Visiting at 1NS

I am honored that Kate and Val invited me to be a part of this venture. The stories are hot and the premise is intriguing. Stop by the 1NS blog page and read the story behind Erotic Healing.

So much going on!

There is so much going on in my world my head is spinning. To top it off, I lost my calendar information for Meet the Author Monday. I apologize to everyone who did not get a chance to visit. If you would still like to stop by, let me know what you want to do and what day so I can pencil you in to a real calendar and post it on my wall.

So what is happening that has me spinning you ask? Well, I will be happy to tell you.

 

  1) I am doing a book tour with Book Lovin' Bitches for Untamable, though I am regretting that a bit. The reviewers are perhaps a bit too honest. They don't seem to love Thor as much as my editor, CP's and I do. Sigh. Such is life. But it has still been fun meeting and greeting everyone.





2) The Run Devil Run Anthology is off to the printers so with luck my bonus story will actually be available for RT. This has been a really interesting experience for me. I have never written anything that didn't come straight from my head, nor written a story to fit someone else's expectations. It has been a scary but thrilling ride to bring the band's lyrics-as I interpret them-to life. I hope the boys enjoy the tale. I had a blast writing it.


3) Seven authors have united to write/publish a series called Seven Deadly Sins. I feel honored to be a part of the group. Though short for me, Wrath Unleashed ran a little longer than it was supposed to but once the damned, stubborn man started talking, I couldn't shut him up - and before that his body language refused to be silent so it was a struggle to flesh the characters out in less than 12K.


4) I am thrilled to be a part of a new series for Decadent Publishing as well called One-Night Stand. Erotic Healing will release March 25th if my calculations are correct. This story was heartbreaking to write but the hero, as always, rose to the occasion with style. I think you will adore Kostas. He is pretty dang sweet.



5) I am going to RT - LA!!!! For those of you who might not know what that is - it is a giant reader/writer convention in Los Angeles. Several friends are going. There will be workshops, and parties, and social hours and you name it so that should be a blast. I must admit though that I have a few trepidations about leaving home for that long. I don't think I have slept more than a few nights without my husband since we were married almost 25 years ago, but the damned man refuses to come along. Party-pooper.

6) I took on a new job and there is so much to do that I feel like I meet myself some days. I am getting a handle on it all though and by summer I will have it down to a fine art.


7) I am setting up a website! That alone is draining and intimidating. Nothing wants to go where I put it. Technology sucks.

Did I mention that I am loving every moment of all of this? If you have any advice for how to survive a crazy life, be sure to share. I am always happy to learn from people who know what they are doing. Most days I simply flounder around like a fish on a line.

Meet J. E. Taylor

Welcome, J.E., It’s great to have you here today. I have found that readers like knowing a bit about their favorite authors, at least as a reader I do, so let’s jump right in. Are you a Valentine's Day lover or cynic?

JET: I would classify myself more on the cynic side. It’s a great holiday for young love but once you’ve been married twenty some years, it just doesn’t make sense to go all gaga over the holiday. I’d much rather have my husband fawn all over me on my birthday, or Christmas.

I agree. Valentine’s Day is often for young love. After almost 25 years, I find that I prefer snuggling at home than going out for a public display of how we feel. So, now that you’ve cleared up the Valentine mystery, how would you define yourself in five words or less?

JET: Me or my writing? I’d define most of my writing as dark, heart-pumping, page-turning and twisted.

Defining me – I’m a short dynamo with a twisted sense of humor.

Funny. So little dynamo, what was the craziest thing you have ever done?

JET: Gosh, so many things come to mind. I was a wild child in high school, but I won’t go there.

Art -Standing on the Gas

I did drive from Provincetown, Mass (the absolute tip of Cape Cod) to New Britain, Connecticut in just under two hours which is half the time it normally takes. Yeah – I was driving right around 100 mph the entire way. This gives tribute to the reason I was “on-call” for the news team at the television station I worked for at the time. I still drive fast, but not like I used to.

The craziest thing I did in the name of research was to learn to shoot a gun. I did that for my mainstream thriller series starring FBI special agent Steve Williams.

Wow, I have never done anything that wild. I speed but not quite that much. Besides the desire to go to great lengths for research, what was you impetus to start writing?

JET: I started writing in sixth grade and after I got married, I put it aside and hadn’t penned a story in twenty years when my daughter asked if I could do anything what would it be. Well, that was simple – write a book and get it published. That was in February of 2007 and since then, I’ve done exactly that. Five times over.

Congrats. Since your first release in July of 2010, what has changed in your world?

JET: I’m still working full time at a pretty demanding day job, and I come home, get the kids their dinners and cart them to their activities. I read e-zine submissions and format novels for my publisher, I blog and peruse facebook, twitter and Goodreads and in my spare time I write and edit my own work. If anything, it’s gotten a bit crazier.

I understand fully. You don’t have much time to write apparently, yet thriller fiction seems like a difficult genre. Why erotic thrillers rather than an easier line?

JET: Thriller and horror ride the same vein and I’ve always been drawn to those types of books and my writing is definitely influenced by my reading. I thoroughly enjoy writing the dark side and Stephen King is my ultimate idol. I love to be scared or on edge when I’m reading or watching a movie. That adrenaline rush is a hoot and I love crafting that into a story that folks can’t put down.

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SURVIVAL GAMES was the first book I actually finished. I has started umpteen books in high school and college but never finished them and when I was given the go ahead by my family – I decided to write the book that haunted my dreams for at least a decade and it flowed like a geyser. That was by far my darkest book. From there I took my surviving characters and fast-forwarded five years and threw further paranormal complications into their lives in MIND GAMES. But that wasn’t the end of the story. END GAME, which comes out this weekend, is the last of the series where I intersect the three survivors again, along with one nasty bitch and one of them will not walk out of the situation alive.

What makes your latest hero and heroine hot?

JET: Chris Ryan (a.k.a. Ty Aris) is a bad boy with a very dark past and whether we admit it or not, it’s the bad boy that’s always a turn on and this man knows as much about computers as he does around the bedroom.

In my mainstream series, my hero is Special Agent Steve Williams. He is the polar opposite of Ty, a sexy white knight masked in the form of a brilliant young FBI agent.

