Nona Raines's Blog, page 33
July 28, 2013
5 Tips to Beat the Post-Conference Blues
I wanted to talk with you today about beating the Post-Conference Blues. I know a lot of you are just coming back from Comic-Con and RWA National within the past week, so let's discuss the best ways to beat the post-con blues.
5 - Sleep! As we all know, there's very little sleep at these amazing events. We're all so busy schmoozing the contacts, seeing old friends, absorbing the amazing community of like-minded people that we only get to immerse ourselves in once a year, if we're lucky, but most likely once every few years. So after you come out of this amazing bubble, sleep is necessary to recharge and prepare ourselves to face reality.
4 - Work on the book. So after you've slept, spent a bit of time with your family, and slammed back into reality, you have to start putting all those workshops to good use and work on your WIP. Jumping right into the writing of it will help give you focus, allow you to use the excitement and momentum of the conference to hit the ground running while you work on the project.
3 - Keep in Touch. Call your conference buddies, send them messages on Facebook or Twitter, add your new contacts to your friends lists or follow them. Keep the relationship building between you and these people. It will be a bitter-sweet kind of contact because you'll all remember the amazing time, and you'll miss being in your writing conference bubble, but you'll smile and laugh at the good times. Keeping in touch with these people will also help you feel connected to new friends and build a lasting bond, not just one you have while at a conference.
2 - Blog about it, talk about it. One of the best ways to savor the conference, and ease back into reality is to keep a piece of the conference alive and well. Talk about the conference with other writers who couldn't make it, pass along your notes, your stories, your excitement to them. Talk about it with your family and friends who aren't writers, even though you know they just won't totally "get it" unless they're writers too. Follow blogs of those new and old friends who will probably be talking about the conference too. Go over the good times you had, and maybe read some insight for a panel or workshop you couldn't make it to. For the RWA conference I went to a couple years ago, they also gave us a huge file of all the handouts for the conference, which was a great help. You can also get the audio for workshops you couldn't make it to, though I believe you have to pay for those.
1 - Plan for the next conference. The absolutely best thing you can do after you get home from one conference, is plan on going to the next one. Pick out roommates, book a hotel, start putting away money so you can afford the conference in 6 months or 12 months, or in two years. Even if the conference is long off, having a game plan and the "I'm going to be there again in a while" mindset will help you look forward instead of focusing on the hollow feeling in your gut when you leave the conference.
So there you have it folks... some tips and tricks to use to battle the Post-Conference Blues.
What else would you add to the list?
5 - Sleep! As we all know, there's very little sleep at these amazing events. We're all so busy schmoozing the contacts, seeing old friends, absorbing the amazing community of like-minded people that we only get to immerse ourselves in once a year, if we're lucky, but most likely once every few years. So after you come out of this amazing bubble, sleep is necessary to recharge and prepare ourselves to face reality.
4 - Work on the book. So after you've slept, spent a bit of time with your family, and slammed back into reality, you have to start putting all those workshops to good use and work on your WIP. Jumping right into the writing of it will help give you focus, allow you to use the excitement and momentum of the conference to hit the ground running while you work on the project.
3 - Keep in Touch. Call your conference buddies, send them messages on Facebook or Twitter, add your new contacts to your friends lists or follow them. Keep the relationship building between you and these people. It will be a bitter-sweet kind of contact because you'll all remember the amazing time, and you'll miss being in your writing conference bubble, but you'll smile and laugh at the good times. Keeping in touch with these people will also help you feel connected to new friends and build a lasting bond, not just one you have while at a conference.
2 - Blog about it, talk about it. One of the best ways to savor the conference, and ease back into reality is to keep a piece of the conference alive and well. Talk about the conference with other writers who couldn't make it, pass along your notes, your stories, your excitement to them. Talk about it with your family and friends who aren't writers, even though you know they just won't totally "get it" unless they're writers too. Follow blogs of those new and old friends who will probably be talking about the conference too. Go over the good times you had, and maybe read some insight for a panel or workshop you couldn't make it to. For the RWA conference I went to a couple years ago, they also gave us a huge file of all the handouts for the conference, which was a great help. You can also get the audio for workshops you couldn't make it to, though I believe you have to pay for those.
1 - Plan for the next conference. The absolutely best thing you can do after you get home from one conference, is plan on going to the next one. Pick out roommates, book a hotel, start putting away money so you can afford the conference in 6 months or 12 months, or in two years. Even if the conference is long off, having a game plan and the "I'm going to be there again in a while" mindset will help you look forward instead of focusing on the hollow feeling in your gut when you leave the conference.
So there you have it folks... some tips and tricks to use to battle the Post-Conference Blues.
What else would you add to the list?
July 26, 2013
#Erotic #Author @empetrova's Hot #New #Cowboy #Romance!
Happy Friday, everyone! Today I'd like to share a bit about Em Petrova's latest erotic romance. Em is a fellow Wild Rose Press and Loose Id author. She's also published by Samhain, Ellora's Cave, Sizzler Editions, Etopia, Decadent and Red Sage. Wow, is she one busy writer! Her newest release from Loose Id features a hunkalicious bull rider and the woman who tries to tame him. What could be bad?
Slick Rider by Em Petrova (The Quick and the Hot)
Physical therapy assistant Lilly’s job is to keep rodeo star Juss Rossie off his injured leg and from using his bad shoulder to rope more buckle bunnies. Trouble is she wants--just for once in her life--to be one of those rodeo gals who gets the cowboy. Pushing him to the limits of his therapy will take some creative maneuvering, and she finds he responds in the yummiest ways.
Juss hates like hell to be laid up with injuries and off the back of a bull. But being at the mercy of therapist Lilly is torture--especially when she gets in the pool, on the mat, or crawls into bed with him. Can he recover from her mind-blowing advances without losing his heart?
Click here for an excerpt!
Available at Loose Id
Amazon
Do yourself a favor and check out this awesome read!
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Facebook, Twitter, Blog
July 21, 2013
Confessions of a Closet Introvert
Hey folks,
So soo sorry I've been silent as of late. I had a death in the family and have had another family member in the hospital for the past nine weeks, sadly.
