Eliza Gayle's Blog, page 19
May 25, 2011
Feed The Muse – Savannah
This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to Savannah with some fellow romance authors for a weekend retreat for fun in the sun and feeding our muse.
From the minute the car hit the historic district my imagination went into overdrive. Savannah is by far one of my favorite southern cities for getting into a paranormal state of mind. The area is so rich in history and architecture it's hard not to think of ghosts, vampres and so much more.
As soon as we parked our luggage in the hotel we were off to explore the River Walk where we enjoyed a fantastic tour aboard the tall ship The Peacemaker. Somehow I managed to not get a picture of the whole boat so you can click on the link to see it. While I probably should have been thinking of pirates on the high sea, I was instead thinking of Captain Ron and drinking some rum. LOL
That first evening we also opted for a ghost tour where the tour guide filled our heads with so much legend and lore that we thought of little else than ghosts and ghouls the rest of the night.
They even took us inside of an abandoned chandlery where we were regaled with tales of witches and I swear something touched my leg in the dark more than once. 
We laughed and groaned through some really bad karaoke at the restaurant that night before we gave into the heat and headed for bed.
The next morning I marked up the map and we headed out to explore the many sites Savannah has to offer. Particularly the gorgeous and old architecture. Then a quick photo shoot in the cemetary. By this time I 
think we we're starting to melt. (who knew Savannah would be mid 90s in May?) Shaved Ice to the rescue before we continued our trek.
I loved walking through the city and simply enjoying the sights. I've got lots of pictures to post on my walls to keep the trip fresh while I plot new stories. We saw no fewer than three weddings going on that weekend, reminding us just how romantic Savannah can be.
Before we knew it was time to head back. Our heads full of ideas and our bodies ready for rest. Now all I ask is… When can we do it again?
And to show you what a goof I am, here's a couple of pics I couldn't pass up.
May 24, 2011
Whipped Is Now Available!
Ready for some more purgatory? Whipped is now available!
Welcome back to Purgatory!
Recovering from a bad relationship, Walker comes to Purgatory looking for a place to call home. While he enjoys the casual play, he yearns to make a connection with a submissive for the long-term. The second he lays eyes on beautiful, mysterious Cass at the flogging station, his mind is made up.
Cass enjoys the sense of anonymity Purgatory gives her, and despite her determination to live by her rules she is unable to resist Walker. Can Cass overcome her personal demons to give in completely to the Dom who has her heart, and a mighty strong whip, in his hands?
I'd give y'all a warning on this book but you already know how HOT it's going to be, right? There are enough floggers and OMG sexoring in this story to scorch your fingers. ENJOY!
**This story was previously published as Touch Me, Tease Me, Whip Me
BUY at:
Readers often ask me if the Purgatory books need to be read in order. The short answer is no. Each story is independent of each other. However, previous characters do occasionally show back up briefly.
May 19, 2011
Guest Blog with Paige Tyler
Getting back to May is Short Story Month. Paige Tyler has stopped by to talk about her brand new book that sounds fantastic. Welcome, Paige!
I'm so excited! I've got a new book out and it's just $0.99 on Amazon! It's called THE POSTMAN ALWAYS COMES TWICE and it's fun, sexy and smokin' hot!
I actually came up with idea while my hubby and I were out walking our dog. We were talking about my book GOOD COP, BAD GIRL and how popular books about cops are when the UPS man drove by. I said I wondered if women get hot for all men in uniform, like a UPS driver. My hubby said, or even a postman. I laughed and said, sure, the postman always comes twice. We looked at each other and both said, that'd be a great name for a book! So there you have it!
This postman is carrying one hell of a package!
Charisma Harlow has been lusting after her hunky postman Travis Walker ever since he started delivering her mail a few months ago. In fact, she's so hot for him, she finds herself ordering things online so he'll show up more often. When her subtle flirting doesn't do the trick, she decides to finally get serious and seduce him outright. She orders the heaviest thing she can find so he'll have to bring it inside her apartment, then greets him at the door in nothing but a short, sexy robe when he shows up.
Travis gets the message and spends his lunch hour proving he really knows how to deliver—in the bedroom.