Sounds like a little something for everyone. If you could have written any piece of fiction or nonfiction in history what would it have been?

JET: The Stand because it’s an exceptional piece of literature – a brilliant look at post apocalyptic society along with a healthy dose of the supernatural intertwined.

What’s coming down the road?

JET: My next novel, HUNTING SEASON, intertwines the characters from the Games Series with my FBI series. The best way to described it is a cross-breeding of Criminal Minds and Supernatural. I had a great deal of fun writing this one and I’ve gotten some great pre-release reviews of this one. It will hit the shelves on Friday, May 13, 2011.

When Kyle Winslow escapes from custody and targets everyone Special Agent Steve Williams cares about, a turn of fate brings Steve face to face with Ty Aris – a criminal mastermind topping the FBI’s most wanted list.

Torn between justice and vengeance, Steve must make a decision.

Join alliances with Ty, or arrest him and lose his best chance to catch the bastard who destroyed his family.

Do you have a blurb or an excerpt to tease?

JET: I’d like to leave your readers with an excerpt from END GAME

EXCERPT:

Just like their last days in the complex, Chris could hear the ticking in the back of his head, the sands of time running out. Tense didn’t begin to describe his mood over the next two days. Every ring of the doorbell, every strange car, every ring of the studio buzzer grated on his nerves to the point he wouldn’t let her out of his sight except when he conducted his karate classes and even then, every second he couldn’t see her put him on edge.

Two days had come and gone since Tom’s call and he stood in the office waiting for Jessica to switch into her sweats. The closed sign now hung on the front door and he inhaled, his eyes passing over the sleeping boys and back to the bathroom door.

Tomorrow night we’ll be in New York.

“Chris, you need to relax,” Jessica said as she stepped out of the bathroom.

He sent her a strained smile and leaned over to pick up the boys. Before he could gather them in his arms, the door buzzer rang. Adrenaline rushed through his veins and he exchanged a glance with Jessica.

“Stay here,” he whispered the command, scanning the thoughts of the intruder in their lobby. It wasn’t a student and he turned, putting a disarming smile on his face and stepped in full view of the stranger. “I’m sorry, but we’re closed.”

The first in a long line of assassins stood with a gun pointing at him, expecting his demeanor to change, expecting him to crumble under the threat of bodily injury. It was laughable, especially given the hell he endured at the hands of his step-brother and he chuckled. “You don’t want to even think about that dude.”

“Black belt versus a gun, I’ll take my chances.” The intruder smiled, his finger tightening on the trigger.

Great. Where can readers find out more about you or get in touch?

JET: Besides the links for facebook, Twitter and Goodreads above, folks can find out more about me and my books at my website:

www.JETaylor75.com and my blog: http://JETaylor75.blogspot.com

Thank you for having me on your blog Becca!

Thank you for coming. It was nice to get to know a bit more about you. For those readers who would like to know more, J. E. was kind enough to include a brief bio. Be sure to leave her a note so she knows who stopped by.

J.E. Taylor is a writer, an editor, a manuscript formatter, a mother, a wife and a business analyst, not necessarily in that order.

She first sat down to seriously write in February of 2007 after her daughter asked:

“Mom, if you could do anything, what would you do?”

From that moment on, she hasn’t looked back and now her writing resume includes five+ novels either published or targeted for release along with several short stories on the virtual shelves including a few within upcoming eXcessica anthologies.

Ms. Taylor also moonlights as an Assistant Editor of Allegory, an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and lends a hand in formatting manuscripts for eXcessica as well as offering her services judging writing contests for various RWA chapters.

She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children and during the summer months enjoys her weekends on the shore in southern Maine.

Welcome Leanne Dyck

Hi Leanne, so glad you could join us today. Let’s start by getting to know you a bit. If you could put one thing that defines who you are in a time capsule, what would it be?


Wow, one thing to define who I am? That’s a hard question. Let me see, I just happen to have a pair of needles and if you click the end (demonstrating) they become pens. I think they’ll do.

After checking out your sites, I guess that will do indeed . ;-D You live in a gorgeous area. How did you come to be so blessed?

I had a close, loving relationship with my mother. Her death drove me into a depression. In search for a place for me to heal, my husband and I found Mayne Island. Now, if my dreams are fulfilled, I will never leave.

I am sorry about your loss, Leanne, but it sounds like some good came from the heartache. You are blessed both in living in a beautiful area and with a loving spouse. Here’s a tougher question. Why do you write?

Like eating and breathing, writing is something I have to do. Even when I have writer’s block I have to write about my inability to write.

LOL that makes perfect sense to me. I often feel the same way. I see that you work in different genres. Why is that and does the writing experience change for you within each?

I’m a cross genre reader and so, it’s only natural that I wouldn’t limit my writing to one genre. Yes, the writing experience does change drastically for me. My mood really does match the genre.

Among the different works you have published, do you have a favorite?

I’m so fickle. My favourite work is usually what I’m working on. Currently, I’m working on a young adult adventure (TURNING) and the sequel to THE SWEATER CURSE.

Can’t wait. The Sweater Curse is great. What has been the most difficult and/or the most rewarding part of publication? Has it been worth it?


One of the most rewarding parts is clicking the buy link and seeing my book appear.

One of the most challenging is marketing, but I’m meeting so many wonderful people that it’s becoming a joy. Wow, I never thought I would type that sentence.

I know the feeling. Now, back to getting to know you as the person behind the writing. Valentine’s Day is coming up next week. Any special plans?

A friend of mine is planning a fundraiser for a local animal rescue charity. I will perform with her on Friday, February 11th.

Animal rescue is one a fantastic causes. I hope you have a fun and successful evening. If you could go anywhere where/ would you go?

One thing on my mom’s bucket list was a trip to New Zealand. She never got to go. I liked to go in her stead.

That would be lovely. I have friends in both New Zealand and Australia so I would love to tag along. Before we call it a day, would you be so kind as to share an excerpt from your work with readers?

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I’d be happy to. This the Prologue for the Sweater Curse…

This isn’t Heaven. It isn’t Hell. And I’m not alive.

