Bibrary Book Lust

"Waiting On" Wednesday - A Queer and Pleasant Danger by Kate Bornstein

2012-03-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

A Queer and Pleasant Danger by Kate Bornstein:

A stunningly original memoir of a nice Jewish boy who joined the Church of Scientology and left twelve years later, ultimately transitioning to a woman. A few years later, she stopped calling herself a woman and became famous as a gender outlaw.

Kate Bornstein—gender theorist, performance artist, author—is set to change lives with her compelling memoir. Wickedly funny and disarmingly honest, this is Bornstein's most intimate book yet, encompassing her early childhood and adolescence, college at Brown, a life in the theater, three marriages and fatherhood, the Scientology hierarchy, transsexual life, LGBTQ politics, and life on the road as a sought-after speaker. [May 1, 2012]

Kate Bornstein is a legend among the trans* community (not to mention the larger LGBT community), and her Gender Outlaws is as close to required reading as you can get. I can't wait to read more about the woman behind the work, but even if you're not the slightest bit interested in LGBT issues, how can you resist the drama behind converions of both faith and physicality?

How about you? What are you waiting on this week?

♥

REVIEW: Lunatic Fringe by Allison Moon

2012-03-06T13:19:00.000-05:00

Allison Moon's Lunatic Fringe is a truly wonderful read, the kind of story that manages to simultaneously by clever, sexy, frightening, and engaging. It's one of those books where you're never quite sure what to expect, but are never disappointed by the surprises on the next page.

The story takes quite a while to really settle into the core storyline, but Allison establishes the world so carefully, and builds up the characters so beautifully, you don't begrudge the long introduction. I tend to have a hard time with names (both in person and on the page), but these characters immediately stuck in my head. I found myself subconsciously dividing them into friends, allies, and adversaries (something I don't normally do unless I'm really engaged) and categorizing them according to likability. With a cast of characters as well-balanced as they are well-rounded, picking sides makes for a really fun read.

Before we get into the characters, though, we are exposed to a healthy dose of social politics. The early chapters have a very 'college' feel to them, with a lot of ideas tossed around, but it's done very well. Allison manages to make an otherwise polarizing subject exciting by intimately tying the issues of sexual identity and gender equality to the characters, giving the politics both a face and a personality. There is even a genderqueer member of the Pack who, as I'm sure will come as no surprise, easily crept into my heart alongside our stunning heroine, Lexie.

There's so much I want to say about this, so many key scenes and snippets of dialogue that I'm dying to share, but it really is the discoveries that make the story. Allison manages to merge the threads of social politics, lesbian romance, werewolf adventure, and college drama into a story that takes hold and never lets go. A story that's both fun and thoughtful at the same time is a rarity in and of itself, but one that's also beautifully written, with such a deft command of narrative and dialogue, is a gem that must be shared.

(if you missed Allison's guest post last month on Writing Sex as a Revolutionary Act, please do check it out)

♥

Frock Magazine - Issue 14 Now Available (and it's free!)

2012-03-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

I am delighted to announce that Issue #14 of Frock Magazine is now available, once again featuring my "From the Shelves of the Bibrary" book review column. This month's column was a bit different, allowing me to skirt the edge of eroticism and celebreate two of my favourite authors, Darcy Abriel and Giselle Renarde!

Completely free, and available digitally, Frock Magazine is one of the finest transgender lifestyle magazines around, and one that prides itself on being coffee-table friendly (i.e. free of any erotic content, suggestive ads, etc.).

Don't just pick it up for my column, though - the magazine has a wonderful variety of articles and features, looks absolutely gorgeous, and is a wonderful read. Please hop on over to Frock Magazine and give it a read today!
♥

REVIEW: A Cowboy's Heart by J.M. Snyder

2012-02-28T12:57:00.000-05:00

Oh my, but what an intoxicating take J.M. Snyder has woven with A Cowboy's Heart. This is a tale that's equal parts sweet and sexy, full of lust and longing, and culminating in one of my favourite happily-ever-afters in a very long time.

Tommy is a shy young cowboy, helplessly infatuated with his boss, and hopelessly inexperienced when it comes to love. As much as he craves Hal's attention, and fantasizes about his touch at the most inopportune times, he's also very much aware that he must preserve the secret of his sexuality from the other men. When they pressure him to hit the saloon and hook up with one of the working women, he reluctantly agrees to go, if only to have a few drinks and keep up the charade.

Lila is one of the working girls, but one with a dangerous secret. She's really a young man named Stephen, born and raised in a brothel, and addicted to his femininity - both as an expression of his true self, and as a means of getting close to men without risking rejection. He spies something in young Tommy, convinces him to provide an escort upstairs, and then shocks himself by revealing his secret.

What follows is an honest, touching, and (at times) troubled tale of separating lust from love, infatuation from intimacy. Tommy comes across as a really sweet young man, a virgin who is as eager to please as he is to learn. He has a hard time dealing with Lila's gender, and nearly exposes her on more than once occasion, but he respects her choices and ultimately comes to love her for who she is. Lila is definitely more street-smart, and has long since lost the innocence that makes Tommy so endearing, but she's also genuine about her feelings. You can't help but want the two of them to end up together, and to cheer every development that brings them closer.

I've already said this is a happily-ever-after tale, but it's truly the story behind the ending that's so delicious. To say more would be to spoil the magic, so I'll just leave you with this, my favourite line from the story:

I love you . . . Male, female, whichever you want to be is fine with me. It isn't the way you dress or the body you were born with. It's you. It will always be you.

♥

GUEST POST: Allison Moon

2012-02-23T08:31:00.000-05:00

Writing Sex as a Revolutionary Act
By Allison Moon

When I was first seeking an agent for my debut novel Lunatic Fringe, I ran into the usual snags. My book is a love story, but it isn’t a straight-forward formula romance. It’s about werewolves, which makes it paranormal but it isn’t YA or urban fantasy. There’s graphic sex, but it’s also not what the book is “about” so it’s not erotica either. And of course, the story is a lesbian one, which meant any hope of mainstream appeal was pretty stark.

The refrain I got from agents and publishers was the oft-cited “Your story just isn’t marketable.” In other words, they didn’t know how to sell it to mainstream America. That didn’t bother me, because I didn’t write Lunatic Fringe for mainstream America. I wrote Lunatic Fringe to tell a story that felt true, particularly for queer women. While I’m thrilled when non-queers or non-women read it, my intent was really to serve what I consider to be a wildly under-served community of readers.

Once my book was out in the world, I faced another form of discrimination, this time far less subtle than simple market trends. I began pitching my book for book blogger reviews. On a couple of websites, in no uncertain terms, I read that MM (Male/Male), MF (Male/Female), MFM, and BDSM were all great and encouraged. However, they refused any lesbian stories, full stop. On one site, in huge red letters, it said NO FF STORIES! WE WILL NOT READ THEM. Bondage, shapeshifters, and rape were all fine though, just no girls in love. Another said that they wouldn’t review FF stories unless the “sex part was short and could be skipped.”

As a writer who worked for years to craft my book, the idea that someone would review my book only if they could “skip” the less-savory aspects infuriated me. While I live my life quite transparently, and am safe to do so for the most part, because I’m privileged to live among a strong queer community in the Bay Area, notes like that remind me of how revolutionary it can be to write true love stories that defy the heteronormative script.

If the difference between pornography and art is intent, the same metric can apply to literature. Erotica is designed to titillate, and all the racy combinations of genders and bodies and scenarios are supposed to be hot hot hot, or at least sexy sweet. Good erotica can convey other emotions through sex (fear, jealousy, hatred, sadness, etc) but the intent remains to make the reader juicy. This tends to make even closed-minded readers somewhat accepting of non-normative expressions of sexuality, as long as the primary directive of titillation is achieved. Look, for instance, at Laurel K. Hamilton’s books. Her readership is huge, and much of the books are about the main character sleeping her way through every demon and paranormal creature in hell, in all sorts of configurations. This sex is the point of the books, and the protagonist “has” to have this kind of sex to “save the world.” Thus the protagonist is either coerced or doing her duty to the planet. This can be great fun, no doubt. But if you’d ask many of these same readers to support actual LGBT rights in the real world, it would be a non-starter.

Why is it that a creepy crawly ménage-a-demon is alright but a lesbian or gender non-normative love story isn’t? Two men having sex in a book for the titillation of the straight female reader is exotification and objectification. Erotica is, as they say, porn for straight women. But two men having sex because they love one another and are committed to their shared life behind closed doors- well that’s just gross. Right?

In Lunatic Fringe, the sex is strongly informed by the characters and their journeys. It is a representation not only of their love, but their arcs, their fears, and their excitements at the beginning of new things. The sex deepens the characterization and propels the plot. It is not incidental or “skippable” by any means. Just like with me, as a proud queer, my family, friends and neighbors can’t ignore the fact I take people of different genders to my bed, often more than one at a time. They can’t tell me that I should be perfectly happy with a civil union and I should just find a nice boss so I won’t have to worry about getting fired. In the real world, people don’t get to “skip” the parts of me they find distasteful. They don’t get to say “as long you’re not in my face about your gender or queerness, then fine.” That’s not how my world works. Our gender and sexual identities are inextricably linked to our complete identities. You don’t get to cherry pick what you can handle and what you can’t.

Sex is not incidental. You don’t get to ignore it, because sex is what makes us who we are. It’s how we interface with the world, it’s how we build communities. It’s how we decide who we are and what we can be.

Thus, non-normative sex scenes with an emotional core are essential. People read to open their minds to other ways of living. Part of that is to share the emotional core of sexuality of both the characters and the readers. When an author uses euphemisms or “cuts away” when things start getting sweaty, they are implicitly telling the readers that the sex is less than, “too much”, or inessential. Of course I’m not suggesting that all books have lesbian orgies in them (if only. . .), but as writers we should always strive to reach the core truths. Part of this is treating sexuality not like a sideshow or merely something to make our undies bunch, but as vital and inextricably linked to our personhood. In my world, this means being honest about what the sex looks like, why your characters are doing it, and how it makes them feel. If we want to change the way people perceive non-normative sexuality and gender identity, it’s up to writers to be honest about it, not hide it or skirt it. I believe that artists have the power to shape the world as we tell the stories that become part of our culture. Our sexuality must be part of those stories if we wish for the respect and equality we deserve.

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A huge thanks to Allison for stopping by today! I'll be giving Lunatic Fringe a review next month but, in the meantime, here's a sneak peek at what the book's all about:

Lunatic Fringe by Allison Moon:

New author Allison Moon indulges the feminine wild by giving the classic werewolf myth a feminist lesbian twist. Lexie Clarion is nervous about college. She's plagued with beastly visions, local werewolf attacks are on the rise, and she really wants to kiss a girl. And classes haven't even started yet.

Things start looking up when she meets the Pack, a group of radical women who have their own methods for handling the werewolf menace. Fascinated by their politics, intimacy, and general bad-assery, Lexie's sure she wants to join them, until an accident brings a captivating stranger into her life: Archer, a rugged woman with heterochromatic eyes and a dark secret.

The Pack will go to brutal lengths to win Lexie's favor, but they underestimate Archer's love. As Archer and the Pack battle for Lexie's allegiance, the waxing moon illuminates old hatreds, new enemies, and a secret from Lexie's childhood that will change her life forever.

♥

"Waiting On" Wednesday - Brown Eyed Girls by Chris Burrows

2012-02-22T03:33:00.004-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

Brown Eyed Girls by Chris Burrows

A set of eight short, erotic stories about some of the ‘Brown Eyed Girls’ Chris Burrows has met along the journey…, along the way of his eventful life. Chris has lived in various Asian countries for longer than he cares to remember and, in this set of stories, takes a break from his exploits in ‘Transgenderland’, to faithfully recount the true (really!) stories of some of his other escapades, or those of his close friends.

Whether the stories begin with some form of physical exercise such hiking, walking or cycling, when Brown Eyed Girls are around, another form of physical exercise always seems to eventuate, and most stories have a fitting climax! In some stories names have been changed to protect the guilty…[Available Now]

I always love Chris' work, and I'm intensely curious to see how he develops a story outside the transgender realm. Plus, call me perverse, but after a long winter I love any excuse for exercise!

How about you? What are you waiting on this week?

♥

GUEST POST: J. Yinka Thomas

2012-02-15T06:09:00.000-05:00

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Becoming a Published Author
by J. Yinka Thomas

1. That it could take 10 years and 25 drafts to complete How Not to Save the World before I even got to the publishing stage. I wove the things that I love into the novel, my travel experiences, my passion for technological innovation and my personal vision for creating large scale social change. That kept me going for a decade.

2. That it could take another 4 years after completing the novel before it was finally published. My publishing adventure included self-publishing, twice, being published by a small press that went out of business and receiving a stack of very positive rejection letters from publishers while working with an outstanding literary agent.

3. How much fun it would be to work with an excellent designer on the book cover. I even got my family, friends and fans involved in providing feedback and voting on the cover over Facebook. The cover perfectly represents the adventure, intrigue and excitement within the pages.

4. How much self-promotion is required to market a novel. As a very shy author, I’ve engaged a range of supporters from friends to professional to help promote the book. My friend Mavis has even become my hype-woman, opening book events and kicking off the Q&A like Oprah.

5. The importance of ebooks in the publishing market. When I finished How Not to Save the World 4 years ago, I dreamed about seeing stacks and stacks of the novel in print. Now, with the exponential growth in the Ebook market, I dream about the book in bytes of bits transmitted over the Internet.

6. Not everyone who loves your novel wants to be your best friend. Reading you book and your bio might be just about as much as they want to know about you. And that’s fine.

7. Market, market, market! Half of publishing a novel is writing the book and the other half is marketing. And marketing can be a full time job and a particularly challenging one for someone who is used to sitting alone, writing.

8. People who have never written a word may feel that they have license to tear your work to shreds, in front of you. Luckily, the ratio of adoring compliments to ass-kicking shreds has been 1000:1 so far. But it still hurts.

9. Interviewers act like your life is an open book and ask questions like “tell us something that you have never told anyone else.” Either it’s incredibly private, which is why I have never told anyone else, or it is trivial and you don’t really care.

10. Publishing a first novel means it’s time to get started on the next one. In the midst of marketing, it also makes working on the next one that much more challenging. Well, back to writing the next novel.

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About Jessica Yinka Thomas: Jessica Yinka Thomas is a novelist with a background in toy design and social entrepreneurship. As managing director of the Center for Sustainable Enterprise at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, she has authored several award-winning academic articles. Jessica has worked as a designer of interactive educational toys, as the director of a social enterprise business plan competition and as a program manager for a community development nonprofit. How Not to Save the World is her first novel. Jessica’s writing highlights her twin passions for technological innovation and for creating significant social change through entrepreneurial ventures.

Growing up in West Africa and traveling around the world has provided her with a rich background from which to draw in her writing. She lives in Arlington, VA with her husband, Jeff Forbes and their son Xavier. Jessica enjoys knitting in the winter and competing in triathlons during the summer. She holds a BS in Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

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"Waiting On" Wednesday - Transgender 101 by Nicholas M Teich

2012-02-15T00:01:00.002-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

Transgender 101 by Nicholas M Teich:

Written by a social worker, popular educator, and member of the transgender community, this well-rounded resource combines an accessible portrait of transgenderism with a rich history of transgender life and its unique experiences of discrimination. Chapters introduce transgenderism and its psychological, physical, and social processes. They describe the coming out process and its effect on family and friends, the relationship between sexual orientation, and gender and the differences between transsexualism and lesser-known types of transgenderism. The volume covers the characteristics of Gender Identity Disorder/Gender Dysphoria and the development of the transgender movement. Each chapter explains how transgender individuals handle their gender identity, how others view it within the context of non-transgender society, and how the transitioning of genders is made possible. Featuring men who become women, women who become men, and those who live in between and beyond traditional classifications, this book is written for students, professionals, friends, and family members. [March 6, 2012]

I like the idea of an insider`s view of the history, terminology, types, politics, medical and social realities of the transgender community. File this as another "hope I can get my hands on an advance copy"`read for my Transcending Gender Reading Challenge.

How about you? What are you waiting on this week?

♥

GUEST POST: Jeanette Baker

2012-02-14T06:09:00.000-05:00

Witch Woman by Jeanette Baker

WITCH WOMAN is my first Indie novel. After 15 books published by giant houses, Kensington, Pocket and Mira Books, I decided to branch out and test this brand new world of self-publishing with a book that is similar in tone to the Celtic paranormals I’d written previously and yet, completely different. Witch Woman is not a romance and it isn’t set in Scotland or Ireland, where I live during the summer months. Instead, I flew off to Salem, Massachusetts to investigate the city’s charm as well as its dark history. What came about was a paranormal with a contemporary heroine completely different from any I’d attempted to create before.

