Heather K

TBR pile

2011-04-18T19:05:00.001-07:00

The To-Be Read Pile is EPIC, y'all.

Forever Vampire, Michele Hauf

Sabine...and the Beast, Moira Rogers (totally psyched about this one. Hot Scot werewolf? Where can I get one of my own??)

Blood of the Maple, Dana Marie Bell (dryads and vampires, oh my!)

A Borrowed Scot, Karen Ranney (in progress!)

The Girl in the Steel Corset, Kady Cross

Silver Bound, Ella Drake

Finished, to Be Reviewed, soon!

Stone Kissed, Keri Stevens (t'was good, would like to do a tag team w/Katie on it)

The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale, Christine Bell (let me tell you, this story was short, sweet and so good that I turned around and bought Naughty Godmother by her alter ego Chloe Cole. OMG.

Also, in a semi-related note, I am so totally pumped for the steampunk-a-palooza at Carina Press. Both the steampunk titles I've read from Carina were awesome and I am looking forward to trying some more. Y'all take the nook shop browser away from my hands until I get the backlist done though, all right?

Vote for Naomi!

2011-04-15T06:50:00.001-07:00

Please vote for Naomi (one of my bestest friends and sis in law!) to get into the top 20 of this contest and she could be chosen to read for the American Gods audiobook! You can vote daily, but only for one person. To find her submission (nhouser) go to the very last page and she is the third submission back from the example submission. Please share the pertinent info along with the link on your wall, if you please.

How to Save a Life

2008-05-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

I feel very blessed and lucky to live in the USA. No, I'm not going all jingoistic on you, I swear, but I am grateful for modern medicine. Healthcare here in the States is a sticky issue, and one I won't rant and rant about today, because I'm gonna talk about women who don't have access, even via the emergency room, to obstetric care. This one's near to me, because when I had my son, I hemorrhaged pretty severely. It's not fun, even if you don't die from it.

May 09, 2008
Simple Innovation Saves Women's Lives

Around the globe, 500,000 women die every year from complications related to giving birth. The most common cause is obstetrical hemorrhage, or heavy bleeding, which can cause death in two hours or less.

Consider that in many rural areas a hospital can be hours or even days away, and the urgency of medical attention becomes clear. Given this dire situation, some health researchers are working on promoting the adoption of less-invasive, evidenced-based medical practices to prevent excess bleeding from occurring during childbirth and simple innovations that can help stem the blood flow when there is a problem.

One low-tech device that can be used to help women who are hemorrhaging and who don't have immediate access to maternity care interventions is the LifeWrap. Also known as a non-pneumatic anti shock garment (NASG), the LifeWrap -- which resembles a partial wet suit -- is made of neoprene and Velcro, and it literally wraps around the lower body, using pressure to treat shock, resuscitate, stabilize and prevent further bleeding in women with obstetric hemorrhage.

Check out a video here to see how it works.

Dr. Suellen Miller, director of Safe Motherhood Programs at the UCSF BIxby Programs for Global Reproductive Health, is currently conducting foundation-funded studies of the LifeWrap to treat maternal hemorrhage in Nigeria, Mexico, Egypt, Zambia and Zimbabwe. She is also working with Pathfinder International on a postpartum hemorrhage project in India.

What has the research shown so far?

In 2004, Suellen Miller, Dr. Paul Hensleigh, and their Egyptian colleagues, conducted a pilot study at four large hospitals in Egypt. Study participants who suffered severe obstetrical hemorrhage and shock were treated according to standard management or standard management AND the LifeWrap.

There was a 50% decrease in bleeding for the women treated with standard care AND the LifeWrap. 75% fewer women in the LifeWrap died or had severe maternal morbidity.

That's super impressive, but as the LifeWrap website points out, larger studies are needed, especially for funding.

These studies would provide the scientific, clinical and statistical evidence required by donor and advisory agencies (World Health Organization, UNICEF, UNFPA, USAID) before they will contribute the funds necessary to distribute the LifeWrap globally.

With Mother's Day around the corner, now's a great time to make a donation to LifeWrap to help speed up distribution -- $160 buys one LifeWrap, which can be used up to 50 times.

In other news this week, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health study that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that relatively inexpensive interventions helped health care providers in Latin America improve the way they treat mothers during labor and delivery, especially when it came to reducing blood loss.

The teaching techniques focused on behavioral change strategies aimed at modifying practices. According to the study, researchers were able to reduce the number and severity of episiotomies at public hospitals in Argentina and Uruguay and increase the use of the hormone oxytocin – which is given to mothers to make their uterus shrink and bleed less during the third stage of labor.

"Both of these changes greatly reduced the amount of blood mothers lost during childbirth, with mothers in the intervention hospitals losing 44 percent less blood," said Marci Campbell, a professor in the UNC School of Public Health whose research focuses on health interventions.

"This randomized trial showed that knowledge alone does not change behavior," Campbell said. "It takes the combination of opinion leaders, personal visits, reminders, and support to change behavior. This change is especially important for developing countries where maternal hemorrhage is a major health threat. However, the intervention also could be beneficial in developed countries, including many parts of the United States, where rates of routine episiotomy are still above optimal."

Source: http://ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2008/05/simple_innovation_saves_womens_lives.php

Speed Racer: The Movie - What you need to know

2008-05-18T08:05:00.001-07:00

John Goodman kicks a ninja's ass.

Speed Racer: The Movie - WYNTK (Ladies' Edition)
Matthew Fox (aka Jack from Lost) kicks a ninja's ass, SHIRTLESS.

Film viewing is enhanced by drinking a large margarita beforehand.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

For my mom, who is awesome:

and my Grandma, from whom I get my curly locks ~~and stubborn temperament~~:

I can hear you laughing at my hair. You just wish you'd had hair that fierce back in the 80s.

While we're discussing fab moms and flashbacks, here's my baby godmother, who scanned a pic of us back in the 90s: cut for unrepentant ~~substance use~~ frizz:

ETA: Baby godmother is the woman with the big grin and middle finger waving freely. *G*

good reads!

2008-04-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Gloria!

I'm reading Son of the Morning right now and it's AWESOME! I hope the Naked Gentleman worked out as well for you! :D

Incidentally, gentle readers, I must mention just how fabulous Sally MacKensie's Naked series is - Kayleigh Jamison got me started on them and now we're going through the whole series! They are Regency through and through, and while more risque than a traditional Cartland, but it's appropriate for a Regency, if that makes sense. It's got the playful banter and underlying sexual tension and it's...like chocolate mousse - decadent and light as air.

I'll post more about Son of the Morning later, but for now I'm totally sucked into it. The hero's a hunky Scot, and there's time travel, and Grace, the heroine is awesome - intelligent and attractive, but not too much - not Mary Sue perfect.

The simple things

2008-04-26T11:40:00.001-07:00

As you all know, I just celebrated my birthday. Today my son's godmother (and one of my beffies since high school) came over, and brought me a couple gifts.

She got me a Diva Cup - not of interest to you gentlemen, I know, but I've been thinking about getting one cause it's more ecologically friendly.

She also bought me one of my most fave goodies - a Terra Nostra Rice Milk Choco bar. I know, a chocolate bar? But when you're vegan you eat a LOT of dark chocolate, and milk chocolate is verboten - and even if it weren't, it bothers my tummy. So the Terra Nostra bar is rice milk, and easy on my tum. And the kind she bought, they don't sell at my local health food stores. I can get the plain bar and then fight the Sithling for it. You know it's good cause Mr Picky loves it, LOL.

The final thing she got me, which I thought was very thoughtful and very her, was a National Geographic magazine, from April 1975. *G* I am reading it now. I'm gonna have to take some pics of the ads, omg. I wish my scanner wasn't dead, or I'd scan samples for you.

33

2008-04-20T06:23:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm almost 33. LOL. We're going to Epcot for my b-day this week, so I'll be out for most of the week. I used to work at Epcot, but I've never taken the Sithling, so it'll be his first time. Epcot, if you've never been, is HUGE, TONS of walking. It's nicknamed Every Person Comes Out Tired, cause there's a lake in the middle and you have to traverse it to see all the countries. The Flower and Garden Festival is going on right now, so expect much picspam when I return.

Speaking of b-day stuff, I was out loading up on books, and I came upon a fellow reader in the romance aisle. I gave her a couple rec's, she gave me a couple, and eventually asked to see my site and book. Of course, I have fuckall in print, cause I haven't subbed anywhere, and haven't edited. Ironic, considering the whole time I ran AA I never had anyone ask me, probably because I didn't get out enough. However, it was a nice experience, just for the fact that it reminded me "oh yeah, THIS is why I write, cause I'm not just talking to myself." *G*

Ta for now, my lovelies. I gotta get ready for the trip.

-H

Tis the Season...

2008-03-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

Well, hopefully it’s the tail end of the season, but I know I’m one of many laid-up with the flu/bronchial muck that won’t go away, so here’s what I was reading during my convalescence.

I bought some more eBooks. And some cookbooks. Let’s talk about the cookbooks first, because I know y’all really want to see some sexy vegan cupcakes:

Nom nom nom! The Sithling helped me decorate them, which is why the pattern on some of them is a bit eclectic. He’s an artist, my boy…These were fab and delicious, and (shh!) lo-fat. In fact, I’ll post the recipe, once I get a little more up to speed, since I’m trying to spread the Joy of Vegan Sex, er cooking. The cupcake recipe is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I also ordered the Veganomicon! It is every bit as fab as the hype suggests. Every recipe I’ve tried thus far has been fab. It’s got “nom” right in the middle of its name, and don’t you want a cookbook that references the Evil Dead movies?? Of course you do!

