Lucy Felthouse's Blog, page 312

My Day at The Festival of Romance

Last weekend was the inaugural Festival of Romance, at Hunton Park near Watford in the UK (a very posh venue). I attended on the Saturday to see what it was all about, appear on a panel, attend some panels and generally mingle, meet and chat with some like-minded people. I knew other erotica and erotic romance authors were going to be in attendance too, so I wasn't going to be the lone smutter in the room!

To avoid rambling on forever, I'm going to break the day down into the panels/debates I attended and give my little commentary.

I got there in one piece, in plenty of time, despite my horrendously early start and having to drive through mile upon mile of 50mph restrictions on the M1. Luckily I had my music to keep me awake!

Registration was a whizz, and I quickly bumped into some people I knew and started chatting and checking out the venue. Soon, though, it was time for the first panel… and I was on it!

Panel: For Her Eyes Only

I was a tad nervous as this was the first panel I'd appeared on, but luckily I had Xcite editors Elizabeth Coldwell and Antonia Adams there to be all informative and interesting if I failed. The audience were gentle with me, however, and I had fun answering questions about the difference between erotica and erotic romance, pen names, how writing short stories and longer pieces differs, how I got into erotica, and much more. I emerged from the panel immensely glad I'd taken part, and much more comfortable about doing it again in the future, which is just as well really, as I'm doing one at Erotica in November. Details here.

The Big Debate: Men and Romantic Fiction

I went into this debate with the intention of sitting there quietly, rather than debating, which I managed very successfully. It was a great fun debate about whether men read romantic fiction in secret, whether they're fans of romantic fiction, whether they should write it, and much more. The fact that there was a guy on the panel made it all the more interesting – Roger Sanderson, who actually writes as Gill Sanderson commented (this isn't word for word, just my memory and hastily scribbled notes!) that men can write romantic fiction just as well as women, and that he doesn't care what the press or other people think – he's laughing all the way to the bank.

There was discussion on labelling, i.e. are the terms "chick lit" and "rom com" what put men off? Some members of the audience said that in some cases, if guys are told what the book is about then they'd be much more likely to read it, than if they were just told it was a romance. Girly pink and flowery covers were a big issue – raising the question about men reading romantic fiction on their eReaders because a) there's no visible cover and b) nobody knows what they're reading.

Overall, this was a good fun debate and raised some interesting questions about romantic fiction and the way it's marketed, as well as the wonder – do men really read it in secret? I'd love to know, please leave me a comment if you have something to say about this!

Panel: From Chick Lit to Hen Lit

This was another good fun panel. It raised some similar questions to the debate about men and romantic fiction, about marketing, covers and more. But, most importantly, it discussed the label "chick lit" itself and how it came about. I don't remember who said this, but apparently the term was originally "chic lit" but the press twisted into "chick lit" to be derogatory. Many people commented that the press still tend to be very down on the genre (whatever its label!), but the readers don't care what it's called – they're buying and reading it in their droves. It was also commented that the term "chick lit" actually encompasses a huge amount of books. Many people's conceptions of the genre are that it is light and fluffy reading – but this isn't always the case. Many books deal with darker and more difficult issues, but are still packaged in those same girly, flowery covers, and they're still purchased.

A majority of people disagreed with a recently made comment that "chick lit is dead." People are still buying masses of these types of books, whether they're dealing with darker themes or not – so the label should be reclaimed and twisted back to a positive slant. Love live chick lit, whatever you want to call it!

Keynote Interview: Mills and Boon

This is down on the programme as an interview, but was actually a presentation from Mills and Boon. It basically had tons of background on the company and the various lines of books it publishes. There were handy hints and tips on how you can get your work noticed and published by Mills and Boon, including a useful handout. It definitely changed my perception of the Mills and Boon brand – they know what works and they're sticking to it, but they're modern and constantly evolving. If I ever decide to try my hand at romance without the naughty elements, I certainly wouldn't say no to them!

