Tawny Taylor's Blog, page 16

And the winner of the $100 gift card is…

First, I'd love to thank everyone for helping me spread the word about Darkest Fire. I appreciate each and every blog/Twitter/facebook update that was posted, and if I were selling books like Amanda Hocking or Stephanie Meyer, I wouldn't hesitate to give EVERYONE who'd posted a gift card. Sadly, I'm not selling those numbers of books yet. Maybe someday.

That said, I want to congratulate Jessica Hansen! Jessica, you are the grand prize winner of the $100 gift card. Please email me at tawny@tawnytaylor.com with your address.

The paperback copies go to:

Ivelisse Roberts

Lea-Ellen Borg

Mira Lyn Kelly

Debra Pugh

Joy (Joyfully Reviewed)

Miranda Wyattmills

I'll also need mailing addresses for the winners of the books. Please email your address to me at tawny@tawnytaylor.com.

Again, I want to thank everyone for blogging/tweeting/facebooking Darkest Fire! Your help is GREATLY appreciated!

Related Posts Call for Submissions: Cleis Press http://kristinawrigh...c-romance-2012/ Best Erotic Romance 2012 Editor: Kristina Wright Publisher: Cleis Press Publication Date: Winter 2012 Submission Deadline: April 15 (earlier submissions preferred!) Payment: $100 per story and 2 copies of the book, on publication E-mail: besteroticromance2012@gmail.com I am thrilled to announce I am editing the first annual Best Erotic Romance...... Writing Conference: NJRW Put Your Heart in a Book Join us at the 2010 NJRW Put Your Heart In A Book Conference! Boost your Creativity and your Career! October 22-23, 2010 Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, Iselin, NJ Registration begins June 15th! Sharon Sala: Keynote Speaker Robyn Carr: Luncheon Speaker Leanne Banks: Special Presentation (* For first 100 registrants) Bob Mayer:...... Announcing the second Some Like it Hot Writing Contest ~Some Like It Hot~ Writing Contest (2) Starting October 25th, 2010, I will be hosting a writing contest! The final judge is an editor from Ellora's Cave. The Prizes? Read on! All SubGenres of erotic romance accepted, including: ~Contemporary~Fantasy~Futuristic~ Shapeshifter/Vampire~BDSM~ *You may submit one chapter--not to exceed 5000 words. Stories...... Sasha White's Show Me The Money If you aren't aware, there are a couple authors over on the GenReality blog who are foolish brave enough to share their actual sales figures for their books. Despite my seeming little dig, which is more an indication of how I think publishing folks will respond to this practice than...... Announcing...The Some Like it Hot Writing Contest (2)! ~Some Like It Hot~ Writing Contest (2) Starting October 25th, 2010, I will be hosting a writing contest! The final judge is an editor from Ellora's Cave. The Prizes? Read on! All SubGenres of erotic romance accepted, including: ~Contemporary~Fantasy~Futuristic~ Shapeshifter/Vampire~BDSM~ *You may submit one chapter--not to exceed 5000 words. Stories...... Related Websites UFile: Interview and Giveaway! I recently had the opportunity to interview Joanne Birtch, Vice president Marketing and New Business Development, Dr Tax Software Inc. to discuss UFile as we get into the tax season. Tom: Joanne, thanks for joining us on Canadian Finance Blog. Can you tell us what sets UFile apart from other...... Check to See if You're a Winner! Thanks everyone for dropping by and actively commenting with Tracy and Libby! It's time to announce some winners. Giveaway: Why King Arthur Lives on Forever…and Vampires, Too. Winner: Christine H Giveaway: Get into Bed with Libby Malin (Author Interview 2) Winners: Anita Yancey & anne Congratulations ladies! I will...... I Think there is Something Wrong with my Generation! Hints when Looking for a Job A co-worker of mine is looking for an assistant, so he put up a few ads on the main online sites.  What he got back was astounding, it made me actually cringe and laugh all at the same time.  Please hear me out, your name will be “googled” and “facebooked” ...... Friday Links - Baby Week Edition! Every Friday at The Canadian Finance Blog we look at ten of the best posts for that week from many great bloggers. To wrap up Baby Week I wanted to do something slightly different. These are the best all-time baby and child raising posts that I found and since there...... Senate body cries foul over forex scam probe - Pakistan Daily Mail News Sources wrote an interesting post today onHere's a quick excerpt DAWN.com Senate body cries foul over forex scam probePakistan Daily MailISLAMABAD â€" Senate Standing Committee on Interior has expressed its surprise over the release of the owners and management of Foreign Exchange Company Khanani and Kalia before the completion......

Just Friends: A guest blog by Minx Malone

I'd like to thanks Minx for coming on my blog and chatting about friends who become lovers.Without further ado…here's Minx.

Just Friends?

Thanks Tawny for letting me take over your blog today!

I've been thinking about trends in my writing lately and noticed that I like writing about friends who become lovers. Which led me to an interesting thought.

Can men and women really be just friends?

Now I definitely have male friends. There are all the male friends I grew up with and male friends at my day job. But none of those guys are people I'm super attracted to physically. So perhaps the real question is: can men and women who are attracted to each other be just friends?

In my latest release, Teasing Trent, Mara and Trent have been friends since college. Trent is best friends with Mara's twin brother, Matt and they've spent countless hours in each other's company. What they haven't done is admit that they're in love. It's only when Matt is deployed overseas that their feelings come to the surface. The results are a pretty interesting birthday weekend for Mara.

