Megan Morgan's Blog, page 63
February 6, 2015
Her Darkest Secret is now available!
It’s release day!
Only one man can tame the beast inside her…
Eliza Duncan has a secret only a wild mountain and a powerful man can keep. Left alone in the Tennessee mountains with her sickly younger sister Mary, she depends on Lucien Grey to protect her from danger…and from her own dark urges.
But when a werewolf threatens their quiet life on the mountain, Eliza and Lucien realize they must fight it together. Then a mysterious man terrorizes Mary—could they be one and the same? Will Eliza’s secret remain safe, or will she become a victim once again?
Go here for an excerpt and more information.
Available at:
Filed under: Her Darkest Secret, Publications Tagged: erotica, muse it up, paranormal, romance
February 4, 2015
The dreaded R word: no, not rejection.
This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the February 4 posting of the IWSG will be Gwen Gardner, Dolorah, Sarah Foster, and M. Pax!
Reviews.
The word sends a chill down a writer’s spine. You’ve spent months, years, millenia (or at least it feels like it) working on your book/novella/story. You’ve clipped and snipped and fleshed out. You’ve edited and rewrote. You’ve gotten feedback and advice from people you trust. You’ve polished that baby until it shines.
Now you’re going to set it down carefully, gleaming and beautiful, before the masses, to gawk at. Your baby. Your precious, glistening darling. The outpourings of your heart, so sweetly woven onto the page with just the right words.
Inevitably, someone is going to make a face and stick their tongue out at it.
As the first pre-pub reviews of some of my work roll in, I’m torn between checking Goodreads and book review sites every ten minutes with big, pleading eyes like a dog begging for a table scrap, and hiding underneath the covers on my bed, not wanting to know, and never ever coming out again, ever.
No matter what, someone is going to hate my writing and they’re not going to be afraid to tell the world. Someone is going to pick my work apart and then shake it off like something gross clinging to their fingers. On the flip side, someone will probably (hopefully!) love it and won’t stop gushing about how much they love it. Sending your book out for review is like wearing a new dress to a party: someone might say “wow, she looks like a cow in that!” while someone else says “wow, that fits your curves beautifully!” Everyone has different tastes. Everyone sees from a different perspective.
If you’re going through the hell of ‘getting reviews,’ or you will be in the near future, here is my advice to you:
Breathe. Breathe a lot. But don’t hyperventilate!
Drink: coffee, soothing tea, or an entire box of wine, depending on your mood.
Practice saying “I’m still published, no matter what you say about me.”
Remember that a bad review is just someone’s opinion…and so is a good review.
The most potent remedy for a review, bad (after which you cry) or good (after which you can’t stop admiring how clever you are) is to get your nose back to the grindstone and write. It helps ease the nerves and tension. And also, you want more stuff for people to point and laugh at, right?
A personal anecdote: two weekends ago, my best friend and I went to Chicago for a visit. We both desperately love Chicago and try to visit as often as possible. My Siren Song series of books is set in Chicago and the first one is coming out in March–she has read an advance copy. During dinner our first night there, unprompted, she suddenly expresed to me how much she loved a description of Chicago in the first book and how true she felt it was.
I will treasure that more than a thousand five star reviews. Always hold close the opinions of people you love, above all other’s.
Filed under: IWSG Tagged: blog hop, insecure writer's support group, reviews
February 2, 2015
Win a copy of Her Darkest Secret! (Contest Closed)
This Friday, February 6th, my paranormal erotic romance Her Darkest Secret will be released! The story is a novella, available from Muse It HOT! publishing. Would you like to win a copy? Here’s how:
Only one man can tame the beast inside her…
Eliza Duncan has a secret only a wild mountain and a powerful man can keep. Left alone in the Tennessee mountains with her sickly younger sister Mary, she depends on Lucien Grey to protect her from danger…and from her own dark urges.
