Welcome M/M writer, Pia Veleno!!

Great to have you visit with me for the first time, Pia! Looking forward to hearing more about your M/M romances that seem to be taking the US romance market by storm. They are slower on the take off in the UK but I am sure that is set to change. We have just had a new writer join our local chapter who write male romances so I need to learn more about them!

Over to you...

Whenever I visit a new blog or website, I like to browse recent posts to see what the readers see each day. Before I contacted the wonderful Ms. Rachel Leigh about visiting here, I browsed her site and realized she mostly had traditional romance visitors. Six months ago, this would’ve sent me running, but I’m a little bit braver today with three books under my belt, and a forth under contract.
Yes, that’s my way of preparing you, dear readers. I’m not a traditional romance writer. I write M/M, manlove or, to put it bluntly, two men falling in lust and love, sometimes not in that order, and almost always explicitly enjoying it. With me, it is always two men (okay, so there may be some ideas sketched out for three, but that’s for another blog post down the road) and it’s always erotic (hey, when both love interests are men, they’re destined to end up in bed, and often) and lastly, it’s rarely anything like a heterosexual romance story.
Before I lose the purely heterosexual readers, let me back up and explain why people read manlove romances. The majority of readers in this quickly growing niche of romance are actually straight women. Yes, you read that right. Het women gobble up these stories about two men falling in love and, yes, having very explicit (and hot and steamy and… you get the idea) sex. A high number of writers in this genre are also women.
So what’s the draw?
Hey, girls, you like men, right? So wouldn’t twice as many in a story be twice as good?
It’s not just having twice the firm, hard muscles, or double danglies, or even four sweet round ass cheeks, but rather, in my not so humble opinion, it’s two specific things that can only be achieved with two male love interests.
First, men are, whether by breeding, societal influences, or gender stereotypes, not given to expressing their emotions. So, being privy to their internal thought, full of longing, desire, confusion, and fear is sexy on an emotional level. Second, men falling in love with men poses a whole mess of troubling storylines that a man falling for a woman never faces. Will their families accept their unconventional relationship? Will they face discrimination in the office for who they date? What if they live in a state that doesn’t acknowledge marriage between two lovers of the same gender? What happens if one gets seriously ill without a power of attorney in place? Who tops? Bottoms? Does the “women’s work” in their home? Will they get attacked by gay bashers? Will they bicker over whether or not they should hide in the closet? Will they long for a “normal” life with kids and grandkids? Will they live happily ever after? Or even “happy for now”?
Okay, so the last two – happily ever after and happy for now – can and do happen in a traditional romance, but the rest of those challenges are unique. Sure, one could argue that the acceptance of friends and family could be (and is) used as a plot device in het romance, but the impact is stronger, and more dangerous, between two men.
Since I started reading M/M, I’ve found het romances lacking. They’re still well planned and the writing is tight, but a female protagonist no longer catches my interest. That is, unless she’s really a guy in drag, taking his first steps out as a cross-dresser. Now there’s a societal line to cross that simply does not have the same effect with women. Even in historical fiction, a woman dressing as a man is nowhere near as scandalous and taboo as a man dressing in a pretty little dress and glittering stiletto heels.
Too much? Don’t worry. Cross-dressers are a smaller niche of the manlove genre. If you’re interested in M/M (and I hope that I’ve managed to draw at least a little curiosity) try out some of my favorites: Jet Mykles writes a series of fun, sweet stories about rock musicians (Heaven Sent), Ally Blue writes a series about paranormal investigators (Bay City Paranormal Investigations, starting with Oeleander House), and yours truly has corrupted angels and drawn out the sweet, gentle side of demons (Bound By Love).
AllRomanceebooks.com is a great place to start loading up your eReader with hot, steamy manlove stories. Or, take your time exploring readers’ M/M shelves over at GoodReads.com.
Best of all, how about a free sample?
I’ll start gentle with a PG rated excerpt from Fallen, and then, if you’re brave, check out this link to a brief and slightly explicit scene from my ongoing free story, CRANK http://thecrank.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/no-question/ If you enjoy it, click the Table of Contents to the right of the chapter to read the rest of the story.
Happy reading!
Ciao,
Pia Veleno
~*~
Fallen:
Man has free will, and guardian angels have an eternal place in the holy host.
When unexpected feelings interfere with Malchediel's guidance of a mortal being, he must decide if his love for one man is true, or the work of the devil. Charged with the soul of handsome but suicidal Bran Weller, Malchediel faces a new challenge: Bran's steadfast belief that homosexuality is not wrong despite the Church's view of his lifestyle.
In the course of his angelic duties, Mal is tempted to turn a blind eye to long-standing rules of guardianship as he falls in love with his charge. Torn between faith in God and belief that every man deserves love, Malchediel must find a way to balance heart and soul or risk a Fall to Hell.

