My latest obsession is kind of weird, though, even for me. The other day I stumbled onto a cooking show called Chopped, in which four chefs vie for a $10,000 prize by cooking a three-course meal, with one of them being eliminated (or “chopped”) each round. Now I am by no means a chef. I don’t particularly like cooking. I tend to prefer my food simple, and not in tiny, beautifully arranged portions like they make in the show. So why am I watching it so much? I’m not sure. There’s the element of competition, which is interesting to see. And then there is the basket of truly odd ingredients each chef is given before every course. Last night they had to make dessert using pasta, basil, roma tomatoes, and white chocolate! That sounded pretty repulsive to me, but the two remaining chefs got really creative with it.

Maybe the element of creativity is what I like so much about the show. Just like authors do, chefs take different elements and try to blend them into something beautiful and enjoyable. Perhaps my recent obsession with Chopped isn’t so strange after all.

And who knows? I just might get some story inspiration from it…

Cassandra Gold
Gay romance with a heart of gold
www.cassandragold.com

The most promoting I’ve been doing lately is posting about my new releases on my blog, my website, my Yahoo group, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. That’s about it. Once in a while, if I see an opportunity to do an interview or if I’m asked to, I will, but not nearly as much as I used to during my first year as a published author when I sought out these opportunities. But I actually feel guilty that I don’t promote more and I wonder, should I take more time to do it?

Promoting your work can be extremely time consuming. Blogs, articles, interviews, chats, social networking…the list is huge for all the different venues an author can promo dance. Sometimes, promoting doesn’t even have to be an official post shouting to the world, “I have a book! Here’s the buy link! Hurry! Go buy it now!” Promoting can be, and is, just being an online presence, because the more people see you, regardless of what you’re chatting about, the more you’re getting your name out there.

I’m always amazed by the number of social network and group sites some authors balance. It’s like they’re everywhere!  And I’m not saying this because it’s a bad thing. If anything, I’m jealous! I think it’s wonderful they’re able to dedicate that much time to promoting and chatting with readers.

Seeing how much some authors do and knowing how little I do, it has me wondering, what’s the happy medium? And also, what kind of promotion do readers really enjoy? If every week an author is posting, “Hey, I’m at this blog! Now I’m at this one! And this one!”, does it get to the point where readers aren’t as interested? Or do readers enjoy getting the see their favorite authors so much? Are authors who make fewer appearances in guest blogs and interviews more likely to get readers to stop by because it’s a rarer opportunity to learn about them? I have no idea to any of these questions, and if someone does, feel welcomed to offer insight!

So even though trying to work your way through the labyrinth of promoting is more than a little confusing, I do have a couple thoughts on it. When it comes down to it, an author has to do what they feel most comfortable with, whether it’s interview, chats, social networking, or anything else. But mostly, you have to do what time will allow you to do. No doubt you want to get the word out on your latest book, but you don’t want to promote your newest book so much that it costs you time for completing your next one. Being a writer is a multifaceted endeavor, so you just have to find that balance of sales and creativity that works best for you and your work.

S.J. Frost

Kissing Joan Collins

Blurb:

Gay suspense author Logan Moore fell in love with the most perfect gay man ever during his freshman year in college. But his roommate and best friend Chase Courtland never showed an interest in him. Twelve years and a handful of failed relationships later, Logan acknowledges that he still loves Chase. When Chase puts on a designer dress, four-inch heels and a wig and transforms himself into Joan Collins for a Valentine’s Day masquerade party, Logan’s libido rockets out of control. One look at Chase’s perfect ass in the skin tight dress and Logan is ready to drag him off to bed. But can two best friends bridge the gap of a dozen years of denial and build a life together after one amazing night of revelations, confessions and love?

Some unedited snippets for your enjoyment…

The scene that makes me think of chick lit:

Chase stood before a rack of designer dresses giving each one the critical once over. Beside him, Logan’s sister Julia huffed in impatience.

“How hard can this be, Chase?” she barked. “Just pick one!”

He turned and pinned her with his gaze. “It has to be just right, Jules. You know that. How else am I going to get his attention?”