The only thing Trent's best friend has ever asked of him is to keep an eye on his twin sister while he's deployed. Keeping her company on her birthday shouldn't be too hard. He just has to remember the promise he made to himself in college to keep his hands off her.

Ever since Mara walked into her brother's dorm room freshman year and came face to face with a shirtless Trent, she's known he was The One. He's been right there with her twin brother as her biggest supporter or shoulder to cry on, whichever she needs most. The problem?

Trent has no idea how she feels.

Well, it's her first birthday without her twin and Trent's coming over to keep her company. It's the perfect time to tease him a little. A skimpy yoga outfit and a few glasses of wine later, she plans to finally have Trent exactly where she wants him.

In her bed, for as long as she can keep him there.

If Mara has her way, she'll get a whole lot more for her birthday than a Hallmark card.

What do you all think? Can men and women who are attracted to each other be just friends? Or are they just fooling themselves?

Teasing Trent ~ Available Now!

She wants a lot more for her birthday than a Hallmark card…

Teasing Trent on KINDLE

Teasing Trent on NOOK

Minx

www.MinxMalone.com www.MinxMalone.com

www.TheNaughtyGirlsNextDoor.blogspot.com

Related Posts Sharing some info: Grant for young unpublished writers Grant For Talented Youth We would like to announce the official launch of the C.A.Milson Award For Talented Youth. The first Grant by C.A.Milson will see three talented youth receive funding which can be used to help with research costs, purchase equipment or help with financial aid. "I see people...... Borders' new ebook store For those who aren't on a Borders email mailing list, Borders just opened their new ebook store and they're offering a free ebook to those who register and open a new account. Among the apps they are offering: iPhone/iPod Touch, PC/mac, Android and Blackberry. You can download them HERE. For...... Ebooks and Libraries. A Match Made in Heaven...or Hell? For those who don't know, there's been a lot of talk lately about ebook sales to libraries. It isn't that libraries don't want to offer ebooks to their patrons. They do. The problem is the effect those sales will have on publishers' bottom lines. As  JULIE BOSMAN of the New...... Available Now! I'm bringing to life to my popular Passion Unbound series by publishing them via Kindle/Nook/Smashwords. At this point, the first book, Wild Knights, is available at Smashwords only. Kindle and Nook are coming in the next few days. Check out the cover! Isn't it gorgeous? Blurb: Secretary Maggie Dunning loves...... Jane Austen: Wild and Wanton? A writer friend of mine, Michelle Pillow just announced a new project she's been contracted to write. And it is intriguing! Check out Pride and Prejudice, The Wild and Wanton Edition, now available for preorder on Amazon. I find it very interesting to see there are two authors listed, Pillow...... Related Websites Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa by First Mate Keira Title:The Iron King Author: Julie Kagawa Format: Kindle Ebook Page Count: 368 (Paperback) Grade Reading Level: Grade 7+ Summary: Meghan Chase is just your ordinary unpopular girl trying to navigate the hierarchy of high school, get her driver's permit, and possibly a date with the...... Erotic Romance, Not Just Erotica and Romance by Cecilia Tan, guest blogger Our tale begins in 1970, which is the year some point to as the beginning of the modern romance genre, with the arrival of the manuscript The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss on the desk of editor Nancy Coffey at Avon....... by Susan S., guest blogger While brainstorming for my new contest, I happened to glance over my list of authors from contests past. Would you believe when this post goes live, I would've showcased a grand total of 36 authors. We are very fortunate they write such great novels, while...... Frys.com Open (PGA Tour) at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, California This week in golf featured the Frys.com Open on the PGA Tour, held at the CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, California. The tournament purse was an impressive $5 Million, with $900,000 going to the winner of the tournament. There were some big names sprinkled throughout the tournament, including Rickie...... What I Learned In My 20's: The Transition Years Now that I am starting the last year of my 20's, and am older and wiser then I was when I began this decade, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on what being in my 20's has meant to me, and maybe shed some wisdom to those......

DARKEST FIRE gets 4 1/2 Stars from RT Book Reviews!

I am over-the-moon thrilled to report that DARKEST FIRE received a fabulous review from Jacqui McGugins of RT Book Reviews Magazine. I can't share the entire review with you yet–the review doesn't go live on the RT Book Reviews site until sometime later this month, but I will share a quote:

Totally absorbing, Taylor's series first captures your attention while crafting a hot romance. With intense dom/submissive play included, the story has elements of humor and a dark and enticing backstory. It's a well-told tale to boot.

Additionally, I found this review by Harriet Klausner on the Barnes and Noble page:

…an entertaining Dom-Sub relationship drama. The first erotic Celtic fantasy romance is an enjoyable tale as the oldest brother finds his muse in Rin who literally ties him in knots as the hunter but figuratively she ties him in knots as the hunted.

In a wicked game of seduction, who's the hunter and who's the prey. . .

Drako Alexandre isn't merely the handsome billionaire playboy everyone thinks he is. He's the leader of his generation of Black Gryffons, destined to protect humanity. And though Drako has no desire to be tied down–except at the private bondage club he frequents–the future depends on him taking a wife to bear him a son. He knows just the woman–Rin Mitchell, a delicate beauty who unleashes his deepest primal hunger. Their agreement will ensure he'll never have to give up his desire for domination, forbidden pleasures, and multiple lovers. But Drako's chosen prey is also hiding something. And if her secret doesn't destroy them, the explosive passion she ignites just might. . .

