The Romance Reviews

Excerpt Post: Strings Attached by Anne Holly

2012-01-27T03:00:00.001-05:00

As promised, taking up where the snippet left off in my featured book interview...

When Canadian rancher Josie Sergeant gets a call from her brother announcing his impetuous decision to marry, she has her reservations. But, when her brother’s would-be brother-in-law swoops in from Australia to stop the wedding, Josie has no choice but to defend the family.

Theo Sabich is bull-headed and dangerously sexy, but also damaged beyond repair… or so he thinks. He enjoys getting on Josie’s nerves, but when he finds her getting under his skin he must decide - face his demons and grab this last chance for happiness or bury himself in his lonely Outback ranch once and for all.

Under the northern lights, their attraction ignites beyond their control, and Josie finds that a one-time “no strings attached” release of passion is easier said than done when love is hanging by a thread.

But how will they bridge the difference between two worlds, let alone conquer the wounds of the past and find the courage to live again?

An excerpt of Strings Attached.

Josie looked at the tall Australian. He was obviously displeased there was no smoking in the restaurant, judging by the way he occasionally fidgeted with his lighter. But then again, she conceded, if she’d ever taken up the habit she wouldn’t choose tonight to quit, either.

The tension was palpable, though she couldn’t really find impoliteness in his manner. Rather, deep unhappiness emanated from him in an elemental and animalistic way. Whether it was over the present situation or otherwise, she couldn’t tell. She wished desperately that she wasn’t seated between the large man and her brother in the crescent-shaped privacy booth, but there’d been no way to back out without being obvious about it, and she was determined that Theodore Sabich find no fault with their family.

Josie had felt shivers when their eyes had met that first time, and she was shocked to realize that he was, quite possibly, the most attractive man she’d ever seen. Before he’d found out that she was his future sister-in-law, she’d glimpsed a small spark of interest in his intriguing emerald green eyes. However, once he’d found out who she was, a titanium force field had slammed shut over his features, closing off any further communication. Josie felt an inexplicable sense of loss at the barrier and was angered at the realization that he’d already decided to hate Richard, along with anything or anyone connected with him.

“So, Josie,” Julie’s charming outback tones cut through her thoughts, “you still run the family ranch, is that right?”

“Yes, indeed,” Josie confirmed proudly, with a cheeky smile.

“Six hundred and forty of the best acres in northern Manitoba, producing some of the finest sheep north of the Dakotas.” Josie, despite any modesty she felt about herself, was never slow to praise the land she owned or the high quality stock that sprang from it. She achieved great pride from the place, and always enjoyed the interest it inspired in others. She looked to Theo, but saw shocked amusement rather than admiration in his face.

“What? A woman?” Theo smiled crookedly. “Girl, more like! You can’t be any older than this little mite here,” he scoffed, jabbing a thumb to his right, indicating his twenty-four-year-old sister.

Josie felt her hackles rise immediately, and heard Richard’s expulsion of breath. This hadn't been the first time Richard had witnessed someone make the mistake of questioning Josie’s abilities based on her gender, age or looks, and, undoubtedly he pictured his fiancée’s brother’s body laying dismembered on the perfectly groomed forest green rugs. He shot an apologetic look at Julie, as if to tell her that he could do nothing to save her beloved brother, but she was looking at Theo with a horrified look on her face.

Josie, who felt the flush spread up over her fair cheekbones and turn her face an outraged rose, tried to remember that it was important that she be nice to Theo. Despite this, her desire to stab the big gorilla with her salad fork overrode her inner critic, and she found a mature middle road: name-calling.

“Well,” Josie shot back in measured tones, “I’m glad to know that the image of the Australian male as conceited, cocky, and chauvinistic is no mere stereotype, but is really based on you.”

Theo and Josie stared each other down. Josie’s eyes shot ice daggers, but Theo’s face revealed his barely restrained amusement.

Finally, the dam broke, and Theo almost fell out of his chair laughing.

“Put your claws back in, kitten,” Theo quipped, voice dripping with condescension, “you got me.”

“Listen, jerk,” Josie growled and threw her napkin onto the tabletop, glancing around at the neighboring tables and keeping her voice low. “I am perfectly able to run circles around you or any man in the ranching business, and I am definitely not your ‘kitten’. You may not think that a dozen women have a brain between them, but I can assure you that women like your sister and I are more than capable of doing just about anything we set our minds to.”

All good-humor fled from Theo’s face, this being the second time some snippy girl barely out of her teens had hinted that he was butting into his sister’s life uninvited.

Watching his handsome features tighten into a mask of extremely male annoyance, Josie would have been fascinated had she not been so intimidated. His presence seemed to swell next to her as resentment heated the air between them.

“You listen to me,” Theo shot back. “Why don’t you calm down and try to act as grown up as you think you are?” He ignored her annoyed snort and reasoned with her. “My ranch takes me, my two brothers, and our father to run it, and we still have to hire out in some seasons. You have to realize it’s unusual that a ranch be run by a young woman alone.”

Said like that, in even tones and with rationality, Josie’s ire deflated against her will. The damned Aussie caveman was trying to diffuse her, and she didn’t enjoy being ‘handled’ by him. She sat back and paused a moment.

“Sheep,” she attempted to inject brightness into her tone. “They’re easier to deal with, and they keep your hands soft.”

“Hands soft?” Julie went along with the attempt at normalizing the conversation.

“The lanolin in the wool,” Josie explained lamely.

Silence fell for a time. Forks clanked and each person struggled to think of something to more to say. Except for Theo. He still simmered, and appeared to have no desire to save the others from their discomfort. He downed the dregs of his third beer, instead, and stared at his steak as if someone had written the meaning of life on it.

Available now on Kindle, Nook, epub, etc.

Romance Books: What makes a hero a hero?

2012-01-15T00:11:00.000-05:00

Romance Books: What makes a hero a hero?

The first thing many people think of when they think of a hero whether it be real life or a hero from a romance book is someone who has either saved someone’s life or the entire world from destruction. These kinds of things can definitely make someone a hero, but there are other seemingly small or insignificant things that I myself believe makes a true hero. For example by helping someone through a troubled time, spending time with an elderly woman/man at the local nursing home, or even volunteering at the humane society can make someone a hero.

Conquering some inner demons can be as hard as and many times harder than conquering some villain. Not all heroes’ have to be perfect do gooders. Some may not have done much good at all, but by trying to turn themselves around and making a fresh start for their self it makes them truly hero worthy. Many people have suffered through alcoholism, depression, or addiction to cocaine or other narcotics. The few that are able to battle these problems and come out a better person for their family or friends, or especially themselves are what I consider to be true heroes’.

Characters that were once the villains of the story can become the hero if they really wish to. As well normal everyday people can become heroes by simply being good people, friends, and family member. Simply by making someone smile even for a moment just because is what I believe can make someone a hero.

What makes someone a hero to you?

No Sex, Please, I’m Canadian

2012-01-08T03:00:00.003-05:00

Guest Post by Anne Holly

I grew up reading romances. Adult romances, mind you – there didn’t seem to be such a thing as YA romance when I was a teen. There might have been, but since I swiped most of my books off my mom, that’s what I read. And I adored them. I still do. But, as I look back, I notice that nearly all of them took place in the US, or possibly Australia or the

. Very few romances were set in

Canada

in the nineties. Aside from some Mounties, who were far more heroic than they were sexy, Canadians don’t seem to be very thick on the romance landscape.

I’m not sure this has changed, but perhaps that is my niche – Canadian romance. Is there such a thing? As a people, are we at all romantic or, gasp, sexy? Well, we’re polite. I’m not sure that is conducive to dramatic novels, though.

Nevertheless, Pierre Burton, the famous Canadian writer and TV personality, defined a Canadian as someone who can make love in a canoe without it tipping over. I’ve also heard the quip that we are so sexy we reproduce despite layers of wool. Perhaps Canadians are sexy, despite the Dudley Do Rights of the world – after all, we have a lot of cold months here to fill up.

Maybe it’s just a case of writing what I know. I have travelled a bit, but Canada is what I know inside and out. But I think it’s more than that. The wilds of Canada, the snow, the northern lights, the history, and the people all inspire me, and I think romance comes just as naturally to Canadian stories as any place else. Body heat and trusting partnerships seem rather important when facing a cold world, right?

My contemporary romance Strings Attached takes place in the Canadian north, on a bison ranch. So it’s sort of like a western romance, only a bit more northern. But, in case you don’t buy the sexiness of Canucks, I’ve also added a little southern exposure, as well, in the person of a nice Australian hunk to keep my Canadian heroine warm.

Josie Sergeant has learned one thing by carving out her living from the wilds of the Canadian north: perseverance, optimism and the willingness to do what has to be done can overcome even the harshest of obstacles. Life has taught Theo Sabich, a fellow rancher from Australia, that optimism is a fool’s hope.

When their beloved siblings’ impetuous marriage plans pit Josie and Theo against one another to defend their families, they find more than they bargain for. And when they start seeing each other as more than enemies, they face their greatest challenge – finding the courage to reach out for happiness.

Under the northern lights, their attraction ignites beyond their control… The trouble is a one-time “no strings attached” release of passion is easier said than done when love is hanging by a thread.

*GIVEAWAY*

I’d like to give away a copy of Strings Attached today, so here’s what we’ll do. Visit the book’s website, or the TRR featured interview, and leave a comment here telling me something you’ve learned about the book that interests you, and I will draw one name at random to win a copy of Strings Attached in PDF. (Contest closes Monday, Jan 9, 2012, at 8am EST, after which I will contact the winner if they’ve left their email address or post the winner here with my contact info.)

All the best for the new year, and be sure to keep warm with a good book this winter!

Anne Holly is a Canadian writer of romance and erotic-romance, as well as a mother and teacher. She is the author of the novel Strings Attached, which was described by The Romance Reviews as “a classic contemporary romance.” She has been published by Wild Horse Press, Decadent Publishing and Rebel Ink Press, and in 2012 by Pink Petal Books. Anne’s work is characterized by its unusual heroes, sweet/spicy balance, witty dialogue, responsible citizenship, and its positive, optimistic nature. She has found a particular niche in holiday romance. You may visit Anne at her blog or website, or find her on GoodReads, Facebook and Twitter (@anneholly2010). Sign up for her newsletter here. Email: anneholly2010@gmail.com.

Bryl R. Tyne Revisits Christmas Past

2011-12-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

What is your most memorable Christmas/Holiday? Second Christmas with JR (sugar daddy) and the man still speaks little but "guy grunt"… Anyway, I'm helping his boys put together a desk he bought for them while he watches from the sofa. "Open yours," he says, so I do. I can't even remember what he'd gotten me, nothing memorable, but I gave him my best smile (because damn it, even if he doesn't say much, to put up with me and make it work, the man's gotta be a fucking saint!) and I set my stuff to the side to finish the desk… When suddenly, he bursts into tears. Not a trickle, not a few stray tears… no, full out wailing picks up within seconds, and I'm sitting on the floor, screwdriver in one hand, a wooden chair with only two legs on it in the other. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"You don't like them"—and before I can fully understand that he's talking about the few gifts he'd got me, he continued, "I wanted to get you the lamp…the glass one…the red one at Cracker Barrel"—(hiccups, sn

ot, tears)—"When I went back…they were… sold out, and they wouldn't be reordering them, and I’m so pissed—so fucking pissed! that I didn't get that lamp for you that night we were there—(more hiccups, snot, tears)—I know you liked it and wanted it, and—"

And I knocked the wind out of him with my hug, and then I started crying too. I don't think I've ever had a better present than to know someone watched my actions close enough to know just how badly I wanted something without me having to say a word and then to be so disappointed because he thought he wouldn't be able to make me happy.

Wanting to make me that happy, despite myself… now, that's gotta be love. No words needed.

What is the best present you ever received? Sincerity in the form of tears. (see previous answer).

What is the worst? A pocket calculator. (For figuring out the checkbook so I didn't bounce another check—thanks).

How do you spend your holiday now? Sleeping.

Do you have any special traditions? That would require planning, and caring, and most likely some kind of ground rules… no. Not for me.

Here’s a little gift for the readers. An excerpt from my Riptide release, Divinity:

"Do it."

Martin came to, prick hard, fangs elongated, brain fogged, hands splayed across the ass of the man bent over the desk before him.

The man smacked the desk and pled from over the uniform shirt scrunched to his shoulders, “Don’t stop. Just do

it!”

Mesmer? Backing away in a daze, Martin regained the present and registered the man as Spire Industry’s latest night janitor—a fiery carrot-top who’d stolen Martin’s attention from the moment he’d walked through Spire’s doors and into Martin’s realm.

Though tucked away in a long-abandoned corner of the basement by day, Martin took his duties as Spire’s security guard by night seriously. So why was he in this third-floor office, taking the new night janitor over a desk?

Fuck, if the man hadn’t felt and looked so damned good beneath him, down to the freckled skin Martin had had under his palms . . . It was all Martin had thought of, night and day, since setting eyes on Dylan Mesmer and the shock of carrot-orange hair that poked out in all directions from under his work cap.

Groaning, he pulled his pants up and over his painfully hard cock. What in all hells is wrong with me? Buckled his belt. All on one drawn-out exhalation.

Mesmer made a weak attempt to stand, smacking the desk again. “Damn it.”

“I don’t know what came over me . . .” And he didn’t. He would’ve used any other janitor as a light snack, lured him to the basement and satiated his more base desires weeks ago. Exhibiting control enough to do so seemed impossible around Mesmer. Lately, Martin had found himself in one compromising position after another.

“I’m not sure—” Martin met a disappointed scowl as Mesmer turned and leaned against the desk. “Look, this isn’t happening. We shouldn’t do it here, anyway. I must be out of my mind.” He had no intention of losing a job that fit his vampiric lifestyle as perfectly as working night security for Spire Industry did. Where else could he pass as human while having his meals delivered on a regular basis?

Naked from the waist down and in an obvious state of arousal, Mesmer crossed his arms with an exasperated sigh. He finally broke his glare to fix his own uniform. “It is what it is,” he said, tucking in his work shirt. “Here.” He tossed Martin a sucker.

Orange. Another sucker? Like the last two times he’d blanked out and came to seconds from driving both cock and fang into the smartass. Did the man carry a bottomless bag of delicious candy in his pocket to taunt Martin? Delicious? He held back a gag. Why the fuck had he accepted the suckers in the first place, and worse yet, why’d he eaten them? And with haste? And he’d enjoyed them!

Blood coursing through Mesmer’s body drew Martin to the here and now. What would the drawbacks be if for once he actually went through with it? Stuck the man, took his fill, like he’d done to countless others. If he didn’t hesitate, didn’t hold back or change his mind. A shudder raced over him. When had he become so fickle?

He watched Mesmer dress, wondering how this man had knocked him so far off-kilter. Normally, he’d have had the guy for a little stick, a little prick, and have deposited him back into his world, neat and tidy. But he’d been stalking Mesmer since the night the man had started at Spire . . . not to mention the repeated attempts to satisfy the man’s by-now predictable pleas for attention. Martin scoffed internally. He didn’t want to think about the strange places his mind disappeared to each time he saw Mesmer . . . or the rooms or offices he’d come back to his senses in, with Mesmer beneath him, wondering how he’d gotten there. How did this man get Martin to lose all sense of space and time?

Mind half in the past, half in the now, he adjusted his fly, eyeing Mesmer doing the same, then unwrapped the sucker and stuck it in his mouth. “What’s with you and always giving me orange candy, anyway?”