Oh yeah, other reading materials. I bought eBooks. I totally succumbed to the FluffSide and bought Mindy Klasky’s Girls’ Guide to Witchcraft. I know, I know, just buy a friggin’ MJD book and be done w/it, right? But really, when you’re drinking herbal tea and pondering ’hey, i think i know now why Anakin went all batshit…’, fluff is good. I also bought Gina Showalter’s The Nymph King because Candice Gilmer has recommended her and being that she’s a woman of good taste, I figured it was time to give Gina a try.

Hmm, anything else? Not that I can really think of right now. I’m gonna go back to my herbal tea and fluff. Take care, darlings.

-H

Romance Meta for you!

2008-03-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

This Smart Bitches review made me laugh so hard I coughed...ok, all laughing makes me cough, but it was worth it.

For the authors and feminists on the f-list, here's a deep thought for you: http://jezebel.com/369256/is-a-female+only-literature-prize-sexist

From the article:

Still Life scribe A.S. Byatt bitched about the prize to the Times of London,saying, "Such a prize was never needed" because it ghettoizes women's literature...[However] In the past ten years, three women have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction (for those counting at home, that's 30%).

Idon't know how I feel about this, honestly. I write romance, which is the red-headed stepchild of the publishing industry, and the most poo-ed on of all genres. Like it or not, if your work is oriented toward women's issues, you are ghettoized. (Romance sells more than half the paperbacks in the USA, btw) I had my MIL tell me that she didn't consider my work romance, and she meant it as a compliment,because in her words, "It has a plot."

I'd also like to add that when I met Susan Sizemore at a convention she straight up told us that if you're a woman and you want to write something other than romance,it's not bad to write the romance first, because it's much easier to get your foot in the door there, and then branch out into other genres.

There are actually a lot of romances that have plots now, that don't center on sheiks or sekrit babies. But that's a rant for another day. I guess this is like my feelings on the Romance Writers of America, where I agree with the goal, but I'm not so thrilled by the execution. So what do you think, gentle readers? Does having our own award put us in our own lipstick ghetto? Or are we liberating ourselves from sexism?

Kickin' it old skool

2008-02-29T07:32:00.001-08:00

Good morning, gentle readers. I feel a little better today. Thank you again for all the well-wishes. I have an assortment of blog-o-sphere goodness to share with you all.

1. Kayleigh Jamison and some other fab ladies have a book signing party!

2. Preditors and Editors is being sued. Louise Bohmer has a fairly serious take on it, and PN Elrod...well, see for yourself. I took this more seriously until I saw that she named "Miss Snark" as a defendant. Miss Snark? For Reals?

3. Alan Wilder, formerly of Depeche Mode, now of Recoil, blogs - Music for the Masses - I think not. I must confess that the title totally hooked me, as Music for the Masses was my first Depeche album. I've been a fan of Recoil for a year or so, and hearing a perspective from someone who's escaped the corporate machine fascinates me.

"And can the musician act as entrepreneur? Is it fair to expect our scatterbrained creative songwriters and virtuosos to also hold a degree in business management? Formulating their own strategies and marketing models as they go? I mean wasn't this the whole reason record companies and managers came into existence in the first place? From my own experience, simply trying to 'stage manage' what has been a very small-level experiment has taken up most of the first 3 months of the year - valuable time which I intended to spend composing new music."

I've had this conversation with many a fellow author, and on a lesser level, it's true of us as well. It's a criticism leveled at indie presses - some it's fair, some it's not. You have to hustle to get your work out there, and yet, the biz end of publishing is draining. It's why I'm not a publisher anymore. I never wrote. There are other reasons too, my health being a biggie. Don't worry, I'm not dying, I just need to take better care of myself.

4. That actually brings me to the next question I've gotten a lot of lately, which is, am I reopening, either as AA or under another name. No. I am content to be an author. If anyone wants a suggestion of where to place your work, depending on who you are, and your writing style, I am inclined to recommend...

Lachesis Publishing
Loose-ID
Dark Roast Press
Samhain Publishing

I'm not affiliated with any of these houses as an author or admin, that's just based on observation. I will put as a disclaimer that I know Rhiannon Rhodes of Dark Roast. She was our promo queen, and her vision of what sort of titles she wants to put out is similar to Aphrodite's in terms of the "hot with plot" delivery. I anticipate good things when they launch. The rest of the rec's are based on friends of mine who have good experiences with the companies.

5. Finally, people have asked about my own work, and where I'm placing it. I haven't subbed anywhere yet. I am reediting Immortal Reveries and I want to finish some of the WIPs and then I'll start subbing. I want to enjoy the craft of writing again. So far I am. ;-)

Arcana Barbie?

2008-02-24T07:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a random factoid about me: I like to collect dolls that look like my characters. Since my characters are adults, who do you think I end up buying?

Yes, Barbie, the biggest little woman in American dolls. Scary, isn't it? They even have a Deidre of Ulster Barbie.

Ahem. Anyway, I happened on the Barbie Tarot online and had to share with you all.

Put your beverages down and scroll to the second grouping of Major Arcana.

Yes, that's really a set of Barbies based on a Jude Deveraux book. Slide your eyes to the right, to #7, the Chariot - "Secret Hearts and Earring Magic Ken”. With all due respect to Dave Barry, I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP. When you can tear your eyes from the pic, read the card interpretation.

You’re welcome.

Did Harlequin hear about the cookies?

2008-01-24T06:09:00.000-08:00

The Dark Side has cookies, yanno...

Tempted by Megan Hart

Blurb:

I had everything a woman could want...

My husband, James. The house on the lake.

My life. Our perfect life.

And then Alex came to visit.

The first time I saw my husband's best friend, I didn't like him. Didn't like how James changed when he was around, didn't like how his penetrating eyes followed me everywhere.

But that didn't stop me from wanting him. And, surprisingly, James didn't seem to mind.

It was meant to be fun. Something the three of us shared for those hot summer weeks Alex stayed with us. Nobody was supposed to fall in or out of love. I didn't need another man, not even one who oozed sex like honey and knew all the secrets I didn't know, the secrets my husband hadn't shared. After all, we had a perfect life.

And I loved my husband.

But I wasn't the only one.

I may have to purchase this tome just to verify the slashy goodness, or lack thereof.

Oh Romancelandia!

2008-01-15T11:51:00.000-08:00

I know, I'm spamming today, but...

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, it all starts here, at the Smart Bitches site. And it's even made Fandom Wank...twice.

*sigh*

Goodies!

2008-01-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

I'm squeeing today, for my pal Katrina Strauss has a new book out, a m/m yaoi - Blue Ruin 1: Some Kind of Stranger. I had the privilege of reading while it was still in crit and it's a fab, fab book. If you like BDSM, yaoi, or m/m in general you should definitely give it a try!

Play Along at Home!

2008-01-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

Let's play spot the spambot on MySpace!

Can you see the spambot? Excellent, I knew you could do it!

Yeah, yeah, I know, I spent too long in elementary ed. BTW, what is it lately with me getting lots of rap acts trying to friend me on MySpace. It's not listed as an interest. I'll friend a band if it's a genre I actually listen to - rock/metal, electronica, alternative, maybe even folk. But rap? I like a wee, wee bit of reggaeton, and that's as close as I get to rap. LOL.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T06:18:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all had fun on NYE, but not too much... ;-) I know most people are posting their resolutions, but I'm not big on New Years' Resolutions. I think fellow Apple Tyree Kimber said it best: "...the key to New Years resolutions is to make a resolution you actually want to keep, have wanted for a while, and didn't just think of the night before."

So with that in mind, I'd like to...

spend more time with my friends. Yes, Shelly, Tara, Joanne, Randy and Kay, I'm looking at you.

finish my WIPs. I have three good ones that all need to be done. That's four months each, get off your lazy ass, Heather.

exercise more. It would help my health condition and generally improve the quality of my life.

That's my small and do-able list. There's more, but the former educator/therapist in me says go for observable and measurable goals. "Be more patient" or "be more organized" are not observable and measurable. LOL.

May the New Year bring you joy and blessings,

--HS

Author Beware

2007-12-11T08:32:00.000-08:00

I've quoted Ash Arceneaux here before, and I'm going to do it again, because Teresa Jacobs (aka Teresa Wayne) has decided to set up shop in publishing again.

From Ash's blog:

"The triumvirate of bad writing here." That quote is from Kitty Strauss in response to this new discovery: L.A. Media Online.

Apparently, this is Teresa Wayne's new publishing venture. I just want to know why she thinks she's going to make a self-publishing venture work when she's already proven she can't make a real publishing house work. This, also, is from a woman who swore she was never going to get into publishing again.

Now, I got burned by this woman. Well, nearly burned. I saw the approaching flames and ran like all of hell was behind me--rights to my book in hand!--and I'm still fielding emails from former Mardi Gras Publishing authors who--gasp--haven't got their rights back.

How do you warn people, and make them listen, about a publisher who lies through her teeth and is out ONLY for herself? I met the woman in person. I watched her promote her own book without a word to any prospective customer about the 30-odd other authors who had books with her, or even the THREE MGP authors who bothered to show up to promote the COMPANY not just their books. She charged fees and never paid some authors.

****

For those of you who may have entered the party late, and wonder why I care, or why Ash or Kitty care so much, let me remind you of the plagiarism debacle that caused us so much grief in the early days of Aphrodite's Apples. Lest you think it's just Ash, Kitty and me, please read the comments in the Smart Bitches' entry - read Stella Price's experiences with MGP and Ms Jacobs. There's more on it at Dear Author.

The greater point to all this is that I don't make the "author beware" statement lightly. Publishing is a highly competitive field and you need to be choosy about where you place your manuscript. Some books fare better in eFormat, some in print. Some do well in both. However, do your research on the market and which house will best serve your work. Every e/indie press has its strengths and weaknesses. However, when rumors start drifting that it's an author mill - run, don't walk away with your manuscript, no matter what sort of pretty promises the publisher makes.