Excerpt:
There, standing on her doorstep, was six-foot-four inches of gorgeous stud. She would never have imagined the button-up shirt and blue trousers that made up the postal service uniform could be so damn sexy on anyone, but on Travis, it looked
hot as hell. She supposed it could have something to do with those impossibly broad shoulders and muscular biceps. Damn, he was built.
She could tell from the way he took in her robe he was surprised she wasn't wearing her usual tank top and pajama bottoms. His golden eyes caressed the curve of her breasts for a moment before lingering on her long legs, and Charisma felt heat pool between her thighs at the flicker of lust she saw there. To her dismay, he immediately hid it behind a façade of professionalism.
"It looks as if I have another delivery for you," he said, holding out the electronic clipboard. "What did you buy this time?"
"A spinning bike." She glanced at him form under her lashes as she signed her name in the signature block. "It looks really heavy. Do you think you could bring it inside for me?"
He flashed her his usual heart-stopping grin. "No problem."
As he bent to pick up the big box, Charisma stepped back so her could come into the
apartment.
"Where do you want it?" he asked.
Anywhere you want to give it to me. She blushed at the naughty thought as she closed the door. "If you could put it in my home office, that would be great. It's down the hall on the right."
Even though the box was obviously heavy, Travis had no problem carrying it, Charisma
noticed. She had no problem admiring his great ass as she followed him down the hall, either. She caught her lip between her teeth to stifle a moan.
"Is this okay?" he asked as he set the box down in one of the few open spaces left in the room.
Between her desk, the built-in bookcase, file cabinets and the boxes of stuff she'd bought over the past couple weeks, floor space was definitely at a premium. She'd been so busy with work and ordering things online she hadn't had a chance to open most of the boxes yet.
"That's fine," she said. "Thanks."
He looked around the room, his mouth quirking. "You certainly buy a lot of stuff."
She felt her face color at the amusement in his deep voice, and she reached up to tuck her long, dark hair behind her ear in an effort to hide her embarrassment. "Yeah, I guess I do. Fortunately for my bank account, I end up sending most of it back."
His gaze scanned the boxes again before coming to rest on the rectangular box on the
edge of her desk. He studied the contents for a moment before reaching inside to pull out the hot pink vibrator she'd gotten a week ago.
Her lips curved into a smile. Score, she thought. She'd purposely left it there in the hopes he would see it. So much for rusty flirting skills.
He gave her a sidelong glance and her pulse fluttered when she saw that the lust she'd noticed earlier was back in his mesmerizing golden brown eyes.
"You aren't planning on sending this back, are you?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. I haven't had a chance to try it yet." She gazed up at him from under her lashes, giving him her best flirtatious look. "Too bad you have mail to deliver. You could have stayed and helped me take it for a test drive."
Charisma had never been so bold with a guy before, but since her subtle attempts at
flirtation hadn't worked, she didn't want there to be any confusion she was coming on to him. Even so, the words made her blush a little. They hadn't even gone on a date and she was already inviting him into her bed.
Travis's mouth curved into a sexy grin. "I was actually going to take lunch after I
delivered your package anyway, so I'm off the clock for the next hour. I could hang
around if you think I might be able to help."
Her heart did a backflip. She had to admit, she hadn't expected her plan to actually work.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Are you sure it's okay? To spend your lunch hour with a woman on your mail route, I
mean?"
He took a step closer, his grin broadening. "It's perfectly okay. Satisfaction is our number one priority at the Postal Service, you know."
Buy it Here!
May 18, 2011
BDSM Romance – Some Thoughts
So I came across a single author blog this morning by an author who writes BDSM romance. I'm always eager to see what authors have to say on the subject as well as just keep up with new books in the genre. I don't talk about the subject too much here because I often don't know what to say other than I read it and I write it. It's a subject that resonates.
Unfortunately, like a lot of intense subjects, it causes a lot of arguments online. Especially about what is "right." If you're like me those conversations can get pretty old, pretty quick. Sure, there are some basics that I think can be pretty standard but beyond that the lines get blurry real fast. BDSM doesn't fit in a little box that is kept on the shelf to be dragged out and compared to everyone else's little box. It's often as unique as the person sitting next to you.