Picture this: a bus stop, tons of people packed into the same small space all waiting to continue their journey. Many buses stop here. Some passengers get off, others get on. Young children with sickly white complexions huddle together in the shelter. Teenagers with rope burns around their necks get off the bus. Old men with bullet holes climb on.


Throughout this confusion, the only constant is me. I remain alone.


Why?


I don’t know, but I must find the reason. I must examine my life to discover the momentary lapse. The wrong I’ve committed. The task I’ve neglected. It’s my only means of escape.


That gets to me every time I read it, Leanne and I am sure others will be intrigued as well. How can fans find you?

Fans? Fans? I have fans. Really? Wow.

Okay, I just gave my head a shake and I’m back from dreamland. Everyone is welcome to my cozy little part of cyberspace. Please visit my website (www.oknitting.com) and I’d be thrilled if you left a comment on my blog (www.sweatercursed.blogspot.com)

It does take a little getting used to. Even after several years I still jump up and down when I hear from readers. Any thing I forgot to ask about that you would like to share?

A few months ago I was a struggling unpublished writer wondering if any house would ever take a chance on me. I’d like to thank everyone involved in making THE SWEATER CURSE happen—especially my readers and Decadent Publishing.

Thank you, as well, Rebecca, for interviewing me—this was fun.

I agree. I am gald you dropped by, Leanne, and I look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
 

Elaine Cantrell talks heroines

Elaine Cantrell has dropped by to visit today. Please, make her feel welcome.

Let’s Talk Heroines



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Everyone says that if you want people to like your book, they have to like your characters, especially your heroines. I think that must be true because not long ago I read a book where I loathed every single one of the characters. They were all selfish, foolish people who rubbed me the wrong way the minute they spoke. I kept reading the book because I wanted to see if I warmed up to the characters, but I never did. I promise you, I’ll never read that author again. So, what does make a good heroine? I can think of three criteria which turn up over and over in my own writing.

First, she loves with her whole heart, with everything that’s in her. Sometimes she makes mistakes, but she’s never lukewarm about the man she loves. In my coming soon release from Astraea Press, A New Dream, my heroine Violet breaks up with the man she loves because she thinks he’s sleeping with another woman. She grieves his loss so much that her friends and family are concerned for her well-being.




Second, my heroines are strong women in themselves. They love their men and like to be pampered, but they can take care of themselves. Violet works in a bakery, but by the end of the book she opens a catering business. In Return Engagement (http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com) Elizabeth is an actress. In The Welcome Inn (http://www.wings-press.com) Julianna is a motel manager.



More Info

Third, they aren’t afraid to take a chance. In Return Engagement Elizabeth takes a big chance. She risks her job and her reputation, and she breaks off an engagement to a fine man just to be with my hero. In A New Dream Violet is willing to take a chance on a man who had a reputation for being buck wild and way too friendly with the ladies. (http://www.astraeapress.com Astraea won’t be open until February.)
Now, I’d like to introduce you to Violet Emerson heroine of A New Dream. In this excerpt Violet first meets my hero Matt McCallum. This excerpt is totally unedited, but you can still see what happened at that first meeting.



“Psst, Marjorie, he’s here.”

Marjorie English finished the swirl of yellow roses on the cake in front of her before she answered. “Who’s here, Violet?”

“The new manager,” Violet whispered.

Marjorie wiped her hands on a towel and joined Violet at the front counter. “Poor man,” she compassionately remarked.

“I thought he’d be all scarred up,” Violet confessed, “but from a distance he looks fine.”

“He wasn’t hurt anywhere except his legs.”

Marshall Chapman, the retiring manager of Chef’s Pantry, the largest grocery store in Wellington, had slowed his customary brisk pace to accommodate the limping man beside him. He saw Violet and Marjorie at the bakery counter and paused to introduce them.

“Good morning, ladies. I’d like you to meet your new boss, Matt McCallum. Matt, Marjorie English is the manager of our bakery department, and Violet Emerson is her assistant.”

Matt shook hands with each of the women. “Tomorrow is my brother’s birthday, Mrs. English. My mother asked me to order a cake from you.”

Marjorie smiled at him, the smile she reserved for special people. “What would you like on the cake, Mr. McCallum?”

“Please, call me Matt. She didn’t say what to get. He’s been offered a football scholarship at Tri State Tech, so maybe a football theme.”

“He’ll be playing for my son-in-law, Kurt Deveraux,” Marjorie said.

“Well, how about that? They say he’s a good coach.”

Marjorie just laughed. “We think he is. I believe I’ll let Violet do your cake if that’s okay. She’ll do a nice job for you.”

“That’s fine.”

“Leave it to me,” Violet promised. “I know just the thing.”

Marshall moved the new manager along, so the women went back to work. “I wonder if he has a girl friend?” Violet presently wondered.

“Who? Marshall? I think he’s married,” Marjorie teased.

Violet blushed prettily. “No, Matt McCallum.”

“Handsome, isn’t he?”

“He goes beyond handsome,” Violet fervently declared. “How tall do you think he is?”

“Oh, probably six two or six three,” Marjorie replied as she boxed the cake she had just finished decorating.

“You could see the muscles in his chest through his shirt.”

Marjorie’s eyes twinkled. “I thought you liked brunettes. Matt’s blonde.”

“Well, his hair is a dark blonde,” Violet defended herself, “and his eyes are a pretty shade of blue.”

Marjorie laughed as she removed a pecan pie from one of the store’s big ovens. “Violet, I think you’ve got a crush on the man.”

Violet flushed a pretty pink. “He is awfully sexy. He can’t walk too well, though.”

The grin faded from Marjorie’s face. “He’s lucky to be walking at all the way I hear it. They had to amputate his right leg above the knee, and his left leg was so mangled and crushed he’ll always walk with a limp.”

Violet stared toward the manager’s office even though Matt was nowhere to be seen. “Can you imagine what it must be like for him? He was a big football star. He was going to have the world on a string, and now he can hardly walk.”

“And his brother has a football scholarship. That has to hurt,” Marjorie sadly commented. She tore off a piece of plastic wrap to cover the pecan pie. “Violet, if you like Matt’s looks, why don’t you flirt with him?”

