Of Kink, Romance, and Writing

Blog tour guest coming up

2012-01-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

I'll be hosting Symphony and his new book Office Fantasies: Cover Blown on my blog on Leap Day, February 29. There will be an opportunity for those who leave a comment to win a $25 gift certificate.

In the meantime, check out his Web page: http://www.myofficefantasies.com/

Back on track

2012-01-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

I'm finding it hard to get back on track. Since October, things have been pretty slow around here in the writing department. I was supposed to be working on From Lucha with Love, but that sort of fell by the wayside. I had a pretty good idea for a new story a couple of days ago, but even after outlining the entire thing and writing the first page of chapter one, I sort of lost steam there too. I'm doing things the same way I've always done them -- a process that has worked for a few years now -- but for some reason things aren't quite working out. I'm sure the holidays didn't help.

In the meantime, I'm over at Savvyauthors.com, helping out with Editpalooza. This month-long program helps writers work through a book they want to get published. I had quite a bit of fun with this last year, and this year promises to be really interesting as well.

Giving this Holiday Season

2011-12-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

This year's emphasis on Black Friday seemed way too over the top for my taste. I don't tend to leave the house on that day, and with the stores opening on Thanksgiving so "you don't have to wait in line" and expecting employees to come in at midnight Friday morning, thereby jeopardizing their Thanksgiving with their family... I couldn't handle it.

This year, for those gathering at my house for Christmas, we had rules. The total amount spent on each person could not exceed $50, and the items had to be "consumable" -- interpret that as you will.

For those friends and relatives away this holiday season, we made donations in their names to Heifer International. We donated enough for honey bees and a share of fish to stock ponds in parts of the world that don't have as much as we do.

Some other things you might consider doing this year that could support your community and help you avoid the congested big box stores and malls as you make that last mad dash to Christmas...

Buy goods from your local farmers' market. Hand made soaps, jams, cured meats, hand-assembled fruit baskets... All these things make lovely gifts and buying local makes sure you money stays in the community, rather than lining the pockets of international conglomerates.
Make your own presents. Do you bake? Knit? Can? Brew beer or ferment wine? What about cutting from a particularly spectacular plant in your yard? Homemade peach wine and seasoning blends made from ingredients we grew in our yard make up parts of the gifts we are giving this year.
Offer certificates for services you can do -- lawn care, laundry, cooking a meal. Deeds like this could make someone just as happy as a tablet PC. You never know.
Even the act of hosting the holidays at your house can be the gift you give. The money and time spent on the gathering, the stress you take on from somebody else, could definitely make the holidays bright.

Any other ideas? Tell me your alternative, no-Black-Friday holiday gift ideas in the comments section of this post and be entered to win a gift certificate from one of my other favorite alt present ideas, Kiva.org. I'll pick a winner Tuesday night. Please be sure to leave an email address so I can contact the winner.

Cheers and happy holidays!

Twitpitch Sunday

2011-12-09T15:21:00.001-08:00

I'll be one of the editors at the evening session!

How would you like to be published with Loose Id? Do you have a completed erotic romance manuscript you're ready to submit to publishers? Would you like feedback immediately as to whether your manuscript may work for Loose Id? If so, you should join the editors of Loose Id on Sunday, December 11, for our second Twitpitch. Here's how it works.
Log in to Twitter between 11:00 a.m. and 1 p.m. or during our second session from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Both sessions are eastern time, U.S.
Send out your pitch with the hashtag #LIpitch.
Editors will be tracking the trend. If one is interested, she will @you with questions or private message you with submission instructions.
If you don't hear from an editor, feel free to submit via our traditional submission system: http://www.loose-id.com/submissions.aspx

Remember at this time we are only looking for completed, erotic romance manuscripts.

For more information about Loose Id, check out http://www.loose-id.com/about.aspx

Thankful for Six Sentence Sunday

2011-11-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

In the US, November is always a time to look back and reflect on the year and everything that we are thankful for. Some of us do it because of Thanksgiving, some of us do it to prepare for our Christmas newsletters, and for some the thoughtfulness is prompted by the shortening days and cooler weather.

So today I'd thought I'd come up with a list of six things I'm thankful for when it come to my writing.

I am thankful for all the publishers that have taken a chance on me. I've made it through some very tight times these last two years, and if I hadn't had that little bit of money coming in from my writing, I may not be in the stable place I am today. Sometimes my royalties bought my groceries for a week or two, sometimes they made up the difference on the house note. Needless to say I don't make the sales that some of my cohorts do, but I will never take for granted what comes in at the end of the month or the end of the quarter!
I am thankful for my editors, particularly at Loose Id. I may edit myself, and I may have a MFA in creative writing, but my writing is by no means perfect, and the old adage that a writer is her worst editor has never applied to someone as aptly as it applies to me. In fact, I just got an invitation to revise a story I thought was a pretty solid piece of writing. It put my off my game for a bit. I sulked for a week, but after I realized that making the changes asked for was nothing. No piece of my writing is so precious that I'd rather keep it in a drawer than publish it, so I'm forging ahead -- if slowly -- with the edits. I love that my editor took the time to give me such thorough feedback.
I am thankful for my readers. After all, that grocery money my publishers sent me didn't come out of thin air. I'm grateful for everyone who puts up a few dollars here and there instead of relying on pirate sites, but I'm also thankful to anyone interested in reading my work regardless of where it comes from. I just hope I entertain you and don't disappoint.
I am thankful for my husband who is my proofreader. He even reads my LGBTQ work! He is always available to help me out, and I wouldn't be publishing if it weren't for him.
I am thankful for the technology I have that makes it possible to reach all my readers, fellow writers, and publishers with only a few strikes on the keyboard. The Internet has changed the market in such amazing ways. I probably wouldn't be able to be a part of it otherwise.
Finally, I'm thankful for my day job that keeps a roof of the my head -- most of the time -- and give me the time I need to follow my dream of writing full-time someday.

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment with your email and be entered to win a copy of my 15 November ebook release, Queen's for a Day (M/M BDSM). I'll pick a winner Monday evening, around seven o'clock central time.

New Cover Art!

2011-10-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

I got my cover art for Queen's for a Day today! I love it, and it fits so nicely with the other Kittengirls titles. Look for the release 15 November here.

Also, join the Romance Reviews Year End Splash party (see picture and link to the right) to win a copy!

Short Story: Company Picnic Part Two

2011-09-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Check my last blog post for the first part of the story.

And check in again soon for the next installment!

Company Picnic Part Two

By G.G. Royale

They found a shady spot under a tree, and Diesel -- that’s what he said to him -- spread out the blanket from his bedroll. Reina couldn’t control herself, but at least she’d managed to get him away from the crowd before she attacked him. Her employees could move into the enclosure as she kept Diesel...occupied.

And she intended to keep him occupied for quite a while.

She stripped him of his clothes first, taking the time to get to know his body. She expected him to be fit underneath all the leather, but maybe not so clean. He actually surprised her. He smelled of soap with a little tinge of the road about him. She inhaled deeply as she ran her hands down his now-bare chest. She let her wolf senses take him all in. She even felt her teeth sharpen at the idea of biting and rending, but she had other, more pressing appetites that needed filling today.

He lay naked now in front of her on the blanket, the dappled sun shining through the trees painting his body in a mosaic of light and shadow.

Reina’s gaze focused on his cock, its huge, red-helmeted head bathed in a square of light. He already stood erect. Reina smiled. She liked an eager man, one that could keep up with her own appetites.

Reina undressed next, making sure her designer clothes landed on the edge of the mattress. When she’d finished, she heard the reclining man give a whistle of appreciation. Her wolfish side kept her human body lithe without working out much; she knew she looked good, smooth and soft where she should be, flat and trim in the right places too.

She was already damp with anticipation, but now that Diesel’s hot gaze raked over her body, she grew even wetter.

Humans make her ill, and she was not in heat, so conception was out of the question as well. The affliction of lycanthropy definitely had its benefits. He didn’t seem to be worried either, which maybe should have given Reina pause, but she ignored it.

Reina didn’t know what she wanted to do first: taste him, ride him until she screamed, and just let him have his way with her.

Ah, but then she landed on the thing she wanted most, and her breast heaved with her breaths as the anticipation grew. She could feel the wolf just below her skin, prickling, wanting to get out. Reina sometimes regretted that her sexual being and her wolf seemed to inexorably linked. Now was not one of those times.

She flashed Diesel what she knew was a wicked grin, took one last deep breath -- lifting her bare breasts for best effect -- and turned. She raced for the trees, naked, barefoot, wind whipping through her hair.

She slid behind a tree and stopped. She wanted to get caught. She didn’t want to make it too hard for him. The bark of the tree cut into the skin of her back, and the feeling only compounded the arousal she felt.

She listened, tasted the air, wondering how far back he followed, but she could not detect him.

An arm locked around her chest, and she felt his hot breath in her ear.

“How did you --”

How did he? No man should be able to sneak up on her.

He spun her to face him. “Easy, lobita.”

Reina gasped. He knew what she was.

“It’s my job.” He grinned. “Usually I don’t enjoy it this much.”

He leaned down and kissed her, but fear filled Reina now.

Who is this man? But as the kiss heated her, her fear melted away, and her desire took control again.

Short Story: Company Picnic Part One

2011-08-07T12:07:00.001-07:00

I love hitting random story generators when I have to turn out a little flash fiction for my blog, newsletter, or chat events.

This time, I visited the Seventh Sanctum Romance generator and, after a few tries, got this prompt:

In this story, an operations manager from an unusual family line attends a social event and meets a bitter rascal. What starts as loathing soon turns into obsessive love.

I thought I could make that work for my freebie this week, so here it goes.

Company Picnic

By G.G. Royale

Reina scowled as the limo pulled up to the reserved picnic enclosure. Balloons, crepe paper, a giant “Welcome” banner. Hell, the coordinator had even hired a bounce castle for the kids.

This was the worst day all year for her business: the company picnic. She didn’t mind mingling with the employees or lavishing meaningless praise on their children, but she did find it the hardest here to keep under control. The park was mostly forest, and its cool depths called to her, enticing her to throw off her human form and run wild through it, howling.

But she had to control herself. That came a lot easier around the plant in the industrial part of the city, where everything was concrete and steel. Locked down. Sterile.

The car’s engine cut off. She spent a few moments taking deep breaths. Her claws begged to rip through the ends of her fingers, but she couldn’t let that happen.

“Ma’am?” her driver asked. He probably knew exactly what she was going through. Though not of her line, his family had served hers for generations. He knew about their curse, had been trained to deal with it.

“I’m fine,” she told him, hating to appear weak. She regained control of her body and took a final, deep breath. “I’m ready.”

“Good.” He got out of the car, and she plastered on her best face for the crowd. The driver opened her door, and she stepped out into the bright sunlight of an August afternoon.

Employees laughed and played games, clutched red plastic cups of beer and soda, and lined up near the grill for hot dogs, hamburgers, and vegetable patties. Reina always made sure she supplied something everyone would like for the annual picnic.

No one seemed to notice her right away, but then the party planner caught her eye and nearly ran over to her.

“Ms. Vazquez, we have a problem,” he told her, his hands flapping like small birds. He was clearly quite distraught.

Reina furrowed her brow. She couldn’t think of anything that would get him this excited. She scanned the crowd, and then noticed...

“Why isn’t anyone using the shelter? We reserved it months ago.”

“That’s just the problem,” he told her. “There’s a...man there, and he won’t leave. Very unsavory. The parents don’t want the children there. I’ve called the park rangers but --” The man shrugged.

Reina felt confident she could deal with the issue. Let a little of the wolf surface, and the unwelcome visitor would probably hightail it in two shakes.

She smoothed her palms down her company polo and nodded curtly at the party planner. “I’ll take care of it. Just make sure my guests are having a good time.”

She headed across the clearing toward the shelter. A large black motorcycle, dusty and laden with many packs and bags, was parked illegally in front, and smoke rose up from the charcoal grill nearby.

Reina stopped at entrance to the enclosure and stared.

A man sat there. A bear of a man, really, and if Reina hadn’t a little bit of the animal in her, she might have been intimidated. He had long hair, brown shot through with gray. Beat up denim hung low on his hips, and black leather boots encased his feet. He didn’t wear a shirt or jacket, but Reina saw a leather vest tossed carelessly on one of the picnic tables. Patches with skulls covered it, and chains dripped off of it. One large patch across its back declared the club to which he belonged, and Reina raised her eyebrows. She’d seen something on the news about them.

She cleared her throat, and he raised his head to look at her. Piercing blue eyes seemed to bore right through her. She felt as if in that one look, he knew everything about her. Even her darkest secret.

“We reserved this area for the company picnic. I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave.”

He chuckled and stood. He walked toward her. She could smell him easily, not because he stank but because of her heightened senses. He smelled of the road, of the woods and sweat and wind. She found the aroma intoxicating. She wanted to bite and rend, but she held back. She only needed to intimidate.

“Say please,” the man said.

Oh, I think not. Reina narrowed her eyes. “The rangers have already been notified. You don’t want to be arrested, do you?”

He laughed outright at that, a deep, resonant bass sound that probably resembled the roar of his motorcycle’s engines.

Reina felt her hands itching to form paws and claws. How could he get beneath her skin so easily? Rile her so much, and yet...?

She sniffed the air again and felt heat grow in her womb. Oh God. She never reacted this way to men. Never lost her cool. Maybe it had something to do with the approaching full moon, and forest around her. All the fresh meat scampering around the bounce castle.

Nothing to do with the man in front of her.

