Felicity Heaton's Blog, page 88
March 27, 2012
News on Her Demonic Angel, free books on Kindle, and In Heat in the top 500!
After my writing meltdown of last week, I decided yesterday that I was just going to sit down in my sunny garden under the parasol, put on my fight scene music, and just write. It worked!
I managed to make it through the scenes that I've now realised were part of the reason I wasn't feeling like writing. They were really difficult ones because they were a combination of huge fight, big plot events, and really really intense and draining emotion. I sped through the first 5500 words in just over two hours and then continued to get up to 8000 words for the day. I swear that I spent around 4000 of those words either crying or sniffling. I am issuing a tissue warning for Her Demonic Angel. Honestly, it needs it. Have a tissue on hand and expect a few tears. It's very intense, dramatic and will probably have you screaming at me. Put a little trust in my dear reader, I promise I'll come good on it.
I am feeling so much better now that I've found my writing groove again and I'm ready to plough on with Her Demonic Angel and I hope I can keep my flow until the final words. I'm up to 89000 words in this book now and have around another 30000 to go, so expect it to be around the same length as Her Guardian Angel (and just as dramatic and breathtaking!).
Another reason I'm on a high right now is the amazing response to my free Amazon Kindle books I offered on Sunday. I offered two of them,
Ascension
and
Forbidden Blood
.
Ascension
is a demon and witch pairing, and
Forbidden Blood
is a vampire romance. I thought that
Forbidden Blood
would completely outstrip
Ascension
because
Ascension
has never sold well, but more people pimped
Ascension
(some big review sites and authors included, so thanks for that) and downloads for that were staggering. I really wish that people had seen that
Forbidden Blood
was also on offer as I'm sure readers would have liked to pick up both of the novels.
In order to do the free books on Amazon, I have to have the books in the KDP Select programme where the books are exclusive to Amazon in their digital format. I'm still waiting on Smashwords to get the books removed from other sites. I've given them almost two weeks now and if they don't come down soon, I'll be emailing them. I've heard rumours that Smashwords sometimes don't tell the retailers to remove the books. It wouldn't surprise me. I once tried to remove all my books from Barnes and Noble when they said their Pubit! Programme would be open to all authors, and Smashwords left them on there for months and they never were removed. I ended up reinstating them several months later when it became clear they weren't going to be removed and Pubit! turned out to be a US-only scheme after all.
Still, I've promised figures for my downloads with KDP Select, so here they are.
Ascension
had 9184 downloads in the day it was free, and
Forbidden Blood
had 4859. I had thought maybe in a single day I could get around 4000 downloads, so I'm pleased as punch with these figures.
In other fantastic news, In Heat , my shape-shifter romance that is also in the KDP Select programme, is now sitting pretty at #445 in the Amazon Kindle Store. #445 out of over a million books, AND it's a $2.99 book, not a $0.99 cheapie? How amazing is that? I'm super pleased and awed by how well this book is doing. Considering I was going to retire it when I removed it from all sites in January, I am so glad that I didn't in the end and decided to have a second go at the programme with it and the sequel, In Heat: Mating Call .
Covet and Crave , the first two books in my Vampire Erotic Theatre series have been doing incredibly well too. The reception for these books has been amazing and it's exciting to see the reader comments on the reviews. People are really into this series and the characters. I do love that reviewers and readers are pleased that the vampires and shifters in it aren't saints and are very dark yet sexy, and a little bit deadly. Just the sort of vampire I often love to write. I just hope that I can keep everyone happy with this series as it progresses. I know readers are anxious for Snow's book and it is coming, I promise, but first you get the yumminess of Antoine's novel, and then Andreu and Payne's novellas. Snow is getting more and more page time though.
I managed to make it through the scenes that I've now realised were part of the reason I wasn't feeling like writing. They were really difficult ones because they were a combination of huge fight, big plot events, and really really intense and draining emotion. I sped through the first 5500 words in just over two hours and then continued to get up to 8000 words for the day. I swear that I spent around 4000 of those words either crying or sniffling. I am issuing a tissue warning for Her Demonic Angel. Honestly, it needs it. Have a tissue on hand and expect a few tears. It's very intense, dramatic and will probably have you screaming at me. Put a little trust in my dear reader, I promise I'll come good on it.
I am feeling so much better now that I've found my writing groove again and I'm ready to plough on with Her Demonic Angel and I hope I can keep my flow until the final words. I'm up to 89000 words in this book now and have around another 30000 to go, so expect it to be around the same length as Her Guardian Angel (and just as dramatic and breathtaking!).
Another reason I'm on a high right now is the amazing response to my free Amazon Kindle books I offered on Sunday. I offered two of them,
Ascension
and
Forbidden Blood
.
Ascension
is a demon and witch pairing, and
Forbidden Blood
is a vampire romance. I thought that
Forbidden Blood
would completely outstrip
Ascension
because
Ascension
has never sold well, but more people pimped
Ascension
(some big review sites and authors included, so thanks for that) and downloads for that were staggering. I really wish that people had seen that
Forbidden Blood
was also on offer as I'm sure readers would have liked to pick up both of the novels. In order to do the free books on Amazon, I have to have the books in the KDP Select programme where the books are exclusive to Amazon in their digital format. I'm still waiting on Smashwords to get the books removed from other sites. I've given them almost two weeks now and if they don't come down soon, I'll be emailing them. I've heard rumours that Smashwords sometimes don't tell the retailers to remove the books. It wouldn't surprise me. I once tried to remove all my books from Barnes and Noble when they said their Pubit! Programme would be open to all authors, and Smashwords left them on there for months and they never were removed. I ended up reinstating them several months later when it became clear they weren't going to be removed and Pubit! turned out to be a US-only scheme after all.
