Giselle Renarde's Blog, page 146

Quick Six PRO with DC Juris (Part One)

Q: What's the most time-consuming part of a writer's life?

DC Juris: For me, it's promotion. Writing I can do anywhere, any time. But promotion takes networking, research, and blogging. Lots and lots of blogging. Oddly enough, coming up with a blog isn't as easy as writing a story. I'd much rather weave a world together.



Q: On the topic of ebook piracy, hunter or head in the sand?

DC Juris: ::sigh:: There's a lot of debate on this topic, and a lot of emotion. The way I see it - it's going to happen. I can spend hours and hours writing take down notices and sending e-mails, or I could spend my time writing. Thieves are always going to find a way to steal. I have to find a way to write.



Q: What should a writer's priority be?

DC Juris: Writing, of course. All the rest will fall into place as it does.



Q: How do you handle a bad review?

DC Juris: There's only one way to handle a bad review - chocolate and wine. LOL But seriously - reviews are opinions, good or bad. And opinion is only as important to you as you let it be.



Q: Have you ever encountered any unprofessional behaviours from editors, publishers or other writers, that they might not even realize are damaging?

DC Juris: I think people are far too unaware of how many people are watching them on the internet. People post things to Facebook, Twitter, or their blogs, and even when they leave out names, it's often not very difficult to figure out who they're talking about, with just a little Google search. I see it on Facebook all the time, especially in private groups. Authors trashing other authors, trashing publishers, or editors making comments about their authors. Which isn't to say I never bitch in public. But I leave things very, very vague.



Q: What advice do you give aspiring authors?

DC Juris: Persevere. Don't take no for an answer. Keep at it until you get it right.



We'll be back next week with more from DC Juris, author of:

Buried TreasureDC Juris

Haunted by nightmares, Mark learned the hard way to guard his heart. But Gabe may just be the man to bring Mark's guard down.

After his last long-term relationship ended because of his nightmares, Mark closed his heart to the possibility of finding love again. He's certainly never considered Gabe, the orderly who works at Miller's Retirement Home where his father lives. But there's more to Gabe than meets the eye, and if Mark is willing to let Gabe in, he might just discover the most important buried treasure of all.

Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

Six Sentence Sunday - Red Satin, A Trans Lesbian Romance

I've been procrastinating a lot this week. I mean... A LOT. And I'll tell you why: I'm working on the third story in my "Red Satin" trilogy, a set of three transgender lesbian erotic romance e-books, which will ultimately be published together in paperback by loveyoudivine Alterotica. But the thing is... I have to actually FINISH the series before that can happen.

What's with the procrastination? Well, a lot of people really like these stories. The second is a cliff-hanger, and I've promised fireworks in the third story. The pressure's really getting to me. Crikey, writing erotica shouldn't be this stressful!

Anyhoo, all that is to say this week's Six are from the first story in the trilogy, aptly titled, "Red Satin." A little background: Regan and Maisie have known each other since they were kids, back when Maisie was Mark. Regan's so hot for this girl--in love, even if she doesn't realize it yet--but Maisie is reluctant to get involved with anyone romantically at this point in her transition.

Six Sentences from Red Satin:

Regan wrapped herself around Maisie's curves, digging her nails into the flesh at Maisie's sides, moaning into the depths of her luscious mouth.



Just as the flames of passion overwhelmed Regan's body, Maisie broke away with a startled look in her eye.



"What's wrong?" Regan asked.



Maisie chuckled nervously, touching only fingertips to her engorged lips. She shook her head and giggled. "I just don't know what I want."

Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

2011 Rainbow Awards: Nominations Now Being Accepted

If you're an author or publisher of LGBT fiction (including erotica) or non-fiction, you'll definitely want to check out the 2011 Rainbow Awards. Reposted with permission granted from Elisa Rolle's LiveJournal:

ELIGIBILITY



- The book must be published between September 2010 and August 2011 (both months included).

- Self-published books are eligible (print on demand publishers, like Lulu.com and Smashwords, are included in the "self-published" umbrella).

- Ebook editions of previously published print books are not eligible. First time print book editions of previously published ebooks are eligible. A book that has been republished by a different publisher after its initial publication is not eligible. A book that was previously self-published by the author, and then republished by a publisher after its initial publication is eligible.







SUBMISSION PROCESS



- Books submitted for consideration will be accepted between March 15 and September 15. Winners will be announced in December.