Keynote Interview: Carole Matthews

This was an interview, and a very good one at that. The microphone was playing silly buggers, but as I was sat within a couple of feet of Carole and the interviewer, I could still hear everything. The interview covered a lot of ground, from Carole's personal experiences with writing, research, agents, publishers, titles, cover design and much more. It also touched on more general elements which would be useful to any other, irrespective of genre. Carole regaled us with a couple of very amusing anecdotes and was happy to answer questions and give out advice – even going so far as to say that she'd be around for the rest of the day and evening if anyone wanted to ask her any questions or have any more advice, which spoke volumes about her personality. No wonder she's such a popular author! I'm amazed I haven't read any of her stuff before, but I definitely will.

Indulge with Loveswept – cupcakes and gifts served by your favourite Loveswept hero

I've skipped meals out of the programme because they're… well… meals. But this was a snack with a difference. A scantily clad young man had the pleasure of wandering around the room dishing out yummy cupcakes. He got less than half way before his open shirt was removed altogether, much to the appreciation of the women in the room. He was quickly surrounded by women who were just as interested in him as his cupcakes. I, for one, appreciated both. He was no Jared Padalecki or Philip Winchester, but he was offering me cake, so I was nice to him. He also came round and gave out bundles of postcards tied together, which included details for a free romance eBook download, which naturally I took advantage of.

Dotted in between these various events were chances to chat – hurrah! So I had the opportunity to catch up with some people I knew, talk writing, business, books, new projects and much more. Overall I came away from the day with some fab information, cemented relationships, some cool freebies and a few extra pounds (in weight – from the cake ). If I can get to the festival next year, I'll definitely go and would recommend anyone else to, too.

Reading at Sh! Hoxton, 18th November

Look out London –  the Northern Birds are coming!

On Friday 18th November at 7pm, my buddy Victoria Blisse and special guest yours truly are appearing at Sh! Hoxton for an exclusive erotic reading.

Victoria Blisse will be reading from her newly-launched book, Tempting Rendezvous. In true Blisse style, it's a naughty tale about a sexy curvaceous chick, with BDSM elements. The print book will be on hand so you can grab yourself a copy and have Victoria sign it for you.

Victoria is also attending Erotica at Olympia on Saturday 19th, where she'll be available for more signings and doing further readings – so if you're going, keep your eye out for her!

[image error]I will be reading snippets from a selection of my latest releases (titles to be decided), and will also be on hand to sign books and postcards.

I'm also be reading at Erotica on Saturday 19th, as well as appearing on a panel, so be sure to stop by, if you're attending the show!

Victoria and I are also planning some nice surprises, fun and games with a distinct Northern theme for attendees of the Sh! Hoxton reading, so don't miss out! Contact the Girlz at Sh! to reserve your place now! Be there or be square!

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New Release: Love Through Time

[image error]Yesterday saw the release of my erotic romance novella, Love Through Time, from Noble Romance. It has quite a few elements mixed in; ghostly and historical and well as sexy. It is a contemporary piece, with much of the action taking place in a gorgeous library (which is based on a real place).

It's also part of the Timeless Desire line from Noble Romance – which is a group of novellas based on the theme 'timeless desire,' and let me tell you, the different ways the authors have interpreted that phrase are really cool! And as from November, we're all going on tour together… virtual tour that is. There are going to be interviews, guest blogs, excerpts and tons and tons of chances to win prizes, including a Kindle, gift cards and some uber cool sex toys, sponsored by SexToys.co.uk. To make sure you keep up with the tour, be sure to join our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/NobleRomanceAuthorsBlogTour

For more information and an excerpt from Love Through Time, check out the book page. It's available from the Noble Romance site, and will be coming to third party retailers soon.

A Few Reviews

After a busy weekend (more on that tomorrow), I'm catching up with my emails and am happy to share a few new reviews with you (I'm a terrible poet, and don't you know it!).

Loose Ends, my erotic romance about a University reunion received a lovely review:

"…Felthouse steamed up the pages for me. This fast-paced novella had me wanting more for Johnathan and Lauren. I would recommend this erotic romance novella to anyone looking for a quickie and pleasurable needs met." 5 out of 5, CBLS Reviews















Weekend at Wilderhope Manor, my Halloween themed erotic tale, received a fab review, and also popped the reviewer's f/f cherry!