Plagiarism rears its ugly head again

2007-12-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

Thankfully it's not someone I know personally this time, but that doesn't make it any better. For legal purposes, do keep in mind that all of this is alleged, not proven.

Have a look at this blog, by Ash Arceneaux: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=86192280&blogID=333310574

For the tl;dr crowd, here's the highlights, from Ash's blog:

"Somebody showed me a LiveJournal where a reviewer reviewed a JJMassa book. After the initial post, a writer who found the post via Google began posting some very fervent comments about how Massa stole the story from a fanfic the commentor had written and posted some years before. According to the commentor, who's name is Amanda, I believe,she has irrefutable evidence she wrote the story FIRST. "Here's the journal where the accusations begin: Elisa Rolle Livejournal

JJ Massa's Book, now pulled from Linden Bay

Amanda's Star Trek AU fic

Philadelphia—the city of brotherly love. Yeah, I feel the love. Tyler winced and slung his backpack over his aching shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself off the teeming sidewalk and up the battered stairs of the old, red-bricked precinct house.

The inside foyer was even more chaotic than the busy street he'd just left. The room he found himself in was peopled with glowering teens, screaming whores, a few stumbling drunks, and a plethora of independent chemists and their staff.

Tyler dropped his backpack onto the desk letting the noise of its landing grab the attention of a surly looking officer who'd been flicking through a magazine.

"You want something?" he growled, "Just get in line."

Tyler eyed him coldly, nodding his head at the motley mass of human chaos assembled. "I'm not here to sightsee. My name's Tyler Baker."

The cop's lip curled in an outright sneer of contempt. He looked Tyler up and down rudely. "You're late. Lieu expected you a couple hours ago."

"My plane was delayed. I've only been in the city an hour," he began to explain patiently.

"Look deep into my eyes, Baker," he said scornfully. "See any give-a-shit in there?"

Tyler folded his arms across his chest. "You got a problem with me, officer?" he demanded icily.

New York, New York. So good they named it twice.

::Yeah, right::

Tom hoisted his knap-sack higher over his aching shoulder and stared with ill-disguised disgust at the crumbling red-stone exterior of the precinct house until the impatient bustling of passers-by forced him to mount the steps and walk inside.

::Shit::

The foyer was more chaotic than the street he'd left behind. The room was filled with screaming whores, sullen teens, a couple of blood-splattered drunks and someone curled up on the floor in one corner in a puddle of vomit. Tom wasn't sure whether the huddled body was a homeless guy sleeping in the station or a corpse.

At the desk a couple of burly uniforms had some crack-head pinned against the wall while a third cop performed a public strip-search.

He slammed his knap-sack down on the desk and the noise startled a bored-looking cop to belch and frown in his direction.

"What the fuck's your problem? Join the queue."

Tom curled his mouth into a sneer of derision, cocking his head mockingly at the bedlam that purported to be a 'queue'. "I'm not part of the entertainment. My name's Tom Paris."

The cop returned his sneer, sliding his eyes up and down Tom's body with obvious contempt. "You're late. The Cap'n expected you two hours ago."

"My plane got delayed. I only arrived an hour ago and I had to drop off my luggage."

"Tell it to someone who cares, Paris."

Something is indeed rotten in the state of Denmark, ladies and gents.

eBooks and the future of publishing

2007-11-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

If you are an eBook author, you often find yourself promoting, or (depending on how you look at it) defending the medium just as much as you do your work itself. It gets old, honestly, and many people I know in the biz tend to go in one of these two directions:

1. My work IS in print. It's an eBook, deal with it.
2. Man, if my work were in print, the world would beat a path to my door.

The truth of the matter is somewhere in between. I do lean toward option one, honestly, because eBooks are the future. Amazon and Harlequin just got into the game in big ways, so I'm not the only one who thinks so. Ask anyone who owns an iPod or other mp3 player.

So, Heather, does that mean that they'll be no more print books, ever? Well, no. Go to the mall, are we all fresh out of CDs? My music purchases are primarily mp3s now, but that doesn't mean I won't buy a CD if it's an artist I really adore and would like a hard copy of their work. However, I find as time goes on I'm doing that less and less. I get CDs as gifts, mostly - Mr K got me Tori Amos' new album as a gift, but I bought myself Siouxsie's Mantaray on iTunes and burned a hard copy.

So how does that related to my reading habits? Well, of the last six books I bought - two were print editions. The rest? Ebooks. Now, I know I'm a young whippersnapper and whatever, right? The well-entrenched romance reader, the ones Romantic Times lauds, who are "avid romance readers since their teens and currently read between 10 and 40 books a month"? Are they buying eBooks?

Let me stop here for a moment and talk about my mother. If you look at my MySpace, the only hero I have listed is my mom. She's awesome. My mom's the first person who really encouraged me to be a writer, when I was a little girl. My mom is one of RT's target readers. She's an avid Nora Roberts fan, buys at least ten single titles a month. She's sharp, professional, creative, and loyal. She's doing some continuing education right now, and she remarked to me the other day, "I'm so tired of printing out PDF files. How much did your Palm Pilot cost?"

We talked a bit about what my Tungsten does vs getting a dedicated reader, like Amazon's Kindle or the Sony Reader.

I find it extremely telling that my mother, who's a baby boomer, and not-uber techie is interested in a dedicated reader. Not that my mom's a slouch either - she knows her way around the computer, but I am still hands-down the family's alpha geek.

The main lament right now amongst writers and readers is compatibility. It's a legit complaint, and I can remember when it was a problem for mp3 players as well. Speaking of my mother again, I went with her to pick out her mp3 player, and I ended up advising her to get an iPod because I felt its interface was the simplest and most user-friendly. However, as most people know, while an iPod plays mp3s, other mp3 players don't like its digital rights management (DRM) .m4a format.

That must be why no one buys iPods, right?

Wait... ;-)

So where does that leave those of us who are indie or eBook authors? If my book's in print, the world will beat a path to my door... Well, no. One look at JA Konrath's blog will tell you that it's not so. However, that said, face to face sells books. If your work's not in hard copy, what do you do?

First of all, stop telling yourself it's not in print. It is. And don't let other people tell you otherwise, they are misinformed. Be nice about it though. ;-) And head over to VistaPrint and get some promo items whipped up. VistaPrint's highly reasonable, and you can often get author promo items for only the cost of shipping. You can make bookmarks, notepads, post cards, etc. You know what I carry on me all time, in case people ask me what I do for a living? I have my Palm Tungsten, bookmarks and my business cards. I turn on the Palm, show them how easy it is to open and read an eBook, and then I give them a card or a bookmark. Easy peasy.

Now, speaking of writing books, I need to get back to that...

Suck it, Boy Scouts

2007-10-04T16:52:00.000-07:00

Camp Fire USA offers comparable activities for boys and girls without any of the homophobia and discrimination.

If you are wondering why I personally care, my beffie's son, who is a high functioning autistic, expressed interest in joining the Boy Scouts and was refused. Again, he's HIGH FUNCTIONING. He can speak, read, write, perform self-care, etc. But oh no, autistic children have cooties throughout the greater Orlando Boy Scouts troupes.

Camp Fire USA encourages children with disabilities, and according to their website, "We are inclusive, open to every person in the communities we serve,welcoming children, youth and adults regardless of race, religion,socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation or other aspect of diversity."

I will be volunteering my time to my local Camp Fire USA. I'll keep you guys posted on my experiences with my local chapter. I will say, however, that I mentioned my son and his condition and all they said was, "We'd love to see you, let me send you a schedule of events!"

I'm in the news!

2007-09-24T03:19:00.000-07:00

And so is my dear Katrina Strauss. I am LOLing over being referred to as a "mostly nightgown novel e-book publisher."

That is fabulous.

Southern Review, Vol. 5, No. 10, October 2007 talks about the demise of MGP.

In all seriousness, I think that Southern Review did a good job of keeping his tone neutral, and in giving authors some solid information about copyright and bankruptcy law.

And in more news, I'm featured in a publisher interview at Mandy M. Roth's blog! :D

Preaching to the Choir...

2007-09-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

Y'all know I'm a sucker for cheesecake reading. In fact, since Harlequin recently got into the ebook game I decided to check out their naughty line and see if there was anything I liked there. And lo, there is - I am currently digging Nancy Madore and Jina Bacarr. So I got this nifty little message from Harlequin in my inbox:

Instant and Portable eBooks!

