Thursday 29 July 2010

Milaya is talking Self-Editing!!



Please welcome Milaya Marks to my site today - she is here to share a few invaluable self-editing tips and ways to sit our butts in the chair and polish each baby we create...take it away, Milaya!

Five Easy Steps for Self-Editing
Milaya Marks

Making sure your manuscript is as polished as possible is hugely important when it’s time to submit your work. But if you’re like me then it’s the writing you enjoy the most, with edit-ing a very far second. The next time you’ve got to self-edit your story, use these five easy steps to get the job done quickly and easily.

1. Let Your Writing Rest
Taking time off from a manuscript, even if it’s only a few days, is imperative. Not only does it give your mind time to mull over plot problems, but it allows you to return to your writing with fresh eyes. You’ll be more likely to spot errors or inconsistencies when you’ve come back to a manuscript after some time away.

2. Run Grammar And Spell Checks
This is so easy it should be a crime for writers to skip this step (and for many edi-tors/publishers, it is). Run grammar and spell checks. That’s it.

3. Read Your Work Out Loud
Reading your work out loud allows you to hear the rhythm of your writing and experience it in a new way. You will be more likely to catch things like typos, missing words and run-on sentences when you’re reading out loud rather than skimming through paragraphs quickly.

4. Find Next
The “find next” function (usually in the “edit” drop-down menu of your word processing programme) is invaluable if you are the type of writer who uses the same words over and over. Simply type in the word you’re targetting, find next and let the function guide you through each use in the entire manuscript. Keep a thesaurus handy so you can make changes as you go.

5. Focus On the Story You’re Telling
It can be easy to lose the forest for the trees when you’re focusing on individual words or sentences, but don’t forget about plot. Ask yourself if the story you’re telling is consistent, makes sense and touches on the issues or emotions you intended. Creating your own story bible to track things like character details, locations, time period information and slang/vocabulary, and refer back to it during editing as well as writing.

Self-editing may never be fun, but it gets easier the more you do it. Practice makes per-fect and all that, so get out your red pen and get busy!


Bio:
Milaya Marks's devotion to romance began early, when she read every teen romantic fic-tion she could get her hands on. In love with the idea of being in love, she graduated to historicals and contemporaries not long after. She had her own fairytale romance and to-day is living her dream of writing steamy erotic romances while enjoying life with her very own hot hero. Her debut release, Spanish Heat, is out now. Visit Milaya online at www.milayamarks.com

Loved the article, Milaya! We all need every self-editing tips we can get our hands on! Milaya and I would love to hear any comments or tips you'd like to share...

Monday 26 July 2010

Yolanda talks 'out of this world' with a big dose of passion!

Welcome, Yolanda Sfetsos to my new erotic romance site! You are my first guest to take me back to a time I'd forgotten - The X Files! Wow, great stories, great scenes and great 'will they, won't they' moments. Can't wait to read your post!


I Want to Believe

You all remember this poster, right? It's from The X-Files. Mulder had it in his office, and it's one of the (many) things that I'll never forget about the show. In case you're wondering--yes, I was a huge fan. :)

This poster happens to be one of the inspirations I used when I decided that it was time to write something featuring a clan of Grey aliens. Something that I'd been wanting to write for a long time.

I also wanted to throw in a good dose of men in black, secret organizations, alien abductions, and conspiracy theories. So when this story struck me, I was so excited I managed to write it in one month. Actually, it was during NaNoWriMo.

And so, SHADE OF GREY was born--the first Omega installment, set in Sydney, Australia. Well, it starts out in a suburb of Sydney, but because Gypsy is being pursued by both aliens and MIB, it eventually moves into the Australian Outback. To a fictional town where people who have been touched by alien phenomena hide, trying to heal themselves from abductions and other bizarre situations resulting from involvement with Grey aliens.

I was so excited about finally telling this story that it wasn't long before I realised there was more to it than just Calvin and Gypsy's side of it. That's when I decided it would more than likely be a trilogy. One book for each of the surviving Omega guys.

