Monday 30 November 2015

Naughty Christmas Wishes - some juicy background info

‘Naughty Christmas Wishes’ – due out in a couple of weeks – is my first Christmas story, but also my first totally fantasy story. I have done several paranormal stories – all about werewolves but a huge part of my werewolf stories involves real life wolf behaviours.

Naughty Christmas Wishes involves a fairy and four elves. Santa also makes an appearance, as does one of the reindeer, and an angel, a troll, a siren, a Valkyrie, a nymph and a pixie.

It was fun not to be limited by human conventions since these are all more fantastical than werewolves and I had fun imagining that there was a paranormal bar where all the creatures met (except the woodsprites who went off to warmer climes for Christmas!) and that humans just didn’t notice their comings and goings being ‘more blinkered than the reindeer’!

The fairy might have had a one night stand with the elves she had just met but I didn’t feel the need to include any lube since ‘dolls are flexible’! And it was easy to undress her since ‘humans don’t see the need to put underwear on their toys’!! Hehe.


Come back next week to find out more about Naughty Christmas Wishes.

Friday 27 November 2015

WICKED WEEKENDS

WICKED WEEKENDS




Cecilia's Mate (Space Wars 3) by April Zyon
Erotic Sci-fi, BDSM
MF



What's hot: A Cinderella-like woman who finally gets to submit to her Prince Charming - only in space.





Buy links:








Blurb:

Cecelia Kauller has always felt invisible. First with her family, and then with the man she knows is to one day be hers. But things are about to change, and not for the better in her mind.

Lieutenant Colonel Draven Ackermann has always felt out of place in life. Being a part of the Craegin Armada gave him purpose, and a sense of being. Now that he’s reached a point in his life where he can focus on more than a career, he only wants one person to fill that void. Unfortunately she happens to be his commanding officers baby sister.

As they settle into their new lives, and prepare for the next step of marriage, the universe decides to shake life up a little more. Draven receives news that shatters all he’s ever known, and turns his life upside down. Cecelia stands strong at his side, as a bondmate should, and helps Draven to regain his footing. 






Trusting Stone (Trust Series 1)
by Alexa Sinclaire
Erotic Romance
Novel
MF

What's hot: anal play, dirty talk, alpha male

Buy links:


Blurb:

Eden Walker used to be a good girl. She followed the rules,
obeyed her parents, and reaped the benefits. Until the night
one wrong step showed her that all that glitters is not gold.
Now she's starting over, trying to do things on her own
terms and find the passion she's only dreamt about.

Sebastian Stone never expected to find love. His past is too
painful for him to imagine letting someone in enough to love.
He's happy focusing on his security company and he's happy
with his one-night stands. Until he bumps into
Eden, a blast from his past.

Sebastian makes Eden realize she's still scared to follow the
passion she knows is missing from her life. Eden is the woman
for him, but can Sebastian convince Eden to follow her dreams
all the way through? Or will circumstances beyond her control
pull them apart?






 


Claimed by her Viking Wolf by Doris O’Connor
Paranormal, Timetravel
Novella

MF



What's hot: Displaced Viking Wolf shifter intent on claiming his mate




Blurb:

Asger, son of Liufr wakes up in a strange, cursed land, out of time, injured, and unable to shift. Drawn to the fire of the flame haired kona by her intoxicating scent and the promise of food and shelter, he has no choice but to trust the woman his wolf claims is their mate, their válað, the very key to his return home.

He doesn’t belong in these strange times, but does Kim belong in his?

A choice has to be made…

Wednesday 25 November 2015

Evernight Readers' Awards 2015






YAY! Thank you my lovely readers! Alien Manhunt 3 has made it to the semi-final round of the Evernight Readers’ Awards this year in two categories: Best BDSM and Best Sci-fi.





I would appreciate any voting you can give me. Here is the link – you have until 4 December to vote.





J

Monday 23 November 2015

Christmas double entendres






My Christmas story, ‘Naughty Christmas Wishes’, will be out on 11 December and it involves a fairy and four elves… you can use your imagination to work out what they get up to!








But have you considered how many Christmas double entendres there are?

Sitting on Santa’s lap! (Depends on the Santa!)

Santa asks, “Who’s been naughty and who’s been good?” (I want to know what punishment the naughty ones get!)

When Santa got stuck up the chimney… what exactly are we referring to here? Somewhere warm? Hmm. The song goes, ‘He wasn’t quite up or down’….

And when Mommy was caught kissing Santa, where was Daddy? Was he really santa or is this a menage relationship?

Mistletoe is for kissing under (and lots more – just not outside in the cold).

Erecting the Christmas decorations… and maybe not the only erecting happening.

Who trims their tree… or anything else?

Here’s a suggestion – nipple clamps with baubles!

Untying a Christmas present… what if your fantasy man (or woman) was the present with a ribbon covering their naughty bits?!