So it makes me start to squirm a little when I see someone poking at someone else's BDSM with broad sweeping terms such as "that's just not right." Maybe it is maybe it isn't. But we are talking about fiction right? And we do recognize that my kink may not be your kink, right? Either way, my take away from some of these conversations is that no one will ever agree on what is "right" in a BDSM romance.
What I find romantic in BDSM, you may not. *shrugs* I'm okay with that. It can be light or hard, kinky or almost vanilla, intense or playful, or any other endless variation. To me, saying that BDSM romance has to fit some standard and common definition is like saying any subgenre of romance needs to fit in a box too.
I'm not going in the box. Just saying.
Which brings me to one other thing I keep hearing about.
Kink Cred
Apparently you must have this and people must know about it in order to write BDSM romance.
So what constitutes Kink Cred? Is it only given to someone who lives in the lifestyle? What if they used to live it but maybe married someone vanilla and now don't. Do they lose their kink cred over time? What if you don't live it 24/7 and are only sexually kinky? What about if you serve in a non sexual manner only? What then? Or can you earn enough Kink Cred through research alone? If a writer thoroughly researches the subject, interviews lifestylers, and visits some BDSM clubs can she then be considered credible on the subject?
Do you see where I'm going with this? Kink Cred is another impossible to define criteria that has become a hot buzzword.
Some people are really comfortable talking about their private lives and that's cool. I often get quite a fun education on Twitter. Others prefer to keep certain aspects of their lives private. I'm not going to assume that my favorite BDSM author is an idiot because she hasn't told me she is an active submissive who greets her Dom husband at the door every night on her knees. She likely wouldn't be a favorite author if the words she's written in her books didn't make me feel something.
How a book makes me feel when I'm reading it and after I'm done is what matters. You don't need Kink Cred to write a BDSM romance. You need to be a writer with a genuine interest in the subject, who cares enough about the quality of her book to learn about BDSM either through experience or research or a combination of both.
As for me…
When I sit down to write a new book, I just try to write from the heart. I am and will always be in some small way the submissive trying to get her story out.
May 17, 2011
Amazing Cover Art
I've been dying to show off this art for a while now and I finally can! Woohoo!
The beautiful cover was created by the always amazing Kendra of Creations by Kendra.
Submissive Beauty is my next contemporary romance and is set for a June release date.
Isn't it gorgeous?
LOVE LOVE LOVE
May 10, 2011
Short Story Month
Did you know May is Short Story Month? Well, it's not exactly an official thing but somewhere, someone designated May as Short Story Month and I'm going with it. (Actually found this info on the Poets & Writers website)
There seems to be a lot of mixed feelings about short stories. Some people love them, some don't and some are indifferent. I am pretty much in the love them camp as both a writer and a reader.
Not every story is meant to be written long and often times as a reader I only have time for a quickie. 
Enter the shorty story. If you ever happen to visit me on Goodreads where I've gotten into the habit of logging all the books that I read, you'll notice a pretty good variety between long and short. I'm often on a deadline, or working on a certain kind of story that is keeping me up at tnight and often a short story keeps me company. I can spend a short amount of time escaping without sacrificing my deadlines. If you've ever picked up a novel and gotten so involved in the story you couldn't put it down you might understand what I mean.
So let's celebrate the bite size story that's just perfect for the time crunched reader and writer. In fact I've got a short story re-release coming this month just in time. Whipped (formerly titled Touch Me, Tease Me, Whip Me) is the 3rd book in the Purgatory series that so many of you have emailed me about. This one is going to be available next week. In the meantime here is a sneak peek at the cover.
Yowsa do I love that cover!
In addition to some discussion about short stories I plan to post a poll this month. You'll have a chance to influence what I write next! I'll also have a few guests come by and if I the stars and planets align and I hold my mouth just write I might have a surprise free read for you by the end of May. *crossing my fingers*
So help me out and get the conversation started. Do you like short stories? Why or why not?
Eliza
April 26, 2011
TV Tuesday – Time to Celebrate!
