Tara Chevrestt's Blog, page 116

Gearing Up for the New Year with Nona Raines *adults only*

**This post is for adults only.** 
Thanks so much, Tara, for sharing your blog with me today!
Most of us look at the New Year as a chance for new beginnings. Isn't that what New Year's resolutions are all about?  Whether we're promising ourselves we'll lose weight, save more money, or get to bed earlier, the New Year offers a clean slate where we can all get a fresh start.
Many different countries have New Year's celebrations. To celebrate Hogmanay in Scotland, neighbors and friends visit each other shortly after midnight. The first person to set foot inside the door should be a tall dark man (like our favorite romance heroes?) to bring good luck all year.   This is known as "first-footing".  The song "Auld Lang Syne" that we're all so familiar with was inspired by a Scottish folksong and transcribed by the famous Scots poet Robert Burns and published in 1796. It became popularized by Canadian born bandleader Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, who first played played it at the Roosevelt Hotel in 1929.
In Japan, Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times at midnight, December 31, symbolically to get rid of 108 kinds of human sin and weakness. Shogatsu (or Oshogatsu) is considered the most important holiday in Japan. People send New Years cards to friends and relatives and parties are given to "forget" the old year and start the coming year anew.
Certain foods are associated with the New Year, as well. In Spain, it's customary to eat twelve grapes as the clock strikes midnight, to ensure twelve happy months in the coming year. In Greece, New Year's Day is also St. Basil's Day. A special cake is made with a coin or token inside. Whoever gets the lucky piece is assured a fortunate new year. In the southern U.S., a dish of black eyed peas known as Hoppin' John is prepared and eaten to bring luck in the new year.
A New Year can also bring a chance for new love.  Jordan and Kyla, two of the main characters in my latest book His and Hers and Hers are in love and totally committed to each other. They're surprised, then, to find themselves attracted to someone new, their friend Cassie. But can they be honest about their feelings without hurting each other? And if they invite Cassie into their relationship, how will their love be changed?
Here's a little more about the story:  Kyla Denster and Jordan Brougham are passionately in love. Kyla knows she's lucky to have a guy who uses all his tricks to keep her happy in and out of bed. Jordan knows he's lucky to have such a hot, adventurous girlfriend.
But neither of them knows that their best friend, Cassie DeSantis, wants them both. Cassie's painful past has taught her not to wear her heart on her sleeve.  She keeps quiet, afraid that revealing her feelings would mean losing the two people she cares for most.  Things change one night when an impulsive kiss leads to the three of them spending an incredibly hot night together.
When the couple wants more of Cassie, she leaps at the chance to be with them. But problems arise at her insistence that no one mention the L word and when Jordan and Kyla clash over how to deal with disapproving family.  Their triad relationship will only survive if they all stand together to prove that three is the perfect number—when all three are in love.


     Excerpt from His and Hers and Hers:
     She heard Jordan’s low rumble and Ky’s giggle. Then Kyla’s voice came from the doorway. “Cassie.”     Cassie’s mouth went dry. Kyla stood there wearing nothing but a tiny black thong and an impish grin. Her hard brown nipples pointed straight at Cassie and her generous breasts begged to be caressed and kissed. Cassie’s own nipples tightened in response.     Kyla’s eyes flashed as though she knew exactly how turned on Cassie was. Her smile hitched a little higher. “Dessert is now being served. In the bedroom.”     Cassie pushed back her chair and rose, her body tingling with anticipation. Kyla beckoned her with a crooked finger and Cassie followed her down the hall. When they reached the bedroom, Kyla stopped.     “One thing. Entrance here requires special dress. Or undress, I should say.” She smiled. “Let me help.”     Ky assisted as Cassie stepped out of her shoes, socks, and pants and peeled off her top. When she stood only in her bra and panties, Ky stepped in close. “I’ll undo your bra.” Her warm breath tickled Cassie’s neck, her bare breasts, and hard brown nipples teased Cassie’s skin as she wrapped her arms around Cass and unfastened her bra.     “You can keep those on…” Ky traced her finger down the seam of Cassie’s pink bikini panties. “For now.”     Cream drenched her pussy at the wicked promise in Kyla’s tease. Ky took her hand and drew her through the doorway. “Come on.”     Jordan sat on the bed, in a pair of black briefs, already distended by his rising cock. Dark hair dusted his chest, and Cassie’s fingers itched to feel its texture, and the warm skin underneath. More than that, she wanted to caress the bulge that grew bigger the more she stared. His green eyes were bright, his expression dreamy. His smile, the smile she loved, still hitched up a little higher in one corner. “Hey, Cass. Ready for dessert?”
Poor Cassie.  She doesn't know how to let down her guard. She's had a rough upbringing and has been hurt so many times she's erected a tough wall around her heart. She's someone who truly needs to "forget the old year" and cleanse the hurtful memories of the past so she can begin a new year, and a new life, with a clean slate and a whole heart.
We're still in the midst of the holiday season, and I hope everyone reading this has a joyful time with family and friends. Thanks again, Tara, for having me here. And I wish you all a Happy New Year!
His and Hers and Hers is available at:
Loose Idhttp://www.loose-id.com/his-and-hers-and-hers.html
Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/His-Hers-ebook/dp/B00AB778KW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1353595766&sr=1-1&keywords=his+and+hers+and+hers+nona+raines
All Romance ebookshttps://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hisandhersandhers-1006117-146.html

