Joely Sue Burkhart's Blog, page 76

Review: Hurt Me So Good

My beloved Sister might be just a tad biased ::ahem:: but she has some lovely things to say about Victor:

See, it's not just about the "kink". It's not even about the sex. It's about what two people need. It's about trusting their partner to provide that need. It's about two people finding their perfect match and then fighting for that perfection.

If I had a rating system, this one would be off the charts. Not just because it's excellent reading with snappy (occasionally blush-worthy) dialogue, killer setting, and smokin-hot romance, but because it… I dunno… shows that you don't have to be damaged in some way to want this lifestyle.

This is really important to me, and it's important to Victor, which is why he chose to start VCONN, an erotic cable channel dedicated to BDSM lifestyles.  Sadist can have so many negative connotations, usually applied to perverted villains of the story who want to commit vile acts against the snowy pure heroine.  Victor is a sadist, but he's not perverted and most definitely not the villain, but yeah, I guess he does want to do vile things to Shiloh…even though he feels terrible guilt at the same time.  The key, here, is that she wants him to do these painful things.

Thank you, Sis.  I love you!

V's Giveaway

The V is very important to Victor.  Yeah, it's his name, but he especially likes to see the V marked on Shiloh in various devious ways.  *winks* 

To celebrate the release of Hurt Me So Good, I'm offering this custom handmade charm bracelet  crafted to the winner's specifications.  Personally, I'd go for the V and perhaps a red heart, but I'll order you different initials or charms for this bracelet if you wish. 

To enter, comment here on this post before midnight CST October 17th.  You can throw your name in the hat once, or enter multiple times by posting links to any reviews, ratings, comments, tweets, etc. that you've made about HMSG (one entry for each link).  The winner will be posted Monday, Oct 18th. 

I will also draw one name from the commenters for a free download of HMSG, or any book from my backlist if you already have it.

Thank you to everyone who's already helped spread the word for Victor!

Interview, Review, and Giveaway!

Tanya at Among the Muses gave me the incredible opportunity of an interview and giveaway on her blog to help me celebrate release day!  Please hop on over to her blog and ask any questions or simply comment to win a free download of HMSG or a print copy of DSIY!

In addition, she gave such a lovely review:

The plot of the story can be easily described as HOT, fun, and unconventional. I absolutely loved the fact that the author has taken a slightly avoided topic, and woven it in to a fun, lovable, passionate, and tasteful context of a BDSM reality show. During the course of the 'show', there's an educational aspect taking place, shedding light on the S/M part of a lifestyle, causing for a healthy balance of smexiness and learning. As with the first story, each chapter starts off with a first person POV from the female lead character which allows us to really grasp what's going on in the mind of masochist. Add to that the easiness of the author's writing style, and you have one hell of a tastefully done erotic story. All I can say is if Texas is this hot, I'm putting in for a job transfer ASAP!

Thank you so much, Tanya!

P.S. Don't forget to stop by Susi's blog for another giveaway!

Reviews: Hurt Me So Good

What a way to start off release day (buy your copy here) !  I have two great reviews to share:

From the HEA Lover at Book Lovers Inc, 5 Bookies!

All in all it was a very mind-opening book. I couldn't stop reading and never once did I think it was too much. Joely wrote very believable and complex characters and made me understand why they did what they did. This is a great story, I really love Victor and I found the ending perfect. It could have easily turned into too much for me but it didn't. I felt more educated and more open-minded after reading Hurt Me So Good. I keep thinking about this book, I even dreamed about it. It is one of those books that stays with you for a long time after you've finished it. I cannot wait for Vicky's book now. I'm already wondering what wickedness she could be hiding , since it seems to run in the family. *wink*

From Susi of the Geeky Bookworm, 4.5 cubes!

 I think it speaks highly of Joely's writing that she didn't lose my attention even when her characters did thinks I wouldn't even consider in my darkest moments. It was always really erotic and sometimes also shocking. A fascinating combination that caught me unguarded at moments. How can I find something erotic and at the same moment think it must be hurting too much.

Joely drew me in no matter where the action went. Her story-telling is compelling and fascinating. I loved her characters and I can't wait to read more about the other characters we met in Hurt Me So Good. I highly recommend this book to all erotic lovers with at least a bit of inclination towards BDSM in their books.

Extraordinaire writing with a compelling fascinating and highly erotic story- Victor just won't lose you attention. It's not his name for nothing.

Thank you so much, Susi and HEA Lover! I'm giving away a copy of HMSG on The Geeky Bookworm so head on over and comment to win! Later today I'll giveaway a copy here, too.

Victor is Coming Tomorrow

*throws confetti*

Tomorrow is Victor's day!  I've got several interviews and reviews that I'll link to tomorrow.  I haven't settled my mind on the right promo item (whether charm or necklace yet), so that'll come in the next week or two.  I'll plan to give away a copy of HMSG tomorrow here on the blog to celebrate.

We had a full weekend that I haven't even had the chance to tweet or blog about, including a bonfire at my Dad's Friday night.  The kids spent the weekend riding Papa's horses, while we cleaned the garage and went through some storage items.  Fun huh?  * insert sarcasm*  I didn't even get a bottle of wine out of the detail.

Meanwhile, I'm still working on Vicki *dies* and I'm beta reading for a friend.  Oct feels like it's already slipping through my fingers.

These Books Need a Home

I'm cleaning out my bookshelves, and as most bibliophiles, I've realized I have way more books than I will ever read (or read again).  I thought who better to offer these books to than my friends and blog readers! 

These books are all either new or gently used.  Media mail postage is pretty cheap in the US.  If my international friends see some they'd like, I ask that you bundle a few together and I'll get prices to ship them.  If it's extremely expensive, I may have to hold off a while before sending them.