- A book can be submitted only by its author or by its publisher. Submit a book in the category most appropriate: please indicate Gender (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual/Transgender) and Genre (Coming of Age / Young Adult, Contemporary General Fiction, Contemporary Erotica, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery / Thriller, Paranormal / Horror, Sci-Fic / Futuristic, Non Fiction).

- The commision can include some books at their own expenses, if they are eligible, especially in those categories with not enough submissions.

- Books are submitted in electronic version (PDFs); exceptions will be considered (please contact me). Submitting the ebook, authors/publishers agree for its distribution with the only purpose of being read by the commission (from 3 to 5 judges). It's recommended but not mandatory, that the PDF file has some kind of protection, like a specific disclaimer or similar.

- No submission fees required.

- Books (PDF format) have to be sent to the following address: elisa(dot)rolle(at)libero(dot)it



CATEGORIES



- A book can be submitted in only one category. Debut Fiction is the only category allowing a "double" submission, in its own specific category, plus the Debut Fiction one.

- If a category receives fewer than five (5) submissions, the category will not be active in this awards cycle. The submitted books will be reassigned to another category if appropriate.

- Gender Category: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual/Transgender

- Genre Category: Coming of Age / Young Adult, Contemporary General Fiction, Contemporary Erotica, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery / Thriller, Paranormal / Horror, Sci-Fic / Futuristic, Non Fiction

- Special Category: Debut Fiction. First time print book editions of previously published authors only in ebooks is Debut Fiction. A book that was previously self-published by the author, and then republished by a publisher after its initial publication is Debut Fiction. Debut Fiction is considered the first book in print or ebook of more of 41.000 words published as standalone.

- Length Category: Novel of more than 41,000 Words. Novellas and Short Stories will be considered only on the following conditions: Novellas (between 18,000 and 41,000 Words) only in Collection of 2 or more collected together; Short Stories (<18,000 Words) only in Collection of 4 or more collected together. A single submission has to be of more than 41.000 Words. Exception will be considered if a single category will have not enough submissions.



JURY



- Judges will start to read books in May; reading period will finish in November (included).

- Each judge will read a minimum of 5 books. Authors/Publishers/Editors will not read books in categories where a their own book is submitted.

- Each book will be judge using 4 different criteria: Plot Development, Setting Development, Characters Development and Writing Style. From 1 to 10 points for each criteria.

- Judges will receive only the ebooks they have to read. (PDF files)

- Judges will have to indicate what categories they are not comfortable to read.

- To be a judge, please contact me; Authors/Publishers/Editors/Reviewers/Readers are welcomed, if I don't know you (you are not in my friends list, we are not on the same groups,...), please provide an introduction and some sort of reference for being eligible to judge a LGBT themed book.



Permission to repost granted (and welcomed)

Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

Call For Submissions: JMS Books

Hi Authors! Looking to place your transgender, lesbian, and gay fiction, be it erotica, romance, or YA? You might want to check out this call for subs from JMS Books:

** PERMISSION TO FORWARD **



JMS Books LLC is a small queer press specializing in GLBT erotica, romance, and young adult fiction.

We release 3 e-books a week and 4 print titles a month. All books are available electronically, and any title over 30,000 words goes into print. While we don't pay advances, we do pay authors 50% net on royalties from all sales. We sell through our own website as well as a wide distribution network to ensure we reach the largest audience possible.

Full submission guidelines are available on our website.

We are seeking queer, genre, and literary stories at least 5k and no longer than 100k in length. Reprints are accepted. We are particularly interested in GAY, LESBIAN, and TRANSGENDER stories in the following genres:

Action/AdventureContemporaryFantasyFuturisticHistoricalHorrorHumor/ParodyInterracialMilitary/WarMystery/DetectiveParanormalScience FictionWestern/CowboyYoung Adult – stories aimed at readers aged 14 and up

We do not accept submissions of extreme BDSM, incest, or heterosexual, bisexual, or intergender menage erotica.

Submission Policy:

Electronic unsolicited submissions are accepted at any time.We do not accept multiple or simultaneous submissions.Submissions should include a QUERY LETTER, full SYNOPSIS, and 2,000 word EXCERPT in RTF format.Submissions are acknowledged within 2 business days.If we like your submission, we will request a copy of the full manuscript for review. Manuscripts must be in electronic format only. The review time is between 1-3 weeks.

Contract terms:

Authors earn 50% net royalties on all sales (e-book and paperback) from all distributors.Contracts are for a period of 2 years and auto-renew annually.We require exclusive electronic and print rights, but can negotiate if the story has been published in an anthology or collection.