But, as the saying goes, "the show must go on" and I'm ready to reenter the bloggerverse.
First, a thanks to my co-bloggers, Nona and Danica for holding down the fort here at the Diva's Pad. I've been reading the posts, even though I'm not commenting much. :-)
Now... onto some interesting stuff... A view behind the curtain of a single author's life...
The Post-Conference Blues!
I used to call it the Post-Rez blues (post-residency) when I was still a grad student and going down to Seton Hill College/University for a week-long flurry of writing, learning, and absorbing the writing community. Since I graduated, I was able to go back this June for the In Your Write Mind conference, which was, of course, amazing.
So I finally arrive at the hotel, after a very long 7 hour drive (after having worked for a few hours) and it was like coming home. The writing life is sometimes so solitary that authors forget to answer the phone, leave the house, eat, sleep, or do any of those normal human things! It's kind of scary actually. So when we get the chance to go to a conference, or a write-in, or anything else where we can be social and with our own brand of crazy, we jump at the chance.
Two wonderful ladies from my local RWA chapter, Kara Leigh Miller and Nicole LaFleur, joined me for the conference, and we had a blast!
Here we are at the Princess Bride themed ball. :-)
I taught a panel on the Three Act Structure plotting method, and that went really well. I attended several workshops that were fantastic on world building, undergarments through the ages, revision, and all kinds of things. We call Seton Hill "Hogwarts for Writers" because there's a certain kind of magic that flows from the walls, and permeates the air, the ground of campus, everything.
I mean, can you see the resemblance?
So, after four days of this amazingness, you can imagine what it's like coming back to reality. It sucks, big time. Every time I leave a conference, it's a gut-wrenching kind of deal. Inevitably, there are some tears when goodbyes are said, as well as some laughs, and promises to keep in touch.
At the same time, though, I know I wouldn't survive if conferences were more than a few days long! Being in that writer bubble, in that place where the real world ceases to exist and you don't watch any news, read a newspaper, or even check your email diligently, is amazing, but it's also exhausting. For a closet introvert like myself, conferences where you're always surrounded by people (no matter how awesome said people are or how close you are) are exhausting! It's like the most basic form of overstimulation (not that erotic romance authors believe in such a thing). But in real life, there's no way I would survive a conference that was longer than 5 days, 6 at the very most. I just don't like people that much... or maybe it's that I just have spent too many years alone inside my own head that I need that time to survive.
But I wouldn't trade my weeks in writer heaven for anything in the world. Finding a community, a family like that is something few people ever find, and while I can only tolerate small doses of the crazy, I cherish it.
So there you are folks, a sneak peek inside this author's closeted introversion. :-)
Promise to be back soon with more,
~Rach
So soo sorry I've been silent as of late. I had a death in the family and have had another family member in the hospital for the past nine weeks, sadly.
But, as the saying goes, "the show must go on" and I'm ready to reenter the bloggerverse.
First, a thanks to my co-bloggers, Nona and Danica for holding down the fort here at the Diva's Pad. I've been reading the posts, even though I'm not commenting much. :-)
Now... onto some interesting stuff... A view behind the curtain of a single author's life...
The Post-Conference Blues!
I used to call it the Post-Rez blues (post-residency) when I was still a grad student and going down to Seton Hill College/University for a week-long flurry of writing, learning, and absorbing the writing community. Since I graduated, I was able to go back this June for the In Your Write Mind conference, which was, of course, amazing.
So I finally arrive at the hotel, after a very long 7 hour drive (after having worked for a few hours) and it was like coming home. The writing life is sometimes so solitary that authors forget to answer the phone, leave the house, eat, sleep, or do any of those normal human things! It's kind of scary actually. So when we get the chance to go to a conference, or a write-in, or anything else where we can be social and with our own brand of crazy, we jump at the chance.
Two wonderful ladies from my local RWA chapter, Kara Leigh Miller and Nicole LaFleur, joined me for the conference, and we had a blast!
Here we are at the Princess Bride themed ball. :-) I taught a panel on the Three Act Structure plotting method, and that went really well. I attended several workshops that were fantastic on world building, undergarments through the ages, revision, and all kinds of things. We call Seton Hill "Hogwarts for Writers" because there's a certain kind of magic that flows from the walls, and permeates the air, the ground of campus, everything.
I mean, can you see the resemblance?
So, after four days of this amazingness, you can imagine what it's like coming back to reality. It sucks, big time. Every time I leave a conference, it's a gut-wrenching kind of deal. Inevitably, there are some tears when goodbyes are said, as well as some laughs, and promises to keep in touch.
At the same time, though, I know I wouldn't survive if conferences were more than a few days long! Being in that writer bubble, in that place where the real world ceases to exist and you don't watch any news, read a newspaper, or even check your email diligently, is amazing, but it's also exhausting. For a closet introvert like myself, conferences where you're always surrounded by people (no matter how awesome said people are or how close you are) are exhausting! It's like the most basic form of overstimulation (not that erotic romance authors believe in such a thing). But in real life, there's no way I would survive a conference that was longer than 5 days, 6 at the very most. I just don't like people that much... or maybe it's that I just have spent too many years alone inside my own head that I need that time to survive.
But I wouldn't trade my weeks in writer heaven for anything in the world. Finding a community, a family like that is something few people ever find, and while I can only tolerate small doses of the crazy, I cherish it.
So there you are folks, a sneak peek inside this author's closeted introversion. :-)
Promise to be back soon with more,
~Rach
July 19, 2013
My #Transgender #Romance His Kind of Woman Has #Reviews!
Happy Friday, everyone!
Whenever an author has a new book published, the nail-biting begins. How will readers react to the story? And what will reviewers have to say?
I've been very happy to find that my latest novella, His Kind of Woman, has received some lovely reviews. It was "Highly Recommended" by Gabbi at Top 2 Bottom Reviews who said it "brought a smile to my face". She gave it four and a half kisses. GiGi at MM Good Book Reviews gave it a "Recommended Read" and four hearts. She said "it packs a lot of thought".