When eating the turkey you are asked, “Do you want some leg or breast?”

Also with the turkey you tie the legs together to keep it moist inside!!

And how about knowing ‘the bird is done when the juices run out!’

How many people play games at Christmas? Will it be innocuous or otherwise!

Okay, so how many of you have candles at Christmas? Have you ever tried playing with wax (not the candle wax but special body wax you can get in special shops)? Great fun.

There was a Christmas song called, ‘Back Door Santa’….

And let’s just admit how gorgeous and sexy Kylie Minogue was singing ‘Santa Baby!

And then there is curling up in front of the fire with a good book – I can certainly recommend ‘Naughty Christmas Wishes! LOL. Available soon from Luminosity Publishing

Friday 20 November 2015

Wicked Weekends

WICKED WEEKENDS






Masters to the Rescue by Clair de Lune 

Erotic Romance with BDSM
Novella
MF

What's hot: Kinbaku








Buy link: http://www.bookstrand.com/book/masters-to-the-rescue 

Blurb:


When the cat's away, the mouse will play. But when the cat is a Dom, the mouse better have an excellent reason for her deception.

Master Angus is absent on business, but he knows his sub, Jane, is hiding something from him. He comes home early to discover what it is and he finds himself faced with a problem. he finds a unique and satisfying solution with the help of his friends in Prometheus in Chains.

Jane Scott thinks it's better to keep her secret than to worry her Master while he's away. She's bent on helping her friend Jaimie Wright sort his life out and forgets the price to be paid by an errant sub.










Yellow Streak by Susan Laine (Heroes at Heart, book 2)
Contemporary
Novella
MM










Buy link:

Blurb:

Yancy Bell, a book geek with a bladder problem, saved the life of suicidal gay jock, Curt Donovan. But when Curt returns to college after the Christmas holidays pretending he doesn't know Yancy, warning bells go off.

Has a frightened Curt decided the safety of the closet is preferable to coming out? A remorseful Curt comes knocking on Yancy's door in the dead of night. Yancy wants to help Curt find the courage to proudly be himself and pursue his dreams, but first Curt needs to come to terms with his past acts. Yancy can only hope their reunion ends in light, not darkness.









Tempered by Her by Lynn Burke (Risso Family #4)
Contemporary Erotic Romance
MF

What’s hot: A virgin’s first spanking!









Buy Links:



Barnes & Noble:

Bookstrand:


Blurb:

Zane Risso, a Dominant unyielding in his desires, is haunted by the one woman he wants and can’t have, vanilla goodie-two-shoes Raquel Hawkins. He knows the only way to flush her from his system is to seduce her and move on, because surrendering the kink club addiction he enjoys is not a demand he'll accept. From any woman.

Raquel Hawkins has never known temptation like the blue-eyed Italian god who seems fond of whispering naughty things in her ear during office hours. He’s bad news—sin personified—and although she continues to deny him, her body’s responses to his sensual words just might buy her a one-way ticket to hell.

From their first kiss, Zane’s determination to overcome her Pollyanna principles threatens his lifestyle. For Raquel, giving into temptation would doubtless leave her heart a shredded mess—and unlock sordid secrets best left in the dark.

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Sex lives of erotica writers

Should an author reveal everything about themselves? Particularly one who writes erotica/erotic romance?

I recently completed some interview questions for a blogger (I will let you have the link when it goes live). She had three lots of questions for me to choose from. The ones I chose were the naughty questions – and they were wonderfully fun to answer.

But this begs the question – do readers want to know about the authors, warts and all? For instance, I was asked if I call on my own experience when writing sex scenes … so I honestly told her when I have used my own experiences. Some, I suspect, will open some people’s eyes, some of my stories were amusing and some will explain how I undertake my research.


So, tell me, readers – do you want your authors to undertake the activities they write about and draw on this experience, do you think it is totally from our imagination and/or research. If you expect us to draw on our sex lives, would you rather we keep quiet about it?

Leave a comment and let me know!

Monday 16 November 2015

COVER REVEAL!

COVER REVEAL!

Here is the cover for ‘Naughty Christmas Wishes’ due out on 11 December.


The story involves a fairy (Fay – at the bottom of the picture) and four elves: Elvis (known as King), Elwood (known as Harvey), Elrond (known as Ringo) and Elliott (known as ET).



Friday 13 November 2015

Wicked Weekends


WICKED WEEKENDS

Muscling In by Lily Harlem

Contemporary Erotic Romance
Menage a trois with MM, MF, MMF and MFM scenes
Novel

What's hot - One very lucky lady who gets between two seriously sexy military men in the hottest of ways!

Buy link -


Blurb -

My husband has a secret. Desires he's kept locked away in a deep, dark place.

