Ellison James's Blog, page 12

Cover Concept: Your Thoughts?

I'm nearing completion of my most recent work in progress. This is a story of Michelle, an up-and-coming force in the intimates/lingerie business. She getting ready to break into the big time with her new line and her expansion plans.

Michelle calls on two friends from high school, Reshonda and David, to help her in this scheme to topple the big houses. These two friends left their small town to tackle the business world after high school - and tackle it, they did! They are now both corporate spies, working the business underworld.

Growing up, the three were misfits, nobodies, outcasts. Michelle was the slightly overweight Hispanic girl, only recognized by others when her breasts developed early. Reshonda was the tall, skinny, black girl with no breasts at all, and too light-skinned to fit into any of the cliques. David was the unknowing football star but awkward in every other way. He was tall and lanky and pointy all over with wild hair and an acne problem. But how were these three really connected. A little history. Michelle and Reshonda experimented with their sexuality in high school but It was David that finally took Michelle's virginity. Rehsonda always had a thing for David, in kind of a love hate sort of way. Now they are all back together again. Reshonda and Michelle have kept in touch over the years, But David went overseas and had not been seen since.

Now they've all grown up in every way.

Both Reshonda and David are called by Michelle and agree to help her in her campaign.

Even though the story is about Michelle, it is told through the point of view of Reshonda. Reshonda knows that David is a corporate spy. Michelle knows that Reshonda is a corporate spy but Reshonda is not sure if Michelle knows about David's career choice. As soon as Reshonda finds out that David is helping on the campaign with her, she immediately decides that she must protect Michelle and manipulate David using her corporate spy specialty of sexual manipulation and interrogation ...  uh, er, persuasion.

David proves to be a tough nut to crack (no pun intended) as all of Reshonda's efforts to make David putty in her hands seem to backfire.

Through this short (12K word) erotic story, the three characters engage in trysts, sexual manipulation, and the reliving of high school fantasies. But, in the end, who has the upper hand? Could it be that Michelle had the whole thing planned from the beginning?

This story incorporates aspects of lesbian erotica, interracial, voyeurism, BBW, menage a trios, and light BDSM. I know it seems like there is a lot packed into this but it just kind of fell into place according to the character's personalities. I'm hoping it works, but you'll have to be the judge.

Please comment on my concept for a cover. Tell me what you like, what you don't like. Suggest changes and desires. The photo for this is stock from istock, and I have not yet purchased. If I make a final choice for this cover, I will purchase the appropriate stock.

Spring has Sprung

Well, Spring is upon us down here in the Southeast United States. The days are getting warmer and the air is full of pollen, turning our cars, houses, feet, and everything else, green.

Weekend was pleasant. Did some writing and yardwork. Getting ready to publish a new project, a piece of erotica approximately 11K words. Look for the work soon titled Pleasure Doing Business. I'm in the finishing and editing process now and am looking for some good cover art.

Any suggestions for a cover, or know someone specializing in this area?

The story is about two corporate spies helping a friend as she prepares her lingerie business to take on the big guys.

Great Bargain!

I've reduced the price of my novel to $0.99 at Smashwords and Amazon. Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Diesel, and Apple should post the price reduction withing the next 30 days.

So, from now on, my novel, "Lovestruck Succubus" can be had by all for the bargain price of just ninety-nine cents. That's excellent! I'm not even sure if you can get a cup of coffee for ninety-nine cents nowadays!

Stay tuned for a free read offered soon to get all my readers by until the next book comes out.

Character Profiles Updated ... Again

Character profiles have been added for Raif Lungren and Tarmin. This completes the character profiles for main and supporting characters within the story "Lovestruck Succubus."

But, please continue to check back often as I will continue to add more information, little snippets of personality, and quotes.

Support "Read an Ebook" Week

In support of "Read an Ebook" week, I am offering my novel FREE at Smashwords. Using coupon code: RE100 you can download a FREE copy of my novel "Lovestruck Succubus" in any format!
Click on the link here: Smashwords

This offer good for ONE WEEK ONLY ending on March 11th, 2011. While you are there, support other independent authors by searching the Smashwords website for other free and discounted books listed for "Read an Ebook" week.