Jayne at Dear Author enjoyed the characters and said "The humor is a plus, too." She gave it a B rating, which made me quite happy as the reviewers at Dear Author are a bit like those strict-but-fair teachers who were "hard markers" back in the day.
Positive reviews are wonderful and give a great ego boost, but even more important is knowing that these readers were touched by the story and by both characters. That really makes my day!
His Kind of Woman is a Spring Fling available here at Loose Id.
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Facebook, Twitter, Blog
Whenever an author has a new book published, the nail-biting begins. How will readers react to the story? And what will reviewers have to say?
I've been very happy to find that my latest novella, His Kind of Woman, has received some lovely reviews. It was "Highly Recommended" by Gabbi at Top 2 Bottom Reviews who said it "brought a smile to my face". She gave it four and a half kisses. GiGi at MM Good Book Reviews gave it a "Recommended Read" and four hearts. She said "it packs a lot of thought".
Jayne at Dear Author enjoyed the characters and said "The humor is a plus, too." She gave it a B rating, which made me quite happy as the reviewers at Dear Author are a bit like those strict-but-fair teachers who were "hard markers" back in the day.
Positive reviews are wonderful and give a great ego boost, but even more important is knowing that these readers were touched by the story and by both characters. That really makes my day!
His Kind of Woman is a Spring Fling available here at Loose Id.
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Facebook, Twitter, Blog
July 4, 2013
FFM #Menage #Romance Represent!
In the world of erotic romance, the favored menage combination seems to be the two men, one woman combination, whether MFM (no sexual interaction between the men) or MMF (sexual interaction between the men as well as with the woman). The two women, one man pairing seems to be the “ugly stepsister”. Well, I happen to really enjoy the FFM menage romance and it just so happens that I read two recently that I’d like to share with you.
Love’s Storm by Margie Church and K.B. Cutter
This book is the second installment in the Razor series (the first being Desire’s Edge) featuring the relationship between Amy and Bryce, a married couple, and Raine, the woman they both love. While the first book detailed their introduction into polyamory, this story shows the complications and obstacles the three will face. Each character has to face his/her insecurities as well as worry about how these conflicts will affect their future. Amy and Bryce have to readjust to accepting a third person into their relationship and handle feelings of jealousy. Raine is troubled by the sense of being an outsider and worrying that if things fall apart, at least Amy and Bryce will have each other while she will be alone. On top of all of this, Raine is a Domme and unwilling to leave that part of her life behind.
The authors did an awesome job of dovetailing these problems realistically while keeping the romance touching and the sex hot. This book was a lot of fun as well as food for thought.
The Dom with the Perfect Brats by Leia Shaw, Sorcha Black and Cari Silverwood
This book is also part of a series called The Badass Brats. This story involves Cross, a hardass Dominant and his two “brats”, Izzy and Gemma. Izzy is aware of her bisexuality while Gemma thinks she’s strictly into guys. They’re both attracted to Cross however and he’s definitely into them. Both girls are new to BDSM, but things change quickly under Cross’ tutelage. There are problems ahead, though, as Gemma deals with her unexpected sexual attraction to Izzy and Cross wonders if his women will accept submission enough to suit him—they’re not called “brats” for nothin’. There is plenty of red hot sex and lots of tenderness as each character must face down some inner demons, and Cross must face family issues as well as danger emerging from his past.
Both of these books are winners if you’re into FFM menage with lashings (heh heh) of BDSM and great romance!
So are there any awesome FFM romances that you would recommend?
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Facebook, Twitter, Blog
Love’s Storm by Margie Church and K.B. Cutter
This book is the second installment in the Razor series (the first being Desire’s Edge) featuring the relationship between Amy and Bryce, a married couple, and Raine, the woman they both love. While the first book detailed their introduction into polyamory, this story shows the complications and obstacles the three will face. Each character has to face his/her insecurities as well as worry about how these conflicts will affect their future. Amy and Bryce have to readjust to accepting a third person into their relationship and handle feelings of jealousy. Raine is troubled by the sense of being an outsider and worrying that if things fall apart, at least Amy and Bryce will have each other while she will be alone. On top of all of this, Raine is a Domme and unwilling to leave that part of her life behind.
The authors did an awesome job of dovetailing these problems realistically while keeping the romance touching and the sex hot. This book was a lot of fun as well as food for thought.
The Dom with the Perfect Brats by Leia Shaw, Sorcha Black and Cari Silverwood
This book is also part of a series called The Badass Brats. This story involves Cross, a hardass Dominant and his two “brats”, Izzy and Gemma. Izzy is aware of her bisexuality while Gemma thinks she’s strictly into guys. They’re both attracted to Cross however and he’s definitely into them. Both girls are new to BDSM, but things change quickly under Cross’ tutelage. There are problems ahead, though, as Gemma deals with her unexpected sexual attraction to Izzy and Cross wonders if his women will accept submission enough to suit him—they’re not called “brats” for nothin’. There is plenty of red hot sex and lots of tenderness as each character must face down some inner demons, and Cross must face family issues as well as danger emerging from his past.
Both of these books are winners if you’re into FFM menage with lashings (heh heh) of BDSM and great romance!
So are there any awesome FFM romances that you would recommend?
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Facebook, Twitter, Blog
June 27, 2013
Siobhan Muir's #New #Erotic #Paranormal #Romance, The Beltane Witch!
Happy Friday, everyone! Today I'm very happy to welcome erotic romance author Siobhan Muir. She's published with Evernight and Siren and her brand new book, The Beltane Witch, was just published this week! Siobhan has very kindly allowed me to ask her five nosy questions, so let's get started!
1. Welcome, Siobhan, so great to have you here! On your blog you mention one of the reasons you began to write paranormal romance was because your husband said "romance was bunk". Does he still believe that and how does he feel about your writing career?
The rest of the story to that statement is I asked him to let me try – and he graciously let me prove him wrong. He doesn’t believe romance is bunk unless it doesn’t have a good story to go with it. And I stay away from phrases like “his throbbing manhood”, lol. Mr. SM is incredibly supportive of my writing career and even helps me when I get stuck on a plot point. He periodically calls me his “sugar mama” and often walks around wearing a t-shirt with my books on it. He really believes in what I’m doing.