"WaWM is really a fun read, with super hot smexin', humor and mystery. WaWM gave me an hour of laughs and trying to guess what exactly was going down at the Manor (no pun intended, lol). If you are open minded and want a quick read that will keep you entertained and a little steamed up, give this little mystery a try. I think you will enjoy it as much as I did." 4 out of 5, Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews









My erotic short story collection, The Best of Lucy Felthouse got an awesome review, too!

"The Best Of Lucy Felthouse is a collection of five hot scorching tales of erotic romance where the reader is treated to everything from love to passion and the true strength of lust! This book is not for the faint at heart and is a must read for every lover of this hot genre! And Lucy Felthouse has become just that – a Must-Read for me!" Night Owl Reviews













Happy dancing over here! Not least because my erotic romance novella, Love Through Time will be released later today by Noble Romance. Watch this space for buy links, etc. It's already on Goodreads, so be sure to add it to your bookshelves!

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Myth Mondays: Behind the Scenes with Andi in Chains by Fulani

Please welcome Fulani to Myth Mondays for his post on Andi in Chains, which is featured in Seducing the Myth. Take it away, Fulani….

*****

Andromeda is a Greek myth, a story of a young woman who was sacrificed to a sea monster but saved by a warrior. It first appeared in written form in Ovid's collection Metamorphoses, around 8AD, but is probably far, far older. Ovid was a Roman poet and Metamorphoses is a collection of mythical and semi-mythical stories in the form of a long narrative poem that describes the history of the world from its creation through to the reign of Julius Ceasar. It was an instant success and remained one of the most popular literary works for centuries. The story remained well-known, possibly because every schoolboy who has to learn Latin would have been introduced to the text. There are many paintings of Andromeda chained to a rock – for example those by Titian (1553-59), Vasari (1570), Rembrandt (1630), Chasseriau (1840), Dore (1869) and Poynter (also 1869).

There is some historical background to the legend. Andromeda's parents, Cephus and Cassiopeia were the kind and queen of Ethiopia – not necessarily the same place as the modern-day country, because in Greek times the word was used to refer both to an area that extended south from modern-day Aswan, in Egypt, and from the east of the Nile into what we now call the Middle East. Tradition has it that the rock to which Andromeda was chained as a sacrifice is located by the harbour of Jaffa, Israel.

The story has a lot of detail and quite a few characters.

In addition to Andromeda's parents, King Cephus and Queen Cassiopeia, the dramatis personae include Phineus, the brother of Cephus, to whom Andomeda was to have been married. Then there were the Nereids, daughters of the sea god Nereus. The story really started with Cassiopeia boasting Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, and they were offended. They complained to their father in a 'What are you going to do about this insult?' way. He talked to Poseidon about it. Nereus was the eldest son of the Titans Pontus and Gaia, making him a powerful deity in his own right, though it's unclear what his relationship with Poseidon was – Poseidon was specifically a god of the seas with the Mediterranean as his sphere of influence. Some sources suggest they're different aspects of the same deity, so the conversation between them may have been a little strange.

In any event, Poseideon sent Cetus, a sea monster, to ravage the coastline of Ethiopia.

Amid the storms and floods that followed, Cephus consulted the Oracle of Apollo which told him to sacrifice his daughter to Cetus to save his kingdom. Hence, Andromeda chained naked to a rock on the shoreline awaiting her fate.

What about Perseus? Well, he has quite a backstory. He was Mycenean. His mother was the daughter of the King of Argos, a powerful city state that's now part of Greece and one of the oldest continuously-inhabited places in the world. The king had, however, received an omen that he'd be killed by a male grandchild – hence he kept his daughter in a bronze prison, where she was impregnated by Zeus. Unwilling to actually kill his daughter or grandson, the king set them adrift on the seas in a wooden chest.

They pitched up on the Greek island of Serifos and were taken in by a fisherman (who happened to be the brother of the local king). In time, the King of Serifos, Polydectes, proposed to marry Perseus' mother. To protect her from Polydectes – and this is again a long and involved story – Perseus promised to undertake a quest, which turned out to be finding and killing the Gorgon Medusa. He had to 'borrow' – well, strong-arm the use of – various magical implements to do this. And it was on his way back from that quest that he came across Andromeda, rescued her and married her.

