. She has a particular fondness for Vampires, Star Ship captains and things that go bump in the night.