Liz Everly's Blog, page 71

Santa Baby

Hope you have a Supernatural Holiday!

by Madeline Iva

My God, I love Christmas. Not the Jesus, midnight-mass, crèche-y sort of Christmas, with forced family visits and crabby holiday travel. No.

I love the boughs of holly, elf (but not on the shelf) ornaments, log fires, and garlands for days.  Rat pack Christmas carols. Mistletoe.  My grandmother’s whacky bright Christmas decorations that are cheery and kinda tacky. I’m talking good ole rambunctious, alcohol- soaked, rum ball holiday spirit. Good will, peace on earth and spirits bright enough to bounce you into the New Year with no hangovers and fewer regrets.

Plus I love all things winter-y. Plus Christmas lights of almost any kind.

This is Secret Santa theme week at Lady Smut.  The secret santa is, to my mind, an inspired idea. First of all there’s the secrets. Love ’em–especially harmless ones like secret santa stuff. Second of all, there’s the santa part.  You get to be santa — how cool is that? Here are some guidelines that I think would help the secret santa tradition:

When you least expect it, expect it. My best all time secret santa-y experience was getting serenaded “Goodnight Sweetheart” in a stairwell by four hot guys doing quartet harmony. Best. Gift. Evah! The lead singer turned out to be my secret santa. And I never saw it coming.
Luxury food items, please. Especially in small portions. If your secret santa gives you goodies, why should you have to share? The best part of secret santa is the secret part.

See's Candies 8 oz. Assorted Molasses Chips

See’s Molasses Chips. If you haven’t tried these yet, you don’t know what you’re missing. Click to buy.

Generosity as an addictive art form. An author once said to me: “Generosity is the art of giving people what they want, not what you think they need.” She was right.  It is an art. Observing people as you try to figure out what they really want is not easy. But once you figure out what they want, giving it to them usually is.  Sometimes the pleasure you give to others feels even better than receiving. (Great advice in bed as well as at the office. ; > )

For that crunchy granola loving person in your life–or yourself! All natural hand/face cream. I use this and I have SUPER-DUPER sensitive skin. Click to buy.

Be your own secret santa. Is there something you really, really want for the holidays? Say some amazing lingerie? Get it for yourself. You’ll be amazed by how good you feel in secretly treating yourself instead of waiting for someone else to get it for you. Shhhhh! I won’t tell. (For instance–see the images? Treat yourself to any one of them. Just click to buy.)

This year’s hottest gift to self? Granny panties. I shit you not. Click to buy.

Leave no Scrooge behind. In an ideal world, one should be able to pick her secret santa target, but no one should be left out. That cranky pants person no one wants to pick in the office? What if, like, five of you got together and just bombarded that person with tiny gifts.  You never know, the shock tactics might melt the old witch’s/bastard’s heart. That’s a teary dickens moment waiting to happen, right there.

Untouchable (Elite Doms of Washington Book 2)

Click me to buy me.

And if you like BDSM romances with swanky settings, D.C. powerbrokers, and secrets galore, here’s Elizabeth SaFleur’s book Untouchable (Elite Doms of Washington Book 2)UNTOUCHABLE, just for your Christmas stocking.

Be merry and bright & follow us at Lady Smut.

Holy sh**! Bedazzling your poo

By Elizabeth Shore

It’s the holiday season! Pass the gingerbread cookies and spiked bowl of ‘nog. And if you’re lucky like me, your office has got a little “Secret Santa” goodtime cheer going on, where you get the name of a co-worker you barely know and have to figure out a present they just might not hate. On top of shopping for someone you don’t know, even worse is trying to figure out something unique and fun for someone you know well. And who’s got everything. The pressure’s on, peeps! The agony of what to do can weigh you down like too much stuffing. Fortunately we intrepid LadySmut bloggers are only too happy to help. When we come across something we haven’t seen before, we’ll always pass it along. And holy crap, have we got a doozy for you!

Have you ever thought to yourself, gee, I wish my poo would sparkle like stars in the sky. No? Well, somebody has. And fortunately for us, they’ve also done something about it. Let’s hear it for glitter pills.

