Harper Bliss's Blog, page 58

Six Sentence Sunday #2

Part 1 here >>

She drank champagne as if it was the least celebratory drink on the planet, exuding a sort of world-weariness that can only come from having too much of everything. Or not having anything left to dream of.

The bar was an open circle in the centre of the shopping mall, cordoned off by deep-red velvet strings bleeding from the ceiling—like a shredded curtain put up more for effect than privacy. She held court in the middle of it all, the ennui on obvious display on her face. And I wanted to help her, make her feel better.

Undoubtedly, there are a lot of other people much more deserving of my help. People in actual need, with no money or a roof over their head.

More Six Sentence Sunday goodness can be found at the official website. I’ll be back with more next week.

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Latest release: Summer Heat

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Want more FREE stuff? Download my short story Wetter

I take it back

I take this back because, obviously, this is the best gif ever. (In addition to being the best True Blood moment of the entire season.) Spin-off please.

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Latest release: Summer Heat

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Want Hired Help for FREE? Simply subscribe to my mailing list

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Want more FREE stuff? Download my short story Wetter

Six Sentence Sunday

A while back I started a new short story that I’ve been shamelessly neglecting. To breathe some new life into it, I’ve decided to participate in Six Sentence Sunday. This means that every Sunday I’ll be posting six sentences from the story. Here we go. (This is a work in progress, so no extensive editing has been done on it yet.)

It was the middle of the day when I saw her draining the last of her champagne. She sat alone at the bar, staring blankly at a row of empty crystal flutes suspended from metal bars. I don’t know why she caught my eye. Maybe it was the way she fiddled with her pale fingers, as if itching for a cigarette. Or how her bright red hair seemed to catch fire under the ceiling spots.

I’d just spent half a pay-check on a designer lamp at Lane Crawford and I was feeling quite audacious, the way only paying a ludicrous amount of money for something you don’t need can make you feel.

More Six Sentence Sunday goodness can be found at the official website. I’ll be back with more next week.

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Latest release: Summer Heat (currently FREE on Amazon!)

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Want Hired Help for FREE? Simply subscribe to my mailing list

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Want more FREE stuff? Download my short story Wetter

Follow the Rainbow Book Reviews Blog Hop

This blog post is my participation in the Follow the Rainbow Book Reviews Blog Hop, just so you know. I’ll be blogging about what writing GLBTQ literature means to me and giving away a free copy of A Hotter State.

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me when I would write something ‘straight’, I’d be quite a wealthy woman by now. My answer has always been: if I, as a lesbian, don’t write about GLBTQ characters, who will do it for me?

Things are different in the world of erotica, where same-sex erotica is just naturally part of everything. But earlier this year, when I released a general GLBTQ (non-erotic) novel (under a different name), a straight acquaintance told me that even though she liked my book, she would have loved it even more if it had been about straight people. I sent her to the nearest book store and told her to have a look around because I was certain that 99% of the books displayed would be about straight people.

I did, however, understand where her statement was coming from. You see, I’m the same. The times I finish a book and think to myself I would have enjoyed that so much more if the protagonist was a lesbian are countless. It’s only natural to want to see part of yourself reflected in the fiction you read (or watch). In fact, I think it’s extremely important to have as many GLBTQ characters out there as possible.

Let me give you a TV-related example. A few years ago, I, along with most other lesbians on this planet, was hooked on The L Word. I watched every episode multiple times and spent hours processing Bette and Tina’s break-up (oh, that carpenter) with fellow addicts. Never mind that half the time the show was so bad I wanted to smash my TV, never mind that they killed off the most beloved character (oops, hope I didn’t spoil that for you) in season three and that the last season didn’t make any sense. I still watch it, again and again. Not because I particularly enjoy torturing myself, but because the show is about lesbians. It’s as simple as that.

We live in a straight world, and hey, that’s fine, but just once in a while, I want to recognise an important part of myself in pop culture, be it books, TV or music. I scour the Amazon bestsellers list for new lesbian fiction regularly. I’ve seen every lesbian movie out there, bad or good (mainly bad though, but that’s a whole other blog post.)

It’s not a choice. It’s who I am. Creating a gay character instead of a straight one is my way of identifying and, hopefully, along the line, may mean something to someone who really needs it.