2. That's so awesome. Your bio mentions that you've "hiked to top of Mount St. Helens and to the bottom of Meteor Crater". How long have you been hiking and is there any place you'd like to hike where you haven't yet?
I’ve been hiking since I was 2 years old. My folks used to take my brother and I camping and hiking all over the western US, and I love it. I really want to go to Machu Pichu in Peru and hike to the amazing ruins in the Andes. Not sure when I’ll get to do that, but it’s on my bucket list.
3. Your romance Not a Dragon's Standard Virgin features Isabelle, who wants to lose her virginity to avoid becoming a virgin sacrifice to a local dragon while Julianna of Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack must pass seven tests to prove she's worthy to be an alpha werewolf's mate. Both books seem to harken back to mythological themes: the virgin sacrifice of Iphigenia and the Labors of Hercules. Does mythology play an important part in your writing?
Mythology does play a role, but it’s of my own making. The mythologies that carry through all my stories surround the Mother Goddess, a deity who has brought understanding and beginning to the elder races (werewolves, vampires, dragons, goblins, etc.). Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack even has the Moon Singer Creation Myth. I wanted that connection, the divinity allowing for magic in all the creatures.
The dragon sacrifice is the tradition we’ve all in European medieval stories and I used that as the background for a more pressing question of the double standard handed to men and women regarding sex before marriage. For Queen Bitch, our society in general makes you work and compete for things you want – you don’t generally get positions for free. And the tests were truly political, to ascertain if Julianna could handle being a leader in challenging times. Most of the tests pertained to grace under pressure.
4. Your book Her Devoted Vampire features Fredrick MacGregor, who falls for and wants to protect Bridget. Do you have a favorite vampire from film or fiction?
I got into reading paranormal romance and vampire tales in general from reading Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton, and while I didn’t like where the series went, that first book had me sucked in and curious about her vampires. Then Lynsay Sands came up with the idea that the vampires were actually Atlanteans who had nanotechnology that required them to ingest blood to keep functioning. That grabbed the scientist in me. So Fredrick MacGregor has a science aspect to him – his vampirism is caused by a genetic mutation in his genes. Had he not died at war, he would have lived a normal life and died like normal people. But because of his traumatic death, the gene kicked in and changed his whole lifestyle. I have more vampire stories coming that show the origins more clearly, but they’re only in the beginning stages.
5. We can't wait to learn more about your recent release or an upcoming title. Would you care to share? *Giving you big puppy dog eyes*
My new release is the second in the Cloudburst Colorado series and just came out this week! It’s called The Beltane Witch and here is the blurb:
Magic, mayhem, and motherhood… a witch’s work is never done, but Sabrina draws the line at the Fae.
After almost two decades as a practicing witch in Cloudburst, Colorado, Sabrina Foxglove is done with men, magic, and the fertility rituals of High Beltane. She’s dealt with all three before and ended up with a young daughter and no partner. Twice. She’s looking forward to a magic-free May Day, with nothing more exciting than making brownies for a kindergarten class and decorating a May Pole. She definitely doesn’t have time for a handsome, Fae-touched man.
After almost two centuries as the human chamberlain to the Fae’s Summer Court, Darius Winterbourne is a man accustomed to getting his way. So when the Summer Queen tasks him with finding a witch to perform the annual rituals and strengthen the ancient warding magicks, he figures it should be easy. He doesn’t expect Sabrina’s hardheaded refusal, her untrained abilities, or his attraction to her. With less than a week to Beltane, he must gain Sabrina’s trust before he loses his home, his position…and his heart.
Purchase The Beltane Witch at Smashwords and All Romance ebooks !
Also: the first book in Siobhan's Cloudburst series, A Hell Hound's Fire, is available FREE at various locations. Check Siobhan's website for links.
Sabrina is a single mom just trying to make her way through the world and she’s given up her abilities in the hopes of living quietly and surviving. Darius throws her for a loop, but at least she gets him back with her simple determination to take care of her little family. There is magic and the Goddess in this tale as well, but at the heart it’s a story about finding your path and believing in yourself when no one else will. I hope you enjoy Sabrina and Darius’s story. I really enjoyed writing it. J
Thank you so much for having me here today on Divas of Desire, Nona.
Thanks so much for being here, Siobhan. It's been great!
Siobhan's links:
Website: http://siobhanmuir.comBlog: http://siobhanmuir.blogspot.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/siobhan.muir.35Twitter: http://twitter.com/SiobhanMuirGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5760938.Siobhan_MuirGoogle Plus: http://plus.google.com/u/0/118081545120488658410/posts
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
1. Welcome, Siobhan, so great to have you here! On your blog you mention one of the reasons you began to write paranormal romance was because your husband said "romance was bunk". Does he still believe that and how does he feel about your writing career?The rest of the story to that statement is I asked him to let me try – and he graciously let me prove him wrong. He doesn’t believe romance is bunk unless it doesn’t have a good story to go with it. And I stay away from phrases like “his throbbing manhood”, lol. Mr. SM is incredibly supportive of my writing career and even helps me when I get stuck on a plot point. He periodically calls me his “sugar mama” and often walks around wearing a t-shirt with my books on it. He really believes in what I’m doing.
2. That's so awesome. Your bio mentions that you've "hiked to top of Mount St. Helens and to the bottom of Meteor Crater". How long have you been hiking and is there any place you'd like to hike where you haven't yet?
I’ve been hiking since I was 2 years old. My folks used to take my brother and I camping and hiking all over the western US, and I love it. I really want to go to Machu Pichu in Peru and hike to the amazing ruins in the Andes. Not sure when I’ll get to do that, but it’s on my bucket list.
3. Your romance Not a Dragon's Standard Virgin features Isabelle, who wants to lose her virginity to avoid becoming a virgin sacrifice to a local dragon while Julianna of Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack must pass seven tests to prove she's worthy to be an alpha werewolf's mate. Both books seem to harken back to mythological themes: the virgin sacrifice of Iphigenia and the Labors of Hercules. Does mythology play an important part in your writing?