Excerpt:
Angels can, and do, fall from Heaven. Most of the time it is willingly, like today, but other times, they are cast down for their sins and that Fall is much, much harder. I would rather not discuss this. It breaks my heart to consider the rare brethren who fail so completely that they Fall into the innermost circles of Hell.
A fall is not gentle or graceful, but being as immortal as a sentient creature can get, I am not harmed when I land on Earth. I can be disoriented, which has yet to get any easier with experience, but I accept this and plan my landing accordingly.
Except today.
I land in a crouch, taking the impact through my legs and up my body. A large object looms in my unfocused vision to the left. It hits me, and I sprawl across pavement.
This hurts much more than falling.
Yes, I am an angel, and yes, it is true I cannot die a mortal death. I can, however, feel pain when ensconced in a human body. I close my eyes and take a silent inventory of myself. I hurt, yes, but my injuries are not severe. I will bruise, but nothing is broken. Human body, but not a human mind; I am confident of my diagnosis.
"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry."
I open my eyes to see from where the voice emanates. A blur moves towards me from that direction.
The voice asks, "Are you okay?" The face is still fuzzy, but I am settling slowly into my human senses. "Can you move? I'll call an ambulance."
His words help me snap through the fog of my fall. I grab his arm as he flips his portable phone open. "No," I say, "I do not need an ambulance."
I hurt, yes, but doctors would slow me down and do very little otherwise. I heal quicker than a true human and an angel's physical form can sometimes cause the little hairs on the back of a doctor's neck to quiver. They know, but they do not. Professional instinct is strong, though we often appear the same as our mortal charges.
I blink, my eyes focusing on the face hovering over me. I cannot go to the hospital because I have found him. I cannot explain how I know he is the one; I am a guardian angel, and he is my charge. I know.
He is beautiful in his concern, but I recognize sorrow veiled in his deep brown eyes. "So brown," I whisper. I blink. I had not intended to say a word.
"You're hurt," he says, blushing.
"I will be fine." I sit up, and he turns his hand to take mine and assist me. I am surprised to find I need his strength to steady me. Closing my eyes, I again seek out broken bones or internal injuries. I find nothing, but I am still shaken.
"Are you sure? Look, I'm really sorry."
When I attempt to stand, his hand is there, helping me. With his arm around my waist, I ease myself to my feet. I look up into his eyes. He did not look tall while I sat on the pavement, but now, both of us on our feet, he looks down at me. My heart pounds in my chest, and the adrenaline makes me sway on my feet.
"Shit. I really think we should get you to the hospital." He catches me, though I am not falling. Not any more anyway.

~*~*~*~

Fallen is available in print or e-book format from Silver Publishing http://silverpublishing.info/index/typefilter/book_authors/book_authors_id/49
Thanks for reading!
Pia Veleno

Learn more about Pia at these locations:

blog/website http://piaveleno.com

Facebook http://on.fb.me/piaveleno

Goodreads http://goodreads.com/piaveleno

Silver Publishing http://bit.ly/piavelenoSP

Great post, Pia! I feel suitably informed about manlove now, LOL! You have definitely given me food for thought and I had never considered the plethora of situations you have to play with that wouldn't come into heterosexual relationships.

There must be loads of questions and comments???

Welcome Noble Romance author, Mary Abshire!

Hi Mary!

It's great to welcome another Noble Romance author, I fully intend to submit something to Noble soon as they seem to be growing and growing with happy authors. I don't think there is any higher recommendation than that, do you?

Looking forward to learning more about you!

1) Did you set any goals for 2011?
Yes, I did. My goals for 2011 were to finish 4 novels and read a book per week. Sadly, I'm behind, especially on reading.

2) What is the best part of the writing process for you?
The best part of the process is sitting down and letting the imagination flow. I love it when I can spend an entire day just writing, which only happens on the weekends.

3) The worst part?
The worst part of the process is editing. It's very time consuming, and I'd rather be writing. Sometimes, a scene edit can take several nights. Very frustrating. But, edits must be done. I would never send off a sloppy manuscript.

4) What is the book you wish you’d written?
Difficult question to answer. There are so many out there I love that are so creative. I'm a sucker for vampire novels, so I guess I'd select Keri Arthur's series. I love the main character, Riley Jenson, half werewolf, half vampire. I love the world Keri has created for Riley.

5) Favorite author/s & book/s?
Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson series
Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series
Jeanine Frost - Night Huntress series
Kim Harrison - the Hallows series
Kerrelyn Sparks


6) Tell us about your latest release?
My latest release is Fighting Evil, the third Soul Catcher novel. The book picks up where Catching an Evil Tail left off. Jessie has to prepare for her meeting with the VETOV and her relationship with Drake is crumbling. She has many struggles in this book. And it comes with a surprise ending.

7) Tease us with a blurb/short except

BLURB:
Half-demon Jessie Garrett's battles seem endless. While Jeremy, the demon out to win her heart, teaches her how to fight, Jessie's relationship with her vampire lover, Drake, reaches a breaking point. Adding to her struggles, she must defend her life against a group of vampires who consider her a threat to their existence. Held captive on a remote island with both Drake and Jeremy protecting her, she is tested in ways she's never imagined. Jessie fights back; only her actions do more harm than good. The group offers her a choice, but no matter what she decides, her life will change forever.

8) What is your favorite attribute of the hero and heroine?
In my Soul Catcher series, my favorite attributes for my vampire Drake are his gentleness and his compassion. He's the noble gentleman every woman wants, well, I do anyway. (smile)
As for Jessie, my half-demon protagonist, I like her spunky attitude.
I'll add Jeremy, my demon troublemaker, as a hero because he is at times. He's direct and knows what he wants. But he's sneaky. He makes me laugh.

9) What’s next?
I'm working on edits for the 4th Soul Catcher novel, and then I'll submit it to my publisher. I have a UF novel I'm waiting to hear yay or nay. I'm hopeful in the next month I'll get to start writing again. I'll either start on a sequel to my UF novel, or start a new series. I have several ideas.