Here's the blurb:

The night two intruders dressed in black break into Gypsy’s store, a mysterious, sexy man comes to her rescue. Calvin has one objective—to keep both a secret organization and an alien clan from finding and taking Gypsy. But after they meet, his duty is overridden by his desire.

Together, Gypsy and Calvin travel halfway across the country, trying to stay one step ahead of their pursuers and dodging danger at every step. When they give in to their mutual attraction, neither realizes that it’s the one thing guaranteed to reveal their location to their biggest threat.

In the small Outback town of Backwater, human and alien greed will collide. Can their passion for each other be strong enough to survive the ordeal? Or will Gypsy’s destiny lead to an alien plan that could destroy everything?


Shade of Grey is now available from Eternal Press.

I had a lot of fun writing this story, and absolutely love the cover. Isn't it lovely? It was made by Dawné Dominique. Love it!

As far as UFOs and alien abductions go, I'm not sure what to make of it because there are so many fabricated accounts, but I'm a total sucker for government conspiracies. Maybe there is something going on that we don't know about, maybe there isn't... but I always find myself referring back to that poster. Because, I really do want to believe that there's someone else out there.

Anyway, if you're in the mood for a little adventure and a blossoming romance (with a good dose of passion) between two people trying to stay one step ahead of everyone who's targetting them, then you might enjoy my little novel.

Thanks for reading!

Yolanda
http://www.yolandasfetsos.com/

Yolanda is waiting for your comments, she would love to chat!

Thursday 22 July 2010

Emma Jay - the earliest bird writer I've ever met!!



Really happy to 'meet' another Wild Rose author today! Welcome Emma, shall we get on with the interview, I am so nosy about how other writers work...

1) What is your writing routine? A few years ago I decided to try NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). The problem was, it’s in November and I had family coming for Thanksgiving. If I was going to write, I had to get up early. So now I wake up around 4 AM in the morning, eat breakfast, check email and Twitter, then write until it’s time to get ready for work. I leave home before 7 to teach, get home around 4 PM and repeat until it’s time for dinner. Then after dinner, more writing, but this time usually in front of the TV.

2) Which author/s inspire you to write? So many! I love Nora Roberts and Jennifer Crusie most of all, but I love Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series and Karen Templeton and Virginia Kantra. My critique group—Cerise Deland and Layla Chase—were the ones who really inspired me to try my hand at erotic romance, and I’m having a blast!

3) Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write? I enjoy contemporary romance to read and write. I enjoy romantic suspense, historical and erotic romance, and an occasional paranormal to read. I have them arranged by genre on my shelves, and my contemporary romance shelf is by far the biggest.

4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection? Well, I’m pretty used to it by now! Sometimes it hurts more than others. Recently, this book that I loved was rejected by EVERYONE, and that one really hurt. I moped for a day and got back to work the next day. Too many rejections will ruin the creativity if you let it, will have you second guessing yourself. You just can’t let it.

5) What do you expect from an editor? I love my editors. Every one has a great attitude, and “sees” my stories the way I do. I like timelines, because I work best with deadlines in mind, and I like feeling comfortable enough to email them if I have a question or concern.

6) Tell me about your latest release. Lessons for Teacher is about university teaching assistant Jamie Winston, who is ready to break out of her shy, unadventurous shell by finally approaching Brady Lane--the sexy Iraqi war vet seated in the front row of her journalism class. He's brave and outgoing--something Jamie is not--and good looking to boot. Her shy flirtation with Brady at a frat party leads to a deliciously sinful tryst that leaves her wanting more. Each breathless encounter with Brady peels away a layer of Jamie's insecurity, leaving her more wanton and willing each time. But eventually, all good things must come to an end. When Brady finally leaves for an internship, will Jamie be brave enough to let him go? 


7) Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt.

