Selena Blake's Blog, page 31
October 6, 2013
Book of the Week: Alpha Bad Boys
Seven authors bring you the hottest alpha bad boys and the women who love them. Billionaires, athletes, rockers, Doms, and cowboys, all in one collection, because why should you have to choose?
THEIR VIRGIN CAPTIVE
Masters of Ménage, Book 1
Shayla Black and Lexi Blake
Brothers Gavin, Slade, and Dex, fall hard for Gavin’s new secretary, beautiful Hannah Craig. The oil executives know they must give her time to get to know them before she can choose one…who will seduce the virgin and keep her for his own.
TRY ME
One Night with Sole Regret, Book 1
Olivia Cunning
Melanie has no desire to meet the members of the rock band, Sole Regret, but her groupie of a best friend gets them both backstage and then rushes off with the band’s lead singer. Will Melanie and the band’s drummer, Gabe, only share a single night of passion?
TEMPT ME
One Night with Sole Regret, Book 2
Olivia Cunning
Madison will take one more hot-and-heavy night with Sole Regret’s sexy lead guitarist Adam before she cuts all ties with him for good. She has no problem tempting Adam into her bed, but can she tempt his heart into taking a chance on love?
ONE NIGHT FOREVER
The Cinderella Chronicles, Book 1
Lisa Renee Jones
She’s a struggling good girl taking care of a sick mother. He’s the hot one night stand that she dared indulge in a year before…and now he’s her sexy, rich new boss. Fate has thrown Lauren into the arms of a man who takes her to the absolute edge of passion, but will he destroy her career in the process?
www.lisareneejones.com/
ASK FOR IT
Selena Blake
Trevor Wyatt has lusted for journalist JJ Fairchild since before he retired from the NFL. Now she’s back in his life and he’s not going to miss the opportunity to show her just how good they could be together.
site.selena-blake.com
TUCKER’S FALL
Purgatory Masters, Book 1
Eliza Gayle
Scandalized professor Maggie Cisco returns to her hometown to lick her wounds and reconsider her future when a snowstorm puts her in the path of stunningly handsome, insanely rich and equally intense, Tucker Lewis.
www.elizagayle.net/
EDUCATING ANSLEY
Cat Johnson
Society girl Ansley Craig is banished to a ranch in Colorado, just for having a little too much fun at a graduation party. She expects to find cows and boredom. What she doesn’t count on are the Kane brothers.
Find Alpha Bad Boys:
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B00DLC26OM
Kobo: www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Alpha-Bad-Boys-Box-Set/book-e2J8JtrMo0qwcij8WD…
Nook: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alpha-bad-boys-shayla-black/1116049956?ean=29…
Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/books/view/337080
ARE: www.allromanceebooks.com/product-alphabadboys-1241452-166.html
SSFIS: Authors
It’s that time of the week again. Time for another edition of Someone Searched For It Sunday. This week it’s connect the dots to the authors apparently.
1. authors similar to evangeline anderson (I do think finding authors based on other authors is a great way to find books you’ll love. Who do you think I write like? Leave a comment.)
2. authors similar to h.p. mallory (aww thanks!)
Come back next Sunday for three more search terms.
October 5, 2013
Snippet Saturday – My Baby’s Got a Secret
It’s that time again. Snippet Saturday time. This week’s theme? My baby’s got a secret. And there are definitely secrets to be found in Bitten in the Bayou. Ready for a little excerpt from one of my books? I thought so. Enjoy! 
The lights flickered once, twice, and then they were cast into darkness. With no light, her other senses immediately took over. The rain beat against the house furiously. It seemed alive, like it was trying to claw its way in. A nervous tremor coursed through her veins.
A heavy hand settled on her knee, and she jumped, a girly squeal erupting from her throat.
“Shh… you’re okay. Let your eyes adjust.” By the tone she could tell it was Jules who was comforting her.
Slowly the candle light from the living room brightened their corner of the kitchen.
“Looks like we’re done for a while,” he said, his voice low… seductive.
She turned to look at him, able to make out his features, the hungry look in his eyes. Glancing over at André, she saw him watching her closely. The intimate inspection unnerved her. Made her want to shift in her seat.
But the hand on her knee squeezed gently, reassuring her. When she looked into Jules’ eyes, she hardly noticed the rumble of thunder or the howling wind.
“I want to kiss you,” he whispered.
“Are you asking permission?” she asked and held her breath.
“No,” he said roughly, and before she could blink, his lips were crushing hers. She shifted toward him, closing her eyes. He cupped her cheek in his hand, and she wanted to rub herself against it. To soak up his warmth, his strength.