Still, I've promised figures for my downloads with KDP Select, so here they are.
Ascension
had 9184 downloads in the day it was free, and
Forbidden Blood
had 4859. I had thought maybe in a single day I could get around 4000 downloads, so I'm pleased as punch with these figures.In other fantastic news, In Heat , my shape-shifter romance that is also in the KDP Select programme, is now sitting pretty at #445 in the Amazon Kindle Store. #445 out of over a million books, AND it's a $2.99 book, not a $0.99 cheapie? How amazing is that? I'm super pleased and awed by how well this book is doing. Considering I was going to retire it when I removed it from all sites in January, I am so glad that I didn't in the end and decided to have a second go at the programme with it and the sequel, In Heat: Mating Call .
Covet and Crave , the first two books in my Vampire Erotic Theatre series have been doing incredibly well too. The reception for these books has been amazing and it's exciting to see the reader comments on the reviews. People are really into this series and the characters. I do love that reviewers and readers are pleased that the vampires and shifters in it aren't saints and are very dark yet sexy, and a little bit deadly. Just the sort of vampire I often love to write. I just hope that I can keep everyone happy with this series as it progresses. I know readers are anxious for Snow's book and it is coming, I promise, but first you get the yumminess of Antoine's novel, and then Andreu and Payne's novellas. Snow is getting more and more page time though.
March 25, 2012
Manday Hotties - A summery hit of hotness!
It's time for the Manday Hotties Hop again! Be sure to follow the links in the list below to get your full fix of hot sexy mancandy this Monday.
It's has been glorious weather for the first week of spring here in the UK so I couldn't resist gathering some hotties by the water...
Oh... now I want to play by the water too! Don't you?
Visit the other blogs in the hop:
Sunday Snippets - CRAVE - vampire erotic romance novella - part four
CRAVE , the second book in my already popular Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series , is out now and I've been focusing on this book in my Saturday and Sunday Snippets!
So, here's the blurb for this hot new erotic vampire romance novella and the first part of chapter two. You can read chapter one in this previous post. Or you can find the parts of this chapter I've been posting in my snippets.
Crave
Felicity Heaton
His mind has been set on his work for the past one hundred years. Now a forbidden beauty has stolen his attention and is threatening to steal his heart too.
Callum has come to the city of romance on business, not pleasure, but when he sets eyes on a gorgeous werewolf in a nightclub, he can't ignore the dark carnal craving she ignites in him. His work for Vampirerotique, the erotic theatre he runs with three other vampires, can wait. The only thing that matters now is satisfying his sinful hunger for a woman who most vampires would consider an enemy.
Kristina is on the run from her pack. Her alpha is intent on forcing her to bear his child and she's not about to live through the same nightmare as her mother had. When a tall, dark and sexy vampire catches her eye, she can't believe the ferocity of the desire he unleashes in her or the fact that she enjoys the feel of his eyes on her and his silent pursuit of her in the clubs each night.
When Kristina finally gets a taste of Callum in a forbidden kiss, will she be strong enough to resist the allure of the vampire and his offer to share his bed for a week of unbridled, wild sex, or will she surrender to her own craving for the safety and passion she finds in his embrace?
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 35000 words
released: March 2012
Book 2 in the Vampire Erotic Theatre series
Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Crave
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B007HBKNG6
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140336
EXCERPTCallum bent towards her, his hands pressing into her sides as he lowered them down from her waist over her hips and round to her backside. He pulled her closer, cranking her temperature up another ten degrees, and moved against her. The slide of his thigh between hers, the fleeting contact between his hard body and her aching one, had her sinking her teeth into her lower lip. She wanted more, cursed her tight jeans for inhibiting her and stopping her from being able to gain the satisfaction she desired. She pushed against him, curling her hips, hungry and seeking more friction to sate her need.
Callum's cool skin brushing her neck startled her and her gaze leapt from his to what she could see of his hand out of the corner of her eye. He swept the tangled lengths of her hair from her throat, the teasing whisper of his fingers over her hungry body almost too much for her to bear, and then leaned into her. Kristina moaned and couldn't stop herself from tilting her head to one side even though she was aware that by doing so she was breaking the rules of her kind. It was wrong of her to welcome a vampire's touch and let him kiss her throat, especially when she had feared one of her own species doing such a thing to her just minutes before.
It was different with Callum.
The hard press of his lips on her throat, the sweep of his tongue over her jugular, stirred only desire in her, flooding her with the ache to bury her fingers into his hair and anchor him there so he wouldn't stop. There was no threat in his caress, no sense that he intended to sink his fangs into her, and even if he did, it would only be the vampire equivalent of a love bite.
The werewolf had intended to mark her and claim her with the bite.
A vampire couldn't do such a thing.
"Tell me your name," Callum husked into her ear, his cool breath tickling her skin. He kissed and sucked her earlobe, curled his tongue around it, sending a shiver down her throat that set her aflame. She rocked against him, meeting his shallow thrusts, panting as her desire got the better of her. His firm grip on her backside with one hand and the nape of her neck with the other drove her wild. She bucked and writhed, rubbing herself along the length of his thigh. Her fingertips pressed into the hard bulge of his pectorals and raked downwards, catching his nipples through his black shirt and tearing a groan from him. She answered him with a moan of her own when she reached the granite slab of his stomach, her imagination running away with her. What would he look like nude and in all his glory? She pictured a lean built physique. Muscles that could melt a woman right down to her core barely hidden beneath milky skin. A trail of hair as dark as his ponytail that led down from the sensual dip of his navel to his impressive hard cock. Lithe powerful legs that exuded strength as much as the rest of him. He was a god in her imagination.
