What's in a setting?

In fiction, authors use details of setting to define location and character, drawing on readers' knowledge and sometimes cliched impressions about the elements they use. Location and time, for instance, implies climate and sometimes draws on stereotypes of the people living there. Readers might automatically think of freewheeling partygoers in New Orleans, violent criminals and their victims in Chicago, or wealthy retirees, drug lords and Cuban expatriates in Miami.

Beautiful mansions, modest homes and shoddy tenements in whatever location tell readers much about their inhabitants. A character's chosen surroundings can either solidify stereotypes of who he is (a hot, bachelor lawyer with an obviously decorator-done condo that looks like a seduction pad) or a detail that stands away from that stereotype (perhaps a faded, framed photo set unobtrusively on the credenza beside his desk, of a little boy in tattered clothes, standing next to a woman bent over in a strawberry field).

Like the Rolex on his wrist, his custom-tailored suits, his yacht and his gleaming red Ferrari, this hero's condo tells the reader he has achieved success and wealth. The lone personal looking item, in this case a picture, hints that he has known poverty and makes the reader wonder what shaped him into what he is today.

Natural phenomena in settings often punctuate or trigger tumultuous emotions. Is a character apprehensive? Afraid? Uncertain? Or even as wild as the storm? Many times in romance, these feelings in characters will be accompanied by a roll of thunder...crackling lightning in an otherwise black night sky...a burst of hailstones--or a blizzard with snow falling so fast that it seems the lovers may be buried under its frozen depth.

I've pulled an example of using nature to heighten character emotion from each of my Lawyers in Love series books, which I've been revisiting as I write a new, connected series, Courthouse Connections, which I hope will be completed by the end of 2013.

These books can also be bought in two print collections, THE DEFENDERS and THE PROSECUTORS. All of my books are available from Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, All Romance EBooks, Kobo and other authorized online booksellers. Print ones are also available through LSI and Createspace.

"Waves rocked the boat. Thunder rolled. She tightened her hold on his hard-muscled torso. He would keep the world at bay, keep her safe..." (In His Own Defense)

"Damn it, he shouldn’t have to keep reminding himself every few minutes that he had no business lusting after what he could no longer have. As if in warning, the thunder clapped again, louder this time.
"Andi shuddered, a strangely sensual motion that contrasted with the fierceness of the storm. “You know, I’m afraid of lightning. Always have been. I wish…" (Bittersweet Homecoming)

"Sensation sizzled through her brain, the heat of the day bringing sweat up on her brow. Mild heat, though, compared with the fires Craig kindled inside her..." (Gettin' It On)

"For a long time he held her. Shivered with her while the wind pummeled their shelter, reminding him of the danger. Not only that which threatened them, but that which promised to consume him if he gave his raging emotions free rein. If he took her, claimed her now the way he'd been too young and green to take her years ago." (Eye of the Storm)

Conversely, authors will often set the resolution of conflict or its lusty aftermath on a sunny day at the beach, a riverbank with the river's sometimes rushing water running lazily by contented lovers--or a cool evening inside, perhaps in front of a warm and inviting fireplace.  heirloom quilt.


So... There's a lot of emotion an author can show readers by setting. Setting includes not only physical surroundings but also acts of nature that can illustrate the depths of characters' emotions. There's a whole lot to the settings in which authors place their characters.

Ann Jacobs

http://annjacobs.net

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Sabrina York Celebrates her Anniversary with Giveaways Galore!

It’s almost April. The birds are chirping in the trees and the skies are no longer filled with snow-laden clouds.

And I am excited because April marks one year for me as a published author. My first book, Adam’s Obsession, released on April 4^th, 2012. It’s been an exciting journey ever since. I've met some of the most amazing people and made some really wonderful friends.

I want to thank my readers and my fans for all their support. It really means a lot.

I am excited to report that I now have ten titles out and four more coming soon…plus a bunch in the hopper!  

I've included a list below with links if you’re tempted.

I am even trying my hand at self publishing. Rebound, the first novella in the Tryst Island Series releases in April. I am so excited about that, you know I just have to give one away to a lucky commenter! Just mention the title in the comments section below and I’ll add you to the drawing.

Here’s the blurb:

Rebound by Sabrina York

Kristi Cross has had the hots for her friend, Cameron Jackson as long as she can remember, but she knows she’s not his type. She’s nothing like the women he dates. So when he suggests they play for a kiss over a game of Hearts, Kristi can’t resist. Even if she loses, she wins. Because she’s finally going to taste him.