Dear Heather,

Life is busy. And sometimes, it's difficult to carry around your favorite books especially if they're in hardcover! That's why I love eBooks. Not only are they easy to download, but they are instant an dportable. Plus, we never sell out! With a few easy clicks, you can enjoy over 100 new eBooks every month! Browse our extensive selection and see for yourself how easy it is to enjoy eBooks!

~~~~
Sister, you're preaching to the choir here. :D

Norwegian Herb-Nut Bread

2007-09-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Now veganized and suitable for bread machine.

2 & 1/4 oz active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110F-115F)
1/2 cup soy milk, scalded
1 t of ground flaxseed whisked into 3 T of water as egg replacer
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, dried, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, dried, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, dried, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, dried, crushed
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and let stand in a dark place until it is spongy.

While the yeast is proofing, get a bowl and assemble the dry ingredients.

Whisk together ground flaxseed and water, and let it sit for a couple of minutes. It will become thick and fluffy, like egg whites.

Heat your soymilk.

Once your yeast are thick and spongy, place them in the bread machine.

Add flax.

Add soymilk.

Add oil.

Add dry ingredients and set machine to "wheat" cycle.

Makes 1 loaf. Cooking time: 3:30

This recipe makes a nice, soft, slightly sweet and nutty loaf. I know I should post pics of the baked goodies but Mr K has not yet unloaded all his Vegas trip pics, so ...honestly I'm not sure where the camera is, other than "somewhere amidst all the gaming swag."

The Demise of Mardi Gras Publishing

2007-08-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

Mardi Gras Publishing has announced its imminent bankruptcy. Normally I don't like to comment on others' misfortunes, but I am moved to say something about this situation. Teresa Jacobs, who writes under the name Teresa Wayne, started MGP at the same time that we started Aphrodite's Apples, and at one point, she wanted to sub to us, but she wanted us to bump her book to the head of the queue. At that point we'd been done nine months' lead time on the creation of our house, and we already had authors with previous experience and contracts signed. There was a queue for submissions. She also didn't want any further edits done to her work. At the time, Kayleigh Jamison (then-EIC) and I told her nicely we'd take it if went through edits and it would go out in order received for publication. While we were reviewing her submission she began to ask a lot of questions about the publishing business, and shortly thereafter she announced that she was starting MGP. At the time, she ran the Pink Posse Review site, and I say all that so that I can link to this - Katrina Strauss' statement on MGP and the Pink Posse.

I am afraid Ms. Jacobs always been unethical. I am very sorry that when this first came to light that we felt we couldn't speak out on the matter. I am even more sorry for the MGP authors' current predicament.

And now that all that's been said, I'm gonna agree with Kitty Strauss. Back to writing. If you guys need me, you know where I am.

--H

Tempeh Bruschetta

2007-08-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

I made a nice tempeh bruschetta for dinner. And had sauvignon blanc. Whee!

Ahem. For my first experimentation with it, I think it came out pretty well. Unless that's the wine talking...

Ingredients:

8 oz tempeh, marinated (see below)
1 lb baby bella mushrooms
1/4 of an onion, thinly sliced
crusty bread, such as Italian, French, baguette, etc
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped coarse (can sub one can of diced tomatoes if fresh isn't on hand)
1/2 t rosemary
2 t roasted garlic
1/4 olive oil, for sautéing of veggies and to brush bread with
1/2 c veganrella or other veggie/vegan cheese of your choice (optional)
wine, more for the chef than the dish

Tempeh marinate:

1/4 c soy sauce or tamari
1 t roasted garlic (reserve the rest to add to main recipe)
2 T balsamic vinegar
8 oz tempeh, sliced thin

Place tempeh in shallow pan and add marinate ingredients. I marinated it for an hour before I started the rest of the food, and I turned it once midway through the hour.

Sauté onions on medium-high heat until they just start to become translucent. Add baby bella, reduce heat to medium and cover till they cook down a little, about five minutes. Uncover and add tomatoes, rosemary, the rest of the garlic and marinated tempeh. Add wine to food and the chef. Stir and cover again, for ten minutes. While it's cooking, get your crusty bread out, slice some nice chunks and brush them with olive oil. Add the finished tomato mixture to the slices, along with vegan cheesy goodness, if desired. Pop into the oven on broil for 5 min, or just long enough to get your cheese to melt and bubble and put some nice grill marks on your bread.

And have some more wine. :D

Chat with me tonight in 3D!

2007-08-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be the featured author at the Romance Galleria tonight for Mocha Monday! I'll be talking about my own book series, The Supernaturals, paranormal romance, pagans, writing, Aphrodite's Apples and anything else you guys would like to throw my way!

Who: Me!
Where: http://www.theromancegalleria.com/
When: Monday, August 13th at 9 pm EST

See you there!

A yummy for y'all!

2007-07-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

Offered per Faye's request...

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins

1 box of Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
1 can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mixture, just straight up canned pumpkin)
1/4 c of applesauce
1/2 c toasted walnuts (optional)

Combine cake mix, applesauce and pumpkin together with a large, flat spoon - a wooden stirring one is good. Treat it like you're creaming the mix into butter, quickly, without overworking the batter. Once the ingredients are just combined, add nuts if desired. Daub into muffin cups till they are 2/3 full, and bake 18-23 minutes. If you're feeling especially splurgy, you can bake it as a cake and top it with cream cheese icing. Some of the national brands are vegan. :D

I got this recipe from a vegan buddy of mine (I'm not vegan, but it's soooo good) and most anyone will find it irresistible. I use it to sneak beta carotene into my Sithling, who is the world's finickiest child.

Back from the Dead!

2007-06-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

I'm alive, y'all!

I'm pretty excited about that. LOL. Since I've been down with the flu I have all sorts of things to talk to you all about. I'm thrilled to announce that Aphrodite's Apples has joined both EPIC and the Erotic Authors' Association (EAA). Both of these organizations are representative of what we are trying to accomplish, in terms of the advancement of both intelligent erotica, and the elevation of ePublishing.

The EAA is interested in the promotion of erotica as an art form, something that's sorely needed in today's current socio-political climate. Mainstream writers groups (I won't name names) are pulling back and treating romantic erotica as if it's a redheaded stepchild, tolerated only because of sales. Some of the smaller presses who specialize in romantic erotica are being subjected to recertification. It's crap, in my opinion. If this is mainstream professionalism, I'd rather be an indie.

EPIC, on the other hand, is exactly what I think is needed in ePublishing. I joined a couple weeks ago, though I'd been meaning to for some time. Kayleigh Jamison, our Editor-in-Chief, has belonged for a while now. I'm really impressed with the group as a whole - they are just as dedicated to quality and the advancement of ePublishing as we at Aphrodite's are. They are intelligent, professional and I'm looking forward to working with them more.

Those of you not in the biz might wonder why I'm so delighted with EPIC. Right now ePublishing is in its infancy, and we're seen as electronic Pulp Fiction. In some respects that's amusing to me, as Shakespeare, in his day was a pulp writer. Ben Jonson was considered by his peers to be the far superior author. I'd like to see a show of hands for who's heard of him besides me. Who do we study today? Will Shakespeare, pulp writer.

But I digress. Some of ePublishing's pulp reputation is deserved. There are author mills and disingenuous souls~~PublishAmerica~~ claiming to be royalty paying presses, when in reality they accept anyone and do not edit or do anything that helps the author refine or market their books.

However, there are wonderful ePresses that want to create the best stories they can, in electronic form. We certainly do at Aphrodite's. I am delighted to find so many like-minded souls at EPIC. Places like Freya's Bower, Tease and Whiskey Creek. Indeed, EPIC's site is a good place to start if you are looking for a publisher, or information on eBooks in general.

If you are an aspiring author considering ePublishing, I would urge you to look around EPIC's site. When we were creating our original contracts for Aphrodite's, we looked to EPIC to make certain our language would adhere to industry standards. EPIC, Preditors and Editors and Piers Anthony's page on ePub are all excellent resources if you'd like to learn more about the business.

A well-informed author is a more confident and savvy submitter. We have a page on the advantages of ePublishing for would-be authors. Read it, and some of the other resources I suggested. As an author, I know how much work I put into my manuscripts. Protect yourself and your work.

If you're a reader, take a chance on an eBook. I think you'll be surprised and delighted at what you'll find, right here on the web.

Last Chance to Make a Difference!

2007-05-31T06:40:00.001-07:00

Hey guys,

Today's the last day of Brenda Novak's Auction for Juvenile Diabetes. It's your last chance to help make a difference and scoop up some great eBooks while you're at it! Check out our the Aphrodite's Apples eBook packet -- It includes includes titles by Nikki Watson, Katrina Strauss, Kayleigh Jamison, HS Kinn, Yolanda Sfetsos, Candice Gilmer, LA Taylor, Alisha Steele, Ivana Peters and many more!

Hope to see you there, and happy bidding!

--HS

Three Days Left!

2007-05-28T07:11:00.000-07:00

There's just three days left to bid on the Aphrodite's Apples eBook packet for sale at Brenda Novak's Auction for a Cure!

Come have a look and our auction and all of Brenda's other goodies! All proceed go to benefit research for a cure for Juvenile Diabetes!

--H

Bruce is Back!

2007-05-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

Most of you are aware of my love for Bruce Campbell and the Evil Dead flicks. Bruce did an Old Spice commercial, and I had a fangirly *squee*. And now, there's another.

Bruce is back and he's bad, baby!

*squee!*

Spellbound is #7 on Fictionwise!

2007-05-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

Aphrodite's Apples anthology Spellbound - Tales of Mischief & Mayhem is currently ranked as the 7th top selling Horror title over at Fictionwise! It features my short, Connacht the Immortal. Check it out:

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/HorroreBooks.htm

This was a Halloween release with a limited run last October, but it looks like this deliciously spooky anthology has risen from the mists and come back to haunt us. ;)