Mesmer snorted, kneeling to re-tie one of his work boots. “If you don’t want it, give it back.”

He held out his hand as he stood.

Martin gave it three seconds’ thought, his mind and body warring over whether to keep the candy or not. Giving it back would end the senseless questions, end this lack of control. Yet, no matter the logic in his thoughts, he couldn’t will his hand to remove the sucker from his mouth.

Not this time.

To purchase Divinity, click here.

Find Bryl at any of these places:

My Way column at The Pagan and The Pen

Merry Christmas from the Tyne family to yours

Angel in the Shadows (book 1) Free on Amazon Kindle

2011-12-13T18:33:00.000-05:00

Take a break from vampires and check out the new rising star of paranormal romance, Angels!

From Tuesday December 13th - Thursday, December 15th

only "Angel in the Shadows (book 1) is free for kindle on Amazon.

Synopsis:

Fifteen-year-old Megan Laughlin has a gift--or what seems like a curse at times. Megan sees angels and demons.
Megan knows her destiny is to protect her friends against dark angels who try to sway them into situations that can destroy their lives, their souls, and their eternity.
At school, she recognizes Judas, an über popular boy, as an evil angel hell-bent on destroying her and everyone she loves. As Judas spreads horrible rumors and overdoses two of her classmates at a rave, Megan realizes the enormity of his power. While classmates die, Megan, with the help of an angel, Johnny, and a team of friends will face the fight of their lives as they battle Judas.

Aleks Voinov and Rachel Haimowitz talk Riptide Publishing

2011-12-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

Hi Rachel and Aleksandr, thanks a lot for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions that we have about your new venture, Riptide Publishing.

AV: Hi Carole, thank you for having us over, it’s great to be here.

In a previous post, we've heard about how you both came to establish a publishing house--Riptide Publishing--together. Please give us a short introduction to Riptide Publishing and the books it offer.

AV: In short, Riptide Publishing offers gay and trans* fiction – so we publish a huge range of stories, from traditional m/m romances to literary fiction, because we believe that readers are ready and willing to read outside the box if the stories are good. So we’re offering good stories in that spectrum. Riptide is small, invitation-only, but we do have op

How has the experience (of managing a publishing house) been so far, since you opened your doors on October 2011?en submission calls and our authors range from old hands to hot, young talent.

AV: It’s been a ride. Things I thought would be easy turned out to be really hard, and things that I thought would be hard were no challenge at all. Basically, whatever we expected, this wasn’t it, it has surprised me personally at every turn.

In terms of the business, we were surprised by our own success, very much, but it’s a huge team effort with everybody working stupid hours especially in the set-up stage. That said, our models and ideas and concepts have held up pretty well, all told.

For me, personally, it’s a huge rush to build a business and see how everything works and I do like to think on my feet and reach out to people and juggle a million balls – something I know from my time in journalism, but it’s so much more satisfying if you’re working for yourself and so closely with the other partners and authors.

RH: Absolutely amazing. In a lot of ways it feels like always juggling five balls at once, even in your sleep, and desperately hoping not to drop them. But there’s tremendous satisfaction in managing that, and your partners can pick up the slack when your arms get tired. We’ve all been surprised and humbled and awed and just so grateful for the response Riptide has received from readers, bloggers, and authors. Makes it all so, so worthwhile.

How is it like working together managing a publishing house? I'm sure it must be very different from co-authoring a book!

AV: Actually, it’s like co-authoring fifty books that are all due next week. Communication is absolutely key. Thankfully, all partners are very good at that. Overall, we all have the same vision, and everybody brings their own individual strengths to bear. Rachel is a natural businesswoman, I wouldn’t want to have anybody else doing her job. Chris and I are both people people – she’s amazing in her network on the marketing side and I’m doing a decent job, I hope, on the author and editor side. Still, writing a book looks really easy now, like something you do in your lunch break.

RH: Yes and no. On the one hand, it’s a lot like co-authoring in that, as Aleks said, communication is key. We all basically live on our gmail accounts, probably exchange upwards of a few dozen emails each day that basically function like

office memos, since none of us share a physical location. As in co-writing, it’s all about talking things out, reaching shared understandings, and making compromises. Unlike co-writing, there’s often a lot less creative freedom and a lot more drudge work: you don’t get to flex your writing wings doing a proofing pass or spending eight hours uploading files to sell at third-party sites. But even those things move very smoothly between us. Certainly there have been some bumps in the road, some times when we didn’t all agree, but in the end, the shared vision and shared passion trump all, and have carried us through every obstacle and difficulty.

What does Riptide Publishing offer that other publishers don't?

AV: Other publishers offer great covers, very good royalties, developmental editing, close contact to the editor and a personalized marketing plan, too. But there are very few that offer all of those. Also, we are very open-minded about what we publish – we take shorter works than many, and we are also interested in trans* fiction and literary fiction, which in some houses might sit a bit oddly right next to the other offerings.

RH: While we certainly offer our share of more “traditional” M/M romances—Cat Grant’s contemporary Once a Marine, for example, or Brita Addams’s Romeo Club erotica shorts—we also see ourselves as a destination for the different. Like Aleks said, we have a particular interest in trans* fiction, which is notoriously difficult to place with a publisher. We take some very short stories—vignettes that do one particular thing exceptionally well, like Andrea Speed’s Josh of the Damned series, most of which are under 5,000 words. We take some very untraditional heroes, like Aleks Voinov’s unrepentant mafia killers in the Dark Soul series. We delve into the deeply literary and creepy, like with Peter Hansen’s First Watch (a.k.a. “Tentacles!”). It’s scary to move outside the traditional mold, to do something very different from what’s already out there, because you don’t really know if there will be an audience for it. But among the founders, those are the kinds of stories we love the most as readers—and also very often the stories we write as authors—and we wanted to create a home for things like that, a house willing and able to take all kinds of risks. Having the right editorial staff, the proper funding, and the right marketing strategies make that possible. So too does having strong traditional pieces that we know will pay the bills, even if our risks don’t. And that’s such an amazing position to be in—to have the luxury of exploring, of bringing tremendous new voices and styles and stories to folks without having to fret quite so much about the bottom line.

What can authors expect when they publish with Riptide Publishing? How about the readers?

AV: Being small, we respond very fast – the whole process is very transparent, and authors work closely with their editors. Stories that are submitted and accepted (and we turn down a lot, or send R&R letters) will get edited a lot. This includes things that many publishers out there don’t touch – we’re looking at characters, plot, pacing, tension, satisfying emotional arcs, and making sure that the book has no fatal craft issues left. This means, often, that the manuscript goes through five or seven editing passes. It’s a lot of work for authors and editors both, but the results are worth it.

Readers can expect tasteful covers that won’t embarrass them when they read them on public transport or if somebody finds their e-reader, well-edited text, and a wide range of quality stories. I’d say there’s something for everybody in our catalogue.

What’s your submission process? How long do the authors have to wait before they hear from you on their submissions?

AV: Since we invite our authors, the process is very short. At the moment, we’ve accepted stories in anything from half an hour (yes, that good, but of course short!) to about two weeks. As all partners have to okay an acquisition, it can take longer in some cases, but we’re usually fast.

RH: We did just start some open calls when we opened at the end of October, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes over the transom, so to speak. We’ve given ourselves six weeks or thereabouts to respond to those submissions, and we’re likely to need every last second of that time. We also have some folks with long publication histories reaching out to us, and we try to get back to them within a few weeks. But as Aleks says, for those authors we invite, we’re quite eager to work with them, and we don’t like to keep them waiting.

What genres and heat levels are you looking for in the submissions?

AV: All sub-genres of gay/trans fiction, all heat levels – that includes no sex at all. We do do pure erotica, but once it has a certain length, we want more than strung-together sex scenes.

RH: To me, a good story’s a good story regardless of genre or heat level, but we all certainly do have our hobby horses. Aleks is particularly interested in military and historical fiction. I’m particularly interested in fantasy, soft SF (but not hard SF; I have no taste for the dense high-tech stuff), cyberpunk, magical realism, westerns (please, someone, get me some gay Deadwood!), and 100% realistic BDSM. Our editorial intern, Callie, has a particular soft spot for steampunk—and yes, she can absolutely pitch a manuscript at an acquisition meeting. We’re all hoping for more trans* submissions. I suspect we’re developing a reputation for the dark and the strange, which is fine—I don’t mind being known as the place you go to look for something off the beaten path—but we do want people to know there’s plenty of room for lightness and humor and exceptionally well-done traditional pieces at Riptide as well. Humor especially, actually; we have a surprisingly large percentage of humorous stories in our initial offerings.

Which debut authors from Riptide Publishing should look out for in the future? Please tell us a little about their works.

AV: Well, I have two favourites: Peter Hansen’s “First Watch” is creepy, literary and sexy, and he’s definitely somebody to watch, not only for the marvelous worlds he creates, but just for everything. Characters, intelligence, and sheer brilliance of style and execution.

Rhi Etzweiler is pretty new and should be mentioned, too. While we did co-write one book for Carina, Blacker than Black is Rhi’s first solo book, and it’s going to make waves; it’s lyrical, sincere, engrossing and atmospheric, with very strong characters.

Both writers are stylistically so good that they could give anybody else in the genre a very good run for their money, so both are extremely hot in my view.

How do you foresee the world of epublishing?

AV: It’s going to grow. The big publishers might catch up eventually, but indies have up to ten years of experience in the space and are navigating these waters extremely well, so I would imagine that the cutting edge remains with the indie publishers for the foreseeable future. People will attempt to cash in (like Penguin’s freshly-launched e-publishing service shows), and all the rules that we thought were sacred and hewn in rock will be changed. It’s extremely dynamic, really interesting, a game-changer.

With the advent of technology, it becomes increasingly easier for authors to self-publish. Why should an author submit her manuscript to you (or to other epublishers) instead of self-publishing her work?

AV: Self-publishing is absolutely a valid option. I’ve looked at it, Rachel has done it, and many people are using that channel extremely well (like Josh Lanyon, who is publishing his backlist via Amazon direct).

Basically, however, every author needs editing (both for content and spelling/grammar). You need a good cover, ideally a marketing plan, and the book needs to look professional or it might be rejected by the reading public. This costs money and is also pretty time-consuming. A good editor charges more than many are willing to pay, a good proofer too, and uploading the files everywhere and maintaining a publisher account at all the big e-tailer sites is just a load of hassle. A publisher takes care of all that, which makes it definitely the easier option. But of course there are many self-published authors who do an excellent job on all counts.

What advice do you have for authors wanting to publish with Riptide Publishing?

AV: Be ready to be edited. Some authors have never had any content editing and are surprised, even shocked, when their clean manuscript comes back with hundreds of comments. I started in traditional print publishing, so having a comment like “these three chapters are weak, because… Please rewrite!” was normal business for me, I never thought it could (or should!) be different. In our space, few people look that deeply into a text, so we’ve had authors receive their very first set of developmental edits from us and were surprised. Some loved it, others didn’t love it quite as much. But it’s inevitable – we do have an old-style editing process.

RH: What Aleks said, times a billion. Editing is not a fuzzy lovey process. It is by its nature inherently critical, sometimes stunningly so. Just remember we loved your book enough to buy it in the first place J For those who are hoping to get in via an open submission call, bring your best game. Polish to a high sheen. Stories with craft issues are auto-rejects. Stories with developmental issues may be worth taking on anyway if the writing is pristine and the voice is strong.

What amazing thing or lesson have you discovered/experienced in the course of establishing and/or managing Riptide Publishing?

AV: I just love the people involved in this. From our authors to our blogger contacts, to readers leaving comments and encouraging us, and last but not least the other partners – it’s all about the love of books and stories, so working together like this toward an ambitious, idealistic goal is just really good fun.

RH: Miscommunication is terrifyingly easy and can be an incredibly powerful destructive force. I’m learning to slow down a little and be a lot more precise when conveying ideas. You might think an author would be inherently good at this—after all, we make our living conveying ideas—but it’s an entirely different animal in the real world and something that, as a bit of a loner, I wasn’t accustomed to at all. The second big lesson for me has been about time. Apparently, it’s quite fluid, and likes to squish and compress on you in direct correlation to the number of critical deadlines on your plate.

But beyond any of that, the amazing discovery, day after day, is our authors’ heart and talent, determination and hard work. It’s wild to joke on Twitter with Andrea Speed about a rampaging mustache and have her find enough inspiration there to turn that into her next Josh of the Damned monster (look for The Night of the Mustache this February). And on a similar note, it’s equally amazing to see the readers respond with such joy and enthusiasm to that talent and heart.

Any last thing you’d like to say?

We invite your readers to visit our Riptide website, read the blurbs and excerpts and hopefully they will find titles that pique their interest. Thanks so much for hosting us!

Thanks a lot, Rachel and Aleksandr!

Rhianon Etzweiler on Blacker than Black

2011-12-12T00:01:00.001-05:00

Flight of the Elementals Scene 1

The following is the first of four consecutive scenes that created a full chapter toward the end of “Blacker Than Black.” This content was cut in an early stage of developmental edits as a result of some character inconsistencies. Here, we’ll see Black let Jhez walk away—something that, given their long and close history, falls outside the parameters of a plausible dynamic shift. Especially given Black’s feelings about the current state and nature of the evolving relationship with Garthelle.

Jhez just walked into the room, interrupting a rather intense session of lip-locking.

###

Garthelle just studies her. Digesting her statement, reading her body language.

Disbelieving, judging from the tension in his body where he's still pressed up against my back.

He's as wary of Jhez as she is of him. Them. Whatever. I don't blame my sister – I know I still have my own reservations. For now, it's just a physical thing. What it will be beyond that, if anything, I can't say.

Don't want to say, either.

Which makes my sister's words as equally strange to me as they are to the lyche, now that I think about it.

She ignores the confusion all over my face and strolls past us as if it's the most natural sight in the world. “With your permission, monsieur, I’d like to escort Blue back to the district in the limo.”

I twist in the lyche's grip and he finally releases me, arm dropping away. His gaze flicks back and forth between us.

“Jhez, do you really think that’s the best idea? Garthelle is going to have a...task force of hitters scouring the district within five hours. It's not going to be the safest of places.”

“So say you, standing in the center of a vamp den?”

The derision in her tone brings me up short halfway across the room, and I stare at her.

Her eyes soften abruptly, her shoulders hunching as she shakes her head. “He can't stay here. You and I both know it.”

“You said as much last evening,” Garthelle interjects, strolling closer to where he has a good view of us both. “I have no intentions of keeping him under this roof. You may escort him wherever he prefers to go. The flat where you two have been staying should provide ample security.”

I shake my head. “Do you think he’d even stay there?”

She shrugs. “It's worth a try. Might keep him off the streets until tomorrow.”

The bathroom door swings open and Blue stumbles out with a towel tucked around his narrow hips, head hidden beneath another towel that he's rubbing over his hair with more vigor than strictly necessary.

He stops two paces from the door, studies the three of us with clear, icy eyes carefully hidden behind his rose-tinted glasses.

“Nice, Blue. You have no problem walking around in the buff, but I don't think I've once seen you without those glasses.”

Blue pauses his towel-scrubbing, glances down at his bare torso, and sticks his tongue out at me. “I'm more curious about why it is the three of you think I'm incapable of taking care of myself. I felt your entire conversation.”

The towel around his waist starts to loosen and slip. He rescues it with his free hand before huffing and retreating back into the bathroom.

The door bangs shut. Jhez and I share a look.