Violet laughed heartily. “I’ll get right on it.”

“I’m serious,” Marjorie insisted. “I know you were a sickly child, but you’re as healthy as a horse now. It’s time for you to stretch your wings and start thinking about a family of your own. Matt McCallum liked what he saw, and so did you.”

Violet cocked her head and thought for a minute. “I doubt he’d have any interest in me, Marjorie.”

“You don’t know until you try,” Marjorie objected. She slapped a sticker on the pie and went to place it on the shelf beside the muffins. She returned to the bakery and said, “You’re like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy room. You aren’t selfish and jaded like a lot of young women I know which is a surprise because your parents were so protective of you when you were younger.” She reached for a bag of sugar. “So, why wouldn’t Matt be interested?”

Violet shrugged and threw up her hands, and Marjorie went to take a birthday cake order from a customer.

Could Marjorie be right? Could Matt McCallum ever take an interest in someone like her? Violet pondered the matter as she pulled out the ingredients she’d need for Matt’s cake. Matt was like a fairy tale prince come to life in a mundane setting like a grocery store.

When she was little, she had a storybook that told the story of Cinderella. The prince had resembled Matt McCallum in so many ways. He was tall and blonde as was Matt, and like Matt he had a handsome face. The prince in the storybook had six pack abs, and from what little she’d seen of Matt, she’d bet he did too.

Of course no matter what Marjorie said, she would never expect someone like him to be interested in her. After all, superstars didn’t date little violets. Oh, she guessed she was pretty; she’d have to be brain dead not to know she looked okay, but shy, gauche girls didn’t attract men like Matt McCallum. It didn’t hurt to daydream about him, though. She’d make him a beautiful cake. She could at least do that much for him.

Great excerpt, so glad you could drop by, Elaine.


Becca, thanks so much for letting me come today. Thanks to your visitors for reading!

Elaine Cantrell -- Hope. Dreams. Life… Love
http://www.elainecantrell.com/
http://www.elainepcantrell.com/

Meet Amber Scot

The delightful Amber Scott has joined me today to share some interesting tidbits. Be sure to offer a comment or two so she knows you dropped by.

Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Amber Scott


1. On two separate occasions, in two different airports, I missed seeing Richard Simmons sprint past me in his little shorts, entourage and all. Both times I was digging in my purse and everyone saw but me.

2. President George Bush smiled at me in a press conference. Really! I was sixteen, on a journalism conference trip and my aunt worked press at the white house. During a press conference as he scanned the room, talking, his gaze landed on me, grinning ear to ear and he smiled back.

3. I’m the middle child of five girls. My dad used to say, “I always wanted to be surrounded by beautiful women. I just didn’t know they’d be so short!”

4. I was about four years old when I first remember telling my mom I wanted to be a writer. The fact that she took me seriously, even then, is what helped keep my dream alive.

5. I love cats. Dogs, too, but I’m a total cat lady. Right now I’m in deep negotiations with my husband to get two cats. Our previous three did not like having kids in the house and had to be given to new, kid-free homes.

6. I adore the movie Hamlet 2 and think every writer should see it for one particularly oh so true and hilarious scene where the main character is struggling to write. I laugh to tears every time I see it.

7. I’m a brain book self help reading geek. I love reading about metaphysics and neuroscience. I think that real magic exists and it stems from harnessing the power of the human mind and spirit.

8. My book, Play Fling, has been chosen by the Indie Book Collective as the launch book for their new program Bestseller For a Day. This means I’ll have to leap outside of my comfort zone and ask for help from friends and strangers to drive Play Fling up the charts this Valentine’s Day. Eek and Wow!

9. I have a gazillion nicknames. It seems each sister and every friend likes to make their own up. Ambert, Albert, Amber-gini, Amby, Ambro, Ambesol, A-train, A-spice, Amberlina, Ambud, Am, Amburger, Amberguesa, Ambrosia, and the list goes on. My favorite? Whiplash. (I was learning how to drive a stick at the time.)

10. Adrian Grenier, who plays Vinny Chase in HBO’s Entourage, woos me in dreams. Flirting, whispering in my ear, hand holding. But, every time, I wake up before we get to anything good! Darnit!

Funny, Amber, and I love your cover. It is so hot! Thanks for dropping by. Anything else you want to share?

Blurb for Love Lust: Liv Starr craves...and dreads love. Her succubus hunger demands more than human lust for satiation, requiring love, as well. But long-term lust will enslave a human, annihilating who they are, condemning Liv to a perpetual cycle of loss. On the run from the incubus who created this curse, Liv and her best friend desperately hunt for a remedy. Meeting—needing—Justin Sharpe puts her life at risk. She'd rather starve than ruin him. Is death itself the only cure for her Love Lust?

Find out more about Ms. Scott
Twitter: @amberscottbooks

http://amberscottbooks.com/
http://plotmamas.com/
http://1stturningpoint.com/

Untamable is a hit!

Sasha Evins from Got Erotic Romance Reviews had this to say about Untamable.

Becca has done it for me again with Untamable. Her character building is spot on, the chemistry between hero and heroine sizzling, and I was nearly salivating during the lusty love scenes... Cowboys are just plain hot, and throw in some dirty lovin’ and you got yourself a story, but Becca throws in her special pizzazz that makes this work unique. You’ll fall in love with the characters, and by the end you’ll be sorry to say goodbye to them.

Meet Bianca Swan

Please, welcome Bianca Swan. Bianca lives in Texas with her baby grand piano and is very fond of her snazzy little convertible. She has two sons, one of whom lives in England, the other in Texas. She still believes in the power of love—and the power of lust—and enjoys delving into the soul of both the L-Words, bringing to life hot men and the hot women who love them. As a thanks for stopping by, Bianca will give away a download of her spicy vampire novel, Black Swan, and as a second random gift a pen, fridge magnet, and an autographed cover flat that can be used as a book mark. Be sure to leave a comment so she knows you were here. 

Hi Bianca, it’s great to have you with us today. Since this is Meet the Author Monday, why don’t you start by telling us how you came to be a writer.