10) Tell me where you write?
I write in a spare bedroom decorated in Steelers and Penguins memorabilia. (That's Pittsburgh's football and hockey team) I have a plain desk, crowded with water bottles, pens, a calendar, a notebook, and other papers. I have a tub full of books and shelves filled with books that I have yet to read. Behind me sits a comfy chair where I read, when my cat's not hogging it. The room is a place to work and relax, and conveniently located near the washer and dryer so I can do my laundry while I'm writing.

11) Where would you like your career to be in 5 years?
I'd like to add a few more books in my Soul Catcher series and have a few other PR/UF series on the market. I'd love to write full time, but building a solid writing career takes time. I'm not so sure five years is enough. We'll see.

12) Where can we find you?
http://www.maryabshire.com
http://www.facebook.com/mary.abshire
http://www.goodreads.com/maryabshire
http://twitter.com/maryabshire

Glad to hear you have the same problem with creaking shelves full of unread books, Mary! I have over 200 books still waiting to be read and worse of all...I still find myself buying more, eek!! Thanks also for introducing me to another author to try, I have never heard of Keri Arthur but will certainly be looking her up.

Okay, let's open up for comments!

Welcome erotic romance writer, Cherie Denis!

You write for two publishers I know very little about, Cherie so I'd love you to share something about each of them! I have been coming across more and more authors writing for Secrets Cravings so that can only mean they are a good up and coming publisher.

Let's start the interview and then talk! I am having trouble posting your book covers but if you can resend them, I'll get them up asap.

1) When and why did you decide you wanted to be a published author?

I've always been an avid reader and usually have 4 or 5 books in the process of being read (yes at the same time) There is always a book in every room in the house I'm reading.

One afternoon I finished a book and it was so terrible I said as much to my mom, who lives with us. She agreed it was pretty bad. I mentioned I could probably do better and she dared me to try.

2) What is the best and worse thing you have learned from an editor/agent?

I don't have an agent at this time. When I first started writing I tried to find one and didn't get very positive feedback. In fact one query letter I sent out came back to me with NO THANKS written all over the letter. I drew back on trying to find an agent.

I do have several excellent editors and have only positive things to say about them. They are honest with their edits and don't TELL me what needs to be done. Instead, they make suggestions and so far their suggestions have been right on target.

There was one editor who told me once that something I'd written was impossible. I wrote back and said it was not impossible because it had happened to me and I never heard another thing about it.

3) Favorite author/s?

I really enjoy Susan Johnson and am working on collecting all her works. I also like the older Sandra Brown novels. When I'm in the mood for something sweet and touching I pull out an old Betty Neels. I wish I could find more of her books.

4) What is your typical day?

Last summer I was forced to retire by one of the large firms involved in the market fall. At first I was a little worried about being bored, but have to admit there are still not enough hours in the day.

I set our alarm for 7am every morning and my husband and I manage to drag ourselves out of bed about 7:30. My husband is not a morning talker and I've learned to entertain myself without talking. I usually read while he works a Sudoku. Breakfast at 8:30 or so then we are off to our separate offices. His is in our finished basement and mine in on our loft.

I usually work on answering emails until noon. We eat lunch together with mom and about 1:00 I'm back at my desk working on my most recent manuscript. Either writing or editing, along with answering more emails. It's not unusual for my husband and I to email each other 4 or 5 times a day.

I quit about 4:30 and head downstairs to read the paper and visit with my mom. Mom and I make dinner and we three eat dinner together about 6:00 and watch Jeopardy.

The three of us clean up dinner and dishes and I'm back in my office from 7pm until 8pm most nights of the week. I watch some TV with my mom while my husband works on Sudoku and watches either wrestling or football (yes, he has a college education, but it doesn't seem to matter when it comes to those two sports). We're off to bed by 10:30 to watch Jay Leno. Sometimes I manage to stay awake through the monologue and sometimes not.

And, so another day is gone. I will admit I do clean house now and then and if I ask my husband to clean the bathroom he will without grumbling. But with only three adults in an 1800 sq. ft. house, it doesn't get all that messy or dirty.

5) Share your blurb or short excerpt from your latest release with us

My latest release was in March: The Golden Find. I have a book being released in June, one in July and one in Sept.

Blurb from The Golden Find:

The sun was much lower in the sky and a slight breeze had kicked up.

Cliff wandered around in a circle for over an hour wishing like hell he had the guts to tell Lacey the truth and knowing he never would.

Anger and helplessness filled his soul and like a kid, Cliff kicked out at a log. A large rodent ran out skittering away under the foliage. By the time the animal disappeared, Cliff’s heart was pounding like a drum. Damn thing scared the crap out of him.

“Shit.” He kicked at the log several times and when nothing more ran out it seemed safe to park his ass and rest.

How do you tell the woman you love you’re not the man she thinks you are?

Cliff dropped his head into his hands and wished he were someone else. Anyone, but Clifton Ramstaff. Now, there was a sick joke if ever there was one. Ramstaff–hell. His staff was hardly a ram. More like a pimple on the backside of a fat man.

Angry laughter bubbled up and boiled over. Okay, so he’d exaggerated. It wasn’t as bad as that, but his cock sure as hell wasn’t as big as his twin’s. Clay had been blessed with a cock the size of a small child’s arm and he–lucky Cliff–had been blessed with a cock that was barely four inches when it was fully aroused.

There was no way in hell he was going to subject himself ever again to a woman’s eyes.