So, I’m very grateful to all the other authors participating in this blog hop for writing stories in which I can see myself. Do hop along and see what they have to say on this topic.

Oh, and speaking of GLBTQ fiction, leave a comment below and you can win a copy (any e-book format) of A Hotter State, which bundles three of my stories (caution: they’re hot).

 

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Latest release: Summer Heat (currently FREE on Amazon!)

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Want Hired Help for FREE? Simply subscribe to my mailing list

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Want more FREE stuff? Download my short story Wetter

New Release: Summer Heat (FREE!)

Summer Heat is available and for the next five days, you can get it for FREE!

Here’s the blurb:

When Cat is unceremoniously dumped by her girlfriend right before their holiday, she decides to join her parents on their annual trip to Tuscany. Prepared for two weeks of sun-drenched melancholy, she finds much more than nostalgia in the house where she used to spend her summers as a child.

Download a PDF preview here >>

Or you can just download the whole story from Amazon US or Amazon UK (or FR/DE/IT/ES) because, for the next five days, it’s totally free.

This story is by far the most romantic one I’ve written. It has a a bit of nostalgia for summers past running through it. It came to me one morning when I woke up and the sun was slanting through the curtains in a way that instantly made me want to step back in time. Sometimes, all it takes is a shadow on the wall.

I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say that plot-wise there’s some cougar action going on. Also, I loved the characters and their story so much that I’ve already written a sort-of sequel; a companion piece written from the point of view of Cat’s cougar. Hey, summer’s not over yet…

So, go get your free copy and enjoy!

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Latest release: Summer Heat (currently FREE on Amazon!)

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Want Hired Help for FREE? Simply subscribe to my mailing list

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Want more FREE stuff? Download my short story Wetter

Review: Smart Ass (Annual Anal Erotica)

I’m one of those compulsive Amazon sample downloaders. (I kind of have to be as an erotica author, it’s called research.) (Yes, I know, I’m not fooling anyone.) Anyway, this book proved the power of the sample to me once and for all.

The first story in this mini-anthology ‘My Ass is Your Ass is My Ass’ by Kristina Lloyd had me from the get-go. Not just because it was kinky (and I mean really very dirty), but mostly (seriously) because of the stellar writing.

I can’t even remember where the sample ended (I tried to because I wanted to use it to illustrate my point in this blog post), because all I wanted to do was continue reading. I didn’t care how much I had to pay for it ($4.49 on Amazon, I learned later), I just wanted to have it on my Kindle and finish reading it. Kristina, you’ve got yourself a new fan.

I was already a fan of the über-prolific Sommer Marsden, who seems to have a story in every anthology I read. Her story ‘Smokehouse’ was equally dirty, slightly unethical (but in a really exciting, romantic way) and, basically, made me realise that, as far as kinky writing is concerned, I can push the boat out much further than I’ve been doing so far.

In the third tale, ‘Tahoe Tease’ by Thomas S. Roche, the act of anal sex isn’t even consumed. It’s all in the teasing, which is more than expertly evoked by Roche’s fantastic tension-building sentences.

‘From the Bottom of My Heart’ by Sophia Valenti is an almost romantic story about a friendship that goes, well, all the way. The fifth and last story, ‘Plucked’ by the editor of this anthology Alison Tyler, had some interesting role reversals going on. It also features a bisexual woman and led to a lot of wishful thinking on my part (but that’s just me, of course) and despite (mild spoiler alert) not getting my wish granted, the plot twist in the end had me quite surprised.

I read Smart Ass over the weekend and I’ve been trying to come up with a few good reasons why, of all the books I read and sample, this one got to me. I mean, the lay-out was a bit wonky, the cover not particularly enticing and, let’s face it, heterosexual anal sex isn’t exactly my cup of tea. It can only be the exquisite writing then, which transported me right to where I needed to be to enjoy every single story.

Needless to say, I loved this book. It’s the right kind of intense and filthy. But don’t take my word for it. Download the sample and see if you can resist.

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Latest release: A Hotter State

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Want Hired Help for FREE? Simply subscribe to my mailing list >>

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Want more FREE stuff? Download my short story Wetter here >>

Best. Gif. Ever.