Here’s an excerpt:

She shifted anxiously. “I’m not—I don’t want you to think I’ve ever done anything like that. All weekend I worried that you might think—”

He placed his hand on the table, close to hers but not touching. He didn’t want to spook her. “I never thought. I don’t either, for what it’s worth.”

She swallowed. “Really? Because I know a lot of girls—”

“Girls,” he repeated. “Not really my thing.”

She giggled. “It seemed to be exactly your thing.”

He reached across the table to rest his hand on her arm. “You’re no girl, innocent as you are. There are things you know—”

“Not according to my ex.”

He blinked. “Then he’s an idiot.”

A smile flashed through her eyes. “You have no idea.”

“You know what gets me?” he asked, leaning even closer. “This, right here.” He circled a finger in the air above the hollow of her throat. She lifted her hand to her neck and he pushed it away. “It tightens up when you get passionate about something, like in class. And it tightens up when you’re around me.” He dragged his fingertip over the smooth skin and felt her pulse flutter under his touch.

He’d wanted to taste her there for months, and when he had, on Saturday night, it had been a concentration of her scent. Just remembering her taste on his tongue aroused him. Hell, watching her eyes widen and darken aroused him, and he shifted to accommodate his erection.

“Is there someplace we can go?”

“Brady. You have a class.” Her voice was breathy and shot straight to his groin.

“Not for a couple of hours.”

“I don’t have my own place.”

“Neither do I. I live in the dorm.”

“Right. With the roommate who never leaves.”

“You have an office or something?”

“I’m just a T.A.”

She was chickening out. Okay, he could get that. He was disappointed, after Saturday night, after reliving the encounter on Saturday, after fantasizing about getting into her panties for months. Resigned, he reached for his backpack.

“Our classroom is empty right now,” she said, her words rushed. “It’s where I usually work on my plans for the next class.”

He snapped his gaze to hers. Her blush ended at the vee of her blouse. Christ, that was adorable.

“Should we go?” he asked, watching her eyes, seeing the indecision underlying the desire.

She looped her hand through the straps of her bag. “Let’s go.”

He waited for her to stand, then stepped behind her, his hand on her elbow, but allowing her to lead the way. His jeans weren’t baggy enough to hide the erection he couldn’t get under control, especially when he watched the unconscious sway of her ass.

She moved like that in class, too, and it was a miracle the room wasn’t full of walking hard-ons. Right now all he could think about was getting her alone, rubbing his cock against her ass, making her come. Those sounds she’d made the other night, those sweet little whimpers—Jesus, no wonder he couldn’t get a handle on his arousal.

When he would have guided her toward the elevator, she headed for the stairs. The classroom was only on the third floor, but he wanted to be alone with her now, wanted to feel her mouth open for him, wanted to feel her body against him.
He consoled himself with watching her walk up the stairs ahead of him.
What a great ass.
Then they reached the room and he turned her to him, his hand on her waist, diving in for a kiss.


8) Which is your favorite character in the book? Why? Well, while Brady is sexy as hell, I have to admire Jamie, who has bowed to what other people want for so long and has been afraid to take what she wants. When she decides she wants Brady, she has to act or lose him. I love that bravery.

9) What is next for you?

I have a novella coming out in February from Samhain Publishing called “Two StepTemptation.” It takes place at a wedding at a Texas Hill Country resort, where one of the bridesmaids hooks up with one of the groomsmen with whom she had a secret affair. I had fun making them hide their renewed relationship from their friends in those close quarters!

10) What are you working on right now? Right now I’m working on a novella with a Bad Boy hero, a definite man-slut, who falls for his best friend’s little sister. I love making the guys who think they’ll never find love fall, because they always fall hard.

11) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists? Write every day, even if it’s just 100 words. It keeps your head in the story, and if you’re not writing, how can you have a finished project to sell? (Though, honestly, I write every day because I have so many stories in my head and not enough time!)

12) Where can readers find you?