What follows is even more complicated. Perseus has a stand-off with Phineus (remember him? Andromeda had been promised to him in marriage). He would up killing Phineus by showing him the head of Medusa – handily hacked from her body and carried in Perseus' knapsack. Well, it was the proof that he'd finished the quest. The sight of the head turned Phineus to stone. Perseus then returned home, killing Polydectes the same way and rescuing his mother (who remained there as consort of the fisherman who'd rescued them both, and who was installed as the new king).

He had to trek around the area returning magical items he'd 'borrowed' for his quest to kill Medusa. After that he went to the Olympic Games then under way in Larissa, where versions of the story differ. He may have accidentally killed his grandfather with a rogue quoit hit or discus throw, or his father may have been living in exile by that time. In any event, rather than return to Argos and claim the throne, Perseus became king of Tyrins, another Mycenean city state close by.

Andromeda joined him there, they lived happily ever after and had seven sons and two daughters – a busy sex life, then, and there was no contraception in those days…

I originally came to the story through art – I particularly like the Chasseriau, Dore and Poynter paintings of the myth, all of which I've known for a while. But having decided to take Andromeda as the starting point for the story, I wanted to do a contemporary re-telling. Who could take the role of the various kings? Who would be prepared to settle scores with murder, imprison others on the basis of susperstition, chain their own daughter to a rock as a sacrifice? Well… I guess I could have set the re-telling in some tiny backwater state with a powerful dictator, or in the context of unscrupulous multinational companies. But the idea of the kings as gangsters and drug dealers, ruling their own mini-territories around the docks of an old industrial city, appealed.

So who was Perseus? These days, the nearest we have to a warrior of his personality type is probably a mercenary of some sort, used to pulling off operations with a mixture of high-tech equipment and low-tech violence.

And the thing about chains… Perseus freed Andromeda from her chains and they went on to have a lifelong, loving relationship. But a 'what if' thought struck me. What if she actually liked the whole experience of being chained up? What if that had been the secret fantasy keeping her warm on long dark nights? You don't have to read much to discover that empirically, fantasies of bondage, rescue, and the rescuer not releasing the captive but taking advantage of them are quite common among women (and among some men, actually).

So that gave me the plot outline.

One question left – who was telling the story? Well, it needed to be someone who was there. I imagined it as story told maybe in a bar, by someone who knew the background, and told to a journalist who'd heard about the whole episode and wanted to write it up in a sensational and hard-boiled way.

Find out more about Fulani on his blog, http://fulanismut.blogspot.com/.

Find out how to bag your copy of Seducing the Myth here.

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Weekend Dirty Dozen No. 1 #WD12

I'm delighted to be joining the inaugural Weekend Dirty Dozen, which I found via their Facebook page, here. This week I'm sharing twelve sentences from my latest release, Weekend at Wilderhope Manor, which is a Halloween themed lesbian erotic story. So, without further ado…

The car trundled up the long driveway, the crunching of gravel beneath tyres the only sound as Stephanie and her girlfriend, Jenny, peered out of the windows at their surroundings.



Even at dusk the tree-lined driveway was impressive with perfectly maintained parkland, spanning for acres on either side of it. As Stephanie steered the Fiesta around a bend in the track, they both gasped. Their destination, Wilderhope Manor, had come into view and it was stunning. The Tudor style property was huge, with no less than three frontages visible from where they were. Chimneys with intricately built patterns jutted into the darkening sky, with tangles of ivy climbing parts of the manor, giving the place an appearance that was both beautiful and foreboding.



Presently, the driveway opened out into a gravelled area, which as far as Stephanie could tell, doubled as a car park for the weekend. Stephanie manoeuvred into a spot between two vehicles and killed the engine. As she turned to Jenny, she jumped, startled. Her girlfriend had leaned in close, making a scary face with her hands mimicking claws.



"Are you ready to be scared out of your wits, young lady?" Jenny rasped, wiggling her eyebrows and fingers theatrically.

