Dena Celeste's Blog

So, it's Autumn again...

This time of year really stokes my creative juices!

Another short story in the bag!

In the wonderful column recently is that I finished another short story, this one for the Best Women's Erotica call for submissions. I'd started it earlier this year, and got stuck at a couple points. Things got chaotic here, as they are wont to do, and I figured, "Well, the deadline is approaching, and I'd rather not half-ass this, so I guess this one will pass me by." I was going to let it go. Then I saw the tweet, from the editor, about the extension of the deadline. I had to try. I had to at the very least try. So I just let the magic happen, let the story happen. A lot of times, I'm hamstrung by my inner-editor, sometimes until I'm frozen solid mid-paragraph. But this time, I did it! I finished it! I got it done, and I can't explain the euphoria of finishing a story. I realized immediately when I reached the end, and what bits I needed to fill in the middle to round the whole thing out, and once that happened, the whole thing came together. I was blessed with a very, very thorough beta (4 rounds of edits!), a sensitivity readthrough, and then off it went. Now, of course, I get to (not so) quietly freak out until I hear back...in a year...waiting patiently the way I am so good at doing. I'm trying not to let myself get too bogged down with the woes of the world, because to be honest, 2016 put a serious damper on my writing mojo. 2018 has been pretty sweet on the writing front with the support of my family and some incredible friends. It's given me the chance to write TWO enby lead characters, which has been amazing as an experience. Whatever the response is, I'm pretty damn proud. Beyond that, a previously published story is undergoing some MAJOR OVERHAUL! Feeding Her Beast, a werewolf story involving polyamory, a surrogate to carry the Alpha's wildness, and more, will be having a cover release in the next six months or so. A lot going on, I'm telling you! In the meantime, I suppose I can go ahead and get back to work on Beltane Renewal, the sequel to Samhain Embrace! I'd like to have that finished and ready to go before, well...Beltane. *insert laughing-sweatdrop emoji here* I hope you all are having a decent October thus far, and are taking care of yourselves.

Crafting an oasis in a sea of chaos

This time of year is all about changes and transitions. Seasons are transitioning, trees are shedding (in some places, much to my envy), everything seems to be moving around, it's more than a bit chaotic right now! Some people thrive on chaos, and much as I adore this time of year...I'm not one of them. Chaos drives me up a wall, and sends my anxiety spiraling into the infinite ways things can go wrong, so very wrong. Anxiety is very creative in that way. Isn't that nice of it? *grits teeth* So, I have to go about crafting my own oasis in the sea of chaos that is life, because otherwise I'm on a cascade of panic attacks that's not very good for me. I mean, life is regularly chaos, so I suppose this isn't exactly unique to this time of year, but the Holidays Will Soon Be Upon Us (if the mishmosh of decor in every store is any indication) which can mean an inundation of expectations from a variety of directions. Setting aside even 5 or 10 minutes in a day (or heck, if you can't grab it every day, maybe try for every other day, or every other other day, you see where I'm going here) is imperative at this point. To take a stretch, to take a breath, to take a break. A lot of days I have to tell myself, "I'm still here, I'm still alive. I can work with that." when the anxiety gets too bad. Life, work, family, people in general, not to even get into the current political environment, everything demands so much from us, a never ending cycle of input that might be invigorating for some, but can be seriously overwhelming for others. I think we can all do with a bit of peace, though, just a small slice of day or night, or perhaps a fae bit of liminal time like dawn or dusk, to sip some tea. To read a book (not that I'm biased), even just a page or two, or listen to some music, or engage in whatever counts as self-care for you. Just a tiny little bit of a recharge, because working on dead batteries is really difficult. And hey, I'm the first to admit that sometimes those lil bothers follow you around. Whether it's the anxiety tornado in your head that doesn't stop or it's on the outside, like little fingers reaching under the bathroom door because you can't even catch your 5 minutes in there. I'm not faulting anyone for wondering where those spare pennies of time in the couch cushions might actually be. Because time is a luxury for a lot of folks, most of us, I'm thinking. I just want to encourage you to look. Those time-pennies might be hiding in a side pocket of your purse, or the back of a drawer. Maybe in that pair of pants that was making that funny noise in the dryer. Maybe it looks like an extra five of sleep, or sneaking into your room and shutting the door to deep breathe for an entire two and a half minutes without someone shouting for you, or putting your Twitter feed on mute for an hour. Craft an oasis, even if crafting an oasis looks like the Oblivious Gina gif.

Autumn! My favorite time of year!