If you haven't already heard, it's now official.
Supernatural has renewed for a 7th season!
Time to party in the streets. Howl at the moon. Bite the one you love. Whatever floats your boat. I know I'm over here happy dancing. I love all things Winchester and love my Deanisms! Rock on Supernatural.
PUDDING!
April 18, 2011
On Tour With Malcolm!
Due to being at the Romantic Times Booklover's Convention when Malcolm was released I didn't get much of a chance to celebrate. So to rectify that situation, he and I have gone on tour!
Join me over the next two weeks as I talk about writing, the wily Malcolm and give interviews in which I will likely reveal far more about myself than I should. lol
To kick things off today I am at Bitten By Paranormal Romance talking about Alpha heroes. My verdict: I LOVE the alphas!
Did I mention there will be prizes along the way? In addition to eBooks I have three really fun prize packs you don't want to miss.
Please click, leave a comment, let me know you're alive.
Here's the full tour schedule.
Monday, April 18th – Bitten By Paranormal Romance
Tuesday, April 19th – Erotica For All
Wednesday, April 20th – JoJo's Book Corner
Thursday, April 21st – Sizzling Hot Books
Friday, April 22nd – Intense Whisper
Monday, April 25th – Book of Secrets
Tuesday, April 26th – Fang-tastic Books
Wednesday, April 27th – Leilani Loves Books
Thursday, April 28th – Book Lurve
Friday, April 29th – Black Lagoon Reviews
Happy Monday!
Eliza
April 15, 2011
Easter Hoppin Blog Hop
Hard to believe it's almost Easter. Although considering the date I should say I can't believe it's not Easter yet since it's late this year. Any who… Danielle of Lush Book Reviews and JoJo from JoJo's Bookcorner have teamed up to host a fun Easter Hoppin Blog Hop that spans the globe and a whole lot of wonderful blogs. And the best part is, every single blog participating is offering up a prize or two. So be sure to hit the links and spend some time blog hoppin to increase your chances to win.
I agonized over what gift to offer for this fun trip and in the end decided that if you're like me, you want to buy books. So I'm making this simple. The winner from my blog gets…
$15 in eBook Bucks to spend as they wish at either All Romance or Omnilit
and
A digital copy of one of my books – Winners choice!
All you have to do to win is leave a comment here on the blog by 11:59 PM April 17th with your email address and then check back on April 18th to find out if you've won!
Easy Peasy.
Now go forth and win by visiting the rest of the blog hop participants.
March 29, 2011
Traveling Tuesday – Austin, TX
A couple of weeks ago I made the trip to Austin, TX to the SXSW convention for my day job. (if you follow me on twitter, facebook or at the ARe Cafe you might have seen a few goofy pics. ) Unfortunately I didn't get to take part in the festivities for the convention since I was busy working on the show room floor. But I did make time to visit Rodeo Austin while I was there and what a blast to the past that was. 
After our first full day in Austin, and while I was fighting some sort of illness, author Cat Johnson and I cabbed our way from downtown Austin to the Rodeo.
Honestly, I haven't been to a rodeo since I was a teenager. It was like going back home. From the carnival rides set up out front to the food trailers surrounding the building, it was exactly as I'd remembered it. Although I have to admit I had never been to a rodeo quite the caliber as what they offered in Austin. I was a little more accustomed to the homegrown variety. I didn't grow up in what anyone would ever call a big city or even a moderate sized city. Heck, half the people in Florida haven't even heard of my hometown. lol
The first thing we did was check out some of the vendors and we found a wonderful woman from R Knot Ranch Wear who was more than happy to share some insightful information about her business to a couple of romance writers who had their mental notepads working overtime. Both Cat and I agreed that her idea to fashion purses from old boot tops was ingenious.
Here are a few pics I thought I'd share from that night. Cause what's a rodeo without a few cowboys, right?
After the Rodeo was over we were treated to a great show by Dierks Bentley. I did take a little video with my cell phone but the audio quality sucked so I searched on YouTube and found a video by someone else who was there and was sitting a hell of a lot closer. lol So I swiped their video to show you.
