Cecilia Tan's Blog, page 32
August 7, 2013
Night Owl Reviews gave SLOW SURRENDER 5 Stars!
“I loved, loved Slow Surrender and am waiting on pins and needles for book two, Slow Seduction to come out.” Yay! So says Sandiebuck over at Night Owl Reviews, who not only gave Slow Surrender 5 stars, she made it a Reviewer Top Pick!
“This was another brilliant outing from Cecilia Tan,” she writes. “As usual, her characters are full of life and emotion, and so believable. Definitely a keeper!!!”
August 6, 2013
Help Slow Surrender succeed and get a reward
This is it! SLOW SURRENDER launches today in paperback! Yeahhhh!!!
So, I started doing this when the ebook came out, and I’m going to keep it up until September 1st! Basically, help me spread the word about the book Slow Surrender, and I’ll reward you with a special erotic bonus scene from James’s point of view.
In fact, James wouldn’t settle for merely describing a sex scene. He wrote a whole treatise on the nature of sex and desire. It’s a nine-page ebook, “James on THE ART OF LOVE,” which I have as PDF, epub, or mobi.
How do you get the bonus ebook? Trade me a screencap or photo of any of the following by emailing it to ctan.writer @ gmail.com, and let me know which format you want (PDF/mobi/epub) and I’ll email you back the file!
All the following are valid in trade:
* screencap of your review of the book on Goodreads or Amazon
* screencap of your review or recommendation of the book to your friends on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, Livejournal, or any other social network, really!
* photo of the paperback on sale in your local bookstore (or Target!)
* photo of your copy of the paperback with your cat or other pet
* photo of yourself with the book wearing pearls! (either you or the book can be wearing the pearls…)
(Sample “book and pearls selfie”…)
But wait, there’s more! A SECOND special incentive…
If you already got the bonus ebook before, or if you’re really motivated, the SECOND bonus incentive is a sneak peak of Slow Seduction, which will be the second book in the trilogy. The sneak peek will include three full chapters of the Slow Seduction, which will be coming out in January 2014!
To get the Slow Seduction Sneak Peek AND James on “The Art of Love,” send me TWO screencaps or photos!
And then there’s a third incentive, which can be had for sending me THREE screencaps or photos: a sheet of limited edition Slow Surrender stickers! These are while supplies last, and if you like, I have pearl mardi-gras beads that include a white medallion you can stick the stickers to!
(yes, they’re MOO stickers…)
So have at it, folks! And thank you so much for helping me make the world a sexy and enjoyable place. :-)
FIND Slow Surrender: Hachette’s web site| Amazon.com
| B&N Nookstore | iTunes/iBooks |Google Play | Goodreads | Kobo | Powells | Sony
Connect with Cecilia Tan: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr | Livejournal | G+ | Blog
August 5, 2013
Slow Surrender paperback launch chat this Thursday! Details…
This week the paperback edition of SLOW SURRENDER finally is officially released! To celebrate the event of my first major fiction paperback from a major publisher since the 1990s, please join me online for a chat!
To submit a question for me to answer in the chat, either email it to ctan.writer at gmail dot com, or leave it in comments!
If you want to be sure you’re looped into the live Google hangout, or if you’re in the Boston area and would like to come be in the “studio audience” (at my office) during the event, please drop me a message! The cats and I would love to have some people here while I vamp and take questions.
My plan is to run simultaneous feeds to Google Hangout (YouTube) and uStream! I’ll read some hot snippets from the book, talk about what life is like for a BDSM romance writer in a post-50-Shades world, and maybe even read some exclusive content never before published…? Tune in and join the party!
My uStream channel is: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cecilia-tan
On Google+ I am ctan.writer.
RSVP to the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/469443179818382
July 28, 2013
C.C. Gibbs talks romance, doms, and ALL HE WANTS
CC Gibbs interviewed by Cecilia Tan
I really enjoyed the steamy relationship between Kate and Dominic in the recent book ALL HE WANTS
. I found it reminiscent at first of one of my favorite books from last year, BARED TO YOU by Sylvia Day, in that Dominic is a yes, dominating, no-nonsense uber-CEO type who frankly expresses his attraction to the heroine. Unlike BARED TO YOU, though, which doesn’t go explicitly into the world of BDSM, ALL HE WANTS most deliciously teases that edge. Which of course made me curious to ask the author, CC Gibbs, all kinds of questions.