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.comFacebook, Twitter, Blog

Helen's Holiday Tale: Part 3

Welcome back to Helen's Holiday Tale! Here is part three. If you missed part or part one or two, go back and read those first, or  you may be a tad lost! LOL

Part One

Part Two

And Happy Holidays!





“She’s back!” A man’s voice, not George’s.Helen blinked rapidly and stared at the man leaning over her. He was a young whippersnapper wearing an EMT outfit. What had he done? Had he brought her back? The damn fool! But, wait…she had things to do to make things right again. Her strange conversation with George came flooding back to her at the same time her blood starting pounding through her veins again.“Mrs. Bakerson, you gave us quite a scare. Can you hear me?”Helen tried to move her head, but it was hard. She felt so weak and strange.“I think you can, Mrs. Bakerson. You’re very lucky. Mindy and Lucy found you. If it wasn’t Christmas day…”What the heck was the man nattering about? Helen groaned and reached weakly for him, but found her arms wouldn’t cooperate.“We’re taking you to the hospital. Hang tight, okay,” the EMT just kept chattering.Helen was lifted very gently by two medics and carried slowly out her front door. From the corner of her eye, she saw two frightened looking girls—the same girls she’d yelled at earlier for being in her yard. Both girls were sniffling and rubbing their eyes with their mittened hands. What was wrong with them? Suddenly, the blue-eyed one stepped forward and held out a card to one of the EMTs. “Will you give this to her when she gets there and is better? It’s a Christmas card we made for her in school. We’ll save the cookies until she comes back.”“That’s a good idea.” The EMT reached for the card and tucked it into his vest pocket. Helen saw there was a childishly drawn snowman on the front of it. She felt a tear slide down her cheek, but she couldn’t will her limbs to move to wipe it off. They were still as frozen as the ice she had just skated on. Or had that been real? Her body felt so heavy. Everything was strange. “And yes, keep those cookies until Mrs. Bakerson is better. She’ll be eating hospital food for a while.”Drat!“And you girls did the right thing,” the other EMT added. “Calling 911 like you did when you found Mrs. Bakerson was smart.”The little girls merely nodded, their eyes wide.“Poor old lady shouldn’t have been digging around in her attic,” the first technician continued talking to his partner as they loaded Helen—unceremoniously in Helen’s opinion—into the back of a waiting ambulance.I wasn’t digging around in my attic, you whippersnappers!“I know. What was she planning to do? Take them old ice skates to the lake? She wouldn’t have lasted five minutes out there.”Old ice skates? They must have been George’s, because hers were long gone. Helen smile, closed her eyes, and rested.
Don't worry, readers, she's not dead! Come back tomorrow to find out what Helen does in the new year.