Of course, one kiss can quickly become something altogether steamier, especially when both parties are on the rebound…

And if you’re in the mood for a super quick, steamy read, check out my most recent release, Man Hungry, a Quickie from Ellora’s Cave:

Man Hungry by Sabrina York

Blind dates are hell. At least that’s what Justin thinks before he’s set up with Jessica, a sizzling-hot schoolteacher who captures his heart—or at least his lust—at first sight. He can’t let their date fail so he does what any sane, rational prankster would do—he pretends he’s there to meet someone else. A man-hungry schoolmarm.

Jessica knows full well that Justin is her date, so she decides to have a little fun and show him exactly how man hungry a “schoolmarm” can be. And Jessica’s hunger is all for Justin. On the dance floor, atop a table, up against a door…she just can’t get enough.

A Romantica® erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

And yes, if you mention the title in the comments section below, you could win a copy of Man Hungry as well!

***ENTER TO WIN SABRINA’S TIARA***

Oh, and this is important! March 31st is the LAST DAY to enter my Tiara Giveaway.

Well…until I decide to give away another. My bling closet is getting kind of cluttered. (But darling, if you’re going to be a hoarder, shouldn’t you be hoarding bling?”)

To enter, just sign up for the Royal Hotsheet (Sabrina’s Newsletter). Newsletter subscribers are eligible to win all coming contests as well as random giveaways. Because, have I mentioned? Tiara closet? Cluttered?

Send an email with "Enter Me" in the subject line (this is erotica, after all) to sabrina@sabrinayork.com. If you want to win a copy of Man Hungry, mention that in the body of the email!

The drawing will be March 31, 2013. It is a completely random drawing. I made it a point to have the one person on the planet who ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT CARE about the results draw the winner.

That is, after all, what teenage sons are for.

Remember, only one entry per person, but if you refer your friends you will earn bonus entries.

Refer Your Friends Bonus Entries
Tell your friends about Sabrina York, Her Royal Hotness. If they sign up for Sabrina's Hotsheet you earn another entry, plus a chance at a Referrals Only drawing for more bling. (NOTE: They must tell me that you referred them in the message box so I can give you credit).

Good luck!!!

About Sabrina York

Sabrina is an award winning author of erotic romance with nearly a dozen titles available, ranging from sweet & sexy erotic romance to BDSM to erotic horror. Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york or Facebook.

Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on her webpage (www.sabrinayork.com) or explore on Amazon or at Ellora’s Cave.

Click here for information about Sabrina's Royal Street Team

Books by Sabrina York

Adam’s Obsession (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Dark Fancy (Erotic Regency, Ellora’s Cave)

Extreme Couponing (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Five Alarm Fire (Erotic Contemporary for the High Octane Heroes Anthology, Cleis Press)—coming soon

Folly (Erotic Regency, Ellora’s Cave)

Lust Eternal (Erotic Fantasy, Ellora’s Cave) —coming soon

Pushing Her Buttons (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Making Over Maris (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave) —coming soon

Man Hungry (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Rebound: A Tryst Island Erotic Romance (Erotic Contemporary, Available soon on Amazon)

Rising Green (Erotic Horror, Ellora’s Cave)

Saving Charlotte (Erotic Contemporary for the Smokin' Hot Firemen Anthology, Cleis Press)

Training Tess (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Trickery (Erotic Contemporary with Magical Elements, Ellora’s Cave Hex Line)

Tristan’s Temptation (Erotic Contemporary, Ellora’s Cave)

Why Read?

 One of my jobs is substitute teaching in local high schools.  I've asked students if they know anyone who owns an e-reader, since the writers/readers loops I'm on are filled with people who seriously think that everyone is on their second or third generation reader.  There are usually a few hands that go up, as students admit their mother might have an e-reader, or even some of them might have one, or use their I-pads to read books. But they are distinctly in the minority. 

Invariably when I ask the classes if they prefer paperbacks, the students who do like to read, those who often have books open while they are supposed to be doing worksheets, will insist they prefer to hold an actual book in their hands.  The rest of the students will look at me as if I'd just asked if they kill and butcher their own meats before they eat.  When I query further, what usually comes out is that for most of the teens, the idea of reading for pleasure is an anathema.  They read what they have to, for classes.  They can hardly wait until they are done with high school so they won't have to read anymore, (many seem to think college won't require reading!  I chuckle warmly to myself at their naivety.)  