For more information, check out Spellbound here:

http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook45685.htm?cached

Chatting Live Now!

2007-05-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

Chat with the Me and Apples at... http://www.theromancestudio.com/chat.php

We'll be there till 10 pm EST. See you there! :D

Auction for the Cure!

2007-05-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Join Brenda Novak and Aphrodite's Apples Press in the search for a cure for diabetes! Brenda’s Third Annual On-line Auction for Diabetes Research is on now, and Aphrodite's Apples has an eBook packet, worth $50 up for sale! It includes includes titles by Nikki Watson, Katrina Strauss, Kayleigh Jamison, HS Kinn, Yolanda Sfetsos, Candice Gilmer, LA Taylor, Alisha Steele, Ivana Peters and many more! Bidding is open now!

I also urge you to check out the rest of Brenda's auction, she has some simply amazing goodies! Diabetes affects over 20 million people in the United States alone, and someone you know and love is affected by this disease. I'll be bidding for my mother-in-law, who has diabetes. Do it for someone you love, and do it now!

--H

Chat with me tonight in 3D!

2007-04-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

Who: Aphrodite's Apples Press
What: Live 3-D Chat!
Date: Monday, April 30
Time: 9PM EST
Place: The Romance Galleria chat interface
** Grab the chat software in advance here:
http://www.theromancegalleria.com/download.html

For the title to this, I almost typed 36DD. I've been writing pr0n too long. LOL!

Congratulations, Alisha!

2007-04-23T06:15:00.001-07:00

Aphrodite's Apples' own Alisha Steele is #2 in romance at FictionWise and #4 in over all site sales! Come see what the buzz is about: http://www.aphroditesapples.com/summoner.htm

Congrats, Alisha, you deserve it!

Vagaries of Publishing

2007-04-13T13:37:00.001-07:00

I don't comment much on other writers' or publishers' behaviors in my blog, as I think that actions speak louder than words. My esteemed collegue, louise_bohmer recently wrote an excellent post on why we ought to return to civility.

Now, I'm not naive enough to think that just because Louise or I say "play nice kids" that the mean boys and girls will go away, even though Goddess knows there's plenty of room in the sandbox for everyone to play, so I think that instead of naming names or berating anyone, I'm gonna talk about who I love in publishing and why.

Here are a few, in no particular order.

angylinni, our art director at Aphrodite's and my original partner-in-crime. Ang is sharp, funny and her design work is top notch.

sithdreams, aka Kayleigh Jamison, our editor-in-chief. Kay is a fantastic writer, and a great judge of character. I'm also pleased to mention that Miss Kay is now a cross-published author, with works forthcoming from Freya's Bower, Tease and Red Rose Publishing. Congrats, Kay!

katrina_strauss, our media coordinator at Aphrodite's. Kitty is brilliant, and she's got a keen grasp of the business. She too, is cross published now with Freya's Bower. I wish I wrote as well as Kitty. She's who I read in my spare time! ;-)

hlglne, our esteemed editor, whose energy, drive, and general life force are a delight to be around. She truly is a healing line.

louise_bohmer! Louise is a fabulous writer in general, and an all-around class act. I'm proud to be a mod at her boards.

The Sultry Sirens. They are a marvelous, welcoming, supportive group of authors. If I went through them all individually I'd be here all day.

Sabrina Luna is smart, sweet, funny and can always be counted on for great fiction and professionalism. We at Aphrodite's love Sabrina.

I could go on and on about the authors we work with at Aphrodite's - Yolanda Sfetsos, unity_of_hours, aka Nikki Watson, tq_kimber...we have a phenomenal lineup of writers! You guys rock, really.

Review and chat sites...CoffeeTime Romance, The Romance Studio, Fallen Angel Reviews, Love Romances Cafe, TwoLips Reviews ... we love you guys because you give us chat time to meet and talk to our readers, and you generally support us and our books.

The good in our community far outweigh the bad, although I think the bad apples are trying hard sometimes to make us all forget that. May you all stay gold, no matter who tries to tarnish you.

Much love,

--H

Giveaway!

2007-04-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Giveaway! For the month of April, if you forward your receipt for Immortal Reveries to contestATaphroditesapples.com, I'll enter you in a drawing to win a book thong! *wink* They are even Vader-approved!

The receipt may be from Aphrodite's Apples or FictionWise. I'll draw the winner on April 30th, so good luck!

Hooray for fans!

2007-03-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

I got the sweetest fan letter today, yay! :D

HS's blog, in Amazing New GeekVision!

2007-03-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

SuperMario 3 FireFox themes are faaabulous!

Behold, the extent of my geekery, gentle readers - SuperMario FireFox and Roget's Thesaurus!

I bet you guys thought you'd never see anyone pair those two together in a post, didya?

In other fabulous news, Immortal Reveries is now available for sale through FictionWise! While you're at it, you should check out the other marvelous authors available at Aphrodite's Apples. :D

And the nominees are...

2007-01-11T08:40:00.000-08:00

Here are all of Aphrodite's Apples nominees in
this year's Preditors & Editors Readers Poll.
One vote is allowed per e-mail address per category,
so please show your support! :)

* * * * * * * * * * * *
Best Print/Electronic Romance Novel of 2006

Nominees:
Leading Her to Heaven by Kayleigh Jamison
Lessons Learned by Katrina Strauss

Vote for your favorite at:
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelr.shtml

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Best Book/e-book Cover Artwork of 2006

Immortal Reveries HS Kinn

Model: Topaz
Photography: Katrina Strauss
Handpainting: NV
Cover composition: Angela Skaggs

See the cover here!
http://www.aphroditesapples.com/immortal_reveries.htm

And then vote here!
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/bookart.shtml

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Best Print/Electronic Book Editor

Kayleigh Jamison
(who edited Immortal Reveries, and is the bestest editor in the world, in my not-humble opinion)

Vote for Kayleigh here!
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/bookeditor.shtml

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Best Print/Electronic Books Publisher of 2006

Vote for Aphrodite's Apples Press at:
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/ebookpublisher.shtml

Holiday Recipes

2006-12-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all. I'm all owie >.< at the moment. I went grocery shopping in heels (yea, I'm a dumbass, apparently. I'm 5'9", it's not like I'm not tall enough already, right?) and took a bad step off the curb. Bleh. Anyway, my random bitchin' aside, I am hunting some good Holiday recipes. In that spirit, here's one of my own, that everyone raves about:

Parmesan Cream Cheese Ball

16 oz of cream cheese, softened
1/2 c of mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/3 c of grated parmesan cheese
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 c sliced green onions
chopped parsley, optional

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a mixer until smooth. Add mayonnaise and parmesan cheese; beat until blended. Stir in crumbled bacon and green onions; cover and chill at least three hours. Shape mixture into ball and garnish. Ball can be rolled in parsley for presentation.Serve with crackers or veggies. Yield: 2 3/4 cups.

Pop Culture Rantage

2006-12-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

I take back everything I ever said about the dearth of funneh on SNL.

*wipes tears* Y'all are welcome. Oh, and this is gaked from Saradia on LJ.

Oh, and while I'm on the funneh, I'd like to take a moment to pimp An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder. Yessssss.....I got it for the hubby for his b-day, and it's hysterical. I love a man who can be intelligent AND funny. Kev doesn't know it, but he was my sekrit boyfriend until he got married. *sigh* Of course, I married my own adorable fanboy, so I'm okay with his decision now. LOL!

ETA: I forgot to mention Mewes. He's actually kinda cute now that he's cleaned up and sober. OMG, did I say that??

Update, at long last!

2006-11-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

Hello my darlings!

I know I'm grossly overdue an update, but we had a sustained illness in the family and I was AWOL for most of October. I'm slowly getting back up to speed now. In the meantime, interviews and good reviews are coming in, both for me and all the Aphrodite's Apples gals!

Interviews!

The fabulous Dark Author Michele Lee interviewed me on her blog, and you can check it out here.

I'm also going to be spotlighted, along with Aphrodite's Apples in general this December in Pandora's Gate at Paper Dragon Ink.

Reviews!

EuroReviews has given Spellbound four and a half rings! Cathie of EuroReviews says of Spellbound:

"Spellbound-Tales Of Mischief & Mayhem is an anthology of stories by Candice Gilmer, H.S. Kinn, Sabrina Luna, Ivana Peters, AE Rought, Katrina Strauss from Aphrodite's Apples Press that are individually unique! Each story is a total surprise, never knowing where the story will move next. Within you'll find mostly stories of Horror or more like spooky, as well as some bits of romance and bittersweet stories. If looking for a taste of each of these authors writings, this anthology is the perfect book to give you a great glimpse of these authors works. Then too you'll want to see other books they have written at Aphrodite's Apple Press of a variety of genres."

And of Connacht the Immortal, my short in Spellbound she says, "Dearg, known as Connacht, plans his revenge for those who took his family and also becomes immortal as well as a revealing of his mate. This story has some open questions that tend to assume this may be part of a series or a start of one that will answer more questions of short story. The reader will want to look up more of H.S. Kinn's books as well as watch for upcoming releases! This short story has a fascinating glimpse into a unique world this author has developed with shapeshifters."

I'd like to make one last pimp, for my buddies Katrina Strauss and Sabrina Luna, who have a contest going on today at their blog, Sisters of the Dark Moon. Check it out for an opportunity to win a copy of Spellbound, which features all our stories!

Ta for now my lovelies, but I promise I won't stay away so long next time!

XoXoXo

--Heather

Audiologically inclined peeps, help, pretty please?

2006-11-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, y'all, I'm throwing this out here in the hopes that one of y'all will know how to get the audio rip off of this QT clip.

Mallrats isn't my ultimate fave Kevin Smith film (Chasing Amy or Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back would get that honor) but Mr. K and I have a running joke about this bit and I'd love love love anyone who can isolate the whole audio of Jay saying, "Son of Jor-El, kneel before Zod! Snootchie Bootchies!"

Halloween Giveaway!

2006-10-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here at Aphrodite's Apples we have brewed a dark & spooky All Hallow's
giveaway! Prizes include:

(click thumbnails to view larger images)

Double
double, toil and trouble...

Hematite
is known to heal body, mind, and soul.