Mythology does play a role, but it’s of my own making. The mythologies that carry through all my stories surround the Mother Goddess, a deity who has brought understanding and beginning to the elder races (werewolves, vampires, dragons, goblins, etc.). Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack even has the Moon Singer Creation Myth. I wanted that connection, the divinity allowing for magic in all the creatures.
The dragon sacrifice is the tradition we’ve all in European medieval stories and I used that as the background for a more pressing question of the double standard handed to men and women regarding sex before marriage. For Queen Bitch, our society in general makes you work and compete for things you want – you don’t generally get positions for free. And the tests were truly political, to ascertain if Julianna could handle being a leader in challenging times. Most of the tests pertained to grace under pressure.
4. Your book Her Devoted Vampire features Fredrick MacGregor, who falls for and wants to protect Bridget. Do you have a favorite vampire from film or fiction?
I got into reading paranormal romance and vampire tales in general from reading Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton, and while I didn’t like where the series went, that first book had me sucked in and curious about her vampires. Then Lynsay Sands came up with the idea that the vampires were actually Atlanteans who had nanotechnology that required them to ingest blood to keep functioning. That grabbed the scientist in me. So Fredrick MacGregor has a science aspect to him – his vampirism is caused by a genetic mutation in his genes. Had he not died at war, he would have lived a normal life and died like normal people. But because of his traumatic death, the gene kicked in and changed his whole lifestyle. I have more vampire stories coming that show the origins more clearly, but they’re only in the beginning stages.
5. We can't wait to learn more about your recent release or an upcoming title. Would you care to share? *Giving you big puppy dog eyes*
My new release is the second in the Cloudburst Colorado series and just came out this week! It’s called The Beltane Witch and here is the blurb:
Magic, mayhem, and motherhood… a witch’s work is never done, but Sabrina draws the line at the Fae.
After almost two decades as a practicing witch in Cloudburst, Colorado, Sabrina Foxglove is done with men, magic, and the fertility rituals of High Beltane. She’s dealt with all three before and ended up with a young daughter and no partner. Twice. She’s looking forward to a magic-free May Day, with nothing more exciting than making brownies for a kindergarten class and decorating a May Pole. She definitely doesn’t have time for a handsome, Fae-touched man.
After almost two centuries as the human chamberlain to the Fae’s Summer Court, Darius Winterbourne is a man accustomed to getting his way. So when the Summer Queen tasks him with finding a witch to perform the annual rituals and strengthen the ancient warding magicks, he figures it should be easy. He doesn’t expect Sabrina’s hardheaded refusal, her untrained abilities, or his attraction to her. With less than a week to Beltane, he must gain Sabrina’s trust before he loses his home, his position…and his heart.
Purchase The Beltane Witch at Smashwords and All Romance ebooks !
Also: the first book in Siobhan's Cloudburst series, A Hell Hound's Fire, is available FREE at various locations. Check Siobhan's website for links.
Sabrina is a single mom just trying to make her way through the world and she’s given up her abilities in the hopes of living quietly and surviving. Darius throws her for a loop, but at least she gets him back with her simple determination to take care of her little family. There is magic and the Goddess in this tale as well, but at the heart it’s a story about finding your path and believing in yourself when no one else will. I hope you enjoy Sabrina and Darius’s story. I really enjoyed writing it. J
Thank you so much for having me here today on Divas of Desire, Nona.
Thanks so much for being here, Siobhan. It's been great!
Siobhan's links:
Website: http://siobhanmuir.comBlog: http://siobhanmuir.blogspot.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/siobhan.muir.35Twitter: http://twitter.com/SiobhanMuirGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5760938.Siobhan_MuirGoogle Plus: http://plus.google.com/u/0/118081545120488658410/posts
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
June 19, 2013
#Erotic #Romance Diva Desiree Holt is in the House! #interview
Good morning everyone and happy Friday! I have been cleaning up the place til it sparkles, because today we're welcoming a super special guest to the Divas of Desire! Desiree Holt, a true romance diva, is with us and is letting me ask her five nosy questions! But before we start, let me remind everyone that Desiree's interview with Bill Geist will be re-broadcast this Sunday, June 23 on CBS Sunday Morning. If you missed it the first time around, be sure to catch it. If you've already seen it, tell all your friends! Desiree does us all proud!
Now on to the interview:
Hi Desiree! Thanks so much for being here today. Let me start by asking you this: since the whole Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon, it seems that erotic romance has become known as "Mommy porn". What do you think of that term?How can I say this nicely? I think it’s not only demeaning but totally incorrect. Porn, whether written or visual, is simply raw sex without emotion or any personal connection. Erotic romance is first and foremost about the relationship. The story begins with the two main characters and how their relationship develops. Can it start out with a sex scene? Of course, depending on the story and where it goes from there. But the emotion, the connection—that’s so essential. And “mommy porn?” How demeaning for women who like to read erotic romance. I think the media coined the term because it’s startling and attention-getting but it in no way describes the reality of the genre.
You are such a prolific author, and a real inspiration for the rest of us. Would you mind sharing a bit about your writing schedule and routine? Not at all. I’m up early because my three cats demand their breakfast by seven or I’m toast. Then coffee )or lately, tea) and time to answer my email and do my promo for the day. I try to answer every email and post. If readers take the time to connect with me I want them to know I appreciate it. Then treadmill, shower, dress and the real work of the day begins. I review what I’m working on (two or three manuscripts at a time so I work from a spread sheet), check any notes I made the night before and begin to write. I quit sometime between four and five and put my hands to bed for the day. But not my brain, which apparently never shuts off. So while I’m watching television and reading (something totally different from what I’m writing), thoughts pop into my head and I make notes. Then to sleep, get up and begin again. Writing is a business and if you want to be successful you have to treat it as such.
During your interview segment on CBS Sunday Morning, I couldn't help but chuckle when they showed the little dolls you used to "test" various sexual positions. How important is research to you in writing your books?Totally important. I don’t think you can write about something unless you know what you’re talking about. That means to me everything from studying the BDSM lifestyle to geographic research to information on the military to law enforcement. I don’t overload my books with info but I want what my characters do and where they go to be true to life.