This idea of reading as being onerous and not pleasurable surely must be the origin of the statistics that proclaim the "average" American adult hasn't read an entire book in six years.  That's right, at least six years. Wow. The first time I read that I was stunned.  I learned to read from my mother before I was in kindergarten; she had me read her newspapers while she was cooking. By first grade I was reading Shakespeare out loud to her. As I got older, my tastes have continually evolved, but to me it was a natural progression to become an English major when I got to college.  My parents strongly objected, Dad telling me I was wasting his hard-earned money on a degree that would allow me to quote Shakespeare to diners while I served them their food.  I hate the fact that he was right since I've learned subsequently that no one in the business world values the erudite, well-read intellectual. But I made my choices and after years of writing, I've ended up with two part-time bread-money jobs and I write when I can make the time. 

But as authors, it behooves us to understand why the vast majority of adults don't read...or if they do, it's magazines, or e-zines these days, devoted to specific interests, like sports or porn.  What is it about reading they find distasteful?  Is it because it's hard work, to think about the words you're reading? I can't understand that way of thinking, since reading has always been my ticket to escape from reality.  How else can you live someone else's life?  How else can you understand intimately what it was like to live in another era of time, or to experience historical events as they were happening? Through books I've had "conversations" with people who were long dead before I was born, yet after reading their words, the ideas they had in their brains can now live in mine.  What could be more interesting?  I'll never know exactly what it is like to be a man, or to be born and raised in a different country or time period, but I can read books written in first-person and catch a glimmer of what that particular person thought about life.  I can study human behavior in books, and look around me to see the evidence that the author was correct, or in error.  I can escape from the boredom of the everyday routine nature of life by temporarily imagining myself to be the hero/heroine of whatever fiction I'm reading, and I can become magnificent and important for a short time.  How can something that is habit-forming and addictive, yet not deleterious to your health, be shunned as if it was a disease?  How can people not flock to reading to allow them to dream of bigger and better worlds?

I realize I'm preaching to the choir here, because if you didn't like to read and write, you wouldn't be here.  The oldest of my four kids didn't like to read, but I used every trick I had ever learned and made up some new ones, to get him interested.  As adults, all of my kids make the time to read.  But what about people whose parents aren't English teachers?  How do we reach them, to get them to see the possibilities contained within the pages of books: the cheapest, least fattening, legal, and totally healthy way to pleasure yourself?

*************

If you want to learn about my books, please visit me at: www.fionamcgier.com

I write contemporary erotic romance, but my stories incorporate what I think about things like the eternal struggle between the sexes, the importance of family, and the nature of the society we experience in the western world.

Catching the reader’s eye

This has been the plague of many a new writer, as well as those more established. The trend seems to be go bigger and it’s all better. I’ve watched as we’ve moved from small “giveaways” of a new book, to gift certificates, and more recently I’ve been looking at blog tours that offer eReaders and $100 gift cards to winners. So, is it the prize or is it the author/book that is pulling in the reader’s interest?

I have to be honest here, and I only speak for myself of course. I don’t make enough money to be able to offer up prizes like that, even after almost ten years in this business. So where does this leave new writers? Or writers who honestly can afford to offer their readers the big prizes that are becoming so commonplace? I was curious, to hear from readers, and perhaps other authors–do you think it’s becoming harder and harder to meet the rising odds in this business? For those established, there’s the advantage of having built an audience who will quite probably stay with them throughout a career, but what about the newcomers who are struggling so much to have their voices heard/read?

We all love to get things for free, hell that's human nature, but do we have to buy reader loyalty? It seems to be the new trend, especially in the ePublishing business where everyday there’s a new publisher vying for a piece of a rapidly shrinking market. In some cases those publishers aren’t even people with any experience of the business, and their authors equally inexperienced. In this day where anyone can put up a website and “start a publishing business” you don’t have to wonder why there is so much on the market that even ten years ago would never have been accepted–by legitimate publishers and, perhaps more importantly, by readers. Love it or hate it, ten years ago the publishing world would never have allowed a book like Fifty Shades of Grey to be released, and not because of the story content–which makes me wonder if the standards we expect have really diminished because there is a lack of quality, or if we’re getting resigned to mediocrity in our jaded world?

Slick marketing can make any book a success, if you have the money to invest it the campaign to get it seen. But does that make it good, or even “right” when so many truly excellent stories never get the chance to be seen? I don’t think I’m jaded enough to believe success has to be bought, I’d like to think there are still discerning readers who value authors who work hard to consistently produce a good story. What do you think?