Menace Under the Mistletoe by Lisa Greer

My Holiday read for this year surprised me...in a good way. I was expecting a frightening, give me goose bumps tale with just a touch of romance. Now, it wasn't as frightening as I hoped, but the romance is cute and believable and there's no sex, which pleased me. *Hey, there's comes a point, especially if you're an editor in the romance industry, when you get oversexed. When everyone copulates 5 times per book and you read at least three books a week, that's a lot of copulation!*


What surprised me was the serious issue touched on in this short story. The heroine goes to her aunt's, who is dying, for Christmas. There's an undercurrent of..."who is inheriting, him or me?" as she meets a "cousin" she didn't know she had. Then there's a strange man on the premises who's supposedly helping her aunt with her spiritual stuff.

Though attracted to her "cousin", one thing stops Lambert from pursuing anything with him: he's a psychiatrist and she has a secret she doesn't wish to reveal. She has an eating disorder and major self esteem issues.

As a reader, I've grown sick and tired of the lack of serious issues in books. I'm not that into fluff. So I appreciate Ms. Greer's bringing up of an issue most prefer to sweep under the rug. I got a drastic and surprising look into a disorder I'm not real familiar with.

The story takes place the week before Christmas and there's a tree, snow, lights, and Holiday songs, but it's not so Christmassy that one can't read and enjoy it at any time of the year. The mystery was predictable, the romance just the right amount, and the issue underneath it all super important. The ending isn't pit-pat, but realistic. The heroine can find happiness, but she must do it on her own. A man won't do it for her.

Four stars. I bought this on Amazon Kindle.

Helen's Holiday Tale: Part Two

The second installment of Helen's Holiday Tale. The first can be found here.