I'll keep adding books to this post and cross off the ones that are taken.  You can drop me an e-mail (joelysueburkhart AT gmail DOT com) or comment here if any book strikes your fancy.

In no particular order:

Captive of the Beast, Lisa Renee Jones, Nocturne

Goddess of the Hunt, Tessa Dare, Ballantine

Beyond the Edge, Susan Kearney, Extreme Blaze

Pure Princess, Bartered Bride, Caitlin Crews, HQ Presents

The Lost City of Z, David Grann, hardcover, Double Day

The Stepsister Scheme, Jim C, Hines, DAW

Unclean Spirits, M.L.N. Hanover, Pocket

The Satin Sash, Red Garnier, Penquin Heat

Close Encounters and Close Contact, Katherine Allred, EOS

What Angels Fear, CS Harris, Signet

Moonstruck, Susan Grant, HQN

On Basilisk Station, David Weber, Baen

Melusine, Sarah Monette, Ace

Last of the Ravens, Linda Winstead Jones, Nocturne

Da Silva's Mistress, Tina Duncan, HQ Presents

The Mediterranean's Wife by Contract, Kathryn Ross, HQ Presents

The Italian Billionaire's Secretary Mistress, Sharon Kendrick, HQ Presents

Kyriakis's Innocent Mistress, Diana Hamilton, HQ Presents

More to come!

Review: Hurt Me So Good

Sherri Meyer writes a lovely review for Victor:

Joely Sue Burkhart is a master, and I do mean MASTER, at character development. I always feel like I might be able to meet one of her characters in real life. They have hopes and dreams, fears and worries, had highs and lows. They are human. I love a great character.

In a nice twist for a romance this really is Victor's story because he has the most to lose. I loved watching him struggle with who he is. On the surface Victor is powerful, seemingly on top of the world. But he has flaws both real and imagined. Shiloh knows what she wants, sets out to get it, and knocks poor Victor's world on its axis.

I have to give Sherri full credit for helping me tie up a subplot so neatly and wonderfully that it has become a favorite of several people who've read it since and loved it.  The acknowledgements say it all:

Sherri, Brandon is forever in your debt.

Thank you so much, Sherri!

Dark & Early

I'm ever so slowly getting back in the groove of Dark & Early writing.  It's hard, don't get me wrong, and it never gets easier.  But the only sure way to guarantee I can get at least 500-1000 words a day is to get them BEFORE anyone else is up and demanding my time.

There are a few key things I have to remind myself each and every day to make that precious hour productive.

1. Roll out of bed WITH the alarm, instead of turning it off and staying in bed "just a few more minutes."  Because pretty soon I'll have convinced myself that I'm too tired to get up and I'll let my backup alarm (when everyone else needs to get up) take effect.  No thinking.  Just get UP.

2. Set up the coffee pot the night before, so all I have to do is hit the button.  I'll take the dogs out and come back to fresh hot coffee.  (I don't use the timer just in case I do go back to sleep — no sense in wasting my good Caribou coffee!)

3. Check in with my accountability partner, Jenna.  Usually she's up before me, but every once in a while I beat her to the punch.  We e-mail each other every day.  "I'm up and I'm going to work on Vicki today."  Or "Man, it sucks, I got a rejection yesterday, but I'm going to write anyway."  "Or damn, I overslept!  Sorry!"  Those suck but happen.  Knowing that she's waiting for my morning e-mail definitely encourages me to get up when that alarm goes off the first time and not the "normal" alarm.

4. Other than e-mailing my friend, no other e-mail, Google Reader, or Lord forbid, Twitter.  It's way too easy to get sucked in.  There's absolutely nothing worse than sacrificing an hour of precious sleep, only to realize you've wasted it online instead of writing.

Why all this push?  A couple of reasons.  I'm in the final third of Vicki.  Maybe the final fourth (first draft).  I have momentum and I'm not going to let her stall on me again, no matter how tough and emotional these scenes get.  Finish. The. Damned. Book.

NaNoWriMo is just around the corner.  I need Vicki done so I can start the next project, and I still need to decide which one, finish plotting, etc.  Getting up D&E is the only way I'll be able to win NaNoWriMo unless I take all my remaining vacation.  Christmas?  Who needs days off at the holidays when I'm behind on word count?

After a week or two, I'm hoping the routine will be solidified and I can double up on projects.  I'll get new words in the morning, and worldbuild/plot at night.  In a perfect world, I'll finish an erotic novella in October and work on the post-apoc in November, but I have a feeling I might be doing both in Nov.  Or something else entirely, since I don't have either of them fully plotted! 

(A side effect of this productivity:  my blogging mojo is slowly coming back too!)

Do you have any routines that help you set aside dedicated writing time?

Guest Post and First Victor Review

I'm at Kait Nolan's today blogging about When the Well Runs Dry.  Comment on the post to win an early copy of HURT ME SO GOOD, which doesn't release until 10/5!

Soleil of Black Sun Reviews is the first to review Victor:

Nobody makes my reader's heart sting like Joely Sue Burkhart. I'm not usually one to enjoy contemporaries but with Joely's quirky sense of humor and passion for the forbidden or the politically incorrect, I get lost in the magic every time.

Hurt Me So Good is a sweltering hot...

General Updates & Apple Escapades

First up, let me cover the business.  The free read prequel that I posted as Friday Snippets is now ready to be downloaded in a pdf:  Lie to You.  I have an epub version but WordPress isn't liking it — and I can't find where to change the security rules to allow it to be updated.  If you'd rather have epub, just drop me a note and I'll e-mail it to you.

I've also posted Chapter One of HURT ME SO GOOD.  As we get closer to release date, I'll probably post a few more teaser excerpts, so stay...