But she wanted him. She couldn’t deny it. Her gaze traced the lines of his abs and pecs. She nearly reached out and ran a hand down his bare flesh. Oh, stop it!

She took a step back from him, just to be safe, but then she scowled at herself when she realized he would probably interpret this as her backing down.

Any other time, any other place, and I’d rip him to shreds.

She took a deep breath. “Listen, just move along, okay? I’ll give you money for a hotel room, a nice meal...?”

“I don’t want your money,” he growled.

Reina’s panties dampened. She knew what he did want, because she wanted it too.

Stay tuned for the next installment!

New Ebook Short Coming Soon

2011-07-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

Cover by Fantasia Frogs Design

Some of you may recall a story I had placed last year -- or maybe even the year before that -- in an anthology. Well, the anthology never went anywhere, so I was lucky enough to get the story placed at New Line Press.

Today I got the cover, which is awesome. It's slated to come out at the beginning of next month.

This story is based on the legend of a type of banshee called the washerwoman. If one saw her washing his or her clothes, one knew death was just around the corner.

At the Romance Review Lounge tomorrow

2011-07-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

I'll be spending the day -- on and off while working on my WIP -- at the Romance Review Lounge tomorrow. I would love for y'all to stop by, ask me some questions, read some blurbs... Whatever.

Thanks!

New WIP well under way

2011-07-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

I hit the five thousand word mark and started into chapter three of my latest WIP today, Cirque Erotique: Animal Tamer. I've hit a point where now I know I need to go back and load in some heat between my hero and the heroine. He's had his heart broken before, and she's in a situation that has her shocked and vulnerable, but I still think they need to notice each other on a romantic level. Just a little bit.

I should take a moment to plug my Fourth of July story from last year, "Jake's Alchemy." If you missed it, why not pick it up here for a quick Independence Day read?

It's been a while...

2011-06-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since I posted last. That's because I was finishing up my latest book for Loose Id, Queen's for a Day. It's already been accepted, and I hope to see it out in the fall.

This last week I also received a formal invitation to submit to Ellora's Cave. That's quite exciting for me. I'm working on an outline for a series that has been brewing in my head for them. I anticipate the first book will be my longest work to date. I'm working in a subplot and everything! This is going to be an urban fantasy with some shifter elements, and of course a little BDSM. This time on the domestic servitude side of things. I think it's going to be super hot!

Finally, my next newsletter will come out on 1 July. This time I'm bringing you a flash story I co-wrote with a contest winner. It's perfect for summer!

May Day and the promise of mild months

2011-05-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

I keep trying to sit down and write a blog post today, but it's my last day of spring break and horror movies are playing all day on SyFy. Right now, it's Wes Craven Presents Dracula Three. Jason Scott Lee plays a priest bent on killing Dracula. It's hard for me to stay away from kung fu horror movies specifically, though I haven't seen Lee bust out too many awesome moves yet. I hope they are still to come.

I guess it's sort of fitting that my last day of break is May Day. Labor Day in many countries, Beltane to some, Walpurgisnacht to others. I'm definitely doing the protest against work thing today, but I will have to go unload the dryer and load the dishwasher at some point.

May Day is also my wedding anniversary. I was thrilled that I got to plan my wedding on a May 1 that fell on a Saturday. It was serendipity, and some days it feels like we are still in the honeymoon phase. Do I have a secret to a happy marriage? Let me see if I can name six for Six Things Sunday.

Don't be passive-aggressive. If you want something, come out and say it. If something annoys you, say it, but in a nice way.
Don't judge.
Be grateful for the small things.
Playing hard to get gets old after a few years. Don't be afraid to be assertive in the boudoir.
Be just as happy and comfortable alone as you are with your spouse.
Let your relationship evolve. Six years ago, I never would have expected that my favorite day of the week would be Sundays when the Saints play, but now... Bloody marys, chips, and dip and sitting on the couch with my husband is one of my favorite pastimes.

New release for a new Loose Id author

2011-04-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

Cover Art by Justin James

One of my author's has her first release with Loose Id coming out this Tuesday. No Apologies is a very emotional read about two men that originally meet at boarding school.

Tibby Armstrong is a great writer to work with, and I hope this is not the first title we'll be seeing from her at Loose Id.

The Teaser Blurb

When a reluctant friendship blossoms into a forbidden romance, can screenwriter Greg Falkner and his longtime partner Aaron Blake find their way to love through big screen success with No Apologies?

Spring Cleaning -- F/F Spanking Flash!

2011-04-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

Spring Cleaning

By G.G. Royale

Kim set down her caddy of cleaning supplies and knocked on the apartment door. Her supervisor had told her the owner would be in when she came to clean. Kim waited patiently, straining to hear any sounds coming from within, but nothing reached her ears. She wondered briefly if she had the right place, but it was the only penthouse in the small building, and she knew she couldn’t have gotten the address wrong.

She stooped to pick up her caddy when the door swung silently open. Kim saw thick white carpet and feet in marabou feather slippers first. Then, as she raised her gaze, tanned legs, the hem of a white sundress or maybe even a nightie, an ample chest straining against the fabric, and then the perfectly made-up face of the woman who had to own the place. Kim swallowed, then straightened, bringing her caddy up with her.

“You must be the girl the agency sent for the spring cleaning,” the woman said. “You may call me Reina. I think you’ll do.”

Kim stepped into the apartment, and the woman closed the door behind her.

“Remove your shoes. You’ll work without them.”

Kim could understand why. The entire place -- even the small lap dog that now came running in from the other room -- was perfectly white. She kicked her loafers off by the door and felt the lush carpet beneath her feet. She wiggled her toes just a little, hopefully not too obviously.

“Just a basic dusting and rub -- I mean wipe-down,” the woman was saying.

Kim didn’t know what she could possibly do. The place appeared immaculate.

“I’ll be in the study when you’re done. Come find me there.” Kim watched as Reina -- her lovely ass swaying -- retreated down the hall. The little dog ran after.

Kim felt a flush creep over her body. She didn’t normally react that way to women, but something about Reina intrigued her. Maybe it was the way she carried herself, or the taste she had in decorating.

The rest of the house -- which Kim cleaned in no time because it was already spotless -- spoke of decadence and control. Every item had a place, each piece of furniture arranged to its best advantage in the pristine rooms.

When Kim finished, she placed her caddy by the door and reported to the study as she’d been commanded, she figured simply to get paid. Commanded? Really? But she could think of no other word to describe it.

She tapped on the partially-opened door, and then pushed in.

Reina sat on an antique white loveseat, a glass of red wine in her hand which stood out remarkably against the pallor of everything else.

“Finished?” she asked, her voice sounding almost breathless.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“No, you’re not.” She reached out her slender arm and poured the glass of wine onto the patch of carpet in front of her.

Kim couldn’t help but gasp. She would never be able to get that out.

“Clean the carpet, girl.”

Kim turned to get her supplies from beside the front door.

“No,” the woman told her sharply. “Use the hem of your skirt.”

What? She cleaned in these clothes, not with them.

“I’ll pay for them to get cleaned.” The woman sounded impatient. Kim decided it didn’t matter one way or the other. The skirt had come from the thrift store anyway. She tried to look confident as she approached the couch, but something didn’t feel right about this situation. She worried if she did a bad job that Reina would report her to the agency. She needed the money. She knelt down on the carpet and positioned herself over the wine. She bunched the hem of her skirt in her hands and began to use it to dab at the spill.

“You’ll have to work harder than that,” Reina hissed.

Kim began scrubbing at it with both hands. She raised up off her calves so she could put more force into it. She felt the edge of her skirt riding up the back of her thighs.

“You’re only making it worse.”

Kim held her tongue. She didn’t want to lose her job, but the woman was scaring her.

Then she felt Reina’s hand on her back. It skimmed down toward the waistband of her skirt. Kim swallowed.

“What are you doing?” she finally asked.

“Focus on the stain.” The woman’s soft touch contrasted with her harsh tone. Kim’s heart began beating faster. She didn’t know what would happen. She felt exceedingly uncomfortable, but also...excited? That can’t be. But it was. The touch of the woman had started something churning in Kim’s womb -- the good kind of churning, the kind that led to...

Oh God. She tried to move away, but then the touch became more firm on her back.

“Do as you’re told,” Reina said. A finger slipped between Kim’s skin and the waist of her skirt.

Then her skirt was pushed to the floor.

“Please,” Kim murmured.

“Shush. You’re not being very good, are you?” She heard the woman chuckled softly. “Nice panties.” She rubbed her hand over the globe of Kim’s ass, and the thin fabric did nothing to block the heat radiating between the flesh. Then the touch vanished. Kim stilled for a moment, unsure what to do. Should she straighten her skirt and leave, or --

Thwack! A hard, sharp slap landed on Kim’s rump.

She shied away, pulling back and clutching her skirt against her body, but her pussy dampened almost instantly. Kim couldn’t explain her confused reactions, but it seemed Reina could read her clearly.

“Don’t play coy. You liked that. Come here.” She pointed at the spot in front of her again. “Hands and knees.”

And Kim did just as she was told, hardly believing it. She received three more swats on the ass, and she felt her panties growing even wetter.

With one hand, Reina massaged her ass, and with the other, she reached down and around, slipping her fingers into Kim’s panties at the front. Kim hissed as the fingers dipped into her.

“I knew you liked it,” Reina said. “You’re all wet. You’ll come for me, won’t you?” Her voice came low and hot against Reina’s ear. She couldn’t refuse. She nodded, feeling shamed and aroused in equal portions.

Reina’s fingers worked furiously against Kim’s clit as she spanked her from behind. The stings of pain mixed with the intense friction had Kim climbing toward orgasm faster than she ever had. She breathed in great ragged drafts of air and prayed it would end soon while also not wanting it to ever end.

“Yes,” Reina said over and over. Kim thought the woman herself sounded close to coming, though how could she with both hands on Kim?

Then Kim felt a bite on her ear, and that last small pain sent her over the edge, spiraling down in a cataclysmic orgasm that threatened to destroy her, to cause her very being to shatter apart into dust and nothingness.

She collapsed on the floor, her breast heaving.

Through slitted eyes, she watched Reina lean back against the couch, raise the fingers she’d had in Kim up to her lips, and lick.

Reina shuddered and closed her eyes.

The next week, the agency sent her back. She did not argue. When she entered the study to accept her payment, she saw no wine stain on the rug, but Reina had another glass clutched in her hand. She smiled wickedly and beckoned Kim in with a crocked finger.

Life's a Drag

2011-03-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

The hero of my latest story, Queen's for a Day, is literally kicking my ass all up and down this computer. She is one demanding, fierce queen. Right now, she's holding a hot pink acrylic school cane that's glowing under the black lights, and I'm afraid to see what she's going to do with it. She's batting those long, false eyelashes. The club is so silent I can hear the leather of her corset creaking.

And that poor boy bent over the back of that chair...

Can someone get me a drink? Vodka collins preferably. I'm going to need it.

New Release Today!

2011-03-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

Necessary Roughness released today. I'm so thrilled. Levi is probably my favorite hero to date. I hope you love him too! I'm already thinking what kind of mischief I can get him in were I to write a sequel. Maybe a buddy-type storyline, with Levi helping someone else find a girl.

Cover Art for Necessary Roughness

2011-03-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

Cover Art by Anne Cain

Here is the cover art for Necessary Roughness, which releases 22 March with Loose Id.

Football? Interracial? BDSM? It's got a little something for everyone!

Latest Synopsis Sent Out

2011-02-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

I sent out the synopsis of my next story to my editor today. It's a gender-bending, BDSMing, hard-partying M/M erom that I hope I nail big time! I'm almost afraid of even starting it because I totally want to do justice to the character I have in my head, Mistress Fanny Ferula, the Caning Queen of Cleveland. She is the most daring, dominating, drag queen domme you can imagine who wins the heart of timid little Gel from Kittengirls and My Two Doms. I actually haven't been this invested in a concept since Kittengirls, and that has been to date my most well received story, so I'm hopeful I can bring the same panache to this.

In the mean time, I'm finally reading one of the Gor books. I've never done this, and from what I've heard they are mostly geared to adolescent boys, but I like the old heavy metal fantasy, and the covers on these tend to be hot in that Conan style, so I'll give the first one a go. I know there are a lot of them.

I'm also doing some research into leather culture. Anybody got a good nonfiction reference to recommend? Or a documentary?

Sweetheart Submission Part Two

2011-02-13T08:07:00.000-08:00

Here is the conclusion of "Sweetheart Submission":

Lanie stood there in her lavender, hot-pants romper and stared. How could Vito do this to her? Every glitter-lidded eye in the crowded club trained on her, and everyone expected her to join him on the stage.

But her feet seemed stuck to the floor, like a rat in a glue trap. If she could just gnaw off her feet... She couldn’t say no to Vito, though, and she finally forced herself to approach the stage.

The air turned to gelatin as she walked. She used everything she had in her to move through the thickness. After what seemed like many long, syrupy-thick hours, she stood just in front of the stage. Why am I so nervous? I’ve scened with him all the time. Spanking, St. Andrew’s cross, flogging... She’d done everything, but she never felt dread like this before.

Vito reached down to her, and she took his hand. He pulled her onto the stage and turned her around for the crowd. Lanie felt her cheeks burn as hoots and whistles sounded from the club.

The lights dimmed, and Vito positioned Lanie to stand facing the audience.

“For those of you that don’t know,” Vito said, ”This is Lanie. She’s been my special little slave around here for some time now. Isn’t she pretty?” Vito skimmed a hand down her arm and then let it rest on her hip. Lanie felt the heat of his touch through the thin fabric of her romper.