“Helen, Helen, get up, darling.” She felt hands grip her elbows and tug at the same time the male voice penetrated her consciousness. Helen gasped and opened her eyes, blinking at the sun glaring off whiteness all around her.“Oh, my stars,” she declared as soon as she could breathe again. “I have no idea what happened to me there.”When her eyes adjusted, she saw all the whiteness was snow. No big surprise there. Cripple Creek saw a lot of snowfall in December. But what was she doing outside? And why was her butt hurting?“Get up, Helen. Skate with me.” “What? I’m too old—” Helen looked to her right, where the voice was coming from. A man stood before her. He was handsome and young. His dark hair was parted on the side and slicked down. His blue eyes were filled with concern. He sported a pair of slacks and a white sweater. A button shirt peeped out of the V-neck. A red scarf Helen knew very well was wrapped around his neck, the end trailing off behind him. She’d knitted that scarf with her own hands sixty-three years ago. A pair of ice-skates topped off his outfit.“You’re not old anymore,” the man or vision said with a smile.“George. George, is it really you? Have I died and gone to Heaven?” Helen reached a hand out to him, shocked to see the wrinkles and age spots had disappeared from its surface.“Not quite, but it’s me.” George reached for her then, and she allowed him to grasp her hands and pull her up. She wobbled momentarily on the ice. She looked down at her feet in surprise. She, too, was wearing ice skates…and a skirt! It had been a long time since she’d worn a skirt. Tights, too.Why, she was dressed just the way she had been that day so long ago…“George?” She grasped his arms above the elbows, marveling that he was a solid man. “Is this…is this 1950?”George nodded. “It is. Do you remember?”Helen thought she would cry with happiness. “Yes! Yes, I do remember. It was Christmas, and I made you that scarf.” She touched the red scarf around his neck. “And you wore it every day in winter until the day you…”“Died. Yes, I know, Helen.” Her George sounded so grave and serious. Why wasn’t he happier? They were together again!“George, you left me too soon!” Helen scolded him as she allowed him to lead her across the ice. His right hand was stretched across her front, grasping her own, and his left pulled her across his midsection, and together, they glided. Helen was amazed at how little effort it took to do something she hadn’t done in decades. She threw her head back and breathed in the scent of pine and firewood burning. Icicles hung from the trees, and tiny snowfalls fell around them, melting as soon as they landed upon their clothing.“Helen, I didn’t have a choice. It was my time.”“Well, it’s mine now. I spent ten years alone, George!” She tried to keep the accusation from her voice, but found she couldn’t help it.“No, it isn’t.” George shook his head as he twirled her in a circle.Helen laughed at the sensation, at the sight of trees blurring in front of her eyes. “George,” she said as they came to a stop once again and she caught her breath. “I’m with you again. It’s the greatest gift a woman could ask for!” She threw herself into his arms. She felt blissfully happy, elated. All was right in her world once again.He kissed the top of her hair—no longer gray she’d noticed, as it had blown across her face whilst spinning, but her dark curls from so long ago. “Do you remember what else happened this day?”Helen just wanted him to shut up and kiss her on the lips as he used to, but she indulged him. “I gave you that scarf; we came skating, and you proposed. It was the loveliest Christmas ever.”“It was,” he agreed, “and we made a lot of plans, plans for our future and goals.”Helen felt a pang stab her heart, and she feared she was having another heart attack though she was already dead surely. “Well, those things didn’t come to pass, so let’s not dwell on it.” She rose on tiptoe and sought his mouth with hers, only he held her out of reach, his hands on her shoulders.“Helen, we planned to have children, lots of them, but it didn’t happen.”Suddenly, Helen felt cold and shivered. “George, why must you rehash—““We were taught not to talk about such things back then, Helen, but you need to know something.” George paused, his blue gaze intent on her face, a pleading in their depths. “It wasn’t your fault. I know you always blamed yourself, but it wasn’t your fault.”“What do you mean?” Oh, why was he talking about this after all these years? So, they hadn’t had children, and yes, she blamed herself, but what did it matter now? In the end, they’d had a wonderful marriage, made stronger by their lack of children—she thought.“When I was in Korea, I was wounded.”“I know that.” She clutched his sweater in her fists.“I was the sterile one, Helen, not you.”“Oh.” A rush of air escaped her as her shoulders slumped. It hadn’t been her. She hadn’t been the reason their dreams hadn’t come to fruition. All this time, she’d blamed her infertile loins, had cried huge tears of regret. Back in their day, fertility wasn’t bandied about and made dinnertime discussion, and ten thousand dollars had been a year’s salary for many. Young people now talked about it constantly, their fertilization efforts and ovary temperature. It was distasteful. She’d suggested adoption once, but George had gotten angry at her insinuations they couldn’t have one of their own. Now she knew why. George had been ashamed and embarrassed. “Why tell me now, George?” To her great surprise, she felt no anger, but relief. It hadn’t been her fault.“Because I was wrong in not telling you sooner. When I died, you were all alone, and you became a bitter, old crone.”Helen felt as though she’d been slapped. “Of all the nerve!” She struggled to pull free of him.“Helen, you aren’t the woman I married. The woman I married was full of life, laughter, joy, hopes. You used to welcome all the children into our home, bake them cookies, tie their shoelaces. Our home was always filled with cheer. Now, you yell and curse and hate. You hate what you never had. It’s bitterness, Helen. You can’t keep hating and lashing out at others over something you can’t control.”“I…I don’t know what to say.” And she didn’t. What could she say? He was right, but it was too late to change things. She was who she was. He’d left her alone, and she hadn’t known how to handle it.“Do you want this all the time?” George made a sweeping gesture, encompassing the area around them, the frozen lake, the trees with their twinkling lights, the glistening snow. “Do you want to be young and in love with me forever and ever? Skating in eternal bliss?”He’d asked her those same words sixty-three years before. Helen hurried to give him the very same answer. “I do. I do!” She reached for him again, desperate, eager to be in his arms. “I’ve missed you so much!”“Well, see, it’s like this, Helen. Your bad deeds are overshadowing your good deeds, and if you don’t change that, you won’t come here.”“Is this about going to church? I attend—”George interrupted her by placing a finger on her lips. “No. That has nothing to do with it. It’s about who you are in here.” He dropped his finger to the space above her left breast. “It’s about how you treat people. You can sit on a hard church pew all day, every Sunday, but it doesn’t do you any good if you’re not a good person. It’s not about what religion you practice—if any—or how many scriptures you read. It’s about treating others as you want to be treated. Just be a good person, like you used to be.”Tears welled in her eyes. She knew he was right. Without George by her side, she’d forgotten the most basic rule of humanity. But how could she fix it?“I want you with me, Helen, just as I did long ago. Do what you have to. Make things right. I love you.” George leaned forward then, and their lips finally touched. They felt as they always had, warm and possessive against her own. She opened her mouth under his and welcomed him.As their tongues touched, she remembered he had kissed her this way right after his first proposal, too, and it felt exactly the same. Her insides threatened to melt into a puddle of mush despite the frigid air surrounding them.But all too soon, the feeling faded away. Hefaded away. She reached for him, but found only air. Someone or something was beating on her heart. It hurt so bad.“No!” she tried to call out, but choked.The white light appeared again, blinding her.