Thanks, Rebecca, for inviting me to visit your lovely blog. I started writing when I was a teenager, very dark poetry filled with angst (think Twilight here). I wrote a couple of short stories and showed my offerings to an editor at the local newspaper. He trashed my work, and I put my pen down for 20 years. When I read The Vampire Lestat, I said hey I could write something in this genre, and I wrote 700 pages of a vampire novel that is now 300 pages and entitled Sinners Opera. Like most everyone, at first I wrote for myself, then began the quest for publication.

Is there anything about your journey to publication or the profession itself that has surprised you? The length and rocky road of the journey. I won several contests and thought I was on my way. In fact, when I won the GRW Maggie award, Berkley called and said they didn’t publish vampires and asked if I had anything else. Being a complete novice (and fool), I said no! That was in 1992.

Hot Spanish Nights is available now from The Wild Rose Press – Scarlet line. I write for them myself and often get questions about why I write erotic romance. Would you tell readers why you chose this sub-genre over the sweeter stuff? It’s nice in the Wilder garden, isn’t it Rebecca? I like it. You must tell us about your books. Thanks, Bianca. See the side bar.

 As to the question, I don’t think I could write sweet romance. I don’t read sweet romance. There is a flicker of darkness in me, I guess. My other persona writes dark fantasy, urban fantasy and paranormal romance. I wrote my first erotic novella for the Destination Desire line but the word count jumped beyond the limit. I enjoy being able to name body parts (though at first it embarrassed me) because it gives you much more leeway in building a love/sex scene. Needless to say, erotic romance gives the writer the ability to delve deeper into the couple’s sexual relationship. I like to write about obsession and the eroticism of lust. Hot Spanish Nights was my first erotic romance. I have since contracted another erotic novella with The Wild Rose Press.

Art by Miki

When asked, most authors will say that they try to stick to what they know. Are you familiar with the Spanish culture in general or did writing Hot Spanish Nights require a great deal of research? I am very familiar with the Spanish horse having bred them for many years, but I knew nothing of bullfighting, have never visited Spain (top of my to visit list), so I had to do a lot of research. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about bullfighting.

What about your hero? I sometimes find that the heroes I write about and love because they are perfect for my heroines are not men I would by nature be attracted to. Would a man like Damián make the perfect hero in your own world or is he fabulous because of what he does for Erica? Damian would be a perfect hero in my world. He is handsome, charming and sexy as well as courageous and kind. He is a master horseman and I would want to study riding with him. Lucky Erica!

I so agree. There is just something about a man who can handle a horse. So, if you could pick any actors to play Damián and Erica in a theatrical version of Hot Spanish Nights who would they be? (Of course on stage not film – can’t water down the pull of Spanish horses, hot dances, and sexy dark-haired men. On stage it would be spectacular!) Antonio Banderas would be Damian. Gwynneth Paltrow for Erica, I think.

The music for the Hot Spanish Nights Trailer is fabulous. It sucked me into the moment and the spirit of the tale. Can you tell us a bit about who created the trailer and where readers can find it so they can have the same experience as I did? Thank you, Rebecca! I created my trailer (my first effort) and miraculously it worked. The music is Espana Cani (The Gypsy Dance). A spectacular dance, the Paso Doble, is often performed to this song. The music is also associated with bullfights. In fact, the dance portrays a bullfight. My trailer is available on my blog. There is also a free erotic story on the blog. Please drop by and read The Gatekeepers Cottage and let me know what you think! Bianca’s Blog

How about a blurb and excerpt? Please? My pleasure!

Blurb: Southern vixen Erica DeLongpre journeys to Spain to find the horse of her dreams, never expecting to find a man capable of stirring her sexual awareness. Damián Xeres, a renowned bullfighter is deliciously skilled on a horse–and in bed. But a woman from Damian’s past rattles Erica’s confidence and threatens the very essence of her trip. With Lucia waiting for the slightest chink in her armor, Erica can’t help wonder what lies ahead in those Hot Spanish Nights.

Excerpt:
Damián slid to the ground, offered her his right hand, the reins looped through the fingers of his left. In a voice that should be reserved for the bedroom, he invited, "Señorita."

The hunk isn’t wearing underwear.

He didn’t try to hide the enticing shape of his balls and the chiseled head of his cock, exhibited to perfection by his riding breeches. When he saw where she was looking, amusement flashed in his dark eyes. The handsome devil knew she lusted after him. But probably every woman who came within ten feet of the electric charge that was Damián Xérès fell in lust.

He tossed the reins to a stable boy and motioned her ahead of him into the barn’s cool, shadowed hall. Red flowers in aged, wooden sherry barrels lined the brick expanse. Bay, black and gray stallions peered through the brass bars over the half-doors of their stalls. The barn smelled of straw, horses and clean leather.

If Damián were merely an instructor at the famous school, not the eldest son and heir to the sherry empire in Jerez de la Frontera, she might entertain the idea of trying to snag his heart. The Xérès family was famous for fine sherry, award-winning wines and exceptional Andalusian horses. Damián excelled as a rejoneador, fighting the fierce Iberian bulls on horseback. One false move from horse or rider ended the challenge, the bull the victor. The man quite simply had everything—courage, looks, money, talent and to-die-for charm.

And he knew how to use his attributes.

Her gaze traveled from the polished boots hugging muscled calves up the tan riding breeches that fit like a second skin, lingered for a heartbeat at his zipper then continued up his chest. When their eyes met, there was no amusement in the depths of his dark eyes, only heat. She felt as if she would spontaneously combust in the Spanish sun.

Nice. Anything else you would like to share? The title of my upcoming Scarlet Rose release is Celestial Sin. I’m very excited about this story (aren’t we always excited about each of our children) because angels seem to be the new wave as vampires have been. Celestial Sin is the story of an angel, injured in the Second War in Heaven, who plummets to Earth, falls in love and wants to stay there. Here a blurb.

Essie McBane set her standards high. She had hoped that one day she’d find her dream man, but didn’t expect him to be a warrior angel with chestnut curls and a heavenly body. Cam-ael, an angel of the Order of the Powers, had never considered mortal sin until he was wounded in the Second War in Heaven and plummeted into Essie’s arms. The most difficult task of his long existence will be to convince her that he is willing to fall from grace to win her love.