“That went well,” Garthelle comments from his reclined spot on the couch.

Spooky, the way he moves.

“I'll keep him safe. You just...” My sister trails off, frowning at me. She steps close and grabs my shoulders, feeling my aura briefly before pulling me into a hug. To whisper into my ear. “You just be careful. You're in more danger than me and Blue.”

Though I'm rather certain Garthelle can hear her, he says nothing. I return the brief hug and refuse to look at him. “I'll be fine,” I assure her, muttering. There's so much more I want to tell her. I have no idea what the lyche will do and it frightens me. I just hope she has the foresight to head for the flat if things get bad.

This feels like our childhood revisited, though on a hopefully smaller scale.

Releasing her, I chafe my arm to keep the chill bumps from standing up everywhere.

Here’s the blurb for Blacker than Black:

Apparently, my twin and I are two of York’s most notorious criminals. We’ve been Nightwalkers in the blue-light district since the vamps took over the world. Don’t know how many years it’s been. Long enough that a stream of fellow ’walkers have come and gone. Most don’t last long selling their chi. End up face-down in the gutter, or worse.

For us, one night and one sale change everything.

Monsieur Garthelle is the first john to hunt me down. He calls me a chi thief in one breath and offers absolution—servitude—in the next. Maybe I’m a sucker, but I like living and breathing. Strange that such a powerful vamp would show leniency to a mere human. And something’s not right with the chi I took from him. It won’t go away.

Neither will he, and he’s forcing us to spy on his peers. Then a vamp turns up dead, and we go from playing eyes and ears to investigating a murder. This isn’t what I signed up for. All I ever wanted was to sell a little chi, maybe steal some in return. I should’ve kept my damn hands to myself.

This is my story. Look through my eyes.

You can read an excerpt from Blacker than Black and purchase by clicking here

Find Rhianon at any of these places:

Fan contact: Rhianon.etzweiler@gmail.com

Industry News

2011-12-09T00:32:00.001-05:00

Heartbreakers to newsmakers and everything in between.

The holidays have definitely slowed things down, but not completely:

A few weeks ago, the European Union started an antitrust probe on over Agency Pricing and just about everyone expected the US to follow suit. They wait is over. The Wall Street reports that the Justice Department has now officially stated that it has opened its own inquiry into e-book pricing.

If you're keeping score: it's the EU, the Justice Department, and several civil lawsuits that the Big Six (and Apple) are now facing in regards to the legality of Agency Pricing.

On the completely fun side of news:

Romantic Times has posted their December issue of Caught on the Cover. If you are unfamiliar with this fun feature, RT lists the celebrities 'caught' on the cover of newly released books.

Finally, a terrific video by author Maya Rodale

WRITING ABOUT THE WEST

2011-12-08T00:01:00.005-05:00

I remember when I wrote my first "cowboy" book. Immediately I became intrigued by the type of man who would own or work in a ranch-an independent, free-thinking man of integrity who valued the land and animals and his care of both. I've never lived on a ranch but I had memories to draw from. All through my childhood, I had access to a relative's farm. My cousin and I would play on and around the hay bales, hold and chase newborn kittens and stand in awe watching the horses run in the pasture. I recall a foal named Muley and a white bull with a ring in his nose. Watching a calf come into this world was exciting, scary and memorable.

The West has always called to me. When I wrote that first ranch book, I wrote to guest ranches in Montana and Wyoming, hoping to find a genuine source for research. One wrote back and we had many phone conversations about running cattle and the requirements for keeping a ranch running smoothly. She invited me for a visit and a few years later Wyoming and Montana became my research destinations. I will never forget my visit to that ranch. We road in her pick-up truck, driving over pastures and gullies, glimpsing antelope and jackrabbits, finding Teepee rings from so long ago. On that same trip my husband and I drove through Wyoming and spent several days watching the wild horses in The Big Horns. Research took on an entirely new meaning as we caught the scent of sage, trekked through brush and spotted three wild horses standing on a peak staring down at us. No words can describe it.

For me, ALWAYS A COWBOY, set in Wyoming, is the epitome of a ranch book. My hero, once a doctor, has a tragedy in his life and needs to escape memories and emotions he doesn't want to feel. Because of his upbringing on a ranch, he heads to the West, searching for something he's lost. Zack finds it on The Rising Star Ranch where family is as important as waking up each morning. On a rocky journey to love with Lucy, a rancher's daughter, he finds meaning and fulfillment once more.

I put everything I feel about the pioneer spirit of living in the West in ALWAYS A COWBOY, as well as everything I feel about the meaning of family. I hope that shines through to my readers.

Interview With Jennifer L. Armentrout

2011-12-07T00:01:00.018-05:00

Today, we have Jennifer L. Armentrout on the blog, the author of Obsidian (Released 12/06/2011), a Young adult Science Fiction fantasy novel. She's also the author of the Covenant Series. Please welcome her!

Thanks for having me! When asked to do a guest part, I considered interviewing myself. Yeah, I know.... weird, right? But there are some questions I never get asked. And some I always get asked. So I figured I'd have a little fun. And basically talk to myself.

1. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
A T-Rex, because they’re pretty kick butt. RAWR! And who can take out a T-Rex? No one except a meteoroid. What? No one said the animal couldn’t be extinct.

2. Who is one of your favorite mythological god or deity?

Loki- the Norse God of Mischief. You know he’d be good for shenanigans and entertainment.

2. Do you believe in aliens? Honestly?
Yeah, I think it’s very egocentric to think that humans are the only intelligent life form in a vast, never ending universe. I just hope they look like Daemon and not of the ET variety.

3. How do you write so much?
A lot people ask this, and seemed to be shocked or in disbelief, but most days, I write 12-15 hours a day. Sometimes, half of those days consist of me just staring at my laptop and/or playing Super Mario Brothers online.

4. What are you most looking forward to?
Dec 21, 2012 (heh)

Obsidian can be purchased where books are bought, plus at Amazon and Barnes and Noble online. The print and digital versions include three different points of view from Daemon Black, a character most people would love to figure out.

The Reason I Choose Romance by Kinley Baker

2011-12-06T00:00:00.012-05:00

We live in an amazingly connected world where we have instant access to millions of books. It’s the perfect time to be an avid reader. I’m a firm believer that if you don’t like reading, you’re not reading the right genre. Whether it’s a nonfiction book by The Rock, to a terrifying Stephen King novel, to a classically romantic tale by Charlotte Brontë, there are so many choices and opportunities, there is something for everyone. Each reader just needs to find their perfect match.

With that said, I choose romance. I love this genre. Since the first Nora Roberts book I picked up at thirteen years old, I’ve been hooked. That’s not to say I haven’t read other genres. All through high school and college, I read the classics and more recent literary works. But now that I’m older and I get to make choices for myself, my first choice will always proudly be a romance.

I love the tug and pull of the characters’ emotions. I love depending on the happy ending. I love when things seem impossible and I’m on the edge of my seat wondering how this couple will survive because they must! I thoroughly believe in happy endings and often sought comfort in romances when I doubted my own.

Romances are a positive, good thing. Men and women romance writers want to give power to heroines and heroes by showing the value of positive relationships. Relationships where two people are treated as equals. Relationships where two people are better for being with each other. Relationships where two people are genuinely happy.

People fascinate me and what makes a partnership work between two people intrigues me even more. I choose romance because I find value in the ever after. I want to laugh and cry and feel for their explosive and confusing emotions.

Fantasy is another favorite. Leaving reality behind for a story makes me thankful for the escape. Magic and superpowers captivate me. So it’s logical I began to write fantasy romance. This genre, along with paranormal romance is usually my first preference. But sometimes I become ensnared in category romances, contemporaries or action adventures.

My first choice is romance. Everything else is secondary. Love stories always make compelling reads, and as a reader I’m thankful for the wide spectrum of amazing stories available today written by wonderful, talented authors. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with choosing a little romance.

What do you choose to read?

BIO

Kinley Baker read her first romance novel at the age of thirteen and immediately fell in love with the hero and the genre. She lives with her husband and her dog, Joker, in the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of the fantasy romance series, Shadowed Love. Book one, Ruined, released in July 2011 from Crescent Moon Press. As a firm supporter of all supernatural lifestyles, she writes fantasy romance, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. You can find Kinley at www.kinleybaker.com or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kinleybaker.

Please visit my blog for multiple contest opportunities in the next month at http://authorkinleybaker.blogspot.com.

Why I Chose A Kraken by Maureen O. Betita

2011-12-05T13:46:00.004-05:00

I made a kraken a central figure in my books, even named the world after him. The Kraken’s Caribbean. Yup, his world, his territory. He is the big kahuna, the sheriff, the pope of this world. But he isn’t really a hands on…errr, tentacles on sort of beast. He’ll take direct action when needed, but he prefers to jet about under the water, minding his own business.

Now and then, well he takes an interest in specific people.

He’s well aware of the portals to other worlds and times which litter Tortuga. In fact, it’s rumored he can travel those portals himself. He certainly makes use of them when he wants to.

I know the kraken seems an odd choice for a heroic sort of beast. Why not a dragon? Or a unicorn or… Wait, I write piratepunk, of course it had to be a kraken! Not to mention, well, cephalopods are incredibly clever and more and more science is showing how intelligent they can be.

And they like to garden. I find that really charming!

I always felt the kraken in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies got a bit shortchanged. Barbossa came back from the dead! So did Jack Sparrow! But not the Kraken. All he did was follow orders from Davy Jones, and I’m sure once Turner took over the Dutchmen, he would have used the Kraken for good…but no! He stayed rotting on that beach. (Maybe he wanted a bigger role. Who knows?)

For my world, I also figured all those tentacles could come in handy for multi-tasking and since the Great Albino Kraken is the big guy he could use them. So…one of them occasionally handles Cupid’s bow…or two of them, I suppose… It’s just part of who the big guy is.

Flexible, a deep thinker, and yes, he’s an albino. Like humans, who turn grey as they age, the older and bigger the kraken gets, the whiter he gets. He’s so big, showing up without camouflage isn’t a danger to him. His young are able to change color, hence Nemo, the on Emily befriends, is orange.

Now, I have a fabulous kraken ornament I’m giving away on my blog…and it’s orange. Want a chance to win it? Comment here or on my blog at maureenobetita.com.

I’m selecting a winner on the 21^st!

(Yeah, for US only, if someone else wins, they get a gift certificate.)

The Kraken, a mythological beast, some say descended from the ominous Cthulhu, or perhaps from another world… I don’t care. He’s my guardian beastie and I love him! He’s very involved in Tortuga and likes to see the city growing and thriving.

Rumor has it, he’s started a newspaper. And has opened a Chambarrrr of Commerce. Always looking for new businesses to take a spot on the street.

What would you like to see open in Tortuga? The sky is the limit!

What Inspires Me by Karen Rose Smith

2011-11-28T00:35:00.005-05:00

Writing and living are interchangeable for me. They are so glued together that I realized while writing this blog that whatever inspires me for one inspires me for the other. Peaks and valleys in one affect the other. So when I think about inspiration for either writing or living, I can lift my heart in these ways.

Ever since I was a young girl, music has made a difference in my life. (That is probably why one of the romances in my new series revolves around music.) Until I was five, my parents and I lived with my grandfather and my aunt. After that they lived next door. I come from an Italian heritage, and my grandfather was an immigrant. He played the mandolin beautifully. On weekends friends would stop by with guitars and an accordion, and he and his friends made music. That music brought into the house fellowship, fun and a sense of well-being. Also in my grandfather's house was a player piano. We inserted what was called a "roll" and a melody magically played while my mother and I would sing along. She played the piano herself, and I would accompany her, too. It was natural for me to learn to play the piano myself. Through the years I learned to express emotion through the playing. I found joy and inspiration in the music. With this history, I never just listen to a song. I feel it. Today I listen for artists and music which can stir that deep creative part of me, whether it does that by bringing back memories, lifting me to a mountaintop, soothing pain and stress away, or urging me to write a particularly emotional scene. Music lifts me over the writing bumps or life's bumps.

Traveling to a place with power also renews me. I believe everyone can find places that fill them with peace and an overwhelming sense of well-being. When I was a child, I had access to a relative's farm. There was something about the fields of grass, the scent of orange blossoms and honeysuckle, the playfulness of kittens around the barn and the beauty of horses in the corral that always washed over me in a particularly healing way. I loved just being there and soaking it in. As an adult I feel drawn to places where I can feel a power greater than myself--the ocean, the cliff dwellings in the southwest, the Appalachian mountains, the big blue sky over Santa Fe, Sedona and the Grand Canyon, a memorial garden my husband and I created in memory of my parents in our own backyard. All of these places, as well as the memories from being in them, fill me up when I am empty and help me to keep going.

Since emotion and my creative energy are also integrally linked, the people I love and who love me also inspire me. My husband reminds me that I always say each book is different and eventually my characters show me the way. Talking to my son long-distance reminds me the bonds between a mother and child are never-ending. When my BFF's daughter runs to me for a hug, I am inspired to look at the world through her eyes--in a more innocent, unspoiled way. My writing friends listen and help me get unstuck when a scene or character is being stubborn. Also my two cats, Ebbie and London are constant companions who remind me to be playful. Ebbie joins me when I work or listen to music. London curls on my lap or beside me for an afternoon break. Their presence fills me with a sense of contentment.

Inspiration surrounds me in many forms. I just have to know how to listen, where to go and whom to turn to in order to find it. Somehow I always do and life and writing flow on.

Karen Rose Smith is the best-selling, award-winning author of 75 published romances. Readers can visit her website @ http://www.karenrosesmith.com, follow her on Twitter @ karenrosesmith and on Facebook (Karen Rose Smith author), and access her blog at Cats, Roses and Books! (http;//karenrosesmith.blogspot.com), as well as her e-zine In Touch at karenrosesmith-ezine.blogspot.com for new releases and contests.

Check out Karen's interview on Nathan's Vow and you may win some awesome prizes!

Brita Addams and the Romeo Club

2011-11-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

What is it about the romance genre that draws you so? I truly believe there is nothing more important in our lives than love. It certainly is in my life. I enjoy the ups and downs in romance, the aligning of minds and adjustments people must make to accommodate another person in their lives. Being sentimental to a fault makes the romance genre a perfect fit for me.

Who have been some of your chief writing influences? I'm inspired by good writing, no matter the genre. When an idea is brought to life with good writing, there's nothing better.

I've been blessed with a wonderful mentor, Aleksandr Voinov, who also happens to be my favorite author. He's shown me so much about the writing craft and continues to encourage me to push myself beyond what I've ever thought I could write.

Another good friend, Bryl R. Tyne, is a great person to brainstorm with. He constantly helps me to take my ideas to the next level and usually in directions I'd have never expected.

What are your long-term writing/publishing aspirations? I want to continue and evolve as a writer. I put off the beginning of my writing career for too many years and nothing keeps me from my writing these days.

I have many projects in various stages of completion. For the rest of this year, I'm giong to be working on my erotica collection—Romeo Club—for Riptide Publishing. I'm very excited to be one of the First Wave authors at Riptide. The quality of the editing is making me a better writer.

I'm just completed a m/m historical, For Men Like Us, which I'm getting ready to submit.

Aside from being an author, you're also an experienced genealogist. Please share more with us about your endeavors in that field. I've done genealogical research for over twenty years, during which time I've uncovered some rather shocking stories about my own family.

One wonderful story touched me so much, I loosely based a novella on it.