Readers of WITCH WOMAN often ask why I explored the possibilities of DNA memory and time travel or why I created a left-handed heroine with an interesting mutation, a clairvoyant who dabbles in white witchcraft. The answer is, The unusual fascinates me. It has since that September 17, 1964 evening when beautiful, blonde Samantha Stephens, the star of the television series, Bewitched, twitched her turned-up nose, hooking me forever. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, I thought, to have the power to sway the mortal universe to my way of thinking? I remember rolling my pre-teen eyes at the doddering predictability of Samantha’s husband, Darrin who, with typical mortal myopia, wanted an ordinary wife. I empathized with Endora, her mother, over the stupidity of mortals and cheered when Aunt Clara’s magic actually worked.

Years later, during post midnight feedings, I introduced my infant children to the magic of Samantha’s spirit world, occasionally twitching my own nose in credible imitation, hoping that my colicky, wide-awake infants would magically fall asleep. Sadly, the gift of magic continued to elude me until I first put pen to paper and realized I could create my own bewitching heroines, endowing them with all the characteristics I longed to claim as my own.

The results of course, are my paranormal novels, LEGACY, CATRIONA, and my newest endeavor, WITCH WOMAN the story of a child sent 4 centuries forward into the 20th century to escape the horrors of Salem’s witch trials, and her mother, aware of the dark forces that followed her, who frantically searches for the shrinking time portal to bring her child, now a woman, home.

Witch Woman: The lives of Abigail March and her daughter, Maggie, play out along parallel lines, both women blessed and cursed with a selective birthright and marked by a startling mutation. In 1692, Abigail and three-year-old Maggie are accused of witchcraft. Most women facing the hangman’s noose during this shameful time are innocent. Abigail is not. Summoning her powers she sends her child through a time portal into 20th century Salem. Maggie grows to maturity knowing nothing of her past until her foster mother’s deathbed confession. Using her own clairvoyant abilities and medium of an ancient spinning wheel, she resurrects her past through a series of troubling dreams. Meanwhile, Abigail locates the time portal and slips through, changing her identity hoping to find her child. Unknown to both women are the dangers of the old world’s dark forces, a swiftly narrowing time portal and a missing child who desperately needs Maggie’s “sight” a sight that continues to blur as her ties to old Salem strengthen.

Slain abhaile,
Jeanette
Jeanettebaker.com
Facebook – Jeanette Baker, Jeanette Baker - author

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About Jeanette Baker: Jeanette Baker is the award-winning author of fifteen novels, published by Pocket, Kensington and Mira Books, many of them set in the lush countryside of historical and contemporary Ireland where she lives and writes during the summer months. Her ancestors, the O’Flahertys, hail from Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands located off the coast of Galway. She takes great pride in the prayer posted by the English over the ancient city gates, ‘From the wrath of the O’Flahertys, may the good Lord deliver us.’

Lauded as an author who has created a niche in the world of the time-travel paranormal, Jeanette’s previous stories have all taken place in Scotland and Ireland. Convinced that America has its own mystical elements, she set WITCH WOMAN in Salem, Massachusetts.

Jeanette graduated from the University of California at Irvine and holds a Masters Degree in Education. For the remainder of the year, she teaches in Southern California, reads constantly, attempts to navigate the confusing world of Facebook and, more recently e-publishing, concocts creations from interesting cook books and enjoys the company of friends and her grown children. She is the RITA award-winning author of the paranormal NELL.

You can visit Jeanette’s website at jeanettebaker.com
♥

In My Mailbox & It's Monday, What are you Reading

2012-02-13T12:05:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox and It's Monday, What are you Reading are weekly memes hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and Sheila at Book Journey. Both are great ways to share the books you're either reading, or shifting to the top of your TBR pile (because, let's face it, sometimes a little shifting is the best we can manage!).

The Mailbox has been pretty empty lately (by design - I've simply been too busy), but I'm delighted to have an early copy of Darcy Abriel's Haevyn (Humanotica, Book 2) and I jumped at the chance to give J.M. Snyder's A Cowboy's Heart a review:

Ranch hand Tommy Prout thinks he's in love ... with his boss, Hal Bolstrum. Problem is, Hal's engaged to be married to the ranch owner's daughter and, though he knows of Tommy's crush, he sees it as nothing more than harmless affection. When payday rolls around and the other cowboys want to ride into town to check out the girls at the Wildhorse saloon, Tommy tags along to throw off any suspicion anyone might have about his feelings for his boss. He sure as hell doesn't want to spend his money on any of the soiled doves the town has to offer.

At the bar he meets Lila, an enterprising young working girl who takes a liking to him. When Tommy says he wants to be left alone, Lila suggests he rest in her room -- with the promise they don't have to actually do anything. But Lila isn't like the others, and when she discovers Tommy is more scared of her than attracted to her feminine charms, she lets him in on a little secret.

Lila's real name is Stephen Marsh. He lives as a woman, moving from saloon to saloon, pleasing men for money. He loves men and enjoys his work, and what others don't know about what's under his skirt doesn't bother him. In all his years on the prairie, he's never met someone quite like Tommy. When he discovers Tommy is sweet on Hal, he suggests teaching the cowboy just how to please a man.

He doesn't mean to lose his heart to Tommy in the process.

With "Lila" in his life, Tommy begins to dream of someone softer than Hal, someone pretty when dolled up but still man enough where it counts. Someone like Lila. As his feelings deepen, can he use Lila's own teachings to win the heart he really loves?

As for what I'm reading, I'm hopping between books as the mood grabs me (as ususal), but teasing me for time and seducing my attentions this week are:

♥ The Empress Sword by Paulette Jaxton
♥ Static by L.A. Witt
♥ Pearls of Asia by Lee Geiger
♥ Secrets & Lies by Tracy James Jones

Well, that's it for now . . . what are you reading?

♥

GUEST REVIEW: The Dashing Mister R by M. Daniel Nickle

2012-02-13T11:33:00.000-05:00

Something a little different this morning. If you've been reading Bibrary Book Lust over the last two years, then you know I've been fortunate enough to review and chat with Red Haircrow on a number of occassions. So, when he asked me to help spread the word about a fellow author who's had a hard time getting exposure, I was quick to jump at the chance.

The Dashing Mister R by M. Daniel Nickle:

What happens when someone realizes the story of his life isn’t the right story? What happens when he discovers the so-called point of no return is a fairytale? What if a person could find his way back and make things right?

The Dashing Mister R centers on award-winning journalist Sebastian Stephens who has fled his life and career in New York City and taken refuge in his boyhood home in the Garden District of New Orleans. He had had everything he ever wanted: a brilliant career, a nice Manhattan apartment, and he was in love, though not with the sort of person he expected. The stress of the forbidden affair along with a horrific murder case neither the police nor he could solve proved to be too much and he fled. Now, years later, he receives a mysterious stranger who portends life changes for Sebastian by means of a confession the stranger wants to make about the case. The information, however, comes at a price. Stephens is confronted with a choice. He can either reclaim his life, or lose it forever.

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Red Haircrow (who knows a thing or two about storytelling) had this to say:

Honestly, at times the writing reminded me of my own in a way, and definitely reflected the kind of work I often enjoy. There is a literary quality to the writing, for it contains many vivid descriptions of people, places and things some might find superfluous but I liked the vivacity and vision. Similarly also to some of my stories, Sebastian, the main character, is gay but this is not the central focus of the story. It’s part of it, true, just like it is a part of the character’s individuality. There is a poignant gay love story throughout the whole, but it is not limited to romance, and I particularly like that distinction as well. (check out his full review here)

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About M. Daniel Nickle:

M. Daniel Nickle is a Kansas City native. He graduated from Bishop Miege High. Afterwards, he attended Avila College on a Theatre Arts scholarship before earning a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from William Jewell College in Liberty Missouri.During his tenure at William Jewell, Daniel was given the opportunity to study at the Harlaxton Study Centre, an extension campus in Lincolnshire, England. There Daniel studied drama, literature and art. His two favorite areas of his literature studies were the English romantic poets and American writers in exile.

Daniel lived in Dallas, Texas before his move to New York in 1993. Business took him regularly to New Orleans. Here he fell in love with the Garden District, the French Quarter and the muffulettas from Central Grocery he honors in his book.
As an actor, Daniel has worked both on stage in his one-man shows of his own creation at the Duplex Cabaret Theater in New York as well as in television and films. His comedic timing as well as his sense of the dramatic make his storytelling personal and captivating.

His first novel, THE DASHING MISTER R, comes from a background seasoned with his Catholic upbringing, his interest in the occult, and the interesting friends and life experiences he has enjoyed and which have made his life anything but bland. For this, he is truly thankful.

Website: http://thedashingmisterr.com/
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INTERVIEW: Debra Hyde (author of Story of L)

2012-02-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

Good morning, all! I am very pleased to introduce you all to Debra Hyde, author of Story of L, a lesbian retelling of The Story of O that I reviewed a few months back. You can check out my rather glowing review here.

Well, I'm delighted to have Debra stop by today for an interview, as a follow-up to my review.

Before we get into the interview, let's take a quick look at Story of L:

Liv called her hunger The Void. She thought she knew it - and herself. Until a night with Cassandra silenced it. And brought out something in Liv she didn't think possible: submission. One taste of that, and Liv wanted more. But Cassandra isn't an easy dominant. She expects Liv to earn her way into her good graces. And her demands aren't simple. How many hurdles will Liv need to jump before she can kneel before Cassandra? Before Cassandra chooses to claim her? Just what will it take to become Cassandra's "L?" And will the outcome be all she hopes for - and needs? Find out in a timeless tale, retold. Find out in Story of L.

And now, without further ado, please welcome Debra!

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♥ The journey from 'aspiring' to 'accomplished' can be a long one, even in the era of small presses and digital publishing. When did you begin writing, and how did you feel when you first saw your work in print?

I began writing professionally right out of college when I was a much younger woman, starting in the IT field (way back when it was called data processing!), then corporate communications and eventually freelancing. Totally different worlds than fiction writing, but I really cut my teeth on those jobs, having to write all kinds of material under all kinds of deadlines. Invaluable!

I didn't pursue erotic fiction until I discovered women-written erotic in the mid-1990s. I had encountered a fair amount of erotic fiction growing up (shout out to all those girls who knew where their dads stashed their dirty books and porn!), but to see fiction written by women for women was energizing – and I had to be part of it.

I had enough of a tough skin, thanks to all those corporate years, that I started sending short erotic fiction to every print publisher out there. Surprisingly, almost everything I wrote got published and I've had the good fortune to work with Cleis Press, Alyson Books, Thunder's Mouth Book, Blue Moon Books, and countless other book publishers.

When the Sony Reader came out, I slowly left print publishers for e-books. Today, I've four novels in e-book, working mostly with Ravenous Romance. And I've become one of their acquiring editors. My current novel with them, Story of L, is a lesbian retelling of the Story of O and it's up for a Lambda Literary Award!

♥ Did you deliberately choose a genre because there's something specific that draws you to it, something you feel it offers that other genres don't, or was it just 'right' for the story you wanted to tell?

My favorite erotic genre is BDSM because, personally, it's my favorite and most constant form of sexual expression and satisfaction. I prefer bondage, sensation play, and other deliciously wicked thrill rides – have for many, many years. So I most often gravitate in that direction.

However, I'm also dedicated to the sex-positive notion that sex is good for the soul, heart, and body. I've written many erotic short stories that have nothing to do with BDSM – but everything to do with the rewards of sexual pleasure and intimacy. My recent anthology, Back Door Lover: Erotic Tales of Anal Sex, is one such example. While it contains a couple of BDSM stories, its stories run the gamut of practices and it's pretty pansexual. I wanted to reach as many people with a sex-positive message as possible!

♥ How does your past influence your writing? Are you conscious of relating the story to your own experiences?

Human experience – mine and other's – clear informs my writing but not always in the ways you might imagine. Story of L's key secondary characters, Cassandra, is a woman much like me: older and assessing what it means to be an aging individual, moving through the BDSM world. She deals with issues of invisibility, relevance, and the kind of aging life decisions one must make about love and longevity.

However, let's not make this sound all doom and gloom! Liv, our eventual L, steps into Cassandra's life and both women wind through a choreography of shared experiences to creat something meaningful and lasting. Which made for a n exciting literary journey in its writing!

♥ Is there a favourite quote or scene from your work that you feel particularly fond of? Something that reminds you of why writing is important to you?

Story of L's received a number of amazing reviews and one reviewer was particularly moved by my authorial claim, in L's voice that "...without personage, submission is nothing more than obliteration." Because that resonated with that individual, that'll have to stand as my favorite quote!

♥ Is there a particular author who has influenced or inspired your writing? Somebody who either made you want to write in the first place, or who refreshes your literary batteries?

Early in my BDSM leather experiences, I was drawn to radical sex authors like Pat Califia and BDSM authors like Laura Antoniou. They still inform me and I'm happy to say that Laura has become a good friend through the years. Her perseverance as an author is incredible, especially in striving to keep her venerable The Marketplace books in circulation.

But I'm also a devoted admirer of Mary Renault's work, not because of her classic Persian Boy and other historical works, but for her less-known, quietly queer domestic novels. Especially The Charioteer and The Friendly Young Ladies. And for a very special reason.

When stationed in England as a young married couple, my parents were adopted by a neighborly group of queer friends. Aunt May, Aunt Rosmund, and Uncle Norman were key loved ones in my extended family as I grew up, and they themselves had met during WWII in the ambulance corp – not an unusual place for gay people to meet and form lasting ties. Renault's early works captured the world that my aunts and uncle knew as young adults.

The same goes for Sarah Waters. I love all her books, but The Night Watch will always be my favorite for the very same reason.

♥ Just for fun, who would you single out as your number one celebrity crush, and what would you like most to do with/to them?

You know, I'd have to pick a dead celebrity: Mark Twain. I live near Hartford, Connecticut, where his Victorian crazy-ass house stands today, and you can't live in the Connecticut River Valley and not be Mark Twain aware!

As far as what to do with him? Well, I think I'd like to butch it up with him – drag king my way into his men-only billiards room, smoke a couple of cigars and play snookers, pet a cat or two, then find out if he's top or bottom!

Yeah, that would do it for me!

♥ Is there a particular theme or message you're expecting readers to take away from your work?

Two things in life are worth striving for: enduring love and engaging, intimate sex.

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18 & Over Book Blogger Follow

2012-02-10T05:05:00.000-05:00

The 18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines.

Q. Reviews; do you write them as soon as you finish a book or not?

A. No. Sometimes, especially when a book just didn't *wow* me, I find first impressions can be deceiving. I like to think about a book for a day or two, see how I feel about it with a little distance between us, and then tackle a review.

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Bewitching Valentine’s Blog Tour: Kiki Howell (with giveaway!)

2012-02-09T08:37:00.003-05:00

Good morning, all! It's time for another first stop along the Bewitching Book Tours literary route, featuring the lovely and exciting Kiki Howell, who has stopped by in support of het steampunk Valentine’s Day tale, Love, Creativity & Magick, and her Valentine’s Day short story, Sacred Sex.

About Kiki: Ever since she was young, Kiki Howell has loved to listen to a well-woven tale with real characters, inspired plots, and delightful resolutions. Kiki spend hours lost in books and soon knew creating lives, loves, and losses with just words had to be the greatest thing she could do. She’s now had over twenty stories published and couldn’t be more thrilled or grateful to see her creations polished and out in the real world.

You can find her online at http://www.kikihowell.com/.

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Love, Creativity & Magick: A Steampunk Valentine’s Day Tale –

A Novelette by Kiki Howell

All acts of magick take on shades of gray in the end. Especially for Emma, one of four females witches who by birthright belong in the social circles of the privileged upper ten thousand in London. Yet, by rumor of the unknown and the misunderstood, she stands apart, cut by her peers along with her cousins, because they hold a secret—each is gifted with magick.

Their elders had taught them respect for their powers even when mixed with a spanking amount of fanciful mischief. On the other hand, if a lesson was warranted, then white verses black magick could be hard to define. No where was the color of steam more evident than in the matters of justice, a slippery term to define. Yet, they’d made breaking the laws of society their mission. Most of their nights at parties and balls were spent creating a magickal comedy of errors, helping the uptight aristocracy side step their fastidious standards.

Only this year, days before Valentine’s Day, a damnable day for women without suitors, Emma is not quite sure what is happening to her. Something dark and seductive, something not of this world, is luring her, possessing her, and she has no comprehension of what or who the presence really is. But, when he does show his face finally, and she feels him to be a night walker, she must fear not only the threat he poses to her blood and to the energy or magick he can suck from her, but also the danger he poses to her heart. After all of these days feeling him, wanting him, she has to wonder if her feelings are just a matter of his compulsion, if she is under this vampires own type of magick.

