The Aphrodite's Apples newsletter for June is up, and it features me this time! *does Princess Di wave* But I didn't have to interview myself, thank goodness--our esteemed editor Kayleigh Jamison was kind enough to step in and write up some questions. She did so well, in fact, that I'm tempted to add it to her job!
I'd also like to announce that I'm going to be at WriterCon, July 21-23 in Atlanta, GA. I'll have more details for you guys as they are forthcoming, but I'm looking forward to seeing you all there!
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Friday, May 26, 2006
S.E.X.
I was browsing the Smart Bitches' blog, when I came on At the Back Fence's post on the RITA awards and RWA.
As some of you gentle readers know, there's a debate brewing on erotica vs. romance, and how much sex is too much? Are romances getting too tawdry? Romance already gets a bad rep, does heating them up just lessen the profession?
OR...
Are some conservative elements simply refusing to recognize what women really want today?
If I may speak as a reader for a moment, I am not interested in sexless romance stories. When I go out to find a good romance, I pick up Sherrilyn Kenyon, Angela Knight, Kresley Cole, or Brenda Williamson. Are there exceptions to that? Yes--I adored Marjorie M. Liu's Shadow Touch, even though it was not as explicit as what I usually read and write. If you write a good story, you write a good story, regardless of the heat. What bothers me about this debate is that it cuts off perfectly good stories because we're still a little too afraid of S.E.X., and that's a shame.
As some of you gentle readers know, there's a debate brewing on erotica vs. romance, and how much sex is too much? Are romances getting too tawdry? Romance already gets a bad rep, does heating them up just lessen the profession?
OR...
Are some conservative elements simply refusing to recognize what women really want today?
If I may speak as a reader for a moment, I am not interested in sexless romance stories. When I go out to find a good romance, I pick up Sherrilyn Kenyon, Angela Knight, Kresley Cole, or Brenda Williamson. Are there exceptions to that? Yes--I adored Marjorie M. Liu's Shadow Touch, even though it was not as explicit as what I usually read and write. If you write a good story, you write a good story, regardless of the heat. What bothers me about this debate is that it cuts off perfectly good stories because we're still a little too afraid of S.E.X., and that's a shame.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Immortal Reveries promo goodies!
I've updated HS Kinn.com with the promo brochure for Immortal Reveries, and I also finished putting up the Diary of Elizabeth Sheffield. Have a look! :D
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Back from the RT Con
Daytona was lovely and the con was tons of fun--I only wish I could have stayed longer! But alas, family had to come first, so next year!
I went to the book fair Saturday, and had the opportunity to chat with several fab authors, among them Kresley Cole, Ann Jacobs, Marjorie M. Liu, and Angela Knight. They are all faaaabulous ladies! Kresley Cole was a sweetheart, and she's a fellow Floridian to boot. *G*
I got to talk with Ann Jacobs quite a bit about some industry stuff; I also picked up a copy of Sandstorms, which I hadn't read yet. I'm about a third of the way through it and I'm really enjoying it. It deals with an interracial romance between an Arab and a Jewish heiress, which can be tricky in today's political environment, but she pulls it off nicely.
Majorie M. Liu was was just a dear; I forgot to bring my copy of Shadow Touch and she signed a promo cover for me. :D Ditto for Angela Knight--well, sorta, as my copy of Master of the Moon is an eBook, and therefore, hard to sign. LOL!
Speaking of promos, there was an Ellora's Caveman out on the beach when my hubby and I went down the boardwalk. They were doing a photoshoot. I suppose now I'll have to keep my eye out for an EC cover with a hero with long, flowing blond hair in front of a fountain!
Hmm, I think that's all my highlights. I put out my cards and brochures for Immortal Reveries, and if you guys want to see them, I'll upload them. I need to update my website anyway. Ciao for now!
I went to the book fair Saturday, and had the opportunity to chat with several fab authors, among them Kresley Cole, Ann Jacobs, Marjorie M. Liu, and Angela Knight. They are all faaaabulous ladies! Kresley Cole was a sweetheart, and she's a fellow Floridian to boot. *G*
I got to talk with Ann Jacobs quite a bit about some industry stuff; I also picked up a copy of Sandstorms, which I hadn't read yet. I'm about a third of the way through it and I'm really enjoying it. It deals with an interracial romance between an Arab and a Jewish heiress, which can be tricky in today's political environment, but she pulls it off nicely.