Determined to pry details of this forbidden longing, I had no idea how much this new side of him would turn me on. So when I met the object of his lust I couldn't let it rest.

Edward Mooreland was a force to be reckoned with, a man who fought for his country and what he wanted. But did he want me and my husband? Would I ever experience his passion let loose or would I remain on the sidelines, watching, waiting, hoping?

One thing I knew, I wasn't the type of girl to give in without a fight. I wanted to be part of the action too. More than part of it, I wanted to be in the goddamn middle of it with bells, whistles and fireworks when it all exploded. Yes...I wanted it all.






Taken as Payment by Jaye Peaches
BDSM / Sci-Fi erotic romance
Novel
MF

What’s hot: Sex and spankings on a beach

Buy links:

Blurb:

When she is taken from her home and forced to work in the powerful city of Chandros to pay the debts of her small farming community, twenty-year-old Iona Meers is furious. After an intimate, humiliating medical examination conducted in full view of Chief Inspector Xane—the man she considers responsible for her predicament—her seething anger turns into outright defiance.

Having noted both Iona’s rebelliousness and her helpless arousal during her examination, Xane decides to bring her home with him as his personal servant. Iona’s disobedience quickly results in her being pulled over Xane’s knee for a long, hard spanking on her bare bottom, yet despite her best efforts to ignore her body’s response to his dominance, she soon realizes that there is a reason Xane is known among his people for his skill as a virgin claimer.

Iona’s longing for Xane’s touch grows stronger with each passing day, and yielding to his dominant lovemaking arouses her beyond anything she could have ever imagined. But when a long-buried secret from her past comes to light and calls everything Iona thought she knew about herself into question, will it strengthen her bond with Xane or tear them apart forever?





Knights Errant (Merely Players book 1) by Ian D Smith
Erotic romance
Novella (35,000 words), self-contained story
MF and MFF sex play (not-quite menage)

What's hot: A modern-day knight in armour.

Buy links:

Fireborn http://bit.ly/iLV1xz7
Amazon US http://amzn.to/1GOBbzR
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1NwRbaU
Kobo http://bit.ly/1NwSdUj
AllRomanceeBook http://bit.ly/1RGsfNl
Coffeetime Romance http://bit.ly/1NkgUin
B&N Nook http://bit.y/1MioUjs
Bookstrand http://bit.ly/1WGUd22

Blurb:

Lonely widower Paul knows he's ready to move on and start a new relationship, but doesn't expect to meet two attractive and interesting women at the same time. They want to recruit his jousting display team to feature in a TV show.

Becky and Hayley are best friends, as different as chalk and cheese, and both clearly fancy Paul. A decent guy at heart, he hopes to win one without harming their friendship. But the women don't make it any easier when they turn up the heat and leave him wondering what's going on.


A fantastic prize is within his reach. He just has to overcome his deepest fears, self-doubts, and fragile self-confidence. And be Hayley's leading man in the TV show she hopes will make her name. So no pressure. Just take a deep breath and let these two intriguing women lead him way outside his comfort zone.

Monday 9 November 2015

Behind the Scenes in a Publishing House

Behind the scenes at a publishing house - Interview with a Book Cover Designer


I am doing a new series of posts – all interviews with people who work behind the scenes at a publishing house (I have my monthly author interview but it’s nice to find out what other people do… and how they cope with us temperamental authors!). My first interview is with Harris Channing who is a freelance book cover designer who works with Siren Publishing, one of my publishers. I am delighted to have you on my blog. The great book cover below is one that Harris did for me.




Can you tell us a little about yourself, where you are from, how long you have been working as book cover designer and what made you take up this profession? Do you do any other work?

Hello, thanks for having me! I'm excited to be a part of your behind the scenes project!

I'm an army brat so I've lived in many places over the span of my life.  I have, however, lived in Middle Tennessee for the longest.  My little city is about an hour outside of Nashville.

I have been working as a book cover designer since about 2011.  I also write but with two kids and my graphic design business I haven't had much time lately. But I do hope to dive back into that part of the business very soon.


What is the thing you most enjoy about being a book cover designer?

When I was younger I used to draw and paint a lot and I am into photography too, so it just seemed like a natural leap to get into computer art.  I have fun putting together covers and smoothing out the lines.  I really like trying to make stock images look fresh and different. 

I guess I have to say that even though I enjoy the process of making the cover, my favorite part is when one comes together and the author says, "Thank you Harris.  I love it."



If you can say, what has been your favourite book to design the cover for?

With near 2,000 covers under my belt I'd be hard pressed to choose just one!  In fact, I don't think I could!!!
(wow! That’s a lot of covers!)


What are the biggest things that make it difficult to design an author’s book cover? And what helps you?

The lack of certain models in the stock image world.  For example, there is a demand for BBW and there aren't a lot of images that glorify the beauty of a full figured woman. I do wish there were more of those available.  I sometimes wish I could set up a studio and take pictures of models myself...but I wouldn't even know where to start!!