Win & wear this beautiful jewelry handcrafted

by HS Kinn, author of Immortal
Reveries!

<
Win
this beautiful Vampire Tarot deck along

with a pure silk tarot bag handsewn by

Katrina Strauss, author of
Lessons Learned!

Hematite jewelry (handcrafted by HS Kinn!)

Silk Tarot bag (handsewn by Katrina Strauss!)

Vampire Tarot deck

5" Harvest Candle

Aphrodite's Apples swag bag

Halloween kitchen goodies

Spooky novelty socks

...and other assorted delicacies!

To
be eligible for the drawing, simply purchase one copy each of:

HS Kinn's Immortal Reveries

Katrina Strauss' Lessons Learned

between now and October 29th and then forward both receipts to:

contest@aphroditesapples.com

Candy and Contests!

2006-09-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

Here at Chez Kinn, we are a bit nutty for all things Asian. I am happy to report that we've just received a shipment of Ten Ren Tea Candies.

I've also shipped out some goodies to Katrina Strauss. This October, we're running a promotion for Secrets Revealed/Immortal Reveries. I'll put up more details later once we have pics of the goodies, but I will say that the goody basket is going to include:

a trick or treat cauldron

hematite jewelry

a Vampire Tarot deck (Immortal Reveries has a scene where Lyssa reads the cards!)

a handmade black silk bag for the tarot deck
lots of other fun stuff!

Katrina's going to post pics of the goody basket soon, and I'll put them up here once I have them. *G*

To be eligible for the drawing, you must purchase Secrets Revealed & Immortal Reveries! Forward your receipts to contest@aphroditesapples.com and let the games begin!

New Releases are available at Aphrodite's Apples!

2006-09-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

New releases are hot off the press from Aphrodite's Apples!

Kayleigh Jamison's Leading Her to Heaven

As the eldest daughter of an English earl, Lady Susanna Cavendish has led a sheltered life of privilege and leisure. She has been taught that her northern cousins, the Scots, are barbaric heathens with no regard for culture or civilization.

Notorious warrior Blair Ruthven is laird of the fiercest clan in Scotland Born into a society rife with blood feuds and an engrained hatred for the English, Blair learns at an early age that trust and love do little more than damn and disappoint. When he agrees to marry Susanna at the behest of his own sovereign, he never expects to be attracted to her, much less fall into a passionate love affair.

Forced into marriage by feuding kings in order to forge a political union between their countries, Blair and Susanna must learn to find peace between themselves as they battle ages-old prejudices—and vie for one another's hearts.

~~*~~

Katrina Strauss' Lessons Learned: Book Two of the Eldritch Legacy

Like many young women of her generation, Camille Rocheford struggles for recognition in a changing world. Her debut novel, published under her own name rather than a masculine pseudonym, stirs great controversy. Yet despite her modern views on equality, she is at odds with the carefree morals of her progressive peers.

When a childhood friend invites her to spend the summer with a well-known writer, Camille eagerly accepts. Little does she know, her surprise host is none other than the infamous Stefan Eldritch, a poet who shocks the public with provocative verse and scandalizes his family with wild soirees.

Though polar opposites, Stefan and Camille soon fall into creative collaboration--and unbridled romance. Stefan challenges Camille to explore both art and sensuality without constraint. In turn, Camille teaches Stefan that even a free spirit is capable of loyalty and love. Along the way they stumble upon the lost path of the Black Magi, once practiced by Stefan's ancestors.

When their mutual work lands the powerful Eldritch clan in political disfavor, Stefan takes blame and is sentenced to prison. Can Camille find the strength and the means to gain her lover's freedom?

Lessons Learned, Book Two of the Eldritch Legacy, explores the reckless abandon of unrestrained passion paired with the power of the pen and the timeless force of love.

JERR gives Immortal Reveries 4 Stars!

2006-09-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Gratuitious squeeing post below:

Title: Immortal Reveries
Author: HS Kin
nPublisher: Aphrodite’s Apples
Publisher URL: www.aphroditesapples.com
ISBN: 0-9787404-4- 9
Reviewer: Stacey Landers
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Heat level: O

Lyssa Titus had the perfect life, or so she thought. She was a college professor, had plenty of friends, and was content with her life. That is until Alex Bristol came in the picture. Upon meeting him, her mind starts to conjure up images of the past-her past with Alex. Though she was Sidhe, and believed in the supernatural, she had a hard time believing Alex and his stories. Her body, however, knew that he was the man for her.

Alex has been looking for Elizabeth for centuries. When he finds Lyssa, he knows she is his lost Elizabeth. He gave up his immortality and lost Elizabeth in the process. Now he refuses to let Lyssa run away.

Immortal Reveries begins the first story in a new series by HS Kinn. Having never read her works, I was thrilled when I finished this story. This was more than an erotic tale, it was a love story that spanned centuries. I found Alex to be the utmost gentleman out of the bed. In the bed, he was wild and hot, with all the knowledge of how to pleasure a woman. And he did so with Lyssa quite frequently. I am most pleased to say that it did not take Lyssa long to recognize Alex, at least it didn’t take her body long. They took up where they left off in 1644 and didn’t look back. The writing had a very nice flow, taking us from past to present with ease. The secondary characters were as fascinating as Alex and Lyssa, and the camaraderie amongst them was exciting to read. Theirs was a love that started in youth and transcended through time, and though it took time for Lyssa’s mind to catch up, her heart knew her fate. Immortal Reveries is an absolutely wonderful story, I eagerly anticipate the next installment.

Stacey Landers, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/justeroticromancereviewsnewsletter/message/214

Aphrodite's Apples is featured at PNR!

2006-09-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that Aphrodite's Apples is featured this month at ParaNormal Romance! PNR features the finest in paranormal romance articles and reviews. Author HS Kinn is the featured interview. *coughs daintily*

Desiree Gentle, who conducted the interview, did a fabulous job of showing off all our authors, not just me. I am exceptionally pleased!

New Site Layout

2006-09-07T11:33:00.001-07:00

Well, I got bored and made myself a new site layout. Yep, I do my own code. I feel accomplished now, LOL! I also made a writing tips section. I am tempted to ask for guest columnists for the writing tips, maybe feature someone who's better at writing about writing than me. *eyes Bernita*

Well, lovelies, let me know what you think of the layout, and if you don't see me here, I am a mod at Louise Bohmer's board now! :D

Yippee! I have research!

2006-09-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Does that title make me a nerd? *adjusts glasses* I suppose so, but I thoroughly enjoy the research I do for my writing.

But before I go into that, I'd like to thank everyone who turned out for the chat last night. We had a lot of fun!

In other news, I am happy to report that my Palm Pilot is functional again, mostly. I still can't use my DataViz, but whatever, at least I can read subs on it. And oh Goddess, do I have subs to read! LOL! I am still gonna get it replaced, because the MS Word compatibility is a big part of why I even bought the E2. But I can read my Werewolf book now, hurray! This one is out of print, but it was recommended to me and I was very excited to find it out in eBook form. Too bad Manuela Dunn Mascetti's Vampire: The Complete Guide to the World of the Undead isn't available too. I have it in hardback, and it is faaabulous--full of Simon Marsden's photography of cemetery things. It's gorgeous and well-researched, and it's undoubtedly my fave research tome on the Undead. I've read a lot of them, and while this one isn't as comprehensive as say, Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead, it integrates the science, history and cultural aspects of vampirism very well. I'd rec both books though, if you're gonna write about Vamps.

Speaking of research and writing, I think I'd best get back to work. *mwah*

--HS

When I became a writer...

2006-08-31T15:25:00.000-07:00

Candice Gilmer tagged me, and I can't tell her no, so I'll play. *G*

I'm not sure if one really becomes a writer--the essense of good writing is storytelling, and you either like to do that or you don't. Pursuing it professionally, however, is another matter, and a great deal more complicated once you decide to enter the fray.

I suppose then that it's really more about who encouraged me to do just that--to figure out the maze of publishers, agents, manuscript formats, etc. I'll lay all of it at my mother's feet, 'cause she was the first person to say to me, "Heather, you should write children's books when you grow up. You have such a vivid imagination!" I was about seven or eight then.

Well... *considers what I write* I took at least part of her suggestion, eh? As a college student I became a poet of sorts, or least I thought I was (heh) and I read at many an open mic/slam night.

The next step on the bumpy road came with my crit group, many of whom are working with me at Aphrodite's Apples. Candice, Ang, Kelly, Nina, Kayleigh, Ivana, Katrina...you guys all helped me develop my voice, and I'm indebted to you for that.

When did I go pro? When I got married again, after eight years of single motherhood. My husband is a wonderful man, likes to write himself, and he encouraged me to give professional writing a try. I dedicated Immortal Reveries to him. Yeah, I know I'm a sap, but I'm a happy one.

I'm working on the followup to IR now, and if I have the time to write even half of the voices that are running around in my head, I'll be a happy gal.

Tag, Kayleigh, you're it. ;-P

Come chat with me tonight!

2006-08-31T06:04:00.000-07:00

Hello, my lovelies! Yes, I've found the secret login that doesn't confuse my email and blogger handles! *crosses fingers* so I'm still back, LOL!

I'm pleased to announce that Aphrodite's Apples is chatting at Novelspot tonight! I'll be there, talking about my novel, Immortal Reveries.

Hope to see you there!

Yay, updated!

2006-08-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

Since Blogger and Google merged I've had trouble logging in, and I am happy to report that I found a help group on Google, and I managed to get logged in. O.o

And I have to brag that I am author of the week at Candice Gilmer's blog! Yippee!

Well, lovelies in BlogLand, I am going to retreat now, and watch more weather (hurricane, aahhhhhh!), and work on Strange Days, the follow up to Immortal Reveries.

Come Chat with Me!

2006-08-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Come celebrate the release of the Masquerade,Volume One and chat with the authors of Aphrodite's Apples at the Pink Posse, on August 9th at 7 pm EST. We'll have prizes and giveaways,so don't miss out on the fun!

Immortal Reveries Contest Winner!

2006-08-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Rhonda! You won the free eBook copy of Immortal Reveries! I'll be posting a new contest later this week, so stay tuned! ;-)

Win a copy of Immortal Reveries!

