Hailey Edwards's Blog, page 88

Six Sentence Sunday

The more I write of this book, the more Emma breaks my heart.  *sigh*

"You all right?" Mason's southern drawl snapped me to attention.

"It's the heat." And I believed myself, until Harper came around to my side and stared down at me, seeing things I would rather keep to myself. He brushed a few hairs from my eyes then let his thumb slide down my cheek. By the time he reached my jaw, my lips were trembling.

For more Six Sunday delights, check out the official website, right here.

Five Card Stud by Gem Sivad

Gem has such a beautiful writing voice, and it's so well-suited to her genre. Hers are the only historical westerns I read. So if you haven't yet–check her out!

When bounty hunter Sam McCallister sees Eden Pace playing poker for the first time, he loses all interest in the cards, but the thought of playing stud with the lady gambler stirs his cock to life. Eden's the prettiest woman and the best card sharp Sam's ever met. But he has a few cards up his sleeve too.

Eden's doing her own outlaw hunting. She's on the trail of her husband's killer and Sam's in her way. To get free of this hard-headed, soft-hearted, gorgeous man, Eden tries strip poker and naked truth-or-dare, but when Sam ups the stakes, carnal submission and desire are unleashed.

When Sam discovers Eden's wanted for murder, he figures his bed is the safest place for her. But taking Eden prisoner isn't as easy as Sam expects. He's in a high-stakes poker game with lust on the table and his heart on the line, because one taste of Eden just isn't enough.

For an excerpt, click here. To purchase direct from EC, click here.

For more information on the author, visit her website or her blog.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

NO! It's Everlong…available for pre-order at Target! Woo hoo! Don't believe me? Here, let me show you! Or better yet, check it out for yourself !

Warning: Author might have been high on feel-goodness at the time of this posting. Read at your own risk. Oops. If you made it this far, it's too late to save yourself.
(Also, I'm sorry for the !!! Sasha. For once, yes, I did mean this to come across as me screaming like a fangirl at a Justin Bieber concert!)

TRR Reviews Everlong

I got a nice little message this morning. The Romance Reviews gave Everlong 4 stars in their review.

EVERLONG by Hailey Edwards is a fast-paced read. Ms Edwards creates an intricate world cloaked in danger and intrigue with multi-dimensional realms. At its core, it is a story about recognizing our responsibility in shaping our futures. The characters are well-developed with attractive dialogue to draw the reader in. All four of the main characters – Madelyn, Emmaline, Harper, Clayton – are strong, fiercely loyal and likeable.

When at last the book ends with Maddie claiming her own future, the reader is satisfied by the conclusion but aware that there are still several loose ends. With an Evanti rebellion in the near future, I am crossing my fingers for another book about this world. In fact, there are some strong secondary characters who deserve their own book. I will be waiting!

You can check out the full review here.

Six Sentence Sunday

Well, Nano is water under the bridge for me at this point. I have a pretty good 25k worth of "bones" I'm keeping to flesh out the first half of Evermine. The rest doesn't make the cut, but it gave me some much needed insight into these characters and their motivations.

When my feet hit solid ground, I ran.

My steps squelched over grass and leaves dampened by the earlier thunderstorm. Sapling trees slapped my face. My eyes watered from the speed, from the limbs I hadn't brushed aside, then from the flurry of an insect cloud I stormed through.

I skittered to a halt as I picked up the scent. Death so fresh the bugs swarmed this section of quiet wood and hummed their greedy needs in my ears.

For more Six Sunday fun, check out the official blog–right here.

Also, if you would like a chance to win a copy of the first book in this series, Everlong, then head over to Voirey Linger's Facebook page and leave a comment to be entered into her drawing.

(Make sure you ogle her angel cover while you're there. He's sooo hawt!)

I Have Conquered NaNoWriMo!

Well, I did it. This was my first NaNo, and I won! Granted, it was with 25k worth of discarded material. (I'm ashamed to admit, most of that is my trial and errors on my first chapter. I am sooo anal about kicking a book off right.) Added to that is 28K in my draft file. Plus, I have about 4K in my revision file I started last night. See, I had about half the book written…then I had an idea.

Everlong is written in first person, which I love. The issue is that Maddie and Emma's lives are so entwined, it's impossible to pull one apart without both of their stories unraveling. Emma has a lot to say, and Evermine is her story. But I believe that it could be enriched by adding Harper's pov, so that's what I'm going to attempt during revisions.

If my critique partners feel that it throws the story off, or Emma is being lost by sharing the spotlight, I'll rework the story so that she's able to give a less flawed accounting of the events about to transpire than Maddie was able to.

I'm nervous about making this change for a second book in the series, but I'm more concerned that valuable insight will be lost without Harper.

My editor said she has no issue with it, so I guess there's nothing left to do but give it a try.