What helps with a design? Not being overly specific in design.  Flexibility gives me the opportunity to really be creative in the design and I think some of my best work has come from being able to freely design.


Do you find it difficult to design a book for a genre you don’t particularly enjoy? Or what genre do you prefer to design a cover for?





My main focus on book covers has been romance but I have done covers for suspense and westerns and truly enjoyed designing them too. To be quite honest, I like all genres.  I will say, romance is my favorite as I'm the most familiar with it but I am open for most genres.








As an author I find myself picking up on other author’s mistakes, eg, head hopping or plot inconsistencies. Do you have any similar thoughts when looking at other designer’s book covers?

There is so much talent in the cover design business that I don't usually pick up on mistakes.  I usually try to get fresh ideas!


I know you write books as well – do you prefer being an author or a graphic designer?

It's really hard to compare the two.  My graphic design business is far more successful than my writing at this point...but I do love to write.  Sorry to be so unsure of my answer...it's just that I enjoy them both.




What are your top five tips to authors when completing cover questionnaires that would make your life easier?

Leeway...I understand that authors have a very specific look for their characters in mind.  And as an author I understand that too.  But given the limited number of stock image models, sometimes it's hard to find the exact right model.

With that said, my number 2 hint would be for authors to scour the stock image sites for their perfect model and send either the picture or a link along with their questionnaire.  That way they get the look they want or something very close.

Hmmm 3.  Understanding that I can't always see clearly the cover you want from a questionnaire.  I do my best, but sometimes I miss the mark.  Covers matter so much to authors (and they should) so emotions can run very high. Just remember that it wasn't an intentional slight and with proper communication with either your publisher or me (if it's a freelance job), we can make it work.

4. Your cover is important to me.  I want clients and potential clients to know that I value their business and that I want them to have a fulfilling experience if they choose me to be their cover artist.

5.  Patience.  It's exciting to get a cover and I strive to be as quick as possible getting the product to you. Sometimes however, life gets in the way and I get a little behind.  Those times are rare but patience is always appreciated.




Thank you, Harris. It has been fabulous interviewing you and the tips are really helpful. Good luck with your covers and your writing, too.

Thank you for having me.  I had to flex some brain power to answer some of these.  Good to know the verbal light bulb still flickers!  Have a great day!

Hugs,

Harris.

Friday 6 November 2015

Wicked Weekends

WICKED WEEKENDS

Soren’s Bondmate (Zarronian Warriors 3) by Mardi Maxwell
Novel
Sci-fi/erotic romance

What’s hot: Alien pregnancy

Blurb:

He crashed on her frozen planet.
She risked her life to save him.
He needs a compatible female.
She needs a worthy warrior.
She claimed him while he slept.
He's awake now and things are heating up.

Buy links: 

Barnes &Noble http://goo.gl/QBs1Uv






Passion’s Triumph
Book Four of The Doms of Passion Lake
by Julie Shelton
Contemporary erotic romance/BDSM
Novel











Blurb:

Former SEAL Dr. Lucas McKay and his brother Alex, former FBI agent, have been looking for their lifetime submissive. And they may just have found her in the new Director of the Passion Lake Library. She’s sweet. She’s curvy. She’s adventurous. She’s a green-eyed, freckle-faced redhead with the world’s sexiest glasses. And she’s chock full of secrets. Not the least of which is the fact that she writes steamy BDSM romances in her spare time. She’s also a virgin who has never done any of the kinky stuff she writes about.

When they discover this, they offer to act as her temporary Doms, giving her lots of first-hand experiences designed to enrich her writing and make her D/s scenes more authentic and emotional. Since she’s as attracted to them as they are to her, she leaps at the chance. Unfortunately, Lily has another, even deadlier secret. One with the potential to destroy not only her but the two men she’s grown to love. Will death triumph? Or will love?




 
An Unusual Vacation by Elodie Parkes
Romantic Suspense/erotic romance
MF
Novel
What's hot?: The hero!


Blurb:

At thirty-two Dominic Carr thinks it’s time he met a girl he could love. He’s tired and jaded from his high power job, and hoping that this summer’s vacation will be refreshing. When he sees Michelle Vega in the art gallery of a harbor town he visits, her long legs in pink couture shorts grab his attention. 

Michelle Vega has everything to hide except her beauty and her instant attraction to Dominic. She’s not on vacation as she visits the gallery—more like on business.

As the two of them fall into a hot romance, Dominic is sure Michelle could be ‘the one,’ but Michelle is filled with doubt when she considers how he might react to discovering her secrets.

When Michelle’s business takes a dangerous twist Dominic finds he’s pulled into a perilous situation.


Will this be a test of his love or the finish of it?