To complicate matters further, the vampire’s propositions are as exciting as they are scandalous, to teach her how to power her magick with the overabundance of sexual energy she bears. But, how he knows such thinks he remains elusive about. And there is the added attraction that this vampire was a failed inventor in life, one with a basement full of contraptions she finds she can power through the use of her sexual energy. Valentine’s Day seems like it could be all kinds of fun this year now.

Yet, in these days of social unrest and out-of-control creativity, what is a witch to do with a vampire? When Valentine’s Day rolls around, and a secret is revealed, what will be left for her?

Genres: Valentine's Day 2012 Theme, Paranormal (witches and vampires), Steampunk (Victorian England), Erotic Romance from Naughty Nights Press

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Sacred Sex

A Valentine’s Day Short Story by Kiki Howell

Just a few days before Valentine’s Day, Margaret visits her aunt’s craft consignment shop hoping for a spell or oil, and any advice on how to re-connect with her husband, Michael, who has become distant since losing his job. Determined to save her marriage, she gets more than she bargained for from Aunt Minny, a practicing witch. Armed with recipes to enhance love, a massage oil type love potion, a new Valentine’s Day candle and a book on Sacred Sex Rituals, Margaret prepares to seduce her husband.

But, his initial reaction is not what she planned for…

Follow Margaret and Michael on a holiday of love journey, a throwback to the kinky pagan sex rituals once practiced long ago on this day before it was named after a saint. You may want to take notes to enhance your own Valentine's Day this year!

Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Wiccan/Pagan, Holiday - Valentine’s Day from Rebel Ink Press

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Bewitching Valentine’s Day Blog Tour Prizes – 5 Winners Total (Physical Prizes Open to US Shipping)

Prize #1 – Fashion Heart Necklace and Earrings
Prize #2 – Steampunk Necklace
Prize #3 – eBook Erotic Romance Short Story Bundle: Includes Love & Marriage Cures, The Healing Spell, Rituals and Working Out the Kinks
Prize #4 – Print Book Sweet Romance Bundle: The Sorcerer’s Songs Novella with Weathervanes CD
Prize #5 – Print Copy of Torn Asunder Erotic Romance Novel

Thanks so much to Kiki Howell for stopping by. If you'd like to follow her virtual journey, check out her schedule at Bewitching Book Tours.

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EXCERPT: Walking with Shadows by Julieanne Lynch

2012-02-07T08:08:00.000-05:00

Good morning, all! It's time for another first stop along the Bewitching Book Tours literary route, featuring the lovely and exciting Julieanne Lynch, who has stopped by in support of her urban fantasy of vampires and the supernatural, Walking with Shadows.

About Julieanne: Fiery Librian Julieanne Lynch is an author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Northern Ireland, Julieanne now lives in Ireland, where she works on her Shadows Trilogy and other series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths, a rock star being one of them. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University, and considered journalism as a career path. However, she decided writing was the way for her and believes all of her education and reading prepared her for it.

An avid reader, Julieanne has always had an encompassing fascination with folklore. When not writing, she enjoys crime series such as Criminal Minds, CSI, NCIS and Cold Case, and loves anything with Vampires, listening to metal, meeting new people, drinking lots of green tea, and sharing her dreams with her children. She is a self-professed goth wanna-be,and is happy when left to write into the early hours of the morning.

You can find her online at http://www.julieannelynch.co.uk/ or http://www.julieannelynch.blogspot.com/, and on Facebook!

Before we get into Julieanne's excerpt, let's take a quick look at Walking with Shadows:

“Walking with Shadows” is the second of The Shadows trilogy, an urban fantasy of vampires and the supernatural, and much, much more.

Giselle regains consciousness and is horrified to discover she has been asleep for nine weeks. She was already aware that she was carrying a very special baby who was to be the first of a new race of vampires, but she is shocked to find how her pregnancy is progressing. Around her, the underworld is in turmoil.
Vampires battle with creatures of darkness and with other vampires, and few are entirely what they seem. More confusing still, those who appeared to be totally evil may have a streak of goodness in them, and those who appeared to be Giselle’s friends may have a darker purpose of their own. Almost anyone, it seems, can be changed and turned, except possibly Ysoriel the Archangel and the goddess Lilith, and Giselle cannot be sure that even they are interested only in her welfare.

The only certainty is that it will all become very much worse before it begins to get better – if anything ever gets better for Giselle.

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Here’s a taste of Walking with Shadows

The smell was the first thing that triggered the memories of my time held in the cell. A damp, musty, hot scent that burned the back of my nose brought me back to reality and face to face with him. He watched me as I was led towards him. His eyes glared at me and inspected every inch of my body and swollen abdomen.

Smiling, he stood up and mocked me by bowing at my feet.

“The illustrious queen returns,” he shouted. “The shadow queen herself stands before us. We must rejoice.”

Inside, my heart thumped hard against my chest and my baby moved, brushing limbs against the inside of my womb. Silently, I prayed to Lilith, and to anyone who would save me. How I regretted leaving Ysoriel and walking into this trap.

“Giselle, I knew you would come to me. I could sense the darkness in you the very first time I saw you. You may be a picture of innocence on the outside, but inside you are dead and cold just like the rest of us. Welcome home.” He brushed his hand against the side of my face, smiling, as his eyes, yellow and feral, stared hard into mine. The same sinister eyes I had seen in my dream.

He took me by the hand and led me away from Mara and Bernael, taking me into a large oak lined room and closed the door behind us. I stood frozen, trying to control my breathing.

The urge to scream was almost uncontrollable, but something inside stopped me. Instead, I looked ahead, focusing my gaze on a bizarre portrait that hung over the wrought iron fireplace. It was unusually misplaced in a world that was anything but calm. A brown haired woman stood by a large chestnut tree, her limbs were pale and lithe, and her face was beautiful. Her dark blue eyes focused on the small child next to her, and the child looked up at her with total love.

I was so fixed on the image of the mother and child that I had not noticed the roar of the fire, until the screams caught my attention. I tried to shield my ears from the screams so piercing that I almost fell to my knees, but slowly they died, as did the flames.

Laughing, Xavier rubbed his hands together and sat down in a large, ornate chair. Running his nails along the arm, he let out a deep breath, and sighed.

“Another soul damned. I do enjoy these moments. It fills my,” he thumped his chest, “with so much joy.” Then his eyes turned cold and mean.

“Why have you brought me here?” I asked, controlling the tremble in my voice.

“Dearest Giselle, need I really point out the obvious factors to your return?”

“But I don’t belong here. I just want to return to my old life.”

“Your old life, my dear child, is a thing of the past. Look at it as being a decayed memory, something distorted, and, given time, you will soon forget the ways of the old and embrace the ways of the new.” He smiled at me.

From deep inside me, I could feel a surge of something creeping to the surface. A rush of adrenaline ran through me, and before I could think about what I was saying, it came out.

“I think you mistake me for the simpering little girl from before.” I walked over to him. “But you see, people change, and I have seen so much in the past few months that you no longer scare me.”

“Now this, this is the fighting talk of a queen,” he said exuberantly.

“What?”

“I knew it from the first moment I set my eyes on you, that you were worthy of the crown.”

I stepped back from him and shook my head. “No, I will not be a goddamned queen. I refuse to take a part of this bloody freak show any longer. I demand you return me back to Antoine, now.”

He approached me and placed his hands on either side of my abdomen.

Breathing heavily into my face, he looked down at my swollen baby bump and smiled. “You will not be going anywhere for a long time my dear.”

From behind me I could hear movement, and as I turned round, two dark silhouettes took a firm hold of my arms and held me still. Xavier stepped in closer to me, and grabbed me by my chin.

“You would be a foolish girl to try anything stupid. There will be no rescues, no saviours, nothing. You are here for good, and once you give birth to the child, you will be reborn. The sooner you accept this, the easier it will be for both you and the child when the time comes to hand him over to the Nightwalkers,”

“What? No... No one is taking my child from me,” I spat at him.

“A deal is a deal, little dark one.”

“Oh my God, there is no way in hell you are taking my baby from me,” I screamed as I struggled to break free from the grip of the shadows.

“Ah, but you see, you are in hell, and it’s the way of hell,” he laughed. “Take her below,” he instructed the two shadows holding me.

I pulled against them and managed to free my arm. I went to hit him, but before my eyes he evaporated and then appeared again in front of me, smiling. “Silly little half-breed,” he snarled at me, and took hold of my neck and pushed me forward.

Remembering the time I had been kept here, I knew there was no point in resisting. I walked on through the dimly lit corridor, hearing the familiar sounds of faint screams and pleading. Gritting my teeth, I fought against the urge to shout an array of obscenities at my guards. Instead, I focused on the tunnel and the light at the end. Stepping down to avoid my head hitting the beam above me, I was led down a narrow spiral staircase.

I was surprised to be met by Mara. She smiled gleefully at me, unaware of how much I hated her at that precise moment, and if it had not been for my ‘delicate constitution’ I would have lunged at her and ripped her head off. So, dreaming of a time that I would carry out that thought had to be enough for me and enough to take me through the awful situation.

“Giselle, you seem flushed,” she commented. “Maybe you ought to rest. A woman in your condition must take all the rest she can get. Come, we have prepared refreshments in your chamber.”

Mara was tall, with the longest blonde curls I had ever seen, but she looked like a shadow of what she might have been in another life. Her pale skin and dark circles reminded me of how dreadful you become when you cross over to the darkness. She seemed to move as though she was floating on air. Her long flowing silk dress covered her feet, but it hung low on her back, revealing thick red scars around her shoulder blades, and continued down to the centre of her spine, only stopping where the dress covered her lower back.

We followed her until we came to a set of doors. She clapped her hands and one of the guards released his grip on me and moved to the door, opening it for us to enter.

“Come,” Mara instructed me.

Inside me, the familiar feelings of nerves and queasiness overcame me, and I felt my heart pound in my chest. I was astonished at what met me when I walked into the room.

The room was like something out of a period drama. The walls were covered in red flocked wallpaper, the hardwood floor covered by an oriental styled rug, and, to my surprise, two large windows were dressed with heavy swags and thick layers of suedette and lace. A large ornate fire surround had candelabra on both ends, and a clock sat on the mantle, chiming.

I stood in the centre of the room, trying to take it all in. This was nothing like the conditions I had been kept in before. This was opulent, and that confused me, but before I could say anything someone from behind me cleared his throat, and, turning around, I was met by an unfamiliar man.

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Thanks so much to Julieanne Lynch for stopping by. If you'd like to follow her virtual journey in support of Walking with Shadows check out her schedule at Bewitching Book Tours.

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REVIEW: Machine by Jennifer Pelland

2012-02-06T15:20:00.000-05:00

Good science fiction makes you think. Pulp science fiction entertains you. Great science fiction, on the other hand, makes you think while entertaining you. Such is the case with Machine by Jennifer Pelland.

The concept at the heart of the story is an interesting one, and even though it's been done before, it's never been done quite like this. In the not-too-distant future, science has managed to create entirely human-looking android bodies into which human thoughts and emotions can be copied. It's a technology that was designed for the benefit of terminally ill patients with incurable diseases, allowing them a chance to live while they wait for a cure, although it's starting to become something of a cosmetic procedure as well, despite the overwhelming political and religious objections.

The novel follows the story of Celia, a young woman with a rare genetic disease that's a low priority on the medical research front. She wakes up from the copy-over process, acting, feeling, and thinking exactly as she did in her old body. For her, there is no change, and no awareness of being different from what she was before. Unfortunately, her wife doesn't see it the same way, and Celia awakes to find herself divorced . . . alone . . . shunned by the woman she loves, who refused to cheat on the woman she loves with a soul-less copy.

D.B. Story's Fembot Chronicles, which I've reviewed her many times of the past few years, are some of my favourite stories to deal with the concept of mechanical beings and self-awareness. There, the focus on the story was on robots acquiring sentience, and fighting for rights they never had. Here, with Machine, the focus is instead on humans becoming something less-than-human in the transition, and fighting for the right to distinguish themselves from what they have lost.

On the one hand, it's a rather dark and disturbing reality with which we're presented, with Celia and her new found friends illegally modifying themselves to look less than human since society's rejection has made them feel less than human. It begins with Celia slicing open her finger to see the ceramic 'bone' beneath, and quickly progresses from there. Polished chrome skin, featureless mannequin-like bodies, and glowing eyes are the physical aspect, with the ability to suppress emotions, voluntarily go into lockdown, and play with the sensitivity of their pain/pleasure receptors is another. Like I said, it's almost heartbreaking to see the lengths to which they feel forced to modify themselves, even as we share in the exhilaration of freedoms and feelings otherwise impossible for the rest of humanity. The voluntary fetishization of their condition is oddly confusing, coming across as erotic and exciting when they fetishize one another, but disgusting and inexcusable when they play to human kinks.

As part of her exploration of what it means to be human, Jennifer does an amazing job of dealing with questions of sexuality and gender (tying in nicely to my Transcending Gender 2012 Reading Challenge). Celia, as I mentioned previously, is a lesbian, although it's entirely inconsequential in the future presented. Other than one instance where another character reminds her that her marriage would once have been as controversial as her new body, her sexuality is a complete non-issue. Similarly, we get to explore some interesting ideas of gender through Celia's augmented friends, including one who can alter his gender at will to be male, female, or a combination of the two, and another who is entirely featureless and androgynous since, as it points out, robots do not have a gender.

If I were to voice one complaint, it would be over the ambiguity of the ending, but I realised that was intentional. Celia's fate is what we make of it, and that brings us right back to the concept of making you think while entertaining you. I realise I haven't done the story justice, but hopefully I've highlighted enough of the elements handled so masterfully by Celia that you'll want to give it a read.
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"Waiting On" Wednesday - Doubting Sex by Geertje Mak

2012-01-31T22:32:00.000-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

Doubting Sex by Geertje Mak:

An adolescent girl is mocked when she takes a bath with her peers, because her genitals look like those of a boy. A couple visits a doctor asking to 'create more space' in the woman for intercourse. A doctor finds testicular tissue in a woman with appendicitis, and decides to keep his findings quiet. These are just a few of the three hundred European case histories of people whose sex was doubted during the long nineteenth century that Geertje Mak draws upon in her remarkable new book. Doubting sex offers a refreshingly new perspective on the relation between physical sex and identity over the long nineteenth century. Rather than taking sex, sexuality, and gender identity as a starting point for discussing their mutual relations, it historicizes these very categories. Based on a wealth of previously unused source material, the book asks how sex was doubted in practice - whether by lay people, by hermaphrodites themselves, or by physicians; how this doubt was dealt with; what tacit logics directed the practices by which a person was assigned a sex, and how these logics changed over time. Mak highlights three different rationales behind practices of doubting and (re)assigning sex: inscription, body and self. Sex as inscription refers to a lifelong inscription of a person in the social body as male or female, marked by the person's appearance. This logic made way for logics in which the truth of inner anatomy and inner self were more significant. Rich in fascinating examples and clear in argument, Doubting sex will be stimulating reading for academics in related fields, and make an accessible addition to reading lists for courses on gender and sexuality studies, queer studies, social history, history of medicine, and science and technology studies. [February 14, 2012]

I cannot WAIT to read this one. Not only does it speak to my heart and soul, but it fits in wonderfully with my Transcending Gender Reading Challenge. Here's hoping I can get my hands on an advance copy . . .hint, hint, cough, cough. :)

How about you? What are you waiting on this week?

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QMO REVIEW: Nobody Gets Lucky by Giselle Renarde

2012-01-26T14:24:00.000-05:00

This afternoon brings another of my reviews for Queer Magazine Online. For those of you who have never stopped by, it's a free LGBTQ social networking site, complete with news, travel guides, magazine style articles, and (of course) book reviews/news.

Click here for my review of
Nobody Gets Lucky by Giselle Renarde

As always, a big thanks goes out to Serena Yates for giving me a chance to once again contribute to her wonderful site. It really is worth exploring, and there's definitely more than enough book reviews, book news, and author features to keep you busy and top off your to-be-read piles.

As always, here's to even more reading, reviewing, and sharing a love of books!

Hugs,
Sally
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"Waiting On" Wednesday - Beyond Binary edited by Brit Mandelo

2012-01-25T03:56:00.002-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid Speculative Fiction edited by Brit Mandelo:

From the introduction: There are many ways to break, transcend, challenge, subvert, and fuck with strict binary ideas about gender, sexuality, and identity. Speculative writers like James Tiptree Jr./Alice Sheldon and Samuel Delany have done it for decades; in 1969, Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness posited a world in which people are agendered for the majority of their lives, and the novel won both the Hugo and the Nebula. We still have the Tiptree Award, devoted to fiction that plays with and challenges ideas about gender, and it’s been going strong for two decades. After all, speculative fiction is the literature of questions, of challenges and imagination — and what better for us to question than the ways in which gender and sexuality have been rigidly defined, partitioned off, put in little boxes?