Hailey Laughlin had cured him of women and sex for good. Her laugher still rang in his ears even after ten long years. He could still see the look on Hailey’s beautiful face when she’d seen his cock for the first time.

God! He would never get the sound of her derisive laughter out of his mind or the smirk follow by her harsh words.

Shit. Why had he been so un-blessed? Why had his identical twin been so fuckin’ lucky? What had gone wrong in the womb? Clay had gotten a nice sized cock plus half of Cliff’s and lucky Cliff had gotten what little was left over.

Personally, Cliff didn’t think his cock was ugly. From the pictures he'd see in magazines and medical books, his penis was perfectly formed–a perfect miniature of a real cock. It was bad enough his cock was small, but the biggest embarrassment of all was the fact his balls were normal sized, which made his cock look even smaller. Not that he wanted miniature balls too–thanks, but no thanks. He had enough fun in his life.

Dammit.

6) Who would you cast to play your hero/heroine in a movie?

I'm not much of a movie buff like I was in my younger years. So forgive me if my choices seem strange.

Hero: John Travolta in his late 30's

Heroine: Keira Knightley

7) Did you plan this book? Or write it as it came?

I'm what's known as a pantser. I get an idea and run with it. I wrote this manuscript several years ago and put it to the side, so I can't remember what gave me the idea for The Golden Find.

I do get ideas from billboards, pictures in magazines, a statement someone has made in casual conversation. I could say they come to me in a dream, but that's not really true.

I may work on a manuscript for days until it's done. Or, I may set it aside and not work on it for several weeks or months. But it's always there in the back of my mind.

It also isn't unusual to be working on three or more manuscripts at one time, not to mention the books I'm reading. I guess my brain likes to multi-task.

8) What surprised you the most when you became a published?

I'd been writing for several years and belonged to a writers group. The group kept at me to start sending out my manuscripts. It was time to sink or swim.

I wrote the first book that got published with Missy Lyons. We sent it out, and it was immediately grabbed up.

I was so surprised and thrilled. I never thought I was good enough to be published

9) Do you have a dedicated writing space? What does it look like?

Yes, I have our whole loft area as my office. It's approximately 12'x16'. I have book cases on three walls. My desk is in the middle of the longest wall and my husband built me a side desk with book shelves as an L to my desk. My printer, paper cutter, computer tower are on the large book shelf to my left To my right on top of a book shelf is a phone and a candle.

Also on my right is a two drawer file cabinet where I keep my CD's and tapes (remember I'm an old-fashioned girl when it comes to electronics). Further to the right is a bookcase filled with three ring binders of finished manuscripts and a fan in case it gets stuffy.

The L side of my desk always has at least 4 binders on it holding current projects. There is a mug warmer, more books on shelves of the desk, my red carved alabaster heart I received from my writers group for becoming pro. The rest is just stuff I need, like my extra pair of glasses etc

10) What’s next for you?

I'm looking forward to the Lori Foster Conference in June, then we'll take a trip to visit our daughter and grandson in Milw. My husband and I are planning an Alaska cruise and through it all, I'll be putting words to paper.

I'll be submitting a new manuscript this week. It's different than I usually write, but I don't want to give the premise away until it's accepted by a publisher.

One little secret: I feel guilty if I don't write every day.

You can find me at my website: www.cheriedenis.net

I'm on Facebook & twitter, although I don't do either very often.

You can also find me on Manic Readers under Author's

Publishers: Siren/Bookstrand

Secret Cravings Publishing

Hot Tropica Books (writing as Evelynne Fox w/Missy Lyons)

Click here to view Cherie's book trailer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW41GzOHL-w

Great interview, Cherie & I am so jealous of your writing space! Your office sounds amazing - I have a little log cabin at the bottom of the garden but as I live in the UK, it does not see the use it should....instead it's quickly becoming my place to store things that come to die, lol!

Comments??

Welcome my good online friend, Lynne Roberts!

I love the subject of Lynne's post today - Organization!! Something every writer struggles with and every aspiring writer questions. How do you find the time to write? Let's see if Lynne has the answers... ; )

Now normally, I’m very organized. I have a daily planner that I write everything regarding writing, school schedules, etc. But when I checked today’s date: nothing. Sigh.

It is possible that I wrote it down on something else with the intention of putting it in my planner... but that’s really not the point.

So what is? Writers need to become jugglers. I don’t know why I pictured us all in clown outfits but there you go.

My biggest surprise as a published author? A writer’s work isn’t just writing books. In fact, if you let yourself, writing will be a very small percentage of the time you spend at the computer.

Within an hour of posting the above mentioned blog, five writers agreed with me or at least commiserated on the frequency of dropped balls and that feeling that we just aren’t quite doing enough.

Reading the comments was actually something like a comfort. I’m not alone. It can seem that other writers have this promo/work/family/writing thing down to a science. Updated websites, a new release every month, or at least every other month, promos, banners, trailers, contests, oh my!

So what’s the solution?

I think for me it’s the old axiom: slow and steady wins the race. I have young children that need my attention and a day job. I’m simply not going to be one of those powerhouse authors who produce a book a month. I won’t catch every promo opportunity. I will drop a few promo balls However, I can, and will, focus on producing quality books. Maybe only a few a year, but hey, I’m doing what I love. How many people can say that?

Blurb:

Loose ends have a way of tripping you up…

Years ago, a law school graduation weekend in Vegas had been part of Lily MacPherson’s plan. Waking up next to a naked Adonis with a ring on her finger was not. After a quick annulment, she relegated Caleb Anderson to her late-night fantasies—and very short list of mistakes—until his voice on the other end of the phone asks a favor that could shake the foundations of her neat and tidy future.