Don't forget to check out the other Weekend Dirty Dozen peeps!

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Lover's Scare Contest

Love to be scared? Feel those hairs stand up on the back of your neck? If the answer is yes, you should definitely check out the Lover's Scare Contest over at Bianca Sommerland's place. She's got together a bunch of cool authors, including yours truly, to share spooky excerpts from our work. They're all being highlighted separately from now until the 31st, and you can vote for your favourite.

Naturally, I've highlighted my spooky new Halloween erotica release, Weekend at Wilderhope Manor. It's an exclusive excerpt, so go and check it out, and if it has the desired effect, please consider voting for me. I'd appreciate it! Also, don't forget to comment on posts for the chance to win various prizes from the authors being featured, as well as some super grand prizes.

See my spooky excerpt here. Voting is here. Check out the other cool authors here.

See you there!

Guest Blog: Margie Church

[image error]Thank you for having us, Lucy. I've brought along my co-author and poet, J. Andrew Lockhart, to share his insights about our sensual paranormal romance, Nopeming Shores.

Tell us more about your release and the idea behind it?

We'd love to! Gabe Holliway is killed serving in Afghanistan and leaves behind his heartbroken wife, Lily. As a ghost, he witnesses the struggles she endures to create a new life for herself. He's filled with so many regrets and so much anger that he can't break his earthly ties and rest in peace. Throughout the story, Gabe uses short, Japanese poems (written by Andrew) to communicate with Lily and help her create a new future. When Lily and Gabe finally come face-to-face, it's a gripping drama that'll take your breath away.

The entire story is very emotional. As one can imagine, having your loved one ripped out of your life suddenly creates a lot of pain and angst. Nopeming Shores explores Lily's grief in a palpable way. Gabe's intense jealousy when Lily begins to move forward is shocking and sad. There's humor, and a happily ever after, too, so don't think you'll be crying through the whole book!

The inspiration for Nopeming Shores was two-fold. My brother-in law served a year in Afghanistan, and I saw first-hand how difficult it was for his wife, family, and friends who were left behind. The ghostly aspects of the story were inspired by my father's death and the fact that his ghost visited me after his suicide. In addition, Andrew suffered a life-threatening stroke 15 years ago and went code blue twice. When we met online last year, all these ideas that had been swirling around in my mind with no real direction came together. Nopeming Shores is unlike any of my other romances. It has no swearing or graphic sex scenes, but we promise your heart will pound and you'll be captivated by every word.

What was it like collaborating with someone on this project?

Andrew Lockhart says, "We didn't actually meet each other until the book was done, but after so many hours on the phone, and pages after pages of emails, I felt like I had known her all of my life. She doesn't tell you this, but the reason I banned her from "x-rated" language was the fact that I'm an elementary music teacher. No, it wouldn't look good at all for my name on something like that. Besides that, I truly think this story stands on its own, not needing that kind of description.

"It was so easy for me to write poetry for this due to what had happened to me 15 years ago. It took many months of rehab to bring me back into the real world. Many, many times I've thought about what would have happened if I wouldn't have made it- what would have happened to my wife and our one year-old son. So, I felt like "being Gabe" was easy.

As far as Margie, she's a wonderful person, but so different than me. I almost bet you that she will change or add to this by the time you see it. That's fine with me, because I'm not doing it. I've said all I want to say. LOL"

Margie *blows Andrew raspberries.* "I fixed your homophone error. I think having clear expectations and roles in this project made it go easily. Andrew is right, I struggled with dialing back my muse, but ultimately, the love scenes are still very erotic, just not in graphic language. I love the story and readers do, too.

I was impressed with how quickly Andrew 'got' the story.His ability to grasp the characters and provide motivation and insights to Gabe and to the secondary character, Shane, were really helpful. His work came in exactly the way it appears in the book. I don't know if other collaborations go this smoothly, but it was really nice.

I mentioned a sequel recently, but I have a few books to write before it could happen. The soonest would be the summer of 2012."

[image error]Blurb:  Nopeming Shores by Margie Church with J. Andrew Lockhart

An IED snuffed out Gabe Holliway's life, but couldn't destroy his love. Using his unique gift, Gabe struggles to help his young wife, Lily, rebuild her shattered future.