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Related Posts Review #2: Lust's Temptation And another review of Lust's Temptation! This one is by Amazon Nymph at Literary Nymphs. S/he gave it 4.5 nymphs. The second book in the Masters of Sin series, Lust's Temptation, was a pleasant surprise. Though Lust's Temptation follows the concept of Lust divided into two men, the relationship between...... About Rejection The day I received The Call about the sale of Blood of Eden, I opened a SASE and read a generic Dear Author rejection. The timing couldn't have been better. I got a good laugh out of it. Is this the first time it's happened to me? Nope. Will it...... Job Opportunity: Marketing Director AudioLark Audio Books and its erotic division AudioMinx published over 70 romance audio books in its first year. Our audio books are available through our own websites and through Audible.com, Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, BooksAMillion and libraries across North America. Now expanding into ebooks and other fiction genres...... Win $100 Gift Card! Hello everyone! My book, DARKEST FIRE, officially releases March 29--in exactly 11 days. I need to create some buzz. This is where the gift card comes in. I'm holding a contest and the grand prize is a $100 GIFT CARD from Amazon, B&N OR Borders (winner's choice). Five randomly selected...... What a Wonderful Surprise! I have a new paperback book in print! Squeeeeeee!!!! Everlasting Twilight (Two books in one) By: Tawny Taylor (Read Excerpt) E-mail this product to a friend Everlasting Hunger Raine Avery needs a job. Badly. When she hears about a primo position, she's willing to overlook a few rumors about the...... Related Websites Audio Review: Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (Book 2) by Eoin Colfer by First Mate Keira, guest reviewer. Title: Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, Book 2 Author: Eoin Colfer Narrator: Nathaniel Parker # CDs (Minutes): 5 CDs (approximately 72 min. each) Format: Unabridged Compact Disc Grade Reading Level: 6.2; Ages 10-17 Audio Clip Preview: Download Clip (Right click, save as.) Summary:...... Review: Home in Carolina by Sherryl Woods by Karin, guest reviewer from Savvy Thinker This is the first of the 3 books given to me as ARCs to review, but it is the last of the three that I read.  And it is my least favorite of the three.  Whereas I rated the other two 5...... TENTH ANNIVERSARY GIFTS Celebrating an anniversary is something that everybody should enjoy doing. The kind of gift that you send to the one that you love conveys a lot about how you feel about him. For this reason, when a child, wife, parents, and friends are sending gifts to a man especially...... Review of Dr Shapiro's Guide to Picture Perfect Weight Loss Tomorrow is a holiday, which is why you are reading a book review today. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. Enjoy the fireworks and BBQs! Dr. Shapiro's book The Guide to Picture Perfect Weight Loss combines several interesting factors into one plan to help readers lose weight. While you...... 5 Reasons Why You Should Read with a Buddy by Captain Lyaf Yarr If your the type of person that loves to read but also loves hanging out and seeing your friends, then why not read with your friends? It's like killing two birds with one stone! Here are my 5 reasons why I think buddy reading is......

Sample Sunday: More Than A Man

Buy From Amazon

Excerpt:

The seamsdroid's ocular lenses flashed a rapid pattern. Its mechanically modulated voice said, "These are flat-fronted trousers. You are ruining the line."

"What's wrong?" Noelle looked up from her 'fone, a frown creasing her brow.

Aya hesitated but they were alone in the small shop and the seamsdroid had already ascertained his condition. He shrugged. "Evidently my imagination is inconvenient."

The construct coasted backward. "Fix it. Remove the garment first."

Noelle's gaze skimmed down his chest and landed at his groin. Her cheeks flushed bright red. She stood awkwardly. Aya tilted his head, fascinated by the color, by the

signals she put off. Her nipples strained visibly at the fabric of her top but her shoulders were stiff and square as if she were angry. She crossed the sales floor, avoiding the

seamsdroid's ocular lenses as if she were embarrassed. Interesting.

"Aya," she whispered, casting a covert glance toward the construct. "What are you doing?"

Oh. She didn't like this situation at all. Even more fascinating, a discomfited Noelle pushed him from half-erect to painfully-hard. Casually, he unfastened the trousers.

Noelle's eyes widened before her lashes swept down, obscuring her eyes and redirecting her attention to his hands. A deep breath lifted her breasts.

"Deity," she whispered. Louder, "We're…you…"

Aya lowered the zipper.

Noelle swallowed. She waved to indicate the shop. "Public."

"I need clothes," he reasoned. "Manporium only provides one set. Do you want me to leave without anything? We'd have to start over again another day and we've already

been here half the afternoon."

She cast a glance at the street outside the boutique display window. A pair of policemen buzzed past, slow on their hovercycles because of the foot traffic congestion.

Noelle moistened her lips. "Public indecency is a criminal offense."

He hooked his thumbs in the waist. Noelle looked from the window to his groin and worried her bottom lip, her eyes so expressively indecisive. Aya didn't need VioletFang

tech to read her mind, to know she was remembering and weighing possibilities. She'd writhed beneath him, begged for immediacy, and he'd bet his Free-Walk License that

right then, she was deciding she could have his cock without a fight—his cock in her mouth, in her slick pussy. Calculating, planning, cause-and-effect evaluating.

While she watched, Aya stroked himself through the trousers, tracing the ridge of his erection with his middle finger. Even though he didn't need the VioletFang, he suddenly

wished he had it. Did she conclude he wouldn't make her squirm and beg, wouldn't play the power games she loved/hated? Did she think he'd have to be quick?

Deciding not to disabuse her of the notion too soon, he reached for her and tugged at her wrist. "Come with me."