Glitter pills come in a rainbow of colors or just plain gold if you’re feeling like a champ. They’re non toxic, gelatin capsules that look to be about the size of a standard fish oil pill. They’ve easily available on an Etsy shop called, appropriately enough, GlitterPills. But here’s where things get just a little bit more weird. The FAQ on the GlitterPills site says that glitter pills aren’t meant to be consumed. WTF? They’re pills, GlitterPill people. What else do you do with pills except pop ’em in your mouth and swallow? And if they’re not meant to be taken like a pill why shape them like a pill? Strange as it sounds, the GlitterPill people don’t actually know what the product is for. They just look awesome! according to their FAQ. People find them fascinating. Um, so here’s what’s fascinating. People who feel compelled to make their poo shimmer. Why, people? WHY?

I mean, really. Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, you decide that having a sparkle party in your toilet bowl is an absolute must. So you pop a glitter pill and get down to business. The result is everything you’d ever dreamed: a twinkling, glistening pile o’ poo. You look at it. It shimmers. But then what the hell comes next? Whip out your phone and snap a couple pics for Instagram?

The whole thing sounds so utterly bizarre that I had to poll my besties for their take on the matter. The result was a mostly confused, horrified, or laughing-til-it-hurts reaction. But one friend, after puzzling for a minute, decided that  glitter pills are probably used by those with a feces fetish. Hey, it wasn’t up to me to poo-poo that theory. She just might be right about it.

In any case, if you don’t want to actually use the glitter pills as a pill, perhaps you could just pull them apart and throw the glitter around like so much sparkly confetti. After all, there’s nothing more fun than cleaning up powder-fine glitter, right?

Untouchable (Elite Doms of Washington Book 2)If this idea isn’t quite right for your Secret Santa office party, a better idea is our own Elizabeth SaFleur’s Untouchable (Elite Doms of Washington Book 2)Untouchable. It’s a great read and has been nominated for best BDSM book of the year by the BDSM Writers Con 2016. Check it out. It might not be filled with glitter, but reading the fantastic story is a gas.

 

 

 

When Parties Were Parties and the Lampshades Were Scared

Ed from accounting is my Secret Santa this year. He doesn’t do office potlucks.

By Alexa Day

Choosing the writer’s life, for me, has meant swearing off the so-called normal job. For the most part, I don’t miss normal work. I haven’t had to complete a self-evaluation in many years. Corporate HR and I don’t really know each other.

On the other hand, I don’t get seasonal bonuses or paid vacations, but to hear other people tell it, normal job perks like that are going the way of the triceratops, right behind that watch you’re supposed to get at retirement.

But what about the annual holiday party? Is anyone still having those?

I’m not talking about the modern holiday party. I’ve been to the office potluck, where we employees supply the food and drink, our supervisors help themselves while contributing nothing, and we all have to be finished during our allotted lunch time. You can forget about dancing and merriment when there’s barely enough time to make a plate.

I’m thinking of the legendary parties of the past. The ones scheduled after work. Management reserves a space — maybe in the office and maybe not — and supplies the food and drink. Music plays in the background. We have time to dress up a little and get to know those intriguing fellows in the other departments. Sure, everyone blames the alcohol (and every year, someone overdoes it), but really, this is about a large group of people awkwardly pretending to have a good time. Then they either start having a real good time, or they find someone else to be awkward with. No one wants to be first to leave, and so people talk. And notice each other. And maybe flirt a little.

Dark corners and indiscretions abound. At least they used to.

Thankfully, intriguing fellows from other departments still exist. Our modern age hasn’t rendered them obsolete.

I know these parties used to be a proud holiday tradition. Ebenezer Scrooge attended a wild office Christmas party, for heaven’s sake. But I can barely remember the last fancy Christmas party I attended for work.

Are people still doing that?

What’s killing the wild holiday office party?

Is it fear of alcohol? I’m always dismayed by the notion that I can be trusted with the client’s sensitive personal and business information, but not with wine.

Is it expense? The last party I remember took place in the senior partner’s home, and that guy managed to get two carving stations in there. He seemed to be encouraged by expense. (He was a joy to work for, too.)

Is it good, old-fashioned laziness?

I hope not. I really hope that sloth isn’t smothering the office holiday party. Part of me thinks the real culprit is fear of litigation, and I think I’d rather hear that lawyers are the problem instead of laziness.

Click me to buy me.

Actually, what would make me really happy is to hear that the wild office party is alive and well, and that the problem is that I’m working for the wrong people. I could live with that.