But when Gabe's ghost reaches out to her, Lily fears she's lost her last hold on sanity. Can she trust what she discovers and what her heart says? When she sees Gabe face-to-face, can she believe her eyes?

When love transcends death, the answers are found in Nopeming Shores.

*****

EXCERPT: Nopeming Shores, sensual ghost story

"You want to give your two weeks' notice today?"

She brushed away the last stray tear and sniffled. For the first time since she'd gotten the devastating news of Gabe's death, she breathed normally. "I'm giving my two minutes' notice. I'm sorry if it puts you in a bind, but I have to do this for myself."

She stuck out her hand. "Thanks for everything, Arthur. I've enjoyed working with you."

"Sleep on it. If you change your mind, call me. This conversation never happened."

The tenderness in his eyes touched her, but this was goodbye. To ease his concern, she pasted on a warm smile. "Sure, thank you."

Her lunch bag crackled as she fiddled with the paper sack. "Guess you'll have to find somebody else to pick on about eating these."

Arthur smiled. "Yeah, you're one of a kind, Lily. Good luck. Whatever you do. And come back and visit sometime, when you're feeling up to it. We'd love to see you anytime."

She nodded, and walked out of the room.

Jana stood near the shelves of breakfast items, her gaze fixed on Lily.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper in the parking lot, Jana. It's been a rough few months."

Jana nodded. "It's okay. I wish I could do something to help, but I always keep steppin' in it."

She pointed to Lily's lunch bag. "Want to eat together today?"

"I'm leaving."

"Okay, well, we can do it tomorrow."

Nervous anxiety made Lily's mouth dry as a wool sock. "I'm not just leaving for the day. I quit. Right now. I'm leaving for good."

Jana's eyes widened. "Really?"

Lily felt her shoulders slump in resigned defeat. She nodded.

A quivering frown tugged on the corners of Jana's lips. "I hope this is a good change for you, Lily. And I hope we'll still be friends. I didn't mean to interfere or hurt your feelings."

Emotion clogged Lily's throat. "I know you meant well. I have to work through this myself. Somehow, I have to accept . . . what happened. My life is different. Give me a few days, and I'll call you. I promise."

Jana hugged her and then patted her on the back.

"You take care now." Sadness cloaked her voice. "I'm here if you need me. Don't forget that."

"Thanks."

* * * * *

In his spirit state, Gabe heard and watched the entire scene between his wife and Jana. He stood behind Lily while she said goodbye to Jana. He walked out of the building with Lily to the car. The wind caught a wisp of her hair, and he wished he could tuck it behind her ear. He used to love stroking Lily's soft, wavy tresses.

Not yet. She wasn't ready to know he was close by, trying to help her cope. Hell, he was trying to cope, too. God had given Gabe a chance to help Lily, and himself, but it was all in the timing. Gabe wouldn't get long. The Shepherd of Souls had been very clear about that.

Lily drove out of the parking lot, but instead of taking her usual direct route to the base exits, she drove through the grounds.

In his spirit form, Gabe followed her.

She slowed down near one of the park benches.

We met there. Gabe recalled seeing Lily with her brown-bag lunch when he'd gone jogging on the historic base. She'd caught his eye immediately. Her long, graceful limbs and full lips captivated him. When she smiled, the sun seemed to dim. Her charming demeanor wiped out all his defenses.

She'd shaded her eyes to speak to him. "I've never seen you before."

"I was in Seattle for some training, but I'm stationed here. Are you visiting your husband?"

She'd giggled this wonderful, heart-warming sound, and her face turned the loveliest shade of pink. Gabe knew in that moment, he was pretty much a goner.

"No, I'm not married. I started working at the commissary last week."

"Well, if you have lunch in the park, I'll be seeing you. I jog through here almost every day."

Gabe didn't usually take that route, but he was darn glad he had that day, and every day after. Lily had waited for him, sometimes bringing along an extra bottle of water or a piece of fruit for him. They'd talk for a little while, then he'd finish his run, although his mind was never on physical fitness after he saw Lilianna Carston.