1. We know right from the get-go that Dominic is an experienced BDSM player… and although the power dynamic between him and Kate is always superheated, he introduces the more physical aspects of BDSM – orgasm denial, sex toys, nipple play – very gradually. Unlike in some romances I’ve read, I found that to be a really realistic depiction of how it often is when one partner is experienced and the other one’s first reaction is, “I’m not into that kinky stuff.” Were you striving for realism there? What’s the place of realism in the fantasy of a romance?
CC Gibbs: Oh, shit, are these supposed to be fantasies? I’m not sure I got the memo. The thing is – my characters seem real to me. Their world seems real. And most of their activities aren’t anything others can’t do – with the exception of the private planes and huge money. And I know there are some readers who have that too. But the sex — pick your favorite kind – can be a fun activity for anyone, love is out there in the world in a great variety of forms and the happily ever after is a universal hope that exists in most – I want to say all – of us.
However – I will admit to heightening my reality with Google research and pages and pages of interesting accessories and props I tear from magazines.
That said, my characters literally talk to me, I listen and key in what they say. I call it a twilight zone kind of writing. And to answer the question about differences in sexual experience, Kate’s character was relatively inexperienced and despite Dominic’s almost pathological need for control, he’s not a Neanderthal, so their relationship unfolded accordingly. Their personalities drove the narrative.
The hardest part about writing is taking the time to define every little freaking detail so the reader sees what I see, hears what I hear, vicariously feels what my characters feel.
The three book format allowed character development that’s not possible in a single volume.
2. This is far from being your first romance, but it’s your first under this name. How was writing this book different from writing your others?
CC: What I found I liked best – quite by accident – was that the three book format allowed character development that’s not possible in a single volume. You’d think I could have figured that out beforehand, but duh. In fact, I’ve always resisted a trilogy with the same characters, although I’ve often written books in series. So it was a lovely feeling – really getting to know Dominic and Kate.
3. One of the things every romance author has to do for almost every book is figure out what the heroine does for a living. How did you pick forensic accounting? I was totally fascinated by that – and I didn’t expect to be!
I like smart women. Smart, mouthy women.
CC: I’m not altogether certain since I’m a just-wing-it writer, but if I had to guess, I’d say my current interest in hacking had something to do with it. I find myself absolutely fascinated by hackers. I’ve read a little about the profession. I was writing another book about a male hacker when the fifty shades phenomenon hit the publishing world. And bottom line, I like smart women. Smart, mouthy women.
4. Was it fun, or challenging, or both, to have so many locations in the book? Amsterdam, Singapore, Hong Kong? I loved all the “food porn” in the story, too! Is it important to you when writing erotica to engage other pleasures, too, besides the purely sexual ones?
CC: Jeez, those are really hard questions for a writer who never thinks about anything until some voice out of nowhere tells her what to key in. I probably was just amusing myself with all the different locations. As for the food, I come from a family where we always ate dessert first to avoid the dilemma of being too full after a meal to enjoy it. So food is like a major pleasure which probably explains why it’s generally featured in my books along with that other major pleasure – sex.
5. People often say romance novels are escapism, but unlike the outdated stereotypes of the housewife reading them to escape a dull life, I find so many of my readers are workaholic career women like me. As such I loved the scenes in Hong Kong where both Kate and Dominic, who are both total workaholics, keep saying to each other “tonight we’re just going to have fun.” It’s like one night without being tied to the smartphone is a total wish-fulfillment fantasy unto itself, even before they get to any sex! Did you intend it that way?
CC: I think it’s a serendipitous conversation in which Dominic mentions “just having fun.” Both characters are operating within an environment of unknowns. Kate has preconceived notions of who and what Dominic Knight is. He’s reassuring her he has a human side. Not that he’s entirely sure he does, but he knows better than to say that and frighten her off when she’s – in his eyes – entirely naive. And I agree, the old stereotypes are long gone when it comes to escapist fiction.
6. I think my favorite line in the book is this one. “She enjoyed his startle reflex. It made him human.” Tell me about it.
CC: By necessity, Dominic has learned to control his feelings. He rarely exposes his thoughts; he’s disciplined and constrained. And on those rare occasions when he allows his mask to slip for a fraction of a second, his humanity is exposed.
7. Finally, it’s a trilogy. My own novels for Grand Central Publishing/Forever are a trilogy, too. Did you enjoy writing a longer, more complex story than can be told in a single book? And do you have any advice for dealing with readers who are desperately impatient for the next installment?
CC: I very much enjoyed the longer format. It made it possible to add considerably more complexity to the characters and plot. As for impatience, that’s a tough one since the publishing schedule is out of my hands. I’m busy working on book 3 at the moment so hopefully, soon, the last installment of Dominic and Kate’s story will be finished.
BUY ALL HE WANTS in ebook or paperback!
