Janine Ashbless's Blog, page 147

I'd like to Phone A Friend, please

I'm so thankful for my circle of friends, for many reasons ... but one of them is to do with research. When I'm writing I look stuff up in books and online of course, and I draw on my own experience, but sometimes there's no substitute for asking someone else. Like this week, when I'm writing a story which references MMORPG World of Warcraft. How much research would I have to do on my own before I could answer the question "Okay, if you've got a maxed-out longterm player who's off on his own somewhere killing monsters in a repetitive manner; where might he be, what's he killing and what's the reward? Oh, and what titles might he have earned?"

In fact, as I glance over my ego-shelf back-catalogue I can see a slew of stories and novels where I've gone to various friends on a wierd and wonderful range of subjects. Just in erotica I've asked about

the world of pro-am operasugarcraft and cakemakingVictorian underweardating in Second Lifewhat it's like being an extra in a movieArabic culture in medieval BaghdadLibrarian hierarchyRoman armour and army organisation They're called "Pteruges"
And that's off the top of my head - I'm sure I've missed some.

What's next? Well, I've got this character, see, and he's very old fashioned. I need someone who can translate into Old English and get the cases right...

And what's more I'm sure I know someone who can help!

The King's Viper - release date

Boy, when e-publishing moves it moves fast! The official release date for my Ellora's Cave novel The King's Viper is 19th August! Download price: $5.95

When Lady Eloise of the Isle of Venn becomes betrothed to the King of Ystria, she looks forward to a life of luxury and status at the royal court. She certainly doesn't anticipate being shipwrecked on the way to her wedding, escorted by the King's assassin, Severin de Meynard, the most hated man in the kingdom. Nor does she anticipate them having to make their way back home to Ystria on foot, through hundreds of miles of enemy territory. Above all, she doesn't expect to fall in love with the cynical, ruthless Severin.

Eloise and Severin struggle to control their growing attraction to each other because if they do not—if she returns to the King no longer a virgin—then they will both be executed. Yet their passion threatens to be far stronger than their self-control. Severin and Eloise are torn between duty and their burning need for one another, and both will face bitter sacrifice before the end.

Readers beware: this is me writing erotic ROMANCE. There is plenty of sex, but also lots of my idiosyncratic take on love. Let's just say, its course ne'er did run smooth...
 
Find The King's Viper here in all its agonising romantic yumminess.
And there's a link to a taster excerpt too!

Eyecandy Monday

Mm. ... This is what I want. Anything more energetic is beyond me at the moment, I'm afraid.

A weekend of LARP and alcohol and I'm practically a zombie...