Caleb is still haunted by Lily’s horrified expression that morning in Vegas. At least it had made it easy to set her free…except they aren’t. The papers were never filed. And when the nosy patroness who could launch his painting career insists on meeting his “wife”, does he confess, or call Lily? He calls Lily.

When she steps off the plane, Caleb’s determination to play tour guide disappears in the San Francisco fog. Lily thought she could keep up the pretense for one weekend, cut the last tie to her past, and move on. But their chemistry still pops and sizzles, finally exploding into passion at Caleb’s studio.

It’s everything they remember…but so is the yawning chasm of differences that, in the end, could once again drive them apart.

Product Warnings

Contains balmy ocean breezes, coffee as seduction, the creative use of melted chocolate, and naughty shower lovin’ that gives new meanings to the term “shower head”.

PG Excerpt:

The computer screen blurred. Lily blinked to refocus her tired eyes on the deposition and sighed in relief when the phone rang. She loved her job, loved working for a law firm, but staring at a computer screen for hours took its toll.

Blowing a strand of dark hair out of her eyes, she reached over a stack of law books. “McPherson.” Lily glanced at the clock as her stomach rumbled. She’d worked through lunch again. Damn.

The other end of the line was silent for so long, she thought the caller had changed his or her mind. “Hello?”

“Yes, hi.”

The rich, masculine voice sent chills down her spine and knotted her stomach. Eyes closed, she gripped the phone so hard it hurt. Even after all these years, she knew that voice. “Caleb?”

A low, sexy chuckle rumbled through the line. “You remember me.”

Oh shit, why was he calling her now? Memories of the most erotic night of her life flashed through her mind. Lily opened her eyes, reminding herself the most embarrassing morning of her life had followed. “How did you get this number? Never mind.”

Despite the deep breath, the receiver trembled in her hand. “Can I do something for you?”

An intake of breath and then a pause. “We have a slight problem.”

Lily’s stomach churned acid. None of their problems had been small, not for the twelve hours and twenty-two minutes they’d been married. “Yes?”

Caleb cleared his throat. “It seems the annulment didn’t go through.”

“Oh, shit.” I’m in a bad movie. This has got to be a joke. She leaned against the back of her chair. “What do you mean it didn’t go through?”

“We’re still married, sweetie. The annulment was never processed.”

Married? “Why?” Lily rubbed the ache growing between her eyes. “No. I don’t care. Just get it processed.”

“It’s too late now. We’ve been married too long.”

“We are not married.” Lily tried to swallow past the tide of rising panic.

“The state of Nevada would disagree, sweetheart.”

She could almost see that sexy grin, those sparkling green eyes. She definitely remembered what they did to her. She’d been chocolate under the heat of his sun. “I am not your sweetheart.” She reached for a notepad. Who to call? Certainly no one in the firm. Though they were all professional and talented, people talked. She couldn’t let it get back to her family or… Oh, God. Stewart. “I’ll file for divorce in the morning.”

“Um, about that.”

She didn’t have the patience to wait out the pause. “What?”

“I was wondering if we could delay that a bit.”

A pain in her hand alerted her to the death grip she’d taken on the phone. She was suddenly glad she’d skipped lunch. “Delay? Why?”

“I need a favor.”

“Well you’re out of luck. I’m fresh out of favors.”

“Lily, please listen.”

His voice had lowered to almost pleading. Something in her heart softened. What’s wrong with me? I don’t owe this man anything! He’s a stranger. “You call me out of the blue to tell me we’re still married and now you need a favor?” It came out a little more acerbic than she’d meant.

His chuckle sounded nervous. “I guess that pretty much sums it up. You’re not married or anything, are you?”

Lily closed her eyes. “No. I’m not.”

“Well.” He cleared his throat. “Except to me.”

“Not for long. Thank you for letting me know about the clerical error. I’ll handle it from my end. Good-bye.” Lily set the phone in its cradle. Quite a feat when she wanted to slam it down. She stood and walked toward the window, leaned against the sill and stared out at the tops of the trees and below them to the expanse of grass. Interns didn’t usually merit an office with a window, let alone a window facing the courtyard. It was one of the benefits of almost being engaged to her boss’s son.

Ah, Stewart. He wouldn’t mind that she slept with someone in Vegas, though he’d be a bit irritated she hadn’t been smarter about keeping it quiet. But in his eyes, marrying a divorceé was socially unacceptable. No one could ever find out about what happened in Vegas. It had been a mistake, a horrible mistake.

She closed her eyes and the image of waking next to a naked Adonis filled her mind. His long blond hair had spread over perfectly sculpted shoulders, his head cradled by well-muscled arms. A silk sheet covered his lower back to mid-thigh but had only served to tantalize the imagination of her sleep-fogged brain. For a moment, she’d been tempted to explore the promising hills and valleys of his body and then she’d moved to touch him and seen the gaudy fake diamond ring on her left hand.

She still could only remember flashes of their night together; falling into his arms, the silky warmth of his skin next to hers, his lips. She opened her eyes in an attempt to wash out the images that had tinted her fantasies in the three years since. An ache built in her lower abdomen as she remembered the sound of his voice. She couldn’t recall standing in front of a minister and saying I do, but the documents didn’t lie. “Shit.” Caleb Anderson might be a talented artist and sexy as hell, but he wasn’t in her ten-year plan.