“Kneel.” Vito’s tone left no room for discussion, and Lanie fell to her knees as if he controlled her by remote and he’d hit the Down button. Her body -- possessing muscle memory like any athlete -- immediately folded into a perfect slave posture. She dropped her head, and then the whole world around her melted away. She focused only on the man standing in front of her. Or -- more to the point -- his feet.

He reached down and placed on her upturned palm one large candy heart. She looked down at it. This was clearly some kind of custom confection. Larger than the standard box sweets, the pink sugar surface was embossed with vibrant purple icing, carefully scrolled out to say, “Marry me.”

Lanie swallowed but didn’t look up. She began to shake. She dared to glance up at Vito, and dangling from his finger was a collar, white leather with a captured ring. Only...

She squinted up at it. The ring wasn’t the standard stainless O, but a platinum solitaire, a huge pink diamond glinting in the stage lights.

He told her, “It comes apart, so you can wear the ring in vanilla company and the collar...in not vanilla.”

She had never in a million years anticipated this. When she was at the club, she only played with Vito, but she didn’t know -- or even worry about -- whether he played with other girls on the nights she wasn’t there. She’d never bothered to ask. She didn’t care, really. She thought she’d had no claim on him, but...

She knew him, didn’t she? Knew everything about him: his drink, where he liked to eat, even where he’d gone to school and the birthstone his mother had. Vito was no mystery. She understood him better than any man she’d ever known.

She lifted the candy heart to her mouth, placed it on her tongue, and savored the sweetness of it. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She may have never expected this, but she couldn’t deny how right it felt.

Vito leaned down and fastened the collar around her neck. Then he knelt in front of her, pulled her over one of his knees, and delivered three quick swats to her ass.

Lanie squeaked despite herself.

“That’s for taking so long,” he said.

He set her up on her feet, took her by the hand, and led her off stage. The club erupted in applause and cheers. They headed toward the private rooms, down a mirrored hallway with hidden doors lining either side. The mirrors could become clear or opaque depending on the wishes of those inside the variously themed chambers.

Tonight, the mirrors only reflected the hallway back at Lanie. Whether that was because the rooms weren’t in use or because tonight people wanted privacy, she didn’t know.

Vito opened the hidden door to the last room on the left and pulled Lanie inside. He shut it behind them.

Lanie had scened in a few of the private rooms with Vito, but never this one. The over-the-top, princess fantasy room, complete with canopy bed, white French Provincial furniture, and plenty of hairbrushes for spanking. All satin and lace, it fit the theme of the evening perfectly, and even standing in it made Lanie feel shy and virginal again, a sensation she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Silken chords hung at the four posters to keep back the drapes of the canopy, but Lanie had an idea that they would get used for something else tonight, especially since they looked far too long to be simply decorative.

Vito came up behind her and with his big, warm hands, he pushed her romper down her body until she stood there naked. Immediately, her nipples peeked and hardened, not because the air was too cold, but because of the feeling of his hands on her body again.

He walked around to her front, brushed her hair away from her neck, and kissed her, just above the leather of her collar, right below the ear, and Lanie melted. Her knees turned to water as she wrapped his arms around her and took her wait.

He lifted her and set her on the bed, and then tied her wrists and ankles to the posts of the canopy bed.

Lanie’s heart beat hard. This would be the sweetest, most wonderful Valentine’s Day ever.

Vito undressed and without another word, sheathed himself in her hot, wet pussy. She realized she’d been ready for him since that afternoon in the bathroom at her work. Her entire day had been foreplay as she thought about what he’d have planned for her.

She couldn’t hold him, couldn’t move. He drove into her, hard and fast, filling her to overflowing and causing her to writhe and buck against him, trying to find release. His fingers dug into the flesh of her hips, holding her against him, grinding her against him.

She gasped and sobbed as he thrust, pushing her closer and closer to orgasm, his onslaught relentless.

He released the grip on one of her hips and reached to tweak a nipple. That final jolt of pain was all she needed.

She screamed her release as she came. Vito stilled for a moment, letting her ride the waves of release, but then he resumed his pounding rhythm. Moments later, he came, and Lanie felt him jetting and twitching inside her.

He untied her, everything except one wrist, just to remind her who she belonged to. Then he pulled her against him and brought the covers up over them.

When she turned, completely content in the arms of her master and future husband, the heat of him against her back, Lanie couldn’t help but notice the large, pink silk pillow in the shape of a heart, the word embroidered on it: 4ever.

Sweetheart Submission Part One

2011-02-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

In case you missed it in my newsletter, here is part one of my Valentine's Day story. Part two will post Sunday...

Someone had left a single candy heart on her keyboard, perched right on the H key. It said, “My way.” Or what? Lanie picked it up between thumb and forefinger and dropped it into her wastebasket. She hated those things, even more the idea that someone else had touched it first. They tasted like medicine, chalky and dry medicine. Why anyone thought they were sexy or romantic was beyond her. She wouldn’t even waste time trying to figure out who in the office had left the heart. She didn’t find any of them attractive anyway. Besides, this was work, not a place to pick up flings.

When she came back from her lunch break, another one sat in the exact same place. This one said, “All mine.” The possessive suggestion caused a little flutter in Lanie’s chest, but she quickly pushed it aside and threw that heart away too. This was ridiculous.

“I hate Valentine’s Day,” she said.

The woman in the next cubicle, Katie, leaned back and looked at Lanie. “Really?”

“Really,” Lanie told her.

“‘Cause I’ve seen the guy bringing you those hearts and, well, I don’t think I’d hate V-Day if I were you.”

This piqued Lanie’s interest.

Katie went on unprompted. “Yeah, real fit. Tall. Built like you wouldn’t believe.” She waggled her eyebrows, and Lanie giggled despite herself. “You should pretend like you have a meeting, and then go stand by the ladies’ room. You can watch from there. He’ll come back. He’s even watching you now, I’ll bet.”

Now that idea gave Lanie the shivers -- whether good or bad, she couldn’t say exactly.

“Fine,” she hissed. She picked up a file folder, locked her computer, and headed for the corridor as if she were going to the conference room. Instead, she ducked into the alcove in front of the ladies’ room door and watched her cubicle.

Minutes passed, and nothing happened. Then she felt a presence coming down the corridor toward her from the opposite direction. She turned.

Vito stood there, staring down at her, and she nearly melted right then.

“They let you in?” she asked, her voice squeaking slightly. He had no right to be in the building.

But he just nodded and pushed her into the ladies’ room, then locked the door.

Lanie’s face burned with shame. What if her coworkers had seen what just happened?

“We need to talk,” he told her.

“Oh no,” she said, but she knew she didn’t sound very convincing. God, she couldn’t say no to him. It just wasn’t fair.

“I know you hate Valentine’s Day.”

Lanie took a step back. He took a step forward.

“But you can’t push me away.”

She took another step back and felt the paper towel dispenser hit her back.

“Especially today.” He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. “Give me your hand,” he told her.

Lanie did as he commanded with a mumbled, “Yes, Sir.” She couldn’t do otherwise. He dropped one more heart into her hand, leaned over to plant a searing kiss on her lips, and left. She didn’t go after him. Just stood there, giving him plenty of room and a chance for her nerves to stop jangling.

She knew what was in her hand. A final candy heart. On one side it read “You and me” and on the other, Vito had written the number seven. The time, she knew. And she knew the place too.

God, I wish I could say no to him.

* * * * *

Lanie stood outside the club. The bass thrummed through the walls toward her. She’d taken the time to go home, change into something appropriate, touch up her bikini line, and do her makeup. Once inside, she could just pretend this wasn’t Valentine’s Day. Just any old bondage night. She could deal with that.

She pushed through the front doors and into the foyer where she had to flash her membership card to the receptionist. The receptionist unclipped the velvet rope and let Lanie inside. Lanie pushed through the lush, red velvet drapes that hid the interior and stopped immediately.

Normally, Vito’s club hung in darkness, rich burgundies, reds, purples, and black the order of the day.

But something had happened.

Everything was...pink and white, marabou feathers and silver glitter, and shiny, bright vinyl to match.

The servers -- men and women -- wore pink sequined hot pants, angel wings, and nothing else. It looked like a Valentine’s Day Barbie factory collided with a Hallmark store, and the contents of both got upchucked into here. What was Vito thinking? But she had to admit, the place was filled with blissed-out couples and plurals of all varieties, pink rhinestone collars and white fun fur abounding on their bodies.

Evidently, she’d missed the memo about the theme night. She looked down at her black leather minidress and felt markedly out of place.

“Compliments of the house,” a server said as he approached. Folded neatly on his tray was a lavender and silver-spangled something. Lanie took it and held it up. This should do.

She went over to the corner and unashamedly changed into the deep-cut, hot pants romper. The front dipped clear to her bellybutton, and the legs rode up enough so someone could just see the bottom curve of her ass. A rhinestone heart clasp kept the thing closed over her ample breasts.

She approved. She handed her old dress and purse off to another server -- one she knew pretty well -- and went off to locate Vito. The fact that he hadn’t come to find her yet surprised her. What was he waiting for?

Then she saw him. Wearing white linen trousers, the dark tan of his bare chest contrasting above, he stood on the main stage where demonstrations and scenes took place. A huge smile plastered across his face.

When others saw him, they quieted. Clearly he had something planned. Lanie felt dread building in her gut. It probably had something to do with her. The music cut off.

“Lanie hates Valentine’s Day, don’t you, sweetie?” He spoke loud enough for the entire club to hear.

Lanie blinked, and her stomach flip-flopped. Why was he doing this to her? Did he need to give her more reasons? Her school years had been plenty, thank you very much. All those V-days with no candy in her bag, and then later having no date to the sweetheart dances.

She crossed her arms. “Yes, Sir,” she bit out through her clenched jaw.

“We’re going to change that here tonight. Come here.”

Lanie’s gaze swept the crowd. She couldn’t say no to him here -- let alone anywhere else. She forced herself to walk to the stage, climb the step, and stand obediently by his side. Whatever he had planned, she would just have to give in. It was what a good sub did, after all.

Have I already complained?

2011-01-30T18:38:00.000-08:00

I've been working on my latest project, but for the entire month of January, I only averaged 150 words a day. This manuscript I'm working on is supposed to be my first true novel, but it's just not going very smoothly. I have it all plotted out, and a synopsis written, but the words just aren't coming. At this rate, my next release after Necessary Roughness probably won't be until the fall, or maybe even early winter!

In the meantime, you can get a short story from me, in two installments, starting Tuesday. That's when the first half of my Valentine's Day story goes out in my newsletter. The second half will post here on 13 February.

Coming up...

2011-01-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

I've been working hard this weekend thinking of things to entertain all y'all. First this weekend, I did edits on Necessary Roughness, which will release 22 March. I also sent of the cover art request today. I can't wait to see what I get back for that. I've been also thinking up some sequel ideas for that. Older female flight attendant and fresh, young quarterback? Female charter boat captain and defensive tackle? Pipsqueak sports agent and closeted fitness trainer? I'm not sure which to "tackle" first -- get it? Any ideas?

February I'm doing something special for my readers. On the first, everyone subscribed to my newsletter will get the first half of a brand new short story I'm writing for Valentine's Day. Then on the thirteenth, which is Loose Id's next chat at the Yahoo group Love Romances Cafe, I'll post the conclusion to the story! If you haven't subscribed to my newsletter, you totally should. You won't want to miss the build up. And, if you're a reader of romance and erom, you really ought to join Love Romances Cafe. Lots goes on around there!

That's all for now. My writing goal for today is 2975 words, and I've got 2700 to go.

Ava March has a new release today!

2011-01-11T04:07:00.000-08:00

One of the authors I work with, Ava March, has a new release today, His Client. If you like lush historicals with a little kink, you should definitely check it out.

Here's the blurb:

Mr. Nathaniel Travers has been visiting Madame Delacroix’s brothel for five years. On every visit, he requests the same man. Stunningly handsome and highly skilled, Jasper not only shares Nate’s fondness for wickedly erotic games and black leather corsets, but he’s become a friend. Someone he can talk to. Someone he can share a supper with. And Jasper’s the only person who knows Nate secretly harbors a love for his old childhood friend, Peter Edmonton.

Mr. Jasper Reed has been working at the house for a decade. He’s saved enough to retire, yet he remains at the decadent London brothel. Retiring would mean leaving Nate and the hope perhaps someday the rugged gentleman would stop pining for his best friend and realize he loves Jasper, just as Jasper loves him.

It takes Edmonton’s marriage for Jasper to see he’s been just as blind as Nate. Stubbornly hoping for something that cannot be. Convinced a gentleman like Nate can never be more than his client, Jasper retires.

Life in the country may be lonely, but with no one to please but himself, it’s calm and peaceful...until Nate shows up on his doorstep.

Buy it now!

Ah, revision...

2011-01-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

I dug up an old work for a call from Samhain for cyberpunk stories. A couple years ago, I got a chapter and a half into what was supposed to have been a short story for another call, missed the call altogether, and stopped working on the story. Now the original was for erotica; now I'm working on this to try to make it fit romance.

To make the deadline, I have to write 1000 words a day on the weekdays and two thousand a day on Saturday and Sunday for the next week and a half.

Today, after deleting a sex scene that would have come to early in the romantic arc, I've now only added two words to the count, even though I've gotten through revisions and additions and started in on Chapter Two.

Ah, revision... Now off to work!

Tara Lain joins us today!

2011-01-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

Today, Loose Id author Tara Lain joins me. Her new book, Genetic Attraction, just released with week.