I’ve got a blog and a Twitter page so far.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EmmaJayromance

Blog: http://emmajay13.blogspot.com/

Great to have you here, Emma! You sound as busy as me which is not necessarily a good thing, LOL! And I am totally with you with the writing a little each day - that's my mantra and it works. If you think rather than write, you'll never have anything to sell. Can't wait for the readers comments!

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Welcome the wonderful Lynne Roberts to my blog!



Lynne is a fellow Wild Rose Press writer who has received the most fantastic reviews of her releases - read her blog and then check out her sexy stories at the WRP website!

Keeping the Fires Burning
When I considered the subjects I could tackle in this guest blog, the possibilities seemed endless. I tossed a few ideas around and kept coming back to one that is fairly close to my heart presently: Keeping the fires burning.
I’m not referring to your characters, although that is important too. I’m referring to your fires, the writer. You. Chances are you’re not just a writer. You could be a mom, a wife, an employee, or all of the above.
Regardless if you’ve been published or are still pursuing publication, if you’re reading this blog, you know by now that writing doesn’t just involve writing. Once the story is written, there is the editing, the queries, the submission, the critiquing for others. After publication there is all that and publicity, blogs, social media… and don’t forget, the next book. Add in the responsibilities of the rest of your life and you’ve got an impressive juggling act.
If you’re like me, you keep juggling those balls until you fail to catch one or two and then feel guilty for dropping them. The solution is obviously to work harder and longer because, really, who needs sleep? Then comes that day when embracing the pillow is much more interesting than any kind of embrace you can conjure for your characters. And the last thing in the world you feel like doing is opening that WIP; your reader list is in the high triple digits and the only thing you feel like doing on your computer is another game of solitaire. You study those writers who seem to do it all to see where you’re falling short. They’ve an active presence on threads and blogs, steadily publishing book after book with seeming ease. So what’s wrong with you?
In a word? Nothing.
One of the things I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older, and spoken to many writers, is that we all feel overwhelmed from time to time. You are not alone in your desire to scream stop! Wanting to freeze time so you can catch up. Tried it, it won’t work.
However, if you continue on the merry go round, it will lead to professional burn out and feelings of inadequacy.



In any industry, but especially in writing, you can’t keep putting out, (no pun intended) without replenishing. The goal isn’t just publishing, it’s a career in publishing and for that we need to think long term. I’m not advising that you don’t set up a writing and blog schedule, but taking the occasional day to watch movies with your kids, eat popcorn, go for a bike ride, a walk in the park, play on the Wii, spend time with your husband are as important to your career as commenting on every blog you follow, maybe more.
There are hundreds of threads, forums and social media from which to choose. But do you have to belong to all of them?
Pick one. Do you like Facebook? Then put your energies there. Prefer Twitter? Be the queen of Twitter.
Select blogs of people you’re really interested in and follow them, occasionally, you’ll find a new blog that interests you, but be real. Be yourself. Building your name takes time and rushing around like a dervish trying to be everywhere at once will only wear you down.
And if you drop those balls, give yourself a break. Keep your fires burning, and it will be much easier to keep your characters aflame.

Thanks so much for your blog, Lynne. You have no idea how happy you've made me today because this is exactly how I have been feeling over the last week or so - now I have permission to drop a couple of balls for awhile! It is so damn hard...how do you all feel? Lynne and I would love to hear from you!

Thursday 15 July 2010

Maeve Alpin talks sexy steampunk fashion...yum, yum!!



I am thrilled to welcome Maeve to my blog today as I had a sneak preview of her post yesterday and I'm fascinated!! I adore the Victorian era anyway but this has opened my eyes to more and more wonderful things about the time. Read on and enjoy!!