Behind her, the phone rang again and she sighed, turned and picked it up. “Macpherson.”

“Lily, please, listen,” Caleb asked.

“You have three minutes.”

“It’s… Damn it, Lily. It’s a long story.”

“Three minutes,” she repeated. The sound of Caleb’s sigh into her ear sent shivers down her body.

“I need you to…come out here for a few days.”

Her jaw dropped open.

After a long pause, Caleb cleared his throat. “Are you still there?”

“Is this a joke?”

“No. It’s not. If you’ll let—”

“No. Absolutely not. You’re crazy.”

“Please. I know it’s inconvenient—”

“Inconvenient? That’s an understatement. Why would I fly across the country?”

“Because it could make a permanent difference in my career, in my life. Listen, it’s complicated but…” he paused and his voice thickened. “My patroness did a background check, she found out I was married. I panicked. She wants to meet you.” The words came out in a rush.

“I appreciate your position, but…” Lily hesitated. She could vividly remember the passion with which he described his art. It had been one of the many things that had kept her by the bar ordering drink after drink until her memory faded to black.

“I’ll pay for your air fare and—”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what? Lily, I need your help. Please. It’s my one big chance. It would only be for a couple of days.”

A couple of days. That’s what got her into this mess in the first place, but something inside of her softened further. She did have some vacation time coming and she’d heard San Francisco was beautiful in the summer. Holy heaven, I’m considering it.

She had to admit, part of her hesitation was the memory of his skin on hers and the fear she’d tumble back into bed with him in a heartbeat. She’d done it in her fantasies enough times. Would that be so bad?

No, it would be so good. That was the problem. She took a deep breath. “I’ll think about it, Caleb.”

“Thank you.”

She hung up the phone, buried her face in her hands, and then grimaced. “I’ve just had my first argument with my husband.”

CREATIVE LICENSE

Available now!

www.store.samhainpublishing.com

HOOKING UP

Coming 03/18/11

www.thewilderroses.com

FIRST DATE

www.thewilderroses.com

AFTER HOURS

www.thewilderroses.com

http://LynneRoberts.net

Damn it!! You don't have the answer, Lynne!! Hee, hee, only joking!! There is no answer, that's why. i have been writing seriously for six years (both erotic and mainstream) and I still find myself writing in snippets around my daughters, day job, hubby and dog. It's impossible to do more than your best - end of.

Love to hear what other writers days are like - any tips??

Desmond Haas opens Pandora's Box...well, kind of!

Today I am happy to welcome Secret Cravings author, Desmond Haas. Having only just met over the internet, Desmond has already made me laugh out loud several times as well as introducing me to his interview & website:

http://romanceradio.net/

http://desmondhaas.com/

Over to you, Desmond!

Who’s Your Publisher?

One of my friends has shopped for an agent for more than a couple of years. In most instances, he hears nothing back, even though email takes but a minute or two. With his frustration level peaking, his words to me were, “I can’t even get anyone to read my book.”

He and I talk frequently and we’ve shared war stories. During one conversation, I asked if he had thought of publishing his back-list as eBooks and that question opened a dialectic on the contrasts between traditional publishing and electronic. We’re still sipping coffee and discussing our ideas.

However, the conversations opened a door on my thoughts. How do you find and contract with a publisher? If you’re putting your first book out ‘there’ for publishers to weigh and you get an acceptance, your emotions rise like a firecracker into the sky. At this point, all you care about is you’re going to be a published author--fame and riches await.

I have worked with three publishers over the past year. When I got a contract for my first book, Never Let You Go, I did a small happy dance and took my wife out to dinner to celebrate and with the second to the same publisher, we celebrated at home. Six months later, the dream of being a published author collapsed when the publisher failed--went out of business. I placed the two orphans at a new home within forty-eight hours, because of another writer I met online. It doesn’t always work like that.

The acceptance email burns so bright, it can obfuscate critical judgment. In the eBook industry, what constitutes a good publisher? What should you look for when comparing one against another?

1. Royalty: Too often, I hear of authors judging publishers by the royalty rate only, but this is only one part of the package and not the most critical criteria. Certainly money is a large motivator, but you need to stop and think of what’s important. If you have a publisher willing to pay a high royalty, it doesn’t amount to much until you sell books.

2. Cover:
Let’s make the book more attractive and work with the artist to create a fantastic cover image. Cover images can attract eyes, but the attention is fleeting and transitory.

3. Editing: Good editing helps, but can stymie sales if your book reeks of mediocrity and is infested with typos and poor grammar.

4. Distribution: This is the most critical comparative criteria. A publisher with agreements to get your book in many venues is far more important than all of the above put together. If the public can’t see it, they can’t buy it.

I don’t want to negate the importance of the first three items in this list as they are worthy criteria. Certainly you need to make money and you want to look good, but getting eyes on your books is what you want; is where you serve the reader.

Evaluating publishers on all four of the above is necessary to make good choices, but if few readers can see your book, it doesn’t matter how good a cover you have, how well it’s written or how much the publisher will pay per book.

Bio:

Desmond Haas lives in upstate New York, USA, where he hides himself from his family, two dogs and five cats, and pounds on a keyboard to try and make sense of the words and images in his head. Writing, he says, is an invisible performance art.

He considers himself to be a renaissance man, stuck in time, working with various media, including photography, to express himself. While most of his books and short stories are contemporary erotic romance, he is secretly working on other genres in his underground lair.