Would he be that way in reality?
She had an itch to find out and wanted to scratch it right there in the club.
He chuckled against her throat and kissed it again, wet open mouthed ones that made the fragments of thoughts she had gathered scatter and tore a moan from her.
"I guess I'm not the only one having trouble functioning here." His voice was a silken purr in her ear and he suddenly stepped away from her.
Kristina stood on jelly legs, gripping the sleeves of his black shirt in tight fists to keep herself upright. He looked around them and enough sense broke through the haze of arousal fogging her mind for her to wonder what he was looking for. She stumbled when he locked a strong hand around her wrist and strode towards the edge of the dance floor. She bumped into several dancers, mumbling apologies, and saw past Callum's wide shoulders. A couple exited one of the curtained booths directly ahead of them. A blush blazed across her cheeks as she realised what he was up to and what might happen between them if she entered the private booth with him and sense reared its ugly head and told her to break free of him before it was too late.
The desire to do such a thing faltered and died when he looked over his shoulder at her, his hungry gaze devouring hers, expressing everything that she was feeling inside. He knew as well as she did that this was wrong but it wasn't stopping him.
And she wouldn't let it stop her either.
He pulled her into the booth, closed the heavy black velvet curtains with one stroke, and turned on her.
Kristina let her breath out on a sigh as he claimed her waist, moulded her body against the hard expanse of his, and kissed her.
Before she started to kiss him back, before things got beyond her control and she lost her ability to think again, she pulled away and stared into his eyes.
"Kristina," she breathed and he grinned sexily.
"Now I know what to call you when I lose myself in you."
Oh, Heavens, that sounded so hot husked in his deep voice as he stared at her with hungry eyes that promised he wouldn't let her go until he had satisfied the passion bouncing between them. Kristina grabbed his tie, yanked him to her and pressed a brief hard kiss to his lips.
She smiled wickedly.
"Mister, you'll be screaming it by the time I'm done with you."
Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Crave
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B007HBKNG6
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140336
Did you all enjoy the excerpt?
March 24, 2012
Free Paranormal Romance Ebooks This Sunday - Fantastic Spring Offer
Tomorrow, Sunday, I will have two fantastic free paranormal romance ebooks available on Amazon Kindle. You'll be able to get your hands on Forbidden Blood and Ascension for absolutely nothing all because Spring has sprung and now is the time to relax in the sun with a good read.
Here are the links, but remember, they won't go free until tomorrow and the offer only lasts that day, so snap these up while you can and don't forget to tell your friends so they can grab their free Amazon Kindle ebooks too.
Ascension
Felicity Heaton
A witch on the verge of achieving phenomenal power, Lealandra must turn to her half-breed demon ex-lover Taig for protection from the dark force that is after her and also from her own magic.
With her Counter-Balance dead and her coven against her, Taig's blood and power is the only thing that can help her control her magic and survive the ascension and gain the strength to defeat her enemy.
Old feelings come flooding back as Taig allows her into his world and Lealandra finds herself fighting not only for survival but to win his broken heart again and heal the pain in their past. Can he forgive her for walking out on him all those years ago and will he ever believe her when she tells him that he's not a monster but the man that she loves?
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle Spain: http://www.amazon.es/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle Italy: http://www.amazon.it/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Forbidden Blood
Felicity Heaton
In a dark world where vampires exist and where Source Blood, a rare human blood type, can bestow godlike powers upon them, the vampire Venators of the Sovereignty fight to protect the humans by banishing those who drink it to the endless dark.
Exiled from his family and with only his duty to sustain him, Kearn has been on the trail of an elusive Source Blood abuser for three years. When he saves a beautiful human female from the vampire's grasp, it turns out she's the lead he's been waiting for. Amber is a Source Blood and the perfect bait, but for who?
As they race to catch the vampire and survive the cruel games he plays, Amber is pulled deeper into Kearn's world and discovers the painful secrets he hides behind his handsome but emotionless exterior—hurt that she has the power to heal if she is brave enough.
Forbidden Blood is a dark, sensual tale of betrayal, revenge and a love that knows no bounds.
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle Spain: http://www.amazon.es/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle Italy: http://www.amazon.es/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Here are the links, but remember, they won't go free until tomorrow and the offer only lasts that day, so snap these up while you can and don't forget to tell your friends so they can grab their free Amazon Kindle ebooks too.
AscensionFelicity Heaton
A witch on the verge of achieving phenomenal power, Lealandra must turn to her half-breed demon ex-lover Taig for protection from the dark force that is after her and also from her own magic.
With her Counter-Balance dead and her coven against her, Taig's blood and power is the only thing that can help her control her magic and survive the ascension and gain the strength to defeat her enemy.
Old feelings come flooding back as Taig allows her into his world and Lealandra finds herself fighting not only for survival but to win his broken heart again and heal the pain in their past. Can he forgive her for walking out on him all those years ago and will he ever believe her when she tells him that he's not a monster but the man that she loves?
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle Spain: http://www.amazon.es/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Amazon Kindle Italy: http://www.amazon.it/dp/B004X6TWLK/
Forbidden BloodFelicity Heaton
In a dark world where vampires exist and where Source Blood, a rare human blood type, can bestow godlike powers upon them, the vampire Venators of the Sovereignty fight to protect the humans by banishing those who drink it to the endless dark.