Then the challenge becomes securing an invitation to one of those parties. Right?

Anyway, if you miss the workplace inappropro as much as I do, you should get in line for Elizabeth SaFleur’s newest, Untouchable. You’ll get to see what happens when Legal and PR come together (yes!) after hours. (After PR’s hours, anyway. Legal tends to not really have hours.) Doesn’t that sound like a lovely way to supplement the holiday party? Doesn’t it?

And follow Lady Smut. We will actually bring something to the potluck.

The Holiday Craze

It’s Theme Week at Lady Smut as we gear up for the holidays and Lawdy, but they are fast approaching. Some have even already begun. Happy Chanukkah to all our Jewish readers!

Hang on. Wasn’t it just January a minute ago?

Let’s face it, the holidays are damn stressful and I’m not only talking about worrying if you’ve been naughty or nice. (Come on, you read Lady Smut. You’re naughty by default.) Shopping and adverts and decorating, OH MY. (You do *not* want to know how many times I’ve Googled “gifts for co-workers”).

The holidays bring with it the super cray cray. Christmas (and the rest) does shit to people so that many lose their every lovin’ minds (and other things) in the mad dash to make the “perfect” holiday.

Well, if you’ve jingled your bells till they’ve cracked, here’s a respite for when you feel your crazy coming on.

 

A Very Murray Christmas.

I’m a big fan of the classic variety shows, especially Carol Burnett and Dean Martin shows. There may be only so much chintz I can tolerate–I’m no Scrooge, but seriously people, lay off the frickin’ emotional tinsel once in a while (I’m looking at you, Hallmark Channel)–but a boozy (Dean) insanely unpredictable (Carol) live show where anything can (and did) happen is right up my thorny mistletoe.

This year, that great giver of good TV, Netflix, gives us A Very Murray Christmas–a sincere spoof of the holiday variety show that has Bill Murray trying to put on his star-studded holiday show in a blizzard and without any of the said stars.

Includes an appearance by George Clooney who sings “Santa Wants Some Lovin'”. In a tux.

You’re welcome.

See? Naughty is *nice*.

I dig the retro style of that second trailer and especially the use of the old skool order form at the end as the credits.

Whether your tinsel is plenty or your winter wonderland in the desert, step away from the cray cray and have some fun this holiday season.

You can get a start on the naughty stuff for the holidays by checking out Lady Smut blogger, Elizabeth SaFleur’s, new novel Untouchable, Book 2 in the Elite Doms of Washington series.

Follow Lady Smut. We top the naughty list.

Click image to buy!

 

Dark Times and Hot Sex: Jessica Jones

By G.G. Andrew

If you’re not watching Netflix’s Jessica Jones (and you really should), you’re missing out. Not only does it have fascinating female roles and friendships, an addictive plot, and an intriguing villain, it has some scintillating romance.

Madeline recently led a Twitter chat on movies featuring dark and dangerous romance. Though a television show, Jessica Jones would fit perfectly within this subgenre. Much of its sexy thrills live within a dark, gritty world saturated in violence. It’s set in grimy Hells Kitchen, and Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) is a private investigator with superstrength who’s recovering from an abusive past.

One night, after spying on muscled bartender Luke Cage (Mike Colter), she gets drinks at his bar and they end up in bed together.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Luke tells her in bed, not realizing her superpower. “You won’t,” she says. But he quickly responds, an intent look in his dark eyes: “I will.” Because Luke has powers of his own, and so the love they make is the kind that not only shakes the bedposts, but can bust the radiator. And they do.

But there’s a secret Jessica is not telling Luke. It’s connected to her bloody past and it’s something that would tear them apart. So, for Jessica, being with Luke is not only forbidden, it’s dangerous. Like so much of the show, their scenes are filled with a terrible, delicious tension–a fear of something awful happening at any moment: the secret being revealed, the villain Kilgrave rearing his ugly head. This danger makes the romantic scenes all the more exciting, both precious and potentially explosive.

There’s another romance subplot in the show as well, with her friend Trish (Rachael Taylor), and it too comes from an episode of violence. I won’t share the details so as not to be too spoilerific, but it’s a surprising, sexy turn of events I never saw coming.