2006-07-30T11:43:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the release of Immortal Reveries, I am doing an Aphrodite's Apples scavenger hunt. To be eligible to win, you need to go to Aphrodite's Apples and find me these three things:

1. One character name from Immortal Reveries
2. One other new release from Aphrodite's Apples
3. One coming soon release title

Email hskinn@hskinn.com with your answers by noon EST on Wednesday, August 2nd. Correct answers will be entered into a drawing and chosen at random. Good luck!

Immortal Reveries is for sale!

2006-07-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Immortal Reveries is for sale now, at Aphrodite's Apples! Officially speaking, we're open on Friday, but I am offering y'all an early sale. ;-)

Call for Editors

2006-07-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Aphrodite's Apples is looking for junior editors to work on short story anthologies and longer works. If you are interested, please email hskinn@aphroditesapples.com or kjamison@aphroditesapples.com. Ms. Kinn is author liason and Kayleigh Jamison is Aphrodite's Editor-in-Chief.

I have more goodies to post from WriterCon, and I will get them up, but probably not until after our formal launch on Friday!

Writerly thought of the Day

2006-07-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

So I'm editing Immortal Reveries, and I'm thinking about dialogue. I have a dictionary of Slang & Euphemism, and the term "come" for sexual release is dated at the 1800's (ish). Does it put you off or otherwise distract you to read more modern terms for anatomy and other sexual matters in historicals, or would you rather hear it in more plain speech?

On Editing

2006-06-29T07:53:00.000-07:00

From the illustrious Savannah Jordan: "[Editor]Comments are are like the wind--they don't need to be seen to know that they're there."

Yes, editing is sucking out our brains, y'all...

Gratuitous Glee over Immortal Reveries' Cover

2006-06-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

Boooyah baby! Immortal Reveries' cover is finished and up on Aphrodite's Apples and my HS Kinn.com! Here's a lil' pic for y'all:

The photography is by the fabulous Katrina Strauss and digital artwork is by NV.

Pimpin' ain't easy

2006-06-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well...it's not when you're getting ready to launch, anyway. But I thought I'd log on and show off some of the new artwork and previews that are up on the site anyway!

Conventions and newsletters, oh my!

2006-05-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

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!

S.E.X.

2006-05-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

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.

Immortal Reveries promo goodies!

2006-05-25T05:07:00.000-07:00

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

Back from the RT Con

2006-05-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

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!

Going AWOL for a bit

2006-05-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

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

Pimpin' Ain't Easy

2006-05-13T05:13:00.000-07:00

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. ;-)

Tacky much?

2006-05-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

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. ;-)

Excerpt from Immortal Reveries

2006-05-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

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!

Romance novels are subversive?

2006-05-04T13:30:00.000-07:00

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.

New Layout!

2006-05-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

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!

History of Beauty

2006-04-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

I was doing some research for one of my books and I happened on The Ideal Beauty of the Human Body in Art by G. W. Cichon-Hollander. I'm not going to attempt to hotlink any of the pictures from the slides, but it was a fascinating exploration of what various artists and eras prized in both masculine and feminine beauty.

Also, there's a very...interesting portrait of a man wearing an extreme codpiece. I'm not sure if I should giggle or say "Ow!"

BlogSpam

2006-04-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm spamming today, but I found this nifty article: I Write Romance.

An excerpt:
The first thing I learnt was that I was a condescending jerk. Romance novels might be considered fluff, but they're hard work. You need to keep on top of dialogue and you need to tell a story cleanly and simply in about 30,000 words and you have to rework plotlines and characters that might seem hackneyed to you but learn to overcome your prejudice and deliver in such a way that it doesn't come across as cheesy to the reader.

Tough job.

It didnt work out in the end - after struggling manfully with everything, the structure defeated me... I needed more to work with, what with my rambling style and my addiction to million dollar words and frankly, I was a little uncomfortable with the sex scenes. Erotica isn't in my immediate future, I'm sad to say. Repressed Indian chicks will eventually exhibit their repression at some stage. I sniff.

Heheheh. Yes, it is hard work, and I'm gleeful that someone was woman enough to admit it!

Music?

2006-04-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

I need some new mood writing music. Can y'all help a sister out? It doesn't have to be new bands, either, could be something we all haven't heard in a while.

Site update: Diary of Elizabeth Sheffield

2006-03-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

The first entry from Diary of Elizabeth Sheffield is up on H.S. Kinn.com.

Teaser for Appointed by the Gods, Book One in the Tales of Ourania

2006-03-28T08:15:00.000-08:00

Sarah Rivers is a lowly lady's maid, when a call goes out through the land, to find the Sybilla. When Sarah is chosen, she is thrust into a world of magic, nobility and intrigue. Is she just a stepping stone to the throne?

Acelus Strifen is Ourania's finest warrior, sent to find the new Sybilla. When he lays eyes on Sarah, he knows he can choose no other, not for himself, not for Ourania. But civil war is threatening to tear the kingdom apart, and he may lose all he holds dear. Will he choose duty or love?

***

A fanfare sounded in the outer court. “Sarah! He’s here!”

I hurried to her side, and we went to the Great Hall to receive his entourage.

Acelus Strifen entered the hall, flanked by his men, all clad in matching armor. I’d seen him in the scrying mirror, where we traded news, gossip, spells and anything else of interest, but seeing him in person was awe-inspiring. He had sandy hair that was cropped short, but still had the hint of a wave to it. His eyes were an impossible shade of deep blue. He moved smoothly for one so tall, and he radiated confidence. He caught me staring, and he winked at me!

I ducked into a quick curtsy, as my cheeks flamed red. I was barely worthy of my position as the lady’s maid, what right did I have to such a brazen stare?

“Lord Strifen,” Lady Ellynore extended her hands, and he kissed them. “May I offer our hospitality to you and your men?”

He held up a hand. “I am here but for one reason, my Lady,” he drew out a simple wand, made of willow.

It was the Sibylla’s wand. Only a truly powerful magic user could use it; anyone of a lesser talent would be overwhelmed. I took a step closer, to get a better look. A crystal gleamed at its tip. A frisson of delight ran through me at the sight of it. What must it be like to handle such an instrument? A murmur went through the hall.

“I search for the Sibylla.”

My Lady smiled. She and I had practiced many times for this day; in fact, the only reason I became her maid was because of my family’s particular affinity for magic. My father was a blacksmith, and my mother, an apothecary. I shared her skill for plants and potions. When my mother took ill, Lady Ellynore took me on as her handmaiden. We agreed I would make potions and teach her how to augment her own magical abilities, and in exchange, I would have unlimited access to her gardens, so that I might better treat my mother’s illness.

Ellynore took the wand from Acelus’s hand, and held it over the table. Slowly she released it, and it hovered in midair a brief moment, before clattering to the ground.

Acelus looked decidedly unimpressed. He glanced back at me, and his brow furrowed. “I’d like to try another lady here,” he said.

Ellynore gave him an odd look. “I am the Lady of this house, sir, my mother passed on some years ago.”

He picked up the wand, and looked directly at me. “This lady.”

“My Lord, she is only a maid,” Lady Ellynore scowled. I was sure this wasn’t one of the many scenarios she’d considered since she brought me to the manor.

Acelus’s gaze on me was steady. “I want her to try the wand.” He handed it to me. “What’s your name?”

“Sarah,” I said.

Yay for Shakespeare Smut!

2006-03-26T04:27:00.000-08:00

From the Observer Online:

David Smith
Sunday March 26, 2006
The Observer

Sexing up Shakespeare is a handy trick for directors seeking to exploit the Bard's bawdy humour to put bums on seats. Now one woman has gone further with the most intensive search ever for sexual innuendo, toilet humour and smut buried deep in the national poet's oeuvre.

'The plays are absolutely packed with filth,' said academic Héloïse Sénéchal. 'I've found more than a hundred terms for vagina alone.' That the author of As You Like It would, were he alive today, be writing for Viz magazine is implied by Sénéchal's research for the footnotes of a new Royal Shakespeare Company edition of his complete works which promises to be the most candid ever.

She claims that previous editions of Shakespeare have been too prudish, and that by using computer techniques she has uncovered unrecognised double entendres. These were aimed at the working classes who crowded into the Globe in London for their fill of bawdy entertainment. Sénéchal has identified seemingly innocuous words such as carrot, pencil and horn as terms for penis, while she pinpoints pie, fruit dish and 'buggle boe' as references to the vagina.

'We are trying to resist the cultural embarrassment that has permeated footnotes in the past,' she said. 'Shakespeare is now an institution, and there is an assumption, especially in schools, that he was using high rhetoric. But the majority of his audience were labourers, craftsmen, ordinary people being catered for in a popular way. They were as smutty-minded then as we are now.'

***

I'd go on, but you can read the rest of the article at the Observer's site. Bill really was a naughty boy! The whole reason for blogging it is that I find it amusing that Shakespeare, a pulp author of his time is so revered today, but if you are a "pulp" or genre author nowadays, you're somehow less than those who aspire to be "literature." I used to write "literature" and I've long since decided my ability to tell a good yarn is more useful to people than providing my personal opus on live, the universe and everything. Yay for bawdy Bill! :D

Research: Survey of Medieval names, according to the Domesday Book

2006-03-22T10:58:00.000-08:00

Judith
Mabel *snort*
Constance
Matilda
Emma
Lucy
Agatha
Edith
Albreda
Medieval name I'd swear is a LotR Mary Sue: Aelfeva

Winner for "most interesting male name so far": Iudhael of Totnes. *tries to picture screaming it in the throes of ecstasy* *fails*