Noelle shuddered. Beneath his fingertips, her pulse skipped and sped. Aya ducked his head and spoke in her ear. "Yeah. Come with me."

"Deity," she breathed. "This is dangerous. You could be recycled—"

Aya aborted her paranoid protests by licking into her mouth. She moaned, softened, and allowed him to pull her from the sales floor and into a tight, small square of a room. He backed her up against the mirrored wall and fumbled to lock the door without breaking contact with her lips. Noelle kissed like a starving creature, greedy and taking.

She'd suck him with the same hunger, but not yet. He wanted answers and he wouldn't get them if he silenced her with his cock.

Pinning her with his mouth, he quickly divested himself of his shirt and shucked the trousers carelessly, pricking himself with pins in the process. One of the pins caught Noelle's palm as she reached greedily for his ass. She jumped and jerked her head back, a soft thump against the mirror, gasping, "Ow!"

Her lips said "Ow" but her nipples beaded against him, prominent through her sweater. On a hunch, Aya nipped the tender flesh beneath her jaw. Noelle jolted a second time. Her hips swiveled, pushed toward him. Suddenly, spanking her lacked imagination.

Before he consciously puzzled through the change in plans, his skin prickled and pressure rippled down his stomach and surged beneath his shirt. Black limbs spun from his body,

twined around her wrists and stretched her arms wide.

"Aya!"

"Shh." He widened her stance with his feet and settled against her sex. "We're going to play a game and your hands are in the way."

"A game?" She glanced sidelong at the muscular binding wrapped around her left wrist.

"Yes, a game." Aya narrowed his eyes, carefully observing her response, relieved to detect wary curiosity instead of revulsion. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she flexed her hands and tested his hold. Ducking his head, he nuzzled the underside of her jaw and nipped her earlobe before whispering, "I'm stronger than you and you're not getting free. You may as well agree to play."

"Fine," she breathed. "What's the game?"

"Twenty questions. I ask, you answer." He nudged her legs wider and planted his boots between her dainty ballet flats. This close to her, his balls ached. The gentle curve of her abdomen accepted his cock easily, a soft cushion inviting him to rub against her.

"Ready?"

–

Elise Logan

http://www.scorchedsheets.com

Related Posts Review #2: Lust's Temptation And another review of Lust's Temptation! This one is by Amazon Nymph at Literary Nymphs. S/he gave it 4.5 nymphs. The second book in the Masters of Sin series, Lust's Temptation, was a pleasant surprise. Though Lust's Temptation follows the concept of Lust divided into two men, the relationship between...... About Rejection The day I received The Call about the sale of Blood of Eden, I opened a SASE and read a generic Dear Author rejection. The timing couldn't have been better. I got a good laugh out of it. Is this the first time it's happened to me? Nope. Will it...... Job Opportunity: Marketing Director AudioLark Audio Books and its erotic division AudioMinx published over 70 romance audio books in its first year. Our audio books are available through our own websites and through Audible.com, Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, BooksAMillion and libraries across North America. Now expanding into ebooks and other fiction genres...... Excerpt: Rescue Me by Sydney Allan [/caption] 74k words. Price:  $2.99 B&N Amazon Smashwords She's used to doing all the rescuing. But love has a way of changing everything. Hailey Jensen is in the rescue business--animal rescue--and more than willing to risk life and limb for fowl or fauna. Just when life couldn't get better, her...... Review: Surrender by Lora Leigh Surrender by Lora Leigh My rating: 4 of 5 stars This story is a short novella, and with that format comes some challenges. An author must try to introduce the characters and conflicts and build up to a satisfying ending while answering all the reader's "why?" questions. In this case,...... Related Websites So What Does A Man Want In A Woman... by Tessa Radley, guest blogger and author of Millionaire Under the Mistletoe. I've been thinking a lot about heroines lately. About the careers they have, the jobs they do, and the effect their career, earning ability and self-esteem have on their relationship with the hero. I write romance for...... Fantasy in Real Terms by Teal Ceagh, guest blogger and author of Destiny's Trinities trilogy. Today, you might be curious to know, is Miranda Otto's birthday. She's the Australian actor who played Éowyn in The Lord of the Rings. I'm a huge The Lord of the Rings fan – I'm one of those...... Raising women to be leaders Raising women to be leaders, an article by Carol Hymowitz, in the Jan 12, 2007 WSJ, features the four Sullivan sisters: Denise Sullivan, president of Campbell, USA; Maggie Sullivan Wildrotter, CEO of Citizens Communication; Colleen Bastkowski, regional vp at Expedia; and Andrea Doelling, former senior vp at AT&T Wireless. This...... How to Get a Rake to Change Got a thing for historical playboys? Memorize these 10 steps and you will have your rakish fellow eating out of the palm of your hand. Turn His Charm Against Him. A Rake's charm is his most potent weapon against the opposite sex, and he knows it. Therefore you must...... Kiss and Tell: Elaine Lowe on Her Hero by Elaine Lowe, guest blogger My husband is my own personal hero. On the inside of his wedding ring, I engraved, "My Hero", and that was long before I was ever a romance writer.  He is the master of making me smile and blush, my sounding board, the fixer of......

Win $100 Gift Card!

Hello everyone!

My book, DARKEST FIRE, officially releases March 29–in exactly 11 days. I need to create some buzz. This is where the gift card comes in.

I'm holding a contest and the grand prize is a $100 GIFT CARD from Amazon, B&N OR Borders (winner's choice). Five randomly selected winners will also receive a free autographed copy of DARKEST FIRE.

What do you have to do to win?