I’ve been contrasting these romances with the dynamics of the other big female superhero show this fall, Supergirl. Supergirl is set in a city too, but it’s one that is often cleaner or more filled with light, like the scenes at the sunny office where Kara (Melissa Benoist) works. There’s a love interest here too, the hottest Jimmy Olsen the world of comics has ever encountered played by Mehcad Brooks. (Seriously. I’m not sure why all the cameras don’t malfunction during filming. He’s that hot.) Kara’s big secret is that of course she’s also Supergirl, but this is a secret Jimmy and a few others know; there’s no subterfuge for her when she’s around him, no waiting for a bomb to explode. Everything is lighter, more out in the open.

Romances without a dark backdrop can be addictive too, fun and fascinating in their own way. But the tantalizing way Jessica Jones pairs sexy thrills with chills has me glued to the television–at the same time I’m looking over my shoulder.

Follow Lady Smut for more on the onscreen couples you can’t stop watching, and more!

Beautifully Seamless: Those Few Seconds of Scandal

Olivia Pope in less complicated times.

By Alexa Day

Last time I was here, I used this space to do a lot of complaining about television. So many annoyances. All the grievances. Oh, yes, there was wailing and the gnashing of teeth.

I said I’d return to Satisfaction and its unorthodox take on marriage, and I will. That’s going to be important. Right now, Satisfaction might be the only thing that gives me hope that I’ll survive marriage.

But before I do that, I want to correct an oversight.

Last time I was here, I said I was ready to write off Scandal for good. The decision pained me; the show has been near and dear to my heart for a long time. But I couldn’t bear any more of the come-here-go-away with Olivia and Fitz. The two of them were driving me crazy.

I was so worn out with them that I wasn’t really paying an optimal level of attention to them and their problems during the finale, which aired shortly after my last post. I was actually in the kitchen, fooling around with something else and not looking at the TV at all, when I heard Aretha Franklin singing “Silent Night.”

I smiled to myself. I have to hand it to Shonda, I thought. She uses the best music.

And so, from the kitchen, I listened to Aretha compete with Olivia Pope’s father, ranting in his intense way about how familial intimacy is destructive. I made a mental note to look up that recording of “Silent Night,” wound up my work in the kitchen, and went back to the TV, where I continued to be annoyed with Scandal‘s entire cast of characters. When the show was over, I shook my head and asked myself whether I’d be back for the second half of the season.

And that was it.

Later that night, I got a call from my mother about Olivia Pope’s abortion.

“What abortion?” I asked.

Mom — I don’t know how she deals with me — said Olivia had gotten an abortion on Scandal and asked what I thought of how the show had handled this.

I was completely lost. Where had she heard about an abortion? This was impossible. If Olivia had gotten an abortion on screen, the whole universe would be talking about it. Perhaps Mom was confused. I loved Mellie’s Planned Parenthood filibuster and thought she deserved a fist bump. That must have been what she was talking about.

But I was wrong. While I was in the kitchen listening to Aretha’s beautiful music and Rowan Pope’s ugly words, Olivia Pope had gotten an abortion. I missed it entirely. No one mentioned it. No one drew attention to it. And when I went back to the couch, I had no idea it had taken place.

That’s impressive. That is masterfully handled.

Let us leave aside for the moment our feelings on abortion generally and focus on what has actually happened.

This woman — the most visible woman on the show, its central character — made this decision, followed through on it, and went on with her life with no involvement from the rest of us. If we had any business of our own to mind at that precise moment, as I did, we would never have known about any of this.

Olivia’s abortion had nothing to do with me. I basically blinked and missed it.

I got through most of the next day before NPR confirmed what Mom had told me. Olivia Pope had in fact had an abortion on prime time television. I was on the way to a party and had to stop and call her to tell her I was wrong. Mom — I don’t know how she deals with me — knew I was wrong; she’d actually watched the episode. Dealing with me takes immense patience.

She repeated her question. What did I think of the way it was handled?

Well, I missed the whole thing. I don’t think she’s being treated any differently. Her own world has probably changed irrevocably, but we don’t know. We spectators aren’t privy to that much of her inner life.

In essence, it isn’t any of our damned business. Her decision had literally no effect on me at all.

And I think that was communicated brilliantly.

Stick with Lady Smut. Don’t miss a thing.

The Naked Male Form

Well. Now that I have your attention.