Come back tomorrow for more of Helen's story.

A Momentous Announcement From Victoria Vane

A Holiday Greeting and Momentous Announcement from Victoria Vane:


When I first conceived A Wild Night’s Bride , a Georgian set, Hangover-inspired romantic comedy, I had no idea that one devilish secondary character would spawn an entire series, but Ludovic, Viscount DeVere, proved to be a dream come true. This larger than life character has captured the hearts of so many fans who have begged for more DeVere. In response to these requests, I have not only decided to continue the series, but have recently commissioned an amazing artist to render gorgeously detailed full color illustrations for my DeVere stories! My goal is to offer a wonderfully enhanced reading experience to fans of my series.
The first book to be illustrated (and just in time for all those glorious full color and graphics capable Christmas e-readers), is Devil in the Making, a riotous Georgian romp in the tradition of Fielding's Tom Jones and a prequel to the Devil DeVere series.


The Illustrated Edition will feature a gorgeous depiction of the key scene in every chapter. If this experiment is successful, I will be illustrating the entire DeVere series (old and new) over the next 12-18 months. As a holiday greeting, I am attaching a sample of the absolutely stunning photorealistic artwork that will grace the new book cover as well as the inside pages! Devil in the Making: The Illustrated Edition will be available in e-book early December 2012. A print anthology will follow later in 2013. Now, without further ado…. Here is how it all began….
Devil in the Making: A Devilish Vignette by Victoria Vane Every devil has a beginning... A rebellious young nobleman's prank with the king's lion goes comically awry, leading to a startling chain of events.
EXCERPT:
"But I know that look, DeVere, and it always bodes ill."
"Come now, Ned," DeVere cajoled. "With only weeks until matriculation, we may never get another chance to serve up some revenge on ole' Trasker."
"What have you in mind?" Simon asked.
"Since our dear pedagogue is so fond of bear-leading, why not procure one for him?"
Ned looked stunned. "You wish to buy a bear?"
"Of course not," DeVere answered.
"Thank God," Ned replied with a sigh of relief.
"I only wish to borrow one."
"A bear?" Simon repeated.
"Yes. It can be a small one. As to age, size, or gender. I am not particular."
"And how do you propose to find one?" Ned asked warily.
DeVere replied with a look of pure devilment. "I propose a midnight foray to the Royal Menagerie." (end excerpt)
Warmest holiday greetings, Victoria Vanehttp://authorvictoriavane.com

Buy here
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A lover of history and deeply romantic stories, Victoria Vane combines these elements to craft romantic historical novels and novellas for a mature reading audience. Her writing influences are Georgette Heyer for fabulous witty dialogue and over the top characters, Robin Schone , Sylvia Day, and Charlotte Featherstone for beautifully crafted prose in stories with deep sensuality, and Lila DiPasqua for creative vision in melding history with eroticism. Ms. Vane also writes award nominated romantic historical fiction as Emery Lee (http://authoremerylee.com)

CONTACT:
victoria.vane@hotmail.com
Web: http://authorvictoriavane.com
Blog: http://victoriavane.wordpress.com
Twitter: @authorvictoriav

In E-BOOKA lover of history and deeply romantic stories, Victoria Vane combines these elements to craft romantic historical novels and novellas for a mature reading audience. Her writing influences are Georgette Heyer for fabulous witty dialogue and over the top characters, Robin Schone , Sylvia Day, and Charlotte Featherstone for beautifully crafted prose in stories with deep sensuality, and Lila DiPasqua for creative vision in melding history with eroticism. Ms. Vane also writes award nominated romantic historical fiction as Emery Lee (http://authoremerylee.com)

CONTACT:
victoria.vane@hotmail.com
Web: http://authorvictoriavane.com
Blog: http://victoriavane.wordpress.com
Twitter: @authorvictoriav
A lover of history and deeply romantic stories, Victoria Vane combines these elements to craft romantic historical novels and novellas for a mature reading audience. Her writing influences are Georgette Heyer for fabulous witty dialogue and over the top characters, Robin Schone , Sylvia Day, and Charlotte Featherstone for beautifully crafted prose in stories with deep sensuality, and Lila DiPasqua for creative vision in melding history with eroticism. Ms. Vane also writes award nominated romantic historical fiction as Emery Lee (http://authoremerylee.com)