My great uncle was thirty-five years old when he left his family to go to work during a very heavy rainstorm. As the rain continued, the creek rose, then flooded its banks, taking everything in its wake.

Uncle Roy and a co-worker entered the home of some neighbors who weren't at home at the time. They attempted to save some of the belongings of the family as their house flooded.

According to other neighbors, Roy's co-worker shouted for him to get out as the house shifted on its foundation. Roy attempted to jump out of the window, but the house did go off the slab and was broken into pieces, taking Roy with it.

Roy left a young wife and four children under five years old.

I spoke to Roy's widow fifty-two years later and all she could say, while holding a tiny picture of her and Roy, was, "I told him not to go." She never stopped loving Roy.

Their love story inspired my novella, An Evening at the Starlight, part of the Timeless Desire collection at Noble Romance. I even named the characters Doe and Roy, after Uncle Roy and Aunt Dorothy. The other in this collection is A Minute After Midnight, a m/m novella.

The first in my collection of gay erotica shorts, Romeo Club #1: Surprises, is available at Riptide Publishing and you can preorder Romeo Club #2: Rubbed the Right Way. Here's an excerpt from Surprises:

How often do you like to fuck?

Not “have intercourse” or “make love,” but “fuck,” written out right on the application. Damn! I hadn’t expected such personal questions, but after a few moments of thought, “No limit” seemed as good an answer as any.

“What is your favorite position?” Oh, the possibilities.

“Bent over a sofa, chair, table?” All of the above, giving or receiving.

“On all fours on a bed or the floor?” Right you are.

“Standing against the wall?” Definitely has merit.

“Do you suck cock regularly, or do you prefer to be sucked? Do you swallow?” I should have seen that one coming.

“Dildo preference—glass or flexible?” I’d never thought about it, but the question gave me ideas.

“Butt plugs?” Damn, did other people use those things? I squirmed, thinking a smaller one might have been in order for this excursion.

A whole section entitled “Probing Your Fantasies.” “Are you into cowboys, pirates, millionaires, policemen, doctors? Kidnap, rape, ménage? Explain your desires in detail.” I took the expeditious route and wrote, “Yes to all the above.” Why limit my options?

“Are you willing to put yourself in our hands?”

Now, that was a loaded question. The devil in me wanted to write, “Hell, yeah,” while the commodities trader wrote a more dignified, “Yes.”

Only one section left: “The Usual Stuff,” mercifully mundane after an hour’s worth of divulging everything there was to know about my sex life, real or imagined. Name, address, phone number.

Then, bam, “Do you consider yourself handsome?”

Now, what’s a guy supposed to do with that? It’s one of those damned if you do, damned if you don’t questions. If I said “Fuck yeah,” I’d come off as arrogant. If I said “No,” I’d sound like someone desperate enough to live in his mother’s basement. But then, I was filling out an application for a freaking dating service. Wasn’t that desperate by definition? Oh, hell, just leave it blank.

I checked over the tome to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything, lest a fantasy be left undiscovered. My libido had kicked up several notches this past hour and the black and white photos on the walls did nothing to tame it. Damn, if this was a sample of what Romeo’s offered, I was glad I’d taken the afternoon off.

The adorable blond behind the desk looked up and smiled when I stood. Good Lord Almighty, they didn’t grow guys like that back in Kansas.

Blondie came around the desk, his slim hips working overtime. His body was built to my personal specifications. The fact he’d wrapped it in skin-tight jeans and a royal blue shirt was the cherry on top of the cake. Oh, my unruly cock, be still, boy.

I glanced at the black engraved desk plate: Aaron. He checked over my application with pursed lips and an exaggerated hand to the hip “Have you answered every question? It’svery important that you answer all of them.”

Hmm, what was he, the damn question police? “I believe I did, yes.”

“We’ll just have a peek, shall we?”

He grasped the clipboard with both hands and studied it, save for an occasional smirk or eyebrow waggle in my direction.

“Ooh,” he said with a giggle. Though curious, I was too chicken to ask what part he’d read.

He flipped through the last couple of pages, then settled a hand over the first page. “You have unique tastes,” he said. The sparkle in his eyes was unmistakable. “I believe Blake would be interested in talking to you. If you’ll come this way, I’ll take you to him.”

How can our readers learn more about you and your ongoing efforts? Thank you for reading my stories and I hope you'll continue to read them. I love to have visitors.

Email address: britaaddams@gmail.com

Website/Blog

Twitter: @britaaddams

Facebook

Goodreads

Leave a comment and you could win a back list book from Brita (Timeless Desire collection and Romeo Club excluded)

Industry News

2011-11-24T06:06:00.005-05:00

Heartbreakers to newsmakers and everything in between.

After a relatively quite last week, happenings are abound this week:

All new tablets and ereaders have now been released and reviews are fairly positive all around for the Kindle Fire, Kobo Vox, and Nook Tablet. The winner? Depends on your needs. (Bet you never saw that answer coming, right?) If you are looking for a cheaper version of the iPad, none of these new tablets are going to satisfy. However, if you are already a Prime Amazon customer or a voracious consumer of video and music, the Kindle Fire is a great extension to that buying power. The shortcomings of the Nook Tablet are evident in the limited choice of media which can be purchased. As for the Vox, well, it falls somewhere in the middle, but it is a great alternative if you are looking a higher-end reader that does more than just display books.

If you are in the market, be sure to check out Black Friday deals from Walmart, Target and Radio Shack (to name a few). Several stores are selling the readers at retail but including gift cards ranging from $10-25.

On November 21, Overdrive (who distributes digital material to libraries) announced that Penguin was "reviewing terms for library lending of their eBooks" and in the interim, it had to disable “Get for Kindle” functionality for all Penguin eBooks. Well it turns out that Penguin has changed its mind because the original decision had nothing to do with Amazon's own Lending Library for Prime Members. Nothing at all. There is a great write up by Sarah over at SBTB

It is with a heavy heart that I pass along the news that legendary fantasy novelist, Anne McCaffrey, died at the age of 85. McCaffrey was known for writing strong female characters in the fantasy/science fiction genre which usually dismissed women as eye-candy, after thoughts. Her words and worlds have been and will continue to be cherished by countless readers for generations. I personally attribute McCaffrey for nurturing my love for dragons and science fiction and for showing that girls, too, could have epic adventures. Thank you, Ms. McCaffrey. You will be missed.

Aleksandr Voinov talks about his Dark Soul

2011-11-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

First of all where are you from?

Originally Germany, living in the UK.

What do you like to read?

Good stories. I’m pretty choosy and demanding, but open-minded about genres. Right now, I’m mostly reading books my friends write, submissions for Riptide, and non-fiction.

What do you love about being an author?

Being anybody and anything I want. Also, I keep meeting amazing people.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Nono, the question is: Where does your inspiration get you? It happens. Inspiration is like a switch flicked in your brain. That easy, and that complicated.

Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

Of course I’m taking bits and pieces from real people I’ve met. But they are all Frankenstein’s monster. I take pieces and put them together into a new shape, then inspiration strikes and they shamble off to wreak havoc.

Do you have a favorite character out of all the ones you’ve written?

I’d like to meet Silvio, my current character, just to experience what it means to be in the same room with him.

Why is he your favorite?

The favorite is always the one I’m currently writing. I admire William’s passion and I’m really, really intrigued by Silvio’s sensuality.

Here's a blurb and an excerpt from Dark Soul Volume 1. You can get a sense of Silvio for yourselves:

Stefano Marino is a made man, a happily married west coast mafia boss who travels east to await the death of a family patriarch. All the old hands have gathered—of course sharks will circle when there’s blood in the water—but it’s a new hand that draws Stefano’s eye.

Silvio “the Barracuda” Spadaro is protetto and heir to retired consigliere Gianbattista Falchi, and a made man in his own right. Among his underworld family, being gay is a capital crime, but the hypersexual—and pansexual—young killer has never much cared for rules. The only orders he follows are Battista’s, whether on the killing field or on his knees, eagerly submissive at Battista’s feet.

But Silvio has needs Battista can’t fill, and he’s cast his black-eyed gaze on Stefano. A fake break-in, an even faker attack, and Silvio is exactly where he wants to be: strung up at Stefano’s mercy, driving the older Mafioso toward urges he’s spent his whole life repressing. Stefano resists, but when the Russian mob invades his territory and forces him to seek aid, Gianbattista’s price brings Stefano face to face once more with Silvio—and his darkest desires.

This title is #1 of the Dark Soul series.

Excerpt:

The most annoying thing about all this was nobody knew when the old badger was going to kick the bucket. But to make the wait comfortable, at least, Stefano had secured a nice leather chair near the fireplace, Vince covering his flank.

He didn’t expect hostility. If he had, he wouldn’t have shown up; he wasn’t that brave. But he still liked having Vince at his side. This way he had at least one ally in the room. The others were fleeting alliances or all-out rivals for the business soon to be up for grabs.

Luigi Ferretti, the old badger’s right-hand man, stepped into the room and walked toward Rossi, an east coast boss. They exchanged a few whispered words, then Rossi put his wine glass down, straightened his suit like a boy being called to the principal’s office, and followed the consigliere.

Stefano was too low on the food chain to receive the call so soon. First the dying man’s old comrades, then the young Turks. No doubt the big pieces of the old man’s empire would be taken by the time his turn came. But even if there were only scraps left, he couldn’t afford not to be here. He had to circle with the other sharks.

His cell phone buzzed. Just short; a text message. He fished it from his pocket and cast a glance at the screen.

Having a great time, but the hotel bed is so empty without you.

He smiled at the thought of Donata in that Parisian five-star hotel, wearing a silken negligee—maybe the one as red as spilled blood—her small breasts and hard nipples pushing against the barely-there fabric. He was damn lucky to have married her rather than taken her as a mistress, even if he did tend to send her away on shopping trips to London, Paris, or New York when he had to get this involved with the family business. Even if, as she put it, she only bought the clothes so she could take them off for him.

His neck was cramping up, so he stood, stretched out, and then headed for the open balcony doors and the salty breeze. In a corner, two men were talking in murmurs, denying him solitude, so he headed down the broad stairs toward the front of the mansion.

The white gravel driveway was lit all the way from the road. Above the rhythmic swell of the ocean sounding from beyond the house, Stefano heard the revving of a powerful, aggressive engine.

A motorcycle, all sharp edges, painted black with white highlights. It zipped along the winding driveway as if it had a race to win, swerving dangerously and then stopping with a dramatic turn, spraying gravel everywhere.

Including across Stefano’s polished leather shoes.

The driver was hunched over the handlebars, wearing a matching full-body leather suit with Kevlar plates.

Like some modernist centaur on wheels.

The driver stepped off, displaying long, long graceful legs and a tiny ass clad in leather. Woman? Lean and angular, but feminine, even when kicking the stand underneath the bike. The helmet came off after a somewhat awkward release. Short, spiky hair beneath. Not a woman—and that jolted through Stefano just as hard as the driver’s cold, motionless, focused expression. In that pale face lurked the blackest, darkest eyes Stefano had ever seen, and lips like they’d been cut with knife blades, perfect, sharp, and deadly.

The driver cast him an annoyed glance—At his proximity? His staring?—but then paused and regarded him longer. No smile, no recognition. Eventually, he turned to hang the helmet from the handlebar.

Stefano backed away, but watched the man unstrap saddlebags just large enough for a proper suit and toiletries.

The driver glanced at him again. “Old guy’s not dead yet?” he asked.

“Not that I know of.”

“Bene.” The driver shrugged. “I’ll go have a shower now. Wanna come?”

What. The. Fuck. He forced himself not to recoil. Think, Stefano. Think. If he’s family. Son?

Cousin? Grandson? He couldn’t afford to make enemies here, even if those words—that invitation—could get men killed.

Wanna come? The way he’d said it could have meant anything.

Stefano decided on a sneer. “That would hardly be appropriate.”

The driver shrugged and sauntered past him toward the house. The guards near the door stopped him, but when he produced a piece of paper from inside his leather suit, they let him pass. They even looked a little impressed. Or was it bewildered?

Stefano followed back into the house—not following the driver, though, of course not—and watched him climb the big central staircase inside.

The leather played off his body in interesting ways. He tried to ignore the other details—taut piece of ass, broad shoulders, the V-shape of the back at odds with the first impression of femininity when he’d straightened up from the bike.

Not that women had any reason to be here. At least not attractive single women. Stefano shook his head and turned away.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” one man said, casting a baleful eye up the steps.

“He’s Battista’s boy,” another man said, in the far more hushed tones of respect.

“Gianbattista’s getting senile to rely on him,” the other man sneered. “Fucking wild card.”

“Well, seems Battista’s not coming personally.”

Stefano inched closer, ostensibly to settle at one of the small round tables scattered around the house, and pretended to be interested in the glass of salt sticks nobody else had touched.

“What’s he up to these days, anyway?”

“Breeding roses, they say.” The boss ignored his companion’s incredulous snort. “For all intents and purposes, Battista’s retired. I’d say the boy’s making sure nobody comes calling in favors.”

“Security?”

“Oh yeah. He killed Diego Carbone. In self-defense.”

The other man grimaced. “I’d heard Carbone was dead, but not who did him.”

“I have it on good information. He did Diego. Pumped him full of lead and then strangled him. It was a massacre. Diego shot him, too. Put the boy in the hospital for a few months—blood poisoning or some shit like that. People say he’s just as insane as Carbone now.”

“Cazzo.” The man glanced up the stairs, but the driver was gone. “I believe it.” He looked around as if trying to escape the conversation, then stood and followed a servant with a silver tray of canapés.

Stefano made eye contact with the boss who’d been left behind. “Excuse me, I couldn’t help overhearing that conversation. Stefano Marino.” Stefano offered his hand.

Gathering information beat sitting near the fireplace being bored. The thought that the driver had killed Diego—an enforcer so violent as to be virtually insane—made him uneasy. He didn’t hear much news from the east coast, wrapped up as he was in the microcosm of his own territory and his immediate interests. But some interesting names in all that. Il Gentiluomo, Gianbattista Falchi, cultured on the outside with his mild manners and graying temples, an old-style consigliere like straight out of The Godfather. Stefano had met him only once, warned and aware that Falchi was a trickster and schemer, yet still not immune to his charisma.

How curious that the old consigliere trusted his security to this young killer who didn’t seem to give a fuck about tradition. Maybe as a retiree with still-considerable influence, Gianbattista Falchi could afford to ignore tradition, too.

“You’re still here,” a voice said at his back.

Stefano turned around to find himself standing way, way too close to the driver. Those black eyes were without light, without reflection. The stare punched the air from his lungs, and those lips . . . God, those lips. Distantly, he heard his conversation partner making his excuses, but he paid the man no mind, and neither did the driver. He could feel the heat from the driver’s body. Imagined touching. Being touched. He blinked and stepped away.

Only then did he realize the driver had changed and showered, as promised. His short hair was still wet, and he was wearing a severe black suit over a white shirt. No tie. The suit was cut to hide the gun under his right shoulder, but also showed off a whole lot of lean muscle. Not an ounce of fat on him.

Stefano swallowed. “I didn’t catch your name.”

“They call me Barracuda.” No smile, just stating a fact. The name was oddly fitting for that expressionless face. “Silvio Spadaro.”

Spadaro was offering his hand. Stefano took it, the grip firm and dry, the skin rough. Of course, he was a killer, a sicario, so he’d have to touch guns enough to harden against them. Stefano swallowed. He shouldn’t be thinking about what this hand touched and how. “Stefano Marino.”