RECKLESS ASSIGNATION

Ellora’s Cave – Quickies™ Breathless

The shock of the cool chair against her bare skin sent another shiver through Cinthya. But before she could recover completely, Rick had most of her clothes off and was halfway through tying her ankles back to the legs of the chair, this time to the back legs, leaving her thighs spread wide.

Her heartbeat doubled when his fingers began a slow, barely perceptible pattern of caressing her legs, starting at the back of her ankles and gradually moving upward. The room actually did a crazy spin when Rick bent his head and started following the path of his roaming hands with his lips.

Cinthya squirmed with renewed urgency as she tried to free herself from the surprisingly strong bonds. Rick’s tongue barely touched the wet folds between her legs, but the featherlike contact created a spasm of reaction in her. She shuddered and gasped, the sound becoming a tiny moan when he repeated the gesture with a slow, lingering sensuality. Then he leaned back to look up into her eyes.

“Why…?” She wasn’t even sure what it was she wanted to ask as the words got caught in another trembling twitch. His fingers were smoothing gentle touches on the inner skin of her thighs.

“Because I love you, Cindi,” he answered around a huge smile, supplying his own meaning to the gasped query.

She looked down to watch his hand brushing over the dark-gold thatch of hair between her thighs and tried to thrust into the contact. Frustration played through her when he refused to accommodate her.

“Rick? Do you think maybe you could love me a little faster?” The words were expelled like a choked breath of air and her face warmed with the heat of her embarrassment as well as her passion.

“How fast are you thinking, sweetheart?” His grin was on the verge of dissolving into laughter.

His finger finally delving into her wet heat effectively cut off any attempt at an answer, her hips again shifting into his touch. He probed deeper into her and started a slow, gentle rhythm, his own breath becoming audibly strained when her head fell back and her lips parted with a breathy sigh.

Visit my Ellora's Cave Author Page

BIG NEWS - the stunning Kayden McLeod cover for my novel OUT OF THE PAST is up for an award. I need votes for this amazing cover, so PLEASE, if you would, drop over and vote. Voting closes next Monday, and all you have to do is register at the site, confirm your email, then vote - nothing more: http://indtale.com/cover-contest - THANKS SO MUCH!!

Sexy Couponing…in the Extreme: A Valentine's Day Challenge from Sabrina York

Valentine’s Day is coming soon.

It’s time to think about what we might do to show our sweetheart how much we adore them. I can’t think of a better gift for your partner than a sexy coupon book.

And not just because that’s the theme of my latest release. The fact of the matter is, a sexy coupon book is a lot cheaper than a dozen roses or a re-built motorcycle engine.

Plus, it’s a hell of a lot more fun!

In my steamy novella with BDSM themes, Extreme Couponing, sweet and sexy hubby Tae discovers that wife Bella secretly craves sexual submission but it too shy to ask him for it, so he designs a book full of sexy coupons to lead her down the garden path. The coupon he redeems first is for One Hour of Complete Submission. The result is a revival of their sex life, in a way that completely satisfies them both. (Please read on for the scorching excerpt…)

So here’s my question for you, dear reader: What would you put in your Valentine’s Day Coupon Book for your spouse? Would it be naughty and risqué? Or would you stick to a litany of household chores?

I’d love to hear your ideas for my coupon book. So would my dear husband!

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Coupons for Him

·         Good for one comment-free football game*

·         Good for one BBJ (Blindfolded Blowjob)**

·         I will act out a scene from your favorite porno

·         All right, I will play Halo/Portal/WOW with you

·         Lingerie. That’s it. Just lingerie.

·         Good for one Ellora’sCave for Men ebook

Coupons for Her

·         Dinner. In or out. Your choice. My treat.

·         I will change the oil in your car without complaining about it (much)

·         I will clean the garage (really, I’ll do it this time)

·         Good for bathroom duty for one week

·         I will actually complete any one chore from my Honey-Do list

·         Good for one spanking, whether you need it or not

Coupons that Go Both Ways

·         Good for one backrub*

·         Good for breakfast in bed*

·         Good for one foot rub*

·         Role reversal for one week

·         Good for one weekend away

·         I won’t complain about work for one whole evening. Promise.

·         I will give as good as I get.

*From Extreme Couponing

**Yeah, this is in one of my coming releases!

See how much fun this can be???