Post something about DARKEST FIRE, including this link http://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Fire-Ta... on your Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Myspace page. Then email some form of verification for your post (screenshot, twitter name, direct link) to contest@tawnytaylor.net. Verification is required to win, so please don't skip this step.

Multiple entries per person are not only accepted but encouraged. HOWEVER, a unique message/tweet/post must be posted for each entry to be counted.

The individual who submits the most verifiable posts/tweets between NOW and 11:59 March 28th, 2011 will be the Grand Prize Winner.

Five additional winners will be selected from the remaining verified entries by random.

Now the part you've been waiting for:

Prizes

The grand prize winner will receive one $100 gift card from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders (winner's choice)

The five random winners will receive one copy each of DARKEST FIRE

The fine print:

Open to USA residents only.

Tawny Taylor is not responsible for lost or undelivered email verifications.

All entries must be verifiable to be counted.

Tawny will select the Grand Prize winner based upon the number of verified posts. The five winners of DARKEST FIRE will be randomly selected from the remaining entries by random number generator.

Questions? Email Tawny at tawnytaylor@sbcglobal.net

Good luck! And thank you in advance to everyone who enters. Ultimately, you all are doing me a HUGE favor. And I appreciate EACH AND EVERY Tweet/blog/Facebook mention.

Info about DARKEST FIRE

Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Fire-Ta...

Release date: March 29, 2011

Price: On sale for $9.26 on Amazon

Genre: paranormal erotica with BDSM elements

Blurb:

In a wicked game of seduction, who's the hunter and who's the prey…

Drako Alexandre isn't merely the handsome billionaire playboy everyone thinks he is. He's the leader of his generation of Black Gryffons, destined to protect humanity. And though Drako has no desire to be tied down–except at the private bondage club he frequents–the future depends on him taking a wife to bear him a son. He knows just the woman–Rin Mitchell, a delicate beauty who unleashes his deepest primal hunger. Their agreement will ensure he'll never have to give up his desire for domination, forbidden pleasures, and multiple lovers. But Drako's chosen prey is also hiding something. And if her secret doesn't destroy them, the explosive passion she ignites just might…



'A delicious tale of taboo sex and intrigue-DARKEST FIRE has it all. Irresistible!' Eden Bradley, author

Related Posts The Cheapskate's Guide to Promoting Ebooks Recently, a newly published author posted a question about  promoting her ebook on one of my fave writing forums, Romance Divas. I could tell from her post that she was completely overwhelmed and intimidated by the prospect of promoting her upcoming release. Making matters worse, her publisher asked her to...... Reminder: The Some Like It Hot Writing Contest Reminder: week 1 of my free writing contest is just around the corner! I'm offering some great prizes. Scroll down for details. ~Some Like It Hot~ Writing Contest Starting October 25th, 2010, I will be hosting a writing contest! The final judge is an editor from Ellora's Cave. The Prizes?...... The Some Like It Hot Contest Week 1 Winners! Congratulations to Gillian Archer (Winter Crush) and Ann Mayburn (Wild Lilly)! You are this week's finalists. I need you to please send me your partial for final judging (a partial includes chapters 1-3, the book's last chapter and your synopsis). Thank you and good luck in the finals! And now,...... A great morning already! I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend! Mine was very nice. It wasn't what I expected, but it was still a nice break from our everyday routine. Saturday, I met with the girls at Borders. Fun! I took the kids to a Civil War event on Sunday, but...... Sharing some info: Reveal Your Inner Vixen Writing Contest, Deadline June 1 2010 REVEAL YOUR INNER VIXEN CONTEST From Maryland Romance Writers Attention romance writers: show us the chemistry! Maryland Romance Writers is proud to announce the 2010 "Reveal Your Inner Vixen" Contest for writers of romantic fiction. Send us your most sizzling scene showcasing sensual tension between your hero and heroine....... Related Websites Win a $100 Home Depot Gift Card for Father's Day! Looking for that perfect gift for your hard-working Dad? If you're like most people, you can never think of something to give Dad for Father's Day. I will admit, Dads are not as easy to shop for as Moms. You can't go out and buy perfume, makeup, or jewelry for...... Contest: Gift Card #1 Winner Announced Good morning everyone! It is a fabulous Friday and I am sitting here drinking my Prince of Wales tea. Hmm... so delicious. A few moments ago I drew the name of the winner from last week's contest. The lucky winner is Marcia! Marcia reviewed the Perils of Pursing a Prince...... We Have A Winner! Eden Fantasys Giveaway! That's right folks we have a winner! Not that it was much of a contest.  I am actually very disappointed with the turn out in entries. I found that a ton more people viewed the page than actually entered. That's right, I can see how many people view my site! What's...... How To Get The Most From Your Gift Cards This time of year, lots of people have gift cards for various stores. This can lead to losing the cards, not using them for a year, or using them, but buying something that exceeds the amount on the gift card. Here are some easy ways to get the most out...... Should We Use Gift Cards on Everyday Items? Around this time of year, almost everyone gets a gift card or two. Sometimes it's to stores we don't visit and sometimes it's to places we love and would shop at anyway. Let's say you received the choice of a $50 to either Brookstone, where they have lots of cool......

Ebooks and Libraries. A Match Made in Heaven…or Hell?

For those who don't know, there's been a lot of talk lately about ebook sales to libraries. It isn't that libraries don't want to offer ebooks to their patrons. They do. The problem is the effect those sales will have on publishers' bottom lines.