Majorie M. Liu was was just a dear; I forgot to bring my copy of Shadow Touch and she signed a promo cover for me. :D Ditto for Angela Knight--well, sorta, as my copy of Master of the Moon is an eBook, and therefore, hard to sign. LOL!
Speaking of promos, there was an Ellora's Caveman out on the beach when my hubby and I went down the boardwalk. They were doing a photoshoot. I suppose now I'll have to keep my eye out for an EC cover with a hero with long, flowing blond hair in front of a fountain!
Hmm, I think that's all my highlights. I put out my cards and brochures for Immortal Reveries, and if you guys want to see them, I'll upload them. I need to update my website anyway. Ciao for now!
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Going AWOL for a bit
Hello gentle readers,
I'm going to be off the blog for a few days, due in part to family needs and also because of the Romantic Times convention, which I'm headed off to this weekend. I hope to have some pics to post for you when I return! :D
I'm going to be off the blog for a few days, due in part to family needs and also because of the Romantic Times convention, which I'm headed off to this weekend. I hope to have some pics to post for you when I return! :D
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Pimpin' Ain't Easy
So I thought I'd pimp some of my favorite authors, for those of you who are curious as to what I like to read in my spare time. Right now, I've got, either lying around my house or on my PDA:
Sword of Rhoswen, by Brenda Williams. Not only is she a faaaaabulous writer, she's also a sweetheart to boot.
Ghostly Possession, by Teresa Wayne. Ghostly's a rollercoaster ride--it's dark and sexy and a great read!
A Hunger Like No Other, by Kresley Cole. OMG, I could NOT put this book down.
Goddess of the Rose, by PC Cast. Again, I could NOT put it down. I love PC in general though. She's fab.
Pick a Dark Hunter, any Dark Hunter. Sherrilyn Kenyon's DH series is like crack, only its side effects are staying up too late reading and dark circles under your eyes.
There's more stuff coming out that I'm really looking forward too--releases from Candice Gilmer, Savannah Jordan, Rene Lyons, Kayleigh Jamison and Katrina Strauss. Some of them I've already had more than a peek at. ;-)
Sword of Rhoswen, by Brenda Williams. Not only is she a faaaaabulous writer, she's also a sweetheart to boot.
Ghostly Possession, by Teresa Wayne. Ghostly's a rollercoaster ride--it's dark and sexy and a great read!
A Hunger Like No Other, by Kresley Cole. OMG, I could NOT put this book down.
Goddess of the Rose, by PC Cast. Again, I could NOT put it down. I love PC in general though. She's fab.
Pick a Dark Hunter, any Dark Hunter. Sherrilyn Kenyon's DH series is like crack, only its side effects are staying up too late reading and dark circles under your eyes.
There's more stuff coming out that I'm really looking forward too--releases from Candice Gilmer, Savannah Jordan, Rene Lyons, Kayleigh Jamison and Katrina Strauss. Some of them I've already had more than a peek at. ;-)
Friday, May 12, 2006
Tacky much?
For those of you gentle readers who are not familiar with ARCs, they are known as Advance Reader Copies. ARCs are given out to friends, loved ones and reviews before an author's book is fully edited and released. PC Cast and Gena Showalter have discovered ARCs up for sale on eBay. Now, I can understand being very excited to see a copy of your favorite author's book out before it's really released, but I think that the average reader should be aware that said author doesn't get a dime from that sale.
Now, while I'll agree with the statement that you write for the love and not money, it's still pretty crappy to see a work that you toiled for hours and hours over sold without your consent or any sort of remuneration. What people don't realize is that sales like this are going to make authors and publishers stingier with ARCs in the future, and that's a shame, because it's nice to be able to give friends, family and reviewers a free preview. I know I certainly want to give out some ARCs of Immortal Reveries to some of my longtime readers when they're ready, whether Aphrodite's Apples elects do that in print or eBook form.
This isn't just a matter of money either, it's a matter of respect and courtesy for the authors who bring your favorite characters to life.
I'll get off my soapbox now. ;-)
Now, while I'll agree with the statement that you write for the love and not money, it's still pretty crappy to see a work that you toiled for hours and hours over sold without your consent or any sort of remuneration. What people don't realize is that sales like this are going to make authors and publishers stingier with ARCs in the future, and that's a shame, because it's nice to be able to give friends, family and reviewers a free preview. I know I certainly want to give out some ARCs of Immortal Reveries to some of my longtime readers when they're ready, whether Aphrodite's Apples elects do that in print or eBook form.