My favorite season is upon us! Today marks the Autumnal Equinox, a time of year when the divide between light and dark, day and night, is equal. I live in Florida, so it's always been kind of iffy with the seasonal changes aspect. We don't get the changes where I've lived the way other folks seem to (leaves can have wicked colors, I know, I've seen PICTURES!), and there's no sudden slap in the face of coolness as the shift of seasons happens. But there's hope that one of these fine days it'll dip below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and I won't feel like I'm being baked just walking outside. However, even though the weather hasn't changed yet, this time of year is still my favorite, even more than winter (when we're almost guaranteed 2-4 weeks of below-60-degree weather). I love the way the air deepens, the tone of every evening taking on a spooky feel as each night arrives a few minutes earlier than the previous one did. It's electric and it makes my fingertips tingle with creative possibilities. I wish all of you a wonderful Autumn, and that the season brings with it balance, rest, and relief!

Samhain Embrace character interview: Jasmine!

Hey guys, me again! (I know, who else?) I had some issues with my Wix blog, which is partially why I haven't been able to get another post out. I mean, I would've posted back when Samhain Embrace came out, but the posts weren't letting me type anything. It certainly complicated matters! The other reason is that I suffer from depression and anxiety, and it's been pretty intense for a bit now (and what timing that's been). Actually "doing the things" was pretty much relegated to the work that pays the bills and making sure I actually, ya know, paid the bills. On time, even. Now! I've talked a bit about my book in the last few months, but in case you want to know more about Jasmine, our leading lady in the Astral Lovers series, here's a short interview with her! What is your biggest fear? Jasmine: Yeesh, that's a pretty intimate question to start off with, but if I had to say, probably uncertainty. I like to make plans and stick to them, and for things to go as planned. Life doesn't always go with that flow. Clearly. When did you become a witch? Jasmine: I dabbled a bit as a kid, the way you do, at least, the way I assumed most kids do. I was always enamored of witches and magic and ritual. It was all so intriguing, but I had to find what was right for me. I firmly decided on practicing witchcraft at about fourteen. I like the strong base Wicca initially provided my practice, since it's nice and solid, so that's where I started and I keep a lot like the wheel of the year. I also mixed in a few things from my Jewish heritage, but since my parents never practiced, I mostly work that in on the fly with whatever feels right. How did you meet Eric? Jasmine: Online! We met on a BDSM website, one of the older ones back when there were more forums than dating sites, and eventually hit it off at a munch. We wrote back and forth for a good three weeks before that. When we finally met in person, I couldn't resist his smile or his energy. He never stopped playing with my hair or whispering jokes in my ear. Of course, I didn't ask him to, either. What is your favorite hobby? Jasmine: Bootblacking. It's a hobby, an art, and really relaxing. Plus, I love the smell of leather, and serving my community and my friends by volunteering to care for their leathers is really satisfying. It's helped me work through things, a kind of meditation, once I got back to it. ---- Okay folks, hope you enjoyed that taste of Jasmine (and her first meeting with Eric!), along with my itty-bitty update. There will be more to come as the days fly by, and as I work more on the sequel! Samhain Embrace is available for sale on Amazon, Smashwords, and a variety of other places!

#SaturdaySnippet

Hi there folks, it's me again! It's time for a pre-release-day snippet, which happens to take place on a Saturday. Okay, yeah, I'm not the greatest at social media...sort of like a clumsy puppy? Please bear with me; I'm hoping that, with practice, I'll get better! First, though, I shall blather on. I would like my blogs to be more me and not just "HERE LOOK AT MAH BOOK!" even though...hey, here, look at my book? Anyway... Tomorrow is the full moon, and a day of realizing the culmination of all sorts of hard work! I know that many follow other planetary bodies as well, but the moon, oh, the moon, has been a love affair for me from the very beginning. I was always that kid looking up at the sky. I'm sure there were lots of us, but I was entranced by the curve of the moon, the control exerted over forces on Earth like the tides and people's moods, and conversely the control Earth exerted over the moon, drawing her closer and pushing her away, a sweet and rhythmic dance between celestial bodies. That gravitational orbit is amazing. You see what I mean? I love the moon. The full moon makes me feel clean, bathed in light reflected, gentle and soothing, but also energizing. I enjoy the fact that most full moon nights illuminate every window, the silvery light sneaking between blinds and around curtain edges. I feel a little wild, of course, I feel the pull, but mostly it's like being cradled. I suppose that also goes with the idea that every body is different. We all react in our own ways. Speaking of that, I guess part of this is that weather has an epically strong role to play in my daily life, and not just in regards to Umbrella-or-No-Umbrella. As someone with chronic pain conditions, including migraines, headaches, and joint/muscle issues, the weather dictates a lot of how I'm feeling on any given day. Any drastic changes can be debilitating. So to have something to look towards which affects me positively, like the moon, is uplifting. Find the thing that lifts your spirits up! (Given the topic of my book, make sure your spirit, or spirits, consent to being lifted. They might not appreciate it otherwise. ;) ) My release schedule, as long as I have control over it, and patience to wait (that...may not always be the case, as I'm an excitable person), will likely be on full moons. They have always been a favorite, though I also love the crescent moon, waxing and waning alike! And I'm indulging myself. Why not? Speaking of indulging myself, I figure here---here as in my blog---is as good a place as any to start posting reviews or commentary about books I'm reading, because if they've managed to keep my attention, they deserve a gold star sticker. And if I'm talking about them, they're probably going to be re-read at some point. Okay! Without further ado, here is your #SaturdaySnippet for Samhain Embrace, the first of the Astral Lovers series! I hope you enjoyed this final peek before the book is available on Amazon and Smashwords tomorrow! I'm very excited. And hey, if you have any love of celestial bodies (or anything else you'd like to share) please feel free to leave a comment below! All the best, Dena