As  JULIE BOSMAN of the New York Times put it in her article,

As Library E-Books Live Long, Publisher Sets Expiration Date

Imagine the perfect library book. Its pages don't tear. Its spine is unbreakable. It can be checked out from home. And it can never get lost.

That's a libraries' perfect book. Never torn. Never lost. Never needs to be replaced.

That's also publisher's worst nightmare.

Publishers need to sell books. Lots of books. And in this wildly changing market, that's becoming increasingly difficult.

There's no doubt the market is shifting. More and more people are buying ebooks. That number of ebook readers/buyers is increasingly impacting publishers' bottom lines. Their business models are based upon the sales of paperbacks and hard covers. Their business models are crumbling.

So what must they do? Adapt? Find a way to make the new market work for them. That's exactly what HarperCollins is doing, by limiting the number of times any one ebook can be checked out. I'm an author, and a library patron. I can appreciate what they're trying to do. However, is 26 checkouts really a reasonable limit? According to Bosman's article, that would allow (assuming a 2 week checkout period) one full year of distribution.

Do libraries restock all their inventory every year? I don't think there's a library that exists that could afford to do that. Are the ebooks selling at a lower price than the paperback or hard cover version? I can't tell you that.

Clearly, HarperCollins doesn't want libraries to carry their ebooks. Right? Maybe not.

"We have serious concerns that our previous e-book policy, selling e-books to libraries in perpetuity, if left unchanged, would undermine the emerging e-book ecosystem, hurt the growing e-book channel, place additional pressure on physical bookstores, and in the end lead to a decrease in book sales and royalties paid to authors," the company said in a statement.

The may have a point. But 26? Really?

As both an author and patron, I hope other publishers don't follow in their footsteps–setting such a low limit on ebook checkouts. But if they do, I'm sure someone–indie authors, perhaps–will be happy to jump in, find a way to make the situation mutually beneficial and gleefully cart those royalty checks to the bank.

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#SampleSunday!

Sweet as Sin

Inez Kelley



EXCERPT:

"Two for play?" One brow arched as he stared at the seemingly innocent mini cupcakes.

An idea sparked. It was so out of character for her, totally irresponsible and spur of the minute, that at first she rejected it. But it clung to her imagination like chocolate ganache—rich, decadent and tempting.

Livvy closed the door behind her. She took the thin clear case from his hands. "It's a twist on foreplay. Here, let me show you."

With a flick of her thumb, she popped the plastic top and the thick scent of buttercream wafted upward. His nostrils flared but his eyes never left her face. "Smells sweet."

"It is. It's Italian buttercream frosting, so it stays very…smooth and soft. The sugar is heated so it's like silk on your tongue as it melts."

John barely glanced at the pastry. "Buttercream. Silk that melts on your tongue. I like the sound of that."

"You'll like the taste, too. The heating means it's very sturdy but it tastes very delicate."

He lifted his hand and drew his knuckles down the curve of her cheek. Her breath caught. "Sounds… sinful."

Livvy inched closer and tilted her head. "Want a bite?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Devil's Food or French Vanilla?" The words meant nothing. She was offering him so much more.

"Devil's Food, of course." He accepted her offer with a whisper.

His pupils dilated and his tongue skated across his lip. The cake was heaped with a frothy swirl of frosting in snowy white. Slowly, she licked half the frosting off the mini. She held it in her mouth and stepped to him. The sugary cream slipped from her tongue to his.

Drenched in sweetness, his mouth caressed hers. Long after the frosting had melted away, she pulled back and brought the cupcake to her lips. John's breath deepened as she held half the mini dessert in her mouth. Gripping his neck, she yanked his lips back to hers. A wolfish grin appeared just before he took the dark cake and her kiss in one greedy motion. The shared bite melted with their heat and dissolved with their hunger.

A stray trace of chocolate speckled his lip and Livvy brushed her finger against it. He captured her fingertip, drawing it inside his mouth for a wet caress. A throb began between her legs.

"Your turn."

John plucked the remaining mini from the box. He licked half the dark fudge frosting away, curled his arm around her waist and drew her mouth to his. The rich chocolate coated her tongue, flavoring the moan that sprang from her chest. Whatever calories were in the frosting were burned away by his kiss. His sharp teeth pierced the pale cake before the other half touched her lips. A sudden burst of spongy vanilla filled her mouth, mingling with creamy fudge and sizzling John Murphy.

"Two For Play, I like it." His sugary breath warmed her cheek.

"We're not done yet."

She lifted the carton. In a third compartment, generous ruffles of chocolate and vanilla circled each other in an erotic blend. His gaze followed as she dipped one finger in the frosting and brought it to her tongue.