The thing is, stories about genderqueer and sexually fluid identities are still hard to find, even in a field active with speculation on gender and sexuality. They tend to pop up here and there, scattered throughout magazines and collections, and in queer publications that tend to get less attention from the SF readership. This book is an effort to collect and present some of the best of those stories in one place. [May 1, 2012]

I cannot WAIT to read this one. Not only does it speak to my heart and soul, and not only does it fit in wonderfully with my Transcending Gender Reading Challenge, but it's edited by the wonderful Brit Mandelo! Here's hoping I can get my hands on an advance copy . . .hint, hint, cough, cough. :)

How about you? What are you waiting on this week?

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GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: The Public Pretender to M.D. Cliatt

2012-01-18T08:54:00.002-05:00

I've just finished writing my debut novel, The Public Pretender. Whew! What a long and winding journey, but I like getting lost on the highways in the world of my imagination. A few times, I got off on the wrong exits--or, should I say different exits because it’s my imagination and nothing in there is wrong per se, just weird. I started writing it four years ago, and I’m glad I made it to the end.

Because I was mad about things I noticed in the juvenile justice system, I began writing a guide to educate more families in my community. As I wrote, a creative spring erupted in my mind, and I couldn’t force myself to stay within the rigid lines of legal exposition. It seemed fitting because I always found myself using analogies, examples and stories to explain to kids ranging in age from ten to eighteen what was happening to them in court.

The story is about a fiery criminal defense attorney, Maeven Dayne, who specializes in representing juvenile defendants. When it comes to her job, she’s driven and passionate. When it comes to her family, she’s devoted, but her job is demanding and distracting. She pleases her husband when she decides to quit her job to spend more time with the family. But, on Maeven’s last day at work in the courtroom, a juvenile probation officer she despises drags a weeping young girl before an irritated judge for an unscheduled hearing while Maeven is packing up her things to leave. She is walking out of the courtroom, fighting her urge to turn around when she hears the probation officer had the girl incarcerated for weeks without notifying her parents or arranging for representation. Maeven can’t resist the girl’s pitiful pleas for help and intervenes.

She discovers people are profiting from imprisoning innocent kids. A whistleblower ends up dead, but he’s left clues. When her oldest son is beaten, arrested and detained on false charges, her husband receives a message proposing an offer: Maeven must quit the girl’s case, or they lose their son. The problem? Can she sacrifice one for the other?

My book buddy and I had such different views about Maeven. We debated her methods, her motivations and how she treated friends and family. My friends had differing views too. We agreed that we were fascinated by her former client’s shady character, found her youngest son’s snarky humor terribly funny, and we really loved the way her husband loves. I cried over her oldest son’s scenes. Yes, I cry and laugh at passages in my own book; my husband thinks that’s weird. Because of the ongoing debate, I’m not done with Maeven. She’ll live on for one more book. She’ll have to wait until I’m finished writing a fantasy novel with my sons, but I’ve already have the plot for her worked out and can’t wait to get back to her.

Feel free to drop me a line. http://mdcliattbooks.blogspot.com.

Purchase links:
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
CreateSpace

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GIVEAWAY! Monica has offered up a free ebook copy of The Public Pretender to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment below to enter!

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About M.D.: I'm a wife and a mother who loves to tell stories. I was born and raised in Georgia, but now I live in Central Pennsylvania. I'm a staff attorney in a law school clinical program, and I'm an adjunct law professor who teaches juvenile justice and legal writing. I used to be a public defender specializing in representing children, and for the most part, loved the work. I thrived on the heat of courtroom battle, but the highs are very high and the lows are very low and I burned out. Now, I spend time grading papers, supervising law students as they represent indigent clients in court and reading with my sister in our long distance book club.

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"Waiting On" Wednesday - Haevyn: Humanotica Book 2 by Darcy Abriel

2012-01-18T01:49:00.002-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

Haevyn: Humanotica Book 2 by Darcy Abriel:

Everyone has their poison. For Haevyn Briena, it’s her inability to resist a dare. This time it’s a challenge from her friend and lover, Grisha, to sneak into the popular, illegal cage fights that always end in all-male orgies. Eagerly she snaps up the gauntlet, unaware that she will end the night forever changed.

When expatriate humanotic warrior Entreus locks eyes with Haevyn at the sex-fueled event, he is instantly captivated. Despite a duty that binds him to an exiled malevolent sorcerer, he seeks her out in a shattering, illuminating encounter.

Grisha’s plan is in motion—to bring both his warrior lovers together and heal their scarred souls with a combined passion that he alone cannot provide. But Haevyn’s tormented past refuses to die. And Entreus will not rest until the Core that ruined his life is destroyed.

Amid ever-tangling emotions and a brutal plot to take over the city, the three lovers walk a tightrope that could be cut at any moment. Fighting for justice, bound by duty…and a love that could alter the foundations of their world.

Warning: Watch out for oiled-up, naked trinespined warriors battling for top position, feisty tracer females that fit oh-so-snugly in between, and sexy nights that segue into complex relationships. Beware of tebitcheckers wielding those nasty little contulators at illegal, testosterone-drenched cage confrontations.[Mar 20, 2012]

Okay, so I'm not technically waiting, since Darcy was kind enough to provide me with an advance copy (big hugs and kisses, hon), but that doesn't mean I'm not squealing with delight at the opportunity! Those of you who have been following my blog for a while now will know that Silver, the first book in the Humanotica world, was one of my favourite reads of the last few years (check out my review here), and I have high hopes for this.

How about you? What are you waiting on this week?
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REVIEW: The Whip by Karen Kondazian

2012-01-17T15:42:00.000-05:00

First of all, before I get into the review, I have to point out that The Whip is an honest to gosh, cross my fingers, true story. It’s based on the life of Charley Parkhurst, a young woman who, following the death of her husband and child, spent much of the 19th century tracking down their murder . . . as a man.

This is an authentic old west tale, complete with a lynching, stagecoach chases, gun fights, and more. It’s the story of a woman who is so successful at being a man, not only is she allowed to vote (oh, the horror – LOL!), but she successfully takes her secret to the grave – or so close that it doesn’t really matter. There are, admittedly, some liberties taken with her story, but more to flesh out the grey areas than to significantly alter or misrepresent anything about her. That’s an important distinction to make, because she is most definitely not your typical heroine. In fact, at times, she is downright nasty.

Reading Charley’s story, you really get a sense of what life was like for a young, widowed woman in 19th century America. In hindsight, it’s all too easy to see her as a kind of social rebel, a precursor to the feminist movement of the mid 20th century, but the truth is she was guided by two things – the need to survive, and the desire to avenge her family – and advancing women’s rights wasn’t one of them. Charley’s life was a difficult one, both before and after losing her family, with one obstacle after another forced into her path. I daresay most men wouldn’t have been able to continue under such conditions!

The early scenes at the orphanage, with the cruel headmistress and boy-cum-monster are a bit over-the-top, but not so much as to detract from the overall story. They really help to set up Charley as a young (wo)man with potential, while her budding romance with an African American blacksmith is a nice touch, further establishing her as an early outsider.

I must say, Charley’s transformation certainly doesn’t paint the men of the time in a very flattering light, but it’s honest and down-to-earth. It’s about more than just dressing the part – it’s about walking the walk, talking the talk, and acting the role 24X7. She learns to smoke, chew tobacco, cuss, and fight with the best of them, but to Kondazian’s credit, she never comes across as some ‘butch’ character – we know there’s a woman at the heart of Charley, but the necessities of life dictate a different path.

Very well-written, this has the feel of something like Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven – a raw, realistic, powerful western that stays well away from the spaghetti roots. If you're taking part in my Transcending Gender Reading Challenge, this would be a great read to kick things off.
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QMO REVIEW: Unknown Futures by Jessica E. Subject

2012-01-15T19:12:00.001-05:00

This evening brings another of my reviews for Queer Magazine Online. For those of you who have never stopped by, it's a free LGBTQ social networking site, complete with news, travel guides, magazine style articles, and (of course) book reviews/news.

Click here for my review of
Unknown Futures by Jessica E. Subject

18 and Over Book Blogger Follow

2012-01-13T15:53:00.000-05:00

The 18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines.

Q. What is, or was, your most anticipated release this month (Jan.)?

I've gotta go with The Pet Shop by KD Grace:

In appreciation for a job well done, Stella James's boss sends her a pet - a human pet. The mischievous Tino comes straight from The Pet Shop complete with a collar, a leash, and an erection. Stella soon discovers the pleasure of keeping Pets, especially this one, is extremely addicting. Obsessed with Tino and with the reclusive philanthropist, Vincent Evanston , who looks like Tino, but couldn't be more different, Stella is drawn into the secret world of The Pet Shop. As her animal lust awakens, Stella must walk the thin line that separates the business of pleasure from the more dangerous business of the heart or suffer the consequences.
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REVIEW: The Crossdressing Anthology Volume 1 by HunnyDo

2012-01-12T12:33:00.001-05:00

A collection of HunnyDo's first five published stories, The Crossdressing Anthology is a rather well-written collection of transvestite erotica that could, admittedly, benefit from one more round of proofreading, but which is still a cut above much of the self-published erotica available on Amazon.

What immediately struck me with the collection is the common thread of self-confidence, acceptance, and even pride that links the stories. In each story, the protagonist is somebody entirely at peace with their gender diversity, and only too happy to acknowledge being a sissy. There is no self-conscious angst, no paralyzing fears, and no all-consuming doubts to detract from the experience. As a result, the humiliation and degradation that is so often common to the 'sissy' sub-genre of transgender erotica is refreshingly absent.

Each story is anchored very much in the realm of fantasy, with a common theme of being caught or exposed, but they're all plausible fantasies. Okay, so maybe Sissy Girl's First Date is a bit too good to be true, and maybe Sissy’s Biker Adventure stretches the limits of plausibility, but not so much that fantasy disconnects you from the story. Before we get to the fantasy, however, we get a nice amount of character building and exploration. Each story introduces us to the sissy protagonist, allowing us to get to know them as real, relate-able, identifiable people before we slip into their fantasy world. Again, getting back to the idea of self-confidence, these are sissies from otherwise normal homes, with otherwise normal, responsible lives, who just happen to express their gender and sexuality a bit differently.

Perhaps what struck me most about the stories, though, was the attention to detail. Clothing is, as you might expect, described in just enough detail to allow the reader to share in the joy of crossdressing, but not so much that it gets redundant. From colours, to fabrics, to textures, to the very feel of the material against the skin, and (perhaps most importantly) to the emotions evoked by dressing, it's all here. Even more delightful are the little cosmetic touches that add a bit of sparkle to the story, like the "beautiful, bright pink Mercedes two door convertible" and the "sterling Silver butt plug . . . adorned with a very large blue sapphire."

Make no mistake, these are very erotic tales, and absolutely meant for adults only. You're never going to find them shelved next to great literature at the local Chapters or Barnes & Noble, but they are (as I said originally) a definite cut above much of what can be found online. If you're at all curious about the lovely HunnyDo, this is a nice collection, appropriately priced, and well-suited to exploring her world.
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REVIEW: Trust Me & Songs for Guitar and French Harp

2012-01-11T11:51:00.001-05:00

Originally released as part of the Wild Passions anthology, Elizabeth Hyde's Trust Me and Angelia Sparrow's Songs for Guitar and French Harp are now available to be purchased and read separately (as are the other titles from the anthology). When Kris offered me the chance to review a few selections from the anthology, these two just jumped out at me, demanding a read.

Trust Me is a slice of sci-fi erotica involving a womanizing reptilian cadet who suddenly finds himself the subject of a very different kind of attention, thanks to a profile secretly posted to a male-on-male oral encounters site by his best friend, Sera. In this far-flung future, sexuality is no more taboo than hair colour (Koit has none), skin colour (Koit sports brown scales), or planet of origin (pretty much all the cadets are aliens), so he decides to give the boys a chance. Koit is a great character, just different enough to truly seem alien, yet human enough that we can still relate to him. His encounters are as humorous as they are erotic, with the young man forced to learn his way around the wants, desires, and physical sensations of other men. More bi-passive than bi-curious, the way in which he's completely oblivious to the fact that his male partners should be any different than his female partners in how they accommodate his alien member is just delightful.

Songs for Guitar and French Harp, on the other hand, is a much darker, post-apocalyptic tale. Set in a travelling freak-show carnival, it stars two genetically engineered animal constructs, one part bear (Arthur) and the other part lion (Gordon). As property of the circus, love between them is forbidden, but Arthur grew up with an adopted father who treated him like a person, positioning him to expect more from his lot in life. As I said, this is a very dark world, but Arthur brings a sad sort of innocence to the story, even as he tries to play the hero. More sensual than erotic, this is a story of forbidden love between young men who are as more animal than human. I would have liked to learn more about Daddy Frank, whose kindness sets the story in motion but, overall, this was a really interesting tale that works on all levels.
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"Waiting On" Wednesday - The Pet Shop by KD Grace

2012-01-11T03:51:00.000-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

The Pet Shop by KD Grace:

In appreciation for a job well done, Stella James's boss sends her a pet - a human pet. The mischievous Tino comes straight from The Pet Shop complete with a collar, a leash, and an erection. Stella soon discovers the pleasure of keeping Pets, especially this one, is extremely addicting. Obsessed with Tino and with the reclusive philanthropist, Vincent Evanston , who looks like Tino, but couldn't be more different, Stella is drawn into the secret world of The Pet Shop. As her animal lust awakens, Stella must walk the thin line that separates the business of pleasure from the more dangerous business of the heart or suffer the consequences. [Jan 15, 2012]

This one sounds like a ton of fun!

How about you? What are you waiting on this week?

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REVIEW: The Forester by Blaine D. Arden

2012-01-10T08:28:00.000-05:00

In many ways, this story reminded me of the work of Tanya Huff (a fantasy author whom I have always loved), albeit with a far healthier and far more forward dose of eroticism than she generally indulges. The Forester is the story of an elven truth seeker called upon to investigate a murder, and forced to revisit the pain and betrayal of lost love when his former lover is revealed to be involved with outcast forester who is the crime's only witnesses.

Romantically and emotionally, there's a lot going on here for such a short story. Kelnaht was betrayed by the man he loved, who left him for a woman, and who is now involved with another man, to whom Kelnaht is attracted. The result is an akward, tentative, uncomfortable ménage à trois that manages to do justice to the entire relationship evolution, without slighting any of the characters.

The story itself is wonderfully well-written, creating a very visual fantasy world within the reader's head. The most extravagant details (like wings) are woven in so subtly, nothing feels drastically different or completely out of place. The dialogue is a bit more modern than you might expect, but entirely fitting in the CSI police procedural mode, but the use of magic to accomplish the investiation is what really makes the story shine. If I had one complaint about the story it would be that the investigation takes a back seat to the romance a bit too much, but both work well.
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REVIEW: Chains and Chocolate by Bonnie Bliss

2012-01-09T14:23:00.000-05:00

Chains and Chocolate is . . . well, and erotic tale of chains and chocolate. You can’t be any more up front with the reader than that! Actually, this is a sweetly (pun intended) erotic story with a real-life twist that makes it more accessible to a novice reader, while still managing to entertain the most experience hardcore BDSM aficionado.

Here we have Marie, a young woman who has always dreamed of submitting to the perfect Master, and who has worked to bring her boyfriend into the fantasy. Initially reluctant, seeing it as a depraved, perverted, unnecessarily harsh activity, Neil’s resistance slowly crumbled before his wife’s insistence. With some heavy training behind them, the now happily married couple have moved into the dream house and are ready to christen their personal dungeon.

This is a story of a relationship brought closer through the shared joys of dominance and submission. It’s not just a story of a power exchange, but of an emotional exchange as well. It’s a very intimate story as well, taking place in the home, between two people who clearly love each other very much. There’s no public humiliation involved, no club scene, and no exaggerated fetish lifestyle. The story begins with the domestic banality of doing laundry, and ends with the domestic eroticism of melted chocolate in the kitchen. More than that, it’s a story that explores life on the other side of the fantasy, with Neil taking care of Marie afterwards (something we all too rarely see in BDSM fiction).

As for the writing, it’s sharp and crisp, conveying an immediacy to the scene. The characters are so wonderfully developed that you really come to care for them, and to enjoy the scene with them. It’s also a very hot read, with lovingly detailed descriptions of just what Marie must endure as the hands of her beloved.
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2011 Indie Lit Awards - Short Listed titles announced!

2012-01-09T06:29:00.000-05:00

The 2011 edition of the Indie Lit Awards is now closed for nominations, and the short lists of nominees has been announced.

As a proud Voting Member this year for the Speculative Fiction category, I'll be reading the following:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Candlewick)
The Magician King by Lev Grossman (Viking)

11/22/1963 by Stephen King (Scribner)

Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor Books)

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Crown)

If you are a blogger, please consider helping to promote the awards by posting about program, posting your nominations, adding a badge to your blog, or doing whatever you can to get the word out.