Exiled from his family and with only his duty to sustain him, Kearn has been on the trail of an elusive Source Blood abuser for three years. When he saves a beautiful human female from the vampire's grasp, it turns out she's the lead he's been waiting for. Amber is a Source Blood and the perfect bait, but for who?
As they race to catch the vampire and survive the cruel games he plays, Amber is pulled deeper into Kearn's world and discovers the painful secrets he hides behind his handsome but emotionless exterior—hurt that she has the power to heal if she is brave enough.
Forbidden Blood is a dark, sensual tale of betrayal, revenge and a love that knows no bounds.
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle Spain: http://www.amazon.es/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Amazon Kindle Italy: http://www.amazon.es/dp/B0055I1LNW/
Saturday Snippets - CRAVE - vampire erotic romance novella - part three
CRAVE , the second book in my already popular Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series , is out now and I've been focusing on this book in my Saturday and Sunday Snippets!
So, here's the blurb for this hot new erotic vampire romance novella and the first part of chapter two. You can read chapter one in this previous post. Or you can find the parts of this chapter I've been posting in my snippets.
Crave
Felicity Heaton
His mind has been set on his work for the past one hundred years. Now a forbidden beauty has stolen his attention and is threatening to steal his heart too.
Callum has come to the city of romance on business, not pleasure, but when he sets eyes on a gorgeous werewolf in a nightclub, he can't ignore the dark carnal craving she ignites in him. His work for Vampirerotique, the erotic theatre he runs with three other vampires, can wait. The only thing that matters now is satisfying his sinful hunger for a woman who most vampires would consider an enemy.
Kristina is on the run from her pack. Her alpha is intent on forcing her to bear his child and she's not about to live through the same nightmare as her mother had. When a tall, dark and sexy vampire catches her eye, she can't believe the ferocity of the desire he unleashes in her or the fact that she enjoys the feel of his eyes on her and his silent pursuit of her in the clubs each night.
When Kristina finally gets a taste of Callum in a forbidden kiss, will she be strong enough to resist the allure of the vampire and his offer to share his bed for a week of unbridled, wild sex, or will she surrender to her own craving for the safety and passion she finds in his embrace?
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 35000 words
released: March 2012
Book 2 in the Vampire Erotic Theatre series
Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Crave
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B007HBKNG6
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140336
EXCERPTKristina rotated her hips into his and held her nerve when she felt the growing bulge in his black trousers. He looked beautifully startled when she pressed her groin against his, moving up and down his body, teasing him with the friction.
The hunger for him that had begun as little more than a spark of interest when she had noticed him watching her around six days ago had slowly grown into a burning desire for him three days ago and she had been teasing him since then, toying with him. She had wanted to speak to him so many times so she could know why he watched her so closely and why he was following her. Her initial reaction had been one of fear but then she had realised that he was a vampire, not one of her alpha's goons come to take her home. The feel of his eyes on her had given her confidence that she had never felt before. She had danced with men, aware that he was watching, putting on a show for him. Her nightly repertoire had grown in the strange pre-dawn twilight this morning, climaxing in her feeding on a human man while he watched from the shadows.
When she had stepped away from the man and wiped his mind of the incident, replacing the memories with ones of passion, she had felt sure that the vampire would make his move, that the sight of her feeding would have driven him over the edge. He had stayed in the shadows for long minutes and then left. Had he fought his desire and won?
Part of her despised him for that, for having better control than she had over herself. She hadn't been able to overcome her curiosity tonight and had gone to him, only to run away like a cub when she had felt his fangs. Well, that wouldn't happen again.
Kristina wiggled her way back up him, twirled the long black hair in the ponytail at the nape of his neck, and smiled into his eyes, giving him her best seductive look.
His pupils dilated further and he finally moved, his hands coming to settle on her hips and then sliding upwards to the low waist of her tight jeans. She shivered with the first caress of his cool palms over her waist, his hands under the flowing loose material of her top. His thumbs pressed into her stomach, fingers firm against her back, the touch electrifying her. It was dominant but in the best way. He was reconfirming his strength and silently telling her that he could easily take control of things if he wanted, while his expression told her that he was also more than happy to comply and let her take the lead.
She swayed her hips and moved down his body again, trailing her palms over his shoulders and chest, forcing his hands on her up to her ribs and the sides of her breasts. His eyes narrowed briefly, heat blazing in them as he shifted his hands forwards to capture her breasts, and then he frowned when she worked her way upwards again before he could touch them.
He stepped into her, wedging a hard muscular thigh between her legs and stopping her from wriggling. A moan slipped from her lips as he moved it, brushing it against her groin, and she looped her arms around his neck. Staring into his eyes, lost in them, she forgot about the werewolves in the club and the pack back in England that were searching for her. The world fell away, taking her cares with it, stripping her of the part of her that continually whispered that this man was not for her.
It didn't matter that he was handsome and strong. It didn't matter that when he watched her she felt as though she could do anything. It didn't matter that she wanted him more than was reasonable and that her need for him was fierce and controlled her to a degree.
He was a vampire.
In his arms like this, that was the thing that no longer mattered.
Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Crave
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B007HBKNG6
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140336
Did you all enjoy the excerpt?