Romance writers share. We share a *lot*. We share common things. We share…intimate things. We share funny things. We share favorite books and favorite tropes and favorite characters and favorite men. And ladies too. But really, men. A bunch of years ago, when I helped coordinate the #ManCandyMonday hour (every Monday at 9 PM on Twitter) and its coordinating blog (now retired), we shared the menfolk images. Boy. Howdy. (This was back before MCM became “A Thing” and everyone and their BFF decided to run a ManCandy blog/meme. It’s tough being a trendsetter, I’ll tell ya. [Kidding. A little.])

Yup. It surely is.

One of the best shares I had in recent weeks was to the Tumblr page, Handsome Is, a site that features photos of men–athletes, models, and others–in both candid and posed pictures and even selfies the subject has posted himself.

Somewhere.

It’s a visual feast, I promise you. And given, as I’ve mentioned before, that I’m visually oriented…I pigged out.

Recently, I had the need to scroll through nearly a year’s worth of Handsome Is posts to locate the hero inspiration for my Sekrit Project, but I womaned up and took one for the proverbial team. Oh how I suffer for my art.

Cheeky wave. From Dylan Rosser’s Facebook page. Click image to go to site.

Handsome Is is quite NSFW even though it doesn’t reveal the whole hog, as it were, (or at least not as far as I’ve seen), less so the photography of Dylan Rosser, though surreptitiously place stickers keep the goods from public view. This was another romance writer share, this time in my FB feed, that inspired a click-through to Rosser’s Kickstarter campaign (already fully funded and then some) for his upcoming photography book Naked Ibiza. (There’s a seriously NSFW Vimeo trailer on that link, so proceed with caution.)

Faced with all those manly (sometimes hairy), well-defined chests and abs and shoulders and Adonis Belts (Strewth!), I found it mildly unusual to peruse the pictures without feeling like it (the site, not the perusing) skirted the edge of pervy. Like with woman photography, male photography is as capable of skimming that fine line between admiration/celebration and exploitation. But both the Handsome Is Tumblr site and Dylan Rosser’s photography do something that still, to this day, is relatively uncommon (particularly in relation to its female counterpart): celebrate the naked male form.

Photographer Michael Stokes takes that concept and advances it to celebrate the “damaged” male form. Along with his other male photography, Stokes celebrates the naked (or nearly so) soldiers who have lost limbs or have other permanent physical injuries earned during their service. Their physical losses are so far from being a weakness, it doesn’t even bear association, their appearances instead a testament to their inner resilience, feats of strength many whole-bodied men (and women) could never dream to achieve. Stokes’ Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for both books was fully funded in an hour and a half.

Supply meet Demand.

Michael Stokes’ Always Loyal collection of Gulf War veterans (male and female) photographs is now available.

Holy cats. Click image to buy. Great holiday gift!

I’m a fan of director/photographer TJ Scott‘s work too, particular his In the Tub series (proceeds of which benefit Breast Cancer Research in honor of his mother’s repeated struggle with the same) of male and female celebrities photographed naked in a tub in unique ways. His use of light and shadow particularly create often ethereal images celebrating beauty in intimate spaces.

From TJ Scott’s upcoming In the Tub Vol 2. Volume 1 is now available. Click image to buy.

Not for the first time, I’m struck by how it’s still somewhat unusual to have professional photographers who focus on the naked male form. Our society continues to place more emphasis on naked women than men. Whether this is a (morally) good or bad thing and whatever your sexual politics, it’s yet far more common to see a naked female breast on TV and film that an unveiled penis and even then there’s some Greater Purpose or Reason than the mere titillation for which female nudity is usually employed. (For more on than, read my A Penis on TV post regarding that magical unicorn that keeps on giving, Outlander.) Even the Magic Mike “phenomenon” was treated dramatically different than, say, Striptease or Showgirls.

I know, I know, I’m revisiting a theme here…but it’s a *good* theme.

Romance writers share a lot of goodness both to each other and to others through their stories. We want to celebrate male and female beauty, the resilience and endurance of love and relationships, and the fact that every woman has the right to be the hero of her own story…and find her hero counterpart along the way.

After all, sharing is caring.

Follow Lady Smut. We share all sorts of good things.

