Sommer Marsden's Blog, page 39

Release Day Rowdiness!

I am feeling like this...





Because this happened...

And now this is available or purchase!

Oh my gosh, I feel like I've been waiting forever. I haven't. Ellora's Cave did a good job getting this book edited (super duper magical editor Julie Naughton) and out. But I wrote this novel two years ago so it feels like an eternity. As you can see, I do not, in any way, corner the market on patience ;)

So there it is and below is a blurb and a link and if you go to the site you can read and excerpt and...gasp! We shall be celebrating tonight. On our budget of nothing at all. But you do not need a budget to celebrate (I just recently realized I pretty much never celebrate my books. What's that about?). So the man is cooking (big deal right now) and the girl made gluten free brownies and we will sit down and raise a toast and I will be all giddy and shit.

The end. :)

XOXO
Giddy Sommer

Blurb for Restricted Release :

Clara is the recovering anorexic who’s nearly become a shut-in after the end of her emotionally abusive marriage. Matt is the new boy next door. Graphic artist, nice guy, funny…accepting of Clara.  She wants him, he wants her—but Clara is afraid.

Nadia is the stand-in—Matt’s idea, Clara’s challenge to accept. A longtime friend of Matt’s, she’s a sexual surrogate intended to guide Clara until she’s not afraid of Matt’s desire for her or hers for him. Twosomes become threesomes, watching becomes touching and lust becomes love.

When Matt moved in next door, lust was the last thing Clara expected. Two lovers never crossed her mind. And the need to make a choice was something she thought she’d never encounter. But she’s bolder now, healing, and everything has changed. And a choice must be made, no matter how hard.
 
Inside scoop: Clara’s healing includes a hot woman who wants to show her how desirable she is, as well as f/m/f menagés.

"So there was that telling-the-truth discomfort." Interview with Two Lips Reviews.

I've been interviewed by Two Lips Reviews. *fist pump* If you check it out I'm second down on the page.

I talk about stuff like how portions of Wanderlust are autobiographical, writing in general, rabid hamster faces and what's on my TBR list (hint Alison Tyler's Dark Secret Love [ Cleis Press ] and Adam Nevill's Ritual). And I give you a nibble of Restricted Release which comes out this Wednesday! *Kermit flail*

Yay! And on top of all that goodness the man is having a really great day. Which is so welcome right about now. He's so himself: energy, humor, doing things. It's wonderful to see. Doesn't get much better.

Happy Sunday!

XOXO
Sommer

Forget all that other stuff. Justine Elyot is here!

Today I have one of my favorite writers ever. Justine Elyot! She is so talented it makes my head spin. Her stories always pull me in to the point where I forget all the important things I need to do and can only focus on the words she's put down. Good stuff.

Happy long weekend. Let's see about Justine's new release, shall we?

XOXO
Sommer



It's appropriate that I'm writing a blog about a self-published book for Sommer,
because she is one of the people who inspired me to take this step. I'd seen her
working to set up her December Ink press, watched with interest the progress of such
books as Wanderlust. I even contributed a story to her down-and-dirty Gritty anthology (read it).

I knew, in short, that it was doable. And nowadays so many stories fall between the
cracks of the publishers' guidelines – both the written and unwritten ones – that self publishing has come into its own. There is great work to be found, if you have the will
to look for it.

That's why I decided to self-publish my novella, Ask No Questions. It's a funny length
and it's a little bit out of my usual zone so I thought I'd try it on Kindle Select. It
isn't doing too badly – the five day free promotion feature has given it a place in my
top 10 selling titles this month, which means I might earn an extra couple of quid in
September. Maybe.

If you want to know a little more about the book, here's the blurb:

Lonely Rhys is too busy with his hill farm to take holidays, but when
he finds a strange girl asleep in his barn, he embarks on a different
kind of holiday - from real life.

In their intense little bubble of pleasure and freedom, neither of
them wants to be the one to break the spell until, one day, external
forces intervene and they are forced to discover exactly who they
are - and what they want.

And…an excerpt:

Rhys didn't much want to get out of bed, but the unexpected break in the
weather combined with Skip's whining and scratching at the door left him little
alternative.

"Right," he said, sitting up with an effort. "These sheep aren't going to dip
themselves. I need to get on."