Steampunk Fashion/AsTimeless As Stone
by Maeve Alpin
My steampunk/erotica/romance, As Timeless As Stone, takes place in 19th century Paris, a steamy setting for a fun filled hot fantasy. And it’s also full of fabulous 1830’s French fashion. The blurb will give you a taste of this erotica/steampunk/time-travel romance.
Blurb:
Though society stands in their way, can love transcend time with the aid of robotics and ritual?
In peril for her life, the Priestess Seshat turns herself to stone in ancient Egypt. Centuries later, Ricard, a dashing nineteenth century Frenchman, repairs a broken statue and reads its incantation--unprepared for the gorgeous flesh and blood woman who steps forth.
Seshat is drawn to the brass robots Ricard creates and the glamour of the Victorian age, and most of all to Ricard himself. But the society of his day cannot accept a woman like her.
How far will Ricard go to secure her happiness? Is their love strong enough to transcend time itself?
Elegant, over the top clothing is a big part of As Timeless As Stone and all steampunk romance. Steampunk has even become a fashion trend. For example, Flickr has a Steampunk Fashion post with several images of beautiful yet unique Steampunk costumes at http://www.flickr.com/groups/steampunkfashion
Though one of the most confining things for women in the steampunk era, the Victorian age, were the garments, layers of them from head to toe, including hats and gloves, one of the sexiest things women had going for them were the garments, all those lacy corsets.
Since my heroine in As Timeless As Stone, Seshat, is an ancient Egyptian priestess, I have a unique way of dealing with Victorian fashion. Seshat is not impressed with layers of confining clothing. As an Egyptian priestess it is a taboo for her to wear anything made from animals, such as wool, and this comes into play when the couturier is garbing her in the latest Paris fashions. Here is a short excerpt from the scene with Seshat and the Parisian dressmaker.
Excerpt:
She imagined Ricard smiling at her, as she sat beside him in his horseless carriage, in her new gown. Her heart beat faster and a warm glow filled her. Seshat couldn’t help her strong attraction for this man she barely knew. Every time she thought of him, her heart turned over. She would do anything, even wear one of these awful garments, just to make him happy. In her mind, Ricard tossed the full blue skirt and white petticoat over her head then hoisted the chemise to uncover the secrets of her womanly center, hidden beneath layers of garments, waiting for his touch. Suddenly hot, she waved her fingers in front of her face.
After taking another deep breath, she pulled the dress on, cringing at the tight fit and the
clingy feel against her skin, but if she had to wear it, she could. “Why are the sleeves shaped so oddly? No one’s arms are like this. They look bigger than a falcon's wings.” She flapped her arms in front of the couturier.

Mademoiselle swept her hands dramatically through the air “Oui.” She pointed at the large sleeves then the tight waistline and flashed a broad smile

Seshat had never felt so frightened in her life. She’d rather face Hyksos warriors than this woman babbling in that foreign language with her never-ending garments. A voice inside her head screamed at her to escape while she still could. No, she promised Ricard she’d wear the dresses he bought her. Though she wanted to return to the temple and her life, she didn’t want to leave Ricard.

Seshat needed to look at and be with Ricard for now. As mademoiselle gestured to her to remove the gown, she slipped it off and laid it on the chest they called a dresser, on top of the pile of clothing there.

Seshat wished she stood bare before Ricard instead of the couturier, to have his shimmering gaze rake boldly over her body. She imagined he’d step up to her, cup her breasts, mold and squeeze them. Her body throbbed with need at just the thought of what the touch of his warm, firm hands would feel like.

http://www.MaeveAlpin.com
Buy Link: http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=authors&authors_id=124&zenid=9g6isp7q9ete05kgukjnpgpoc5
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CelticRomanzqEn
Face Book: http://www.facebook.com/CelticRomanceQueen

What a fantastic excerpt, Maeve. Definitely on my 'to buy' list and the cover is just beautiful! Who was the artist?? Maeve would love to hear from you!

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Talking Scenes with Anita Philmar...



Welcome to my blog, Anita! Looking forward to you speak about writing and building scenes, take it away!

What’s in a Scene?