CONTACT:
victoria.vane@hotmail.com
Web: http://authorvictoriavane.com
Blog: http://victoriavane.wordpress.com
Twitter: @authorvictoriav

E-BOOKS:
A Breach of Promise ,Ellora's Cave
A Wild Night’s Bri de, Breathless Press
The Virgin Huntress , Breathless Press The Devil You Know , Breathless Press The Devil’s Match , Breathless Press Devil in the Making , Victoria Vane Treacherous Temptation - coming soon from Entangled Publishing
In PRINT: The Highest Stakes by Emery Lee, Sourcebooks Fortune’s Son by Emery Lee, Sourcebooks The Devil DeVere Volume I by Victoria Vane, Breathless Press A Devil Named DeVere by Victoria Vane, Breathless Press

Helen's Holiday Tale: A Daily Holiday Story

In June of 2013, A Healing Love will be released. A story that takes place in a fictional town called Cripple Creek. Though she's only mentioned briefly, the town crone is named Helen Bakerson. For this Holiday Season, I present to you, in a daily digest, for the next four days, her story.



“Stupid kids!” Helen Bakerson slammed her tea mug down so hard in its saucer she was surprised it didn’t break. Not that she cared. What was one more darned tea mug? It wasn’t like she needed pretty things. Nobody ever came to her house except that busy-body minister’s wife. Helen snorted. It was, of course, under the pretense of saving Helen’s damned soul, but Helen knew the woman was just being plain nosy.Why would anyone care about her soul? She didn’t.She glared out the window above the scarred tabletop, all the little notches and marks from her many years with George. Oh, how she missed George. Why had the stupid fool left her when he had? It wasn’t supposed to play out that way.She rose, and her frail legs shook as she reached for her walker. She winced at the pain in her joints. Her eighty years had not been kind to her, not the last ten of them anyway.It took a good five minutes to shuffle and slide to the front door, but she finally made it. With hands pained from arthritis—damned cold weather—Helen turned the locks and opened it. Once upon a time, they hadn’t needed to lock their doors, but as Cripple Creek grew, more hoodlums and whippersnappers caused trouble.As the old oak door creaked open, she glowered through the screen. “You children get the hell off my lawn! I don’t want your shoe prints in my yard! And build your darned snowman somewhere else!” Two bright-eyed eight-year-old girls stared up at her, lips quivering, noses red from the cold. “We’re sorry, Mrs. Bakerson, we needed more snow for our fort.”
“There’s plenty of snow in your own yard. Now git!” It took all the energy she had left, but she slammed the door with a satisfying bang.“Stupid children. Why do they always bother me? In the summer it’s their screaming, water guns, and trampolines. In the winter, it’s their gosh-darned Christmas carols and snowballs and footprints. I’ve had it with the whole lot of them. So glad I didn’t have any.”Suddenly, she felt winded. Her heart seized. Helen grabbed the arm of the nearby armchair—the chair George had always sat in, his after-dinner coffee in hand, his glasses perched on his nose, as they watched M.A.S.H. Sometimes, they’d even held hands across their matching armchairs as they’d chuckled at the antics of Major Margaret and Hawkeye.She slumped in the chair, not caring when her walker fell over, though she knew she was going to have a heck of a time standing up again. Oh, George, why did you go and leave me here?Helen prided herself on being as tough as the popular Maxine cartoon character. The town of Cripple Creek avoided her, called her an old grouch, and that was just fine with her. She wanted to be left alone with her memories of George.But there’d been a time…If she turned her head just so, she could swear she still smelled the Old Spice cologne he’d used to splash on his face after shaving. He’d been in the Army, her George, had fought in Korea, and old habits died hard. He’d never sported more than a mere stubble.Helen closed her eyes against the pain rising in her left arm and chest. What was happening to her? Was she finally going out? Oh, she hoped so.A bright light began to form behind her eyelids, and her chest tightened even more. She couldn’t breathe, but the smell of Old Spice grew stronger…
Come back tomorrow to read more of Helen's Holiday tale.