“A cast iron skillet comes to mind,” she muttered darkly.

Logan’s reaction to Chase in the dress:

Never in his life had he found a man in drag attractive, but he’d give his left arm — he needed the right one to write and jack off — to fuck Chase while he wore that dress and heels.

Size matters:

Chase groaned and reached down to take both their cocks in his hand, stroking them together. “You’re so big. I love it.”

Logan laughed out loud, joy making him giddy. “Big there or big in general?”

On being possessive:

Chase scooped up a handful of lather and wrapped his arms around Logan, his fingers tracking the soap through the crease of Logan’s ass. “Did you feel big and clumsy last night?” he asked archly.

Logan’s heart raced as Chase’s fingers brushed his hole. He shook his head in answer to Chase’s question. “No. I felt empowered. Maybe it was the dress, but suddenly, I didn’t feel as if you were out of my league anymore. I felt…primal.”

“Good. I did too. If you had been a tree, I would have peed on you.” Chase kissed Logan’s collarbone, his tongue snaking out to lick the skin.

Fashion advice:

Logan’s gaze tracked the movement of Chase’s hand as he pulled the dress up, showing off stockings and a black lace garter belt. He sucked in a breath as his heart stuttered, his entire being riveted on the bulge in the black satin thong Chase wore.

“That’s gonna spoil the line of the dress,” he muttered as his stare caused Chase’s cock to swell.

What’s “in” in romance reading:

Chase turned his back toward Logan and leaned over the sink, patting the long dark hair of his wig. “How did things go with your editor?”

Sidling up behind Chase, Logan leaned against the hard body encased in feminine clothing. He nipped the side of Chase’s neck. “I’m her newest romance author. Kris says gay romance is in again. ‘Dick Lit’ she called it. Got a contract for the completed manuscript and three more to follow. There’s a hefty advance now sitting in our joint bank account.”

And, there you have it! Look for Kissing Joan Collins around Valentine’s Day.  Happy Monday!

The specific point of this post is the most recent movie hubby found.  It was a sci-fi, which was cool.  I like sci-fi.  It started with six screens of introductory text, like Star Wars.  Six screens.  Six.  How much back story does a porn flick require?!?  Then, the first scene was some sort of futuristic battle scene… where all the participants were completely covered in armor to the point I couldn’t even tell which were men and which were women.  Um… guess what?  It’s PORN.  I may be picky but even in a futuristic setting, I’d be fine if they dressed their military in strappy bits of nothing, armed with laser pistols.  Honestly, it was so weird.  Completely unexpected.  And I discovered that maybe there can be too much plot.

But then, I guess that’s why there’s erotic romance (and perhaps why I write it).  Perfect blend of sex and story

KC Burn

 ”I tried, not always successfully, to start each day with some discrete goal I wanted to accomplish: write 200 words, or get through a certain amount of research, or conduct two interviews, or whatever. If I set out to spend a day ‘writing’, that would be so overwhelming I’d end up just farting around online all day instead of starting the climb the mountain.” – Seth Mnookin

I admit it, I’m a huge fan of setting goals. I make a list of 100 things I want to accomplish at the beginning of every year, and I cross them off the list as I go. That’s right – one hundred. Never let it be said I’m not ambitious. I have goals for everything: writing (of course), other hobbies, social interactions, you name it. Usually, I’m motivated by those goals. Looking at my list spurs me on and makes me want to cross off just one more item.

And then there are the types of goals that make me freeze in my tracks. For example, like the author of the quote above, I set a goal to write a certain number of words every morning, before I did anything else. You know how long that lasted? Oh, about a day. I’ve tried numerous times. It just doesn’t work. First thing in the morning, I want to check my email, write in my journal, and drink my first cup of coffee. Then I want to work out and shower. And only after that, I’m ready to get to work.

What I realized is that this goal I’d set for myself went against everything that made me a happy, productive author. So today, I’d like you to think about your own goals, and your New Year’s Resolutions, if you set any of those. Are your goals directly opposed to your ideal way of working? Are you a night owl trying to make the switch to writing during the day, because you think that’s what you should be doing? Did you set a goal to write the great American literary novel when you love reading erotic short stories?