But when a werewolf threatens their quiet life on the mountain, Eliza and Lucien realize they must fight it together. Then a mysterious man terrorizes Mary—could they be one and the same? Will Eliza’s secret remain safe, or will she become a victim once again?
If you would like to win a copy (e-book only), here’s how to enter:
OR
Then, come back here and leave a comment on this post, letting me know which you did (doing both will not constitute two entries, though it will earn you my gratitude) and let me know what name/handle you liked/followed me with. It’s that simple! (If you already follow me on either FB or Twitter, just let me know that–you can enter too!)
A winner will be chosen at random on Friday, February 6th when Her Darkest Secret is released. I will contact the winner via Facebook or Twitter DM, depending on which you did.
Good luck!
(Contest is now closed.)
Filed under: Contests, Giveaways, Her Darkest Secret, Publications Tagged: muse it up, paranormal, romance
January 20, 2015
Chicago that I love–and my heroine hates.
This weekend, I’m going to visit Chicago. Not for business or work, just a fun weekend with friends. I absolutely love Chicago–it’s probably my favorite city on earth (I currently live in Cleveland, a mere six hour drive away). My urban fantasy Siren Song series is set in Chicago, and though the heroine of the novels, June Coffin, has no love for Chicago due to the circumstances under which she’s there, I let her see a lot of the city.
I decided to make a list of all the places in Chicago June ends up. Some are places I’ve been to on my many visits to Chicago and written from memory, and some are places I just did research on. Maybe on my trip to Chicago this weekend I can visit the places I’ve only read about!
Places with an asterisk (*) are places I’ve been:
#1 The Wicked City (release date March 3, 2015)
West Lakeview*
Navy Pier*
Michigan Avenue*
Wicker Park*
Medical District
Lakeshore Drive*
Promontory Point*
#2 The Bloody City (release date November 2, 2015)
Old Town (though there isn’t a vampire district there–or is there?!)
Hyde Park*
Jackson Park
#3 The Burning City (release date TBA)
North Avenue Beach (I’ve seen it from the John Hancock Center, though!)
Of course she isn’t only visiting those places in the second and third books, but I wanted to cut out repeats.
June hasn’t gotten to visit some of the other wonderful places I’ve been to in Chicago though, like the Willis (Sears!) Tower, the Chicago River via boat, Wrigleyville, or Millenium Park. Maybe she should get a fourth book where she gets to have fun and go sightseeing?
Chicago will also be the backdrop for my upcoming novella One Night In Chicago. Obviously!
How about you guys? Is there a city you’re in love with and love to write about?
Filed under: Behind The Scenes, Siren Song, The Wicked City Tagged: kensington, lyrical press, personal life, urban fantasy
January 10, 2015
Cover reveal, upcoming releases, news, and a contest!
First things first: I can now announce my novella Her Darkest Secret will be released on February 6th with Muse It HOT Publishing! Just look at this beautiful cover:
Only one man can tame the beast inside her…
Eliza Duncan has a secret only a wild mountain and a powerful man can keep. Abandoned in the Tennessee mountains after the death of her parents and now the only one left to protect her sickly younger sister Mary, she finds a way to survive, even after a vicious attack changes her life forever.
Lucien Grey, the man who nursed her back to health, has vowed to protect her from danger.
His passion and tenderness are the only things keeping her internal struggle at bay. But when a werewolf appears on the mountain and becomes a threat, they must fight it together, as well as the mysterious man who terrorizes her sister. Could they be one and the same? Will Eliza’s secret remain safe, or will she become a victim once again?
Coming February 6, 2015 from Muse It HOT Publishing
Go to the Muse It HOT website for more information.
News:
I’m also happy to announce my novella One Night In Chicago will be part of the City Nights series from Tirgearr Publishing! I don’t have a release date yet, as I just signed the contract, but I’ll keep everyone updated when I know more. The other novellas in the series are utterly delicious and sexy and I can’t wait to be a part of it, alongside some other wonderful erotic romance authors.