He probed at her lips with his tongue, and she opened for him. As his tongue swept inside she heard someone groan. She wasn’t sure who.
He tasted rich… of wine and gumbo. Their tongues danced back and forth, and she clung to his shoulders. Her breasts were heavy and aching for his touch. She felt hungry, empty.
Slowly he severed the kiss, and a tiny sound of protest escaped her lips.
“Damn, you know how to kiss. So soft and tempting. Giving and demanding all at once,” he said, sounding out of breath. “I could kiss you for hours.”
That could be arranged, she thought blissfully.
It was as if the whole day, since she’d first caught sight of them in the woods, had been leading up to this moment. Priming her, readying her for his kiss. His touch.
A warm hand curled around her shoulder, and she turned to look up at André. That predatory look was back, and it called to something inside of her. Quickly she glanced back at Jules.
He cocked his head to the side. “You didn’t think he was going to let me keep you all to myself, did you?”
Excerpted from Bitten in the Bayou
Keep reading:
October 4, 2013
Review of Ask For It
Crystal at Smile Somebody Loves You Said:
“I loved this book and I’m not saying that it was all about football, but that is what made it a little more interesting to me.”
October 2, 2013
FOR WRITERS The Funny Thing About Being An Author
Actually, it’s not so funny. Not really.
But for those of you who look around at your writer friends or published authors and think the grass is always greener, trust me, it’s greener from here too. And we, as humans, are never happy with things, are we?
It doesn’t matter if you’ve written and published four books and Bestselling bundle in a year, there’s still more you could have-should have done.
In case you didn’t get the reference in the above statement, yeah, I was talking about yours truly.
But here’s what I discovered this year.
It’s okay to take a break when you need one.
It’s perfectly acceptable to watch movies all day long once in a while.
It’s perfectly reasonable to take a day to read a few books and refill your creative well.
You shouldn’t kick yourself for not producing as much as your peers. For all you know they have a full time nanny and a housekeeper.
You are your own person. Your own writer. Your life is yours and yours alone. You are unique in your circumstances, your talent and your drive.
You must write your ass off.
It’s not about writing another book. It’s about writing a fabulous scene today and another one tomorrow.
You could publish ten books a year and still feel you could do more. Which simply means you must work at it a little every single day. Even when you don’t feel like it. Even when laundry needs to be done or kids are out of school.
You have a finite number of days and hours to get your projects completed. All of your peers are luckily given the exact same amount of days and hours. It’s how you use those days and hours that counts.
You must take care of yourself. Being sick, sore, or in general not feeling well really eats into the writing time. So feed yourself good food, drink lots of water, walk every day, and for goodness sake, do YOGA! Take a headache pill before the migraine strangles you. Get off your duff and grab the heating pad when you need it. Hot showers work wonders.
Always be on the lookout for new friends. Good friends will sustain you.
Let go of your jealousy. Being jealous just means you’re counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.
Sit up straight. Your body will thank you later.
Carve out your own space.
Write. Write. Write.
Let go of the little things.
What have you learned in the last year?
September 30, 2013
Win a Wolfpack Starter Kit
Missed on your chance to get a Wolfpack Starter Kit? No worries, enter the contest below to win one of your very own!
September 29, 2013
SSFIS: Typos and Stormy Weather
It’s that time of the week again. Time for another edition of Someone Searched For It Sunday. This week is brought to you typos and curiosity.
1. selens blake (let’s switch that second S to an A. You’ve come to the right place.)
2. the cajun werewolf series read online (yep, I wrote those. And you can read them on a kindle, Nook or Kobo device. You can also download apps for those platforms to your smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. Get the Stormy Weather series here.)
3. serena blake books (Close. It’s SeLena. 
)
Come back next Sunday for three more search terms.
September 28, 2013
Pursued By A Werewolf Cover Reveal
Here it is, werewolf fans. The cover for the next Mystic Isle book: Pursued by a Werewolf.
This is Avery’s story and I can’t wait to share it with you. Until then, enjoy the cover candy!
September 25, 2013
FOR WRITERS How to Write a Satisfactory Ending
When I asked what topics for writers I should cover, one of my Facebook fans suggested ‘developing satisfactory endings.’
Specifically, she wanted to know how to develop endings that didn’t leave characters scratching their heads and that’s a very important part of the equation. A different part of the equation than a merely satisfactory ending.