March 23, 2012
Sometimes being an author is hard work
I've had a difficult week. It has been really hard to get back into working after my ear operation and I've been finding writing really draining and taxing since returning to work full time. I'm not saying that my weeks are normally easy and that writing is a breeze. It's always hard and I always work like a crazy thing, but it's normally quite easy to keep plugging away with everything because I'm excited and enthused.
This week has been dreadful. I've been trying to write Her Demonic Angel to get it finished in first draft but it has been like trying to get blood out of a stone. I'm just not feeling it and my mood at the moment is dire. Being an author is often very difficult, but at the moment I'm really feeling it and it's not so much pressure of writing a fantastic book as pressure of playing the popularity game.
I've never been one of the popular people and I think I broadcast a loner vibe that has most people not straying too closely. Only a brave few cross that invisible line around me to give me a go, and I'm actually quite friendly to those who do. I don't tend to bite unless you ask me (or one of my heroes) very nicely. At the moment, everything on the promotion and platform side of things feels like a vertical struggle. Not even uphill. Just a vertical ascent. Like rock climbing, but without the handholds and the ropes. Zero support and nothing to fall back on.
It's the bane of all authors that we measure our success against that which other authors enjoy. It's wrong of us, and we know that, but we do it anyway, because we love a bit of soul-crushing punishment. Nothing like seeing how well other people are doing, how popular they are, how their readers share their books and talk about them with each other, to leave you feeling down in the dumps. Well, I'm down... I'm in the bottomless pit with the Devil. That's how far down I am.
I know many people reading this will just mutter things about how well I do and that I have no reason to gripe, but I'm a human being and we strive for success, and when we don't feel we're achieving it or doing well enough, we have a moan. It's my blog, and I'll moan if I want to. And honestly, I don't feel I've succeeded yet. I'm far from a success story. I'm doing well, but I don't think of it as success. Success is still a way off.
I know the reason I haven't been able to find my writing mojo recently. It's nothing to do with the book or fear that it won't be well received or will be a huge fail. It's my head full of business, promotion panics, book sales worries, and looking at other authors and wondering how the hell I get to be like that, that is stopping me from writing. I swear I've written out promotion ideas for most of the day hoping that somewhere in all my scribbles there'll be a nugget of gold that will see readers promoting me to their friends, on their networks, or something.
I'm often left wondering whether I just don't write the type of books that people want to talk about and that's why word of mouth promotion eludes me... or whether it's more along the lines of people think I'm doing just fine and I don't need the help... or that authors don't want me in on their gang and their little helpful hops to cross promote each others books because I'm totally unapproachable or wouldn't be interested. I don't know. The answer eludes me as much as the solution. Maybe I'm just bashing my head against the wall. It's times like these that I feel like taking a step back from the internet but that would only kill my book sales and undo all my hard work. Believe it or not, it takes a crapload of effort to get the sales I do. I'm not one of those lucky authors who releases a book and it rockets up the charts, and everyone talks about how great it is, and more people buy it, and an agent or publisher comes knocking on my door with a bouquet of flowers and a fantastic book deal. Man, I wish I was though.
I'm drowning right now though and feeling very much like an island, not a part of this world. It happens in cycles. I'll feel as though I'm doing fantastically at engaging people and like I'm part of the group, and then I'll end up on the periphery and disappearing into obscurity again. I only wish I had people I can talk to about all this writing stuff and everything, but a lot of the time I don't want to bother people with it and to be honest there's only one woman who would probably listen to my moaning with an open and understanding heart, and hopefully not be quietly wondering what my problem is when I'm selling books and doing okay. It's not about the number of books I sell, but about the whole social side of things. That's my total fail. I don't measure success in just figures. It's a complicated equation and a lot of it is the social side of things and being included. I think this all harks back to what I said earlier about never being popular. You've all seen my bio picture, right? I'm sure you can figure out that I wasn't the popular girl in school / college / university / the office. lol.
Yes, dearest author reading this post, it happens to everyone. We all want to be part of the group, one of the in crowd, or at least one of a close-knit group of authors who support each other and we all do fantastically because we're looking out for each other... in reality, only a few of us will enjoy that and everything it entails, and the rest of us live like islands and wonder why no one wants to play with us. We all want to taste success too, but sometimes success is far harder to achieve than you think it will be and it turns out your measure of success isn't just book sales. Perservere, dearest author, and maybe one day you'll find that elusive nugget of gold that leads you to the success you desire... and if it doesn't, you've probably already achieved some form of success through all your hard work and patience.
This week has been dreadful. I've been trying to write Her Demonic Angel to get it finished in first draft but it has been like trying to get blood out of a stone. I'm just not feeling it and my mood at the moment is dire. Being an author is often very difficult, but at the moment I'm really feeling it and it's not so much pressure of writing a fantastic book as pressure of playing the popularity game.
I've never been one of the popular people and I think I broadcast a loner vibe that has most people not straying too closely. Only a brave few cross that invisible line around me to give me a go, and I'm actually quite friendly to those who do. I don't tend to bite unless you ask me (or one of my heroes) very nicely. At the moment, everything on the promotion and platform side of things feels like a vertical struggle. Not even uphill. Just a vertical ascent. Like rock climbing, but without the handholds and the ropes. Zero support and nothing to fall back on.
It's the bane of all authors that we measure our success against that which other authors enjoy. It's wrong of us, and we know that, but we do it anyway, because we love a bit of soul-crushing punishment. Nothing like seeing how well other people are doing, how popular they are, how their readers share their books and talk about them with each other, to leave you feeling down in the dumps. Well, I'm down... I'm in the bottomless pit with the Devil. That's how far down I am.