Please comment below and share your suggestions for a Valentine’s Day Coupon Book, and read on for information about my books, contests and the sizzling excerpt from Extreme Couponing, available now from Ellora’sCave.

About Sabrina York

Sabrina is an award winning author of erotic romance with over a dozen titles available, ranging from sweet & sexy erotic romance to BDSM to erotic horror. Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york or Facebook.

Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on her web page (www.sabrinayork.com) or explore on Amazonor at Ellora’sCave.

·         Adam’s Obsession: Contemporary Erotic Romance  

·         Extreme Couponing: Contemporary BDSM

·         Folly: Erotic Regency

·         Pushing Her Buttons: Contemporary BDSM  

·         Rising Green: Steamy Erotic horror

·         Training Tess: Contemporary BDSM  

·         Trickery: Magical Domination  

·         Tristan’s Temptation: Contemporary Erotic Romance  

Coming Releases

·        Extreme Couponing (Novella): Available January 23, 2013 from Ellora’s Cave

·        Dark Fancy, the scorching prequel to Folly (Short Novel): Available February 22,2013 From Ellora’s Cave

·         Man Hungry (Short Story): Available March 31, 2013 from Ellora’s Cave

Wina Tiara From Her Royal Hotness!

Enter to win a gorgeous tiara by signing up for Sabrina York's Royal Hotsheet (new book and contest info only--no spam! Your e-mail address will not be shared). If you're already getting the newsletter, don't fret. You're already in the drawing. Send an email with "Enter Me" in the subject line (this is erotica, after all) to sabrina@sabrinayork.com. The drawing will be March 31, 2013.

One entry per person.

Refer Your Friends Bonus Entries
Tell your friends about Sabrina York, Her Royal Hotness. If they sign up for Sabrina's Hotsheet you earn another entry, plus a chance at a Referrals Only drawing for more bling. (NOTE: They must tell me that you referred them in the message box so I can give you credit).

Good luck!!!

Extreme Couponing

by Sabrina York

Bella adores Tae. He is sweet and patient and gentle. She would do anything to keep her handsome hubby happy—even pretend to be something she’s not. She ignores that niggling dissatisfaction with their very vanilla marriage. But secretly, she yearns for something darker.

When Tae discovers—quite by accident—about Bella’s secret desires, he is determined to fulfill her every fantasy—and his. He devises a wicked coupon book full of naughty commands and fiendish challenges. From spankings to bondage to erotic play with household implements, he tests her limits. 

With each coupon Tae redeems, Bella sinks deeper and deeper into the lifestyle she has always craved but never had the courage to demand. Can they find a place that allows her to be the strong independent woman he fell in love with and the quivering sub she is at her core?

A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Ball & Chain Line

An Excerpt From: Extreme Couponing

Copyright © SABRINA YORK, 2013

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

If you’re under 18, it is necessary for you to stop reading now.

With a simmering glance at her, he slid a finger beneath the tape. A small booklet fell out onto his lap.

“What is it?” She scooted closer.

“Oh look. You gave me coupons.” He sounded excited. Thrilled even.

“Coupons?” She shook her head and took a sip of her coffee. What on earth was he up to? She was hardly a “coupon queen”. She was the kind of woman who used coupons as bookmarks.

In fact, he did all the grocery shopping. Well, if he wanted food in the house.

She wasn't very domesticated. Never had been.

He flipped through the booklet, oohing and aahing. The sideways looks he sent her set a fire in her gut. “Oh Bella,” he purred, pausing on one coupon in particular. “You shouldn't have.”

She frowned. “Let me see that book.”

Before he could protest, she snatched it from him and flipped through the pages. And she began to laugh. Clearly he’d printed out this booklet on his computer. “Good for one backrub. Hmm.” She flipped to the next. “Good for breakfast in bed.” Okay. There was the usual stuff. One foot rub, one blowjob, one comment-free football game…

And then she came to one that made the breath catch in her throat. She swallowed. Her pussy twitched.

It said, One hour of complete submission.

She froze. Every muscle in her body locked in place. Her heart pounded, her blood thrummed, her body liquefied.

He watched her intently, taking in every nuance of her reaction, his jaw tight, eyes glittering. His tongue snaked out to wet his lips. “I was thinking about redeeming that one now.”

She didn't even know how to respond, so she just stared at him. They’d been married for nearly a year but he’d never once suggested anything kinky. Never once tried to push the boundaries.

Never once suggested anything even remotely risqué.

Damn it all, anyway.