ALL HE WANTS at: Amazon | Powells | Barnes & Noble | Google Books | iTunes/iBookstore | Publisher’s website
July 21, 2013
July 16, 2013
Ahahhaha…
If I did this right then off to the right you should see a popup window of fun. :-)
June 21, 2013
RT Book Reviews loved SLOW SURRENDER!
Whew yes!! One of the most important review magazines for romance novels just reviewed SLOW SURRENDER and loved it! In the August issue of Romantic Times/RT Book Reviews, it says:
“This is the BDSM novel all the other millionaire Dom heroes want to star in.”
Also: “Tan takes an overused trope and turns it into a dreamy, erotic fantasy that draws the reader down the rabbit hole along with Karina. The sex scenes are lush and erotic without attempting to outdo the last BDSM novel out there, and James’ struggle to trust Karina enough to give up even an iota of his rigid control is palpable. Readers will be clamoring for the next book in the series.”
I’m amused to note that RT has a star rating system, but they don’t have a 5 star level. 1, 2, 3, 4, and two different 4 1/2 star ratings, one that’s just 4 1/2 stars, one that’s 4 1/2 “Gold.” Okay then! SLOW SURRENDER got 4 1/2 stars! (But not gold. This month that honor went to Tiffany Reisz for The Mistress. Can’t wait to read it, but I’m still in the middle of The Siren
, which I haven’t had time to read because I’ve been writing Slow Satisfaction! Pleasure reading has had to wait.)
SLOW SURRENDER officially comes out in paperback on August 5! (Ebook available now, though, if you can’t wait.)
June 18, 2013
Writing news, cons, free books, health stuff, general life update…
Whew. It’s been a busy year so far, but the good news is that health-wise I am really starting to bounce back. tl:dr, last year I was severely anemic, was finally diagnosed in November, by December my iron levels were back up but I still have occasional crashes. This month is the first time I’ve really felt mostly like myself in close to two years!
Having more energy means I’m keeping up with my writing commitments better. I’m in the middle of writing the third book in a BDSM billionaire romance trilogy for Hachette/Grand Central Publishing/Forever, the Struck by Lightning trilogy. The first book, Slow Surrender, is out in ebook now and the paperback comes August 5th!
Speaking of which, there’s a Goodreads giveaway for the book going on right now. If you’re on Goodreads, check it out here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/55415-slow-surrender
They’re giving away 10 copies of the book.
Meanwhile, I’m writing book 3, Slow Satisfaction, and having a fun time with it. When I started writing this BDSM-themed book, I didn’t realize there was going to be quite such an exhibitionist streak to Karina. Interesting how these things go… This one is going to be fun to bring in for a landing. My goal is to leave myself and every reader utterly limp from erotic satiation.
I’m also in a transition period of Daron’s Guitar Chronicles. It took two full years of the serial to tell all the things that happened during the two months the band was on tour! Now they’re off the road and Daron is feeling very dislocated. That makes me feel weirdly dislocated when I write it. But I’m used to that. I did a Liner Note post recently where I tallied the word count on the serial so far: 491,213 words. That’s about half the length of the Harry Potter series, so I’ve got a ways to go if I want to beat Voldemort.
When anemia hits it’s the weirdest thing. When it’s hard to get out of bed it”s so easy to ascribe it to depression or lack of motivation. But when you’re standing at the bottom of a staircase wanting to go up and your legs are just NOT moving, that’s not being too depressed to go up the stairs. That’s lack of oxygen to your muscles. (And your brain.)
The two major parts of restoring my health other than taking iron supplements have been getting off the road and trying to actually get 8 hours of sleep a night. I stayed home all winter pretty much, no cons except Arisia here in Boston. And I have a very reduced schedule for the rest of this year, too:
*Readercon (July 11-14, Burlington, MA)
*Society for American Baseball Research (July 31 – August 5, Philadelphia)
*Geeky Kink Event New England (Aug 16-18, Warwick, RI)
*Circlet Editorial Retreat West Coast (Sep 13-15, San Francisco)
*Barcelona (vacation! Sept 20-30)
*Palmetto Healing Arts Clinic (Oct 31-Nov 3, Columbia, SC)
Next year I’ll have to ramp up again to promote the Struck by Lightning series, so I’ll be adding Frolicon back in, Romantic Times, Wiscon, maybe RWA also? It’s important that I not just overdo it again and end up right back in the ER, so I still have to pace myself.
With an eye toward the Barcelona vacation… anyone have suggestions on sites or programs for learning Catalan? I used to be fluent in Spanish so at the very least I should brush up there, too, but I would love to learn Catalan if I can. There’s no Rosetta Stone module for it!