“I know.” Spadaro lifted an eyebrow, and didn’t release Stefano’s hand. “How long have you been waiting for the old man to die?”

“Leukemia takes a while. We’ve had some false alarms in the past.”

“This time it’s real. That’s why I’m here.” Spadaro kept holding his hand, and Stefano realized he was beginning to sweat. It wasn’t fear. The man was just so intense. Not freakish, not insane. Just mental games, psychological warfare. A killer’s job.

“So, how—” he forced his hand from the man’s grip “—is Gianbattista Falchi these days?”

“Sta bene.” Spadaro cast a quick glance around the room. When the eye contact broke, Stefano could breathe again. But then the eyes came back, staring him point-blank in the face. “He sent me to pay his respects.”

“Why’s he not coming personally?”

“Want the truth or a polite lie?”

Stefano huffed. “Surely he’d say goodbye to his old friend?”

“He fucking hates the rest of the family,” Spadaro said flatly. “And he hates the smell of hospitals. The lies, the polite smiles. He said he wouldn’t trust himself not to make a scene.”

Seemed Gianbattista had embraced his retirement. Or saw a danger to himself here. Stefano filed the thought away. “So he figures you of all people won’t?”

Spadaro’s lips quirked. “Maybe I’m here to make sure the old guy meets Death properly this time. Do you know what’s going on in people’s heads here?”

“I have an educated guess.” Stefano reached for the glass of salt sticks, more unnerved than he wanted to admit by the killer’s comments. He didn’t expect violence, but you never really knew with the family, did you?

“Yeah, well, fuck ’em.” Spadaro cast another glance at the assembled Mafiosi. “I wouldn’t change places with any of them.”

Was that a slip of the mask? Calculated provocation? “Oh? Why not?”

“You know what they did to Joey D’Amato?”

Stefano straightened. Why would Spadaro mention the faggot? Way too crass and unsettling, especially considering he’d been vanished, not even a body to bury.

Spadaro studied him, head tilted. “That’s why I don’t belong to anybody,” he said quietly, but with the force and conviction of a kidney punch. “I’m not following their fucking rules.” He swept the crowd again with his expressionless black eyes, then fixed them on Stefano’s face.

Stefano’s lips tingled. It was still hard to breathe and he had no idea why. He couldn’t let this man intimidate him. Couldn’t be seen as too interested. Barracuda or not—even Gianbattista Falchi’s protetto or not—he could afford zero suspicion. He’d be dead. Fuck Spadaro for flustering him so, and fuck himself for getting flustered, but he’d never show it. “Well, give Falchi my best wishes when you return to him.”

“Will do.” Spadaro sketched an ironic salute and stepped away.

Stefano fought the urge to straighten his tie, fought harder against the urge to watch the Barracuda cut through the assembled groups of men.

He caught Vince’s gaze, and though his bodyguard relaxed a little, he still looked worried. Stefano could see why. A sicario who belonged to a “retired” consigliere, and not just any pensioner, but crafty old Gianbattista Falchi, who’d been more powerful in his own right than many bosses. That was all manner of disturbing. “Paying his respects” by being anything but respectful. Mentioning D’Amato like killing the faggot was somehow wrong. Mentioning him in fucking public.

He stood around, restless, then noticed Luigi approach Spadaro and touch his shoulder. The black eyes flared and Spadaro glowered at Luigi as if he were about to take the older man’s head clean off. But he reached into his suit jacket, pulled his gun from his holster with two fingers, and handed it to Luigi. The consigliere took it without batting an eyelash, then went upstairs. Spadaro followed.

Vince stepped to his side. “That’s really fucking impressive. Arrives here and gets seen almost immediately.”

“Well, he was sent by Gianbattista Falchi.”

Vince nodded solemnly. “I don’t like his attitude.”

“I fucking hate it.” The way the man’s presence made his skin tingle wasn’t hatred, but that wasn’t something he could admit. Spadaro seemed to have that effect on people. The fact that he clearly carried weight and power was even worse.

So what was this guy’s game?

You can purchase Dark Soul Volume 1 by clicking the title.

Dark Soul Volume 2 is also available for instant download. Here's the blurb:

In "Dark Whisper," Gianbattista may have broken Silvio's heart and sent him off to the States, but he's still just a phone call away. When Silvio returns from a sex shop with a bag full of goodies, Gianbattista can't resist topping his boy one more time, even if they are 4,000 miles apart.

In "Dark Night," the Russian problem comes back to haunt Stefano, and when a dark encounter leaves him bloody and broken, Silvio knows just the right way to ease his pain.

This third volume in the episodic Dark Soul novel features the stories "Dark Lady #1," "Dark Lady #2," and "Dark Brother." To purchase it on presale, click here.

It will be released on December 19^th.

Where are your favorite online hangouts? What are your daily must-stop blogs and websites?

Livejournal, Goodreads, Twitter.

Speaking of online hangouts, where are yours? Where can your readers find you?

Website

Blog

Twitter: @vashtan

Goodreads

Ten Things You Want to Know about L.A. Witt

2011-11-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

Ten Things You Wanted to Know About L. A. Witt

1. I have zero fashion sense. Seriously, my husband picks out most of my clothes. I can only be trusted with jeans and T-shirts, and even then, it’s questionable (I own a few shirts I really shouldn’t wear in public). And if my “style” of dress wasn’t bad enough…

2. …aside from being a card-carrying member/cultist of the 30 Seconds to Mars Echelon, I have godawful taste in music. I probably have something in my music library that could make anyone cringe. If the eyebrow-raising quantities of boy bands don’t appall you, I could always point to the copious amounts of industrial rock, the odd hair band or rap song, and wheelbarrows full of country music. If Yanni doesn’t make you gag, I have plenty of Ke$ha as backup, and there’s always the Katy Perry ace up my sleeve. And if you’re still not horrified, I even have one song apiece by Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus. I’d like to think my volumes of 30 Seconds to Mars, Adam Lambert, Breaking Benjamin, and Erasure could redeem me, but sometimes I wonder.

3. I’m a history buff. Though I have yet to write any historical – something I intend to remedy one day – I love history. I have hundreds of books on everything from Ancient Greece to World War II to obscure wars and remote, no-one’s-ever-heard-of-them cultures. And yes, I’m a History Channel junkie.

4. I once came home from Disneyland in a neck brace. It was actually the result of a roller coaster malfunction (not to be confused with a wardrobe malfunction), but sometimes, just to mix it up a bit, I tell people I got into a fistfight with Cinderella. Oddly enough, most people believe that story over the roller coaster one. I’m not sure if that says more about me or people’s misguided faith in the structural integrity of Disneyland’s rides.

5. In casual conversation, I habitually overuse the words “literally”, “invariably”, and “fuck”. Nuff said.

6. I’m almost entirely ambidextrous. I write with my left hand, use can openers and scissors with my right. Otherwise, I can do almost anything with either hand. This really annoys people when I fence, bowl, or play pool against them.

7. Only two movies have ever made me cry: What Dreams May Come and Ladder 49. When you consider how many movies I’ve seen (a lot), and how many emotionally twisted indie films are included in that, I’m honestly not sure what that says about me.

8. Nothing excites me about a new work-in-progress like the title. When a book is still in that nebulous planning stage, it nibbles on my skull and tries to hold my attention, but as soon as the title comes to me? I am at it the book’s mercy. Something about that “Eureka!” moment makes the whole story come together and make sense, and I have to get it written, like, yesterday. This doesn’t happen with every book, but definitely the majority of them. Static, The Given & The Taken, The Closer You Get, A Chip In His Shoulder, and Where There’s Smoke all fall into that category.

9. I cannot sing. If I ever tried out for American Idol, I’d be one of the “oh my God, look how bad this contestant is” people. If I sing in the shower, the water turns cold. I have the voice of an angel…if that angel has a four pack-a-day habit, a bad case of strep throat, and a mouth full of gummy bears. I. Cannot. Sing.

10. I am a walking contradiction. I’m afraid of flying, but I love skydiving. I’m afraid of needles, but I have an acupuncture addiction and several tattoos. I studied Spanish and Russian in school, then moved to Japan. I know, I’m weird.

There you have it. Ten things you didn’t know you wanted to know about me.

Here's another, bonus if you will. The blurb from my Riptide release, Chip in His Shoulder:

“Contract killer” is a fitting job for a vampire, and it suits Liam just fine. Cast down from the wealth and status of the Sky for taking a human lover, Liam lurks in the poor and pollution-choked Gutter, killing to survive. Between his natural strengths and his Cybernetix mods, no mark has ever escaped him.

Liam’s ex-lover Daniel is the heir to Cybernetix—and its greatest threat. Horrified by people less man than machine and the exploitation of Gutter factory workers, he’d rather destroy Cybernetix than inherit it . . . if his father doesn’t destroy him first.

Years of anger and a heap of mods have kept Daniel and Liam apart. When Liam is hired to slaughter a man in his glass Sky tower, he walks right into a Daniel-shaped trap. Daniel’s father has betrayed them both, and only by working together can Daniel and Liam survive the coming day. They have no reason to trust each other, but as the dawn looms, a bargain that began with the simple urge to live soon reminds them of the love they once shared. Can they find each other again, or will the Cybernetix assassins find them first?

You can purchase Chip in His Shoulder by clicking the title.

Visit me on the web at:

Email address: thethinker42@gmail.com

Website

Blog

Twitter: GallagherWitt

Facebook

Cat Grant Visits The Romance Reviews

2011-11-20T00:01:00.001-05:00

When did you start the adventure of writing? – I’ve been writing off and on since I was in grammar school. I used to fill up notebooks with stories.

Have you always loved romance writing? – I came to romance writing relatively late. Tried my hand at sci-fi/fantasy for several years, and didn’t sell a thing. That’s when I realized my forte lay in writing relationship stories, so I switched to romance. Wrote my first book (The Arrangement) and sold it within a couple of months.

Where do you find your inspiration? – Oh, inspiration’s everywhere, if you just open your eyes and look.

When you're not writing, what do you do for fun? – Eat. Sleep. Watch movies & TV. Research my next project.

A quick quiz: Answer as fast as you can.

Favorite Hero: Mal Reynolds from “Firefly”

Favorite Dessert: Crème brulee

Favorite Villain: He’s more of an anti-hero than a villain, but… Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto as played by Michael Fassbender in X-Men First Class

Favorite Song: “Vow” by Garbage

Have you ever written to music? – I can only write to music that doesn’t have words, like symphonic music. If somebody’s singing, it distracts me.

What music? – I love Mahler symphonies to write to. Or violin concerti. I listened to the Brahms & Tchaikovsky concertos non-stop while I was writing Allegro Vivace and Sonata Appassionata.

Do you have a writing tip to share with our viewers? – Write every day. If you want to make a career from writing, you need to look at it like a job. Report for work every day whether you feel like it or not.

Here's an excerpt from my newest release, Once a Marine:

November, 2009

The second he walked into the diner, I nearly dropped the stack of plates I was carrying. Six foot three at least, with long, long legs encased in jeans worn almost white across the front of his well-muscled thighs. Dripping wet from the freezing November downpour, he unzipped his rain jacket and pushed back the hood. Oh, holy Christ. Lush lips, strong chin, cheekbones that could slice through a rare steak. Nordic-god blond hair in a military buzz cut that instantly made the crotch of my jeans tight. Good thing I had my apron on. I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose and kept staring.

I wasn’t the only one. Terry’s hand froze momentarily over the cash register as our new arrival gave her a quick nod, grabbed the sports section from the front counter, and headed for the nearest empty table. He didn’t seem to notice us both gaping at him, or maybe he just didn’t care. Drop-dead gorgeous guys like him were probably used to it.

“That’s what I call a tall, cool drink of water.” Terry handed her customer his change and shut the register with a bump of her ample hip. “And lucky you—he just sat down in your section. Unless you want to take your break now?” She flashed me a toothy grin.

“Nice try,” I fired back with a wink. I put my armload of dirty dishes in a tub under the counter and grabbed a mug and a pot of coffee before making a beeline back to Mr. Tall-and-Hunky’s table. The shitty weather had scared away most of the usual Sunday morning crowd, so for once I didn’t get waylaid refilling cups.

Tall-and-Hunky glanced up as I approached. He looked about thirty, with nice eyes—pale blue, but not the least bit icy. Smiling, I

gestured toward him with the mug. “Hi, I’m Marc. Would you like some coffee?” He nodded. “Did you want some juice this morning as well, or maybe some water?”

“Coffee’s fine, thanks.” For a second I could’ve sworn I detected the soft lilt of a southern accent. And now I definitely recognized the haircut—shaved nearly bare on the back and sides, flat on top. The traditional “high and tight” cut worn by most Marines. Sweet, seedy memories of falling to my knees in the back room of an adult bookstore in Oceanside raced through my brain as I watched him stir raw sugar into his coffee and take his first tentative sip.

Then those big blue eyes locked on mine, jolting me back to the present. “Um, do you need a couple more minutes to make up your mind?”

He snagged a menu and gave it a quick once-over, the side with “Blue Windmill Café” printed on it flipped toward me. “I’ll have two eggs over easy with hash browns and a side of bacon.”

There it was, and no doubt this time—that unmistakable slow-as-honey Carolina drawl. Just like Rob, I realized with a pang, tugging my pad and pen from my apron to scribble down his order. “What kind of toast?”

“You got biscuits?” he asked shyly, one corner of his mouth quirking up.

“Afraid not. How about an English muffin?”

“That’ll do. Thanks.” He took another sip of his coffee and turned his attention back to the sports section.

“Looked like you were having a nice conversation,” Terry commented archly as I came back around the counter and stuck my order in the queue for Fernando. The smell of burnt toast and bacon grease floated forth from the kitchen, punctuated by the clatter of Fernando’s teenage son Pedro none-too-gently loading dirty dishes into the washer. “Did you notice him checking out your butt?”

“Yeah, right.” Six months ago, she might’ve had me going. Terry loved yanking my chain. Good-natured yanking, but still.

“For once I’m not kidding. He looked right at those cute little buns of yours when you turned around.”

I tossed a nonchalant glance in Military Guy’s direction. He had

his phone out now, and was punching at its tiny keyboard with mad double-thumb action. It looked like a toy nestled in his huge, long-fingered hands. Oh, dear God. If there was one thing I went crazy for, it was a guy with nice hands.

“Just my luck.” Terry shook her head, brunette ponytail swinging to and fro. “All the hot ones play for your team.”

“I think the jury’s still out on that.”

“Why don’t we put it to the test?” She snapped up a coffee pot from a burner. “Let’s see if he needs a warm-up.”

Of course, crotchety old Mr. Faber had to choose that moment to hobble up to the register to pay his bill. I rang him up while trying to peer over his shoulder to see what Terry was doing.

She could flirt with the best of them, I’d give her that. Hand resting seductively on her cocked hip, she gave Military Guy a big smile and batted her lashes. He smiled back, his gaze lingering on her impressive bust line. Didn’t mean anything one way or the other—hell, I stared at Terry’s tits too, mostly because they seemed to defy gravity. They exchanged words, but I couldn’t hear what either of them said. Finally, she topped off his mug and sashayed back to the counter.

“His mama raised him right,” she announced with a rapturous sigh. “Such lovely manners. He actually called me ma’am!”

I snickered. “Probably because you remind him of his mom.”

“Watch it, buster. I’m only thirty-five.”

According to Fernando, Terry’d just celebrated the sixth anniversary of her thirty-fifth birthday. But since I didn’t want to get kicked in the shin, I figured I’d better not mention it. Besides, my order was up.