I Put A Spell On You: Post Thanksgiving Blog Hop w Rachel Rawlings

by Madeline Iva

Hello sugar plums! Chatting with Rachel Rawlings today.  We met at the Washington Romance Writer’s Luncheon last month, & our chat plus my chat with Caryn Moya Block are part of a blog hop from the even.  Links down at the bottom of this post. :)

MADELINE IVA:  You write about paranormal witchy mysteries — can you recommend anything that you really loved reading in the paranormal realm that’s super steamy or erotic romance?

The Morrigna: Paranormal Mystery (The Maurin Kincaide Series Book 1)

Click to buy.

RACHEL RAWLINGS: One of my favorite series in the Paranormal Romance genre was Katie MacAlister’s  Aisling Grey series. Another one of my favorites would have to be Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series.

MADELINE IVA: Why do you love it so?

RACHEL RAWLINGS: With Katie MacAlister’s Aisling series the steam factor might not be as high for the more avid erotic romance reader but for me it was a great combo of humor, action and romance. Plus it has dragons! And for Karen Marie Moning’s there’s just one word. Barons. That sums it up right there, lol!

MADELINE IVA: What’s the latest/greatest in the world of paranormal?

RACHEL RAWLINGS: I think the Fae are the next vampire or zombie. They’ve been featured in several popular series over the years but I feel like the legends and lore surrounding the Fae, the creatures and courts involved in the world building is making a resurgence. Vampires will always be at the fore front and so will shifters but I think there’s something new and complex for writer’s to explore and we’re going to see a lot more in the realm of faeries.

MADELINE IVA: Any fav witchy song videos on you tube?

RACHEL RAWLINGS: I absolutely love I Put a Spell On You, performed by Nina Simone. It’s such a great song.

MADELINE IVA: Yes! Love this song so much.  Thanks for visiting us, Rachel!

Lovely readers, find out more about Rachel’s Dark Paranormal/Urban Fantasy and Horror books by checking out her Maurin Kincaide Series at http://www.rachelrawlings.com/. Find her on fb at: www.facebook.com/TheMaurinKincaideSeries and twitter: @rachelsbooks. Rachel is also the founder of the HallowRead Convention for fans of Paranormal Urban Fantasy, Steam Punk and Horror.  Find more about HallowRead at www.hallowread.com.

And visit the rest of our blog hop! Here are the links:

Nerd Girl Official:

Elisabeth Staab: Nov 27

Lynne Silver: Nov 28

Meredith Bond: Nov 29

KellyMaher’ Blog:

Lynne Silver, Nov 28

CelticBarb’s Blog:

Joanna Bourne, Nov 28

ReadLove Blog:

Cristin Harbor, Nov 28

Kimberly Kincaid, Nov 28

JoyfullyReviewed:

Elisabeth Staab Dec 15

Wendy LaCapra Dec 15

Author Kresley Cole: When Dealt the Death Card You Roll With It . . and Then Hollywood Calls

by Elizabeth SaFleur

Today’s author guest needs little introduction, but I’m gonna do it anyway because it’s just so much fun to write Kresley Cole — a name you’re going to hear more from thanks to Hollywood finally, finally acknowledging her wonderful writing and stories with a television deal. Yes, that’s right. Her young adult Arcana Chronicles Series is going to screen thanks to Adam Shankman & Warner Brothers!

But just because TV land has called, Kresley doesn’t seem to be sitting on her laurels. This is one hard-working author. In addition to the Arcana series, she has given us an electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the erotic Gamemakers Series (sa-woon!), and five award-winning historical romances.  Her books have been translated into twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad —  and all the way to the number one spot on the New York Times Bestseller list, baby. That is no small feat.

She took time out to talk with us, which means you get an inside look to what’s next from Kresley. Oh, and she’s offering a major giveaway in honor of her newest release, Sweet Ruin. Check it out below. Sweet.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Welcome to LadySmut, Kresley! Congratulations on the Arcana Chronicles being made into a TV series adaptation. How did that come about? And do you get to provide input into scripting, cast, etc.?

KRESLEY COLE: Thank you! I was absolutely over-the-moon excited. We had some TV/movie nibbles along the way, and then all the sudden we had serious interest from three companies. I don’t know how much input I’ll have since we’re still early in the process, but I love to dream cast!

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: We’re dying to know who gets cast, too. In the meantime, tarot cards are central to your Arcana Chronicles storyline. How did the idea of making each trump tarot a “character” with a good/evil bent come about?