Now Gabe sat on that same bench, remembering the delight in her eyes when he'd asked her to dinner the first time. They'd been almost inseparable after that date. They thought they'd have a lifetime together.

He turned toward her car and saw the strain on her face.

He watched her shoulders rise and fall in a deep sigh before she drove away from the curb.

Gabe didn't get off the bench and follow her. Being dead wasn't exactly halos and fluffy clouds for him.

CONTEST: If you've experienced a visit from a ghost, share your tale. You could win a copy of Nopeming Shores.

Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Nopeming-Shores-ebook/dp/B005UUTQMI/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1318604389&sr=1-4

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Double the Erotica Goodness!

This weekend, I was honoured to attend a double book launch at Sh! Hoxton. Two fabulous erotic writers, K D Grace and Maxim Jakubowski just released novels with Xcite Books, so they teamed up to spring their sexy books on the unsuspecting audience.

[image error]There was lots going on, including giveaways and lots of naughty fun. Sadly, I missed a great deal of said fun due to a horrendous accident on the M1 motorway, which meant that while everyone was in the pub across the road from Sh! catching up and chatting, me and my other half were stuck in terrible traffic. These things happen, unfortunately, but I was so annoyed to be missing all the fun – plus I hate being late for things! When we eventually arrived I was all of a fluster and had to ring the bell to be let into Sh! – where the lovely Renee was all smiles and hugs. Thankfully nobody minded our tardiness as they knew it was out of our hands.

The bits I did get to hear were excellent, though. Maxim was reading snippets from his new book, Ekaterina and the Night. He's also currently on a virtual blog tour with said book, and there are some copies up for grabs. Go here to find out how to get your chance to win!

[image error]K D Grace regaled us with sections from The Pet Shop. I also happened to notice she was wearing animal print shoes, and later asked if it was intentional. She assured me it was, and also added that they were biting her feet! Annoying, but somehow appropriate, she said.

As usual, the lovely Sh! Ladiez kept us well topped up with sparkly stuff (which was immediately thrust at myself and the other half on our arrival. The girlz obviously knew how frustrated we were to be late!) and cupcakes. Also doing the rounds were some yummy sweets made by my lovely other half, who, well used to the hue of Sh!, made them in a lovely shade of pink. Luckily I grabbed one before the plate was distributed as it was empty when it came back. I have it on good authority that the sweets were incredibly well received! Only the best for K D Grace and Maxim Jakubowski!

I did manage to squeeze some chatting with people into the interval, thankfully. Then, after the proceedings were brought to a close, myself, my other half, K D Grace, her other half (who was celebrating his birthday, and got an impromptu 'happy birthday' sung at him by Sh!'s till), Kay Jaybee, Rebecca Bond, Lexie Bay and her other half, and another friend of K D Grace's, whose name I don't recall, retreated to the nearby Pizza Express. While there I managed a good catch up with Lexie Bay and her man, but unfortunately was shoved at the other end of the table from the others, so still felt cheated out of my chat!

Ah well… it was a fab night overall. And we're all attending Erotica together – watch out London!

eBook Review: Give Me by LK Rigel

Lilith Evergreen is an American woman living a perfectly ordinary, happy life. That is, until her fiancé returns from a business trip in London with a ring he bought from a street vendor. When Lilith puts it on she starts to have very strange dreams – of trees, castles, and a handsome prince. Her dreams are like fairy tales. Then, after a shocking revelation at home, she decides to follow her heart and book the trip of a lifetime, to England.

When Lilith arrives in England, she quickly realises things aren't quite what they seem. The people are nice enough, but there's much more going on than meets the eye. And, despite her best efforts, she becomes entangled in the madness; involving an ancient spell, parted lovers and questions about her own heritage.

Give Me is a fascinating read. I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I first started reading, but I quickly got the hang of the blend of contemporary and magical. Despite its length, it's not the sort of story you can whizz through, as there are lots of characters and events taking place to keep track of, but don't let that put you off. This is a seriously imaginative book, both exciting and absorbing. It's a modern fairy tale that I'd recommend to those that enjoy them.

Available from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US