The Blurb

At a conservative Long Island University, renowned researcher, Dr. Emmaline Silvay, has two great loves – her life-saving work, and her younger research partner, Jake Martin. The romantic love is impossible. She’s his boss and he lives with his girlfriend. The the “girlfriend” is actually a boyfriend, the beautiful and infamous supermodel, Roan Black.

Resigned to a platonic relationship, Em accepts a weekend invitation to their home, but the men have a menage on their minds. She can’t resist, doesn’t even want to. But their intentions go far beyond passion. They want her to “be a part of them”. Their three-way love defies propriety and the standards of the University that funds their work. The supermodel’s fame makes secrecy impossible. Their ménage threatens to crumble all she’s worked for. What will give way to make room for genetic attraction?

And look for an excerpt after the interview!

Tara: First , thank you to G.G. for inviting me to your blog today. I have to say that these are my favorite questions ever. They made me think carefully about every answer. So, thank you, for all the wonderful new thoughts you have inspired and realizations you engendered.

G.G.:You have images -- not just cover art -- all over your site, so I get the impression that artwork and photography and pictures play a major role in the development of your characters and writing. Why don't you give your readers a link to your all-time favorite image and then explain why you love it so much. I'll get you started... One of my fav pieces is The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun by William Blake (here's one:http://www.royal-painting.com/htmllarge/large-990.html). I love the danger he presents, her beauty, and the heat you know they would produce together. Yes, it's religious, but it also is highly sensual. So what's yours?

Tara: As you saw, I use a lot of my own art on my blog and some on my website. It’s fun and handy, and I enjoy making my pages visually interesting. As for inspiration, I’m blushing now, but I must confess to a real love for pictures of beautiful men. I know, I know, all women like guy pix, but mine is aesthetic as well as sexual. I love the way really beautiful men look. That’s why I use so many of them on my sites. And, of course, I write about them. My “beautiful boys” of romance.

G.G.: I used to paint, design clothing and sew, make jewelry, and play music, but I gave it all up to focus on writing. You paint and write. How do you find a balance? How do you decide which creative outlet gets your time on any given day?

Tara: I must confess, my painting has taken a back seat. I used to take a weekly painting workshop, but now I write during that time. I do continue collage, however, because it’s so much like play. I use it to make presents for friends and family – special collages reflecting their interests. I just did one on ballet for a friend in London for her birthday. It was so fun, plus I’m currently working on a book with a ballet them, so it was inspiring, too.

G.G.: Tell us about Genetic Attraction. Where did the concept come from?

Tara: As you know, Genetic Attraction is my first novel ever. When I started it, I barely knew what I like to write. I have a rich fantasy life (all writers do), and one of my favorite fantasies was an older woman/younger man theme, so I started there. Plus, I had recently fallen in love with male/male romances, so I thought “let’s add another man”. Bingo, a ménage was born. In my day job, I come into contact with many interesting people – scientists, engineers, doctors, corporate executives, photographers, models, actors. I wanted my heroine to have a really great job (it’s critical to the conflict) and I knew of a woman scientist who was doing breakthrough genetic research. Hence, Genetic Attraction, the story of a famous genetic scientist who loves her work and her young research partner. She thinks he lives with his girlfriend, but when she discovers the girlfriend is actually his boyfriend, well, all hell breaks loose, and she’s faced with choosing between her two great loves. .

G.G.: Genetic Attraction is a menage. Do you feel the dynamics of that type of a relationship make it more difficult to write?

Tara: Funny. As I described above, the decision to write a ménage was kind of thrust upon me. Those boys both wanted to be in the story! But as of today, I’ve written four books (one published, one under contract, one in editing and one WIP) and three of them are ménages! Two are m/m/f and one, my WIP, is m/m/m. There’s something rich about that dynamic. Kind of like the triangle – the strongest form in nature. And (if you don’t count the pronouns that are killer in love scenes) a ménage is actually easy to write. It gives your characters so many chances for interaction. The reader gets to see them in a lot of different situations. I enjoy it.

G.G.: At the time of this interview, you are working on prequels and sequels to this story. What is it about these characters that drives you back to them?

Tara: They are so demanding! When I completed Genetic Attraction, I started writing a science fantasy piece, but my heroes from GA, Jake and Roan, demanded that I tell their love story. I couldn’t resist. (Roan is just irresistible) I enjoyed writing that book so much. The Scientist and the Supermodel will be coming out from Loose Id in the spring. While writing that book, a new character sprang to life—Jake’s brother, Caleb. I loved him too, so I started plotting (in my mind, I’d never be so organized as to do it on paper) a book for him. When I needed a concept for NaNo, I plunged into that story and am editing it now for submission. It’s called Androgynous Dreams, and all my GA characters reappear, although Caleb and his lovers, Angel and Elijah are the central figures. Last night, Roan started telling me a story about his world of modeling. I may have to write that book too, one day.

G.G.: You seem to write characters that are bigger than life -- celebrities, brilliant researchers... Why go that route instead of telling Everyman's story?

Tara: This was such an interesting question to me, and I really had to think about it. I have two answers. First, these people are my “everymen” to some degree. Both my parents were larger-than-life people. We lived all over the world, and they conducted a “salon” for fascinating people in our living room. My own background is in theatre, television, I was a model for a few years, and then I’ve met all the interesting people of my day job in nonfiction writing and marketing. So these people are familiar to me. Plus, second, I think people enjoy the extraordinary. Look at the passion for the paranormal. Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress, BUT she reads minds and her boyfriend is a vampire. The boy next door just may be a werewolf. I love contemporary romances, so these slightly larger-than-life people are my version of the extraordinary.

G.G.: I'm asking this question tongue-in-cheek, but I would actually like to know your answer, because I can tell it's not as simple as not knowing the grammar rule. I noticed on your site and in your blog that you don't capitalize the pronoun "I," unless it starts a sentence. Why?

Tara: I love that you noticed this. Some people in my life assume correctly why I do it, but few people ever ask. For many years, I studied and taught meditation and yoga practice. In yoga, you strive to get your ego out of the way so that you can more clearly perceive reality. I started using the small “I” as a discipline to remind me to remember that fact, and it became second nature. I have trouble now typing “I” in a story or book. Fortunately, Word corrects it automatically. . It’s kind of ironic that it’s become a little trademark. Kind of the opposite of its original intention. But it still reminds me every time I hit the key.

G.G.: Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?

Tara: I would like to say a special thanks to Loose Id, my publisher. This great group of people *waves at G.G.* encouraged and mentored me a long time before I produced a book worth publishing. I was such a newbie with much to learn, and they gave me access to so many resources along the way. I am very grateful. Also, thank you again to G.G. for giving me this opportunity to share.

I’d also love to ask your readers if they like more “everyman” characters, or if they like them larger than life? Share, please. : )

And all your links, please:

taralain@cox.net

http://www.taralain.com/

http://taralain.blogspot.com/

http://beautifulboysbooks.blogspot.com/

Excerpt

“Well, little rock dweller, can I get you another glass of wine?”

“Maybe in a minute; right now I need a rest room.”

“Actually, I noticed a pretty long line outside the one in the hall.” He made a discreet point skyward. “But we VIPs happen to know there’s a little-known bathroom up in Howard’s bedroom.”

“Oh great.” She hopped off the stool, only feeling a little hit from the glass of chardonnay, and turned toward the stairs.

He gestured to the upper floor. “Want a guide?”

“No need. This house has a similar floor plan to mine. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Up the carpeted stairs lined with old historical photos, the noise died down and the lights were dim. She sagged against the wall for a minute to catch her breath. Jesus, Kovak; just what she needed. And then there was Isaac. He was an attractive man, very attractive actually, and single, and her age, and appropriate. Under ordinary circumstances, she’d be interested.

“Daydreaming about the new boyfriend?”

Guilt made her face heat. Shit. Jake.

“What are you doing here?” She turned and looked into his angry but still oh-so-beautiful face.

“This is a faculty party. Last time I checked, I was a member of the faculty.”

“You know what I mean. You haven’t been anywhere near this campus after five o’clock all week. Why the sudden social bent?”

Six-foot-two of upset man loomed over her. “Not happy to see me, Em? Afraid I’ll cramp your style with Dr. Loverboy down there?”

Okay, too much. Tears started running down her face. Shit, she was crying. “Stop it, Jake. There’s never anyone I want to see more than you.”

He stared at her, torn it seemed between anger and some other softer emotion. His hand shot out, grabbed her behind the head, and pulled her into his arms. And there was that ravenous mouth. Consuming. For a moment, words like Kovak and Isaac and Dr. Winton flashed in her mind. Oh, but this was Jake. She opened her mouth and accepted all of that questing tongue. The frustration, anger, hurt, and longing of the whole week flashed into passion, heat. Her body pressed against his, writhing on the huge erection that pressed into her abdomen. Oh God, somehow she had to get that where it belonged. She tried to climb him, thrusting her hips against his body, but the height difference was just too much. He pushed her back against the wall behind her, bent his knees, and came up with that rock-hard bulge pushing against her clit. Oh, shit, yes.

Still thrusting, he pulled his mouth from hers and gasped, “We can’t stay here. Where can we go?”

She grabbed his hand, slid herself out from under him on the wall, and led him into Howard’s bedroom two doors down the hall. There were some coats and purses on the bed, so guests might come in. She located the bathroom and pulled him into it. It was a smallish room -- nothing like he was used to in Connecticut -- just a shower stall, sink, and toilet with a cabinet above. Right now it looked like the Taj Mahal to her.

He pulled her into a heated kiss again, thrusting that tongue deep like she loved. She sucked on his tongue, her hands pawing at his fly, trying to open it. Never breaking the kiss, he took over the effort. He opened his belt, unbuttoned his pants, and pulled down his fly. She slipped her hand in and wrapped her fingers around that beautiful cock. She started to kneel, but he pulled her back.

“No,” he panted. “May not have much time. Want to fuck you.”

He looked around at the sink, but seemed to decide against it. He pulled his trousers down around his knees and sat down on the toilet seat with his big, wet cock pointing up at the ceiling.

Oh, wow. Mindless. The only goal in her universe was to mount and ride that big dick. Stripping off her thong, she straddled him and lowered herself to the one place on earth she wanted to be. Oh, sweet, sweet --

His head fell back. Eyes tightly shut, he moaned, “Em, oh, Em, please.”

She began to ride. Her hands planted on the wall behind the toilet, she pressed forward and rode up and down and up and down, her body shaking with pure lust. How had she lived a week without this? Vaguely, she heard some voices in the bedroom outside, but she simply didn’t care. This was too wonderful.

Both of them were shaking and panting -- neither could last long. She planted her lips beside his ear and whispered every obscenely loving thing she could think of while he gasped and moaned. Harder and harder she rode, pushing her clit against his pubic bone until she was light-headed, her body like liquid fire. And then the fire exploded. “Jake, oh God!” Her body bucked and bucked on top of this dearest of men as she came -- as hard as she could ever remember.

Buy it now!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

New year's resolutions... I used to make them, pretty much like everybody else. Lose some weight, ride my bike places, join roller derby... None of them ever seemed to work out. This year, though, I've decided to set a goal for myself. One I know I can accomplish.

In 2010 -- between January and December -- I wrote five novellas, which ran in the 15 to 30 thousand word range, and a whole bunch of short stories. Let's say that's around 130 thousand words total. What would have happened if I'd spent all my time on one work instead of so many smaller ones? To date, I don't think I've written anything longer than 35 thousand words.

This year, that's going to change, which is why Necessary Roughness will be the last thing you'll see from me for a while, except for a few short stories that I'll try to get out on the side. In the meantime, I'm going to be working on something longer, something more in-depth, something more poignant. Is that a silly goal? Maybe, but I've had some ideas bumping around in my head, and I think I've finally got the discipline to give them the word count they deserve.

So rather than calling this a new year's resolution, let's call it a goal. What goal will you set for yourself in 2011? What will you do that you've never done before? What thing can you do now that your personal growth has gotten you here?

The year is almost up!

2010-12-28T06:57:00.000-08:00

What an amazing year. To go from only a handful of Web site and anthology credits to six novels and several short story ebooks and anthologies. I, of course, couldn't have done it without you, my readers, and the amazing community of the other writers and editors at all of the publishers I have worked with. It's been great.

My last novella of the year, The New Game, will release tomorrow. I wrote this specifically for the artwork you see on the cover. It's a quick read with a lot of action. I hope you enjoy it!

Also, I hope you'll join a whole plethora of Loose Id authors at the Love Romances Cafe on Sunday. We're all planning special blog posts and giveaways to start your new year off right. Be sure to check it out.

Adoration of Addana out this week, just in time for the holidays

2010-12-16T04:17:00.000-08:00

The Adoration of Addana released Tuesday at Loose Id. Because it's a story so close to my heart, I'm donating 20 percent of my royalties from this title -- for as long as the book is in print -- to Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together.

Please help me make the season brighter for people who are still trying to rebuild their homes in the New Orleans area by buying a copy.

Have a great holiday season!

Necessary Roughness to release in March

2010-12-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

It looks as if Necessary Roughness will probably release in March at Loose Id. I'm quite pleased about that; it will be my first release of the new year, so far. I may be able to get a short story or two out before then as well, but I'm not entirely sure.

In the meantime, I've been reading Revision and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell. It's actually got a lot of great ideas in it, things that I hope to improve on in the future. I'll definitely make some changes when I get Necessary Roughness back from the first round of editing.

Also prompting changes is the recent review that I got for The Flapper and the Fellow. It definitely pointed out some weaknesses in that manuscript that I could see being a problem in Necessary Roughness too, since both heroines are unfamiliar with the BDSM lifestyle at the beginning of the books and, maybe a little too easily, adapt quickly to the dom/ sub relationship. I will need to throw in some more internal conflict for my heroine in NR to avoid the same problem.