I know many people reading this will just mutter things about how well I do and that I have no reason to gripe, but I'm a human being and we strive for success, and when we don't feel we're achieving it or doing well enough, we have a moan. It's my blog, and I'll moan if I want to. And honestly, I don't feel I've succeeded yet. I'm far from a success story. I'm doing well, but I don't think of it as success. Success is still a way off.
I know the reason I haven't been able to find my writing mojo recently. It's nothing to do with the book or fear that it won't be well received or will be a huge fail. It's my head full of business, promotion panics, book sales worries, and looking at other authors and wondering how the hell I get to be like that, that is stopping me from writing. I swear I've written out promotion ideas for most of the day hoping that somewhere in all my scribbles there'll be a nugget of gold that will see readers promoting me to their friends, on their networks, or something.
I'm often left wondering whether I just don't write the type of books that people want to talk about and that's why word of mouth promotion eludes me... or whether it's more along the lines of people think I'm doing just fine and I don't need the help... or that authors don't want me in on their gang and their little helpful hops to cross promote each others books because I'm totally unapproachable or wouldn't be interested. I don't know. The answer eludes me as much as the solution. Maybe I'm just bashing my head against the wall. It's times like these that I feel like taking a step back from the internet but that would only kill my book sales and undo all my hard work. Believe it or not, it takes a crapload of effort to get the sales I do. I'm not one of those lucky authors who releases a book and it rockets up the charts, and everyone talks about how great it is, and more people buy it, and an agent or publisher comes knocking on my door with a bouquet of flowers and a fantastic book deal. Man, I wish I was though.
I'm drowning right now though and feeling very much like an island, not a part of this world. It happens in cycles. I'll feel as though I'm doing fantastically at engaging people and like I'm part of the group, and then I'll end up on the periphery and disappearing into obscurity again. I only wish I had people I can talk to about all this writing stuff and everything, but a lot of the time I don't want to bother people with it and to be honest there's only one woman who would probably listen to my moaning with an open and understanding heart, and hopefully not be quietly wondering what my problem is when I'm selling books and doing okay. It's not about the number of books I sell, but about the whole social side of things. That's my total fail. I don't measure success in just figures. It's a complicated equation and a lot of it is the social side of things and being included. I think this all harks back to what I said earlier about never being popular. You've all seen my bio picture, right? I'm sure you can figure out that I wasn't the popular girl in school / college / university / the office. lol.
Yes, dearest author reading this post, it happens to everyone. We all want to be part of the group, one of the in crowd, or at least one of a close-knit group of authors who support each other and we all do fantastically because we're looking out for each other... in reality, only a few of us will enjoy that and everything it entails, and the rest of us live like islands and wonder why no one wants to play with us. We all want to taste success too, but sometimes success is far harder to achieve than you think it will be and it turns out your measure of success isn't just book sales. Perservere, dearest author, and maybe one day you'll find that elusive nugget of gold that leads you to the success you desire... and if it doesn't, you've probably already achieved some form of success through all your hard work and patience.
March 22, 2012
18 and Over Book Blogger Giveaway Hop
18 and Over Book Blogger Giveaway Hop is hosted by Bitten by Paranormal Romance and Getting Naughty Between the Stacks .
18 and Over Book Blogger Giveaway Hop runs from 12:01am March 22nd through to 11:59pm March 25th 2012. My giveaway is open internationally so everyone can participate.
I'm doing things a little differently this time as I have some books by other fantastic authors to give away as well as my own books.
THE PRIZESOne signed paperback of Heart of Darkness by Felicity HeatonOne paperback of Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn KenyonBoth prizes also included some of my fantastic signed book swag that includes cover postcards, bookmarks and trading cards for my books.
HOW TO ENTERSubscribe to this blog using the form below. You must subscribe via FeedBurner to participate. Many people HAVE NOT been doing so in these hops. Your entry doesn't count unless you do this.Fill in the Rafflecopter form.Leave your name and email address in a comment.If you want to do the extra entries, feel free to do them!
SUBSCRIBE AND ENTER
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
a Rafflecopter giveaway
You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway.
VISIT THE OTHER BLOGS IN THE HOP
March 19, 2012
Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series
I'm so excited to see that my latest vampire romance series,
Vampire Erotic Theatre
, is doing really well for itself. I was surprised when I sent out the first book in the series, Covet, for review and so many fantastic reviews came back for it and the book tour generated such a buzz about the series. I definitely never anticipated the crazy love that my equally crazy vampire, Snow, has received too... it seems the whole world is waiting for his book!
It seems Crave is doing equally well for itself on the review circuit and Callum, the hero, seems to be surprising everyone. I'm not touring with this one, but I will probably do some stuff on my blog for the book. Like a my-blog-only book tour featuring excerpts, info about the series, character interviews, giveaways, and other stuff like teasers from the next book, Seduce. I'll put something together for it and announce it on my blog soon!
In the meantime, here's the info for the two books in this series at the moment:
Covet
Felicity Heaton
They've burned for each other for two years, the forbidden attraction between them growing each night. Now resisting the sinful desires of their hearts is becoming impossible.
Javier knows better than to succumb to his hunger for Lilah. The mortal female belongs to a powerful aristocrat patron of Vampirerotique, the theatre he runs with three other vampires. A single touch is all it would take to break the sacred law of his kind, sentencing himself to death, but his passion for her has become too fierce to ignore and he will risk everything to make Lilah his.
Lilah has fought her desire for Javier since arriving at his theatre as a servant but each glance he has stolen, his eyes promising pleasure that will satisfy her longing for him, has chipped away at her defences and she can no longer deny her need and her forbidden feelings for the powerful vampire male.