Hot Spanish Nights is available from The Wild Rose Press. Please visit Bianca at http://www.biancaswan.com.

Meet Robert Roman

Website

Juxtaposition: Crossing Genre Lines


Hi. My name is Bob. I’m a storyteller. As such, I’m a student of the human condition, since humans are essential to stories. Some of you will say ‘That’s not true!’ But that’s not what I’m here to talk about today. Instead, I’m going to talk about Literature and Economics and Psychology. If we’re both lucky, I’ll make you laugh. If we’re even luckier, you’ll like the way I write and maybe go look up other things I’ve written.

One of the most thought provoking books I’ve read in the last decade has got to be Terry Pratchett’s The Science of Discworld. In typical Pratchett fashion, the book is both entertaining and chock full of interesting tidbits of philosophy. Actually, this one is even more full than most. The thing that keeps coming back to me lately is his discussion in chapter six, where he talks about how human beings like clear lines of demarcation, about how we like things to be this or that, with no gray area in between.

I’ll get to why in a little bit. The thing that keeps coming back to me lately is his discussion in chapter six, where he talks about how human beings like clear lines of demarcation.

OK, he talks about it in more places than that, but that’s the first place where he mentions it specifically. Moving on.

When I sold my first story to Decadent Publishing this past summer, I really thought the hard part was over. “After all”, I thought, “everyone who reads my novella thinks it’s just dandy.” I’ve since encountered some who don’t, but the overwhelming weight has been with folks who tell me some variation of ‘I enjoyed reading this’. The best so far has been ‘I enjoyed reading this so much that I have begun reading a genre I previously eschewed’. Yeah. Cue the giddy “SQUEE!” Everything’s golden, right?

Those of you who are published (and some of you who aren’t but study the industry) know this is manifestly Not The Case. There is Promotion to be done. I need to tell people about my book. “But Bob!” some of you are saying “Everyone who read it liked it! It must sell well!” Trouble is, even if every person reading one of my stories experienced continuous rapturous joy while doing so, until they are reading they aren’t getting that joy, and they have to spend money before they get to see if joy exists on those pages or not. Worse, from my perspective, are the hordes of inconsiderate folks saying that their story produces just such joy, when it manifestly does not.

I seem to be in a Python mood, so ‘on to something completely different’. As Eric Flint pointed out in his Salvoes Against Big Brother, the biggest problem a writer has is connecting to an audience that likes his work. Every reader likes something different. Every author has readers out there who will think what they’ve written is literary manna from heaven. The trouble (from both sides of this quandary, really) is finding them; for the author, finding his readers; for the reader, finding the authors that produce the type of writing they like.

Defining a type of writing is hard. Defining a type of story is easy. Not really, but this is another Pratchett concept from Science of Discworld, the Lie-To-Consumers. Thus, to answer the completely natural question of “What type of story do you like?” we create the entirely artificial concept of “Genre.” Once you have “Genre,” you can then subdivide again and again and again. Because while the concept is artificial, and as Joel Spolsky would say, the abstraction is leaky, it holds enough conceptual water to be useful, which is the only real criterion we as a species have for whether we keep something or not.

Which makes one wonder about why we like fiction so much, but that’s another essay.

At any rate, because readers want to find books they like, and humans like clear demarcations (TOLD you I would come back to it), we wind up with the leaky but useful abstraction of genre, which is the driving force behind a lot of the promotional tools currently out there. Do you write Romance? Put your title on the Romance lists! Paranormal Romance? There’s a site for that. OK, LOTS of sites for that. In fact, for just about any genre out there, there are sites dedicated to it.

Now, here’s where I run into a personal dilemma. As I’ve said, most who read my stories like them, the trouble is getting people to pick them up and read them. The trouble, in case you haven’t guessed from the title and my words so far, is that my stories cross genre lines.

With wild abandon.

Decadent Publishing

Take Fae Eye for the Golem Guy. Please. Go get one. Try it. You’ll like it. I swear, when I get enough stories in my backlist, I’m going to pick one and ask Lisa and Heather to make it permanently free, a la the Baen Free Library. Then I’m going to advert “the first one is always free” because while drug dealers are horrible awful criminals, as Id Software showed us, their business model works, and yeah my writing is that addictive.

Didn’t I tell you authors are narcissistic? Oh. Yeah. Forgot that. Many of us are. It’s one possible defense mechanism against putting something intensely personal in the public eye. Moving on.

Fae Eye for the Golem Guy is officially on the site as Comedy, Fantasy, Urban fantasy, and Steampunk. Unlisted but implied are Paranormal Romance and Erotic content since it has a Heat Rating. It’s got Tattooed Elves, Gay Pixies, Heroic Golems, and Evil Socialites. I don’t think anyone who has read Fae Eye would argue against any of those things being IN the story.

But.

It’s not a laugh a minute farce, so purists will tell you it’s not Comedy. It doesn’t have a heroine with gratuitous tattoos and heaps of weaponry or magic or both, so some people will nix the Urban Fantasy moniker. By word count, only maybe fifty percent of the story involves characters mooning about, and there is almost no angst, which some would say means it’s not Romance. There is Erotic content in the story, but it’s only one scene in the denouement, so as PJ tells me so often, I don’t write Erotica.

BUT.

Even though I’ve had at least one person tell me each of the descriptors is wrong, none of them have told me it’s a bad story. So like all the other published but not yet popular authors out there, I’m still searching for my audience.

Anyhow, moving AWAY from my personal dilemma back to the wider world, crossing genres can be tough for any author. Some authors won’t do it, chopping their stories mercilessly to keep them within a single genre. Some publishers won’t carry those cross-genre books because they’re ‘too risky’.

OK, personal again for a moment. THANKS LISA! THANKS HEATHER!

But let’s, just for a moment, take a second to think about the books which, at the time they were written, crossed genre lines. From newest to oldest, just the ones I can think of off the top of my head:

Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake series. Prior to this one, I don’t recall seeing Paranormal Romance on the shelves in bookstores. Urban Fantasy, yes. Romance, yes. But it was too risky to combine the two; mainstream Fantasy readers didn’t want icky girl stuff, and mainstream Romance readers didn’t want hocus pocus. Yeah. Right.