I stacked both plates along my left arm like a seasoned greasy-spoon pro, grabbed a bottle of ketchup, and motored back to Military Guy’s table. He folded his paper and sat back, giving me room to set everything down. The plate with the bacon and eggs nearly slipped from my hand when he shrugged out of his slicker. He was wearing a plain black t-shirt underneath. A really tight plain black t-shirt stretched over every hard, smooth muscle in his chest and shoulders, showing off a spectacular set of guns. It was all I could do to keep

from drooling.

“A-anything else I can get you?” Coffee? Tea? Me?

“This’ll do for now, thanks.” His right sleeve hiked up when he reached for his fork, revealing a small tattoo of a bulldog with “USMC” emblazoned under it. Growing up in San Diego, I’d seen my fair share of Marine Corps tats. Most of them looked garish and trashy, but this one was actually kind of cute. So was this guy a real Marine, or just a wannabe?

One way to find out. “We don’t get too many devil dogs in this neighborhood. You here to protect Berkeley from the scourge of all us bleeding-heart liberals?”

His smile immediately faded. “I think I’m a little late for that. Besides, I’m not on active duty.”

Ouch. Now I wished I’d kept my mouth shut. “Well, let me know if you need anything else, okay?”

“Will do.”

You can purchase Once a Marine by clicking the title.

For more information on Cat Grant, please, visit:

Industry News

2011-11-10T09:53:00.006-05:00

Heartbreakers to newsmakers and everything in between.

Big news (and more competition) on the e-reader front:
- Barnes and Noble announced Monday their new tablet and pricing structure for the Nook. The pricing structures are more competitive with the Kindle and Vox even though the actual 'tablet' is priced $50 higher. One 'big' difference right now is that the Nook Tablet is much more limited in content than either the Kindle or Vox.

-The Vox has had shipping/fulfillment issues as of late. Many customers have complained about lack of communication with Kobo in regards to their orders.

Which leads to this eye opener... Rakuten, a Japanese based company has acquired the Canadian-based Kobo for $315 million. Many are looking favorably on this acquisition as Rakuten brings with it much deeper pockets than Kobo previously had. The hope is that not only will customer service improve, but the competition will heat up even further.

-Amazon is not sitting on its heels. It has announced a new book lending plan for Kindle customers who are also Prime Members. There are over 5,ooo books currently available in this lending program. It will be interesting to see if Amazon tweaks its pricing structure before the holidays as the Nook has matched Kindle prices and without the adverts.

Whew! So are you ready to buy an e-reader if you don't already have one?

Hard feelings abound as M/M author, A. J. Llewellyn, has been 'outed' for being a woman. Female authors writing in the M/M genre is not uncommon but the outrage is stemming from the fact that Llewellyn, a pseudonym, posted regularly on his blog and others, as a gay man sharing his advice and experiences. Llewellyn has apologized on his blog.

Not in the romance genre but worthy of note, Q.R. Markham‘s debut spy novel Assassin of Secrets, which garnered positive reviews from Publisher's Weekly and has blurbs by two well known authors on its cover has now been pulled by its publishers under allegations of plagiarism.

Ending on a lighter note...Is this the future of marketing?
What do you think of this cover?

Historically Paranormal By Gabrielle Bisset

2011-11-09T09:40:00.000-05:00

The sub-genres of historical romance and paranormal romance have always blended well for me, so when I decided I wanted to write about a new kind of paranormal being, I knew the story would involve history. I guess as a history teacher, it was inevitable. From that initial idea of wanting to write a new kind of paranormal came the idea for Aeveren, the characters in my novel, Destiny Redeemed.

Physically just like humans since they've evolved from them, Aeveren possess gifts that together make them different in the world of paranormals. For one, they can have abilities above and beyond what humans possess. Some are able to read minds, while others can see into the future or travel through time. This makes some of them quite powerful compared to other Aeveren whose powers are less advanced, such as the ability to heal, and those who have no powers at all. Another gift they possess is destined ones, other Aeveren they are drawn to across distance and time. However, the most important gift they possess is the ability of reincarnation.

When I chose to give Aeveren fifty lives, reincarnation was a natural next step, but quickly the idea took on a life of its own. With the possibility of any character having forty-nine prior lifetimes of experiences, the stories immediately became more historical in nature. Take one of the main characters in Destiny Redeemed, Amon Kalins, for example. Amon is an ancient Aeveren, born in his first lifetime in first century B.C. Greece. He's also a very powerful being because he was born in that first lifetime with his ability to travel through time, unlike most of his fellow Aeveren who have no powers until after their twentieth lifetime. Because he's lived through so much of the past, I had a plethora of times and places to choose from in the creation of his back story. It was actually an embarrassment of riches until I had to actually choose. Then it became something that took on great importance to characterization.

Amon has lived as a soldier in the late Roman Empire, a Viking around the year 900, a Turkish trader in the Ottoman Empire, a member of the ruling elite of the Aztecs when the Spanish conquered their civilization, and a gentleman of the landed gentry in late 18th century England, among other lifetimes. Some of these are mere mentions in his story, while others, such as his lifetime as an English gentleman, figure prominently. But each of these, along with his abilities, works to create a character who is interesting because of who he's been. In a very real sense, his past makes who he is in the present.
Destiny Redeemed is at its heart a paranormal romance, but the historical undertones are never far away. For Aeveren, the past is as much a part of the story as the present.

*****
Sentenced to spend the rest of his three remaining lifetimes in Nil, Amon Kalins is freed with the help of his Sidhe servant, Gethen, but now he must accept his life is never to be his again as the Council won't rest until he's safely back imprisoned within Nil's cold walls. Broken and nearly dead from his time in prison, Amon is saved by an Aeveren healer named Althea Forester. As a healer, Thea has served her people for forty-five lifetimes, never having a destined one and always knowing each lifetime would ultimately end with her alone. But destiny hasn't forgotten her.

Drawn to the seductive Amon, Thea quickly becomes a pawn the Council uses to trap him. Taken prisoner by the sadistic leader of the rebel group, the Soren, Thea must survive the vicious world of the people hellbent on taking her destined one away forever, and Amon must risk everything dear to him to free her from those who would sacrifice her to claim the bigger prize and return him to Nil.

*****
Gabrielle Bisset is a college history teacher by day, but by nights and weekends she becomes an erotic romance author. Writing for years, she finally took the publishing plunge in early 2011 with her first book, Stolen Destiny, and she's never looked back. Her novellas in the Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy-Vampire Dreams, Love's Master, and Masquerade-have all been Amazon bestsellers since their release in the summer of 2011.
Destiny Redeemed, her newest novel, is currently on sale now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance eBooks.

To find out more about Gabrielle and her books, including excerpts from each book, visit her blog at http://gbisset.blogspot.com/ and her website at http://www.gabriellebisset.com/

She's also on Facebook and Twitter.

Check out Gabrielle's interview at The Romance Reviews (click here) and get a chance to win a copy of DESTINY REDEEMED!

Romance Books - Where to donate them?

2011-11-04T10:43:00.000-04:00

I got the idea for this post from personal experience. I had a lot of books to donate, but where to? It was easy enough, and I was lucky none of them were romance books. Why? Because most places don’t accept romance books, it’s HARD to find one that does.

I did a little research and now I’ll share the results about what you can do with them:

1- Donate to hospitals, nursing homes or women’s shelters

Average/ Mainstream Romances

“They are always in need of reading material for their patients. FYI, they are also in need of magazines.” There’s not a lot of options to choose from.

2- Sell them on Craigslist
Any Romance

3- Look for an used bookstore

“Most every major city has a couple of used bookstores, but some specialize in only certain types of books. If you are interested in taking this route, find a used book store that sells mostly genre paperback book. Even better, find one that will probably pay you.”

4 – Be a part of a trading/sharing/swapping program such as: BookCrossing, Bookins, Swapbooks, Paperbackswap, Readitswapit and many other.
Any Romance (check each community to see what’s best)

5- Gift/ borrow it to a friend or fellow blogger

6- Have a giveaway!

Now go on and donate some book and you'll have enough space to buy some more!

- Nat

Article originally posted at the Reading Romances Blog

Industry News

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Heartbreakers to newsmakers and everything in between.

It's that time of the year again! NaNoWriMo has begun! If you are not familiar with the National Novel Writing Month, it is simply a challenge to write 50,000 words in one month or basically a short novel.Or as participants say, "It's madness I tell you, madness!" It is also great fun even if you don't complete the challenge.

Speaking of writing, Harlequin will hold their second annual So You Think You Can Write (SYTYCW) online writing conference November 7-11. This is a chance for aspiring writers to get some feedback and do some writing exercises under the guidance of some Harlequin editors. (The site will go live closer to the start date.)

News has come that HarperCollins has acquired Thomas Nelson, a publisher of inspirational novels. This move is likely to give HC over 50% of the Christian fic market which concerns many as it is likely to affect the landscape of this sector in terms of acquisitions and diversity.

Kobo has announced its entry into the publishing arena and offering publishing services such as editing and marketing to authors. Kobo also has an entry into the ereader market, the Vox ($199), set to compete against Amazon's Kindle Fire ($199) and B&N's Color Nook (still $249). Note: B&N has sent out 'mysterious' invites to a 'very special announcement' on Nov. 7th. Speculation is that B&N will be announcing a new Color Nook with the same price point as the Fire and the Vox. (And just in time for the holiday season :)

According to Publisher's Weekly, Harlequin released their numbers which show an improvement in sales, though the numbers are still down compared to 2010.

NextWeb has a terrific little gem of an article which is going to add fuel to the price-fixing lawsuits currently in motion regarding Agency pricing and how Steve Jobs and Apple 'won', at least temporarily the ebook pricing wars.

Don't forget to drop by at TRR's End of Year Splash Party for games and prizes. Good Luck!

Beauty IN the Beast by KD Grace

2011-11-02T12:59:00.001-04:00

My novel, The Pet Shop, is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and my retelling the story with the use of human Pets has raised a few hackles (deliberate choice of words). At first I thought most of the hackle-raising was because we live in a world where we're constantly trying to separate ourselves from our animal nature. In fact the very mention of animal nature can raise a few hackles. We live in an age where everything gets cleaned, waxed, polished, shaved and deodorized, and sex is spoken of in euphemisms, in spite of all our claims of sexual sophistication.

But the story of Beauty and the Beast isn't about down and dirty animal sex. The story is about seeing through the eyes of the other and growing to love that otherness. And though there's plenty of lusty, down and dirty sex in The Pet Shop, ultimately the story is a very tender love story. The fairy tale and my retelling of it are both stories about seeing the true nature of a person, with all their flaws and neuroses, and loving them anyway. And the story is about trusting someone enough to allow oneself to be loved in spite of those flaws and shortcomings. Tino/Vincent is both beautiful and beastly, and Stella learns to love both. But a part of Stella's journey to love is also discovering and embracing her own dual nature.

In the fairy tale, the beast is fierce and frightening, but I chose to add a bit of kink and make my beast a human Pet because there's nothing that must be more trusting or more at the mercy of humans than a pet. A part of what we love most about pets is that we're allowed to stroke the fur of the lion when our cat deigns to sit on our lap, or we're allowed to walk next to the wolf, when we walk our dog in the park. Sometime in our history a taming occurred and wild animals trusted us enough to become our friends. In doing so, they tamed us a little as well.

At some point in every true love relationship the same thing happens. We allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we allow ourselves to trust. Then once we trust enough, we reveal ourselves flaws and all and allow ourselves to be tamed, allow ourselves to love and be loved. The beauty of such a relationship is that we go willingly to that place of tameness, but we take our wildness with us because in a true love relationship, the wildness is as much a part of us as our willingness to lay with our head in someone's lap. And it's as much loved. That's what I wanted to convey in The Pet Shop. The story is not just Beauty and the Beast, but it's also the beauty in the beast, the two in balance, both tame and wild.

*****

An erotic novel by best-selling author K D Grace.

In appreciation for a job well done, STELLA JAMES 's boss sends her a pet – a human pet. The mischievous TINO comes straight from THE PET SHOP complete with a collar, a leash, and an erection. Stella soon discovers the pleasure of keeping Pets, especially this one, is extremely addicting.

Obsessed with Tino and with the reclusive philanthropist, VINCENT EVANSTON, who looks like Tino, but couldn't be more different, Stella is drawn into the secret world of The Pet Shop. As her animal lust awakens, Stella must walk the thin line that separates the business of pleasure from the more dangerous business of the heart or suffer the consequences.

*****

K D Grace was born with a writing obsession. It got worse once she actually learned HOW to write. There's no treatment for it. It's progressive and chronic and quite often interferes with normal, everyday functioning. She might actually be concerned if it wasn't so damned much fun most of the time.

K D's erotic romance novel, The Initiation of Ms Holly, published by Xcite Books, is now available everywhere.

Her erotica has been published with Xcite Books, Mammoth, Cleis Press, Black Lace, Erotic Review, Ravenous Romance, Sweetmeats Press and Scarlet Magazine.

Her second novel, The Pet Shop, also published by Xcite Books, is out now.

Find out more about K D Grace on her website, http://kdgrace.co.uk. She's also on Facebook and Twitter.

Check out KD Grace's interview on THE PET SHOP at The Romance Reviews (click here) and get a chance to win 2 downloads of the book!

Andrea Speed Interviewing her character From Pretty Monsters

2011-10-28T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hello,I’m Andrea Speed, and I’m interviewing the star of my new short story series,Josh, from Pretty Monsters (Josh of the Damned #1). Available from RiptidePublishing October 30^th. Josh is your average convenience storenight shift worker, except this Quik Mart has an unusual feature that makes itfar from your average job. Hopefully Josh will tell us about it.

Andrea:Hi,Josh, thanks for talking with me tonight.

Josh:(shrugs)3:30 in the morning’s the dead time anyways.

Andrea:Okay.Well -

Josh:Thatwasn’t a zombie joke. It’s just that, between now and four thirty, not a lot ofpeople come by the store. It doesn’t really start picking up ‘til about five,and I’m almost outta here by then.

Andrea:Soyou’re a night owl then?

Josh:(shrugs)I guess. I don’t like getting up before noon.

Andrea:Youknew about the dimensional vortex in the parking lot before taking the job?

Josh:Yeah.He had to warn me so I didn’t freak out when the lizard guys came in. It’sstill a little freaky anyways.

Andrea:Haveyou ever seen the vortex?

Josh:Youcan’t see it. It’s like this black spot, just nothing on nothing. It only opensat night, and in it’s in the back by the Dumpster, where the streetlight’snever worked. But sometimes, if you’re turned just the right way and kind oflook at it out of the corner of your eye, you can see a shimmer. It doesn’tphotograph, though. Believe me, I’ve tried.

Andrea:Andyou know it’s there by what comes out, right?

Josh:Youmean the lizards and the zombies and stuff? Yeah, I guess.

Andrea:Doyou believe it’s gateway to hell or something similar?

Josh:(shrugs)I don’t believe in hell, so I dunno. I don’t think so. I mean, they’re all kindof weird, but they aren’t vicious. Well, most of them. (The bell sounds,signaling a customer entering the store. From the rotted gray flesh, tornclothing, and general smell of death, it’s easy to peg the customer as azombie.)

Andrea:Theydon’t bite, do they?

Josh:Notsure. You could ask nicely, I guess. (He then smiles at his own joke.)