When they find themselves alone in a private box during one of the erotic performances, will they surrender to their passion and live out their wildest fantasies in a night of wicked pleasure or will the threat of Lilah's master keep them apart forever?
Available in e-book from:
Author's website | Amazon Kindle | Amazon Kindle UK | Amazon Kindle Germany | Amazon Kindle France | Apple iBookstore US | Apple iBookstore UK | Apple iBookstore Australia | Apple iBookstore Canada | Barnes and Noble | Kobo Books | Sony Reader Store | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks
Crave
Felicity Heaton
His mind has been set on his work for the past one hundred years. Now a forbidden beauty has stolen his attention and is threatening to steal his heart too.
Callum has come to the city of romance on business, not pleasure, but when he sets eyes on a gorgeous werewolf in a nightclub, he can't ignore the dark carnal craving she ignites in him. His work for Vampirerotique, the erotic theatre he runs with three other vampires, can wait. The only thing that matters now is satisfying his sinful hunger for a woman who most vampires would consider an enemy.
Kristina is on the run from her pack. Her alpha is intent on forcing her to bear his child and she's not about to live through the same nightmare as her mother had. When a tall, dark and sexy vampire catches her eye, she can't believe the ferocity of the desire he unleashes in her or the fact that she enjoys the feel of his eyes on her and his silent pursuit of her in the clubs each night.
When Kristina finally gets a taste of Callum in a forbidden kiss, will she be strong enough to resist the allure of the vampire and his offer to share his bed for a week of unbridled, wild sex, or will she surrender to her own craving for the safety and passion she finds in his embrace?
Available in e-book from:
Author's website | Amazon Kindle | Amazon Kindle UK | Amazon Kindle Germany | Amazon Kindle France | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks
Crave will be available soon on Nook, Sony, Kobo and Apple iBooks.
It seems Crave is doing equally well for itself on the review circuit and Callum, the hero, seems to be surprising everyone. I'm not touring with this one, but I will probably do some stuff on my blog for the book. Like a my-blog-only book tour featuring excerpts, info about the series, character interviews, giveaways, and other stuff like teasers from the next book, Seduce. I'll put something together for it and announce it on my blog soon!
In the meantime, here's the info for the two books in this series at the moment:
Covet
Felicity Heaton
They've burned for each other for two years, the forbidden attraction between them growing each night. Now resisting the sinful desires of their hearts is becoming impossible.
Javier knows better than to succumb to his hunger for Lilah. The mortal female belongs to a powerful aristocrat patron of Vampirerotique, the theatre he runs with three other vampires. A single touch is all it would take to break the sacred law of his kind, sentencing himself to death, but his passion for her has become too fierce to ignore and he will risk everything to make Lilah his.
Lilah has fought her desire for Javier since arriving at his theatre as a servant but each glance he has stolen, his eyes promising pleasure that will satisfy her longing for him, has chipped away at her defences and she can no longer deny her need and her forbidden feelings for the powerful vampire male.
When they find themselves alone in a private box during one of the erotic performances, will they surrender to their passion and live out their wildest fantasies in a night of wicked pleasure or will the threat of Lilah's master keep them apart forever?
Available in e-book from:
Author's website | Amazon Kindle | Amazon Kindle UK | Amazon Kindle Germany | Amazon Kindle France | Apple iBookstore US | Apple iBookstore UK | Apple iBookstore Australia | Apple iBookstore Canada | Barnes and Noble | Kobo Books | Sony Reader Store | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks
Crave
Felicity HeatonHis mind has been set on his work for the past one hundred years. Now a forbidden beauty has stolen his attention and is threatening to steal his heart too.
Callum has come to the city of romance on business, not pleasure, but when he sets eyes on a gorgeous werewolf in a nightclub, he can't ignore the dark carnal craving she ignites in him. His work for Vampirerotique, the erotic theatre he runs with three other vampires, can wait. The only thing that matters now is satisfying his sinful hunger for a woman who most vampires would consider an enemy.
Kristina is on the run from her pack. Her alpha is intent on forcing her to bear his child and she's not about to live through the same nightmare as her mother had. When a tall, dark and sexy vampire catches her eye, she can't believe the ferocity of the desire he unleashes in her or the fact that she enjoys the feel of his eyes on her and his silent pursuit of her in the clubs each night.
When Kristina finally gets a taste of Callum in a forbidden kiss, will she be strong enough to resist the allure of the vampire and his offer to share his bed for a week of unbridled, wild sex, or will she surrender to her own craving for the safety and passion she finds in his embrace?
Available in e-book from:
Author's website | Amazon Kindle | Amazon Kindle UK | Amazon Kindle Germany | Amazon Kindle France | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks
Crave will be available soon on Nook, Sony, Kobo and Apple iBooks.
Manday Hotties - get your Monday mancandy fix!
It's time for the Manday Hotties Hop again! Be sure to follow the links in the list below to get your full fix of hot sexy mancandy this Monday.
I'm still on a naughty streak at the moment. Snow is on my mind and I'm sure many of you know that he's a hard guy to shake or forget. So, here's some more deliciously wicked men to give you a boost this Monday morning!
Hot hot hot! No? I know pic #2 is very popular but I HAD to include it... these pictures make me want to write Bewitch in my VET series.