Above this lair, he lives with his wife, two teenagers, two large dogs and five cats. As he is a reverse snow bird from Florida, Desmond relishes the four season climate, but hates cleaning the snow off his car in the winter.

Interesting post, Desmond...I agree entirely. We can write the best book ever, with the most gorgeous eye-catching cover but if no-one knows about it, what's the point?? Great way for newbies and established authors to get into a good debate. Let's open this up!

Comments?

Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Laura Browning!

I am happy to welcome Laura Browning to my site for a visit today - she is author of The Silkie's Salvation. I read the blurb for this book before I posted the interview and it sounds great! Looking forward to finding out more about the author...

1) When and why did you decide you wanted to be a published author?

When it comes to being a published author, I’ve been a bit like the shy girl at school who has a crush on the most popular boy but is too afraid to tell him. I would write stories. I would even pick out target publishing houses or agents. Then I would do nothing. About two years ago, my husband actually gave me the mental push I needed. I’m not sure it turned out as he expected. I think he believed I’d simply say, “You’re right, honey. I will quit writing this very instant so that you may spend more time on the Los Angeles Dodgers website.” Instead, I contracted with The Wild Rose Press for The Silkie’s Call and won a contest with The Silkie’s Salvation, which TWRP also contracted. I am happy to say my husband and I are still married and have solved this dilemma by adding another computer and paying up for more sports programs.

2) What is the best and worse thing you have learned from an editor/agent?

Best: Lose the adverbs, baby, and hunt up vivid verbs.

Worst: Use fewer pronouns. HELLO? So I should keep naming the hero and heroine? Okay. That was flippant, and sorry to the editor who said it. I think this advice might have been better if it were more specific: quit using such repetitive sentence patterns and get rid of the reflexive pronouns.

3) Favourite author/s?

I am a J.R. Ward addict. I love her characters and the in-your-face writing style she uses. Out of curiosity, I read what I could find of her work as Jessica Bird, and it’s interesting to begin seeing that edginess develop. Now for the polar opposite – I also enjoy reading Catherine Anderson’s contemporary stories with heroes who are tough but tender, and not always perfect.

4) What is your typical day?

Well, like many writers, there is the whole day job, but I’m really lucky. I teach writing and literature all day. Okay, so it is to thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds, but most of them are actually beginning to develop into thinking human beings. They are fun and refreshing because everything in their lives is an extreme—either too wonderful for words or they are in the depths of despair. Ah, to have such emotional energy! Anyway, after I get home…I spend the evenings writing. If a story isn’t flowing for me, I either work on polishing something I’ve already written or I do something else. When I do write, I write fast enough that a short dry spell doesn’t worry me.

5) Share your blurb or short excerpt from your latest release with us:

“I owe you an apology,” she whispered, “for this morning. You saved my life and I-I overreacted.”
He smiled, his teeth white against the tan of his skin. “Then dance with me, and you can tell me how sorry you are.”
His voice stroked along her eardrums like satin sheets on bare skin. When he held out his hand, she placed hers in it and he helped her up. The dance floor
was crowded; he pulled her against his broad chest. The hand holding hers pressed it against his heart, while his other hand splayed across her lower back.
“Relax,” he told her, his mouth near her ear. “I won’t hurt you.”
She nodded, but still found it hard not to be stiff against him.
“Just listen to the music, Keeley, and let it go. Let it go.”
His cheek touched the top of her head. She closed her eyes and inhaled the warm, familiar scent of him. She hadn’t realized how accustomed she had become to it, and she wondered how he would taste. Oh God! What was she
thinking? She swallowed nervously. Her hand trembled in his. The music, the wine, and the feel of him moving gently, confidently around the floor were making her hot and lethargic. The urge to lean into him so she could feel the firmness of his body against her cheek, her breasts, and her belly nearly overwhelmed her. When his thigh brushed against her aching mound, Keeley

gasped.

6) Who would you cast to play your hero & heroine in a movie?

Matthew McConaughey and Kristin Kreuk. He has the sharp features and body I envisioned for Ciaran, and Kristin has the kind of fey beauty and expressive face that I imagine for Keeley

7) Did you plan this book? Or write it as it came?

Here was my plan: You know, I really hate that Ciaran ended up being such a jerk in The Silkie’s Call. I wonder if I can turn him into a good guy if I find the right heroine for him? Beyond that, I wrote it as it came. If I try to do a detailed plot structure ahead of time, it is the absolute death knell to that story idea.

8) What surprised you the most when you became a published author?

I guess it’s the awe with which people other than your family and other writers regard you. I had to have some surgery a few weeks ago and was chatting with the surgeon beforehand. Here was this highly educated, highly trained man—who I’m sure makes a whole lot more money than me—looking at me like I had accomplished some fantastic feat. Maybe it was to him, but personally, I’d rather type on a computer than be responsible for cutting into someone. I create imaginary people, so if I make a mistake, I can just delete and start again…enough said.

9) Do you have a dedicated writing space? What does it look like?

I’m lucky to have a small office right off the master bedroom. Of course it is made significantly smaller by the clutter that normally surrounds me. I swear I know what’s in every pile. Added to the clutter is a black cat, who believes sleeping on her back, on top of my feet with her feet stuck up in the air is the perfect place to spend those hours when I’m working.

10) What’s next for you?