Writing and story telling is, of course, subjective. But I think we can all agree that a good ending is important. And while everyone’s definition of a good ending is a little different, most people agree that in a romance novel we want to feel that ‘ahhh’ by the end. It’s the blissful little sigh that leaves your body as you read the last word. It’s the knowledge that those two (or three or four) characters will be together forever. It’s having all the loose ends tied up. Subplots should reach a natural conclusion and we should feel like a full story was told.
ANSWER QUESTIONS
This is all a balancing act of course. Getting the various story threads tied up can be tricky. For that, my advice is to read the book all the way through and make note (yes, like on a piece of paper!) of any questions you have. List any questions that you introduce in the story.
Example: you make mention of the heroine’s past but don’t go into detail. This affects her throughout the story, but do you ever tell what happened in her past? Do you answer that question that you’ve created?
Note any open threads that need to be resolved. Is there a mystery element or a hint of suspense? Does it get solved? Answered? Resolved in any way? Are there any secondary love stories that need a conclusion or a happy for now ending? Did your character have a goal? Did they meet it?
I find that reading the story with only these long term questions in mind really helps you beef up the ending. You can make sure all those questions are answered sufficiently. To me, part of a satisfactory ending is addressing all the questions you raised in the first 95% of the book.
GIVE AN ENDING TIME
The other part is making sure that the couple has a sweet, happy ending. Some writers tie things up too quickly for my tastes. A quick I Love You and then The End isn’t going to cut it for me. I want a little time for the characters to reflect on their new love, profess that love and then a look at how their love changes them.
SHOW THE CHARACTERS LOVE AND FUTURE PLANS
How is this new relationship going to work? Are there any final obstacles that need to be addressed? Is it a long distance relationship? Do their families approve? Is he going to overcome his commitment phobia and how?
Knowing the characters are going to work everything out and a mention of a few of the steps they plan to take, I like that. This leads me to believe they see a future together. That’s what I want to see in a HEA or HFN (happy for now) ending.
MAKE THE ENDING ITS OWN STORY
I have a friend who struggles with her endings. Readers have called her endings abrupt. And they’re right. She ties things up and that’s that. I think the best way to combat this is by looking at the ending, the happily ever after, as it’s own story. If that was all you were going to write about these two characters (think of it as a short story or short film) what would you say? How would you tell their story? How would you show this monumental moment in their lives?
What fears do they have? Why? Why are they able to overcome those fears? How does the other character help them?
What emotions are they feeling? Show them.
What have they wanted to say but been unable to until now? Unleash that. I think long monologues are perfectly acceptable at the end of a book. Especially if they’re a profession of love.
What are they looking forward to in the future? How does this other person fit into their life? How does he or she complete her or him?
Where are they? Give us a few hints to space and time, just enough to ground the scene. But remember, this moment is about them and the rest of the world should fade away.
THINK OF THE ENDING IN A THREE ACT STRUCTURE
Tell the happily ever after in three parts. Beginning, middle and end. What happens as they enter the scene? What are their emotions and their problems and their goals? How do these things change in the middle of the scene? Do they see a different outcome than they expected a few minutes ago? And the ending. Everything is resolved. All issues are discussed. Love, forever, or happy for now is professed. The grand gesture is made and they’re ready to ride off into the sunset.
CONCLUSION
That’s a lot to pack into the tail end of a book. Especially when you’ve spent so much time with characters and let’s face it, you might be getting a little tired of them. You might be tired of the story.
But the ending is so important to get right. It’s the last thing you leave with readers. Their last impression. You must make it a good one. Whoever said your ending sells your next book is absolutely correct.
So give me your best ‘ahh’ ending.
LET’S HEAR FROM YOU!
And if you’ve got thoughts or tips on writing a killer ending, I’d love to hear them. Email me at selena@selena-blake.com or leave a comment below.
September 24, 2013
I’m Not Gonna Lie
I’ve been catching up on a few favorite shows during lunch and dinner breaks.
Top of my list? Dancing With The Stars!
I was almost sure that Derek wasn’t coming back this season, but I’m so glad he did. He’s my main reason to watch the show. I love his choreography and passion. He has a great attitude and I think some of the other pros lack that.
I’m enjoying the new format but my Tuesday night is horribly bare. I really miss the musical numbers and all the pro dances.
Next up: How I Met Your Mother
That was one of the best episodes (season opener) of the series. Gonna love this season.
Next: Flashpoint
I’m up to season 5. Just love this show. Such strong writing. They really know how to write emotion!
I can’t wait for: Glee!
You knew I was gonna say it. Can’t wait to get my Gleek on this Thursday night!
What shows are you watching? What shows are you anxiously waiting for?