Contest:
Right now, you can win a copy of my upcoming urban fantasy The Wicked City on Goodreads. The contest closes on January 31st, so be sure to get over there and sign up! Two copies will be given away to two lucky winners.
Also, if you are a book reviewer, you can now request The Wicked City for review on NetGalley.
Filed under: Contests, Cover Reveal, Her Darkest Secret, Publications, Works Tagged: erotica, muse it up, release date, romance, updates
January 7, 2015
I’m not one of the cool kids.
This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the January 7 posting of the IWSG will be Elizabeth Seckman, Lisa Buie-Collard, Chrys Fey, and Michelle Wallace!
I recently filled out a long and complicated questionnaire for my publisher’s marketing department. This form contained about a million questions, but boiled down to “tell the class a little about yourself.” Only in this case, the entire class seems smarter, more well-read, better educated, and more prolific than me. Some of the questions I had to put a big fat N/A next to because they didn’t apply to me in any way, shape, or form. I felt like I stood up, talked a little (very little) about myself, and the rest of the class is going to be like “who let this unwashed peasant in here?”
A lot of writers come to the publishing industry with writing-related kudos already under their belt: they have a degree in the arts or literature, they taught classes, they spoke at seminars, they helped another writer out with their book, they know people, they won awards. Their bios are long and illustrious and read like a Nobel Prize winner’s list of accomplishments. Their names have lots of official letters behind them. If you are one of these writers, great job! And also, you intimidate me.
I am, for lack of a better description, a self-taught writer. That doesn’t mean I never took a class, but I didn’t take many classes. I’ve read a lot of books. I’ve learned a lot about storytelling, structure, and grammar on my own. My hunger for the art made me seek out knowledge (free knowledge, because I’m broke). I’m going to admit something that will make most published authors gasp, probably: I never went to college. I barely graduated high school. I’m a bartender. That’s my day job. I’ve also waited tables and done a lot of other crap jobs over the years. I am not ‘educated’ in the traditional sense, but I know a lot about the world. And I think I’m pretty smart, darn it.
Still, despite the lack of letters behind my name, I have a three book deal with a New York publishing house. I have multiple short stories and novellas published. Universe willing, this will be the year I can maybe, possibly, quit my day job and make a living off my writing. Not rolling around in money mind you, just paying the bills. And I did it by 90% just learning how to on my own. Does that make me better than anyone who went to college, taught classes, and conducted seminars? Goodness no, it makes me feel like a piece of gross, dried-up gum on the bottom of their shoes.
The form I filled out seemed a little unfair. It felt like they were asking me to prove how smart I am. Show off my non-existent awards. Prove I’m worthy. It’s enough to make me crawl in a hole. However, I’m not going to crawl in a hole. I’m an author, even if I didn’t get there on the same road as most other authors did. I got there still, dammit. I’ll fake it until I make it, as I’ve done throughout my entire life.
So, here’s to those of you who don’t have kudos and awards to show off, who don’t have the education to back up what you do, who feel inferior. I’m not going to feel bad. I’m going to be myself, because being myself got me here.
I’m just gonna shrug and say, “Hey, you guys contracted my books. Wanna know my skills? I make a mean Bloody Mary!”
(A bit of self-pimping before I go: if you like urban fantasy, you can currently sign up to win one of two copies of my upcoming urban fantasy The Wicked City on Goodreads! Contest closes January 31st.)
Filed under: IWSG Tagged: insecure writer's support group, me, writing
December 12, 2014
Safe sex just got sexy!
Play It Safe is available today from House of Erotica! Do you think responsible adults protecting themselves from STI’s and babies couldn’t possibly be sexy? This steamy erotic anthology of couples keeping it real in the bedroom will show you otherwise. Includes my story Married Without Children. Scroll down for a naughty sample after the book description!
Available at:
All Romance Ebooks (All e-readers)
This collection of five tantalising teasers will prove that safe sex needn’t be boring
Escort – Erin Pim
A professional escort takes a client for the very first time. Fresh off the orientation for her new job, she’s trained, and ready for the encounter. But, she’s heard stories. Will he be a good client, or a bad one?