Yay, 1K!

I'm offering to giveaway three copies of "Lovestruck Succubus" through goodreads in the US, Canada, and the UK. I'm so happy to announce that requests have now surpassed one thousand!

But remember, this giveaway is for the paperback and I also offer the story in ebook format from goodreads, amazon, barnes and noble, kobo, diesel, ibooks, smashwords, and just about everywhere else. The ebook version is actually a later edition than the paperback with some slight sentence and structure change, along with a couple corrections.

I would also like to announce that I am participating in the "Read an e-book week" giveaway at Smashwords March 6-12. During this time, you can go to the site and down load my novel for free. That's right - FREE! Even better, you can download it in any format available.

So, March 6th to March 12th, please support "Read an e-book week" while reading my book for free.

One Week Remaining

Only one week remaining in my free book giveaway on goodreads. Response has been very good with nearly one thousand entrants. I will be pleased to send copies of my novel to three lucky winners and, as a bonus, I will also be providing a coupon code allowing you to down an ebook copy at your leisure. The ebook is an updated copy containing just a few, but good, differences from the paperback version.

So, if you haven't signed up for the giveaway yet, be sure to put your request in before March 10th.

Dirty Sex

There is something that many find alluring about a sex scene taking place in the wilderness. Tell me, how do you feel about forest sex? If you enjoy, or think you would enjoy such a scene, what is it that you find especially exciting about it?

In my story "Lovestruck Succubus" there is a scene where my two hunters are following my hero character, Raif, and they end up deep in the Chattahoochee National Forest. They had been watching his every move for nearly the last month, while living in hotels, or their rental car. Although they are both dedicated to the pursuit of their prey, they finally succumb to their growing need and desire when they catch up with him while he sleeps in the forest. It is actually Alexis, my female hunter, and wife of Joseph, that initiates intimacy.
The planned sequel to this story "Demon Among Wolves" will center around the small town of Ellijay, Georgia, therefore changing genre's slightly from urban paranormal fantasy to something less "urban" so there are more opportunities for sex in the forest. But, something started to peck at the back of my brain as I thought about the above-mentioned scene.
Is it Okay that these two have such intimate contact after maintaining constant vigilance on their prey for nearly a month? I would hope that the reader would assume that they got their showers some reasonable time ago, but I did not specifically state this. That is why I ask, does it bother you when two characters have intimate contact if they've been on the run, and are not fresh and clean? Is it okay that they immediately get up and continue their pursuit after such activity?
Tell me how you feel about this kind of scene. Do you like it? Dislike it? Or, does "dirty sex" add to the quality and immediacy of such a scene?

FREE BOOK OFFER!

Okay, not really free. But, I am offering my current novel "Lovestruck Succubus" free in ebook format for anyone willing to consider writing a review.

The review can be posted here on goodreads, amazon, and/or barnes & noble.

I am also offering a first-look for a couple stories I'm preparing to publish (free ebook shorts) in the next month or so.

If you are interested, just send me an email here, respond to this post with contact information, email me from my blog at Ellison James Author Blog, or simply email me at author dot ellison dot james at gmail dot com.

Those Three Little Words

There is a part in my story "Lovestruck Succubus" where, from the point of view of Raif Lungren, the main character, Azra says those three little words that can scare a man to death or drive him insane with desire. I won't tell you what those three words were.

Most people associate "Those three words" with "I love you" but they could be just about anything. When you are reading a story, do you like to hear the characters say I love you at anytime?

I want to portray characters falling in love, but in the context of a story that has a timeline of only a month or so, I find it difficult to establish this point and difficult (as a reader) to believe it. To get around this, I try to have my characters show their developing feelings by their actions. It may a just a simple gesture like placing a hand on a knee, a kiss for no reason, or a sudden term of endearment.

How do you like to see these things expressed? When is it okay for character to verbally express their love?