Here's the blurb:

Josh knew the night shift at the Quik-Mart would be full of freaks and geeks—and that was before the hell portal opened in the parking lot. Still, he likes to think he can roll with things. Sure, the zombies make a mess sometimes, but at least they never reach for anything more threatening than frozen burritos.
Besides, it’s not all lizard-monsters and the walking dead. There’s also the mysterious hottie with the sly red lips and a taste for sweets.
Josh has had the hots for Hot Guy since the moment he laid eyes on him, and it seems Hot Guy might be sweet on Josh too. Now if only Josh could figure out whether that’s a good thing, a bad thing, or something in between. After all, with a hell vortex just a stone’s throw away, Josh has learned to take nothing at face value—even if it’s a very, very pretty face.

This title is #1 of the Josh of the Damned series.

Formore about Pretty Monsters, visit Riptide Publishing. You can read an excerptand purchase, all on the same page.

VisitAndrea on the web:

Email address:aspeed2@gmail.com

Storm Grant on Why Riptide

2011-10-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

I’m very pleased to be included in Riptide’sdebut line up. My story, SUCKS & BLOWS, is the epic (but short!) love storybetween a vampire and his dentist. Here’s the official blurb Riptide EditorRachel Haimowitz crafted.

SUCKS & BLOWS: Deeply in debt to a loan shark, oversexeddentist Cary Drewel lives in fear of foreclosure and bodily harm. His newpractice is missing one rather crucial element: patients. Which, terrifyinglyenough, is the one thing his creditors also don’t have.

Pierce Sharpe, a powerful vampire with a drinking problem—or,more accurately, a problem drinking—can’t feed through the pain in his damagedeye teeth. In danger of losing his standing in the vampire community, Pierceseeks Cary's dental services. When Cary extracts his canines, Pierce must turnto other bodily fluids for sustenance.

Together, Cary and Pierce find a mutually pleasurablesolution to both their problems. Turns out, though, there’s more to thisdentist-patient relationship than simple suction, and what began with rawhunger from each of them might just end in love.

SUCKS & BLOWS cameabout when long-time LGBT author Greg Herren put out a submission call forvampire stories. He requested “dark and sensual,” and yet I sent him “laugh-out-loudand sensual.” The story was rejected, but Greg wrote a personal note saying howmuch he’d enjoyed reading it and was sure it would get published elsewhere.

I submitted it to Torquere who also have my story TARTAND SOUL. That story is long enough to be up on Amazon, but as I understand it,they don’t put short stories on Amazon, so S&B didn’t get the wide exposureI would have liked. It did garner all glowing reviews. Apparently the m/mcommunity likes a good laugh once in a while. Who knew?

Once the one-year contract with Torquere hadexpired, I tweeted on Amazon that I had this very funny short story I didn’tknow what to do with. The great thing about Twitter, is even though I wastweeting back and forth with Murphy Jacobs, Vashtan/Aleks was able to join theconvo and say, “I might have an opportunity for you.” That was back in June. Ihad to keep quiet about Riptide for several months. It nearly killed me. Thankgoodness I’m buddies with Cat Grant, whose very sexy ONCE UPON A MARINE ( http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/once-marine)is also part of Riptide’s debut line up so we could talk to each other aboutit.

Now I’ve known Aleks for several years. We don’tlive on the same continent, but we are part of the same community. A couple ofyears ago, when Amazon started “accidentally” pulling GBLT titles from itsrankings, Aleks and I, along with several other key players, were at theforefront of the AmazonFail protest that used any and all of available media tobring this outrage to the world’s attention. Once Neil Gaiman picked up thethread, Twitter went postal and Amazon fixed their problem. (Of course, we’restill waiting for our apology, but…)

Aleks is always quick to share information, and callpublishers on shoddy practices. He’s earned my respect and if he wants my shortstory, I’m honoured to share it.

What surprised me most about Riptide, is that eventhough SUCKS & BLOWS had already been through the editing process with itsprevious publisher, we then went through rounds and rounds of editing—three inall. I’d never had that kind of attention paid to a piece of writing. It wasawesome. That’s when I met Rachel. Not only is she a terrific editor, but she’sa very nice person and really funny. The blurb she wrote for my story is everybit as funny as the story itself. (I refuse to say funnier, even if it is.)

But suddenly my real life grew wacky, includingeverything from getting kicked out of my home by the renovators, an old dog whoneeds to be carried up and down stairs—ow!my arthritic wrists, and a stint on Jury Duty waiting to be called to do atrial, and then getting rejected by the Crown Prosecutor. I stopped reading theposts from Riptide at that point. They were planning a lot of promotion for theirdebut books and I figured my short story wouldn’t really figure into theirawesome plans.

That’s when I met Chris. I got a very nice, verysupportive email that walked me through all the necessary pieces of promorequired. She had me at nice. If she’d been mean, I would have reacted by beingself-important and resistant. But she was so nice, that I immediately crumbled.I got all the missing material in on time, and still felt guilty they’d had tochase me. I’m just not a last-minute kinda gal.

In fact, I felt so guilty that when Aleks asked if Iwould consider writing another story for them, I immediately wrote them anotherstory—this one approaching novella length. FEW ARE CHOSEN is about anapprentice warrior who encounters an apprentice wizard when each has been sentby their respective Orders to take down a nasty demon. At first they get ineach other’s way, but after separate failed attempts, they realize they need towork together to succeed. Then they discover they have more in common than fightingdemons, and share a tender moment. First kill leads to first kiss, as it sooften does, and then to first… other things. Of course, there’s a surpriseending you didn’t see coming. You expect no less from me, right?

So check out the love story of a vampire and hisdentist in SUCKS & BLOWS, coming from Riptide Publishing in October. Thenwatch for my new story, exclusive to Riptide, FEW ARE CHOSEN.

Thank you for reading.

~ Storm

Sucks & Blows will bereleased on October 30 and is now available for pre-sale at Riptide Publishing.

Visit Storm on the web:

Emailaddress: storm.grant@gmail.com

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Rachel Haimowitz on Why Start a Publishing House?

2011-10-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

One of the questions I get asked the most these days is, “Why start anotherpublishing house?” The impetus was, in a nutshell, fair contracts and greatediting, but the catalyst, well . . .that was a BDSM novella called MasterClass and an itchy author (me!) who’d decided it was time to stop waiting.

Let me back up for a minute and tell you the story of Master Class’s road to publication. I’d written it quite some timeago—long before I ever published Counterpoint,actually; Devon and Nicky have been kickingaround in my brain for years, pulling out the whips and chains to spur me towrite their story. I’d written Sublime:Collected Shorts featuring them as well, and those I put out on my ownas an experiment in self-publishing. They did well, but the one thing peoplewho read them kept saying over and over was that they wanted more. Ten shorts is a fun way to explorea whole big pile of different kinks, but maybe not the best way to connect withthe characters. That’s where Master Classcame in.

But I didn’t want to self-publish MasterClass. I thought I really had something special there, and I wanted to do somethingspecial with it. I first subbed it back in October of 2010 to what I’d considerthe most editorially prestigious house in the epub-first romance space. Theyloved it, but they wanted more romance. While it is a romance—or the start of one, anyway—it’s also very mucherotica. More so than anything, I’d say, given the deep focus on thepsycho-sexual journey of the submissive. While the editorial feedback was byand large brilliant, I wasn’t quite comfortable with requests I felt wouldchange the nature of the story. I thanked them profusely and set the pieceaside to edit and resubmit when I had time.

Alas, time got away from me. Fast-forward to April of 2011. I finallywrapped up the first draft of Crescendo and hada week or so to go back over Master Class.Several edits later, I sent it off to one of the larger M/M publishers I hadn’tyet signed with and wanted to try. Their submission guidelines said six weeks.Antsy though I was to finally get this story out the door, I sat back andwaited.

And waited.

Six and a half weeks later, I still hadn’t heard back. I was also deep intoa conversation about contracts and editing with Aleks Voinov. Our frustrationwith not being able to find “the perfect house”—the one with Manhattan-qualityediting, great covers, great marketing, andtruly author-friendly contracts—was growing by the day. We both had projects toshop. Neither one of us knew where to take them (although we were in the midstof a wonderful experience with Break andEnter at Samhain Publishing). And oh boy was I anxious to do something—anything—with Master Class that would get Devon and Nicky’s story out to allthose folks who’d read Sublime andwere waiting, eager, to learn how the two had met.

Well, at this point, you know the story (and if you don’t, check out our About Us page, where we share itfrom start to finish). Riptide Publishing was born that afternoon. I told AleksI’d write to the publishing house where MasterClass was currently sitting, thank them for their time, and withdraw mysubmission.

Turned out, I heard back from the house in a matter of hours after Iwithdrew the submission. They wanted to buy MasterClass. But by then, the wheels for our own house were already in motion.It’s kind of sobering to think that if that house had been just one or two daysfaster, Riptide Publishing might never have been born. Or at least, probablynot for a while. I think eventually Aleks and I would have reached the sameconclusion anyway, but at the time, it was MasterClass that lit the fire under our asses and spurred us to pursue thisdream.
And boy are we both glad it worked out that way. I love what we’ve donehere, and I hope you will too.

Here's the blurb from Rachel's book, Master Class:

Performing before a crowd of thousands? No problem. Baringhis heart before a crowd of one? Better tie him down first.

Broadway darling Nicky Avery is a shooting star by night, but by day hebounces from one heartless one-night stand to the next. A quick flogging, arough lay, a new whip-hand to manipulate—yet still he yearns for something hecannot even name.

He finds his first true hint of satisfaction in Devon Turner, aself-possessed film star and expert Dom. Devon knows what he wants the momenthe sees it, and what he wants is Nicky Avery. Nicky’s never learned to trustand has a nasty habit of topping from the bottom, but he learns fast that inthe bedroom, Devon won’t tolerate his actor’s masks.

Nicky's a broken boy, but Devon knows exactly how to put his new sub backtogether. With patience, care, and all the punishments his little pain slut canhandle, Devon breaks Nicky down one scene at a time, revealing a mind thatyearns to trust and a heart that hungers for the ecstasy of true submission atlast.

This title is #1 of the Master Classseries.

Master Class will be released on October 30, but is available for pre-order at Riptide Publishing.

Visit me and learn more about all my stories:

Email address: metarachel@gmail.com

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Why Riptide - Peter Hansen

2011-10-25T00:01:00.000-04:00

Peter Hansen

Why Riptide?

When Aleks Voinov and Rachel Haimowitz approached me aboutwriting for Riptide, they were taking a risk. At that stage in my career, I wasinexperienced, unpublished, untested; their First Wave includes some of the bignames names in m/m fiction, and no one had ever heard of Peter Hansen. I feltslightly like a Pomeranian who had wandered into the Rottweiler kennels, and Iwasn't sure whether to expect a dogfight.

That's not how Riptide works, though. If the owners puttheir faith in my ability to deliver a story they'd love, they were alsoputting their faith in their own ability to mentor me and my fellow Riptideauthors into the writers they deserved. I've received thoroughgoing editing,had serious discussions about title and cover art, and swapped military historyand photos of disturbing marine creatures with the Riptide team--all for asingle slim novella. At every step, Riptide showed a commendable degree ofrespect for my style and my vision ... while remaining firm on theirdevelopmental edits and ensuring that "First Watch" fit the image oftheir company.

Since those initial stages, I've had the good fortune tomeet my fellow First Wave authors and to hear about their projects and theircareers. At every turn, they impress me with their sensitivity to trans* issuesor their eloquence and erudition; at every other turn, they make me howlwith laughter. It's been an honor to get to know them, even though I still feelawed at times to be in their company.

I could say that I submitted to Riptide because I believe instart-ups, or because I was new to the market myself, or because I was a hugefan of the founders--and all of that would be true, to an extent, but none ofit is why. What matters is that when I submitted to Riptide, theypromised to respect my work and improve my craft, and I'm still surprised everyday at how well they delivered.

Here's a blurb from First Watch:

What price would you pay to survive?

Do you want to live? In the darkness of a WWI battlefield, young Legionnaire Edouard Montreuil lies dying. As teeth nibble his flesh, a voice whispers, Do you want to live? Frightened and desperate, Edouard bargains his freedom for a second chance.
Aboard the Flèche, a grim submarine captained by the nightmare who granted Edouard new life, Edouard pays the price for his survival. Each night, he gives his body to his captain as the bells sound first watch. But surviving is not living, and as the days stretch into months beneath the waves, Edouard grows desperate for escape.
Can Edouard’s old comrade Farid Ruiz help him break this devil's bargain, or will Ruiz fall to the same fate, trapped beneath the waves at the mercy of a monster whose hunger knows no bounds? Edouard and Ruiz served together once before, and slept together too, but courage and passion failed to save them from the eldritch beasts who roamed the night. This time, the cost of failure is nothing so clean or simple as death, and the spoils of victory are not just life, but love.

Peter's book, First Watch, is available for pre-order at Riptide Publishing

Visit Peter on the web:

Damon Suede on Why Riptide

2011-10-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm Damon Suede and I'm the author of Hot Head and Grown Men. I wound up at Riptide almost by accident which a medievalist would remind me is another word for Fate. LOL

I first met Rachel [Haimowitz] at Rainbow Book Fair in Manhattan and we grooved on each other instantly. J We share a similarly fast and snarky and twisted view of the world. I’d read and loved her book, Counterpoint. Learning she worked as an editor in her day-job came as no surprise, because the worldbuilding and deep POV work in that book showed such cleverness. When we left that day, I knew we’d be hanging out in the city when we could…

Fast forward a couple months.

Rachel and I communicated a couple times about work and craft and friendly gossip. She hinted a couple times that she had something brewing.

In June of 2011, my first M/M romance was published by Dreamspinner and surprised a lot of people (myself included) by barging to the tops of all its lists and parking its ass there. Almost the DAY that Hot Head released, a flurry of activity began because the book broke a bunch of rules and exhibited a kind of rawness that found favor with many genre readers. Now, my experience with Dreamspinner with the book was phenomenal and supportive. Elizabeth [North] consistently went out of her way to give me what I’d asked for, and things I hadn’t THOUGHT to ask for. I lucked out there. They’ve been and continue to be marvelous to work with.

Trouble was, in the leadup to June, I’d been writing a book called Grown Men which didn’t feel like a Dreamspinner book. I knew they could and would publish it, but I didn’t know if it played to their strengths as a “house” in the genre. Dreamspinner publishes sci-fi, wonderful sci-fi…but this Grown Men novella felt odd and kinky and internal in a way that made me want a strict editorial eye on it and an ongoing dialogue WITH my editor.

As a matter of policy, Dreamspinner edits in many passes, but a large part of that process occurs anonymously: authors receive edits from different people without knowing the source, and often without editorial contradictions reconciled clearly. With a third person contemporary like Hot Head, that setup presented minimal challenges. But Grown Men fell into strange terrain: not hard science fiction or cyberpunk or space opera, a cast of just two, and explosive angst that needed careful handling. Hell, it starred a mute giant with dubious intentions and a satirical sci-fi world that needed clarity and ruthless attention to detail.

I knew I’d need a lot of mindful back and forth to get it into the best shape possible. Anonymous editorial seemed likely to drive me batshit and make the process impossible.

Here’s where the Fate part happens…

Sometime in May, Rachel dropped me a line to check in to see what I had in the hopper that wasn’t contracted because she might know of an invite-only publisher “obsessed” with a sample they’d seen of my work. Then Hot Head came out and kind of went bonkers on the various lists and sites, a process for which I’m eternally grateful and a little mystified.