Samhain Embrace cover reveal and release date!

The time has come! It's the full moon, a time of spiritual abundance and rejoicing in your accomplishments, not to mention the completion of projects. Without further ado, behold the cover for a #magical tale of #love beyond limits, Book One of Astral Lovers: Samhain Embrace! A witch and a submissive, Jasmine is no stranger to being strong in the face of adversity. Living for the last eight months without her husband has been as close to unbearable as any experience of her life. Starved for the embrace of her soulmate, she carefully constructs a ritual for Samhain, one that will bring her and Eric together once again. When she arrives on the astral plane, Eric is waiting for her with arms wide open and a bed prepared for their passionate reunion. She expected the amazing sex, the submission, the familiar magic between them. But Eric has a few tricks up his sleeve yet, and their loving power exchange may help her piece herself back together again. While I have you here, I have to let you know that #SamhainEmbrace will be available on the next full moon which, for the non-lunar obsessed, is August 26, 2018. I can't wait to share more of Eric and Jasmine's story with you! Moving forward, I'll have some snippets to reveal on #1lineWed on Twitter, and even some character interviews to share here on my blog! Be sure to stay tuned!

Samhain Embrace is coming August 2018

Previously published as a free mini-short known as 'Astral Lovers', Samhain Embrace has been revised and expanded as part of the new Astral Lovers series. Here's a little bit about it: One rainy day in late February, an accident ripped Eric away from Jasmine, leaving her without a partner in magic, marriage, or kink. She waited eight endless months until Samhain, a night when the veil between life and death is thinnest, and in that time crafted a ritual designed to bridge this world and the next. With time limited to the witching hour on the astral plane, Eric and Jasmine make the most of their time in a mix of heady passion and raw emotion. The cover reveal is also coming at the end of July, and I can't wait to share this new, richer story with you all! In addition, a sequel is in the works, tentatively titled Beltane Renewal. That's about it for now! I hope you folks have a wonderful summer, and I'll be back with an update soon!

Samhain Embrace is coming August 2018

Previously published as a free mini-short known as 'Astral Lovers', Samhain Embrace has been revised and expanded as part of the new Astral Lovers series.

Here's a little bit about it:

One rainy day in late February, an accident ripped Eric away from Jasmine, leaving her without a partner in magic, marriage, or kink. She waited eight endless months until Samhain, a night when the veil between life and death is thinnest, and in that time crafted a ritual designed to bridge this world and the next. With time limited to the witching hour on the astral plane, Eric and Jasmine make the most of their time in a mix of heady passion and raw emotion.

The cover reveal is also coming at the end of July, and I can't wait to share this new, richer story with you all! In addition, a sequel is in the works, tentatively titled Beltane Renewal.

That's about it for now! I hope you folks have a wonderful summer, and I'll be back with an update soon!

New website, same Dena!

Hi there, and welcome to the next iteration of my website! I've been thinking of switching over to Wix for a good while now, and finally took the leap! Thus far, I have to say, it's been a very pleasant experience. Takes a bit of practice, but it's fairly what-you-see-is-what-you-get. I've been working on this one all day, and I think I have most things up, but it'll probably be under construction for a bit longer. In writing news, I recently submitted a kinky tentacle story for publication, so we're going to see how that goes. It was the first time I'd tried writing an enby (aka non-binary) main character using they/them pronouns, and it was a lot of fun! I have a couple of writing projects in the works, and I write poetry at random that I plan to share on here, so be on the lookout for that! In the meantime, have a lovely weekend y'all.