Bella had never been a wimpy woman. She usually just took what she wanted from life. But in this, especially with Tae, she was tentative, cautious. Nervous.

Usually she was never nervous. But this…

This was something so personal. So intimate. So secret. She’d never had the courage to admit it to him. She’d been scared to death of how he would react if he knew the truth. If he knew what she really craved.

That he was asking for this, now, made her woozy.

She cleared her throat, lowered her lashes. “W-what did you have in mind?”

He waited until she looked at him before he spoke. “I think the coupon speaks for itself.”

“All it says is complete submission.”

“I know. Are you game?”

An unfamiliar tension rose between them. Bella nibbled her lower lip as she contemplated the sudden urge to test his resolve. Or at least the depth of it. “For all I know, you’ll have me cleaning your man cave. Scrubbing the toilets. Doing your laundry.” Their marriage had become that, somehow. An endless list of projects and chores.

“I didn't have cleaning in mind.” He tipped up her chin. “Sexual submission, Bella. Total. Sexual. Submission. Are you game?”

She swallowed, swamped by the apprehension skirling in her gut, the lust dancing in her pussy. It was all she could do to hold his gaze. “I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.”

He was right. She did. She bobbed her head, a tiny nod.

Oh yeah. She knew.

She wanted it.

Bad.

She’d always wanted it like that. Craved it. Hungered for it. But then she’d met Tae, a guy who adored her for being a strong woman, for taking the lead, for managing everything. She hadn't wanted to tell him the truth of it. She hadn't dared.

“Say it.”

She swallowed. “Say what?”

“Say, yes Tae. I want to be your slave for one hour.”

Her heart stuttered. She forced a laugh. “I can’t say that.”

“You can.”

Bella tried to sort through her conflicting feelings. She wanted this. Needed this. Had fantasized about this. And now he was offering it to her.

And damn it all anyway, it was only for an hour.

Shyness overcame her. She dropped her chin and whispered, “Yes Tae. I want to be your slave for one hour.”

“Sweetheart. Look at me when you answer.”

She did. “Yes Tae. I want to be your slave for one hour.”

His nostrils flared. A certain light glinted in his eyes and a raft of dimples exploded on his cheek. The stark beauty of his face snared her. It always did, but tonight, backlit by a crackling fire and the lights of the tree, he seemed even more intense. From the dark, dominant brow, to the high cheekbones, to those full lips…

He ripped the coupon from the book and gave her a look that sent a tremor through her body. Maybe it was the heavy-lidded heat he invested in the glance or maybe it was the way his body tightened, every muscle, as he gauged her reaction. She knew instinctively that something very different was about to…arise between them.

It was as though it was their first time all over again. Trying to make light of the electricity, the lust lashing through her, she accepted the coupon with what she hoped was credible aplomb. She cleared her throat. “Okay, Tae. What do you want me to do?”

He didn't hesitate. Not for a second.

“I want you naked.”

***

Oh yes! Get your copy now!

And keep it hot, baby!

Mayan Prophecy Fulfilled

Recently some authors have been talking about sequels...about how once you write "the end", sometimes the starring characters of that book are done telling their stories, but the supporting characters  want to continue.  I've written two series' like that, with the earlier "starring characters" still involved with subsequent stories but in supporting roles.

With Prophecy of the Undead, which was inspired by two separate dreams, I thought I was done with the story when I was writing the last chapter.  Then I began to imagine how to tie up the loose ends that in retrospect were obviously crying out for resolution.  I soon began the first chapter of Mayan Prophecy Fulfilled.  As with my other series books, you can read each one independently but you will get a more interesting experience if you read them in order.

At the end of Prophecy of the Undead, Keisha and Yuri are enlisting the aid of vampires he knows to help them convince those who control the world behind the scenes that the human race should not be dumbed-down any further before the return of the alien vampires who brought across to blood-drinking humans in many cultures on their last visit.  They took many humans back to their planet with them the last time, and promised to return for more humans in 5,000 years when their planet would once again be aligned with the Earth.  Vampires must decide if they have any skin in the game, since many feel that losing a few thousand humans would be good for the worldwide population and not hurt them in any way.

Keisha and Yuri receive help in their quest from a most unexpected source: a tall, blue-skinned alien covered with darker blue fur, who tells them to call him "Frank".  He is from a race of eternal beings that call themselves "Visitors" because they visit planets all around the universe to help nudge evolution along so that each planet's dominant species can venture out into space and achieve their birthright as star travelers.  But first they need to convince Niu Ying, a Chinese female vampire with a chip on her shoulder, that she should care about the human race.