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Now Available - Frock Issue 12

2012-01-08T12:27:00.000-05:00

I am delighted to announce that Issue #12 of Frock Magazine is now available, once again featuring my "From the Shelves of the Bibrary" book review column. This month's column features some 'covert' reads - otherwise mainstream novels and memoirs that can safely be shared with friends and love ones, but featuring strong transgender themes, allowing them to be used as a kind of literary litmus test of acceptance and understanding.

Completely free, and available digitally, Frock Magazine is one of the finest transgender lifestyle magazines around, and one that prides itself on being coffee-table friendly (i.e. free of any erotic content, suggestive ads, etc.).

Don't just pick it up for my column, though - the magazine has a wonderful variety of articles and features, looks absolutely gorgeous, and is a wonderful read. Please hop on over to Frock Magazine and give it a read today!
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INTERVIEW: Joy Argento (author of Emily's Art and Soul)

2012-01-05T09:13:00.001-05:00

Good morning, all! I am absolutely delighted this morning to introduce you to Joy Argento, author of the lesbian romance Emily's Art and Soul, who has stopped by for our first interview of the new year.

Before we get into the interview, let's take a quick look at her newest release:

Emily's life's "to do" list never included having her mentally challenged sister move in with her. Then again getting a divorce or moving to a different town for a new teaching job wasn't on her list either. But a lot of things change when your mother dies. Sometimes these unexpected changes can bring new self revelations and unexpected turns. Emily's best friend, Andi stands patiently by while Emily discovers her new found sexuality and sets out to explores the world of loving women. But, will Emily see what's right in front of her before it's too late?

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♥ Thanks so much for stopping by, Joy! For those who may be new to your writing, and who haven't yet checked out your latest release, please tell us a little about yourself.

I have spent the last 15 years of my life as a freelance artist. A friend suggested that I try my hand at writing because she liked the way I “told stories”. I thought she was crazy until I decided one day to take her advice and wrote a really bad biography. Just the act of writing it stirred something in me and created an urge to write a lesbian romance. That led to another and I have just completed the first draft of my third novel.

♥ The journey from 'aspiring' to 'accomplished' can be a long one, even in the era of small presses and digital publishing. When did you begin writing, and how did you feel when you first saw your work in print?

I started writing about two years ago. Before that the last serious things I wrote were in high school and a college course…a good many years ago. It was surreal when I saw my first book in print.

♥ Did you deliberately choose lesbian romance as a genre because there's something specific that draws you to it, something you feel it offers that other genres don't, or was it just 'right' for the story you wanted to tell?

I choose lesbian romance because it’s what I enjoy reading the most. No matter how my life is going, I love being transported into a new love story with a well written book.

♥ How does your past influence your writing? Are you conscious of relating the story to your own experiences?

Whether I set out intentionally using my own experiences or not, that is what comes through in the characters. My own emotions and weakness seem to become my characters traits. My second book, Emily's Art and Soul, features a character with Down syndrome. That character was based on my younger brother Charlie. So yes my past definitely influences my writing.

♥ Do you have a schedule or a routine to your writing? Is there a time and place that you must write, or do you let the words flow as they demand?

Occasionally the words come when I am not expecting them. If I can get to my computer at that time, I do. If not, I try to write it down on whatever is available. Other than that, I write on my laptop in the family room, surrounded by my partner, the dog, and four cats. Often the television is on…usually blaring. For the most part I am able to tune everything out and write. Once in a while I have to put my ear buds in and play music to get the rest of the world to go away.

♥ How about a soundtrack? Do you have a particular style of music or other background noise that keeps you in the mood, or do you require quiet solitude?

When I do play music it is usually songs from Glee. I only use music to drown out other sounds.

♥ For some authors, it's coming up with a title, and for others it's writing that first paragraph - what do you find is the most difficult aspect of writing?

Once I start a book, I come up with a title. I don’t usually stick with that title and trying to come up with the “real” title is very hard for me. Writing the blurb for a book is equally as difficult.

♥ Is there a favourite quote or scene from your work that you feel particularly fond of? Something that reminds you of why writing is important to you?

Sami swallowed hard. She didn’t want to have this discussion, but she knew there was no chance of a future with Faith without it. “Are you afraid of going to hell?”

She felt Faith nod her head against her shoulder. “I am. Aren’t you?”

“No,” Sami hesitated. Her fingers tips continued to stroke Faith’s back. “I’m afraid of displeasing God and what that might mean. But I don’t think I’m going to hell. If you remember, I don’t really believe in hell. But Faith, if I did believe in hell, I don’t think us loving each other would cause God to send us to there. But if it did, I would go to hell if it meant I could be with you.”

Faith sat upright in bed, her hand holding the sheet to her chest. “Don’t say that. Oh my gosh. Don’t say that. Don’t you see I could never let you risk your immortal soul for me? I could never let that happen.” Faith slipped out of Sami’s arm and out of the bed.

♥ Sometimes, characters can take on a life of their own, pulling the story in directions you hadn't originally anticipated. Has a twist or turn in your writing ever surprised you, or really challenged your original plans?

I’ve had characters say things that I didn’t expect them to. In the story I’m writing now, Faith tells the best friend of Sami, that she still has feelings for Sami. I expected the friend to just sort of nod and listen. Instead she went on a rampage telling Faith to stay away from Sami. It wasn’t what I had planned on writing, but it made total sense that the character would do that.

♥ When you're not writing (or reading), what are some of the hobbies and passions that keep you happy?

I am an artist when I’m not writing. I do oil painting, drawing, pastel and color pencil. I also do “How to” art DVDs, using my own lessons and videotaping other artist’s lessons.

♥ Is there a particular author who has influenced or inspired your writing? Somebody who either made you want to write in the first place, or who refreshes your literary batteries?

Georgia Beers is my personal hero. I’ve loved her books since I read her first one years ago. I fall in love with her characters and always miss them when I finish the story. I look to her work as a model for what I want to do with my writing.

♥ When writing, do you ever consider how a reader or reviewer will react, or do you write solely for your own satisfaction?

I always have the reader in mind as I write, but it is important for me to be personally satisfied with a story. If I enjoy writing it and then rereading it for edit, then I know I’ve done my job.

♥ What first compelled you to begin writing, and what is it that keeps you motivated?

My friend, Chris first compelled me to write. I stay motivated because I have so many story ideas in my head, and I am interested to find out what these stories are about and who is living the stories. I love getting to know the characters and being surprised and amused by them.

♥ Just for fun, who would you single out as your number one celebrity crush, and what would you like most to do with/to them?

I am absolutely in love with Sandra Bullock. She is beautiful, funny and smart. I’m thinking that having breakfast, that stretches in to lunch, that stretches into dinner, that continues on to drinks in the evening, would be nice. (Is that asking too much?) Of course she discovers how interesting and funny I am and decides that she wants me to be her new best friend.

♥ If your book were being made into a movie, and you had total control over the production, who would you cast for the leading roles?

The first book I wrote (but it was the second one published) Emily's Art and Soul would have Anna Silk playing Andi. Anna stars in the Canadian series, Lost Girls. Emily is still being cast in my head. I am holding auditions if anyone would like to try out. Mindy (Emily’s sister) would be played by Lauren Potter, who plays Becky on Glee.

♥ If you could live a day in the world of someone else's story, whose would you choose, and why?

I would be Jennifer in Georgia Beer’s book Thy Neighbor’s Wife. She’s beautiful, rich and she gets the girl.

♥ Is there a particular theme or message you're expecting readers to take away from your work?

Each of my books has a theme. Carrie and Hope is about letting fear rule your life. Emily's Art and Soul is about missing what’s right in front of you. My next book, Holding on to Faith is about overcoming beliefs that were pounding in your head to be true to yourself.

♥ Okay, I think you've already spilled the beans, but what can we look forward to from you next? Is there a project on the horizon that you're really excited about?

I am really hoping to release my next book, Holding on to Faith in late January. It is in the hands of my first readers right now and I am awaiting feedback. I should have it to my editor in early January. The cover is designed and ready to go. The book can be summed up in one line. What would you do if the one thing standing between you and the woman you love is God?

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About Joy:Joy Argento spent most of her life creating visual art. Her award winning paintings and drawings have found their way into countless public and private collections around the world. The same gift of observation that gives her art such a feeling of depth and reality is also very evident in her writing. Dealing with such serious subjects as death, teen pregnancy, and religious beliefs, she still manages to inject a good amount of humor in each story. Her characters are people you would like to know, to have lunch with, to fall in love with.

Joy was born and raised in Syracuse, New York and currently lives in Rochester, New York with her partner, four cats and a dog. She is the proud mom of three grown children.
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HOLIDAY REVIEW: Marley & Red Satin Christmas

2012-01-04T14:39:00.000-05:00

A rather belated Happy Holidays to everybody! I had fully intended to get reviews of these posted before the holidays, but life (as is often the case) just didn't cooperate.

Marley - The Other Christmas Carol by Donald Allen Kirch:

If you saw my review of The Misadventures of Ka-Ron the Knight, then you know I'm a fan of Don's work. This is a very different story from that one, but it has the same kind of imaginative twists and narrative strengths to draw you in. A sequel to Dicken's original take, this one catches up with the ghost of poor Jacob Marley a century or so later, this time in a home that is already rumoured to be haunted . . . and currently occupied by the Kringle family. When a fight breaks out between Kathy's parents, an idly muttered prayer from the family butler gives Marley a chance at redemption.

A sweet story (without being sappy), Marley offers up a well balanced mixture of supernatural chills and domestic tension, as well as an entirely satisfying conclusion. I will say the presence of the butler initially put me off (does anybody really have a proper butler anymore?), but he is quite endearing and, as it turns out, rather instrumental to the tale.

Red Satin 3: Red Satin Christmas by Giselle Renarde:

The third in the Red Satin series (following Red Satin and The Night Before Red Satin Christmas), this is another wonderfully well-woven tale by one of my all-time favourite romance/erotica authors. Fulfilling the promise of family drama hinted at in the last volume, this story reunites us with Regan and her transsexual girlfriend, Maisie, for a little holiday romance. I've been wondering for almost a year now who Jerry's mysterious companion was, and I'm delighted to say my guess couldn't have been more wrong. Their arrival (and subsequent news) turns up the family drama quite a few notches, while the surprise arrival of Regan's father cranks it all the way up to ten.

Normally, I'm not one for stories of family drama, since I try so hard to avoid the very same dramas in real life. Giselle has done such a fantastic job of developing her characters (and their relationships), though, that I had to make it through to ensure they were all right. Of course, it helps that Regan and Maisie get more intimate alone time than in either of the first two novels, bringing an entirely different rosy glow to my cheeks.

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GUEST POST: The Wonderful World of Jewish Cooking by Dorene Sager

2012-01-03T06:09:00.003-05:00

The Wonderful World of Jewish Cooking

Among the many traditions that Jewish families hold dear, Jewish cooking is still the best of them. My brother, Armin Feldman, and I (Dorene Sager) just wrote a cookbook, Our Mother’s Recipes. Let's face it, everyone loves Jewish cooking. Who doesn’t love going to the deli? Whether you've grown up in a Jewish family and have enjoyed Jewish meals your entire life or you're new to the world of Jewish cooking and have just recently realized just how much these traditional meals have to offer, we think you’ll love our new cookbook. All of the recipes come from a treasure trove of our mother’s recipes we discovered after she passed away. In getting our mom’s things in order we found hundreds of hand written and typed recipes she had stored in several shopping bags.

So what, exactly, makes Jewish cooking so special? It's not just about the way the food tastes (although there is no denying that Jewish dishes are some of the best in the world). Part of what makes Jewish cooking so special is how it is tied in to the rich history of the Jewish people, and the time spent together with family and friends sharing the meals that have become popular Jewish dishes worldwide.

The recipes that make up the world of Jewish cooking and our cookbook are actually a collection of dishes from all of the places the Jewish people have lived throughout history. For example, blintzes are a very popular Jewish dish that has roots in the German culture. Just looking at the different Jewish foods can be a history lesson all by itself. Our mom learned all these recipes from her mom and so on right down the line.

If you've grown up in a Jewish household you know how comforting a warm bowl of chicken soup served in Bubbe's kitchen can be. You understand how the perfect Jewish meal can make a family gathering that much more memorable. It’s the smell of the kitchen and the sounds of laughter. Unless you've experienced it you can't really understand how Jewish cooking can turn friends into family and can bring a family closer together.

Of course you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy Jewish cooking. Friends and family from any culture can benefit from what the world of Jewish cooking has to offer. After all, who doesn't enjoy a warm, hot meal that tastes amazing? We can guarantee you our mom’s recipes are truly the cream of the crop.

There are many recipes in our cookbook that you can use to start your own family traditions. Even if you have your own collection of Jewish recipes, check out the resources on our website, www.OurMothersRecipesOnLine.com. We can provide you with some great new additions to your Jewish cooking collection and may even give you some ideas for new twists on the recipes you already have. Also, please sign up for the Recipe of the Week club.

So to answer the question, why is Jewish cooking so special? It’s because it comes from the heart. Jewish meals are made with love and served with the same. You don't have to be Jewish to experience Jewish cooking. You just need access the Jewish recipes in our cookbook and add love. With those two things, everyone can be a Jewish cook.

Dorene Sager

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Dorene Sager and Armin Feldman are sister and brother. the idea for the cookbook sprang from the discovery of a treasure trove of their mother’s recipes after she passed away. Now Our Mother’s Recipes, Carrying On a Jewish Tradition is a Web site, a cookbook, a TV show and a place to learn about what the best Jewish cuisine has to offer.

Dorene Sager: Dorene represents the best of so many different things. Dorene is a cookbook author, a wife and mother, a commercial real estate broker, a devoted family member, a true friend and so much more. Dorene is a fantastic cook in her own right. She learned a lot about cooking from her mother, Helen Feldman. Dorene is married and has three children and 6 grandchildren. Dorene and her husband just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Dorene enjoys reading, movies, playing canasta, and of course cooking.
Dorene says,

“I had so much fun working with my brother putting together all of the different ways to showcase our mother’s recipes.”

Armin Feldman: Armin wears a number of hats too. Armin is a cookbook author, husband, dog lover, supporter of friends and family, medical doctor and a lot more. Armin is also a wonderful cook. From the time they could reach the kitchen counter, their mother taught Dorene and Armin how to make traditional Jewish recipes. If you watch the videos on their website, http://www.ourmothersrecipesonline.com , you can feel the joy these siblings radiate while cooking their mother's recipes. You can also sign up for the recipe of the week sent right to your email address.

Armin says, “What a treat to work with the best sister ever in creating all of these venues to showcase our mother’s remarkable culinary skills.”

Add a wonderful cuisine to your everyday meals and special gatherings. Traditional Jewish cooking is flavorful, fun and hearty particularly with Our Mother's Recipes, Carrying on a Jewish Tradition. These recipes have been handed down through many generations influenced by Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Spanish, German and Eastern European styles of cooking. In our family all of these cultural influences were combined, synthesized and affected by local ingredients through the years resulting in sumptuous, rich and wonderfully fulfilling traditional Jewish dishes. Try our mother's farfel instead of noodles. Replace that tired chocolate cake with some really yummy Helen Feldman brownies or warm fruit compote. You will have the secret to Jewish penicillin, chicken soup with matzo balls. There's enough here to keep you going for years of great food, family, friends and memories to enjoy.

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CONTEST
To get your entries and to find out how to get more entries visit http://www.ourmothersrecipesonline.com to access the contest form.

The prizes:

$100.00 Amazon Gift Certificate for a Kindle
Two $50.00 Amazon Gift Certifcates

Authors can choose a video book trailer or Facebook Welcome Page instead of the Kindle.

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Transcending Gender 2012 Reading Challenge

2011-12-29T11:55:00.004-05:00

Transcending Gender 2012 Reading Challenge hosted by Bibrary Book Lust

This year's challenge is all about reads that transcend gender . . . those that play with stereotypes, blur the gender binary, and challenge traditional gender roles. All genres are fair game, so long as they do something interesting or unique with the concept of gender.

It could be a feminist read that challenges gender stereotypes; a story that features a society where gender roles are reversed; a book with a transvestite, transsexual, intersex, or genderqueer character; a more fanciful/imaginative novel that explores alien or alternative genders; or a story that features some sort of magical transformation or shapeshifting that crosses gender lines.

The scope of the challenge is intentionally broad, and as much about how we perceive a book as it is about the books themselves.

To register for the challenge, please submit your Name/Blog Title and the URL of your Challenge Post in the Link below.

There will be 2 giveaways to celebrate the challenge, one at the end of June and the other at the end of December. Simply signing up for the challenge gets you one entry for each, while every review linked in the first half of the year gets you an additional entry for the June draw, and every review linked in the second half of the year gets you an additional entry for the December draw.

For those of you who have already registered, click HERE to link your reviews.