Winner for "you can't make this shit up": FitzAzor, Henry - Holdings in Beds.
Winner for most interesting female name: Edeva the fair - Possibly King Harold's mistress or sometimes identified with his first wife, Edith Swanneck. (Swan neck? *consults A Concise Dictionary of Middle English* Nope, swan neck doesn't mean anything else...so it's probably synonymous with "graceful neck." Interesting, the things you can find out just looking for a minor character name.

source: The Domesday Book Online

Fabulous!

2006-03-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

Well, I have a fabulous new haircut, given by a fabulous hairstylist. *giggles* He said it "draws its influence from the 80s." It does indeed! Pass me the AquaNet, guys!

In other news, my mother cracks me up. Upon receiving my email about creating my author site, she replied:

I bookmarked it - not sure I am ready to read it..........

LOL! I guess it's one thing to know your daughter writes erotic romance, and another to read it, eh?

Yippee!

2006-03-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

Here's the cover art for Immortal Reveries!

Well, it's not a final, our art director has to give it a once over and see if it requires any changes, but here's a peek!

*does happy dance*

Okay, my AA girls, who's next?

Who is Miss Snark?

2006-03-01T06:06:00.000-08:00

Is it Anna Genoese? I have been sent this link by a couple of people, claiming it's proof that she is. She says no, and if that's true, then perhaps she needs to edit her entry to make it a little clearer. I do think it's a great thing that Ms. Genoese answers people's questions about the business, in a polite and friendly manner.

Time to get my rant on

2006-02-28T04:22:00.000-08:00

There's been quite a bit of smack talked about the romance industry in the past couple of days. Fanboys and girls are calling it "Novel writing by numbers," USA Today referred to it in a bit more complimentary light, but said that wooing was no longer necessary. I don't necessarily agree with that; romantic courtship nowadays usually involves sex. Women are reading what they do, not what their mothers or grandmothers did.

The fanboys and girls took the romance bashing onto another blog, and I don't know whether to giggle or fume. Yes, there are some craptacular romances out there, but there's also a great deal of well-written, engaging material. And I don't think it's just romance, I think all the genres get bashed. I just read a book on the Sci-Fi/Fantasy biz and it was quite apologetic over dialogue and characterization, and how difficult it is in the midst of all that world-building. Isn't that a reason why the genre's challenging to write, as opposed to an excuse to bash and consider it less of a medium?

Bah, I'm going to go read the new fic bit Savannah's posted on her blog, that ought to cheer me up at least!

Ahh, my poor, neglected blog

2006-02-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

I don't update this thing nearly as much as I ought to, a matter which I've pondered a bit. It's not the community of bloggers, as everyone I've met has been very nice. In fact, I must say that the 'net community of writers I've encountered have been absolutely delightful, professional people.

No, I think my neglect is visually oriented. Sounds strange, doesn't it? I think as a webmistress I don't care much for my blog layout, or any of the blog templates. And it seems to me that you need to know a lot of straight code to modify it to make it pretty, which irks me. Yes, I want to be lazy when I blog; if I wanted to do straight-up code, I'd update Aphrodite's Apples. LiveJournal, by comparison, is very visually-oriented; it features user pictures galore, and layouts that are easily modified by even lay users of HTML. Compare my LiveJournal to my blog and you'll see what I mean about modification.

Speaking of layouts, I suspect I will begin to experiment with Aphrodite's layout in the near future; the index page is looking a tad too busy to suit my liking.

Bodice Rippers in the 21st Century?

2006-02-08T05:50:00.000-08:00

I was having a discussion on historical romances with a good friend of mine (yes, another writer!), and said friend is very particular about the style of romance that she enjoys.

I think most people would call it "Bodice Ripper." Ahh, the good old bodice ripper. The man comes on so strong that the woman can't help herself, and it absolves her of any bad girl qualities. I'm being overdramatic here, but I'm also talking about old school bodice rippers; most have been toned down, as today's woman doesn't consider enjoying sex to be solely a bad girl activity. ;-)

So my friend, I'll call her K, says that today's historicals have heroines that are too plucky, too modern. It's not historically plausible to see a woman stand up to her hero, even if he needs it. Actually, I don't know if that's really accurate, as I have come across some interesting research while reading up for the historical portion of Immortal Reveries; I found a law that stated that a man may only hit his wife in self-defense! Granted, that was in the 17th century American colonies, but it's still an interesting social commentary.

So, it's Guilty Pleasures time, and I must admit that I enjoy a good bodice ripper; in fact I was tickled to see in February's RT mag that Bertrice Small is going to self-publish Adora, which was the first romance novel I ever read and loved. My previous experience had been with Harlequins, which is what my mom loves, but then, she loves contempo, and contempo's not my cuppa. I think I'm going to order it and see how it reads to my now-adult eyes, as I think it definitely qualifies as an old school bodice ripper. I'd like to compare it to Virginia Henley's Seduced, which I read as an adult and adore. Seduced involves a heroine disguising herself as a man, and when her guardian comes and sees her, thinks he needs to toughen the lad up!

I have to admit that I love historicals with plucky heroines. Speaking of Seduced, Jo Beverley does a great gender-bending turn with My Lady Notorious, another novel I doubt my dear K would much enjoy, but I certainly did, immensely. Again, the heroine disguises herself as a man in order to protect what she holds dear, and I think it's a fun way to work around the constrictions women had to deal with in the past. Of course, the ultimate gender-bending heroine is certainly Virginia Woolf's Orlando, but that's a whole post in and of itself.

So the question remains, is the bodice ripper dead, or merely mutated?

Aphrodite's Site Updates!

2006-01-30T13:38:00.000-08:00

Today we launched our author pages, and our ePublishing FAQ. Our author pages look great, if only Ms. Savannah Jordan will send me her picture...:-P

Excerpt from Immortal Reveries

2006-01-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

Alexander meandered through the smoky club, his gaze roaming from patron to patron, until he found the one he sought—Lyssa. Music throbbed through its walls, down to its very foundation. The singer onstage was exhorting the virtues of possession and abandonment to his lover. As he passed through the crowd, his gaze settled on back on the delectable Lyssa. She writhed in time to the music, eyes closed, lips barely parted. Alexander licked his lips, set his glass down and made his way toward her.

He slipped an arm around her waist and guided their bodies together. She melted against him, and he allowed himself a small smile. Many of his kind found modern women bewildering—their self-assurance, their independence, but he knew the delicate truth—that deep within her core Lyssa needed the kind of release he would bring her. Her body was lush and curvy, and her hair swung free as their bodies ghosted over each other. It was an intoxicating sensation, after so many centuries of her absence. Their lips met, soft at first and then deeper as her lips parted to receive him.

Alexander kissed down her neck, till he found her racing pulse. Her heartbeat drummed a siren’s call; he let his canines trail over it in answer.

She gasped; the sound was a mixture of shock and delight. “I didn’t think you’d come,” she said.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Most men wouldn’t bother; I’m not an easy woman to know.”

He smiled as if he knew her already. The air around her was hot, and it wound around her tightly. She staggered back; Alexander’s arms were around her before she could fall.

“I’ve got you,” he held her close.

Lyssa leaned back against the wall behind them and drew a deep breath. “I need air.”

“As my lady wishes.”

An arcane statement, she found herself thinking. They exited the club, and went out into the street. She threw a glance at his aura. It shimmered with silvery flecks. He’s definitely not human; the thought came back to her.

‘Neither are you,’ his voice was serene as it touched her mind.

“You have no right,” her eyes narrowed.

“You could have asked me.”

“Sure I could. Hey cutie, nice jacket, are you a fae or a vampire?”

Alexander gave a humorless laugh. “A woman of your caliber talents ought to know that answer already.”

Lyssa shook her head. “I don’t normally use my abilities to pry information from unwitting people.”

“Most would be proud to be from a lineage like yours.”

“Who are you, my godfather?”

“Your rebellious streak hasn’t changed any,” he said.

“You know, I’d love to continue this conversation, but I think I’d better go now,” she stepped onto the sidewalk.

“If you leave, you’ll return,” he stepped in front of her.

She gave a lopsided smile. “Is that so?”

“You deny who you are,” his eyes raked her hungrily.

“I am a college professor who has class in the morning,” she tried to sidestep him unsuccessfully.

Alexander kept his voice low and persuasive. “I do not seek to enthrall you, Lyssa. I am not sure that I could.” His eyes met hers. “But you have captured me.”

“I’ve done nothing of the sort,” her voice faltered in his steady gaze. Darkness flashed before her eyes. Images welled up and jumbled—Alexander’s arms around her, their bodies flung against a down-stuffed bed, the scent of burning incense, oils daubed on her brow. His blue eyes swirled dark and dangerous with the promise of the pleasures that only the union of souls could bring.

***

I think that's all y'all get for now. ;-)

Aphrodite's Apples has its own newsletter now!

2006-01-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Well, I made an announcement list for Aphrodite's Apples, in HTML no less, so we have our very own newsletter now. Yay!

I tested it in aim mail, gmail, yahoo mail and hotmail, and the only one that was came out funky was hotmail. Go figure. Hotmail doesn't believe in contrast. I'll keep working on that. In the meantime, feel free to look at it on the web, or subscribe, and let it come to you!

Also, I updated our index page with a much more specific mission statement that I feel will give authors a better idea of what we're looking for in terms of submissions content.

Hmm...Savannah's been prodding me to put up an excerpt from Immortal Reveries, so I am going to oblige her soon. Stay tuned, y'all!

Wooo Hoooo! New Author!

2006-01-11T06:26:00.000-08:00

Aphrodite's Apples has a new author! Savannah Jordan has joined our crew, and I'm thrilled! Have a peek at her work at her blog, and look for excerpts from Beyond the Sands, coming to Aphrodite's Apples in Summer 2006!

Happy New Year!

2006-01-01T10:37:00.000-08:00

It's almost time for the launch of Aphrodite's Apples. Steph and I have been quite serious throughout the endeavor, but now we're really gonna have to buckle down. I'm excited about it, though. Ta for now,

--Mrs. K