This isn't just a matter of money either, it's a matter of respect and courtesy for the authors who bring your favorite characters to life.
I'll get off my soapbox now. ;-)
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Excerpt from Immortal Reveries
Here's a little taste of Immortal Reveries that I promised a friend I'd post for her birthday. It's not edited yet and if you find any boo boos, they're all mine, lol!
Present Day, Atlanta
“This is your home, isn’t it?” Lyssa looked over the spacious dwelling. It was decked with alabaster colonnades, but otherwise its style was simple, almost austere. Its interior was cheerful and airy, its furniture simple, but comfortable, and decorated in warm, rich earth tones. Lyssa supposed most of the furnishings were antiques, all well tended. The room gave her an air of familiarity as she ran a hand over a couch.
His kisses rained over her lips, her cheeks, and her neck, down the curve of her bosom. “Mrs. Elizabeth Bristol,” he sighed.
She gasped and broke the contact.
“Are you all right?” he put his arm around her.
Lyssa managed a nod. “Your home is impressive.” She looked at him directly. “You brought me here to seduce me, didn’t you?”
“Absolutely,” he smiled, and his fangs gleamed, perfectly white in the soft light.
Her lips quirked into a half smile. “I don’t know whether to thank you for your honesty or cuff you for your arrogance.”
“I’ll take either one, so long as I have your attention,” he sidled up and captured her lips in a deep kiss.
She broke the kiss and lifted a finger. “Who is Elizabeth?”
Alex kept his hands on her, fingers stroking down the small of her back. “My wife. She died.” His gaze was fixed on hers.
Lyssa’s hand strayed to her neck. “Why do I think she didn’t die well?”
Alex’s lip curled. “You don’t think, you remember.” His irises were tinged in red. “Her murderer met an unpleasant end, I assure you.” His eyes went blue again. “I don’t want to talk about the past.”
She drew a deep breath. “Then why did you bring me here?”
He grinned. “Now, I don’t think you’re that naïve,” he bent to kiss her again.
“Alex,” she sighed aloud. His touch felt right, as natural and familiar as breathing. The tension left her body, receded beneath his kisses.
His hands roamed over her; his lips followed their path. He growled low as he removed her jacket and blouse, along with the bra and other unmentionables. His attire soon followed suit.
Alex lavished kisses on her breasts, suckling and nipping at their rosy tips. He nudged her thighs open and slid down her body. He pulled one leg over his shoulder and laved her clit, gently at first, growing more insistent as she moaned and scratched at his shoulders.
Lyssa writhed against him; the pleasure was unbearable; her body felt as if it had a will of its own.
Alexander licked his lips and slid back up her body. His cock rested at her entrance as he pressed against her. “I’m going to take you to my bed now, Lyssa.”
~*~*~*~
You can see more of Alex and Lyssa when Immortal Reveries is released this summer, only at Aphrodite's Apples!
Present Day, Atlanta
“This is your home, isn’t it?” Lyssa looked over the spacious dwelling. It was decked with alabaster colonnades, but otherwise its style was simple, almost austere. Its interior was cheerful and airy, its furniture simple, but comfortable, and decorated in warm, rich earth tones. Lyssa supposed most of the furnishings were antiques, all well tended. The room gave her an air of familiarity as she ran a hand over a couch.
His kisses rained over her lips, her cheeks, and her neck, down the curve of her bosom. “Mrs. Elizabeth Bristol,” he sighed.
She gasped and broke the contact.
“Are you all right?” he put his arm around her.
Lyssa managed a nod. “Your home is impressive.” She looked at him directly. “You brought me here to seduce me, didn’t you?”
“Absolutely,” he smiled, and his fangs gleamed, perfectly white in the soft light.
Her lips quirked into a half smile. “I don’t know whether to thank you for your honesty or cuff you for your arrogance.”
“I’ll take either one, so long as I have your attention,” he sidled up and captured her lips in a deep kiss.
She broke the kiss and lifted a finger. “Who is Elizabeth?”
Alex kept his hands on her, fingers stroking down the small of her back. “My wife. She died.” His gaze was fixed on hers.
Lyssa’s hand strayed to her neck. “Why do I think she didn’t die well?”
Alex’s lip curled. “You don’t think, you remember.” His irises were tinged in red. “Her murderer met an unpleasant end, I assure you.” His eyes went blue again. “I don’t want to talk about the past.”
She drew a deep breath. “Then why did you bring me here?”