Why I Write What I Write: An Honest Answer to An Interesting Question

I've been asked lately by those who followed me in the beginning...what's with the erotica? I have an answer, but you may not like it.

When I first started writing, it was full of steam and hope. I had a set goal: inspire young women, educate them, teach them, make them laugh and strive to be all they could be. 

I gave them Ride for Rights. Funny, full of real history, and meant to show young women..."it can be did."

And...nobody was interested. After a few months of only reaching 12 sales despite all my social networking, I said, "Hmm. I'll just write something else."

One of the things I hate about romance is all the darned perfect heroines and the fact that most of the time I walk away merely entertained, never having learned anything, so I said, "I'll give readers a romance with food for thought."

I wrote A Facebook Affair (soon to be rereleased as Love Request), a story featuring a hearing impaired heroine, because hey, we deserve happy endings too.

When I sold ten copies, I scrunched up my face and said, "Well then..." and "What am I doing wrong?"

Other authors told me sometime after I released four or five books, "Your work is too heavy. Readers just want to get lost in mindless entertainment. They don't want serious life issues. They don't want to think."

And as I got tired of feeling as though I was giving speeches to empty rooms--believe me, that's what it feels like to write a book nobody wants to read--I took those words to heart and I started writing erotica. It's a growing trend, a train more authors are jumping on to. You know why? We have to eat, and we don't eat paper and crap ink.

I've been seeing lots of snide conversations on sites like Goodreads. "Oh, I wish authors understood the difference between porn and romance. I'm tired of all this drivel."

How to answer that?

We do understand, but writing is a business, at least it's supposed to be. So I'm the writer and writing is my business. That means readers are my customers. They are the ones I must make happy. Readers tell me what they want. I write it for them. How do readers tell me what they want?

They buy my books.

If I sell ten of my sweet romance and 50 of my porn, then by all that's holy, readers hath spoken. They do not want the sweet reads. They want the hardcore stuff, and as I need to eat, I will write what they want.

So, truly, everyone, the best and absolute best way to make your reader's voice heard is to buy what you are interested in. Yes, the economy is tight, but 2.99, 1.99, or even 99 cents isn't breaking the bank.

Buy a book for Christmas, either for yourself or for someone else. It will make an author's day and you'll also make your voice heard. It says, "This is the kind of stuff I want to read! Please write more of it!"



You can sit and complain on social network sites until your fingers fall off, but if you aren't buying books, you aren't making your opinion of today's literature count.

Money talks.

Strong is Sexy Woman of the Past: Lydia Litviak "The White Rose of Stalingrad"

I first came across this in a book, a historical fiction, and in it, this woman pilot had a series of white roses painted on the fuselage of her aircraft, each one marking a kill. Further digging into  history sites informs me they were actually lilies, but easily mistaken for roses and this led to the false nickname. Technically, she was the "White Lily of Stalingrad" and numerous sites call her one or the other.


Anyway, while America was just permitting women to ferry airplanes, Russia was allowing them to fly in combat.


-She began flying at the age of 14, even joined a club.
-She botched her flying hours to join the all female Fighter Regiment
-It's said she had 12 solo victories. *There's some debate surrounding this, but regardless, everything points to her being incredibly fierce and a force to be reckoned with*
-She had a female mechanic as well.
-She loved to buzz the aerodomes and piss off her commander.
-She was shot down at least twice in German territory before her unfortunate last flight, and each time, she managed to walk back to her own base. Even hospitalization for brief periods did not deter her from getting back in the cockpit.
-She was shot down and her body never found, though she was decorated with three medals and her mechanic and friend is said to never have gave up trying to find her body.
-She was quite proud of her femininity, continuing to dye her hair throughout the war. Pictures show a very lovely looking woman when she was off duty.

You want more? Check out this site: http://www.stalingrad.net/russian-hq/...

Personally, I find this woman's record and persistence incredibly sexy. I mean, shot down twice, and still she got back up? That's quite brave. Many legends I found related stories about her standing up to enemy pilots, in the sky and on the ground. Not sure how true they are so I didn't relay them here. I encourage you to do a Google search.