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INTERVIEW: Blaine D. Arden (author of The Forester)

2011-12-23T06:09:00.001-05:00

It is my great pleasure to once again welcome the amazing folks over at Storm Moon Press to my little Bibrary Book Lust blog! Joining us today is Blaine D. Arden, author of The Forester (as well as The Fifth Son, due in March of 2012).

Blaine is a purple haired, forty-something writer of gay fiction with a love of men, music, mystery, magic, fairies (the pointy eared ones), platform shoes and the colours black, purple and red. Born and raised in Zutphen, the Netherlands, Blaine spent many hours of her sheltered youth reading, day dreaming, making up stories and acting them out with her barbies.

Though she wrote her first gay fiction as a teenager, Blaine's true inspiration comes from the wonderful gay romance called 'Beautiful Thing'—an adaptation of the play by Jonathan Harvey—through which she gained some very dear gay friends and a postponed bout of puberty that caused an introverted and shy Blaine to finally grow into herself. Supporting Blaine in all matters regarding household, teenagers, cairn terrier Kendra and pursuing her dreams, is her long-suffering husband for over twenty years.

When not writing, reading or at choir practice, Blaine has singing lessons and hopes to be in a band someday.

Before we get into Blaine's interview, let's take a quick look at The Forester:

Kelnaht, a cloud elf, is a truth seeker caught between love and faith. Worse, a murder committed ten days before Solstice reveals an illicit affair between two tree elves he desires more than he can admit: Kelnaht's former lover Ianys, who once betrayed him, and the shunned forester named Taruif, who is not allowed to talk to anyone but The Guide, their spiritual pathfinder. When Taruif turns out to be the only witness for the crime, Kelnaht has to keep Ianys from sacrificing himself and losing his daughter, while at the same time realising he'd gladly sacrifice himself to end Taruif's loneliness.

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♥ For those who may be new to your writing, and who haven't yet checked out your latest release, please tell us a little about yourself.

Hi. I'm Blaine. I'm a purple haired, forty-something (turned 43 yesterday), writer of gay romance with a love of men, music, mystery, magic, fairies (the pointy eared ones), platform shoes, and the colours black, purple, and red, who sings her way through life.

I was born and raised in Zutphen, the Netherlands, and have been married to a rather indulgent husband for over twenty-one years now. Together we raise two sons, a foster son and a dog, all equally mischievous. Officially, there are four adults living in this household, unofficially, I doubt you'd find even one.

♥ The journey from 'aspiring' to 'accomplished' can be a long one, even in the era of small presses and digital publishing. When did you begin writing, and how did you feel when you first saw your work in print?

I began writing in my early teens, but as much as I loved losing myself in my stories, it wasn't really encouraged and being as naïve as I was, I never thought about doing something more with it. I still have a box filled with slips of paper containing mini-plots and character lists, plays and a number of shorts, both finished and unfinished.

The first time I saw my work in print (non-m/m under a different name) was in a British small press magazine in 2004/2005. I entered a competition and was one of two winners. I was thrilled to get my copy and dragged it along to every friend and family meeting I went to.

♥ Did you deliberately choose a genre because there's something specific that draws you to it, something you feel it offers that other genres don't, or was it just 'right' for the story you wanted to tell?

I never deliberately chose the gay romance genre, though most of my early work was definitely romance – sappy young teen stuff, but romance. After seeing the film 'An Early Frost', I felt gay characters needed a break from all the negativity, and just started writing a gay romance. I was seventeen, I think, and wanted to change people's perception of men falling in love with men. As for writing fantasy. I love building my own worlds, my own cultures. Plus, I love magic, elves and dragons.

♥ How does your past influence your writing? Are you conscious of relating the story to your own experiences?

Funny thing is that I did a writing course years ago, and out of five students, I was the only one who didn't write a memoir, diary or travel journal. I was the only one who actually just made them up. I thought it was very strange. So, no. It's never been a conscious thing for me. I crawl into my characters' skins, feel their emotions and tell their stories. Some of their reactions might reflect my own experiences, but I'm mostly the last to realize it.

♥ Do you have a schedule or a routine to your writing? Is there a time and place that you must write, or do you let the words flow as they demand?

I spend most of my days in my office or at the dinner table, trying to stick to a work day routine, and remembering to have lunch. Of course, being a mother, even of 17s and up, there are too many other chores and appointments to make it a full forty hour work week, but I'm getting the hang of this scheduling thing. When I'm not at home, I always carry a notebook or laptop with me; you never know when inspiration will hit.

♥ Do you have a soundtrack to your writing, a particular style of music or other background noise that keeps you in the mood, or do you require quiet solitude?

My taste is too eclectic to stick to one style only. Because I tend to sing along with about every song I know, and I'm very focused on lyrics, I often play instrumental music in order not to distract myself too much. But sometimes I just need something different, need the lyrics to inspire me, and I'll just play anything and everything to keep me going. I keep the volume low so it doesn't outcry my thoughts.

That said, I've been having a bit of an Adam Lambert obsession lately, and I can't seem to stop playing his album.

♥ For some authors, it's coming up with a title, and for others it's writing that first paragraph - what do you find is the most difficult aspect of writing?

Bringing it all together. I'm more a pantser than a plotter, so most of the story happens while I'm writing, while there will always be key elements that I've planned out beforehand. Sometimes getting all the things in my head to rhyme on page is a struggle for me. It never happens while I'm writing a first draft. Things don't come together until I start editing. I always feel I'm deeper into the story during the editing phase, and then halfway through editing, something will click for me, and I suddenly know how to make it all come together.

♥ Sometimes, characters can take on a life of their own, pulling the story in directions you hadn't originally anticipated. Has a twist or turn in your writing ever surprised you, or really challenged your original plans?

I'm always amazed at random thoughts popping up just the right time, solving parts I wasn't even aware were causing a problem. A couple of years ago, I started a short story about an immortal man who found the reincarnation of a past lover. But after the first chapters, I started to write more and more from the POV of the reincarnation, and the story changed. On top of that, the reincarnation suddenly found himself hooking up with a blind date that went wrong, but wouldn’t go away, and my perfect villain was born. The short story turned into a novel.

♥ When you're not writing (or reading), what are some of the hobbies and passions that keep you happy?

Very sneaky of you to prevent me from answering reading. :)

I sing. I have singing lessons, and I sing in a choir. Both are very good ways to take my mind off things (still with my notebook never far away) and replenish my energy. I recently took up Qigong, a perfect way to clear my mind for a bit (even if it's only an hour a week). I also cycle with a friend once a week and I love watching films with my husband.

♥ Just for fun, who would you single out as your number one celebrity crush, and what would you like most to do with/to them?

Number 1? Well, since I keep thinking I'm over him until I listen to him singing and go weak in the knees, I'll have to go with Gareth David-Lloyd. What I'd most like to do with him? Err … apart from the obvious ;), sing a duet with him. I'm sure between our different tastes in music, there has to be a song that we could rock its socks off.

♥ If your book were being made into a movie, and you had total control over the production, who would you cast for the leading roles?

So many gorgeous men to choose from. But, in keeping with my answer above, I think Gareth David-Lloyd could be a very decent Ianys. As for the other two, Andrew Lee Potts would look great with wings, so he'd be Kelnaht, and for Taruif, I'd have to go with Johnny Depp. He could play any role, but I think he'd look gorgeous with a long grey braid and those vine tattoos.

♥ Is there a particular theme or message you're expecting readers to take away from your work?

I always try to write diverse worlds, where sexuality doesn't matter. So, apart from hoping they've enjoyed the story, I like readers to feel a sense of hope that one day everyone will realize that diversity is a fact of life and love doesn't discriminate.

♥ What can we look forward to from you next? Is there a project on the horizon that you're really excited about?

During NaNoWriMo I wrote a story about an investigator who finds out that his boyfriend was the female suspect of a murder case he's working on. I'm looking forward to polishing that one.
Right now, I'm working on a story set in the same universe as 'The Forester', about a mute, magical baker. I enjoyed writing this world so much, that I couldn't leave it at just one story. No reappearance of old character's though, at least, not yet. Maybe in a different story I'll revisit Kelnaht's village.

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Thanks so much to Blaine for stopping by - you can find her at:

http://blainedarden.com

http://twitter.com/BlaineDArden

http://www.facebook.com/BlaineDArden

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REVIEW: Red Gods, Twin-Bred, and The Last Nude

2011-12-22T15:05:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately, due to some other projects that are currently monopolizing my time, I’m afraid that I've been unable to properly dedicate myself to the blog over the past month. I feel bad, especially for those authors who are patiently (I hope) awaiting reviews, but when life seems to be all about feast or famine, you have to capitalize on the opportunities to feast.

Hopefully I won't be doing to many of these quick review articles, but right now it's the only way I can share these wonderful reads with you all. Enjoy!

Red Gods by James A. Finan: Normally, I'm not a fan of 'experience' novels (i.e. stories pasted together from multiple sources/mediums), but Finan makes it work, including everything from flashbacks, to journal entries, to magazine articles, to old folk songs. It helps that the story itself is so interesting, with a group of elite mercenaries sent into the snowbound countryside to discover who (or what) killed the residents of Fernby Lakes.

This is a very graphic novel, centred around sinister forces that have no regard for polite sensibilities. The mercenaries themselves are a dark bunch, authentic comrades in arms, as opposed to the 'friendly' gangs so common in these kinds of stories. The book is wonderfully well written, and Finan manages (for the most part) to successfully manage the different voices quite well. There's just enough humor to relieve the dreary horror, but not so much that it becomes campy.

Twin-Bred by Karen A. Wyle: Wyle offers us an interesting twist on the alien contact genre, putting Humans on another planet, but in a situation where their own impatience/intolerance makes war a seeming inevitability. In order to ward off that conflict, Mara Cadell comes up with the radical proposal of intentionally developing fraternal twins, one human and one Tofa, in order to create a bond. Of course, such a bond is only as good as the intentions behind it, and when the government believes in knowing the enemy . . . well, you can imagine the consequences.

This is a really well-written classic science fiction novel, thoughtful and full of ideas. The aliens here are truly alien, similar enough to humanity that we can relate, but unique enough that we never shake the novelty of them. Smartly, considering the potentially huge scope of the ideas being explored, Wyle draws us into the story on an intimate level, focusing primarily on the development of one set of twins. There are a lot of characters, and some frequent changes in point of view, but the different voices are distinct enough that you never get lost in the narrative. As for the setting, the alienness of Tofa is subtle, almost masked by human intervention, but quite remarkable when it comes through.

The Last Nude by Ellis Avery: While not a book I would have been likely to stumble across on my own, I'm deeply indebted to G.P. Putnam's Sons / Riverhead for providing me with the opportunity for an early read. Here we have a fictional romance between two historical women, Tamara de Lempicka (artist) and Rafaela (model/muse), set in that uneasy period between WWI and WWII.

Although I knew nothing about Tamara coming into the story, and even less about art, her history is absolutely fascinating. I suspect the story might carry a bit more weight for those who are familiar with her work, and who can debate the 'was she/wasn't she' lesbian aspect, but I can attest to the fact that ignorance doesn't in any way take away from the read.

What really drew me into the story was the way in which Avery explores all aspects of Tamara's life, really getting into the dark side of how such passion can impact familial and professional relationships. This is not a happy-go-lucky tale of lazy lovers, content to pose and paint the day away, but of two women consumed by their work. Tamara comes across as a selfish, petty, arrogant woman, but rather than turn me off, I found her contrast to the sweet, sensitive, vulnerable Rafaela compelling.

If I had one issue with the book, it's with the brevity of the scenes. I like to get lost in a story, to emerge from a thirty or forty page chapter, and be shocked to find that it's gotten dark outside. The chapters here are often comprised of single page or even half-page scenes that work from an artistic perspective (as if each scene were an individual brush stroke), but it's just not my style.
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INTERVIEW: Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane (authors of Saturnalia)

2011-12-22T06:09:00.000-05:00

It is my great pleasure to once again welcome the amazing folks over at Storm Moon Press to my little Bibrary Book Lust blog! Joining us today is the brand spanking new author duo of Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane, authors of Saturnalia.

Violetta Vane grew up a drifter and a third culture kid who eventually put down roots in the Southeast US, although her heart lives somewhere along the Pacific coast of Mexico. She's worked in restaurants, strip clubs, academia and the corporate world and studied everything from the philosophy of science to queer theory to medieval Spanish literature. She homeschools her eldest son and has a passion for political activism.

Heidi Belleau was born and raised in small town New Brunswick, Canada. She now lives in the rugged oil-patch frontier of Northern BC with her husband, an Irish ex-pat whose long work hours in the trades leave her plenty of quiet time to write. She has a degree in History from Simon Fraser University with a concentration in British and Irish studies; much of her work centred on popular culture, oral folklore, and sexuality, but she was known to perplex her professors with unironic papers on the historical roots of modern romance novel tropes. (Ask her about Highlanders!) When not writing, you might catch her trying to explain British television to her newborn daughter or standing in line at the local coffee shop, waiting on her caramel macchiato.

Before we get into their interview, let's take a quick look at Saturnalia:

Troy Khoury is serving a life sentence in Westgate prison for a robbery gone wrong. He just wants to keep his head down and do his time, but he runs afoul of an old-timer named Franchetti. Franchetti offers Troy a simple choice: kill fellow inmate Daniel Amato by Christmas in exchange for protection, or be tortured and raped to death by Franchetti's heavy, Pliers. Troy's no killer, though, and Daniel is as gentle and calm as can be. But a prison is a small place, and time is running out. Troy must decide how much he's willing to sacrifice before the choice is taken from him.

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♥ For those who may be new to your writing, and who haven't yet checked out your latest release, please tell us a little about yourself.

Heidi: I’m a Canadian SAHM with a degree in Irish and British history. I like Highlander romances and British TV, and you could even say I’m a bit of a Whovian. I talk with my hands and have a really self-deprecating sense of humour. I have a baby daughter who loves to blow raspberries.

Violetta: I rose like an irritable phoenix from the ashes of a decade in the corporate world. Before that, I was in academia, and before that, I messed around and got in trouble a lot. I’m the mother of two wonderful sons, and I homeschool the eldest.

♥ The journey from 'aspiring' to 'accomplished' can be a long one, even in the era of small presses and digital publishing. When did you begin writing, and how did you feel when you first saw your work in print?

Heidi: I’ve been writing since as long as I can remember, honestly. Since childhood, definitely. It’s been a long journey from there! I’ve had a couple of dramatic breakups with writing when I felt like I would never be good enough and never finish anything, and a lot of wasted time writing what I thought other people wanted me to write rather than what I enjoyed and cared about. Seeing my work published makes it feel like all that struggle and angst has been worth it. I feel like I’ve been legitimized finally. Of course, the work doesn’t stop at the acceptance letter, but damn do I feel good!

Violetta: Unlike Heidi, I came to writing late in life. I’ve wanted to write my own stories for decades, but I always felt inadequate because I couldn’t understand how I’d ever reach the level of the writers I most admired. The key for me was starting out slow, studying writing, working hard, and keeping high standards. Writing has turned into a source of huge fulfillment in my life, because I’m succeeding at the goal I set for myself: to write what I love as well as I possibly can. Publication feels like an external validation of that feeling of success. I also love how it’s such a cooperative endeavor.

♥ How does your past influence your writing? Are you conscious of relating the story to your own experiences?

Heidi: I think parts of ourselves always creep into our writing, whether we intend them to or not. My love of history and how overwhelmed I feel by the past seeps into a lot of what I do, but there are other things—things that are too personal for me to share—that also sneak in, although I’d never draw attention to them publicly. But yes, there are definitely parts of me in there, even if it’s just sensory impressions.

Violetta: All the time, and absolutely yes, even when I write characters that are completely opposite to myself. For example, for “The Saturnalia Effect”, I’ve never been shot down by the police, and then sent to a maximum-security prison, thank goodness, but I have had times in my life when I’ve felt completely trapped and hopeless, and I drew on bits and pieces of those experiences and filtered them through the character.

♥ For some authors, it's coming up with a title, and for others it's writing that first paragraph - what do you find is the most difficult aspect of writing?

Heidi: Transition scenes! I want everything in a novel to be pivotal and compelling and nothing to be a boring workhorse. Of course, stringing together a bunch of scenes with no connective tissue isn’t exactly the best idea when you’re trying to tell a story and have people actually understand it, but oh man I don’t like doing it. Luckily I have Violetta to kick me in the ass.

Violetta: Titles and certain figures of speech. I can’t write a title to save my life. I either use a song lyric or cling to Heidi. I tend to obsess about using too many or too few metaphors or similes to the point that I get hung up on style even though the story is flowing smoothly. “The Saturnalia Effect” is Heidi’s title, by the way, and it sums up the book beautifully by the end.

♥ Is there a favourite quote or scene from your work that you feel particularly fond of? Something that reminds you of why writing is important to you?