Mercedes Lackey’s Elves on the Road series. Again, prior to this one I don’t recall seeing too many things I would define as Urban Fantasy. Yeah, there may have been a few, but this is the one I remember blowing the doors open for Urban Fantasy to become its own genre, instead of a few lovely lonely orphans shoehorned in amongst the swords and sorcery.

Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern. Science Fiction, but cleverly wrapped up as Fantasy. There are others out there, I know, but this is the one that showed me, as a reader, that genre didn’t matter. Good writing mattered. This one didn’t exactly spawn its own genre, but for a while the entire boundary between Science Fiction and Fantasy wobbled like a Jello mold.

Piers Anthony did the same with… Ok, about half of everything he wrote. Xanth is fantasy. Bio of a Space Tyrant is Science Fiction. The rest? Science Fantasy. Speculative Fiction. That last utterance, for those of you who don’t remember, was a Phrase of Power, although whether it was deifically good or infernally evil is still a matter of debate in some circles.

Bringing this back around, and pulling off the BIGGEST genre cross of all, Pratchett did this with nothing less than Non-Fiction (that which IS) and Fiction (that which IS NOT) in the aforementioned Science of Discworld. Now those are some stones. Talking about how humans think, delving into every major branch of science I can think of, and then merging all that seamlessly with a story about wizards living on a flat world riding on the back of a turtle. Best of all, he winds up making it seem as if these two things are not unrelated.

Man, I wish I could do that.

OK, Bromance Love Fest over. On to the obligatory plugs. If you’ve been at all amused by this meandering about genre and publishing and whatnot, please take a moment to check out my stories at Decadent Publishing. You’ll be glad you did! If you’re not sure if you liked this essay, here’s a hint for you: if you’ve read this far, you either amused or morbidly fascinated. This has gone on longer than some short stories I’ve seen.





Excerpt



Finally, a CONTEST! Because everybody likes a contest. In the comments, tell me your favorite genre. On or around the 17th, I’ll put all the names in a hat, have Lucien pick one out, and the lucky winner will get a free copy of one my stories, whichever one tickles their interest the most! That’s right, you could win a copy of Road Mage, or Fae Eye for the Golem Guy, or The Strange Fate of Capricious Jones, or A Christmas Evening Vigil! (or even something new if I’ve got something new out by then).



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Road Mage







Meet Seleste deLaney

Please welcome Seleste deLaney. She is an outstanding new author with a great deal to share. Leave a response telling Seleste which of her Christmas stories you would like a copy of and why. Best response wins choice of 'Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas Anthology or The Ghost of Vampire Present. Good luck and thanks for stopping by.


As a new author, you have had many changes in your life, Seleste. If you have to describe your journey to publication in three words what would they be? Wow, only three? Frustrating, exhilarating, and fulfilling. Frustrating because it's a long road filled with rejection. Exhilarating because of the constant state of fear/excitement with every project and every email--knowing this could be the one. Fulfilling is pretty self-explanatory, but the satisfaction with having my work out there and people appreciating it is incredible.

I agree with every one of those words. Writing is certainly all those things, especially frustrating. How many years did you write before you were published?
The easy answer is all my life LOL. However, I got serious about my writing in 2007, so a little over three years of really working at it.


That first book would definitely qualify as the rewarding part. How did you celebrate your first contract?
We're kind of boring about those things. We went out to dinner and had drinks (and dessert), but at dinner it hit that I needed a website and business cards and…So we got home and went right back to work.

What no wild Snoopy dancing? You obviously have more control than I do. So speaking of your personality, what is the one thing about you that you feel is the best/worst part of you and what makes you say that?
My stubbornness is probably both the best and worst aspect of me. Without it, I would have given up on this journey (and many other things in life), but it also gets me into a lot of trouble LOL.

Nothing wrong with being stubborn. Heaven knows if you don’t pursue your dreams no one will do it for you. Speaking of personality and writing, music seems to be a big part of your life. What type of music do you listen to? Is it a part of your creative process or do you need quiet when you write?
I love music. On days when I don't get to listen to any, I will be insanely crabby. It's like food for my soul. Generally, I'm a rock and country girl (I have mad love for music that toes the line between--there is a local guy who's CD should be dropping soon and it's very rock-country. I can't wait to pick it up.) though other stuff does sneak in upon occasion. As far as writing goes, I make playlists for all my longer pieces. There are certain songs that speak to me though, so there tends to be a lot of crossover from one playlist to the next. Listening to music while I write helps me tune out the rest of the world--no more dirty dishes or arguing kids--so I can lose myself in the story.


Nice. Who is your favorite among the characters you have written?
There are so many of my characters that I love, both good and bad, so my favorite changes all the time (usually with my mood). Right now though, my fave has to be a new character from the Blood Kissed novel I finished drafting a couple weeks ago. His name is Remy and every time I get to write him I get all giddy inside because he is just so crazy and complex and fabulous. I absolutely adore him as a character.

Wow, hard not to like a character like that. Can you share what is new or coming soon?
There's actually a lot of news on that front. I just had two holiday releases. The Ghost of Vampire Present (second in my Blood Kissed series) from Decadent Publishing picks up about seven or eight months after Of Course I Try and leads up to the aforementioned novel. Yes, Alana, There Is a Santa Claus is another paranormal short that is one of thirteen stories in the 'Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas anthology from Evernight Publishing. It's a sweet and sexy tale of a young woman who'd given up believing in anything. Then at the end of February, my steampunk/alt-history romance Badlands is coming from Carina Press. Needless to say, this year has been a bit of a whirlwind (in the best way possible).


Do you have a blurb and an excerpt to tantalize us? Sure, how about two?

Buy Now

The Ghost of Vampire Present 

Blurb: Jocelyn has finally found her knight in shining armor in Chad, and ghosts are the last thing on her mind. Even when one shows up in her bedroom on Christmas Eve, Jocelyn's a bit more concerned about the other guests on the agenda. She'd prefer to never see another vampire, and the ghost tells her to expect not one, but three.