Sleeping with the Wolf

Maddy was kind enough to answer questions, and read excerpts of Wicked Kin, to help me better understand Nathaniel's ability to spin and weave soul cloth. Her advice was invaluable, as his position as the Weaver of Souls had to be spot on.

Thanks Maddy! And Happy Release Day!

Sleeping With The Wolf

Maddy Barone

ISBN 978-1-59578-777-4 Sterling Silver title

Rising country music star Carla boards a plane in the year 2014. But it crashes in the future, fifty years after Armageddon has destroyed technology and plagues have reduced the female population to a precious few. She finds herself offered as prize in a Bride Fight, where only the strongest and fiercest men are allowed to compete to win a wife. Alpha werewolf Taye knows Carla is his mate. He wins the Bride Fight and takes her to his den, ready to give her everything, even his heart. Will Carla ever be ready to give him anything?

Read An Excerpt Here

Word Count: 42500

Six Sentence Sunday

My excerpt is another from Evermine.

"We don't need privacy." I swallowed hard and backed until my thighs bumped my desk. "We should leave the door open." I licked my lips and his mouth curved.

"I've missed you." His voice raised hairs along my nape.

For more Six Sunday fun, check out the official blog–right here.

Best Erotic Romance 2012

http://kristinawrigh…c-romance-2012/

Best Erotic Romance 2012

Editor: Kristina Wright

Publisher: Cleis Press

Publication Date: Winter 2012

Submission Deadline: April 15 (earlier submissions preferred!)

Payment: $100 per story and 2 copies of the book, on publication

E-mail: besteroticromance2012@gmail.com

I am thrilled to announce I am editing the first annual Best Erotic Romance anthology to be published by Cleis Press. This inaugural collection of erotic romance will feature the very best of the erotic romance genre.

In erotic romance, the sexual component is critical to the development of the romantic relationship. According to Romance Writers of America, a romance must include two key elements: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying, optimistic ending. So be sure to give me a romantic story with scorching hot sex and a happily-ever-after or happy-for-now ending. Consider the work of authors Portia Da Costa, Lauren Dane, Sylvia Day, Delilah Devlin, Megan Hart, Joey W. Hill, Susan Johnson, Lora Leigh, Shannon McKenna, Kate Pearce, Robin Schone, Bertrice Small, Shiloh Walker and Sasha White to get an idea of what I am looking for.



Any time period is welcome, but I have a preference for contemporary settings. This collection will be primarily heterosexual and stories should be written with a female audience in mind. Stories may include lesbian and bisexual elements, triads, polyandrous relationships or group encounters. No incest, bestiality or underage characters, please.

Submission Guidelines: Unpublished stories only, no simultaneous submissions. The desired story length is 2,000-4,500 words. Double-space and indent the first line of each paragraph. Do not put extra spaces between paragraphs. Include your full contact information (legal name/pseudonym, mailing address and phone number) and a bio of 50 words or less written in the third person. Please paste your story into the body of your e-mail and attach it as a Microsoft Word .doc file.

Payment will be $100 per story and 2 copies of the book upon publication. Contributors retain the rights to their stories. I will notify contributors of their acceptance in August, but please note that Cleis Press has final approval over the manuscript.

Send your submission to besteroticromance2012@gmail.com with Submission: Story Title in the subject line. Please direct any questions to the same address.

About the editor:

Kristina Wright's (http://www.kristinawright.com) first anthology, Fairy Tale Lust: Erotic Fantasies for Women is nominated for a Reviewers' Choice Award by RT Book Reviews and was featured hardcover alternate of the Doubleday Book Club. Her second anthology, Dream Lover: Paranormal Stories of Erotic Romance, will be out in May 2011. Kristina's erotica and erotic romance fiction has appeared in eighty print anthologies, including With This Ring, I Thee Bed (Harlequin Spice); Bedding Down: A Collection of Winter Erotica (Avon Red); Nice Girls, Naughty Sex (Seal Press); three editions of Best Women's Erotica (Cleis Press); four editions of Best Lesbian Erotica (Cleis Pess); six editions of the Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica (Running Press) and the erotic romance collections Seduction, Liaisons and Sexy Little Numbers (Black Lace). She received the Golden Heart Award for Romantic Suspense from Romance Writers of America for her first novel Dangerous Curves, which was published by Silhouette Books. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Passionate Ink. She is also a book reviewer for the Erotica Readers and Writers Association and the book club moderator for the Naked Reader Book Club at EdenFantasys.com. She holds degrees in English and Humanities and teaches English Composition and World Mythology at the community college level.

Corsets and Clockworks: Steampunk Erotic Romance

Corsets and Clockworks: Steampunk Erotic Romance

Editor: Kristina Wright

Publisher: Cleis Press

Publication Date: Fall 2011

Submission Deadline: February 15 (earlier submissions preferred!)