"Ohhhh." Kim pouted and tried to pull him back down. "Don't go. It's going to
rain again in a minute, I promise."

"Listen, my little nymphet, sex can wait but sheep can't. I've got to take
advantage of this sunshine. Don't worry. I'll save some of my strength for you."

"You better had."

He kissed her nose.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I'll come out with you."

"All right. What are you going to put on your feet though?"

"Oh. I dunno."

"This is ridiculous. We need to get to town, get you some clothes at least."

"I'm fine, honestly." She grabbed his hand. Her eyes were earnest, and slightly
fearful. "Haven't you got a spare pair of wellies?"

"Yeah. They're size eleven. What are you?"

"Oh. Four."

"Right."

"I'll just put my old ballet slippers on. They're ruined anyway. Bit of mud
won't make much difference. Oh, don't look like that. I want to come and see you
being all sheep-farmer-y on the hills. One man and his dog. I used to watch that when
I was a kid. Can you do all those special whistles?"

He shook his head, smiling, defeated.

"Come on, then. Get your kit on. My kit, that is. And don't forget – no
knickers."

Despite his recent exertions, the thought sent an undeniable message to his
groin and he had to put his pants on in a hurry before things got out of hand.

Skip hurled herself at him the minute he opened the door and chased them
down the stairs, snuffling in puzzlement at Kim's thighs so she had to push the dog's
face away.

Rhys frowned disapprovingly at the figure she cut in her silly shoes and bare
legs, his jumper wrapped around her again, but there was nothing to be done about it.

As soon as the rain started again, he was taking her into town for some decent wellies,
though. No two ways about that, whether she liked it or not.

Rhys and Kim are available at Amazon for Kindle:

US: http://www.amazon.com/Ask-No-Questions-ebook/dp/B00E9IXQTQ/
ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1377869849&sr=1-
1&keywords=justine+elyot+ask+no+questions

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ask-No-Questions-ebook/dp/B00E9IXQTQ/
ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1

Thanks for reading! And thanks to Sommer for having me!

A good reason not to eat fruit...

Fruit flies.

I battle with these little bastards every year, it seems. But for some reason they're really bugging me this year. Heh. Bugging me...

I remember the year we got 'the guinea pig'. That was what the folks who owned him before us called him. "The guinea pig". We named him Mr. Nibbles. What no one told me was that he came with a cage, some bedding, some food, a water bottle, and apparently a year's supply of fruit flies. I still believe they somehow flew out of his butt when no one was looking.

That summer I spent in battle with the fruit flies. I vividly remember, when school finally started at the end of August, sending the kids off on the school bus, having my second cup of coffee and then getting my Dyson vacuum and sort of winding it around myself with the long silver metal attachment and going through the house like Sigourney Weaver in Aliens sucking up fruit flies. Okay, I admit that made me feel a bit bad ass. But still, they were a constant in my home. Flitting about, being annoying, dying IN MY WINE. Fruit flies.

So now I shop at various places and this one place I shop I always seem to come home with extra guests for dinner. I swear it should say "A one pound purchase of sweet potatoes comes with free fruit flies." Or apples...or bananas...or kiwis.

Sure they carry odd items you see in Foodnetwork Magazine but they also carry the bane of my existence. Flying annoyance.

I'm not even sure if they're fruit flies, to be honest. The ones that came with Mr. Nibbles were bigger and black, these are small and brown. And then there seems to be some other mystery fly that is smallER and brownER than the other one.

The problem is they all want my wine. (fuckers) Also, they all seem determined to fly up my nose. It could be worse. I could be like my mom. She hates (regular house) flies to much that several years back my sister gave her small food 'tents' for her birthday. The reason being in years before that if a fly got in the house during a summer cookout or a gathering you would walk in to find the food table and snack stuff shrouded in white napkins. It looked like the worlds smallest morgue.

I don't go that far. I've just started leaving out a small glass of wine just for them. May they all die drunk and happy.

The way I plan to go. Heh.

XOXO

Sommer

The End...

And...I finished. Done. The end. Over. The fat lady has sung. Roll up the carpet. Lock the door. And any other thing that means it's over. I finished my novel today. I started it right after the man was released from the hospital. It feels like I've been writing it for eons.