When the one from her past shows up even though he's supposed to be dead, she decides she's dreaming and suffers through the night. By the time dawn breaks, she's not so sure anymore.


But if it's not a dream, that means her nightmare is far from over.


Excerpt: My mouth goes dry and my fingers shake as they reach beneath my pillow. Sure, I know her on sight, but she still shouldn't be here. And that means a weapon isn't the stupidest idea ever. But, if I turn my head to the side at all, she disappears as if she’d never been there in the first place. Only when I look straight at her does she have substance, her body catching enough of the moon’s light coming through the window to be visible against the darkness. And apparently with enough solidity that next time she speaks, her hands grip the covers and jerk them right off me.



“I told you to get dressed! Chop, chop.”


For a long minute, I sit there shivering in my nightie and staring at the blankets in her hands. "But...but...you’re dead.” Please don't say vampire. As I think it, I realize she can't be one. Regardless of whatever else they can do, I'm pretty sure vamps can't disappear without moving.

“As a damn doornail. It doesn’t change the fact you messed with the way of things and the time has come for you to face some hard facts.” Her eyes actually twinkle as she smiles. “And I’ve been waiting a lot of years to help you figure all this out. Now, time’s a-wasting. Get up and put on some damn clothes.”



More Info

Yes, Alana, There Is a Santa Claus

Blurb: Alana stopped believing in Santa Claus and holiday magic a long time ago, and her life hasn't exactly dealt her a hand that's going to change her mind any time soon. Working as one of Santa's elves to barely make ends meet isn't her dream job, but at least the gorgeous Daniel is working behind the camera. And her fellow elf, Brady, is the stuff of holiday movies—charming at every turn.


There's a Christmas miracle in Alana's future, but only if she makes the right choice and remembers how to believe again.

Excerpt: Come on, Allie. You never go out with us.” Jerrica stood in front of the open locker, fluffing her long black waves. “I swear you act like an old woman, sitting at home with your knitting.”

No. I act like someone who almost had her heat shut off last month. “Look, I’m tired.” I kicked my locker shut. “As for the knitting, you didn’t complain when I made you the scarf you wanted. Which you never did pay for like you promised. “

“Whatever. I still say you’re getting old before your time.” Jerri’s hand cupped my shoulder. “Seriously, it’s Christmas, get your party on. The guys are going. I’m sure Dan said something about hoping to see you there.”

Shrugging off her grip, I tugged my boots on, my foot propped on the old wooden bench in the locker room. The paint had chipped off most of it through time and abuse, kind of the same way the shine had worn off my life. “Now I know you’re full of shit. Dan hasn’t given me a second glance—ever.”


“Maybe he would if he saw you in something other than curly shoes and pointed ears. Come on. You’re only going to be young and gorgeous once.”

A snort escaped before I could rein it in. “Yeah, tomorrow I’ll make sure to come to work with my walker and wrinkle cream.”

Those sound really good, Seleste. Anything else you would like to share? I'd like to thank you for having me here today and invite your readers to visit me elsewhere on the internet including:
My website (http://selestedelaney.com/)
Blog (http://selestedelaney.com/wordpress/)
I'm active on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001203081398)
and Twitter (http://twitter.com/SelestedeLaney) as well and love chatting with people.

Meet Sweet and Adorable Stephanie Beck

Hot Chocolate
Stephanie Beck

There is something about winter that makes us all reach for something cozy and familiar. Even those who live where it’s warm (sissies) find that as the holiday season approaches, cocoa and marshmallows taste better.



In my family, hot chocolate is the staple after snowman making and hockey practice. Whip cream is my topping of choice, but my kids always go for the marshmallows (not that I’m above adding marshmallows to my cocoa…mmmmm). When I was a kid my mom, in desperation after a bunch of neighbor kids stopped by after playing in the snow, went with the ingenious addition of animal crackers to cocoa. That version wasn’t my favorite, but it’s hard to forget the whimsy of finding elephants floating in my hot chocolate.

In A Winter Tale With Marshmallows I add a few other winter favorites of mine to make the werewolf story a mix of paranormal and so ‘normal’ that most people can identify with a memory. I adore that mix in paranormal stories because suddenly, it makes it possible for me to go to a coffee shop and, just perhaps, sit beside a very nice pregnant werewolf with a craving for a peppermint hot chocolate. I have a feeling we’d end up talking about kicking babies, diaper rash and how naughty it would be if we ordered one more piece of baklava—to share of course.

Adding food and comfort was my favorite part of writing A Winter Tale With Marshmallows. The cozy, feel good moments made the more intense times that much stronger and by the end, I had my own cup of chocolaty goodness at my side, finishing up a really sweet story I couldn’t wait to share.

Hot cocoa comes in so many versions now, my favorite is cocoa made with milk chocolate and topped with whip cream. Mona in my story, is a straight from the paper package with a handful of marshmallows kind of girl. How do you take your chocolate?





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 Excerpt from A Winter Tale With Marshmallows. Available December 6, 2010:

“You don’t understand,” he growled and snuggled her hips to his erection, the heat and hardness penetrating through both of their layers of sweats. “I’m not hesitating. You don’t—I do want you. Everything feels right, but it’s not fair to you, so I’m going to let this be for now. I’m not pushing you away or saying ‘no’. Oh, hell no. I’m just giving you time to decide what you want.”

He started to pull away, and this time she grabbed him, tugging him back until they were face-to-face. She was strong, but she also knew he allowed it. “Then no sex, no mating. But please come with me to bed.”

“And do what?” he asked suspiciously.

Her lips kicked up in a small grin. “Snuggle?”

“Snuggle?”

He sounded incredulous, and she figured it probably wasn’t the offer he usually got. But then he smiled, and she didn’t need him to speak when he lifted her in his arms, taking her weight with ease. He started for the bedroom, then doubled back to the kitchen. Mona frowned at him when he motioned to the counter with his head.

“Your cocoa, Miss Renalds.”

She smiled and, still in Chris’s arms, took the warm cup of chocolate from the counter and held it between her palms. His grin as he carried her down the hall made her think he might be anticipating some of her treat—silly wolf.

Cocoa and a snuggle. She sighed with the first complete pleasure she’d felt in much too long.