Payment: $100 per story and 2 copies of the book, on publication

E-mail: corsetsandclockworks@gmail.com

I am looking for romantic erotica that reflects the excitement, fantasy and rebellion of steampunk. Not sure what steampunk is? Think Victorian elegance and aesthetics meets futuristic invention and exploration. But it doesn't have to be Victorian (or Edwardian) era—it can be any time period, real or imagined, that blends elements of science, history, fantasy and technology. The one thing the genre has long been missing is romantic relationships and erotic encounters. Steampunk erotic romance is shiny brass and crushed velvet; mechanical inventions and romantic conventions; sexual fantasy and kinky fetish.



The steampunk world includes steam engines and scientists, corsets and clockworks, aviators and airships, alchemy and anachronistic technologies—not to mention those damned goggles and gadgets that everyone always references when talking about the genre! Steampunk is a spirit of high adventure that bridges the past and future. It captures the imagination in ways that make the eyes go wide and the heart beat a little faster.

What I do want:

 Stories that embody the essence of steampunk and pay homage to the genre.

 Stories that fetishize steampunk elements.

 Time travel, alternate histories, "second" or parallel worlds and non-traditional steampunk settings.

 Stories that are lush, wicked, sexy and romantic.

What I don't want:

 Stories that throw in everything but the steampunk kitchen sink.

 Stories that are pure camp. A little campy fun is okay, but don't overdo it.

 Fan fiction or slash fiction. Do not steal another author's characters, please.

 Stories that are more about the technology than the characters.

Steampunk often defies definition, but here are some examples of books, television shows and movies that are considered steampunk or contain elements of steampunk:

 The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (comic book series and movie)

 Wild, Wild West (60s television show and 90s movie)

 Sherlock Holmes (the recent movie)

 H.G. Wells' Time Machine

 Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

 Katie MacAlister's romance novel Steamed!

 Joss Whedon's Serenity (television series) and Firefly (movie)

 Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (movie, technically dieselpunk)

 Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere

 The Prestige (movie, technically gaslight romance)

There are many more, but hopefully this gives you an idea of the depth and breadth of steampunk. (Author Cherie Priest does an excellent job of defining steampunk on her website The Clockwork Century: http://theclockworkcentury.com/?p=165)

I want stories with strong plots, good character development and scorching hot sex. This collection will feature primarily heterosexual relationships, but stories may include lesbian and bisexual elements, triads, polyandrous relationships or group encounters.

Stories should be written with a female audience in mind and I have a preference for female point of view. No incest, bestiality or underage characters, please. According to Romance Writers of America, a romance must include two key elements: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying, optimistic ending. So be sure to give me a steampunk story that is erotic and romantic!

Submission Guidelines: Unpublished stories only, no simultaneous submissions. The desired story length is 2,500-5,000 words. Double-space and indent the first line of each paragraph. Do not put extra spaces between paragraphs. Include your full contact information (legal name/pseudonym, mailing address and phone number) and a bio of 50 words or less written in the third person. Please paste your story into the body of your e-mail and attach it as a Microsoft Word .doc file.

Payment will be $100 per story and 2 copies of the book upon publication. Contributors retain the rights to their stories. I will notify contributors of their acceptance in June 2011, but please note that Cleis Press has final approval over the manuscript.

Send your submission to corsetsandclockworks@gmail.com with Submission: Story Title in the subject line. Please direct any questions to the same address.

About the editor:

Kristina Wright's (http://www.kristinawright.com) first anthology, Fairy Tale Lust: Erotic Fantasies for Women is nominated for a Reviewers' Choice Award by RT Book Reviews and was featured hardcover alternate of the Doubleday Book Club. Her second anthology, Dream Lover: Paranormal Stories of Erotic Romance, will be out in May 2011. Kristina's erotica and erotic romance fiction has appeared in eighty print anthologies, including With This Ring, I Thee Bed (Harlequin Spice); Bedding Down: A Collection of Winter Erotica (Avon Red); Nice Girls, Naughty Sex (Seal Press); three editions of Best Women's Erotica (Cleis Press); four editions of Best Lesbian Erotica (Cleis Pess); six editions of the Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica (Running Press) and the erotic romance collections Seduction, Liaisons and Sexy Little Numbers (Black Lace). She received the Golden Heart Award for Romantic Suspense from Romance Writers of America for her first novel Dangerous Curves, which was published by Silhouette Books. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Passionate Ink. She is also a book reviewer for the Erotica Readers and Writers Association and the book club moderator for the Naked Reader Book Club at EdenFantasys.com. She holds degrees in English and Humanities and teaches English Composition and World Mythology at the community college level.