"Can I tempt you into a taste of sin, Murphy?"

~~~~~~~~

She's made for sin. Sin is something he knows intimately.

John Murphy is tormented by nightmares. A bestselling young-adult author, he writes the ultimate fantasy: stories where good always triumphs. He knows better. His past has shown him the worst in people—and in himself. When he moves next door to the sexy, vibrant Livvy—a woman completely unlike his usual one-night stands—he's driven to explore every curve of her delicious body.

Pastry chef Livvy knows that giving in to the temptation that is John Murphy won't lead to anything permanent, but she deserves a passionate summer fling. John discovers she's as sweet as the confections she bakes while Livvy slowly unravels his secrets. But what will happen when she uncovers them all?

Inez Kelley is a multi-published author of various romance genres. You can visit her at her website My link

Buy Sweet as Sin at Carina Press, AMZ, ARe, or B&N

Related Posts My Top 10 Erotic Romance Keepers For kicks, I thought I'd list the top ten erotic romance books on my keeper shelf. They are in no particular order, because I couldn't/can't rank them. They're all great! And, for the most part, they're all older titles--the first books in series. By the way, I could easily pick...... Reminder: The Some Like It Hot Writing Contest Reminder: week 1 of my free writing contest is just around the corner! I'm offering some great prizes. Scroll down for details. ~Some Like It Hot~ Writing Contest Starting October 25th, 2010, I will be hosting a writing contest! The final judge is an editor from Ellora's Cave. The Prizes?...... Call for Submissions: Cleis Press http://kristinawrigh...c-romance-2012/ Best Erotic Romance 2012 Editor: Kristina Wright Publisher: Cleis Press Publication Date: Winter 2012 Submission Deadline: April 15 (earlier submissions preferred!) Payment: $100 per story and 2 copies of the book, on publication E-mail: besteroticromance2012@gmail.com I am thrilled to announce I am editing the first annual Best Erotic Romance...... Announcing...The Some Like it Hot Writing Contest (2)! ~Some Like It Hot~ Writing Contest (2) Starting October 25th, 2010, I will be hosting a writing contest! The final judge is an editor from Ellora's Cave. The Prizes? Read on! All SubGenres of erotic romance accepted, including: ~Contemporary~Fantasy~Futuristic~ Shapeshifter/Vampire~BDSM~ *You may submit one chapter--not to exceed 5000 words. Stories...... Erotic ebooks releasing June 27-July 3, 2010 Ellora's Cave Escape the Night, Desiree Holt Forsaken Desire, Aubrey Ross Carnal Ecstasy, Lissa Matthews Mate Hunger, Marisa Chenery Melting Iron, Laurann Dohner Picture This, Kaily Hart Lassoing Lara, N.J. Walters Beast of Caledonia, Kate Poole Special Delivery, V.J. Devereaux Second Act, Barbara Huffert Samhain Publishing Heat it Up, Elle...... Related Websites So what makes a book a romance? by Jeanne St. James, erotic romance writer. I love the romance genre. I should. I write it. Well, to be more exact, I have published two erotic romances: Banged Up, a m/f erotic romance, with Liquid Silver Books, and Double Dare, a m/m/f interracial ménage, with Loose Id. In...... The Oxymoronic Genre – Erotic Urban Fantasy by Teal Ceagh, guest blogger and author of Mia's Return. People tend to look at me oddly when I tell them I write erotic urban fantasy. Paranormal romances are everywhere these days. Even erotic paranormals are almost commonplace. But when you say you write erotic urban fantasies, readers' eyes...... Review: Possession by Devyn Quinn Guest reviewer: Susan Sigler Quinn's books never disappoint me and Possession is no exception. Her writing is fluid, while her plots are mesmerizing, dark, and delicious. You'll be addicted from the very first page! While reading Possession, I immediately empathized with the heroine (Kendra Carter). Kendra's life choices have...... Dos and Donts to Succeed as an Erotic Romance Author (Or In Any Other Genre, For That Matter.) by Jamaica Layne, guest blogger I've been a working (meaning: published and earning royalties) erotic romance author for a while, but I recently added erotic romance editor to my resume when my publisher Ravenous Romance hired me to edit two erotic short story anthologies for them: Power Plays: An...... Reader Highlight: Isabel Roman I wanted to highlight Isabel Roman because she's always around commenting and emailing me with insightful observations. If you haven't read my review of her erotic romance novel The Dark Desires of the Druids 1: Murder and Magick you should check it out. Keira: What is your secret guilty......

Me, Myself and I: A Tale of Three Authors

Once upon a time there was a woman. She was a wife. She was a mother of a large brood of loud, crazy kids. And she was a writer.

One day, the woman decided she wanted to find some kind of work she could do from home. She loved reading romance novels, and she'd always been a pretty decent writer–if you take into account the award she won back in 5th grade. So she got on her computer and started writing a book.

Bored yet? You are? Okay, I'll fast forward.

Before I–I mean, she–knew it, she was writing three different kinds of books, tailored to three very different markets. And so, she adopted not one, not two, but three distinct identities under which she published her books. There was Sydney, who wrote heart warming, funny, quirky romance novels; Tami, who wrote urban fantasy novels; and Tawny, who wrote deviant smut.

Now, Sydney/Tami/Tawny faced the challenge of marketing her names. Should she keep them distinct, avoiding cross-promoting of any kind? Or should she let the world know she was writing under three different pseudonyms? She took a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

Keeping them separate:

Advantages

*No worries about readers being confused by differences in book content and/or voice

*Allows the new identity to start with a "clean slate", meaning she would be completely new, fresh and exciting to reviewers, readers and book sellers.

*Allows each identity to focus on networking that is more specifically related to her books.

*Some publishers and/or agents might put pressure on an author to keep each identity separate, and failing to do so could undermine their efforts to promote the author's work to booksellers and distributors.

Disadvantages

*Managing three different websites, Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, blogs…ohmygod.

*The cost of building and maintaining those websites and blogs could be quite high.

*There is the lost opportunity of promoting books published by lesser known pseudonyms to the readers of the better known ones.

*The stress of playing three distinct roles in cyberspace is nothing to sneeze at.

Sydney/Tami/Tawny made a choice. In her case, the disadvantages of keeping them separate outweighed the advantages. Particularly, she was concerned about the time required to update blogs, facebook pages, Twitter accounts and websites. What advice would she give to writers considering taking a second or third penname? Let's ask her…