In your writing, you've tackled cowboys and cougars, ménage and BDSM, even co-authored (with Jane Austen) Northanger Abbey (as a Clandestine Classic). Is there any erotic topic the intrepid Desiree Holt hasn't written about yet, but would like to?I have not written horror or GBLT but that’s just my personal preference. I don’t think I’ll be dipping my toe in those waters, although there are a number of excellent writers who produce terrific books. Otherwise, I tackle pretty much anything that pops into my head. A lot of it really depends on how my characters develop in my mind. Who are they? What are their personalities? What do they do for a living? And why?
Desiree, we can't wait to hear about your latest book! Is there anything you'd like share? We're all ears!I actually have a couple in the works. Feel the Heat. Phoenix Agency #5 is currently with my editor and I hope it will be out of editing shortly. Hard to Handle, Rawhide #5 is ready to rock and I’m just waiting for a release date. Lock and Load, Attack Force #2 is about halfway finished, and I am nearly finished with Beyond Addiction, a very intense psychological book about the world of BDSM. And three more in various stages of development. I would like to tell everyone that I have an App that’s free for both Apple and Android. If they download it, I update it three times a week so people can keep up with what I’m doing.
And MORE from Desiree:
So excited: MADE FOR HIM received Honorable Mention at the annual Love Romances Café Awards!
Here’s what Night Owl reviews said about it:
She had one weekend to convince him she was made for him. Micah Sheridan is a self-made billionaire who has the world at his fingertips. He can have any woman he wants but they all seem to leave him unfulfilled. What he really wants is a woman who can submit to him completely in the bedroom but who is a strong person out in the world. An equal match for him. Enter Teri Choate who heads an executive search agency. She’s searching, too—for a man who can master her in bed yet allow her strong personality to flourish beyond the bedroom door. The chemistry between them is so explosive it should come with a warning. When a few nights together reveal she is as addicted to BDSM as he is, he has her flown to his secluded Maine island. She has one weekend to prove to him she can be the perfect submissive in the bedroom and an equal beyond the bedroom doors. In short, a woman who is made for him.
Excerpt:
I’m not making a mistake. This is the chance of a lifetime. Everything will be fine.
Teri Choate locked her fingers together in her lap, watching through the helicopter window as the Friday afternoon sun lit the waters of the Atlantic Ocean below her. A representative of Micah Sheridan’s had arrived at her condo in San Antonio at noon to take her to the private airstrip where the Sheridan Worldwide helo awaited her. Now, as they got closer and closer to his private island off the coast of Maine, as the weekend loomed before her, she forced back the case of nerves that kept trying to take over her body. This weekend was a test, for both her and Micah Sheridan. He wanted to push her, to see if she could fully match his needs as a Dom. What would he ask her to do that would show him she trusted him completely?
She wanted desperately to unlock his heart, because she’d had the misfortune to fall in love with the man and that was a disaster in the making. Could she submit to him as completely as he demanded, no matter what level he took her to? And could he finally unlock the shackles he kept around his emotions to make their relationship emotional as well as physical? Commit to something long term?
She had struggled for so long with the clash between her submissive nature and her strong personality. It had been a big step for her, even before she’d met Micah, to blend those two parts of her. Two sides of the same coin. The result had been some less than satisfactory relationships, leaving her to constrain her sexual activities to impersonal sessions at The Castle, the private bondage club she belonged to. It never ceased to amaze her that while she ran an executive employment agency that served clients everywhere, making decisions that involved power and money, once she took off her clothes she turned into someone else. She was sure that was the reason she’d never been able to build a lasting relationship.
Until Micah Sheridan. The man she knew could take control without controlling her.
At thirty-eight he had amassed a global fortune and was both respected and feared in business communities all over the world. The world saw him as a man in elegantly tailored clothing with a sharp business mind and a ruthless attitude, yet still playing with all the toys a man of his wealth accumulated.
She’d done her homework on him. She was aware that this home she was on her way to was only one of many. He had a villa in Cannes, one in Acapulco, a condo in Hong Kong and a chalet in Switzerland. He raced cars for fun, skied both the Alps and the Andes, kept fully outfitted yachts at each of his villas, and never carried a suitcase because every one of his homes was outfitted with his needs.
But Teri knew he was also a man of wild, untamed sexual passion whose skills as a Dom were beyond anything she’d ever dreamed. He’d never been seen with the same woman twice. They were sleek and elegant and came from every country where he had offices or did business. Those who lived the BDSM lifestyle easily spotted the submissive nature of the women and secretly whispered about what went on behind Micah’s bedroom door.
Made for Him available at: Total e bound Amazon B & N AllRomance ebooks
Find Desiree at her blog: http://desiremeonly.com/website: http://www.desireeholt.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desireeholtauthor
twitter: https://twitter.com/desireeholt
Thanks again for visiting with us, Desiree! It's been awesome!
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
June 15, 2013
Review by Rach - Frostbound by Sharon Ashwood
Hey folks,
It's time for another Review by Rach.
Today we have FROSTBOUND by Sharon Ashwood. A couple years ago, I picked this book up at the RWA Conference, and it's been sitting on my huge TBR pile until a few weeks ago when I went looking for a paranormal read. And boy did I ever find one.
Paranormal romance will always kind of be my first love, since it was the first genre I read. Sometimes, it's hard to jump into a paranormal series in the middle and not get lost, but I didn't feel like I lost anything. This was my first Sharon Ashwood book, and I ran off to my digital store and bought another one as soon as I finished with this one!
Talia and Lore were both compelling characters with difficult pasts. They were instantly pitted against one another in the book, and the obstacles were stacked against them. They were not just from different places, but different species. What the hell do a hellhound and a vampire have in common, after all?
It was an exciting ride, filled with danger, intrigue, and passion. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, but I thought Lore and Talia could have been forced to wait a while longer before admitting their love to themselves and each other. It almost seemed a little forced to have these revelations so early on in the book, even though you could see them falling for each other, I think it should have been drawn out a bit more. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and fellow lovers of paranormal romance!