Full submission guidelines are available on our website.

J.M. Snyder



JMS Books LLC

A Queer Small Press

http://jms-books.com

Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

My Blushes, Alison Tyler's Spankings

I can't remember where I heard that the first name people look up when the new phone book comes in is their own. I have a suspicion it was a joke on some stupid sitcom, so it might not actually be true... but I suspect it is.

Today Alison Tyler sent me a copy of Blushers, her new anthology of erotic spanking stories. Since I'm quoted in the book, it seemed only natural to look up my name first thing. There it was, under my quote about sexy spankings: Giselle Renarde, spelled correctly and everything.

Once I was satisfied and gushy and buzzing with the knowledge that my name was there inside a compilation of Alison Tyler's spanking erotica, I figured I'd go back and start from the first page of the first story, The Hardest Part.

I've never read anything so raging with anticipation that it hitched inside of me, caught somewhere between my breast and my belly, making me want to scream out, "Just spank her" along with the character's internal pleas of, "Just spank me." Just spank her, spank her, spank her! God I wanted it so bad. I wanted it for her, but for me as well. I wanted to watch it happen. I wanted to feel it vicariously through this character's skin. She made me want it. Had nothing to do with "him"--her him, whoever he was. This wasn't about him, not for me. It was about her. It was about seeing her pretty little panties down around her ankles, her pleated skirt pushed up above her waist, her bare ass in the air and her body perched precariously over his lap. I wanted to see that spanking and feel it because, God oh God oh God, I knew it was going to be good.

...so, that was my reaction to the first page...

Seems somewhat contradictory that a proclaimed master of the erotic word can produce stories so deliciously mired in submission, but Blushers is proof positive.

Hell, the first page alone is proof positive. And there are plenty more where that came from. Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

Telling Our Stories, Canadian Super-Politeness, and Victim-Shaming

Yesterday I spent a couple minutes reading a brilliant article called True Tales of Street Harassment (And My Anger Issues). And then I spent...oh, probably an hour or so reading the equally brilliant comments from women who are so much like me they might actually BE me. (Imagine a whole world of Giselles! And I thought I was the only one...) It was incredibly empowering to read other women's stories of everyday harassment, and hear what they've said and done to the bastards who have verbally (or physically) assaulted them over the years.

If you've ever felt like you were the only woman out there fighting a lonesome tooth-and-nail battle against assaultive behaviour, I encourage you to read this great article at xoJane.

Because that article and all the comments attached to it reminded me of a blog post I wrote all the way back in 2008, I'm reposting it here. I called this post "Stop Saying Sorry" and it's about blaming victims and Canadian "politeness."

Stop Saying SorryGiselle Renarde March 2008

We have this bizarre custom here in Canada: If somebody pushes you, shoves you, steps on your toes, YOU say sorry. Whether it's an accident or an act of deliberate malevolence on their part, you must say sorry when you are affronted. That is part of Canada's unspoken code of social conduct.



I do not abide by it.



I think this inability we Canadians have to stand up for ourselves feeds a more universal problem: namely, that of blaming the victim for crimes committed against her. About a year ago, I read a short article in my local paper. It was a report about a woman who had been sexually assaulted in my area. Apparently, she'd gotten off her bus and was walking home when a car slowed beside her and the driver offered her a ride. The woman said no and kept walking. The driver then got out of his car, pulled the young woman in, and raped her.



The police officer my local paper interviewed regarding this crime said the point this event should really hit home is that women need to be more vigilant about their personal safety.



When I read that article, I was irate. Why? Because of all the comments that could have been made regarding this crime, the officer uttered and the paper printed one that, albeit with a certain subtlety, blamed the victim for the assault against her. Had SHE been more vigilant, this crime may not have occurred.



And why, I ask, does this crime not "hit home" the point that men shouldn't rape women? That tougher deterrents should be put in place? That greater police presence is required in that area? That systemic injustice is alive and well in this country? There are any number of points that could have been made. The fact that the one comment uttered and published without editorializing implies the victim ought to have done something differently in order to prevent this attack speaks volumes about police perception of crimes against women. And if police hold this general belief, how much are they really going to do to aid the victim?



As I stood waiting for my bus this morning, a woman pushed me out of her way to get by. Did I say sorry? Nope. I said, "If you want to get by, you say 'excuse me,' you don't just push people." That was rude of me, according to the Canadian code of social conduct. I got some looks – some 'she must be crazy' looks – but I don't mind. It's time for us – for Canadians, for women, for victims - to stop saying sorry for the crimes committed against us. It's time to speak up. No apologies necessary.

Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

Quick Six PRO with Selena Kitt

Quick Six interviews are now in their 3rd incarnation here at Donuts & Desires, with the newest installation, Quick Six Professional Edition. I figure, no matter your "product," you've got to come out with a PRO edition sooner or later. LOL So these questions focus on writing and industry. This time, I decided to ask questions I as an author was curious to hear answered.

As always, my first respondent was Selena Kitt, and so her interview starts off a new season of Quick Sixes:

Quick Six PRO with Selena Kitt

Q: What's hot on the market these days?

In erotica and erotic romance, paranormal is still going strong, in spite of predictions by many that it would wane. BDSM, M/M and Menage are also at the top sellers for us at Excessica.



Q: What's the most time-consuming part of a writer's life?

Marketing and promo. And you're usually doing it while you should be writing. My suggestion? Write FIRST. Without books, there's nothing to market. Save your promo for your down time, and do it from your phone while you're waiting at the doctor's office or at night while you're chilling and watching The Daily Show. Make WRITING your priority, because marketing and promo is a time-suck you can't afford without a plethora of books in the market.



Q: On the topic of ebook piracy, hunter or head in the sand?

Neither. I'll send take-down notices if I find someone pirating my work, if I have the time. But I don't hunt them down anymore. And believe me, I used to. It made me furious to see people trading my work as if it had no value whatsoever. But what I came to realize is that people who steal are always going to be thieves. Their moral compass is just broken. Most of them never would have purchased a book anyway. On a personal level, I think worrying about hunting them all down yourself causes far too much stress and takes way too much time away from what you should be doing - writing. Instead, I'd suggest supporting fighting piracy at a larger level - get involved in passing more stringent laws against it instead of trying to do it all on your own.



Q: How do you handle a bad review?

I thank the reviewer for their opinion. That's all a review is, in the end. You can't please everyone all of the time - but you sure can please yourself. ;)



Q: Have you ever encountered any unprofessional behaviors from editors, publishers or other writers, that they might not even realize are damaging?



Far too many to count. I've read plenty of cringe-worthy train wrecks on blogs and forums where writers can't seem to help "expressing themselves" into a hole they can't climb out of. Every writer seems to have to learn their lesson. Hopefully, they learn it early in their career and they move on. I know I learned mine. My current motto is NO DRAMA. I just don't have the time and energy for it. I don't get into arguments or debates on the Internet. I don't respond to reviews publicly, unless it's to make a factual clarification (and even that, I do very sparingly!) I don't publicly bad-mouth other writers or publishers, and I don't publicly gossip. I certainly will express my personal opinion, but I make sure to own it, and when I'm wrong or I cross a line, I apologize. As far as I'm concerned, the best thing a writer can do is remember to remain friendly, but professional, and avoid the drama at all costs.



Q: Do you find yourself writing for the market and not for YOU, or self-censoring in any way?



Since Amazon began banning "certain books," yes, I've started writing for the market and self-censoring in that way. There are things I won't publish anymore, incest being one of them. But for the most part, I write what I like. In erotica, I usually write what turns me on. Sometimes, I'll do something just to push myself, to try out something I haven't written before. For example, my first (and so far, only) gay male romance was an experiment, and Second Chance ended up winning an Epic Award. So the market has a little bit of say in what I'll write - or what I won't - but for the most part, I just try to please myself. And I admit, I do like pleasing myself. :)





Ty has been hurt by life and has sworn off relationships, but his curiosity is piqued by a motorcycle-riding hunk who comes through his Wal-Mart line and buys the same thing day after day: two Slim Jims, a sixty-four count box of crayons and Cracker Jacks. Ty's curiosity gets the better of him and he goes out with Jonah, but Ty's best friend, Lucky, is sure Jonah is bad news, and it does seem that both mens' pasts threaten their future together. Will they find a second chance with one another? -------------

Selena Kitt

eXcessica publishing

www.excessica.com

www.selenakitt.comGiselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

Six Sentence Sunday - Elementary, My Dear Kathryn

This week's six are from my newest release, Elementary, My Dear Kathryn. This short ebook is intense with a capital IN...and a capital TENSE, too. It's lesbian threesome BDSM anal fetish erotica *gasp* (ooh, that's a mouthful) and a story of childhood friends reuniting. (What, don't you have lesbian BDSM threesomes when you meet up with your old school chums?)
Though the erotic content of this story gets way up there in the flame ratings, I chose six sentences that are more mood-setting than jaw-dropping. Here they are, from Elementary, My Dear Kathryn:

The hotel bed was a mess of pantsuits and dresses.
"I didn't know what to wear," Kathryn explained, sheepishly picking up garments and hanging them in the closet.
Melanie watched her white pumps step, step, step, crossing from bed to closet, closet to bed. Kathryn's bare legs gleamed like they'd been waxed recently and polished with oil. Her dress was so tight it rode up her thighs as she walked, and she stopped every so often to pull down on the hem.