Despite the non-glowing reviews, I’m quite excited to see Albert Nobbs tonight.

(gif plucked from scribegrrrl.com)

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Latest release: A Hotter State

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Want Hired Help for FREE? Simply subscribe to my mailing list >>

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Want more FREE stuff? Download my short story Wetter here >>

Cool

Remember ‘Cool’, the best Gwen Stefani song ever (No Doubt included)? Of course, in the song, she’s only pretending to be cool about her ex getting with another woman. That’s how I’ve been feeling all day. I’m desperately trying to be cool about my submission to Smut in the City being accepted, but, well, it’s not really working out.

Why so excited? Well, check the following list of contributors to this ‘Tales of Urban Passion’ anthology:

A long, hard Hammer by Sommer Marsden
A Tale of Two Sisters by Toni Sands
Glory Box by Cassandra Dean
Her Secret Garden by Viva Jones
Lights Out by MA Stacie
Mad fer it in Machester by Victoria Blisse
Love of my Life by Wendi Zwaduk
Neighbours by Harper Bliss
Taking Care of Business by Lexie Bay
Saturday on a Tuesday by Giselle Renarde
The Conjuror by Tabitha Rayne
Underground Encounter by Tamsin Flowers
Verona by Geoff Chaucer
Within the Crumbling Walls by Lucy Felthouse

Yep, that’s my name amongst some of the brightest stars in erotica. Nope, I’m not cool. I’m practically foaming at the mouth at the mere sight of it.

My story ‘Neighbours’ features two lesbians (of course) getting it on in Hong Kong. More info on Smut in the City here >>

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Latest release: A Hotter State

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Want Hired Help for FREE? Simply subscribe to my mailing list >>

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Want more FREE stuff? Download my short story Wetter here >>

Three things

1. Catwoman is hot

But I’m probably preaching to the choir. Spin-off please! (Yes, this was just an excuse to post a picture of Anne Hathaway in a skintight leather catsuit.)

2. Subscribe to my mailing list and get Hired Help for free

Sign up for my mailing list and get a FREE copy (any e-book format) of Hired Help. Just click this link and follow the instructions. (I solemnly vow to never abuse your e-mail address or spam you.)

3. Win a free copy of A Hotter State

LadyLit is holding a contest and you can win a free copy of my latest release A Hotter State (along with a copy of Come and Go by Lee Harlem Robinson). All you have to do is tweet or share on Facebook. You can find the contest rules here >>

PS A Hotter State bundles my three novelettes and a short story!

All Of Me

Today A Hotter State drops and the title of this blog post says it all: it contains all three of my published stories so far, plus an unpublished short story. Here’s the contents:

Hired Help

Olivia’s girlfriend walked out on her months ago and she’s desperate for some action. Her best friend recommends some hired help.

The Honeymoon 

A sizzling novelette featuring a couple of newlyweds honeymooning in Phuket. When they encounter a mysterious Asian woman in their beach side resort, they decide to give each other a very special wedding gift.

Learning Curve

Ada’s company relocated her to Berlin, provided that she’d take an intensive course in German. It proves to be a steep learning curve, until her teacher Giselle implements some alternative educational methods.

New Girl (note: this story is available in the ‘Free stories‘ section)

Liz has to share a room with the new girl on the volleyball team. What begins as a frustrating experience, soon evolves into something very satisfying.

30.000 words of lesbian hotness bundled together in a very gently priced omnibus. Here’s the deal. This book only costs $4.99 (which is less than the price of Hired Help and The Honeymoon combined if you were to buy them separately, and you get Learning Curve and New Girl thrown in as well). I guess you could call it a bargain. But that’s not the end of it. If you buy it through my web shop and share your purchase on Twitter or Facebook, you get a 20% discount. Which means, basically, that you get all of me for $3.99.

Let’s break it down, shall we. A Hotter State is available from:

- Amazon US

- Amazon UK

- Amazon DE

- Smashwords

- All Romance

- Rainbow eBooks

- My web shop (where you will get a 20% discount after you’ve tweeted or Facebook-shared your purchase!)

Enjoy!

PS On another note: Wetter is finally free on Amazon!

PPS Next brand new release: Summer Heat on 22 August