Grammar Connection – Scarlett Knight
After enduring a sleepless night of anxiety, young English teacher Teresa waits at the library for her slightly older, non-traditional student Jesse. This being their last day of summer tutoring sessions, she frets over whether or not to tell him her secret: she’s falling for him and wants to see him again. But when he arrives, she begins to notice hints that his feelings might reciprocate her own. Following her heart, she takes a chance, and Jesse surprises her by revealing his own fiery desire. Their connection sparks an intense lust, which they cannot wait to satisfy.
Supermarket – Roxanna Cross
A young woman enters a supermarket and she’s beside herself when one of her weider fetishes kicks in. Unbeknowst to her she has a secret admirer who needs to take matter in his own hands. To so, he must lead her behind the red door.
Sex on the Beach – Vivian Gwynn
Jeanine’s never been one to take chances. She always makes the practical choice, does the safe thing–and she hates it. When she books a frivolous trip to Greece, that’s all supposed to change. She can almost taste the strange, exciting food and feel the warm sunlight of Greece’s famous topless beaches. Until a freak snowstorm traps her in an airport in Chicago, endangering all her plans. But then she meets Scott, a young nudist trapped by the snow, and Jeanine finds out that you can always take a chance–even in a family restroom in a crowded airport.
Married Without Children – Megan Morgan
Being married usually means the end of condoms–for husband Jared and wife Sarah, when a medical issue forces them to use another means of protection for a while, they’re willing to make things work. Sarah gives her husband a naughty, encouraging surprise to ease the blues of strapping up again. Jared quickly finds doing it the way they did in their dating days again isn’t so bad after all.
———-
Excerpt from Married Without Children:
“I take it you want to use what I picked up at the store.” He placed his hand on the firm swell of her ass.
She looked over her shoulder with a saucy smile as she turned on the water. “Definitely. You think I’m gonna go a month without sex?”
Sarah had changed her birth control recently. The stuff she was taking before made her sick and caused other weird symptoms, so her doctor switched her prescription. The doctor warned her for the first month they should use another method of protection, or they might unexpectedly become parents.
He tucked his hand into the gap of her thighs and pressed his palm against the humid spot between them. “I don’t want to wait a month either.”
She finished washing her hands and reached for a towel. “I should have told you to get two boxes. We’ll use them up fast.”
He laughed. “I got the biggest box they had. It’s huge.”
Sarah turned around, wedging herself between him and the counter. She started undoing his jeans–he was bulging them out already.
“I know what else is huge.” She tugged the zipper down.
She pushed her hand into his open jeans and palmed his growing erection through his underwear. He grunted and pushed
into her palm.
“This was all a ploy to get me to use the condoms?” He slid a hand inside her sweater. “This fancy little outfit?”
“I thought you might like a surprise. I know wearing a condom sucks. I wanted to motivate you. Much better than doing chores all weekend, isn’t it?”
“So much better.”
———-
Available at:
All Romance Ebooks (All e-readers)
Filed under: Anthologies, Promotion, Publications, Works Tagged: erotica, house of erotica, play it safe
December 3, 2014
Quantity, Not Quality
This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the December 3 posting of the IWSG are Heather Gardner, T. Drecker from Kidbits, Eva E. Solar at Lilicasplace, and Patsy Collins!
Few authors are successful with their first book. And by that, I don’t mean the first book they sell, I mean the first book they write. Not many authors sell and make good off the very first thing they write in their entire life ever. If there are any authors like this, it’s best to steer clear of them because they’ve obviously sold their soul to Satan (if I sold my soul to Satan for literary success I’d ask Satan to give me the book fully written, so I didn’t have to do all that work and could just spend my time rolling around in the money).