A scene has many elements. Let’s review some of the question an author can ask to determine if a scene is complete. Some things are essential like a character and an event to drive the plot forward. Other things like time and setting might not play as an important part in the scene but they do add depth.

Let’s break it down into three components:

1. Character
a. Who is this scene about?
b. What is the relationship of the characters in the scene?
c. What is the emotional impact to the character?
d. What does the character want? (Long-term and short-term goals)
e. What are the obstacles in the way?

2. Setting
a. What season is it? (Time, day, year, past, future)
b. Description of the place (house, boat, office, city, country)
c. Special items (gun, knive, pills, items needed for the plot)
d. Senses (see, hear, smell, taste, feel)

3. Event
a. What’s happen in the scene to drive the plot forward?
b. What does the reader learn for this scene?
c. What are the characters doing? (the physical action or character movement)
d. How does the event occurring affect the character?

All of these thing are important in developing a scene. The more items presence, the richer the writing.


Great article, Anita - can we hear about your latest release?

Banished Witch
by Anita Philmar

Once a princess of Ardenia, Danella, left her homeland to warn her childhood sweetheart only to be kidnapped and sold into slavery. Learning the dark magic from her keeper, she grew to accept her role as a witch to protect her family and track down the traitor to the crown. But when Omar Mandel, the love from her past, arrives to bring her home, she realizes she can never go home. That doesn't mean she can't use his assistance in her plan for revenge and, in the meantime, live out a few unfulfilled fantasies.

The queen wants her daughter to come home and Omar’s job is to see that it happens. However, Danella isn’t the same sweet girl he remembers. In her place is a sexy woman who excites his lust and claims his heart. He must teach her to trust in his love and face the sins of the past if they are to have a future together.



Excerpt:
He followed the quick action of her fingers as she loosened her clothes. His blood raced through his veins in anticipation of viewing her luscious breasts. “And what animal do you usually change into?”

She tugged her blouse from the waistband of her skirt. “It varies. If I’m in a hurry, I usually chose a hawk or falcon and take to the sky. Otherwise, I might choose a coyote or jaguar so I can prowl a little on the way.”

When she dropped her shirt to the ground, he marveled at the creamy white swell of her breasts. The rosy tips drawn in tight peaks spoke not only of her arousal but the cool air surrounding them.

He automatically reached for her, but she avoided his touch by stepping back, then shoved her skirt down her legs. After shedding the multi-colored fabric, she wore only a pair of black, lace-up boots. “If you want to make it to my cabin before the light disappears, you better remove your clothes, too.”

The sight of her exquisite body held him prisoner. Full plump breasts lead to a narrow waist then widened into the round curve of her hips. The light bush between her legs revealed her natural blonde hair color. He smiled and grabbed her around the waist. “And what if I can’t wait until then to claim you?”

A sly grin kissed her lips before a tiny pop broke the silence between them. The smooth texture of her skin changed into the soft caress of feathers as she shrank. The tantalizing aroma of her transformation filled his loins with a barbaric thirst for sex.

A loud call pulled his gaze skyward as a hawk soared above his head. Words filtered through his head. Do you know the hawk’s waltz?

He recalled the mating rituals performed above the trees and envisioned the joy of flying.

After a small hop, he flapped his wings and raced after her. With their destination unknown to him, she quickly outdistanced him. He sped through the air and slowly closed the gap between them. Yes.

The wind rushing over his feathers fought to cool his carnivorous hunger, but the brief teasing fragrance of her lust continued to feed his desire. The sun, escaping the pursuit of the night beast, fell below the horizon. Red, yellow, and purple lights filled the evening sky.

Why flee? he called.

Her answer stroked his thoughts. Oh, but if you can’t catch me, what kind of pleasure could you really give me?

Inflamed by her words and the fire burning through his loins, he soared higher and charted the circles she drew beneath his flight’s course.