Rumpled Silk Sheets Released Today!

2010-12-02T15:21:00.000-08:00

Are you in the mood for fairy tales and delicious girl on girl action? Do you like a little romance and wonder with your erotica? If so, then you might want to check out the anthology that came out today from Ravenous Romance...

Rumpled Silk Sheets!

My story, "The White Bride," is included in this anthology edited by EM Lynley. Please check it out.

Necessary Roughness finished!

2010-11-27T15:35:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy that I got Necessary Roughness finished in time to take December off! Just a few days to edit and I'll send it off to my editor.

This story definitely is already calling for at least one sequel. I'm thinking Josh, Tiffany, and Chrissie, but I'm not sure how to work that out... We'll see.

Tuesday, Rumpledsilksheets is supposed to release with Ravenous Romance. I'm hoping it will show up here: http://www.ravenousromance.com/php.php. My story, "The White Bride," is in that, so I hope you'll check it out.

A little holiday reading to tide you over

2010-11-21T06:04:00.000-08:00

Would you like a little light, sensual, and sweet holiday reading to "tide" you over until Yule? Why not check out my self-published short, "The Longest Night?" It came out last year, and is a fairytale based on Norse mythology about a trip into the woods on the longest night of the year. It was thought that this night was the most magical of all, and that people could even understand the speech of animals, if they took the time to listen. It's only ninety-nine cents!

Art by April Martinez

If you would like something more hot and contemporary for your holiday reading this year, then you need to check out my 14 December holiday release with Loose Id. The Adoration of Addana is an interracial erotic romance set during the first December after Hurricane Katrina.

Parts of the Holy Cross neighborhood, where this story is set, have still not been rebuilt. If you are feeling particularly generous, please donate to Habitat for Humanity, with your money targeted to the New Orleans area.

Another great charity to keep in mind that is helping to rebuild New Orleans is Rebuilding Together. They help rehab older houses.

I am pledging 20 percent of my royalties from The Adoration of Addana to be split between these two charities. I hope you can find some time or money to share as well. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Sweet New Memory by Ralph Greco Jr.

2010-11-14T05:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a short bit of fiction to heat up your day. It was originally featured in my newsletter for the month of November. If you'd like to get the newsletter, make sure you visit the link to the right.

A Sweet New Memory

By Ralph Greco Jr.

You can’t play with the past.

You can trick your memory, hide some evidence, burn pictures even, but the past “be what it be,” and no matter how much you try to disregard or forget, stuff still leaks through. When I saw those damn legwarmers at the dancewear outlet, my past came back to bite me on the ass. And seeing how I had just begun to date Stu again, my first-ever boyfriend, the sight of the legwarmers brought a memory blush to my high cheekbones. I had to run clear cross the store to hide from my daughter, Stephanie.

My friends and I were a lot less sexually aware then teenage girls today; Stephanie wears her jeans so low not a single boy in her high-school exists who couldn’t tell you the color of her thong on any given day. My girlfriends and I never knew from thongs, let alone could have imagined wearing them, so for us, legwarmers were part of our weak attempt to be sexy way back in the day: dress a little naughty but not show anything, really. It’s kind of hot wearing something that would hug your legs and make your ass all that much more noticeable, like wearing thigh-highs, but with jeans underneath. My boyfriend, Stu, and every other guy I knew loved when we wore the legwarmers, precisely because they did hug our legs and make our asses all that much more noticeable.

Two days later, I was sneaking the legwarmers out of the house for my date with Stu.

It was a thrill that fate dropped Stu and me at exactly the same place…albeit twenty-five years later. Both divorced, still attractive and attracted to one another, and living close enough we could manage rendezvous; we had done so four times. It really felt serendipitous, and if our making-out hadn’t felt so god-awful hot so far, I would think this all a dream. I was finding a chasm of difference between the desperate, all-too-quick friction a teenage boy can manage as opposed to the movements a forty year-old man has learned.

It was also deeply heartwarming back in the arms of the first guy I ever loved, a quarter of a century later.

I pecked Stu’s cheek, as he opened the door wide to my knock.

“Hi,” I mumbled moving past him to the bottom of the stairway that led up stairs.

“Give me five then come up, okay?” I threw over my shoulder to the man’s dimpled smile then ran up the ten steps.

I had no trepidation about what was obviously about to happen, had been pretty much masturbating over the thought for the past two days, and would stop at nothing now to model for Stu. I turned the corner then walked to the last room down the hallway where I knew his bedroom to be. Throwing my big bag on his bed, I found and flicked on the lights, then sat on the edge of Stu’s four-poster to rummage through my big bag. Sitting back, wiggled my jeans down my freshly shaved, legs while kicking off my sneakers, pulled down and off my already wet panties, lifted off my sweater, then bra, and proceeded to re-dress. When I heard Stu’s footfall, I was standing facing the far corner of his dark small room, naked, expect for three-inch heels and those nasty, wonderful, nostalgic legwarmers.

“So?” I asked Stu’s paneled bedroom wall, standing stock still on my three-inch pumps, my taut, thick legs spread.

“Shit,” Stu exclaimed as he stood in the doorway of his bedroom.

“Surprised?” I announced, not looking over my shoulder…yet.

The floor creaked as he came into the room, and I quickly felt him behind me. I couldn’t tell how close he was, figuring Stu might be trying to spy around my side to get a look at my big breasts -or at the very least admiring the legwarmers, but for just then he kept his distance. It had indeed been a quarter of a century since this guy saw me bare-assed and I had to steel all my nerve to keep from shaking as Stu stood there inspecting me.

“I didn’t even know they made those anymore,” he said, and I sensed him take another step to me. This only caused the already tight little flood between my legs to increase, and I repositioned my heels to stop myself from arching my ass even further.

As much as I ached for Stu to touch me, touch me anywhere, I was complimented that he obviously still liked what he saw enough not to just yet.

“You are really something,” he said and then -- to my sudden shock and delight -- I felt his lips on my ass! “Wider,” I heard from under me as Stu obviously knelt there behind me, placing a hand to the inside of each of my thighs, rubbing the material of the legwarmers as if to really assure himself I wore them. “Wider,” he whispered again as I spread to comply and felt Stu kiss, then nuzzle right under my cheeks, so close to my flooding pussy it was all I could do to stand there. I was incredibly turned-on, not just from what Stu was doing to me physically, but how he managed such a subtle command of this situation. Here I was thinking that I was leading the seduction with my modeling and legwarmer surprise, but Stu didn’t even seem to be thrown off balance in the slightest.

Back in high school just the sight of me dressed like this would have made Stu come in his pants.

Teetering a bit, I sighed and looked down to watch Stu wiggle and turn himself into position, ducking through my legs on his ass, his face turned into me, his mouth right in front of pussy.

“Really…” he began, leaned in, and kissed me right on my thin strip of brown hair. “Really…” Kiss. “Really...” This time he lean his chin back, sat down hard, and lapped between the silk of my lips as I opened up for him. “Really something,” he finished, rolled up to me, cupped a hand around the front of each legwarmer, and pulled me to him.

Stu began eating me then as I stood and shook. Standing over him while he lapped at me, opened me, pushed up into me with his entire mouth, I felt slightly nervous how quickly I felt that clutch in my belly. I was a minute, even less from coming and as I placed my hands to the top of his head, balanced as best I could, I felt my pussy open to the magic Stu was performing with his tongue.

“Sta…Stu,” I managed literally rocking in his face as the man below simply grabbed my legs tighter and thrust his tongue up and in me. This sudden, wet intrusion made me bear down, spread my legs ever so slightly, and come. Come hard and final on this man who used to be a boy who seemed to still like legwarmers.

Would you like to write for Loose Id?

2010-11-12T05:11:00.000-08:00

A new call for submissions just went out, and it's active until August of next year. It definitely has already sparked some ideas in my head. Here's a look at the call. I hope you submit!

Whether it's James Bond in Monte Carlo or Batman on the rooftops of Gotham, women (and men!) love a man with an air of intrigue about him. Secrets are sexy; they're the black lingerie of the mind. Give us just the tiniest hint and we will lean all the way forward across the table for just one tiny hint more.

This fall, Loose Id's looking to capture that allure with a collection of surprising and suspenseful stories of these men and the lovers who get them to tell all Bring us your spies and undercover cops, your SEALS and assassins, your con men and bodyguards, your jewel thieves and the detectives who hunt them.

We're looking for novel length stories of 55,000 to 75,000 words of mystery and romantic suspense where the romance and the sex play an integral role in the story. Think Linda Howard, Suzanne Brockman, J.D. Robb, but sexier, made for Loose Id. Heterosexual and lgbt are both welcomed. In particular, we're looking for BDSM, I/R, menage, and we'd like to see a strong m/f showing. Accepting now through August 2011.

Contact Submissions@loose-id.com with a synopsis and partial unless you already have an established LI editor and note this is for Men of Mystery in the introduction.

The Return of the Rainbow

2010-10-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a little Halloween erotic flash for you.

Warnings: zombie/ human sex, feasting on human flesh (of screen), obscure references to Argentinian politics of the 1950s.

The Return of the Rainbow

By G.G. Royale

The embalmers had done an impeccable job preserving Eva Peron, and despite the many adventures her corpse had had in the decades since her death, she still looked beautiful.

Frank inhaled and smelled the honey aroma of beeswax and the spicier, more mysterious scents of the arcane ingredients used to keep her looking young and supple. He had loved Evita ever since he’d seen the musical as a child. Once he’d made enough of a fortune to start doing silly thing with it, he’d vowed to buy her. Today, she’d arrived.

He stepped away from the shipping crate that cradled her glass coffin. The heels of his handmade oxfords clicked on the marble floor. His gaze met the eyes of the man who had promised to bring her back. “Do what needs to be done,” Frank told him.

Longfellow Jal steepled his fingers and nodded. “You know what may happen. I give no guarantees.”

Frank mumbled, “I know,” and left the room.

Hours later, Frank sat, staring out across his ornately tiled pool. He had no idea how long it would take for Jal to bring Eva back or even if it would work at all. He heard footsteps on the patio behind him, and then a hand touched his shoulder. He expected to see Jal or one of his house staff when he turned his head, but instead the sight stole his breath.

She stood there: alive, free, breathing… Well, not exactly breathing. Frank couldn’t help but notice her breast did not rise and fall. He knew no heart beat beneath either. And her eyes. Frank shook his head. He wouldn’t dwell on those lifeless, milky orbs that seemed to hold no life. He stood instead and gathered her into his arms. Her body felt stiff beneath his fingers, but he didn’t care. He breathed in her sweet and spicy scent, and desire coursed through him. “My rainbow,” he murmured, and he realized he couldn’t contain his need for her any longer.

He pushed back. A small smile played across her lips, one Frank found very enticing, but it looked to be sparked by some inner secret only she knew. Frank didn’t care. He took her hand and led her inside.

“I’m Frank,” he said as the moved. “Te amo. Since I was a little boy.” He helped her up the marble staircase; her legs had trouble taking her up the stairs, almost unable to bend in the right directions. “Te recuerdas?”

At the top of the stairs, the ravishing creature murmured, “Me llamo…Eh…va.”

Frank’s heart swelled. He couldn’t believe she remembered. “Sì!”

He dropped her hand and threw open the doors to his master suite. He had decorated it to resemble the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aries. He wanted her to feel at home. She walked in and sat on the bed, that same secret smile on her face.

“Do you like it?” Frank corrected himself, “Te gusta?”

“Sì.” Eva patted the bed next to her, and Frank nearly ran across the room toward her. “I die. You…bring back?”

“Yes.”

Her smile broadened just a touch. “Gracias.” She reached up and ran her pale fingers through his hair. Frank closed his eyes at the feeling. He couldn’t believe he sat here with the woman he had always wanted. Who said dreams didn’t come true?

And then he felt the touch of her lips on his. He opened for her, hardly accepting that she offered herself to him so easily. But she did. He melted for her, wanting more. Her fingers found the buttons of his shirt, the fly of his pants. He kicked off his shoes, and when he finally opened his eyes, he saw her in all her ripe, preserved glory. Here sat a woman, not wasted by sickness, but as picture-perfect as an artist could craft, her body lush, smooth, and glowing. He ran his hands over the taut surfaces, relished in the feel of her completely hairless flesh.

She pushed him down and straddled him, and like a key into its lock, his cock slipped right into her waiting pussy. It wasn’t wet, but smooth like silk. He loved the way the flesh inside her caressed him, pulling him upward as she fucked him. Frank had no control, and he loved it. In his day-to-day life, he governed everything, but with dominant Eva, he could give up. He could let her take and take. And she would never grow old, never wear out. She would be his forever love, a perfect machination of a perfect woman.

She brought him ever closer to release, and that small smile played always on her lips. She didn’t weary, didn’t falter, just pounded down onto him, her nails buried into the skin of his chest.

Frank reached up and grabbed her hips. He held on as, unable to keep it back any longer, his orgasm spiraled out of him, spilling his seed deep within her waxen womb.

Eva climbed off and lay down on the bed next to him.

Frank drifted off, the smell of her in his nostrils, intoxicating him.

“Frank,” he heard. Frank opened his eyes. Eva kneeled on the bed next to him, her milky orbs wide. “Tengo hambre.” She wiped her wrist along her mouth, and a string of viscous drool came with it. Not normal human saliva, but something else. It seemed so out of place coming from the perfectly preserved, the perfectly dry Eva.

