Janine Ashbless's Blog, page 102

I've got worms

Gruddamnit. Through the whole of last week (writing, computer disaster, desperate shopping for new PC, and every other thing I've been up to ... yes, that too) these two earworms HAVE BEEN TAKING IT IN TURNS to stomp round the inside of my skull.

Will this exorcise them? I doubt it.

Guest Post: Princess in Chains

Yay, peeps - today the very wonderful and best-selling Justine Elyot has popped in to talk about her new release Princess in Chains. It's a proper fantasy/erotica novel so I jumped at the chance of featuring it here. We need more good erotica authors like Justine writing fantasy!Here's the official blurb:
"Leonore, heiress to the Kingdom of Ystra, is promised in marriage to Corvin, unpopular monarch of the neighbouring Kingdom of Vala. When their first meeting ends in disaster, she is tempted to take her handmaiden, Asta, out of the castle to sample an evening of common delights in the city - but forces she hasn't reckoned with are against her, and Leonore finds her destiny taken from her hands.
She must embark on a quest to undo the wrong she has accidentally done, accompanied only by a handsome cooper's boy and the address of a mysterious alchemist whom, she hopes, will be the key to her success.
But nothing is as it seems, least of all Leonore's own heart."
I've bought my copy :-)So ... over to you, Justine!
In A World Of My Own
Hello there! It's brilliant, if slightly intimidating, to be here at Janine's blog today, because I know that Janine is one of the very best writers of fantasy erotica working today, and I am a mere novice. So it's very kind of her to have me and I'll try not to spoil the look of the place too much. [Seriously? Have you seen the piles of dragon poop around here? - Janine ]
As a child and teenager (and, if I'm honest, an adult), one of the things said about me most often was, "She's in a world of her own." Yes, I was, and I still am, and I make no apology for it. When it came to writing, though, I was tentative about creating my own imaginary spaces. I started in fanfiction, where they are provided for you, and then moved on to stories set in the 'real world', albeit a heightened version of it.
This was odd, though, because a great deal of my fantasy life occurs in made-up places, so eventually it was inevitable that some of that would inform my writing. The world of Princess In Chains is both foreign and familiar, owing a lot to the cod-medieval world of Grimm tales, but I tried to make that landscape my own, and that was the fun part.
Leonore and her friends and foes exist in a place divided into different kingdoms, each kingdom having its distinct culture, aesthetic and philosophy. Ystra, Leonore's homeland, is an idealistic Ancient Greece – sunny, airy, tolerant of all beliefs, interested in the furthering of civilisation. Vala, where she travels to meet her betrothed, the King, is more rough and ready, living in a comparative dark age. The people there are practical and no-nonsense, unlike their neighbours in Thren whose heads are stuffed full of odd superstitions and rituals.
To write about completely made-up places is freeing and has given me a chance to think about how characters unconstrained by certain elements of our world culture might be different from us. There is one character, for instance, who comes from 'the southern lands', where men and women have always been equal and same sex relationships have never raised an eyebrow. I can't wait to tackle her story in more depth – but that might have to wait until book 3…
Princess In Chains is available now in both paperback and download format at Amazon UK and Amazon US

Eyecandy Monday

As it's the first Eyecandy of 2014, I thought I'd start y'all off with a happy smile.

Just to let you know; currently I've got the erotica on the back-burner and am writing a horror short story to appear in a Yorkshire-themed anthology next year.  I'm up to my neck in research and it's starting to look pretty good, I think. The panicky "oh-my-god-how-am-I-going-to-come-up-with-something-scary-enough?!" stage is over, anyway :-)

Growing up

:-D

Vampires In Paperback!

Looooooooook!!


After all those months as an e-book, Red Grow the Roses is now available in a glorious dead-tree version!


It's got floppy white pages and everything!

A bit of a pity Mischief Books didn't actually tell me ... but at least I found it. On Amazon UK only, I'm afraid - and the kindle version has currently vanished off Amazon US altogether. Publishing ...  it's a laugh, eh?


Still, the important thing is that the top/novel shelf on my Ego Bookcase is now finally complete :-)

Happy New Year!

 Here's one reason why:


It was so worth it.
I had a great Xmas break - you may have noticed that I've neglected my blog slightly, sorry mumble mumble - and I started the new year with a bang ;-)


Best wishes for 2014 to you all - may it be better than 2013 ever was!

Eyecandy Monday

In the year that I discovered the lure of tiny tiny shorts, this is the most fitting Eyecandy with which to finish off 2013 :-)

2013 in the rearview mirror

It's nearly over, folks! 2013, that is. So, as every year, I take a look back at what has gone before and award the outstanding features my official seal of approval  ... which I should call the "Ashy" or something - an accolade that will, once earned, echo throughout all time even unto the ears of the gods themselves.
Or not.

Best Picture:

Hannah Mermaid swims with a manta ray
Best Movie:

I watched 27 movies this year - fewer than previous years, for no particular reason. Here are my top five, in rough order of how much I enjoyed them, not artistic merit or anything:



Captain PhillipsArgoThe Hobbit: The Desolation of SmaugDjango UnchainedRiddick
Movie I disliked most this year? Oz the Great and Terrible, which should have its title shortened by the excision of the third and fourth words, for the sake of accuracy.

Best Comedy Act:


I've become a big fan of Richard Herring, who does a tour each year consisting of a monologue on some single subject of universal human importance - Moustaches, Love, Religion, Death ... in early 2013 he was talking about Cocks and he was great.

Best TV:

Doctor Who was a late contender for this Ashy ... but I'm awarding it to subtitled French creepshow Les Revenants.

"Twin Peaks" but with undead.
Best Eyecandy:

It's so hard to choose...


But I've totally got a thing about this pic because, in my head, that guy's a character in my forthcoming Cover Him With Darkness novel. So, him.

Best Music:

Aw jeez, I am getting old. I've started listening to what might be described as Big Band music - well, its latest incarnation anyway. In fact the only album I bought this year was by Ivy Levan.



(warning: video is sorta disturbing and includes unladylike language, so NSFW)

Wisest Words:

These. Unfortunately.
*****
And so, 2013, farewell!

Happy Xmas everyone!

Wishing you all a joyous and peaceful holiday season!
And if there is any meaning to Christmas, it is encapsulated for me in this song, from one of my favourite movies of all time :-)

Eyecandy Monday

Santa is coming soon ... ;-)