I'm going to take a little break, maybe write some short stories, or maybe write some nothing, and then move on to next book. Which is banging on the inside of my brain demanding to be let out.

Speaking of my brain, it's very excited because it realized that in one week THIS COMES OUT! Yay! My brain is doing a happy dance. You just can't see it. Because...well, because it's in my head. ;)

XOXO

Sommer

This...

is my day.

I did not sleep much last night. Today started school for girl child (wah! there goes my mini me). I feel slow and stupid and writing the end of a book while so is comical to say the least. I really hope that quote by Stephen King is accurate and I only feel like I'm shoveling shit from a sitting position. Ha!

I could go for way more coffee than I had but that will only mess up my stomach. So here I go, stumbling and shuffling through my day like one of my beloved undead zombie type people. Moooooooan...

Sometime this week I must go get a new computer (yes, I have hijacked the man's again). For the first time ever, I don't want to deal with the whole new computer thing. Too tired. Too in love with the old dead one. Just...don't wanna.

But I hafta. Or I need to go work at McDonald's or something. Which would suck because I can't eat any of their food.

See, I told you I was tired. This blog made no sense. But it did give me an excuse to post a minion on my blog. And that, my friend, is a good thing!

XOXO
Sommer

Gone Swimming...

Making this today. Because I'm going to run off and hide in a pool for a few hours. Just a few. Just long enough to recharge my brain a little. Figured since full-on summer weather is back I'd take advantage and worship some sun. Good stuff. Have a great day.

XOXO
Sommer

Happily Ever Awesome...

It's coming...no pun intended. Okay, pun totally intended. Sometimes I crack myself up. Especially nowadays what with the fact that I've lost my mind!

But look what's headed your way. Happily Ever Anal. The fourth anal sex collection!

Alison Tyler says: "You'll be delighted by the dreamy stories in this (our fourth!) anal sex collection, featuring stories by Sommer Marsden, Jax Baynard, Sophia Valenti, Kristina Lloyd, and yours ever so truly."

How fucking cool is that?

Hope you'll pop us in your shopping cart when the time comes.

XOXO
Sommer
Quick Update: The man has entered phase two of treatment. This means a break and then IV chemo. Followed by follow up scans to see where we stand on surgery. So to all of you out there pulling for us, talking to me online, sending good wishes and thoughts and prayers and stories to the antho Alison Tyler is putting together...keep it up and thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my dirty little heart. <3

Shh...I have infiltrated the man's computer...

Because I can't stand that I have yet to show you...THIS!!! *trumpets*

My new cover for my almost here book from Ellora's Cave. To find out more about it go HERE .

Why did it take me so long to blog it though I got it the other day? Because if you missed the obituary via Twitter and Facebook, my computer bit the big one last Sunday and I've been operating mainly on iPad and Nook until I can get a new one. Which should hopefully be this coming week. The following week at the latest.

In the meantime I once in a while hop on the man's computer. It's alien to me. I have to type everything ten times because my fingers get misplaced (it's a bigger keyboard) and I end up typing stuff like this:

SHNOICHNE,micl.  koiiph 454552'

Which reminds me of what Alison Tyler said to me once when I answered an email to her late at night and thought I had my fingers on the right keys but did not.

"I don't speak drunk"

Heh.

Off I go to finish cleaning and reading and generally wandering around my house doing the things that need to be done but at a slow Sunday pace.

Now that you have seen my lovely cover I know your Sunday is complete ;)

XOXO
Sommer
p.s. My winners for the full bookshelf contest were Sam Warren, Angela and Jess! They have chosen their books and if they are lucky sometime before Christmas I will get them in the mail. Kidding, kidding...mostly.

Winner, Winner, No Chicken Dinner!

I have winners for my full bookshelf giveaway. Angela, Jess and Sam Warren. If those three people will send me their choice of paperback book I'll set about making that wish come true. Please let me know if you want it signed or "naked" and don't forget...one of them will have a Barnes and Noble gift card tucked inside. I won't know which (I've decided to let the man stick it in a random book). So let me know if you're the card winner when you get your books.

Thanks to all for commenting and for playing along. Meet me back here when the next shelf is full! :)

XOXO

Sommer

photo credit: pam's pics- via photopin cc