Longfellow Jal had warned him about this, and Frank had prepared accordingly. He rose from the bed and threw a robe over his nakedness. He headed downstairs to the servants’ kitchen where an itinerant worker he’d picked up in the parking lot of the big box store earlier that day waited. Frank found the man and brought him upstairs. He showed him into his bedroom.

“Mi compañero,” Eva said, and she held her naked arms out to the man in welcome. The worker entered, and Frank closed the door behind him.

From within came screams.

Eva feasted.

Frank smiled. He would do anything for her.

New Release from Cherise!

2010-10-26T00:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm one lucky editor to have Cherise Sinclair in my line-up at Loose Id. Today, she's got another hot story releasing, and I just love the title.

Here's the blurb:

On the mountain, the watcher seeks out evil women. And then they die.

Two years ago, when Jake Hunt uncollared his slave, she committed suicide. Guilt-ridden, he will commit to a woman for one night only, devoting his energy to a mountain lodge that caters to a BDSM crowd.

Kallie Masterson is tough. Unwanted as a child, she worked hard to become a wilderness guide. She’s proud of who she is, and hurt that Jake frowns on her for acting like a man.

After rescuing the macho guide from a bar fight, Jake is stunned that the ugly men’s clothing hides a warm, responsive woman. A submissive woman. When guide business brings her to the lodge on BDSM night, and she is obviously aroused by the play, Jake takes the little sub right into his world of pain and pleasure. He warns her: one night only. But she responds so beautifully -- so joyously -- under his command, that one night soon becomes two, then three...

Then a missing hiker reminds Jake of his past lover, and he realizes he’s become too involved. He pulls back.

Meanwhile, the watcher on the mountain has rendered his verdict: Kallie Masterson is evil. The sentence: Death.

Buy it today! http://www.loose-id.com/Master-of-the-Abyss.aspx

My Two Doms releases tomorrow!

2010-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Cover by Christine Griffin

My Two Doms

Follow up to The Lovely Kittengirls of Mew Orleans

Get it on 19 October at http://www.loose-id.com/My-Two-Doms.aspx

Blurb:

Haley has been seeing two very different doms, and they both made her happy in their own way. Gregory...older, calm, and willing to show her off. And Jason, a possessive and fiery younger man.

When the two men finally meet up, Haley realizes she doesn’t want each man on separate nights anymore; she wants both of them together! But the two doms are so different -- and so often at each other’s throat -- that she doubts she can have what she desires. Will a surprise weekend together help the men bond or just cause more conflict?

"The New Game" accepted by Dreamspinner!

2010-10-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled Thursday to learn that Dreamspinner will release my novella, The New Game! As of now, it looks as if it will come out on 29 December, so I hope you'll designate a little of your Christmas money for that. This one will eventually be available at Amazon too, so you could always ask for Amazon gift cards.

The New Game will be my second M/M ebook to release with Dreamspinner Press, and I hope many more will follow.

Now, back to work on my next I/R BDSM project.

Jake’s Alchemy by G.G. Royale - A Night Owl Reviews Book Review

2010-10-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Jake’s Alchemy by G.G. Royale - A Night Owl Reviews Book Review What a wonderful review!

Yes, more M/M is to come. The New Game is currently under consideration with one publisher, and I do think I'd like to dig a little deeper in Desi and Jake's relationship. Maybe once they get to Fiji some adventure may befall them... Hadn't thought about it, but now the wheels are turning!

Next Project!

2010-10-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

I finally decided on my next project! I got the idea last week, fleshed it out, and sent an outline to my editor at Loose Id. I'm going to make it my NaNoWriMo project for this year. The gist of it is a spoiled princess/ control freak gets her own football team and the dominant, bad-boy tight-end teaches her a few things about submission. Yes, the hero may resemble Jeremy Shockey just a smidge. We are all allowed our fantasies once in a while, right?

This should appeal to both my BDSM and my IR fans. I'll keep you updated on progress as I begin, but that won't be for a couple of weeks yet.

In the meantime, make sure to pick up My Two Doms when it comes out on 19 October. The coming soon page is up, but you're just going to have to wait a little bit longer for more details.

Michelle Picard Today at Kink, Romance, and Writing!

2010-10-04T02:30:00.000-07:00

Michelle Picard, author of Surviving Eden, joins me today... Check after the interview for a blurb and an excerpt from the story.

G.G.:Tell me about the Quirky Ladies. What's it like having a support group like that? Being able to celebrate each other's successes? Helping each other? How did your group form?

M: Finding the Quirky Ladies is one of the best pieces of luck I ever received. I met the other ladies at my local Romance Writers’ chapter. We each wrote different sub-genres of romance and needed the extra critiquing support. But what we found when we started meeting was a way to support each other on a larger level. We cheer each other on, bemoan each others’ real life struggles and mundane arch enemies, get silly, brainstorm stories, and celebrate each others successes. We love to head out to our favorite sushi restaurant and toast away with quirky-tinis and lots of laughter. There is nothing better than support from both fellow writers and girlfriends and I have both in the Quirky Ladies.

G.G.: Why do you think the demon/ angel lover has grown to be such a popular trope in modern romance?

M: Like many dualities, it reflects everyone’s struggle with the good and bad within themselves and their lives. We have so many choices to make in our modern world, it’s almost overwhelming that we have to commit when there is no one truth that reflects the perfect path.

G.G.: Why did you decide to use that trope in your own story?

M: I identified my hero as a man in personal conflict from the beginning. I wanted him at war inside himself regarding his self-worth and identity. This trope lays that war on the table and highlights it perfectly. And I think contrast of any type heightens tension. Stories are sexier to me with tension. The angel/demon trope is instinctively understood in our culture, so readers grasp that conflict immediately.

G.G.: How do you think you handle it differently than other writers?

M: Neither my angels nor my demons are typical. Yes, there are wings for the angels, but their own sense of moral superiority do them in and make them just as flawed as my demons. Additionally, my demons are no monstrosities, but instead reflect a very amoral position. By the way, no horns. My demons are beautifully, sexily humanoid appearing. They have their own code of behavior and their own set of standards; it is simply separate from a common understanding of good. What was the most fun (and a bit of a spoiler, so close your eyes if you need to) is to create a common origin between these races, with the race split magically after an internal civil war threatened the destroy them. Yin/Yang. At one point my heroine describes how frustrating it is for the angels to have such a complete and utter lack of sense of humor, and the demons blessed with an annoying overabundance of it. I could play with extremes in character personalities and set up situations where these two peoples need to work together.

G.G.: What did it feel like when you made your first sale? Do you get the same rush with every acceptance?

M: Interestingly, I get numb first before the rush. It’s always hard to believe when I sell a book. Granted, by that time I’m in love with the story and KNOW it needs a home, but the rush comes a few days later. The same process is repeated again and again for each book I sell. Luckily, I think my husband gets the rush on my behalf right away, and that is very sweet.

G.G.: And -- sorry if this is old hat by now -- what can your readers expect next from you? Your newsletter mentioned "Recasting Eden"... How's that going?

M: Recasting Eden has a long way to go, but the story sits in my mind every day and I know Rachel and Gabriel (my heroine and hero) are eager to work on their issues together. Well, Rachel is a bit more anxious about it, and she’s been having lots of strange dreams, but she’s a busy woman who needs to save the planet so she finds way to distract herself from her anxiety. Folks can look forward to more developments in the lives of secondary characters like Tarn, Sebastian, Christian and Solinthe in the third book. Stay tuned. I’m trying to work it all out.

G.G.: Anything else you'd like to add?

M: Just my thanks for having me here at Kink, Romance and Writing. I love this story, and hope your readers will check it out. Rachel is a complex character who will be growing with each book, and I look forward to finding out myself where she’ll end up by the finish.

Web address: http://michellepicard.com
Blog address: http://michellepicardsblog.wordpress.com http://thequirkyladies.com
Any other links: My awesome new book trailer video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wJIWrDTxrI

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michelle-Picard/100000107670126 on Facebook

http://twitter.com/RulingEden on Twitter

Blurb for Surviving Eden

Rachel Rieh wields enough magic to make a goddess jealous, or so she learned three weeks ago when she thought she was an ordinary, reclusive, and short-tempered gal from Boston. In this second story of Eden’s Court, Rachel, now the new ruler of the Kesayim, (angels, demons, dragons, faeries, vampires, shapeshifters and witches¾the goddess-created protectors of mortalkind) finds herself faced with the task of stopping vampire hunters from annihilating the vampire race. Her lover, Gabriel, half-angel, half-demon, stands by her side to help if she can escape her obsession with protecting him at all cost.

Earth is already on the verge of destruction within six months because magic is out of balance. The new threat to the vampires destabilizes the situation more. In her race to save the vampires, Rachel meets Lilith, goddess, creator of all Kesayim and humans, and the one with all the answers to Rachel’s problems. But is the cold-hearted goddess intent on changing Rachel into her image the greater threat to Rachel and everyone she loves?

And an Excerpt... Enjoy!

Walking through the lush beauty of the Garden of Eden was meant to be inspiring, stimulating, a damned orgiastic delight for the eyes. This morning it was only annoying. Mostly because I was late for my first official diplomatic visit to the vampire realm, and fuming because the path through the garden refused to cooperate and lead us to the appropriate portal.

But the garden, its exotic sentience plucking at my mind, riffling through my thoughts and twittering its opinions--always a spine-tingling sensation--preferred to shift its dimensions and keep the elusive portal far from me and my companion. I would have questioned its motive, but I doubted it practiced anything but an amusing propensity for stirring trouble.

The Eden I strode through wasn’t anywhere on twenty-first century mortal maps of earth; more like a parallel realm snapped out of normal space, disconnected long ago by the goddess who created us all. Same as the home realms of all of the seven Kesayim peoples. Unfortunately, the garden had never recovered from its upset over the separation and tended to become testy at the oddest times. Oh yeah, PMS had nothing on this paradise when it got in a snit.

And now I had to negotiate its moody walkways and get to my destination or else. Without all the Kesayim races stable, including the vampires, I had no chance of uniting them to prevent the literal destruction of our world.

I walked faster.

What’s a little deterioration of the balance of magic on the planet, Rachel? End game, that’s what. So get your butt in gear and figure out what to do about the vampires. Christian’s counting on you. Or do you want to see him murdered too?

My heart rate skyrocketed with the last thought. I so didn’t have time for the garden right now.

On top of the furious pace I set as I stormed down the dirt-covered pathways winding through forest and meadow, I had Tarn, my fae guardsman, still harping at me about my limited escort. His long legs and graceful stride were more than a match for my own. His waist-length white-gold hair, braided down his back, trailed him as he followed me and left no visual impediment to his hard, toned body. Tarn was of the fae’s warrior caste, and he wore his position with every powerful movement, a counterpoint to the more delicate beauty of his face with its milky complexion and deep blue eyes.

As a rule I loved the irreverent fool, but he damned near pushed his limit today with his uncharacteristic doomsday warning that started from first light, when I’d stepped outside my suite in Eden’s Court. His usual caramel tones had flowed to burnt sugar instead. “My lady, if you will not contact Gabriel and ask him to join us for your own safety as we visit the vampires, at least do so for my welfare,” he repeated yet again. “He will tear me up into countless number of little pieces when he discovers only one guard accompanied you.”

I glared at the fae, his scrollwork-covered sword already drawn with his concern, before continuing down the path. I snarled, “Tarn, if you don’t shut up about Gabriel, I’ll be the one tearing you into countless pieces.”

The morning was not shaping up as I’d hoped and the reminder that my lover no longer held his position by my side as constant companion and protector did nothing to improve my mood. I was irritated with Gabriel anyway. I couldn’t figure out the why of it, I just was. “If you don’t remember, Gabriel’s no longer part of the guard and has no say whatsoever about my choice of escort. Anyway, he’s stuck in another bamboo up the fingernails, walking over hot coals negotiation between the angels and the demons today. He does not need any distractions.” No matter how much I want him here, too, I carefully kept to myself.

We dodged a grouping of new bushes popping up in the middle of our path and diverted down a new lane to our side. The garden cackled.

“But my lady...Rachel, if we just--”

I rounded on him, stopping in place with a sudden movement born of anxiety-edged irritation, causing him to skid to a halt to avoid ramming into me. “You know, this shit really gets to me. I’m supposed to be the Mother Heir, the exalted leader of the seven magical races of the Kesayim, all their powers rolled into one complete package. I’m the ruler of Eden’s Court and half the time I’m read the riot act by my own guard, my court seneschal, and the council of representatives, all of whom are supposed to answer to me. Me, remember? The crazy woman in charge of this nuthouse. I say who goes with me to visit the vampires.”

Fall is Finally Here!

2010-09-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

Ah! It didn't even get out of the 80's today. That was probably helped out a bit by the rain, but I'm not going to complain.

Right now I'm between projects, working on October's newsletter, and trying to think of what to start next. My mind has definitely been other places lately. Usually, to come up with something, I hit the Duotrope listings and do the first thing that catches my eye... Let's see...

There's this call from Cleis, or this sounds fun, though it doesn't pay at all. Or maybe this erotic horror call.

Once I get a few short stories out, I should be able to get back into the swing of another longer work.

New Titles

2010-09-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

It really is difficult to come up with titles. My holiday story had to be renamed because it had too much of a religious connotation. I spent the better part of the afternoon trying to come up with alternatives that didn't sound too much like other Christmas releases. It's natural to want to go right to using Christmas carol lyrics, tweaking them here and there to make them sound sexy or fresh. Unfortunately, my holiday release didn't really fit that standard method, since it's not really light-hearted, but more gritty and real. I didn't want to altogether abandon having some hint of the holiday season in the title, but it couldn't be kitschy at all. The first two I turned in didn't work at all. Now I'm waiting on the third, which has a soft holiday reference, a double meaning that fits the story, and alliteration, so I'm hoping it works.