Heidi: On pure personal enjoyment factor, there’s a scene in “The Saturnalia Effect”—well, a couple of scenes—where the main character Troy is being threatened by a nasty enforcer who goes by the name “Pliers”. I love writing dialogue for horrible wicked evil people. Cold, hateful dialogue. I’m such a bubbly optimistic person by nature that being able to wear that skin and speak in that voice for a scene feels cleansing but also makes me feel like I actually have the chops to do this.

Violetta: My favorite scene is the one in the prison shower that culminates in the experience depicted in the cover art. The character is pushed to such an extreme point that he’s actually taking off all his clothes and walking into a confined space filled with sexual predators. We needed it to be intense, disturbing, not too exploitative, terrifying, and then hopeful. Pulling off that scene—rereading and deciding that yes, it was exactly what the story needed—was an inspirational reminder that writing can take you to the worst places and the best ones.

♥ Sometimes, characters can take on a life of their own, pulling the story in directions you hadn't originally anticipated. Has a twist or turn in your writing ever surprised you, or really challenged your original plans?

Heidi: Violetta and I spend a lot of time planning, but sometimes a bit of character backstory will reveal itself and totally change our perception of a character. Like a character in our big fantasy novel that’s out on submissions right now—it wasn’t until after we’d finished writing that book that we realized that story hadn’t been that character’s first brush with magic or the gods. It didn’t change the book that we’d written, but it will definitely come into play if we write a sequel!

Violetta: We often welcome these twists and turns, especially when they crop up in the planning stage and make the story much richer. For example, I had the idea of making the lead character of Arab descent as a homage to the recent prison movie Un Prophète. But when Heidi and I translated the setting from France to New York, we needed a character who rose organically out of the new setting. So we decided our man Troy Khoury would be a Lebanese-American, Christian (as most Lebanese-Americans are), and born and raised in South Brooklyn. We delved deeply into Troy’s worldview, and upbringing, and times of happiness and sadness, and decided that he’d have a pretty special and complicated relationship with Christmas, the time the story takes place.

♥ Is there a particular author who has influenced or inspired your writing? Somebody who either made you want to write in the first place, or who refreshes your literary batteries?

Heidi: Everyone in the M/M genre! When I was a teenager, I wrote a lot of stories centering on gay men and their relationships, but I felt like they’d never be published or find an audience. Who would read them? What publisher would buy them? And when they were written by a woman, no less? So I tried to force myself to give up those characters and those plotlines, thinking that I was just wasting my time and energy. Of course, here I am an adult, now, and there’s a whole genre of amazing people writing and reading these same types of stories I thought would never find their place in the romance genre. People of different genders, sexualities... After growing up a bisexual teenage girl in a small conservative town and always feeling so lonely, my writing being only one facet of that basic sense of isolation, being a part of this community and writing books here, knowing there are other people who will read them and appreciate them, feels absolutely amazing.

Violetta: Samuel R. Delany, a ground-breaking science fiction writer. Although I doubt I’ll ever write as widely or deeply as Delany, his stories and his hyperarticulate talk about stories have always inspired me. Beginning in the early 1960s, he wrote in a very dense, poetic style that didn’t seem to fit with his chosen genre of science fiction. He also writes gender and sexuality in completely unique ways, including strong women characters and radical feminist theory, and as a gay black man, he faced a lot of adversity in his career. One of the most chilling stories Delany ever related took place on the night he was awarded his second Nebula Prize—right as he was walking to the podium, Isaac Asimov made a supposedly friendly joke about how he was only given the prize because he was black! I’ve learned a lot from reading Delany over the years: how to analyze and expose racism and prejudice, which is important to me because I’m a woman of color who has faced a lot of sexism and racism in my life (although I’m not LGBTQ)... the need to write about all subjects, not just the polite and ordinary ones, and bring them out of silence into language.

♥ When writing, do you ever consider how a reader or reviewer will react, or do you write solely for your own satisfaction?

Violetta: For me, it’s always a mix. Everything I write has at least three audiences. First, myself. Second, a limited audience of my co-writer and other writers. Third, a broad audience of everyone who might ever read the story. I might start getting carried away with a strand of backstory, but then when I step back, I remember that a general reader has no reason to care about it, so I need to cut it off. Working with a co-writer like Heidi makes this balance a lot easier, because we can creatively filter as we write each sentence. I believe that writing without any personal satisfaction results in lifeless stories, but at the other extreme, I don’t see much point in writing only for yourself when the goal is publication.

Heidi: Definitely both. I mean, loving what I write and being interested in telling a particular story is a big component of staying motivated; that’s just a fact. Just think about every essay or project you’ve ever written about a topic you couldn’t care less about, and then multiply that by a full length novel. And then you’ve got to promote the thing! No thank you! On the other hand, I’m always aware that literature is a two-way street. Readers put as much into a book as authors do, so you have to remember them as part of the equation. Mostly that just means making sure that you write in a way that isn’t impossible for them to understand/interpret, or if you are a bit abstract, allow for the fact that they’re going to come up with interpretations that might not fit your exact intentions. I think it’s just important in general to respect your audience: respect their intelligence, respect their need for a story they can connect with on some level, respect that they have feelings and emotions and you should keep those in mind when you’re writing, and not write things that are potentially hurtful or harmful or offensive without good justification. So I guess, yes, I do worry about their reactions, but not to the point where I only write what I think other people would want to read.

♥ Is there a particular theme or message you're expecting readers to take away from your work?

Heidi: I try not to put a “lesson” into my writing, because I don’t think readers really appreciate being explicitly preached to, or reading a story for entertainment only to get pounded with a moral message. Are there topics and issues I care about that crop up in my writing? Absolutely. I think the fact that we wrote a love story about two prisoners and asked readers to sympathise with them even though they’re both guilty of crimes is making a statement in and of itself. There’s no point in the story where I set about saying “convicts are people too,” or teach a lesson about the American prison system or illuminate you on the issues of prisoners’ rights. Because the point of the story isn’t to convince you of a political standpoint—it’s to entertain you, make you feel suspense and sadness and happiness and arousal—but that doesn’t mean those sensibilities aren’t still there.

Writing m/m (or f/f, or m/m/m or m/m/f or f/f/m, etc.) as a genre in and of itself in this climate automatically makes a political statement: that love for LGBTQ people is legitimate and real and worthy of stories and fantasies and respect. If you’re writing a story without that belief in your heart, even if it’s not the “message” of the book, I have to wonder why you’re in the genre at all!

Violetta: Agreed. Fiction relies on ambiguity for its full effect, so it’s not the best medium for persuasion. But it’s never completely divorced from real life, either. For “The Saturnalia Effect,” one concern we had was not to diminish the very serious issue of prison rape. It’s a constant looming danger in the book and a major plot point. I often asked myself, “are we treating this in an exploitative manner?” To some degree, I think it’s inescapable, simply because as writers and readers we’re attracted to the extremes of human emotion and the extremes of suffering. From the Stone Age onwards, we like stories where horrible forces threaten characters—monsters, cancer, war—partly because it makes us feel better that we’re safely outside the story, away from the danger.

But we also didn’t want to contribute in any way to having prison rape being treated lightly, or as a punchline, as it so often is. People will say, “So-and-so is a monster; he’ll find out how his victims feel when he gets raped in prison,” but the reality doesn’t reflect that. Prisoners in danger of rape tend to be: 1) gay 2) transgender 3) ethnic/racial minorities in the prison environment 4) physically weaker/disabled 5) women (a lot of prison rape is, in fact, committed by male guards against women prisoners). I believe there is no “acceptable level” of prison rape, and the fact that someone deserves imprisonment does not mean they deserve to be raped. Although this “message of the day” isn’t sledgehammered inside “The Saturnalia Effect,” I’ll give it right here: please don’t make jokes that treat prison rape lightly. And to support an excellent organization that fights it, visit Just Detention International.

♥ What can we look forward to from you next? Is there a project on the horizon that you're really excited about?

Heidi: Well, barring any sudden publication announcements, my next work coming out is a solo short story called “Bookended”, with Dreamspinner press. It’s an M/M/M erotica with just a dash of cheeky romance. It’s much lighter than “The Saturnalia Effect” and a lot of the work I co-write with Violetta, but I think it’s a lot of fun. It’s just a quick little smut story, with a dose of filthy and funny dialogue and an unexpected romantic center. Definitely a story you could take into the tub with you or read with a glass of wine just before bed.

Violetta: I beta-ed “Bookended,” and it’s an awesome read. The style is quite different from our co-written stuff, in large part because it’s in present tense, which I’ve never mastered, although I think it works brilliantly for short stories.

Our magnum opus of the moment is an epic novel tentatively titled The Hollow Hill. It’s set mostly in modern-day Ireland, with detours to other worlds and times as magic entangles our characters. We took a maximalist approach to make sure this story had everything: a passionate love story, high stakes and real suspense, an approach to magic folklore that’s both authentic and imaginative. The world is so rich that ideas for prequels and sequels keep sprouting in our heads, but we’re trying to keep a lid on things until we get some definitive publication news. In the meantime, you might want to check out our free short story “Out of the Tombs, Exceedingly Fierce,” a tight little horror-style prequel which introduces a main character, Cormac Kelly, through the eyes of someone who enters his world only briefly.

We’re also more than three-quarters finished on a novella with a style I can only call Hawaiian Gothic. Like most of our stories, it has a strong multicultural element. The two characters are men who were childhood friends, both born in Hawaii. One of them is Hawaiian (as in native); the other is of Filipino descent. One stays in Hawaii; the other, devastated by his inability to declare his love, joins the Army and gets sent to Iraq, only to return when... well, I won’t give more of it away, but it’s a tragically beautiful story and I’ve found myself crying onto the keyboard at several scenes.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Thanks so much to Heidi and Violetta for stopping by - you can find them at:

http://violettavane.blogspot.com
http://heidi-below-zero.blogspot.com

♥

REVIEW: The Value Of Rain by Brandon Shire

2011-12-16T12:56:00.000-05:00

Gay, straight, or in between, human stories don't get much more powerful than in Brandon Shire's The Value Of Rain.

At it's heart, this is the tale of a young teenager (Charles) who is catapulted from the arms of his first love into the restraints of a mental hospital. Over the next ten years he is mentally, physically, and psychologically abused, all in an effort to cure him of his gayness - and all at his own mother's behest. While he manages to hold onto his identity, the experience changes him, transforming an innocent boy in search of love into a scarred young man in search of revenge.

This is a book that's, at times, both sad and angry, literally haunted by the dreary sound and images of falling rain. It's not a difficult story, but it is a challenging one, told in a deliberately haphazard fashion. The story jumps around through Charles' life, contrasting past and present, giving meaning to one, while justifying the other. What struck me most about the book was how beautifully Brandon writes, especially when writing about the cruelties which Charles encounters. It's very disconcerting to both admire and despise the same passages, drawn in by the narrative, only to recoil from the subject matter.

Like I said, this is a story that's sad and angry, and full of a lot of pain . . . but that pain, ultimately, leads to a catharsis. Charles evolves as much over the course of the story as he did during the duration of his imprisonment, and even if he can never reclaim his innocence, he can make peace with his situation. As for the ending, it's been a few days since I've read it, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. The human part of me rejects it, demanding a very different sense of satisfaction, but the reader in me admires it, appreciating just how Brandon brought everything together.

A powerfully moving read, it also comes with a note of caution for anybody who has ever felt like an outsider, who has ever been shunned or made to feel ashamed - this is a book that will make you think, feel, and sympathize, whether you want to or not.
♥

REVIEW: Best Bondage Erotica 2012 edited by Rachel Kramer Busse

2011-12-16T12:33:00.000-05:00

I must say, the good folks at Cleis Press have really spoiled me this year. First it was the five-star transgender collection, Take Me There, then the five-star gothic erotica collection Red Velvet and Absinthe, and now the four-and-a-half-star bondage collection, Best Bondage Erotica 2012.

This is a wonderful diverse collection of tales with something to offer just about everyone, although it will probably be of more interest to readers who are either new to the scene, or only casual participants. Those who are already heavily invested in bondage and submission as a lifestyle may find this a little light, but it's still a great read.

The collection starts off, rather appropriately, with Melting Ice - a tale of experimental self-bondage involving one woman, a pair of handcuffs, and a key trapped in an ice cube. From there, it progresses through intimate scenes involving pairs of lovers, more intense scenes involving multiple submissives (and switches), and some outright exhibitionist displays.

There's a lot of focus on the anticipation, on the sensuality of being restrained, as opposed to the more punished aspects of being bound. More often than not, it takes several pages before a cuff, collar, or rope even makes an appearance, but the 'threat' looms large, drawing the reader into the story. Most of the stories revolve around existing relationships, so there's an element of safety involved, although there is still very much a power exchange to be respected.

Female domination seems to be a predominant theme here, which is probably the reason why my spouse and I had so much fun with the stories. There are plenty of tales where the men are in control, however, and even some where who's in control isn't readily apparent . . . and where that control shifts rather abruptly. What's more, the focus of these stories is rather refreshingly on the bondage and the exchange of power, with sex secondary in most cases, and almost an afterthought in others.

Well worth a read . . . and even better if you have the opportunity to share it.☺
♥

INTERVIEW: Sherri Hayes (author of Slave)

2011-12-15T06:09:00.000-05:00

Good morning, all! I am very pleased to introduce you all to Sherri Hayes, author of the BDSM romance Slave (Finding Anna Book 1), who has stopped by for a quick chat.

Sherri is a country girl at heart. She lives outside a small town in Ohio with her husband and four cats. Her mother encouraged her love of books and fondly remembers childhood story times. Sherri satisfied her need to be creative through singing and performance throughout her high school years. About three years ago, the urge to write started and she has not stopped since. It has become an outlet for her and is excited to be able to share the characters and stories that constantly float in her head.

Before we get into the interview, let's take a quick look at Slave Slave (Finding Anna Book 1):

Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent’s death. As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.

Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how. Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing.Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?

And now, without further ado, please welcome Sherri!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥ For those who may be new to your writing, and who haven't yet checked out your latest release, please tell us a little about yourself.

I have two published novels, Hidden Threat and Slave (Finding Anna Book 1), and a short story, A Christmas Proposal. My mother fostered my love for books at a young age by reading to me as a child, so I’ve always loved reading. Once I entered my teen years, my reading choices drifted toward romance with the occasional mystery. Although stories have been floating around in my head for as long as I can remember, I never had the desire to write them down growing up. Now, it’s become a creative outlet that allows me to explore a wide range of emotions while having fun taking my characters through all the twists and turns I create. When I’m not writing, I can usually be found helping my husband in his woodworking shop.

♥ The journey from 'aspiring' to 'accomplished' can be a long one, even in the era of small presses and digital publishing. When did you begin writing, and how did you feel when you first saw your work in print?

I wrote my first story on-line four years ago. It was nerve wracking to put it out there for everyone to see, but it turned out to be one of the best things I ever did. The success of that first story led me to write my debut novel, Hidden Threat. I don’t think it really hit me until I held the book in my hands for the first time even with all the hours I spent working with my editor; seeing it, feeling it, made it real.

♥ Did you deliberately choose a genre because there's something specific that draws you to it, something you feel it offers that other genres don't, or was it just 'right' for the story you wanted to tell?

For my first novel I choose the genre I loved most at the time, which was romantic suspense. I still love that genre, and probably always will. For my second novel, Slave (Finding Anna Book 1), I choose BDSM because it was right for the story. It’s a key element that, if taken away, would change the entire tone of the book and the series. Only after beginning to research and write the story did I become intrigued with the genre itself.

♥ How does your past influence your writing? Are you conscious of relating the story to your own experiences?

I think all writers draw on their own experiences in one way or another to write their characters. However it not something I consciously think about while writing. I try to get to know my characters before I begin a story, and approach the story from their perspectives and backgrounds rather than my own.

♥ Do you have a schedule or a routine to your writing? Is there a time and place that you must write, or do you let the words flow as they demand?

Normally, I allow the story to flow as it comes to me. However, since I have deadlines with my stories now, I do sometimes have to discipline myself. During those times, I tend to be the most productive in the morning. I sit down at the computer with my breakfast, read over what I’ve written last, and pick up where I left off.

♥ Do you have a soundtrack to your writing, a particular style of music or other background noise that keeps you in the mood, or do you require quiet solitude?

I don’t usually have music playing while I write. Though, I might put on some classical music to help myself focus when the words aren’t flowing.

♥ For some authors, it's coming up with a title, and for others it's writing that first paragraph - what do you find is the most difficult aspect of writing?

That’s easy; book titles and character names. I’m in the middle of writing the second book in my Finding Anna series and I still don’t have a title for it, so I have to keep referring to it as ‘Book 2’ in my tweets and on my Facebook page.

♥ Sometimes, characters can take on a life of their own, pulling the story in directions you hadn't originally anticipated. Has a twist or turn in your writing ever surprised you, or really challenged your original plans?