Drop me a note in the comments section. I’d love to hear whether the goals you’ve set continue to inspire you as we move into the second month of the year.

Roxana Leventis spends her evenings blindfolded and strapped into a harness. As living art, she’s appreciated with all the senses. That means being touched, fondled and caressed in the most intimate ways.

Donovan Armstrong thinks his latest assignment is just another security gig, guarding priceless paintings. Boring stuff for a wolf shifter, but he plans to return home to Canada as soon as he finds a suitable mate, the kind of shifter female who’ll stun his pack with her perfection. After four years of searching, however, his temporary stay in New York is starting to look pretty damn permanent.

Until one whiff of Roxi’s scent awakens his dormant inner wolf. Taking her as his mate is unthinkable. She’s not a shifter, and her delicate human body is much too fragile to withstand his animal urges. Still…neither man nor beast can ignore the way she stirs their blood.

Donovan’s job is simple—protect Roxi from overzealous gallery visitors. But who’s going to protect her from him?

A Stranger’s Touch is now available at Ellora’s Cave.

Award-winning author Lacey Savage loves to write about her dreams — or more specifically, she loves to breathe life into her steamy fantasies (and she’s got plenty!). She pens erotic tales of true love and mythical destiny, peopled with strong alpha heroes and feisty heroines. A hopeless romantic, Lacey loves writing about the intimate, sensual side of relationships. She currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, with her mischievous husband and their loving cat. You can learn more about Lacey by visiting her website at www.laceysavage.com, by following her on Twitter, friending her on Facebook, or joining the Yahoo Group she shares with fellow authors Beth Kery and Fiona Jayde.

The Three Faces of Eve

Thigpen & Cleckley concluded that this was a genuine case of MPD. They admitted that it might be a hoax but argued that even a great actress could not have kept up the pretence for so long.

Other psychologists have different views. It is obvious from the case notes that the doctors favoured Eve Black, found her more attractive and even flirted with her. It’s possible they encouraged the patient to act this way, without realising it. This would be a type of DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS.

The differences betwen the personalities’ test scores were interesting and statistically significant, but can be explained by stress or the pressure of expectations. A handwriting expert looking at Eve White’s first letter and decided that, though the writing style was different for Eve Black’s footnote, it was clearly written by the same person!

The Four Faces of Me

Am I much different from Eve?  I write under three pseudonyms, with very different personalities. My three faces are Erotic, Contemporary, Tween Mysteries .   In any one day I must flip from one persona to the other. Right now I have a tween mystery on the go and the launch of my newest personality, Lora Richards. In the same breath, I am writing a book about a serial killer by Adelle Laudan, and Elle Laudan has a new release coming out in April.

Why do I do this? It’s simple… I have many stories to tell, and just like in real life I am not one to conform to the rules set out by society in general.  Does this make me a ‘great actress’? I guess if all three personalities are successful, I am.

Let’s not forget, on top of all this we have ‘real life’ sprinkled in here and there. I think if I were a movie it would have to be,  not three, but…. The Four Faces of Me!

How many faces do you have?

No, we’re not serial hoarders, with rooms full of stuff we’ve bought and never will use. I just hit the January sales hard, stocking up while things are ridiculously cheap. And, I hasten to add, it’s not all for me and it’s cost me very little.

We support SCRATCH, a local charity, particularly their Christmas Complete appeal, which helps needy families, for example providing bags of presents for children whose mothers have had to take them into women’s refuges. I have a boxful of toiletries, chocolates, wrapping paper and art kits (£6.00 knocked down to 75p!) We also support Operation Christmas Child, sending shoeboxes to kids all over the world who simply don’t get presents otherwise. Hair bands, stationery, soaps, cuddly toys – already getting my supply in.

I have all the raffle prizes I’ll need for the year, too. We usually have a draw at the RNA lunches, to pay for the speaker’s expenses, so I’ve stocked up on them. I hope we’ll be repeating the raffle in aid of Albert Kennedy trust which we had at the last UK Meet. I have a basket full of UK themed goodies (fancy a shower hat with a crown printed on it?) ready and waiting.