Generally, my titles start as puns somehow related to the plot. Most of the time, they work. Today, though, I had to come up with an alternative method. I started listing words that had something to do with the story: themes, adjectives, important nouns. Then I started stringing them together. I've never had to use a system before.

Does anyone else have a way to come up with killer titles?

Hosting Michelle Picard

2010-09-16T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'll be hosting Michelle Picard on October 4 here at the blog. Her sequel to Ruling Eden has recently released, and she's on a virtual book tour.

I always love demon/ angel lover stories...

So I hope you'll join me on the fourth to leave a comment. I think there may be some prizes involved...

Taking a break

2010-09-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

I have had so much going on this summer -- and headed into fall -- that I'm shamelessly taking a break. I'm going to sit in the back yard, drink pina coladas, and play cribbage.

Mainly, I will be promoting everything that's already out there while I decide what to try next. Maybe it will be that elusive full-length novel. Maybe not. I'm not really sure at this point, but I do know it's going to take me a little time to figure it out.

Every Night Erotica | Sexy stories free for everyone.

2010-09-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

Every Night Erotica | Sexy stories free for everyone. Please rate my story, "Stranded and Restrained" on Every Night Erotica. I liked writing this story enough that I think I may use it to start a series or even a novella once my busy schedule calms down.

Carnal Desires Publishing: Sophisticated Erotic Literature

2010-09-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

Lilith's Daughter at Carnal Desires Publishing: Sophisticated Erotic Literature

The very first erotica romance I ever attempted is up for sale at Carnal Desires today. I loved this story. It's one of my favorite concepts. I took some freedom with the mythology on which it is based, but I hope you'll allow me some creative license.

Enjoy!

Katrina, Five Years Later

2010-08-29T06:20:00.000-07:00

Most of who I am as a writer is thanks to my last eight years living here in New Orleans. There are many places in this world where you can never own "local" status; you have to have been born there. New Orleans is not one of those places. New Orleanians love creative, hedonistic people who are open minded, gregarious, and jovial. If you wear those qualities out in the open for all the world to witness, and can put up for, oh, two years with all the things wrong in this city, then you're local. Any native-born New Orleanian will tell you that as he raises his glass to toast you. Often this will be followed with a comment like, "Well, then you know."

Katrina added more depth. If you lived here "before the storm" and then came back, that definitely raised your status. If someone asks you, "How long have you lived here?" and you can answer, "Eight years," or seven, or six, then that will always lead into the conversations of "Where were you when...?" and "What was it like in..." name your neighborhood. The storm, for all its destruction, also engendered in the citizens of this town a sense of camaraderie. It united many of us. It created neighborhoods where, before, only blocks of houses stood.

There are some plants -- amazing wildflowers, towering trees -- that cannot bloom without their seeds first being burned in a forest fire. There are other seeds that will not sprout until they've been shat out by some animal.

Five years ago, we went through both those things. Now the flowers are blooming. Now the growth can begin.

Big Month Coming Up

2010-08-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

I've got a huge month for releases coming up. To start off, I've go two shorts coming. First, on 31 August, "Vampire Menage" will come out with New Line Press. Then, on 8 September, my male/ male short with Dreamspinner will release.

Finally, toward the end of the month, the first erotic romance I ever wrote, Lilith's Daughter, will release with Carnal Desires publishing. I'm so thrilled to see it come out!

In the meantime, I'm working hard on one final novelette before I take a three-month hiatus from writing. Don't worry; I still have an October and December release with Loose Id.

Be One of the First!

2010-08-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

"A Hot Summer's Day" is available on Kindle now through the Amazon Kindle store! This BDSM short has been released by New Line Press. I know I've already said it, but I totally loved this cover art.

I wrote this story a long time ago and just sort of sat on it. I'm not sure why I didn't submit it sooner, but the people at New Line have been so classy to work with that, when they wanted something else from me, I knew this would be the one to send along. I was glad I could offer them something hot.

I think I could follow it up with another victim stopping in at Gina's...maybe two this time. I wonder what she'd do with a couple? Or maybe a carload of frat boys? Or maybe a couple of other girls on a road trip?

Heck, I'll probably get around to all of them!

In other news, I'll have a story up at http://www.everynighterotica.com/ tomorrow, so you should check that out too. Read the freebie, and then buy the ebook. Make a G.G. sort of day.

Updates

2010-08-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

First off, The Flapper and the Fellow is now up at Amazon, so if you were waiting to get it for your Kindle there, now you can. If you read it, please do drop me a line on my Contact page at my site. I would love to know what you honestly thought. So far, I've had no reviews and only one rating at Fictionwise, so I'd like to know what, if anything, I need to do differently on the next title. I was thinking of writing T-Bone's story too. Would you like that?

Second, my next ebook short, "A Hot Summer's Day," releases next week with New Line Press. I was totally thrilled with the cover they made for this BDSM erotica. I think I used to own those boots...

Slush Pile

2010-07-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

I recently posted a listing on Duotrope to get short, erotic romance stories to publish here and in my monthly newsletter. This is mostly a cross-promotional venture, hoping to get writers to share their audiences with me and vice-versa. Of course, doing something like that means opening myself up to the slush pile. There's been a lot of talk about slush piles lately on the literature journal blogs. A lot of disappointed editors have been less than thrilled with the quality of submissions.

I have to say, I'm about to join them, but I think I need to complain about myself rather than the writers. First I thought maybe my expectations weren't clear, so I revised my guidelines. Then I thought maybe the people visiting the site don't know what erotic romance was as opposed to straight-up erotica, so I put a link to a great article about the difference in my guidelines. Then I added a whole bunch of personal likes and dislikes. For instance, I mostly don't like first person point of view in erotic romance. Sometimes it can work when the writer is talented and the character is really interesting, but most of the time -- to me -- it reads like a confession, and that just makes it feel more icky to me and less like a fantasy. Of course, other readers and writers have other preferences.

Ultimately, though I did get submissions for the August newsletter, I ended up writing my own story for it. Now that my guidelines are more clear, I'm hoping for more appropriate subs, subs that are both romantic and erotic.

So, if you'd like to read a new G.G. Royale story FREE sign up for my newsletter here before eight a.m. tomorrow morning. If you think you'd like to submit, sign up so you can read my story and see what I'm looking for.

Remember, the collar contest is still going on, and I've just started a Twitter contest too. Those details can be found on the contest page at www.ggroyale.com.

The Week in Review

2010-07-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

This week I finished my first draft of Holy Cross Christmas. It releases 14 December -- the day after my birthday -- with Loose Id. I have edits to do on it this week, and then off to my editor. I feel quite -- well, lucky's not the right word because I do work my butt off -- let's say "well rewarded" for my efforts this year. I only hope I can keep the pace up. I'm a chunk of the way into another holiday release, but I might sit on it until next year. We'll see. Beyond that, I'm not entirely sure what I want to work on next. I have plenty of short stories to write, but as far as longer works... I've got some good ideas, some completed outlines. It's just a matter of digging in to a new project, and this time of year is always hard for me to that in. Judging from the crickets chirping in response to The Flapper and the Fellow, I'm fairly certain My Two Doms will win back the readers that The Lovely Kittengirls of Mew Orleans earned, and maybe I've learned that I should write more in that vein, though I do love the historicals.

Maybe I'll just get those short stories knocked out and see what comes next. I hope you'll bear with me until my mind's made up. Ciao for now!

Holy Cross Christmas

2010-07-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

This week, I passed the 20 thousand word mark on Holy Cross Christmas. That's always an important milestone for me, since Loose Id doesn't publish anything under 20 K. This story, which releases 14 December from Loose Id, will be a spicy, I/R contemporary. Well, not too contemporary since it takes place five years ago.

Holy Cross is a neighborhood in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Its position on the east side of the Industrial Canal has, more than once, set it up for catastrophe during floods and hurricanes, but it is a rich and vibrant place nonetheless.

I've decided to donate 50 percent of my royalties for this story to the New Orleans's Habitat for Humanity. Holy Cross, as well as several other neighborhoods, are still rebuilding even half a decade after Katrina. Plus, we've been hit with the tragedy of the oil leak here as well. When this releases this holiday season, I hope you'll be a copy to help support rebuilding in New Orleans.

Wasn't I a Slacker this Week?

2010-07-14T05:21:00.000-07:00

Well, not really. Truth is, I found out this week that I would actually have two more releases from Loose Id before the end of the year. For sure, it looks as if My Two Doms will release on November 2, and Holy Cross Christmas will release on 14 December. I'm so excited to have had four releases with them this year, the first year I really started submitting seriously. In fact, it will have been a year next month that I first submitted The Lovely Kittengirls of Mew Orleans, the first novella I ever finished!

Independence

2010-07-03T14:57:00.000-07:00

Well, my Independence Day will be spent slaving away on the computer. I contracted two novellas just this week, one which needs major revisions and one that needs finishing. It's sort of a "be careful what you wish for" scenario, since I took the summer off from my day job this year to write, and now I have plenty of writing to do.

So what does that leave us for the second half of the year? First, we've got the short Vampire Menage from New Line Press coming out 1 September. If you started following me off of Literotica, this is a little something that will seem more familiar to you.

Around that same time, Lilith's Daughter should be coming out from Carnal Desires. I really can't wait to see that one in print. It was actually the first erotic romance I started, though I didn't finish it until after The Lovely Kittengirls of Mew Orleans.

I'm hoping then we'll get Another Kittengirl: My Two Doms. This is the sequel to The Lovely Kittengirls and features Haley. This is the one currently in revisions and will come out with Loose Id toward the end of this year or maybe early next year.

Finally, for the holiday season I'll have Holy Cross Christmas. This interracial erotic romance is set in the Lower Ninth Ward the first Christmas after Katrina.

Of course, I've got plenty of other work coming along as well. As soon as I finish one thing, something else seems to demand my attention.

And be sure to check out my contests page on my Web site. I've started another contest this week.

Expect at least three more releases this year...

2010-06-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

In a few days, the year will be half over. It's almost hard to believe. I've been working so hard for the last year to get my writing out there, and so far it's been totally rewarding. So what can you expect for the rest of the year?

First, near the end of August or the beginning of September, we should see the release of Lilith's Daughter from Carnal Desires Press. This would be the first paranormal that you've seen from me, but you can also expect the same heat, passion, and spice of New Orleans you've come to recognize in my writing.

Second -- and this isn't guaranteed yet -- I should have a short coming out at Halloween from New Line Press. I haven't thought of a title yet, but this will also have a little paranormal and menage flare.

Finally, to cap off the year, my interracial romance Holy Cross Christmas has been accepted by Loose Id. This is a holiday release you can expect to see in December.

I've got one other submission out right now, so fingers crossed I'll be able to add to this list before too much longer.

And, of course, I have a ton of ideas and outlines already finished. All I need to do is find the time to work!

Runner's High by Ria Cruz

2010-06-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

From behind his dark sunglasses, Jason kept his eyes on the slow bop and sway of the seductive ass in tight workout shorts ahead of him. He continued his attempt to keep up with the woman, his neighbor and good friend Kimberly Hailey, but it was pointless. His pace fell to a near stumble, admiring her rounded bottom for the past mile.

“Are you falling asleep back there, Jason?” the sound of her sultry voice snapped him out his daze.

“Kim, I’ve told you before; I’m not a runner,” he told her as he came to a complete stop and slid his glasses off his face. Letting the plastic frame rake through his yet-to-be-cut head of blond curls, Jason caught his breath enough to speak again. The burn in his muscles was so severe, it was agonizing. “Are you trying to kill me? It’s hot as hell out here.” Sweat drenched the gray sleeveless shirt he wore, and he could feel more drops gliding down his chest and back.

By no means was James out of shape, but his career as a sci-fi novelist generally kept him behind a desk, his butt in a chair, creating mythical worlds and creatures; not running five miles in the middle of July in Houston, Texas.

Kimberly was a good ten feet away, jogging in place, not letting her heartbeat drop for a second. Her succulent breasts bounced against her tank top with every movement. “I can’t believe you,” she told him with a frown and shake of her head. Her wavy, russet hair moved along with it; a few longer tendrils stuck to her long, sensual neck.

“How do you keep in shape then Jason?” she asked sarcastically as he finally regained enough strength in his legs and enough blood had returned to his head to walk towards her.

“Where would the fun be in that?” he teased. Giving into the urge to touch her, he extended his hand to pull a lingering curl off her neck. She flinched at his movement, and her body stiffened at his contact.

The closeness of her luscious body put his senses in overload. Her tanned skin smelled of sweet, womanly musk and almonds. One of her warm breaths escaped her cherry lips and hit his chin. It took everything inside of him not to kiss her. Again.

The drunken kiss they had shared at their friend’s wedding might have happened three weeks ago, but the memory of her searing-hot mouth was still fresh in his mind. Her lips had parted under his when he ran his tongue over their crease, and when he’d finally claimed her mouth, she moaned and arched into his body. He pushed Kim roughly against the door of her hotel room, and she wrapped her delicate hands around his neck, pulling him in deeper. His own hands held her face to him as he delved into her warm, succulent mouth. She tasted of exotic wine and sweet woman.

They broke apart when the loud ding of an elevator down the hall announced someone, probably from the wedding party, also arriving from a long night of partying. Kim had apologized, kissed his cheek goodnight, and stepped into her room. As she closed the door, Jason had told her that he didn’t want the kiss to interfere with their friendship.