I'm currently reading the first book in the series, RAVENOUS and I really like this one too. :-)
It's time for another Review by Rach.
Today we have FROSTBOUND by Sharon Ashwood. A couple years ago, I picked this book up at the RWA Conference, and it's been sitting on my huge TBR pile until a few weeks ago when I went looking for a paranormal read. And boy did I ever find one.
Paranormal romance will always kind of be my first love, since it was the first genre I read. Sometimes, it's hard to jump into a paranormal series in the middle and not get lost, but I didn't feel like I lost anything. This was my first Sharon Ashwood book, and I ran off to my digital store and bought another one as soon as I finished with this one!
Talia and Lore were both compelling characters with difficult pasts. They were instantly pitted against one another in the book, and the obstacles were stacked against them. They were not just from different places, but different species. What the hell do a hellhound and a vampire have in common, after all?
It was an exciting ride, filled with danger, intrigue, and passion. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, but I thought Lore and Talia could have been forced to wait a while longer before admitting their love to themselves and each other. It almost seemed a little forced to have these revelations so early on in the book, even though you could see them falling for each other, I think it should have been drawn out a bit more. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and fellow lovers of paranormal romance!
I'm currently reading the first book in the series, RAVENOUS and I really like this one too. :-)
June 13, 2013
#FREE now -- #Transgender #Romance His Kind of Woman!
Good morning, everyone! I'm very happy to announce that my romance novella, His Kind of Woman is now available as a Spring Fling from Loose Id. This story is something of a follow-up to Uncollared, as it follows the love story of trans woman Venetia Varrano, who appeared in the earlier story.This is a story about secrets and lies, but the secrets don't belong to Venetia. The fact that she's transgender is revealed early in the story (and those who have read Uncollared are already aware of it). It's Roy Girard, Venetia's love interest, who harbors the secret. His brother bullied Venetia unmercifully in high school, when she was known as Victor. Roy's afraid if she learns the truth, she'll no longer want to see him. But secrets always have a way of coming to light.
The story is also about forgiveness. Venetia must decide if she can forgive not only Roy, but his brother Travis as well.
Here's an excerpt for you:
He was just being polite, making sure she made it safely to her door, checking to see she wouldn’t dissolve into a puddle of goo after the scene in the café. But she had other ideas.At her door, she took the initiative and kissed him, crushing her breasts to him and practically grinding her lips against his. When she pulled back, she was gasping. “Do you want me?”He licked his lips, and his eyes narrowed as he peered at her. She read his expression—Where is this coming from?—and knew he wanted to be a gentleman. He didn’t want to take advantage of her in a vulnerable state. The hell with that.“Do you want me, Roy? Tell me the truth. Because I want you. Right now.” He didn’t need to answer because she felt his hard-on prod her pelvis. She kissed him again and holding on to his belt, pulled him inside her apartment.After tossing her sweater and purse on the sofa, she turned toward Roy. He was as still and substantial as a mountain, as real, as dependable. She needed his sturdiness now, needed his strength. “You do want me, don’t you? But you’ve been afraid.”He flushed like a boy being caught with his father’s Playboy.“It’s all right,” she told him as she began to unbutton her blouse. “I understand. You’re worried.” She slowly undid the rest of the buttons until the front of the blouse fell open. “I say I’m a woman, but I used to have a man’s body. And you wonder—am I really truly who I say I am?” She slipped off the blouse and stood before him in her pale blue bra.The heat of his gaze seared her as he stared at her breasts. Her nipples prickled. She unsnapped the front closure of her bra and let the straps slide down her arms. Her dark brown nipples jutted straight out at him, needing him to touch them, kiss them. Roy’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and Venetia could swear she heard him swallow hard.She stood proudly for a moment to let him look at her. She had suffered for this body, not just physically, but emotionally, financially, in every way imaginable. Let her enjoy it now; let him enjoy it too. She basked in his admiration, but as the heat and urgency grew between her legs, Venetia knew it would not be enough.She kicked off her pumps and shimmied out of her jeans. Now she wore only her lacy blue panties. She loved these panties, loved how sexy and feminine they made her feel, and now she saw how Roy loved them too.The enormity of the step she was about to take suddenly hit her. Though she tried to steady it, her voice vibrated with fear as she spoke again. No backing down now, no running away. She slipped her thumb into the waistband of her panties. “There won’t be any surprises when I take these off,” she assured him. “My outside matches my inside now. I’m completely a woman in every way.”As she began to pull the panties down, he stopped her. “Wait.”She froze and her chest squeezed in disappointment. He didn’t want her? He approached her, indicating the panties. “I want to do that.”
* * * * * *I hope you'll give His Kind of Woman a try. The novella will be free until June 19 at the Loose Id site, and will be $2.99 thereafter. In addition, my romance Uncollared will be on sale at $3.99 during the same period.
http://www.loose-id.com/his-kind-of-woman.html
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Facebook, Twitter, Blog
June 6, 2013
#Free #Book! Double Her Fantasy by @Randi_Alexander, and a Chance to Win a Sexy Nightshirt and Two Other Fun Prizes
Happy Friday, everybody! I've got my cowgirl hat on today in honor of guest blogger Randi Alexander. She's here today to tell us about her newest erotic romance release that just so happens to be FREE on Kindle! (Psst--I've read it and it is a great read, sweet and hot. I even got the book before it went free, that shows how much I love Randi's work--and how bad I am at delaying gratification.) She also has a fun contest going on with great prizes! So Randi, welcome, and take it away!
****
Hi - I’m Randi Alexander, and I’ve got a couple fun things going on this week. My erotic menage romance is free at Amazon June 4 - 8. Published by The Wild Rose Press, it’s a hot and romantic story that I hope you’ll enjoy.
Drop by my website for multiple chances to win a cute nightshirt (sizes S - 3X) with my tagline printed on it, a big coffee mug, or a handy flask necklace. Click here to enter.