KRESLEY COLE: The idea for the Arcana Chronicles came to me a few years ago when I was getting my cards read in Jackson Square with two friends. I was dealt the Death card (the one with a skeletal reaper/knight on a red-eyed horse). I asked my friends what they would do if they saw that guy riding down Bourbon Street. One said, “I’d run for my life.” The other said, “I’d buy him a drink.” I thought, “I can work with that.” As readers know, I love bad-boy characters, so Death was definitely a hero/anti-hero I wanted to explore. The Arcana concept grew from there.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Shifting to your more erotic stories, do you write erotic scenes differently in paranormal than in contemporary?

KRESLEY COLE: For me, paranormal and contemporary love scenes share commonalities. Regardless if I’m writing about Lykae, Vampires or humans–at heart, we have two beings sharing intimacy. One of my favorite things when writing is to show the growth of my characters through the love scenes.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: And we love how you write those scenes! We also love book covers at LadySmut. Yours are beautiful and sophisticated. Do you have much input on them?

KRESLEY COLE: So glad to hear you guys like them! For the last few books and the Immortals After Dark re-releases, I provided detailed character and setting descriptions as a starting point. From these, my publisher’s wonderful art department comes up with a few options, which are then narrowed down until we’re all happy with the final product.

[ Below is one of my personal favorite Kresley Cole covers. We’d love to hear in the comments section your choice for favorite Kresley cover.]

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Do you have a favorite writing “moment?” Perhaps something just came together or a character you love just appeared?

KRESLEY COLE: Clicks! That’s what I call that moment when I finally solve a particularly troubling plot conundrum, because things finally shift and click into place. But these clicks come with a hefty price, usually only revealing themselves with some sort of physical exercise. At times, I’ll noodle a particularly gnarly scene for days only to visualize it mid-row or mid-step.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Can you share what’s next for you, book-wise (or, now, TV-wise!)?

KRESLEY COLE: Sweet Ruin, the next Immortals After Dark installment, is out December 1st. (Pre-order here!) I’m thrilled with the early feedback, and can’t wait to hear what you guys think of Rune & Josephine.

I’m currently working on both the Arcana Chronicles and the third book in the Gamemaker series. I don’t have the release dates yet, but will share online and in my newsletter as soon as I know.

[[Ooo! Ooo! A new Gamemaker book. I’m panting already.]

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: We often wonder where romance readers find authors these days….online or in person. I was fortunate to see you at the RT Booklovers Convention. But where else can fans find you? Do you have a preference where fans can interact with you?

KRESLEY COLE: It was wonderful seeing you at RT, too! I love that convention. It’s such a great venue for readers and writers to come together and share our passion. I don’t get out and about as much as I’d like (deadlines, ugh), but when I do, I LOVE meeting readers. This year, I’ve made a commitment to attend more conferences. I’ll also be sending out more newsletters, so that would be the easiest way to keep up with me.

I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.

[Oh, and you can sign up for text message updates from Kresley’s camp. How cool is THAT?  http://trumpia.com/onlineSignup/Kresley/textsignup]

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Is there anything you’d like to tell readers that I haven’t asked?

KRESLEY COLE: I’d like to thank you and Lady Smut for having me! I’d also like to give a shout out to my readers for their amazing support. IAD readers rock! Seeing your messages, reviews, and blog entries makes all those hours at the desk worth it!

Stay in touch with Kresley:    Web site     Facebook     Twitter    Tumblr     YouTube     Instagram

BIG BONUS! Enter the Sweet Ruin pre-order giveaway that runs through Nov 30th  here! Great prizes await, including an iPad with all the IAD audio editions, autographed Sweet Ruin copies, and signed IAD backlist titles etc.  Any format of Sweet Ruin pre-order counts (hardcover, ecopy, or audio).

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Happy Thanksgiving & Kresley Cole & Blog Hop

by Madeline Iva

FROM: all of us at Lady Smut

TO: all of you out there maturely tolerating enjoying your families

We wish you the happiest of Thanksgiving Holidays with as much togetherness and pie as any sane person can handle.

Come visit us Friday when KRESLEY COLE will be here. (!!!!!!!!!)

And on Sunday, Lady Smut is hosting authors for a post-Thanksgiving blog hop.