'Til the next Woman of the Past post, be sexy and be strong. Over and out. :)

Kick Ass by Maggie Shayne, Angela Knight, Jacey Ford, MaryJanice Davidson

An anthology of four stories ranging from conrom to paranormal, all featuring kick ass heroines. How could I resist?


In The Bride Wore A .44, we are introduced to a woman about to get married. She's suffered severe head trauma and doesn't remember much of anything before her current life, in which she just believes everything her mother tells her. She even wears the clothes her mother buys her. But when it all falls into place, she discovers she's an agent about to marry the bad guy. What will she do? Full of fighting, shoot outs, sweet revelations, I really enjoyed this one. Def my kind of heroine. Implausible? Totally, but this is the kind of book one sits down and reads for fun.

The second story by Mary Janice Davidson is about an albino vampire hunter, her geeky and accidental sidekick, a vampire stand up comedian, and an assassination job. It's just plain wonderfully funny. I'm not into vampires, but this, I loved. My fave vampire story ever! From the names the heroine called everyone to the funny sayings to the all black chess pieces, it's just a riot. No real romance. The romance was weak, but I didn't care. This was my favorite.

If I was rating those two stories, it would be a five. The last two...to be completely fair, the third story is science fiction and I skipped it. I'm just really not into people changing species and stuff. Reviews on Goodreads and such claim that's the one of them all though, so don't let this deter you.

The fourth story threw too much at me at once. Three brothers, a super model/CIA agent I didn't like, and a male CIA agent. It lost my interest quick. I had to read the brothers' passage twice to figure out who was who and what was going on.

Three stars for this overall. I got this on paperback swap.

Dazzle by Amber Garza

‘Dazzle’ Blog Tour

Dazzle
By: Amber Garza

Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Delaney Scott possesses a special gift. Ever since she was a child she has known about her calling and the duty she’s expected to fulfill. However, all Delaney wants is to be normal. That’s why she is drawn to Sam. He can offer her the life she’s always desired. Only Sam has secrets of his own. Secrets that are deadly. Secrets that can change everything.


GenreYoung Adult Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age Group
13 and Up

Length 
355 Pages
PublisherAmber Garza


What The Characters Are Saying
I stay with Sam even though I know it's all wrong. No one else makes me feel the way he does. It's as if when I'm with him something dormant in me comes alive. -- Delaney

Falling for Delaney would completely ruin everything. But there's just something about her, you know? She's different than I expected. She has a way of getting under my skin, despite my best efforts to keep her at a distance. -- Sam

She can help him find redemption. He can give her the life she wants. But falling in love will change everything. -- Sam and Delaney




Websitehttp://www.delaneysgiftseries.wordpress.com
Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Dazzle-Delaneys-Gift-Series-ebook/dp/B009NMIQR0/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1353705699&sr=8-1
Goodreadshttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15775101-dazzle
Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Amber-Garza-author/307389409285047?fref=tsSmashwordshttps://www.smashwords.com/books/view/236866Barnes & Nobles http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dazzle-amber-garza/1113573669?ean=2940044968158
The AuthorAmber Garza
BiographyAmber Garza has had a passion for writing since she was a little girl, making books out of notebook paper and staples. Other than writing she is addicted to coffee, candy and reading. She lives in California with her husband, and two children.
LinksWebsite
http://www.ambergarza.wordpress.comFacebook
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Amber-Garza-author/307389409285047
Twitterhttps://twitter.com/ambermg1
Amazon Authorhttp://www.amazon.com/Amber-Garza/e/B0073BQREW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Smashwords Authorhttps://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AmbermgBarnes & Nobles Authorhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/amber-garza

The rest of the Schedule:December 22Just Me, Myself, and I
http://purpleshadowhunter.blogspot.com/

December 23
Read Between The Lineswww.rbtlreviews.com

December 24Books Complete Me
http://www.bookscompleteme.com/


December 25
Ever and Ever Sighthttp://everandeversight.blogspot.com/
December 26
Danita Minnishttp://danitaminnis.danitaminnis.com/
December 27
Into The Night Book Reviewshttp://intothenightbookreviews.blogsp...
December 28
Book Dream Landhttp://timeforlife.blogspot.com
December 29
Sassy Cassie's Reviewshttp://cassiesreviewsde-la-mazing.blo...
December 30The Cover (and Everything in Between…)
http://thecoverbybrittany.blogspot.com/