BOOK BLURB: At a comic book convention, artist Megan Shore is thrilled to meet action movie hunk Garret McGatlin. Usually reclusive, Megan flirts with the leading man of her sexual fantasies. He invites her to his suite for a drink, but when she arrives, his rancher brother Trey opens the door and unleashes Megan's cowboy fantasy. Both men pour on the charm, and she can't decide which of them she desires more.
The McGatlin brothers have shared women, but none of them were like Megan, irresistible and perfect for both of them. Working together, they execute a potent seduction. During a hot, amazing week, the three-way relationship becomes emotionally charged. When they're thrown into the media spotlight, Megan fears the exposure will trigger a past threat. Garrett and Trey need to prove they can keep Megan safe as well as happy and satisfied in their arms.
Available at Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/ZFyXI1
EXCERPT: “Why don't we all get naked?” Garret murmured against Megan’s neck.
The touch of his lips pulsed directly into her breasts, making them heavy and full, craving lips on them, sucking, and fingers plucking and pleasing.
Trey's crooked grin tugged at her heart. “Why don't we.” He stepped back and pulled off his boots, socks, and shirt. He stopped. “Sorry. Ladies first.”
She shook her head. “It was Garret's idea.” She turned to the movie star. “You first.”
His grin lit up his face. “My pleasure.” With a blur of hands, he was naked in seconds. His wide, strong chest held a matting of light-brown hair, more than his brother's did, but shorter. Almost…
“Do you trim your chest hair?” She blurted it out without thinking.
Trey laughed. “Evidently, movie stars do that.”
She looked lower, and saw that he’d neatly trimmed around his turgid cock. Beneath her gaze, it jerked and grew. “Oh, wow.”
“Evidently,” Garret teased, “she likes what movie stars have in their pants, older brother.”
Garret’s cock stood straight out from his body, thick and long, a gorgeous purple color with a plumb-shaped head. She wanted that whole smooth thing in her mouth, and she licked her lips. The temptation to drop to her knees and please him sent hot flares tracing from her head to her core.
He stepped closer. “Baby, this…” He grasped his shaft. “Is hard for you. It's yours all night.”
Her pussy shuddered at his words and she pressed her thighs together to ease the ache. The clink of another belt buckle made her turn toward Trey.
He dropped his pants and kicked them aside. All natural, Trey's light-blond hair curled at the base of his thick shaft. His cock stood tall, nearly touching his belly as it pulsed with each beat of his heart.
Her heart palpitated, rushing blood hot through her body, flushing her skin as bursts of light flashed in her brain.
* * * * * * * *I hope you like Double Her Fantasy, and good luck in the contest!Randi "Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied"
RandiAlexander.com
Double Her Fantasy is free in digital format at Amazon
****
Wow, that was an amazing excerpt, Randi! Thanks again for stopping by. And don't forget, friends, to snap up this free story! Until next week...
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Facebook, Twitter, Blog
****
Hi - I’m Randi Alexander, and I’ve got a couple fun things going on this week. My erotic menage romance is free at Amazon June 4 - 8. Published by The Wild Rose Press, it’s a hot and romantic story that I hope you’ll enjoy.
Drop by my website for multiple chances to win a cute nightshirt (sizes S - 3X) with my tagline printed on it, a big coffee mug, or a handy flask necklace. Click here to enter.
BOOK BLURB: At a comic book convention, artist Megan Shore is thrilled to meet action movie hunk Garret McGatlin. Usually reclusive, Megan flirts with the leading man of her sexual fantasies. He invites her to his suite for a drink, but when she arrives, his rancher brother Trey opens the door and unleashes Megan's cowboy fantasy. Both men pour on the charm, and she can't decide which of them she desires more.
The McGatlin brothers have shared women, but none of them were like Megan, irresistible and perfect for both of them. Working together, they execute a potent seduction. During a hot, amazing week, the three-way relationship becomes emotionally charged. When they're thrown into the media spotlight, Megan fears the exposure will trigger a past threat. Garrett and Trey need to prove they can keep Megan safe as well as happy and satisfied in their arms.
Available at Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/ZFyXI1
EXCERPT: “Why don't we all get naked?” Garret murmured against Megan’s neck.
The touch of his lips pulsed directly into her breasts, making them heavy and full, craving lips on them, sucking, and fingers plucking and pleasing.
Trey's crooked grin tugged at her heart. “Why don't we.” He stepped back and pulled off his boots, socks, and shirt. He stopped. “Sorry. Ladies first.”
She shook her head. “It was Garret's idea.” She turned to the movie star. “You first.”
His grin lit up his face. “My pleasure.” With a blur of hands, he was naked in seconds. His wide, strong chest held a matting of light-brown hair, more than his brother's did, but shorter. Almost…
“Do you trim your chest hair?” She blurted it out without thinking.
Trey laughed. “Evidently, movie stars do that.”
She looked lower, and saw that he’d neatly trimmed around his turgid cock. Beneath her gaze, it jerked and grew. “Oh, wow.”
“Evidently,” Garret teased, “she likes what movie stars have in their pants, older brother.”
Garret’s cock stood straight out from his body, thick and long, a gorgeous purple color with a plumb-shaped head. She wanted that whole smooth thing in her mouth, and she licked her lips. The temptation to drop to her knees and please him sent hot flares tracing from her head to her core.
He stepped closer. “Baby, this…” He grasped his shaft. “Is hard for you. It's yours all night.”
Her pussy shuddered at his words and she pressed her thighs together to ease the ache. The clink of another belt buckle made her turn toward Trey.
He dropped his pants and kicked them aside. All natural, Trey's light-blond hair curled at the base of his thick shaft. His cock stood tall, nearly touching his belly as it pulsed with each beat of his heart.
Her heart palpitated, rushing blood hot through her body, flushing her skin as bursts of light flashed in her brain.
* * * * * * * *I hope you like Double Her Fantasy, and good luck in the contest!Randi "Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied"
RandiAlexander.com
Double Her Fantasy is free in digital format at Amazon
****
Wow, that was an amazing excerpt, Randi! Thanks again for stopping by. And don't forget, friends, to snap up this free story! Until next week...
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Facebook, Twitter, Blog