1. Determine whether the new name is necessary. This is the biggie, IMO. The most important question to ask. If the author is writing erotica and YA, that's a no-brainer. But sometimes, it's not that cut and dried. To decide if you need to adopt a new pseudonym, you need to have a fairly firm grip on your readers' expectations. This is, in a nutshell, your "branding". What are your best selling books? What genre are they? What subgenre are they? Is there any specific content that appears in the books, content a reader would miss if it wasn't there? On the flip side of that question: is there content a reader would find disturbing/unexpected (in a bad way) if it appeared in your book? In my case, I write a lot of BDSM and menage. My erotica readers expect to find those elements in my books. So if I write a book without it, or totally without sex, I feel it's better to publish it under a different name. I don't want to confused my readers.

2. Determine whether you MUST keep the identities separate. Is your publisher or agent telling you to take a new penname for some specific reason? If the answer to that question is yes, you're probably going to have to keep them separate.

3. Create one main website to promote all of your identities. If there is no concrete reason why you must keep your multiple identities separate, I would suggest marketing them together for the reasons stated above. After all, your primary job as a writer is to write books, not waste precious hours blogging/Tweeting/Facebooking under multiple names.

Within the world of romance publishing, you can find many examples of well-known authors who have adopted second and/or third pseudonyms. Nora Robers and Jayne Ann Krentz instantly come to mind. Clearly, if they decided it was necessary, helpful, it is an option worth considering in some cases. But understand the challenges. Building a readership from scratch, building a platform and attracting followers takes a ton of time and a financial commitment.

Best of luck!

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Avon Romance's New EPublishing Imprint

The cyber world is all a-buzz with news of Avon Romance's newest project–an ebook/POD publishing imprint, Impulse. From Impulse's page on avonromance.com:

Welcome to Avon Impulse

Romance readers know what's hot…in books, in technology, in trends. Among the first to embrace books digitally, they have encouraged publishers to push the envelope editorially, exploring new subgenres and new formats. With the evolved reader in mind, Avon is introducing a digital imprint, Avon Impulse. This format will allow Avon to publish more quickly, with an eye to what's new in fiction and romance, delivering fresh, exciting content directly each month to the digital devices of today's savviest readers.

Also found on this page is a submission form. This form, which includes detailed questions about the book, including tense, narrative, characters, best scene and best dialogue, is the vehicle through which all submissions will be delivered. Also on this page, you can find a list of FAQ's, that address questions about the reason why Avon has decided to launch an epublishing line, royalty rates, editing, copyright registration and marketing, among others.

Smart Bitches Sarah has done some digging into the royalty structure and url registration. Her informative blog post can be found HERE.

A Lady's Wish by Katharine Ashe is up for preorder on Kindle and Nook. The price is an unexpected $1.99–low by New York publishing standards.

Harlequin (Carina), Dorchester (they've shifted away from mass market into epub and POD) and now Avon. That's three major houses moving into the epublishing arena by starting epublishing lines/sites. Makes me wonder…is anyone over at Warner (Grand Central) kicking themselves about shutting down iPublish? Does anyone, but me, remember iPublish?

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The Hot Topic of The Day: The Erosion of eBook Prices

You can't go on the Kindle Boards or read some of Publishing's most influential blogs lately without running across an article about the falling prices of ebooks.

Nathan Bransford, the former literary agent, gives his take on pricing: http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/...

On BoingBoing, the question is asked, Will all digital books eventually cost 99 cents?

On The Technium, the author talks about why he believes all books will eventually be priced at .99. He cites Konrath.

(Let's take a little detour for a moment here. I have some trouble with the example because it doesn't take into consideration the difference in royalties paid at the different prices. According to his blog, Joe Konrath's book The List was selling 40 copies per day at a price of $2.99. He then reduced the price to .99 and is selling 620. That's a huge difference in quantity sold. However, as you'll see, it makes a smaller difference in royalties earned.

At the original price, Joe Konrath was earning 70% of 40×2.99, or $83.72

At the new price, Joe is earning 35% of .99×620, or $214.83

Yes, at the new price, Joe is earning more than twice he was, but he's not earning the $613 per day the Technium's blog poster would lead you to believe.)

End of detour. Now back to the original topic…

And finally, on irreaderreview.com, the author askes "What happens if ebook prices drop to the $1 to $5 range?"

So many folks, making so many theories/guesses/speculations about the future of ebooks.

What do I think? I'll tell you.

I have no magic mirror or crystal ball. The market is shifting, adapting as consumers, readers change their buying habits. Will prices nosedive? Will all books end up selling for $.99? Will the market become saturated, causing further erosion of prices? Will readers eventually, after buying one too many low priced, poorly written wall-banger, start associating low prices with poor quality?

I think we're all trying to guess where things are heading, we're all hoping we know how to adapt, but the fact of the matter is, nobody knows. I will say this: ebooks and ebook readers are finally getting the attention they deserve. After years of waiting, anticipating this day (as an epublished author), its finally come. And I'm glad. I'm happy for the opportunities the Kindle and Nook are opening up for authors and for publishers both.

Will there be some growing pains as the market shifts and changes? Absolutely. But to me, the publishing industry/market is like a growing child. It's going through phases, swinging one way and then another. And those authors, publishers or distributors–who are lucky enough to anticipate the fickle child's next move will be fortunate enough to reap the rewards. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending upon how you look at it) I don't believe things will settle down and stabilize for a while yet.

Interesting times, indeed. IMO the secret is flexibility. Keep your eyes and ears open. Bend. Adapt.

And, of course, write one great book and then another and another.

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