Marking her position, he took a steep dive through the center of her path and then moved in a sharp angle upwards. He repeated the maneuver several times, coming closer and closer to her until his wing brushed hers. On his climb back to the heavens, he grabbed her talons.

Interlock in a spiraling fall, her hoarse raspy cry echoed around him. The ache in his cock intensified. How much longer would she make him wait?


Visit my website and learn more www.anitaphilmar.com

The story sounds fab and what a delicious cover!! I am seriously jealous, huge credit to the cover artist, it's beautiful. Anita would love to answer and questions or read any comments!

Thursday 8 July 2010

Please welcome Rae Summers!


Phew! I am a little late posting today's guest blog because I've been packing for my very first Romantic Novelists Association conference....which Rae is attending too, but Rae is flying in from South Africa, how great is that? Tomorrow I will meet her face to face, and I can't wait to share a glass or two...welcome, sweetie!

Writing Erotic Romance – Rae Summers

Anyone who’s read my new novella, Let’s Misbehave, will be surprised to learn that I used to write sweet romance. Love scenes terrified me. In my first complete romance novel my hero and heroine barely managed a kiss. So how on earth did I land up writing an erotic romance?

Travel back two years to 2008, when Harlequin announced that they were looking for bite-size historical romances for their new imprint: Historical Undone. I love history, but the length always put me off (and the vast amounts of research required) but with a maximum word count of 15,000, this seemed do-able. So I mulled over a few ideas. Then one day, as I was driving home from work, singing along to the soundtrack of the movie De-Lovely (Cole Porter’s bio pic) it hit me: the 1920s. Why there are so few Jazz Age stories, I don’t know, but I just knew I had to write one.

By the end of Cole Porter’s song, Let’s Misbehave, I already had a set of characters in my head. Gabrielle would be an outrageous modern woman, pushing society’s boundaries, a wild child. So of course her hero had to be the complete opposite: a staid, dutiful man from an old, established family.

I couldn’t wait to get the kids into bed that night. And as soon as I sat down at my laptop the words just began to pour out of my fingers. The story practically wrote itself. In a matter of days I had way more words than the requirement for an Undone, and I even had fun writing it.

It is no exaggeration to say this story wrote itself. Shy, innocent little me, who blushes to read love scenes let alone write them, had written not just one, but three sex scenes. Hot, explicit sex scenes. The kind that had me fanning myself even as I read back what I’d written. How did I do it? To this day I still have no idea!

Let’s Misbehave found a home at The Wild Rose Press, and though I’m grateful to Harlequin for inspiring me to write this story, I owe my editor at Wild Rose an even bigger debt of gratitude. Her belief in this story has shown me that not only could I get over that hurdle of writing love scenes, but that I could do it well enough to sell.

And having done it once, I know I can do it again. I’m no longer terrified of writing passionate love stories. You can expect to see a few more erotic romances from me, all set in that delightfully decadent period of the 1920s.


Let’s Misbehave Blurb

Gabrielle is the quintessential Flapper, a wild child who turns her back on home and a resentful and unloving mother to become a nightclub singer. She wants nothing more from life than freedom and pleasure.
Sebastian is a dutiful son, following in his father’s footsteps and on the verge of marrying a suitable bride. But as the Twenties roar to their conclusion, he finds himself torn between duty and the urge to indulge his adventurous streak.
From the moment Gabrielle and Sebastian meet, the tension between them simmers. When he rescues her from a boorish suitor, Gabrielle discovers a kindred spirit beneath Sebastian's serious demeanour, and she sets out to seduce him into one last passionate fling before he settles for a loveless marriage.
But the fire that burns between them threatens to consume her. Will Gabrielle survive falling in love with the one man she cannot have?

Rae Summers Bio

Rae's first grade teacher was so seriously concerned by her day dreaming that she called her parents in for a conference. Fortunately, her parents staunchly defended Rae's right to daydream and these days she's able to prove their faith right by turning those day dreams into novels. She hopes her stories bring as much pleasure to her readers as they bring to her.