That first day, Rachel called me to say that she and Aleks [Voinov] had read and loved Hot Head. Then she got extremely candid and pitched Riptide: their business model, their rigorous personal editorial process, their marketing support... She basically CLAIMED Grown Men for Riptide’s vanguard with the force of her enthusiasm, praise, and acumen. LOL She bought the novella sight unseen and stressed that she wanted to “cultivate a career, not a book.” This is something I say all the time about writing and a resonant assertion for me on many levels.

Was I nervous that Riptide was a startup? I guess, except they were asking the right questions and focused on the right challenges. I dug their monoscopic focus on strong books and a short list of authors because it’s hard to get lost in an intimate circle. I loved their ideas for handling promotion and creative marketing. Chris Hawkins turned out to be a hands-down, flat-out, A-bomb GENIUS about the nutty business of horn-tooting. Rachel and Aleks both know this business and the art that makes it possible. Add in the fact that both of them have dayjobs as editors, and Riptide has set the bar high for product and process. If they stick to their guns, they will be making some crazy waves in M/M and LGBT fiction.

Did I have any concerns about Rachel and Aleks as captains of the Riptide ship? Well, no and yes and yes and no. I knew they were both smart and ambitious. Both seemed savvy and competent and experienced in the genre. So professionally, I knew they had the changes to run something cleanly. On the other hand, they both had a reputation for writing rougher, darker stories tending towards BDSM, so I was wary of being tugged into an imprint skewed towards the hardcore BDSM niche. I dig that subgenre, but it isn’t my main interest as a reader or writer so I had concerns. Likewise, as writers their aesthetics overlap deeply, but are SO different from my own; no way did I want to lock horns with two folks of shared tastes and tone who would try to wrestle my voice into submission. I didn’t think it likely, but I did worry for a moment. But it became an instant nonissue, the moment I saw the wide variety of their launch lineup.

Did I feel strange being used as part of their “First Wave” authors? At first, yes. LOL Rachel and Aleks admitted right up front that I represented something of a wild card: brand new author, zero backlist, strong opinions, bold choices as a writer and a business person. My experience falls in other media and genres. Turns out those anomalies were the very things that drew them and that my name had been among the first mentioned as the “kind” of author Riptide needed. They trusted my craft and talent, and gambled that we’d play well together. So hell, if they were willing, so was I! J

Was I put off by Rachel’s “brutal” reputation as an editor? Not especially; I knew Rachel liked to joke about the implicit sadism of editorial but I’ve worked in entertainment in New York, London, and Hollywood for 20 years. Those people will kill you, grill you and feed you to weasels. To extend the syllogism, if the editorial process resembles BDSM, it is similarly complex and subtle; if anything the BOOK is the Top/Dom for which we all sub and serve. A gifted editor submits to the text and supports the voice. A professional author pushes past discomfort to synthesize the input creatively and productively. Besides, Rachel and I had so much of the same humor and weirdness, I suspected we’d develop a work grammar quickly, and we did!

Am I still working with Dreamspinner? Sure am! Dreamspinner believes in me just as much as Riptide and they bust hump to make the most of everything we do together. Three months later, Hot Head is still ranked at #1 in Gay Romance at Amazon, which seems unbelievable to me. I’m chiseling away at the sequel (Hard Head) even now, and I’ll be writing it in earnest shortly. Under Elizabeth’s capable hands, Dreamspinner has been just as revolutionary within the genre as Riptide aims to be now.

Did I feel like I was jumping ship or betraying my Dreamspinner crew by joining Riptide? Not for a moment. Elizabeth, Anne, Ariel, and Lynn are all amazing. That doesn’t diminish my excitement for the way Riptide has positioned itself for our evolving genre and my hopes for the work we’ll do together. Rachel, Aleks and Chris enshrine quality over quantity, and craft over quickness. What working writer wouldn’t get behind a company that wants to help us kick our own asses productively? Everyone brings something different to the table.

I keep saying it, but it bears repeating: gay romance has grown up. Professionalism and craft matter more than ever before. Fans are fickle and inundated with shoddy product. Standards and demands will only escalate as the readership grows. New York has its eye on us. Epublishers represent tremendous threat and opportunity for ancien régime. Bottom line: we all need to pull on our big boy pants because the market and the challenges will not be SHRINKING anytime soon. The companies and writers that evolve will flourish, the rest will go a la Dodo.

Being part of the little Riptide family allows me to strike out into a different terrain and I plan to do exactly that, yo! Part of the genre’s evolution is that the various imprints are developing a “feel” in the kinds of books at which they excel. As I write more fiction and develop my craft, I like the idea of cultivating relationships across those boundaries in the fictional landscape. J

Rachel, Aleks and Chris have been receptive and enthusiastic about my suggestions for the company, which also makes me feel a part of the companies evolution. Before they’ve officially launched they’re already striving to improve. And THAT’S a reason to join anybody. LOL

Here's a blurb from Damon's book, Grown Men:

Every future has dirty roots.

Marooned in the galactic backwaters of the HardCell company, colonist Runt struggles to eke out an existence on a newly-terraformed tropical planetoid. Since his clone-wife died on entry, he’s been doing the work of two on his failing protein farm. Overworked and undersized, Runt’s dwindling hope of earning corporate citizenship has turned to fear of violent “retirement.”
When an overdue crate of provisions crashes on his beach, Runt searches frantically for a replacement wife among the tools and food. Instead he gets Ox, a mute hulk who seems more like a corporate assassin than a simple offworld farmer.
Shackwacky and near-starving, Runt has no choice but to work with his silent partner despite his mounting paranoia and the unsettling appeal of Ox’s genetically altered pheromones. Ox plays the part of the gentle giant well, but Runt’s still not convinced he hasn’t arrived with murder in mind.
Between brutal desire and the seeds of a relationship, Runt’s fears and Ox’s inhuman past collide on a fertile world where hope and love just might have room to grow.

This title is #1 of the HardCell series.

Grown Men, which will be released on October 30, is available for pre-sale at Riptide Publishing.

Visit Damon and see what all the accolades are all about:

Email address: Damon@DamonSuede.com

Website

Oh the Humanity!

2011-10-21T00:00:00.002-04:00

By Inara Scott

If you've read any of my blogs about my latest novel, Radiant Desire, you may have discovered that my story has a Beauty and the Beast theme. Kaia, my faerie heroine, begins the novel as the object of every man's desire. She uses her beauty to seduce - and punish - men, at the behest of her queen.

But for Kaia, as for the Beast in the classic fairy tale, pride comes before a fall. When she angers her queen for showing weakness, she is stripped of her faerie magic, and forced to live like a human.

With all the indignity that we women suffer.

(Wait, did I mention that, despite the loss of her magic, she has to find a way to make a gorgeous, powerful man fall in love with her? Yeah, that’s why they say authors torture their characters!)

Here's a taste of Kaia's attempt to adjust to her new life and restore some of her previous beauty. I think it’s a struggle we can all relate to...

In this scene, she’s talking to the queen's imp, a pesky creature who follows her around to make sure she doesn't use her magic (and to make fun of her—he’s that kind of creature!).

Kaia washed her hair several times, meticulously shaved the hair that grew back every damned day on her legs and under her arms, and sat beside a fan with a comb to try to coax some of the natural waves she had once loved back into her long mane…

"It’s rather amazing,” the imp mused, cocking his head as he watched her drying her hair.

“What?” Kaia’s hair tangled around the comb and she pulled it out with a growl.

“How boring you are. I mean, I knew humans were plain, but I’d never expected you to be quite so—how shall I put this?—ordinary?” He grinned, exposing perfect little white teeth. “I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure Garrett will love a boring, ordinary human woman.”

Kaia threw the comb at him and stifled a cry of frustration. She had not even realized how much of her body’s perfection was due to her magic. She had been seducing men for so long, she had unconsciously learned to shape her body to suit their needs. When men remarked that they loved her long, silky hair, her hair became long and silky forevermore. When men praised her tiny waist and exquisitely rounded hips, they became part of the body she always assumed for seduction.

But it was not natural, and it could not happen without magic. So the hair that had once curled in perfect waves around her shoulders and back would, she now realized, hang limp and lifeless to her hips. The fingernails that had in the past assumed the shape of perfect pink half-moons would be broken, uneven, and of indeterminate color. Her skin would have imperfections, her breasts would no longer bounce just so, and her underarms, unless corrective substances were applied, would generate a tremendously unappealing odor.

Humanity was not attractive.

Kaia had known this before, but she understood it now on a far deeper level.

Poor Kaia! LOL! But hopefully, you’ll see in the course of the book that Kaia manages to find something beautiful about humans.

Something worth falling in love with.

What about you? Do you love the classic fairy tales? The pride goes before a fall lesson, or Beauty and the Beast story?

Does the indignity of being human drive you crazy?

Industry News

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

Heartbreakers to newsmakers and everything in between.

Disturbing news broke last week regarding questionable business practices of Aspen Mountain Press, a Colorado-based publisher. There are some serious allegations being made by former employees and contracted authors in regards to unprofessional behavior including dubious accounting practices, nonpayment of royalties, selling books without contracts, and refusal by the owner to respond to various forms of communication, all which are violation of established contracts. Several authors have posted requests for consumers to not buy their books as they are not receiving royalties. All this was occurring while AMP was still soliciting and accepting manuscripts. Absolute Write has several posts from authors and former employees dating back from August when the Senior Staff quit en masse.

Currently, the AMP web site now states that it is officially suspending operation. Some authors have posted that their rights have been released back to them but other authors are still currently in limbo.

Is Cinderella Still Relevant? by Karen Rose Smith

2011-10-18T00:01:00.008-04:00

Remember the furor over the royal wedding? Kate became a princess and William became Prince Charming. We watched the vows with tears in our eyes and couldn't wait for that first kiss. Cinderella might be an ages-old fairytale but the storyline encourages dreams from the little girls who watch Disney-princess movies to the women who faithfully follow the Bachelor and the Bachelorette. Subliminally, our curiosity in relationships and interest in public romances is all about the happily-ever-after storyline. Can two people fall in love and commit to each other for a lifetime?

My husband and I recently celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary. I wouldn't be able to write romances from my heart unless I believed in them. When I was a little girl, I remember pretending a lace curtain was a bridal veil. My girlfriends and I reenacted the marriage ceremony. Recently, my BFF's daughter asked if she could play dress-up with her mom's wedding gown. Are the dreams of little girls now any different than ten or twenty or forty years ago? Loving and being loved drive our collective consciousness. Have you ever been in the midst of a crowd at a wedding and watched everyone grow misty-eyed? The emotion that takes over—other than the love we have for the couple saying the vows—is hope. The Cinderella fairytale gives a woman hope that she can find love, look beautiful in a bridal gown and believe in the vows she recites on her wedding day.

Little girls aspire to be princesses. Many women long to believe they will find their one true love who is kind, gentle, charming and the man they can spend the rest of their lives with. Prince Charming doesn't have to be a "prince" on a white steed. He just has to convince the woman he loves that she's his Cinderella. Are fairy-tale endings possible? I believe women long to believe they are. That's why the romance genre lives on and why our hearts melt when a couple says, "I do."

Karen Rose Smith is the best-selling, award-winning author of 75 published romances. Readers can visit her website @ http://www.karenrosesmith.com/, follow her on Twitter @ karenrosesmith and on Facebook (Karen Rose Smith author), and access her e-zine In Touch @ karenrosesmith-ezine.blogspot.com for new releases and contests.

Check out Karen's interview of ONCE UPON A GROOM at The Romance Reviews and get a chance to win awesome prizes! Contest ends October 31.

Romance for Romance Writers

2011-10-17T00:01:00.006-04:00

Dear Readers,

This is Rayka Mennen, romance writer. So we write about romance—all day, all evening, late into the night. We write those to-die-for-romantic moments; we write those too-sexy-to-go-to-bed-alone love scenes. But what do we do for ourselves in terms of romance in our own lives?

A few months ago, it occurred me to me I was simply too tired every day. Day job in the morning, writing books in the evening, chores and writing and catch up on day job all weekend. So we instituted a couple of things in our home. Friday is date night—dress up and head to a nice restaurant. If we’re too exhausted to do that, we order in and still spend time over the meal and a couple of drinks. Unexpected presents is another fun thing we do for each other. Fun, quirky, or spicy—they can perk up your day and your relationship. I’m the one that sometimes packs lunch for us (if we have left overs, mostly). Adding a treat—chocolate or a cookie with a little love note, adds a smile to the day.

That’s just some of the ways, I bring a little romance in to my everyday life. How about you? Leave a comment and one person will be randomly selected to receive a free copy of Enchanted Destiny.

Enchanted Destiny by Rayka Mennen
Destiny’s never looked so good.
Kat never believed she’d fall victim to her family’s stories about destined soul mates—she makes her own fate, thank you very much. When she walks by a construction site and admires the same sexy architect for the zillionth time in a week, the last thing she expects is to be slammed by a vision of his death.
Which activates the spell that will change their lives forever.
Jake is a single dad with a singular focus—create a stable life for him and his son. His ex-wife cured him of any desire to fall in love, but when an intriguing woman saves him from what should’ve been a deadly accident, he can’t shake his fascination. Too bad she’s crazy, claiming she’s a witch and that they’re soul mates—not exactly the “stable life” he had in mind.
Kat’s destiny comes with a deadline. If they don’t fall in love by her twenty-fifth birthday—a mere three weeks away—Jake will never find the peace he seeks and Kat will lose her magic forever.

Available from:
Amazon Barnes & Noble Diesel Books on Board

Giveaway: The Christmas Wedding by James Paterson and Richard DiLallo

2011-10-14T00:01:00.006-04:00

The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's four children have drifted apart, each consumed by the turbulence of their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announces that she's getting married—and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day—she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.

But the wedding isn't Gaby's only surprise—she has one more gift for her children, and it could change all their lives forever. With deeply affecting characters and the emotional twists of a James Patterson thriller, The Christmas Wedding is a fresh look at family and the magic of the season.

Review coming soon!

GIVEAWAY!

Little, Brown and Company is sponsoring a giveaway for 5 print books of THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING!

The usual rules apply:
1. Each household can win only one copy of the book.
2. Enter your name into the drawing at The Romance Reviews site (Click here to enter).

Winners will be announced in November. Watch this space.

Good luck!

Industry News

2011-10-12T08:00:00.002-04:00

Heartbreakers to newsmakers and everything in between.

The biggest news this past week is the passing of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc. Now that doesn't really affect romancelandia in general but it will be interesting to see if Apple can maintain the hold of Agency pricing without the charismatic personality of Jobs (especially with the pending price fixing lawsuits which also names Apple as a defendant).

USA Today has a new romance blog called Happily Ever After being helmed by author Joyce Lamb. Is this the sign that the genre is finally getting some respect from mainstream media or is USA Today just hoping to draw in some female viewers to their site?

'Chick porn' no more?

Romantic Times posted the US Publisher's Marketplace review of book deals. It looks like the chances of new authors getting a deal of over $500K have decreased but the chances of getting good deals are increasing as publishers have increased their overall buying. Romance seems to have 'declined' but that is questionable since it's mixed in with 'Women's Fiction', which is a very broad term for any book which has a female as the center character.

RT also did a cool article for aspiring authors on ten publishers accepting new manuscripts.

Lastly, the new Kindle Family has been introduced with a very approachable pricing structure just in time for the upcoming holiday season. It will be interesting to see if Barnes & Noble or Sony will respond. If you're not already an e-reader convert, will the new prices make you one?