Wonderful…I can tout two more books! I have a contemporary romance entitled Winning Heart coming out from Lyrical Press July 4, 2011, and another currently titled Bittersweet coming from Lyrical December 5, 2011. Both of these stories are set in North Carolina and deal with horses.

I have really enjoyed answering your questions! It is so much fun to be able to do what you enjoy as more than just a hobby. I love hearing from readers too. You can visit me on my website: www.laurabrowningbooks.com and you can find me on Facebook.

The Silkie’s Salvation is available from The Wild Rose Press’s Wilder Catalog on April 15, 2011.

Great to have you here, Laura! We have so much in common...one, for thinking about Matthew McConaughey when writing erotic romance ; ) and two, our love of J R Ward, fabulous writer!

Okay, Laura and I are waiting for your questions & comments...

Welcome Lyrical Press author, Liz Strange!

Hi Liz, great to have you here! I see that your books are part of a trilogy. I have never written a series but am thinking about one right now. Have you got any tips of how to sustain that level of conflict in a story to keep readers coming back for more than one instalment? Are you books written around the same characters or does each book focus on new characters?

Okay, enough with the questions! Well, apart from the interview ones, lol...

1) What is your writing routine?

I wish I had one! I work full time and I am a mom to four, so my time is precious. I write mostly in the evenings and on the weekends when I can find some quiet.

2) Which author/s inspire you to write?

I love horror, fantasy, paranormal and mysteries. Some of my favourite authors are Anne Rice, Michael Slade, Karin Slaughter, P.N. Elrod, Poppy Brite. I love vampire stories, and have read far too many to list.

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

I write almost exclusively in the paranormal romance sub0genre, which is what I also enjoy reading in. I have written a contemporary erotic piece that will be coming out soon, and that was a lot of fun.

4) How do you deal with criticism/rejection?

Oh the usual. First I feel bad (and a bit angry), then I step back and put it in perspective. I understand that my writing will not appeal to everyone, and I’m ok with that. Books, like movies and TV, are subjective. You have to take the bad with the good.

5) What do you expect from an editor?

I like someone I can really collaborate with. I like being able to discuss their suggestions and changes, and come to a mutually satisfying end result. I have been very lucky in that I’ve have the opportunity to work with some really great editors.

6) Tell me about your latest release

Well I actually have four new works coming out this year. The final book in the Dark Kiss Trilogy will be out this summer. I have an erotic fantasy, The Embrace of Life and Death, coming from MLR Press and two novellas (one paranormal, one contemporary) being released by captive Press.



7) Tease us with a blurb or short excerpt

Here’s a short excerpt from The Embrace of Life and Death:

“I am the Angel of Death,” he whispered against my ear. His breath was fire, heavier than the air still humid from the earlier rain. I found his touch both pleasurable and draining, his words startled me with their fierceness.
My face now pressed to his chest as I responded. “What do you want with me?”
He lowered us to the ground. For the first time I noticed the complete silence of the world around us, as though time had literally stood still. The air had taken on the texture of molasses, and had I needed it to survive, I would have choked on its density. Azrael’s heart thrummed in his chest, steady and strong, a sound not to be found in my own immortal body.
“I need to understand why you are this way,” he answered, and the words made no sense to my racing brain.
“This way?”
He adjusted his hold on me, now cradling me in his powerful arms, and looking down onto my upturned face. A warm finger moved along the side of my face, and for one brief moment I thought he smiled. It seemed strange that I did not struggle, but I felt no need to. “We have been watching for a very long time, vampires I mean. For some reason, I find you different from the others of your kind,” he said. His voice shook the boundaries of reality the two of us existed in. “Though I have tasted your dark desires, witnessed your transgressions, I still wish to know you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Nor do I Kieran, for I have never experienced a feeling like this before. I am greatly troubled and must think before I act further.”
Then the face came close to mine, pressing down until our lips met. His mouth was warm silk, and his kiss firm. He stayed against my lips for a long time. A light sprinkle of stubble rubbed against my cheek, startling me out of my reverie. My brain cleared enough to realize what was taking place. I had been returning the kiss with passion, despite the absurdity of the situation and the obvious dominance the creature had over me.
A throbbing, pulsing energy enveloped us, and a deafening, otherworldly wail broke the silence. The arms holding my body withdrew and I crumpled to the damp ground. Curling into a ball, I waited for the painful sound to end and reality to return.
When my eyes could focus again, I found that Azrael had disappeared. I was alone, with cooling tears on my cheeks, and his kiss still warm on my lips.

8) Which is your favorite character in the book? Why?

I love Kieran, who is one of the main characters. He was actually introduced in the Dark Kiss Trilogy, and I really wanted to explore his character in more depth, so this book was born. I just felt like he had more of a story to tell, and when the idea of a vampire and angel in a relationship together came to me, I knew this was for Kieran.

9) What are you working on right now?

I am actually trying my hand at a YA fantasy novel. It’s still in the early stages, but if it works out how I hope it will, I plan on it being a series.

10) Your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists?

DON’T GIVE UP! There is a lot of rejection, and it’s very competitive, but you can succeed. Keep writing and networking.

11) Where can readers find you?

You can find me at:

Website: www.lizstrange.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LizStrangeVamp
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3360700.Liz_Strange
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=291798485838
Email: lstrange@cogeco.ca

Really enjoyed the interview, LIz and it's fab to 'meet' you! I'm not sure how you write at all working full-time and being mum to four kids. I struggle to get any writing done working part-time and mum to two!

Liz is waiting for questions and comments...