Visit the other blogs in the hop:
March 18, 2012
Sunday Snippets - CRAVE - vampire erotic romance novella - part two
CRAVE , the second book in my already popular Vampire Erotic Theatre romance series , is out now and I've been focusing on this book in my Saturday and Sunday Snippets!
So, here's the blurb for this hot new erotic vampire romance novella and the first part of chapter two. You can read chapter one in this previous post. Or you can find the parts of this chapter I've been posting in my snippets.
Crave
Felicity Heaton
His mind has been set on his work for the past one hundred years. Now a forbidden beauty has stolen his attention and is threatening to steal his heart too.
Callum has come to the city of romance on business, not pleasure, but when he sets eyes on a gorgeous werewolf in a nightclub, he can't ignore the dark carnal craving she ignites in him. His work for Vampirerotique, the erotic theatre he runs with three other vampires, can wait. The only thing that matters now is satisfying his sinful hunger for a woman who most vampires would consider an enemy.
Kristina is on the run from her pack. Her alpha is intent on forcing her to bear his child and she's not about to live through the same nightmare as her mother had. When a tall, dark and sexy vampire catches her eye, she can't believe the ferocity of the desire he unleashes in her or the fact that she enjoys the feel of his eyes on her and his silent pursuit of her in the clubs each night.
When Kristina finally gets a taste of Callum in a forbidden kiss, will she be strong enough to resist the allure of the vampire and his offer to share his bed for a week of unbridled, wild sex, or will she surrender to her own craving for the safety and passion she finds in his embrace?
genre: paranormal vampire romance
length: 35000 words
released: March 2012
Book 2 in the Vampire Erotic Theatre series
Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Crave
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B007HBKNG6
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140336
EXCERPTA firm cool hand on her shoulder caused her to jump. The start of a shriek escaped her before she clamped down hard on it and the world whirled past her in a blur of blue and purple neon and laser lights. A hard wall of black slammed against her and a low threatening snarl curled out over the pumping music.
Her instincts sparked, senses zeroing in on the male werewolf at her back and the dark presence of vampire in front of her. The vampire's arm tightened around her, pressing her to his chest, and he snarled again, a feral sound that a werewolf would have been proud of making. The werewolf growled back but it lacked the strength and ferocity of the vampire's, sounding weak and tailing off at the end.
Kristina glanced up at her unlikely saviour, looking past the strong defined line of his jaw and the sensual mouth that had sent her head spinning with only a kiss, beyond his straight nose that said he might be an aristocrat vampire, to the red coals of his irises and the vertical slits of his pupils. He growled again, bearing his fangs. They were enormous now, fully extended as he threatened the werewolf behind her.
The werewolf snarled back at him and she sensed the two other male werewolves rise from their seats, heading out of the booth to back up their leader.
Kristina wasn't sure how to defuse the situation before it exploded. She did the first thing that came to her.
She tiptoed, caught the vampire's cheek in her palm, and kissed him.
The werewolves behind her stopped moving. The vampire froze against her, his mouth slack and unmoving. With all four males shocked, Kristina made her move. She grabbed the vampire's hand, twisted out of his embrace, and dragged him into the crowd. They had made it halfway across the dance floor before she heard the werewolf growl and felt the vampire come back to his senses. His hand shifted in hers and he spun her into his arms. He looked down at her, the flicker of coloured lights over his face turning his eyes from red to blue to purple and back again.
Kristina expected him to shout at her, or try to escape her grasp and return to fight the werewolf, or do something.
He just stood there in the middle of the dance floor staring at her.
His pupils gradually widened, switching back to their normal state, and the colour of his irises shifted, so the lights now made them flicker between green, blue and purple.
"I wasn't going to bite you," he said in a low voice that she barely heard over the music and stepped towards her, until she could sense his body close to hers and the temptation to move the bare few inches and bring them against each other hummed through her. "But he was."
The hard look that entered his emerald eyes caused her to divert hers and she stared past him, not wanting to admit that he was right and the male werewolf had intended to mark her right there in front of everyone and she had been too weak and scared to do anything about it.
"What's your name?" she whispered and shoved her weakness away, cleared her throat, lifted her chin and looked directly into his eyes. "I think I have a right to know the name of my hero."
"Hero?" He laughed and shook his head, causing a silken strand of his long black hair to drift down against his cheek. He casually swept it back behind his ear, so it curled around it, and then smiled at her. "I'm hardly the good guy here... but you can call me Callum."
Callum. Cal. Although he didn't look like the sort of man who would easily accept someone shortening his name without permission.
Kristina bravely closed the gap between them and ran her hands over the soft black cotton of his obviously expensive shirt. His chest was granite hard beneath the material, the feel of it sending a hum of pleasure through her body as she recalled the strength of his grip when he had kissed her and when he had rescued her from one of her own kind. She slid her palms up to his strong broad shoulders, looped them around his neck, and started to move against him.
He kept perfectly still, the calm confidence in his eyes melting away to allow something akin to confusion to surface.
"Well, Callum." She tipped her head back and looked up into his eyes. They were locked on hers, searching, probing, as though hers might tell him what she was up to and what she intended to get out of him by swaying in his arms. His pupils dilated with the first brush of her hips across his and his bowed lips parted to reveal the barest trace of straight white teeth. "Don't you want to know my name?"
Kristina rotated her hips into his and held her nerve when she felt the growing bulge in his black trousers. He looked beautifully startled when she pressed her groin against his, moving up and down his body, teasing him with the friction.
Available in e-book from:
Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Crave
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B007HBKNG6
Amazon Kindle France: http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B007HBKNG6
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140336
Did you all enjoy the excerpt?