Most writers have a pile of things they acquire before they ever make their first sale: a pile of rejections, a pile of half-finished scrapped manuscripts, a pile of completed manuscripts that will never see the light of day, a pile of anxiety and self-doubt and proclamations they will never be accepted. That’s why I say writing is about quantity, not quality: the quantity of things that didn’t work out makes you, hopefully, some day the quality writer you want to be. You know what they say about getting to Carnegie Hall, right?
You always hear the stories from famous writers, citing how many rejections they accumulated before they made a sale. I couldn’t tell you how many I had because I sure wasn’t counting all those failures, but they were a lot. I have so many completed books that were ‘just practice’ too, even though at the time I was convinced they were going to be snatched up by some publishing house and I’d be a millionaire. Most of them are languishing away on old 3.5 disks and on actual paper, because I’m an old woman who was writing before you kids and your computers with your fancy word processing programs. I even have typewritten manuscripts gathering dust in my closet. None of these things will ever be published, but they got me to the publishing sucess I have today. I keep them around to remind me nothing worth having comes without a lot of hard work and failures first.
So even if you have a pile of rejections and false starts, don’t despair. Climb on top that pile and keep building it, because you can see so much better from up there.
Filed under: Behind The Scenes, IWSG Tagged: insecure writer's support group, writing
December 1, 2014
Want to pick a writer’s brain? Lots of writers?
Are you a writer? Thinking about becoming a writer? Need some advice and guidance? The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond is here to help! Filled with tons of essays about every aspect of writing–from the first idea, to getting the words down, to editing, to submissions, to publication and marketing, written by multiple writers, including me. (My essay ‘How to Write an Entire Book’ is on page 83, FYI).
The best part? It’s completely FREE to download, on multiple e-reader devices! So if you’re looking for some motivation, encouragement, advice, or insider knowledge, grab it today!
Go here to get The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond for free!
Filed under: Behind The Scenes, IWSG, Promotion Tagged: information, insecure writer's support group, writing
November 7, 2014
Smutting it up again.
In case you’re unaware, although I mainly write urban fantasy and paranormal romance, I also indulge in smut writing on the side. Yes, I’m also an erotica author!
I just found out today my short story ‘Married Without Children’ was accepted for House of Erotica’s Play It Safe anthology, an erotic anthology focusing on all the ways safe sex can be sexy. I don’t have a release date yet, but I’ll keep you informed as soon as I know!
MARRIED WITHOUT CHILDREN
Part of the Play It Safe anthology.
Being married usually means the end of condoms–for husband Jared and wife Sarah, when a medical issue forces them to use another means of protection for a while, they’re willing to make things work. Sarah gives her husband a naughty, encouraging surprise to ease the blues of strapping up again. Jared quickly finds doing it the way they did in their dating days again isn’t so bad after all.
Coming soon from House of Erotica.
If you enjoy smut, I’m also published in two other House of Erotica anthologies:
Smut By the Sea Vol. 3
Includes my story What the Doctor Ordered:
After her divorce, April Winegarden relocates to Daytona Beach to start her life anew. The surf and sand are revitalizing for a woman in her forties trying to start again. The sun is hot, but even hotter is Hunter Zhào, the sexy twenty-something Chinese American college boy who works as a busser at her favorite seaside restaurant. The two strike up a friendship, with April trying to suppress her naughty fantasies about a boy young enough to be her son, until Hunter invites her to a party and they get to know each other even better. April gets her groove back when she takes him home with her that night–and finds out an old dog still has the best tricks.
Landing Strip
Includes my story The Jet Set Life:
The rockstar life can be such a drag–especially when your job is to take care of one who needs a babysitter at all times. The only thing that makes personal assistant Mikael Dandridge eager to fly all over the country is Sasha Blake, the sexy flight attendant on his rockstar employer’s private jet. Sasha has a passion for service, but also for being served. Mikael gives her some first class treatment and gets to be the one indulging in decadence for a change.
Filed under: Anthologies, Publications, Works Tagged: erotica, house of erotica, landing strip, smut by the sea