Now he was seriously reconsidering it. Focusing back on the stunning woman before him, Jason let his fingers glide down her silken skin.

“Jay?” her voice was a small cry. She looked up at him with bright turquoise eyes; her lower lip trembled slightly.

Through his dark sunglasses, he hid his lowering gaze to her chest. Against the green of her clingy top her nipples were hard. Shit, he needed to get her home before he acted like a fool in the middle of a national park. Clearing his throat Jason found his voice, “You had some hair…” He didn’t finish his comment, just removed his hand and took a few steps forward then looked back, urging her to follow his lead.

"Oh…" Kim nearly whimpered as she started towards him. The look on her face told him she might be a little disappointed he had stepped away.

That made him wonder. Would she be as responsive to him now as she was that day in Napa? Had she thought things over and considered it an option?

He stole a glance in her direction as they walked back to the car. Her eyes were focused straight ahead, and she bit, then sucked her lower lip nervously. She was thinking about it, but they had no time to think.

Jason grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to the nearest tree then kissed her, not giving her a moment to protest. Slowly, he devoured her mouth. Sucked on her lower lip and grazed his tongue over it to sooth the sting then started all over again. Her own pink tongue peeked out and licked his upper lip as she moaned against his mouth. He gave her more, kissing her with the hunger he’d held back for two years.

She grasped his shirt, pulled him closer, and returned his passion. He wrapped his hands around her slender waist and held her against the tree. He made love to her lips with his own, leaving him with a burning desire for more. His hands swiftly climbed her skin and grazed a hardened nipple. Kim groaned into his mouth, and he pressed her harder against the tree with his chest.

The sound of laughing children awoke them out of their lustful spell. A devious smile played across her face as he pulled away from her kiss-swollen mouth. He raised an eyebrow in question.

Kim laughed at him, "Jason, you are the worst at choosing make-out spots."

After dropping another kiss on her lips, he asked, "Would you like to move this somewhere more private?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Ria Cruz is a Jersey girl currently living in sunny Miami, Florida with her husband and their Rottweiler, Akasha. Since discovering Flowers in the Attic at the age of thirteen, she’s rarely been without a book in her hands. When she’s not reading or working on her first full length novel, you can find her cooking lavish meals for her closest friends or attending a writer’s workshop.

Link:

http://riacruzauthor.blogspot.com/

In-Between Days

2010-06-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

While waiting for word on a submission, I get more depressed than when I get a rejection. A rejection is something to work from, a place from which to grow. Waiting, on the other hand, is nerve-racking. I spend too much time watching my inbox for some indication of whether I'll be published. I would say this is one of the hardest parts of writing, particularly since I am so willing to make changes. I'll alter anything in a story -- nearly -- to make an editor happy; my one condition is that my name is on the book. As a professional writer, I welcome rewrites. These days of waiting make me second guess every choice I made in the manuscript and worry that they won't give me an opportunity to rewrite.

So, publishers out there, know this: G.G. will rewrite to your specs with a smile on her face. Just give her the chance.

Sequel to Kittengirls sent to editor today!

2010-06-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

I finished revisions on the sequel to The Lovely Kittengirls of Mew Orleans today. This novella, Another Kittengirl: My Two Doms, is a menage story featuring Haley, one of Margot's friends from the first book. You may have picked up on a few clues here and there that suggested she'd get her own story.

I'll keep you posted on My Two Dom's status as I hear.

The Flapper and the Fellow is out!

2010-06-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

The Flapper and the Fellow released today at Loose Id! I just love the Jazz Age for so many reasons: the clothes, the music, the carefree spirit. I had to write this story, and set in the place I love the most, New Orleans.

Researching it was a lot of fun. I learned quite a bit about the history of this city and what life here was like during Prohibition. Did you know Ramos of the Ramos Gin Fizz mixed paint during Prohibition? It's true. Though Prohibition may have technically been in effect in New Orleans, you can bet we found ways around it.

Flapper and the Fellow out in three days!

2010-05-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Flapper and the Fellow releases in three days at Loose Id. This is my second book to come out, just in time for your summer vacations.

Below is an excerpt. My apologies to my newsletter subscribers, since it's the same one you already got.

Dot woke up with a pounding headache, but a huge smile spread across her face. She had had the night the night before. The cat’s pajamas, really. Dot rolled onto her back and pushed off her black satin sleep mask. She stared at the ceiling, the events of the night before replaying in her head -- the drinks, the band, the friends. She couldn’t wait until she finally felt comfortable enough to get up on that stage with the boys and show them what she could do.

She just needed a little more practice. That horn player last night… Boy, could he blow. She’d heard his name, though not talked to him: T-Bone Blue. Dot remembered one of the sultry numbers from the night before, a song that had had all the couples in the audience writhing together. She’d stood on the edge of the action, sipping her gin and smiling to herself, swaying, wishing she had somebody like that with her too.

She also wished she had that sort of control over an audience, the ability to influence people’s emotions with her music. She knew that was still a long way off.

But still, that sexy song from the night before played through her mind. She remembered the heat of the hall, the closeness of the bodies. She closed her eyes again and hummed the melody. She saw the dancers in her head, holding each other, touching, crotch grinding against thigh through the thin summer-weight linens and silks.

She wanted all of that.

In summer, Dot slept in the nude, the windows open to the night air. The morning had already begun to warm the house, and her breasts and stomach had a thin sheen of sweat covering them. She skimmed her hand along them, imagining someone else touching her. She swayed as she lay on the bed, hand now between her thighs, fingers pushing through the damp thatch of hair covering her sex. She moved to the music in her head, running her digits across the hot folds of her sex, dipping them into her wet cunt. Did she imagine someone else’s hand there? Surely not. She raised her hips in time to the imaginary song, grinding and thrusting. Even in this fantasy, she danced alone. It didn’t bother her one bit. She enjoyed having control over herself, playing herself with the same skill and understanding she had when she played the trumpet. No one else could know her that well, could know exactly what she needed and when she wanted it.

Her fingers found her clit and stroked against it. Her body thrilled at the feeling, wanting more. In response, Dot moved her other hand up to her bare breast, grasping at it, pinching the nipple to a hard peak. A small gasp escaped her lips as she writhed on the bed, shameless in her solitude.

As the imaginary song climaxed -- a long, high trumpet note in her head -- so did she, biting off the scream of her release as she remembered she had a houseguest. What would he think if he heard her coming through the halls?

As the spasms receded, she still stroked and petted her sex.

She turned and glanced at the brass alarm clock on the bedside table.

Ten a.m.

Her tenant would probably be demanding breakfast. She felt surprised that he hadn’t come to wake her and ask for his board yet. She sighed and rolled onto her back again. He’d have to wait until she finished her bath and dressed.

She could get herself off again in the bath too. A nice, cold bath.

Her headache had nearly disappeared by the time she stepped into the tub.

A poem for you today

2010-05-22T04:18:00.000-07:00

I have been fortunate enough to receive some interesting work coming in from other authors, so today I'd like to share this poem with you from Leila Fortier. It appeared in my May newsletter. You could have read it three weeks ago if you were subscribed...

~The Gift~

By Leila Fortier

Confess

To me that you can feel me

As my desire burns through this screen~

My panic of want that is so rapidly regressing~

That I have made love to you so many times a

Day since my return~

Memorizing

Every

Portion of you

With eyes that have

Dreamt you into my reality~ That my hands

Know what you think I can’t see~ Pulsating

Against and inside of me~ I have wrapped

Myself around the outer shell of you~

As I have coiled my ring of fire

For you to penetrate

Through

As I

Worship

Your expressionless

Gaze~ Till invoked is your

Hungered passion played~ Stimulated

Your frozen meditation~ Till you came out

Of that meditation~ For you have been my meditation~

And now I will be yours~ Damn my selfish starving state

That willfully sins before you~ Transgressing my morals and

Now the law of you~ Forgive me in advance that I not lose you…

But cleave unto you deeply~ And bury you within this ache of

Me~ Imbedded and pressed into the heat of me~ Inscribing

Your prophecies upon the wet walls and core of me~

That together we may throb in this need that

Has been playing out separately~

Refuse me not forever

More~ For I need

You to release

This~ I need

You to

Exorcise

This~ Because I am once more

Burning alive by this…

Where I lap

Dance

Upon

The icy

Shadows

Of your mind

Just to summon

This…This part of

You that can no longer

Hide~ No longer cold and

Dormant outside~ Graphically

I have acted out this~ Until I am so

Near that you can feel my supernatural

Presence~ Where I have tasted the salt of

Your sweat and the drink of your creation~

Feeding this life in me now without moments

Hesitation~ Biting down upon my lip to taste

The fruit of your labor~ The reality of my

Existence~ This surreal act savored~ I

Shudder now with you in this ocean

Of fire~ Where you can no

Longer deny desire~

Tell

Me you

Have been

Insatiably fucking

Me~ That this is not also

A part of my wild imagination

Reckless heart speaking~ Or

Tell me that you have NOT done

This~ That I can finally let go

Of this~ I beg of you to break

This silence~ And let me

Suffer whatever the

Consequence~

When your

Voice

Alone would

Be the

Gift

Leila A. Fortier is a writer, artist, poet, and photographer currently residing on the
remote island of Okinawa, Japan. Her writing is known to be a unique hybrid form in
which her words are specially crafted into visual form and design, often superimposed
over her own multi-medium forms of art, photography, and spoken accompaniment, for
a full bodied expression and intensity of each piece.

Her work has most recently been accepted by The Sage of Consciousness Literary
Review, Damazine, Nefarious Ballerina, and Visions with Voices among others. She has
appeared in several books, anthologies, and publications including Treasured Poets of
America, Satiated Sunrise, and A World of Love: Voices for Carmen. She is also the
author of Metanoia's Revelation through iUniverse.

Girl Crush Available Now!

2010-05-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

I'm anxiously awaiting my own hard copy, and you can order yours now too! This is one steamy collection of lesbian erotica. I'm honored to have been included.

I hope you like my story, "An Introduction," an IR, BDSM short story.

D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters: May Contest

2010-05-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters: May Contest

Vote for me in all categories, please! It will only take a minute of your time.

Tattoo you? Tattoo me!

2010-05-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is like the last time I'm going to push this... The Flapper and the Fellow comes out in less than a month, so if you didn't get your copy of Kittengirls, do it already!

Anyway, today was tattoo day! And my back is sore, and I'm a little loopy because of it. This is my seventh (eighth if you count the one I covered with another), and today's was three hours under the needle. I've been going to English Craig out at Freaky Tiki Tattoo for my latest, and they keep getting better and better.

Since this year is the year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, that's what I got, to keep my dragon, snake, ox, and rat company. It's really outstanding, taking up about a quarter of my back, coming slightly over the left shoulder. Once it's healed, I'll be sure to post a picture for all to see. The line work is phenomenal.

Anyway, as I posted last week, I got a revise and resubmit on my WIP. This week I got through the revisions and ended up with fewer words than when I started. That sort of sucks, but the story hadn't been finished in the first place, so it's not that big of a deal. I have two in-depth sex/ BDSM scenes to write, then a break-up, and then hot reunion and the story should be done.

Once it's finished, I can go back to work on my Christmas novella, which I was loved working on before this latest story got in the way.

May newsletter released

2010-05-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

I've sent out the May newsletter. If you'd like to get it, please visit the link to the right and sign up, and I'll send it right out. This month's newsletter includes an excerpt from The Flapper and the Fellow, which releases 1 June. I can't wait to see the cover art!

Oi! I've been such a slacker.

2010-04-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

I can totally explain why I haven't posted a blog in a while. Last weekend, I took a trip to Biloxi, Mississippi, to see Elvis Costello, which was really quite awesome. Then Sunday afternoon I had an event to attend.

I guess the main reason I've been reluctant to post is that I got a revise and resubmit this week. Different from a rejection, but still a bit of a sting. Coincidentally this week, I found "The Rejection Queen" blog. There's debate on the Web as to whether this is real or not. I'm not sure if she is doing it to be funny or if she is really that bitter. Some people offered her advice in the comments, and she laughs it off, so I'm thinking it must be something of a satirical farce.

But in response to that, I sort of decided to start talking about some of my own rejections, and how I react to them. I'm not going to "out" the publishers or editors like she does, but I will hopefully give some sound advice in relation to how to deal with rejections.

For instance, in my latest revise and resubmit, the publisher asked that I eliminate one of the points of view in the story. This is a menage story, with two men and a woman. The woman is the main focus. I had felt at the beginning that all three characters needed to have equal say, but when an editor tells me it's not working, I change it. My first instinct was to go with the less dominant of the two men and the woman as my two POVs. He would be the one having an issue entering into a relationship with another man. But then I remembered that the entire point the two men would even consider being together is because of the female protagonist. So now I see that the story would be stronger if I stay in her POV throughout.

Yes, this does mean a huge rewrite -- and cutting many words -- but it also means I can get published. Editors want authors who are willing to grow and change with the demands of an audience and market. I want to write full-time, for a living. That means doing what the editors ask. They hold the key. It doesn't pay to tick them off. Even in the long run, if I make lots of money at this, I pray that I never fall into prima donna writer mode. I shiver at the thought.

First three chapters finished!

2010-04-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

The first three chapters of Another Kittengirl: My Two Doms were finished today. They just need a little polish and revision. I can't wait to get them off to my editor!

This year seems to just be going by so fast. In another few weeks, The Flapper and the Fellow will release. I have to say my heart was really in that story.

So far I've had two submissions of flash and poetry for my newsletter, so if you are subscribed, you should see some interesting new work in May's newsletter. If you're not subscribed, hit the link to the right and just do it already!