What a body!

Elementary, My Dear Kathryn by Giselle Renarde is available now from loveyoudivine Alterotica
Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

Call For Submissions: Cock Tales Monologues

COCK TALES...or, as I would have called it, The Penis Monologues. But it's not my project so I'll just zip my lip. As you will see in the call for submissions, below, the editor is compiling a series of monologues about penises and masculinity and male sexuality and so forth. The one caveat is that you must have been male-identified at some point in your life. Like now. Or...when you were 5. Doesn't matter when. I encourage you wonderful trans and genderqueer writers in particular to whip something up for this baby. Your contributions will surely add dimension to this exciting collection.
Here's the call for subs:

The philosophy behind Cock Tales is simple. The artistic world is filled to the brim with examinations of female sexuality, female persecution, and criticisms and analysis of what it means to be female. Yet when I search for the same kind of expressions of maleness, I inevitably walk away empty-handed.

As a feminist, I find this rather unsettling. Have we spent years fighting for equality only to deny our brothers the very forms of expression we so emphatically demand? There is not an equal representation of the introspective, self-examining male in theatrical work. Or an equal representation of examinations of male sexuality, male persecution, or criticisms and analysis of what it means, socially and systemically, to be male.

Drawing inspiration from The Vagina Monologues, I am now working to compile a series of monologues written by men that look to explore a handful of issues revolving around – you guessed it – the cock. I am looking for any man who can pick up a pen and write a paragraph to assist me, since my experience in this area is, obviously, limited.

I am looking for any sort of writing (good, bad, monologue, prose, snippets, 5 page essays… whatever) that have to do with sex, masturbation, love, definitions of masculinity, social expectations, pressures, gender enforcement, ED, sexuality, fetishes, power, puberty and the penis. I'll take submissions from anyone – teenage, middle aged, ancient, 20-something, straight, gay, asexual, cissexual, MtF, FtM, heteroflexible, bisexual, bi-curious, metrosexual or homophobic – as long as maleness is (or once was) a part of your identity.

All submissions will remain anonymous unless you request otherwise.

I feel in my bones what with the right collaboration, we can create a theatrical piece that has power, wit, meaning and will begin to truly level a long uneven playing field. Women are constantly encouraged by one another to feel, to explore, to write and to express. I call on all men to start encouraging their brothers to do the same thing.

If you have any further questions, or need help getting started, please feel free to e-mail me at kimberlyrdavidson@gmail.com. Also, if you know any one who might like to be involved with this project, feel free to copy this letter, redistribute it, and get other men involved!

Source: magazine.goodvibes.com (http://s.tt/12YhM)

Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...

Authors: I Think I Need/Want/Love You

So, I just spent 4 hours updating my website (I should REALLY do that more often!) and noticed that my "links" page is pretty lame-o. Here it is if you want to see how craptacular it's looking these days:
http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/erotica#!__links
Notice how it says "friends of giselle renarde" and then there are, like, 7 names on the list? Yeah, so I feel like a big loser. That's why I need YOU! I've got to add some names to that list of romance, erotica, and adult fiction authors.
If you write erotica, erotic romance, or the like, kindly leave your name and url in the comments below and I'll add you to my links page.
I would love a little reciprocity (hehehe) if you don't mind. And if you do mind, that's your prerogative, Mr. Bumble. (Huh?) Sorry, my sense of humour is really off after all that fiddling with my...website...
Anyway, long story short (well, shorter than Oliver Twist, at least), my links are here:

http://donutsdesires.blogspot.com
http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/eroticahttp://twitter.com/GiselleRenarde

If you want to join the ranks of those 7 proud authors I've already linked to, just leave your "informations" (as my aunt in Quebec says) in the comments and I'll put them up the next time I'm updating my website...which should be some time in the next 6-8 months. (HA! Joking...hopefully)
Thanks Everybody!Hugs,GiselleGiselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/ero...