He grinned. “Now, I don’t think you’re that naïve,” he bent to kiss her again.
“Alex,” she sighed aloud. His touch felt right, as natural and familiar as breathing. The tension left her body, receded beneath his kisses.
His hands roamed over her; his lips followed their path. He growled low as he removed her jacket and blouse, along with the bra and other unmentionables. His attire soon followed suit.
Alex lavished kisses on her breasts, suckling and nipping at their rosy tips. He nudged her thighs open and slid down her body. He pulled one leg over his shoulder and laved her clit, gently at first, growing more insistent as she moaned and scratched at his shoulders.
Lyssa writhed against him; the pleasure was unbearable; her body felt as if it had a will of its own.
Alexander licked his lips and slid back up her body. His cock rested at her entrance as he pressed against her. “I’m going to take you to my bed now, Lyssa.”
~*~*~*~
You can see more of Alex and Lyssa when Immortal Reveries is released this summer, only at Aphrodite's Apples!
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Romance novels are subversive?
Have I mentioned lately how much I love the Smart Bitches?
Well, I do, and not just because they aren't afraid to skewer man-titte. Today I love them for blogging on women's sexuality in romance novels. There are two points in here I'd like to throw out, the first beginning with this comment by Sarah:
Anything that treats women’s sexuality as anything positive and allows for sexual exploration from a female-centered viewpoint is inherently subversive. Locating romance within the history of fiction about women, and you find an inherent contrast from books that eagerly posited that any female who engaged in sexual acts and enjoyed it was destined for a painful, pox-ridden, hell-bound death.”
I know that many roll their eyes and call romance "chick porn" and while we can go into the debate that there's nothing wrong with that, I'm not going there. To me, whether a story is a straight romance or erotica, so long as it treats its characters in a respectful manner, I will enjoy reading it.
The other point concerns Candy's comments about Happily Ever After. "There’s a prejudice against the happy ending, and I’ll go out on a limb here and say that the snobbery isn’t entirely unjustified. I’ve read far too many books in which the endings were far too pat and far too easy. On the other hand, I’ve also read a great deal of books in which I could just tell the authors were gleefully rubbing their hands over the Portentious and Tragic Ending for Our Struggling Protagonists and *wrist on forehead* it’ll be so literary and ironic and heart-rendingly tragic."
I like happy endings, dammit. I also find snark and angst overrated. That's not to say I want to be stupidly happy and oblivious, but misery for its sake is just...pointless. Spare me the martyrdom, and don't tell me that romance is a lesser genre because it shows women having happy, fulfilled lives. Candy is absolutely right, pat endings are lame, no matter whether it's pat HEA or pat melodrama.
Well, I do, and not just because they aren't afraid to skewer man-titte. Today I love them for blogging on women's sexuality in romance novels. There are two points in here I'd like to throw out, the first beginning with this comment by Sarah:
Anything that treats women’s sexuality as anything positive and allows for sexual exploration from a female-centered viewpoint is inherently subversive. Locating romance within the history of fiction about women, and you find an inherent contrast from books that eagerly posited that any female who engaged in sexual acts and enjoyed it was destined for a painful, pox-ridden, hell-bound death.”
I know that many roll their eyes and call romance "chick porn" and while we can go into the debate that there's nothing wrong with that, I'm not going there. To me, whether a story is a straight romance or erotica, so long as it treats its characters in a respectful manner, I will enjoy reading it.
The other point concerns Candy's comments about Happily Ever After. "There’s a prejudice against the happy ending, and I’ll go out on a limb here and say that the snobbery isn’t entirely unjustified. I’ve read far too many books in which the endings were far too pat and far too easy. On the other hand, I’ve also read a great deal of books in which I could just tell the authors were gleefully rubbing their hands over the Portentious and Tragic Ending for Our Struggling Protagonists and *wrist on forehead* it’ll be so literary and ironic and heart-rendingly tragic."
I like happy endings, dammit. I also find snark and angst overrated. That's not to say I want to be stupidly happy and oblivious, but misery for its sake is just...pointless. Spare me the martyrdom, and don't tell me that romance is a lesser genre because it shows women having happy, fulfilled lives. Candy is absolutely right, pat endings are lame, no matter whether it's pat HEA or pat melodrama.
New Layout!
It's all Kayleigh Jamison's fault, but I do like the new layout. I am trying to get along in blogworld, but I am up to my eyeballs in work. It's my hope that you'll thank me for it when the book's out, LOL!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)