Blurb:
As a gifted child she was given to the state by her Chinese parents, leading to a harsh life.  Her un-dead existence has been worse.  When other vampires urge her not to further the destruction of humans, they bring a blue-skinned alien Visitor. She never expected to discover her own humanity in the arms of an alien; he never expected to fall in love.  Can their passion bridge the gap between their races?  And can they join forces to face the return of the Mayan aliens and save humanity?  

Mayan Prophecy Fulfilled will be available on Friday, February 1, 2013 from Eternal Press at: http://www.eternalpress.biz/.
You can also find my books at the usual sources, like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romances eBooks, CoffeeTime Romance, etc.
For more information, head to my website: www.fionamcgier.com

Check Out WILD ONE...

On January 4, Deidre finds her Master in the third and final book of the Caden Kink series. Les Fourchet is the new doctor in town who's not what the spoiled baby of the family thinks she wants-- but who's exactly the Dom she needs to capture her restless heart and show her the sort of life she truly needs to tame the discontent inside her.

The WILD ONE, Deidre Caden follows her two older siblings, Bye (the heir to the Bar C and all the Caden wealth) who found the submissive of his dreams in LOVERS' FEUD...

and Jack, their bastard half-brother, who discovered a kindred spirit in his 24/7 slave, Liz Wolfe, in SHOTGUN RELATIONS.

If you like wide-open spaces and steamy, uninhibited romance with a BDSM flavor, don't miss these siblings and their sizzling stories, available now (or coming January 4) from Ellora's Cave Publishing!

Happy New Year. May 2013 bring you health, wealth and happiness!

Ann Jacobs
http://annjacobs.net

Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnJacobsAuthor

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Nasty Girl

I've been searching for a theme for a contemporary story. I don't write much in the contemporary category. Not anymore. I used to write little short-shorts when I was married. They were definitely NOT romance. My ex used to ask me if I would change my name if I published them. *blink*

I heard an old song lately that put me in the erotica frame of mind. Nasty Girl, by Vanity 6. At first I just sang along and danced. (Insert my embarrassed pre-teen and  teenager yelling "Mom, no.") I just laughed. I was having fun. I knew all the lyrics, even if I'd been only six when the song released in 1982.

Then I realized Nasty Girl is a song about a woman seeking sexual liberation. The hook says:

Tonight, I'm living in a fantasy.
My own little nasty world.
Tonight, don't you want to come with me?
Do you think I'm a nasty girl?

Vanity sings to an imaginary man in the song. She won't tell him her name. (stranger sex) She wants him to play her game and be mysterious. (role play) She wants a man to have sex with her wherever she wants. (public sex, exhibitionism, voyeurism) Half-way through the video she appears wearing a black teddy, black tuxedo jacket and a pair of black knee-high, heeled boots. (too many fetishes to list)

My mind is racing with the possibilities. I don't know if the story will be erotic romance or erotica. All I know is, it has to be HOT.

Speaking of hot, here is the cover for my new ebook, coming soon  from Ellora's Cave. The cover for Battling Rapture, was created by the fabulous Syneca. Battling Rapture isn't a contemporary story, but I think the cover and the story are five alarm.

Are there any songs that inspire you to be naughty? Give me a title and the image(s) that come to your mind.
I also won't be upset if you let me know you love my cover as much as I do. I wish it were in my hands so I could stroke Ryan (cover model) and call him "my precious". Excuse me while I go fan myself.

Stormie
http://www.stormiekent.com/

Ann Jacobs: My First Sale to Ellora's Cave

I had been suffering a two-year-long dry spell. Oh wait, it had been three years since my last sale to one of the revered New York publishers--but just two years since the last book had come out. I was tearing my hair out, wondering what I had to do to succeed in the crazy business of publishing!

At the 2002 RWA convention, I was grousing about getting turned every way but loose by editors who kept saying my sex scenes were too explicit for the delicate ears of readers. I'd gone through two agents who had tried and failed to sell my proposals. Now NY Times bestseller Angela Knight told me about Ellora's Cave, then a fledgling epublisher that actually wanted steamy, explicit romance they had dubbed Romantica (TM).

Having heard nightmares about ebooks earning their authors literally not enough to buy lunch at McDonald's, I had trouble believing Angela when she said she was earning more with EC books as with the novellas she'd published in Secrets. Since I, too, had been one of the authors who had an erotic novella published in one of the Secrets anthologies, I knew there was gold out there.