Now, we’re not totally altruistic. Alongside the things for other people, I’ve got cards and wrapping and stocking fillers put away for me to use, and all sorts of other indulgent things which are nice but usually stupidly overpriced (table confetti, and the like). So, if you’re always looking for ways to make that budget stretch further, then get amongst it. And if you’re too late this time then make sure you do it next year.

I’ll fight you for those knocked down chocolate santas…

Bound to the Beast is the tale of Herne the Hunter, a Greenwood legend whose origins can be traced to Norse and Anglo-Saxon myth, and further back into the mists of time, to the horned gods of Iron Age religion. While often portrayed as a god of the forest, or a protector of the fair folk, Herne also has a dark side. He is leader of the Wild Hunt, an army of the undead (medieval zombies, if you like!) who were believed to sweep across England on the eve of great disasters, such the Norman Conquest, or the plague of the Black Death. Dark, huh?

The novel is set in the Elizabethan period, 1588 to be precise. At this stage, my Herne the Hunter, a spirit who shifts to sport the antlers of a stag when his passions are stirred, has already been roaming the Greenwood for well over fifteen hundred years. And he has a dilemma. The ships of the Spanish Armada are circling English shores, and invasion is threatened once more. Will the Wild Hunt ride again, letting England fall in their wake? Or will Herne (the “beast” of the title!) find somebody to heal his fifteen-hundred-year-old broken heart, and learn to love instead?

I was thrilled that Loose Id enjoyed my story about brooding, tortured Herne’s journey from loneliness to love. And with the excitement of my contract, there came my notes on edits, including the revelation, from my perceptive and long-suffering editor, that the book needed a prologue.

Ah. A prologue.

I had considered giving Bound to the Beast a prologue on many occasions. I didn’t, because I was in a panic about my two main protagonists having to meet on the first page, but when so much history and mythology is involved, back story was always going to be an issue. So I’ve spent the last week or so putting my prologue together, and I have to say, I’m rather pleased with it. Describing the dramatic events through which Herne, a warrior king betrayed by an evil lover, is first transformed into a spirit, the prologue gives the story a rather epic, Lord of the Rings-style feel. And when we get to the sexing and action in 1588, it’s even more exciting now we know how awesome and tormented Herne is, rather than having to learn as we go along. Go my editor! She rocks!

One day, I’m going to go easy on myself, and write a story set in a single time and place, where all the characters only have the dilemmas of one lifetime to deal with. But, knowing me, and with so many thousands of years of history, mythology and magic to lure me, that won’t be any day soon.

***

My first Greenwood novel, Bound for the Forest has been shortlisted for Best Historical Romance at Love Romance Cafe’s Best of 2011 Awards. Thanks so much to Dawn Roberto and everybody at LRC for my nomination. Glad you enjoyed the book!

If you would like to vote for me (thank you!!) you can do so by leaving a comment with the title of my book here.

Find out more about my first Greenwood novel, Bound for the Forest, an m/m historically-set, paranormal romance, with lashings of BDSM!

I’m done with the first drafts of my three-book Dominatrix Fantasy Series, and now I’m in the editing phase, based on critiques from two other authors who were kind enough to beta-read for me.

I’ve got my book covers all ready to go, so I’m sharing them with you here

My original plan was to make them all have the exact same cover with only the number of the book changing, but then I realized a key point: readers might skip over the rest of the series if they think they already read the book!

So instead my cover artist made 4 covers that are similar enough to “brand” them but hopefully different enough to let readers know they’re getting the next book in the series.

As for pricing, I’m thinking Novellas 1-3 will be 99cents each, and I’m also going to put all three plus a bonus short story in a trilogy set for $2.99.

I’m sooooo excited about this series! *g*

If you want to find out when the books come out (they’re all releasing at the same time for you fast readers!), just sign up for my newsletter at the bottom of the page under “Mail List” on my website. The newsletter only goes out when I have a new release, I promise

….and…here’s where you can find me online!