June 14, 2013
My Readercon Schedule! (preliminary)
It’s still subject to change, but I’m so excited about the items I’m currently signed up to do at Readercon that I wanted to post them right away! *muppetflail*
Readercon is July 11-14 in Burlington, MA (just north of Boston).
I missed Readercon last year because I was spending that weekend in robes at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for a special event and Potter convention, so I’m really excited to be back.
I’m currently assigned to three panels (with kaffeeklatsch/autographing still TBD):
Writing (Hot and Heavy) Action — parallels between fight scenes and sex scenes
Architects and Gardeners — aka pantsers versus plotters
Crowdfunding: The Glory and the Peril — Kickstarter and beyond
Details below the cut!
Friday July 12
7:00 PM ME
Writing (Hot and Heavy) Action.
Elizabeth Bear, Nicholas Kaufmann (leader), Margo Lanagan, John Shirley, Cecilia Tan.
Good action scenes and good sex scenes have a surprising amount in common. This panel will discuss the best ways of approaching both. Expect the discussion to get raunchy and specific.
Saturday July 13
1:00 PM F
Architects and Gardeners.
Dale Bailey, Greer Gilman, Stacy Hill, James Patrick Kelly (moderator), Cecilia Tan, Gregory A. Wilson, Trent Zelazny.
In a 2011 interview in the Sydney Morning Herald, George R. R. Martin declared there were two types of writers: architects, whose stories come from meticulous plotting and planning, and gardeners, who take an idea and allow it to grow into shape, uninhibited. “I am definitely more of a gardener,” he said, adding, “In my Hollywood years when everything does work on outlines, I had to put on my architect’s clothes and pretend to be an architect.” Aside from fitting into a broader creative culture, what other benefits might there be (for new or established writers) to deliberately go against one’s natural tendencies? Which types of stories are best developed with an architectural or gardening approach? And how does the writer’s approach affect the reader’s experience of the work?
Sunday July 14
1:00 PM G
Crowdfunding: The Glory and the Peril.
Mike Allen (leader), Kevin E.F. Clark, Matthew Kressel, Ken Schneyer, Cecilia Tan.
In this troubled market, small publishers, authors, and editors are all turning to crowdfunding to get the backing for their cherished projects. Novelists, anthology editors, and magazine publishers are asking for funds on Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and other sites, and some are coming away triumphant. If you want to try it for yourself, how do you make it work? What do you avoid? What unexpected problems lurk? Author, editor, and publisher Mike Allen, veteran of a $10,000 campaign to fund the anthology Clockwork Phoenix 4, will lead a discussion of what works, what doesn’t, and what successful campaigners wish they’d done differently.
June 3, 2013
I went to BookExpo and met Grumpy Cat (photos)
My photos from my BookExpo America are compiled below the cut. Yes, I met the actual Grumpy Cat (aka Tardar Sauce) and R2D2, and got a Smaug “The Hobbit” tote bag (because Harcourt/Houghton is on Tumblr and they had pre-announced what times they’d be giving them out!), and got a signed print of new Harry Potter art by Kazu Kibuishi. Yes, all the fannish things, because my professional obligations this BEA were small, so when I wasn’t in sessions on digital marketing or having meetings, I let my inner fangirl take over. :-)
Speaking of fangirling, I also met Sylvia Day, who is awesome, not just for writing BARED TO YOU but also the great work she does with RWA.
I went to some BEA parties, too, including a reading at Happy Endings Lounge where Laura Antoniou, Molly Weatherfield, and DL King all read BDSM fiction and there were very delicious cocktails, a Kobo party where there were glowing things galore and an open bar(! classy!), and the BenBella Books 10th anniversary party at a bowling alley in Brooklyn. (I did not bowl—I don’t think my RSI would appreciate it.)
Grumpy Cat is real!! And had a longer line than Jim Carrey, no lie.
Metadata is a hot topic! Here's why it's important to be consistent!
Kazu Kibuishi autographing a print of Harry Potter and Hagrid in Diagon Alley.
The autographed print of the Harry Potter art. I cut off the autograph from the photo though, oops.
Sylvia Day autographing the audiobooks of ENTWINED WITH YOU
At the Twitter workshop, I tweeted about taking the workshop, and then later in the workshop my tweet about the workshop appeared on the screen. Soooo meta. But Twitter's recursive nature is part of the fun. :-)
Doo dee doo (beep boop whistle), R2D2 cruising the show floor...
Delicious BDSM books and delicious cocktails at Happy Endings Lounge