Being even more greedy than I was skeptical, I bundled up a complete novel that had made the rounds in New York with a contemporary erotic novella I had proposed for Secrets, and emailed them to Ellora's Cave. After all the rejections I'd been getting, I didn't have a lot of hope...but within two days an EC editor came back with offers for both projects!

I accepted, not expecting a lot in the form of actual money--no advance but a promise of 35% of the proceeds. After all, it had been all that time since I'd made a sale to one of the big six--and I couldn't quit writing even though the prospects seemed slim.

That was in October 2002. I immediately got into edits for the novella, Commitment--and commissioned to write another one about a magician (long story, for another time) that became Illusions. These two stories were originally published in late November 2002 in a collection entitled Love Magic.

My editor also wanted a Quickie--a short story meant to lead into what would be my first full-length EC novel, Firestorm. Love Slave also was released in late November, a few days after Love Magic--back then releases weren't scheduled a lot in advance or limited to one a month.

In early December I got my first royalty statement--and check. I could hardly believe my eyes. In less than a week those two projects had earned me royalties that were upwards of $500, and my editor actually apologized that the check wasn't bigger.

I was thrilled--sold on epublishing, Ellora's Cave and writing what I'd always loved. I no longer had to water down the sex scenes or write heroes' dialogue and narrative using euphemisms no self-respecting male would utter! I could indulge my dirty mind and write all manner of kink, from anal play to threesomes to improbable off-planet hot stuff with my first effort at futuristic later on--in 2003 (Gates of Hell).

Here I am, ten years later, still misbehaving at EC and loving it, celebrating the release earlier this month of SHOTGUN RELATIONS, book two in a brand-new, sizzling western contemporary series tweaked with BDSM and menage scenes I wouldn't have dared to write back in the day!

See you all again next month! Your comments (if you include your email address) may win you a download of your choice of any of my ebooks. I'll be checking them after Romanticon and picking a winner.

Ann Jacobs
http://annjacobs.net
Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnJacobsAuthor
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authrannjacobs

Rediscover Your Joy

      
         Hi, I'm Cathryn Cade.

        Yesterday evening I had the amusing, nostalgic, heart-warming experience of going through the filing cabinet that sits beside my computer desk. The top drawer was half-full of old (and I do mean old, girlfriend) manuscripts.
        We just moved last month, and I had pulled my early writings from a dusty box and filed them, so as I have time I can either keep or toss them. Some were 20 years old. Surprised a bat or two didn't flutter out when I opened those!
       As I read my earliest romance tales, typed on my Brothers Word Processor, I chuckled, I rolled my eyes, I winced ... and I even wiped away a few tears. The glory and pathos of those imaginings came right back to me, as if I'd written them only yesterday.
      The writing--let's be honest--was pretty bad. Rambling sentence structure. Scenes with little more point than a buildup to the heroine gasping as the hero pulled her masterfully into his muscled arms and kissed the sugar out of her. Very few actual endings. Only three stories were finished, and they probably shouldn't have been.
      But ... as I finally stacked the re-read pages into piles and tucked them back into their file folders, I realized something. When I wrote those stories, I was having FUN. That was their only purpose for existence.
      And while most of those first stories lacked such things as character arcs, secondary plot lines and many other story elements I've learned to employ in my published manuscripts, they were full of passion. The characters exploded off the page with larger than life emotions and reactions, with love scenes that still make me squirm and sigh.
     
      I'm a selling writer now.
      I've completed my popular Orion Series of erotic space opera, am in the midst of writing and publishing my contemporary paranormal Hawaiian Heroes series.
      I plan to write many more books and novellas. I read voraciously, studying my favorite writers' work. I take classes and read books, blogs and articles on writing. I am a small business owner, and a full-time writer.
      But I hope I never lose the sheer fun of putting a heroine and hero on the page, and letting them battle their way through obstacles and their own fears and foibles, on the way to their own scorchingly sexy version of happy ever after.

      What gives you joy?
      Do you have a beloved hobby, perhaps one you've turned into a business? If so, or even if you just dabble in many things, I hope you find your joy. I hope you seek it actively.

      But if it hasn't been there for you lately, come on along with me.
      Escape for a little while into a great romance. It's cheaper than a plane ticket, and you can be back in time for work, or to get the kids up for school.  

      Aloha,
     Cathryn

     http://www.cathryncade.com

 

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