Rae Summers lives in South Africa where she works in television advertising, a line of work that is only glamorous on very rare occasions. When she isn't working or being mom to two young daughters, Rae can be found with her nose in a book.



If you’d like to find out more about Let’s Misbehave, and about London in the Jazz Age, visit my blog at http://raesummers.blogspot.com.

You can view the book trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRjGdk2DysA

To buy a copy of Let’s Misbehave: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/lets-misbehave-p-4119.html


The story sounds fantastic, Rae - its going on my 'to be read' list - see you tomorrow. Rae would love to hear any comments or questions!

Tuesday 6 July 2010

Welcome my very first guest - Dawne Prochilo!


I am so pleased to be finally launching my blog today with my very first guest, Dawne Prochilo. Dawne is a writer and reader of erotic romance and is keen to share her writing process and her past releases from with you! Over to you, Dawne!


1) What is your writing routine?
You can find me on my laptop every Friday and Saturday night with a glass of wine (or two, or three) and my playlist blaring into my headphones. Nothing like Nickelback, Metallica and Kid Rock to get me in the mood. During the week it’s too hard to write, I work a full time job and freelance write for a newspaper- so weekdays are exhausting, even for a naughty mind.

2) Which author/s inspire you to write?
Robert B Parker, Start Woods, Jeanne St. James, Janet Evanovich and Holly Jacobs. While none of them are erotic writers, St, James and Jacobs are romance writers. I have a wide variety of book genres that I like, from suspense to romance.

3) Which is your favorite romance subgenre to read? To write?

It's a tie between suspense and erotica. I love the thrill of suspense while I long for the sensuality of the erotica genre. Both call out to me and I can get easily lost I either.
Writing I prefer erotica- not too much of a suspense builder. I prefer the slow and easy sultry side of romance when my fingers are gliding across the keyboard.

4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection?
Don't take harsh criticisms personally. Every editor or publisher has their opinions and demands. Don't change your storyline because one editor says it's not what they're looking- chances are they're not what you're looking for. Tweak the words, phrases, tenses, etc. but keep your storyline. It called to you to write- so write it.



5) What do you expect from an editor?
Honesty and professional criticism first and foremost, everything else is secondary. Whether it's positive or negative criticism, having an editor speak sincerely is important.

6) Tell me about your latest release
My most recent release came out in July 2009. Crape Myrtle is my favorite writing to date. Between working a full time job, freelance writing opportunities and family obligations- I've had to put my personal writing to the side lately but have started to get back into the swing of it again.


7) Which is your favorite character in the book? Why?
The heroine, Sadie Callaghan, of course. She's independent, self- sufficient and determined. Qualities I wish I had every day. She doesn't hesitate to face her fears and she can love those that have been cruel to her. Her strong morals and attitude are who I'd like to be.

8) What is next for you?
I have a contemporary romance called When We Meet Again. It’s about two best friends in high school (of the opposite sex) who never had the chance to act upon their love for each other. The novel takes place over the course of two decades and how they have never forgotten each other. They meet periodically throughout the years (she’s in an abusive marriage and he’s in a loveless marriage) but never get to love each other until one night they share an evening of love.

9) What are you working on right now?
I'm in the midst of piecing together an anthology of short erotic stories for adults. Twenty to forty pages each, filled with erotic tales of love, lust and sex. Some are true to life experiences, others are ideas that fill my head daily. It's up to the readers to figure out which is reality and which are fantasies.

11) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?
Never, ever give up. Determination and persistence are words that every author lives, sleeps and breaths by. Always take criticism with a positive tone and never let anyone's words detour you.



12) Where can readers find you?
On my blogs- http://dawneprochilo.blogspot.com and http://romancewritersbehavingbadly.blogspot.com or on facebook.
My books are available at www.amazon.com and www.internationalagora.com.

Thanks for the interview, Dawne! Please leave your comments, Dawne would love to talk...