Always. I don’t outline my stories before I write them. Although I always have a rough idea of where I want the story to go when I start it, getting there is completely up to my characters. I let them tell the story how they want it told. One example of this is in the sequel to Slave. A past character decided he wanted to attend a party unannounced. It threw an unexpected twist into the story creating drama and the opportunity to find out a little more about Brianna’s past.

♥ When you're not writing (or reading), what are some of the hobbies and passions that keep you happy?

I love to sing. In my younger years, I took voice lessons and participated in a few vocal competitions. I even went down to Nashville once and recorded a demo with a live band. It’s not uncommon for me to break out into song while shopping in a store or even doing the dishes.

♥ When writing, do you ever consider how a reader or reviewer will react, or do you write solely for your own satisfaction?

That’s a good question. I do consider how a reader would react to a point, but I’ve never changed anything major in a story just to make a reader or reviewer okay with something. My characters are not perfect. They make mistakes like everyone else. I try to make them and the situations they find themselves in as relatable and realistic as I can. You will never make everyone happy and you’d drive yourself crazy trying. I’d much rather write a book that I would enjoy reading.

♥ What first compelled you to begin writing, and what is it that keeps you motivated?

Frustration is what tends to start the stories in my head, and it’s what started me writing. I can’t tell you how many times growing up where I’d watch a movie or read a book, get to the end, and want to know what happened next. Instead of just leaving it there and moving on with my life, I would close my eyes and let the story continue in my head. It was much the same the first time I sat down to write. I was irritated at how a show I was watching on television was handling a romance between two characters that I loved, so I decided to ‘fix it’. Little did I know that a year later I would be writing what eventually became my debut novel, Hidden Threat.

Today, it’s usually deadlines that motivate me. The characters and plot lines continue to flow faster than I could ever possibly write them, but I’ve set a goal for myself to write two books a year and that keeps me busy and focused.

♥ What is the strangest or most surprising reaction to your work that you've ever encountered?

That has to be when my husband’s step-mother called me and asked me what BDSM stood for. She’d just started reading my novel, Slave (Finding Anna Book 1), and there at the top of page two was ‘BDSM’. She had no idea what it was or what it meant. Even after I told her, she said, ‘oh. Well they should have a glossary in the back or something for things like that. I had no idea what it meant and neither did your father-in-law.’

♥ If you could live a day in the world of someone else's story, whose would you choose, and why?

That’s a difficult question, but I think I’d have to go with one of the Outlander books, although I think I’d try to pick a ‘slow day’ in their lives. Jamie and Claire tend to get themselves in way too much trouble. Claire is an amazing character, and I’d love to pick her brain more than anything; see how she keeps from knocking some of those male doctors who think she doesn’t know anything because she’s a female on their backsides. As for Jamie, I want to know more about how he feels knowing Claire lived a whole other life in another time without him and how that knowledge affect his daily life. We get glimpses of it in the books, but I always want to know more of his point of view on the subject.

♥ Is there a particular theme or message you're expecting readers to take away from your work?

The biggest thing I want people to take away from my first book Slave is that human trafficking is real even in the US, and we can’t be blind to it. It really doesn’t matter what country you live in or where you’re from. And the people who are enslaved have everything they are taken away from them including their individuality. It isn’t as simple as just freeing them. They need support and assistance in finding themselves again. It something that for many takes a very long time, and for some, it never fully happens.

♥ What can we look forward to from you next? Is there a project on the horizon that you're really excited about?

I’m currently working through the second round of edits for my third novel, Behind Closed Doors, which is due out February 9, 2012. It’s a romantic suspense novel dealing with betrayal and domestic abuse. In my downtime, however, I’m also in the process of writing my forth novel, which will be the second book in my Finding Anna series. It will be exciting to see that completed. More than any other characters, Stephan and Brianna have pulled me in and grabbed me by the heartstrings. I want to know what will happen next in their story just as badly as everyone else.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Thanks so much to Sherri for stopping by! You can check her out at The Writers Coffee Shop or on her Finding Anna blog.

♥

INTERVIEW: Casey Crow (author of Can't Fake This)

2011-12-13T06:09:00.000-05:00

Good morning, all! Joining us today is Casey Crow, author of the contemporary erotic novella, Can't Fake This, just released last week by Loose, Id.

Casey Crow is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Alabama with degrees in Business Management and Dance. She received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Mobile. Casey resides in Mobile where she stays busy with her two young children. She also works as a dance choreographer, pageant coach, professional emcee and model, and certified Miss America preliminary judge. In fact, she is a former Miss University of Alabama. Casey writes erotic and spicy contemporary romances with the tagline “Sexy, Southern & Sassy.”

Before we get into things, let's take a quick look at Can't Fake This:

Anna Ryan is a woman on a mission. She’s sassy, pretty, petite, and ready to reenter the dating world after a messy divorce. She will kiss a few frogs, but that’s okay because she needs the practice. As a romance author, one would think she knows about sex. Sure, she can bump and grind, but what she desires is passion – hot, steamy, mind-blowing chemistry.

She capitalizes on the instantaneous lust with Chase Harris, deciding he is Frog #1. Sucking up her anxiety, she proposes a plan no man can refuse – sex with no strings, no commitment, and complete control. The catch is he must teach her "to make love" and do it for the next twelve days, a Christmas present to herself. The confirmed playboy is intrigued by the idea and takes it a step further by using the traditional carol The Twelve Days of Christmas to illustrate each lesson.

Anna needs to sow some wild oats so that means letting him go, even if Chase says he loves her. Bachelors talk a good game, so why does the intense look in his eyes have to be so real? Like he means it? Like she is…the one?

And now, without further ado, Casey!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥ Tell us about Can’t Fake This.

Can't Fake This started out on a whim. At the last minute, I decided to enter this 10,000 word contest. I’d written spicy mainstream, but this was my first dive into erotic waters. I didn’t win the contest, but after having what I thought was a good start, I added some more words and low and behold, this erotic became the first manuscript I sold. It also finaled in the Golden Claddagh book contest.

The story is about a divorcee ready to reenter the dating world. Anna Ryan is determined to be the best “product on the market,” which requires a lot more experience so she propositions sexy police officer Chase Harris to teach her how to make hot, passionate love as opposed to just having sex. He takes it a step further, instructing each lesson based on The Twelve Days of Christmas.

♥ If Can’t Fake This was made into a movie, which actors would you cast as the main characters?

Vin Diesel would play Chase. Kate Hudson would make a fantastic Anna because they both have a quirky sense of humor.

♥ You’ve long been a fan of romance novels. What prompted you to cross over to the writing side of things?

In high school and college, I only read text books so I didn’t even get started on romance until I was twenty-five. Oddly enough, my mom, an avid reader of all romance genres first encouraged me to write. About the time I started thinking, “I could do this,” she said, “You can.” Thank goodness too, because I love it and turned the hobby turned into a serious career almost two years ago.

♥ How do you approach your writing? Do you plot or go with the flow?

I’m a plotter for sure, but the outline is very vague so if my characters want to take a detour, I’m okay with that.

♥ Is there a genre you’d like to write?

I’d love to write YA. Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of teenagers either as a dance instructor or pageant coach, and it fascinates me how they flip flop between still being kids and being incredibly mature.

♥ What are your three major addictions in life?

Awe, I have to pick just three? Okay, dancing (I used to own a dance studio) and working out aare major passions and they compensate my Barq’s root beer addiction. I also love pageants. Seriously. I’m not kidding, but not the Toddlers & Tiara glitz kind. I’ve been an emcee and pageant coach for over twenty years, and I still get such an adrenaline rush teaching modeling and interview to girls of all ages. It’s incredibly rewarding to see one’s self-confidence grow with each lesson. Finally, I’m not a huge TV watcher, but I’m addicted to Castle, although Revenge is giving my mystery writer a run for his money.

♥ You spent some time in pageant life. What was that like?

Casey: As a dancer and gymnast, I was on stage my whole life, but I began competing in pageants at fifteen to prepare for Jr. Miss (now Distinguished Young Woman). I’ve done everything from glitz to natural. I prefer youth development programs where talent is the primary focus. I’ve competed in the Miss America and Miss Universe systems. I have to say it was pretty cool being Miss University of Alabama, but my most memorable reign was Miss Motorsports, where I got to be a NASCAR spokesmodel and hang out with all the famous drivers.

Pageants typically have a negative connotation, but the friendships, public speaking skills, and confidence I gained make me a firm believer in the many positive aspects they provide.

♥ What is one thing you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t done?

Learn to play the violin, or as we say down South, the fiddle. I’ve about convinced myself it should be my Christmas gift this year.

♥ If you cook, do crafty stuff, or have a hobby, please share the details with readers.

I do cook and love crafts, but considering I’m about four years behind on scrapbooking, I don’t think it counts if it stays in a box under the bed. I really enjoy playing pool and golf, but since I’m fairly pitiful at both, I stick mainly to taking dance classes. I’m in a class with a bunch of other teachers and former dance competitors so it’s not easy by any means. The best part is that we rock the house during recital time. Old ladies, apparently, still have it.

♥ What’s next for you?

Casey: I have two other manuscripts on submission right now with various agents and editors. HUSTLER’S DREAM is about a southern socialite pool shark who hustles the wrong guy, or is he? FEELS SO RIGHT is about a country music agent and her ex-boyfriend songwriter. I’m also half way finished with FAST DREAM, the sequel to HUSTLER’S DREAM, about a female NASCAR tire changer in love with the driver.

I recently was offered a contract from Siren Publishing on DANCE WITH A MILLIONAIRE, which features a ballerina. It will be out March 2012.

I swear these are not autobiographical! But, I’m passionate about the things I enjoy, and they invariably make their way into my writing. My tagline is “Sexy, Sass & Southern” and all my heroines are just that.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

To learn more, visit Casey at www.caseycrow.com, follow her on Twitter, or check her out on Facebook.

♥

Hops, Follows, and Tag Alongs, Oh My!

2011-12-09T08:13:00.001-05:00

The 18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines.

Q. Keeping with last week's and the end-of-year theme; What are three new-to-YOU-authors that you've read and loved this year?

A. Okay, this one's a bit easier that last week's question. I'd have to go with Cassandra Duffy (she won me over with The Gunfighter and The Gear-Head), StaceyKennedy (I loved Whatnots & Doodads), and Gena Showalter (Awaken Me Darkly was everything I was promised - and more!).

It's also time for the Friday Follow, courtesy of Parajunkee's View!

Q. Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

A. I doubt most of them would be willing to tackle its daunting size, but I would buy them all a copy of Clive Barker's Imajica - quite simply the most amazing book I have ever read, and one of the few that I will happily reread.

Finally, it's time for TGIF, is a weekly feature created and hosted by GReads! that re-caps the week’s posts and has different question each week.

Q. Book to Movie: Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

A. I'm going to go with a Stephen King theme here. I thought Pet Semetary was an almost perfect adaptation of the book. On the other hand, Lawnmower Man was a stinking pile of rubbish that bore absolutely no relation to the gloriously bizarre story from his Skeleton Crew collection.

As always, I urge you to hop around to some new blogs, tag along with some new friends, and find some great new reviews to follow. I always find something new to delight me!

♥

2011 Rainbow Award Winners

2011-12-08T08:40:00.001-05:00

This year was the biggest yet for the Rainbow Awards. Run by the wonderful Elisa Rolle, the awards are judged by volunteers from all over the world. This year there were more than 300 books nominated, and over 100 judges involved!

I've worked with Elisa as a judge for the past 2 years, and I really like the way the program works. Each judge reviews up to 5 books, and assigns a score (1-10) for Setting Development, Characters Development, and Writing Style. Instead of a committee debating their favourites, and swaying each other's opinions, multiple judges review each book independently, and the aggregate score is used to determine the winners.

If you're looking for a new read, take a few moments to check out the complete list of winners. As or the the categories I always watch, the winners were:

Best Bisexual/Transgender Contemporary

1) Justine Saracen - Sarah, Son of God
2) Ryan Loveless - Building Arcadia
3) Ben Monopoli - The Cranberry Hush

Best Bisexual/Transgender Sci-Fi / Paranormal / Fantasy

1) L.A. Witt – Static
2) Penelope Friday – Thrace
3) Lauren P. Burka - Up For Grabs 2

Best Bisexual/Transgender Debut Novel

1) Ryan Loveless - Building Arcadia
2) Elliott DeLine – Refuse
3) Ben Monopoli - The Cranberry Hush

Best Bisexual/Transgender Novel

1-tie) Justine Saracen - Sarah, Son of God
Catherine Ryan Hyde - Jumpstart the World
2) Ryan Loveless - Building Arcadia
3) Elliott DeLine – Refuse

Congrats to all involved! I've already had the pleasure of reading a few of these reads, and I'm definitely adding a few others to my TBR pile.♥

REVIEW: TASH by Hilde Orens

2011-12-07T14:30:00.000-05:00

While the execution has a few flaws, the concept of Hilde Orens' TASH is quite fascinating. Basically, we're presented with a stood-up, fed-up, beat-up heterosexual man who seemingly has nothing left to lose. The victim of a brutal assault, he awakens in a new world that is very different from our own.

As you would expect, issues of gender and sexuality are glossed over at first, as Tim focusses on the practical differences between this new race/culture and our own. It's things like not needing to go to the washroom (they use everything they consume), being able to read minds, and not understanding the concept of money (a handshake and a thank you is payment enough for anything) that consume his first few days among the Tashians.

That's one of the things that bothered me about the story. Tim seems far too accepting of his predicament, even given the miserable day that preceded his journey, and not as desperate to get home as you might expect.

Seemingly genderless, the Tashians nevertheless appear more masculine than feminine, creating a confusing situation for Tim. As their friendship grows into something more, and he finds himself coming to love this strange, transparent, watery figure, he struggles with his own sexual identity. It isn't until we encounter male and female non-Tashians that we realise their race is distinct, at which time Tim's confusion turns to confrontation.

That's the other thing that bothered me about the story. Tim's confused sexuality is entirely plausible, given the nature of the Tashians, but the sudden emergence of his proud, fierce homosexuality in the face of heterosexual confrontation is a little hard to swallow.

Fortunately, the conclusion justifies most of those issues, creatively explaining away the grey areas. Definitely a happily-ever-after tale with a twist, it's still nice to read a love story that's more cute than sexy, and which is so positive in its message.

While the dialogue was a little weak in parts, the worldbuilding was well done, and the clash of cultures handled very well. There are really only 2 characters we need to care about, and they are very well developed. The secondary characters are a little thin, but they serve their purpose. Overall, this was a good read, and one that's short enough to warrant some patience along the way.
♥

REVIEW: Love Me by Danger Slater

2011-12-07T13:53:00.000-05:00

I'm a sucker for stories that push the edge, that take pop-culture obsessions and tear them to pieces, so when Danger Slater came to me with Love Me, describing is as "a tongue-in-cheek satire heavily steeped in speculative-fiction/absurdism/bizarro.....think Forrest Gump if it were directed by David Lynch," I was only too happy to take up the challenge.

With a set-up like that, any book should be doomed to failure - except he tosses in just enough Monty Python, Douglas Adams, and even Looney Tunes to make it all work.

This was a wonderfully absurd read, and one that had me frequently laughing out loud. It's twisted and perverted (which isn't a bad thing!), and wildly inventive. Every time you figure you've reached the heights of absurdity, and have found a rare lull in the story, he dangles something even more ridiculous in front of you . . . and then sneaks up behind you and macks you over the head with something even more unexpected. I could list a dozen favourite scenes from the book (none of them with a straight face), but I'm wary of spoiling the experience.

If you're not open to a read where tangents make the book, this will likely try your patience at times, but I still suspect it will make you beg for more. So long as you don't mind people staring at your public laughter, then give this a read.
♥

REVIEW: First Taste by Violet Williams

2011-12-07T13:47:00.000-05:00

When Violet Williams introduced me to her newest project, she said she wrote First Taste to address "the lack of interracial, bisexual characters in 'new-adult' paranormal romance." Toss in a taboo student/professor relationship, a gruesome serial killer, and a vampire twist, and I was immediately hooked.

This was a very nice change from the kind of urban fantasies stories that seem to be in vogue lately, with a strong, confident, sexually mature heroine who is neither a wanton slut, nor a weak-kneed swooning romantic. Don't get me wrong, those stories can be fun, but they also get tiresome after a while, especially when the romance is used to disguise a plot too thin to succeed on its own.

The story is very well-written, well-balanced between eroticism and horror, with characters you really care about, and a plot that keeps you engaged right to the very end. There's clearly more of the story to come, and (for one) definitely welcome the chance to revisit Violet's world, but as a self-contained tale this works very well.
♥

2011 Indie Lit Awards - It's Not Too Late for Your Nominations!

2011-12-07T09:02:00.001-05:00

The 2011 edition of the Indie Lit Awards is open for nominations until December 31st, which means you still have a few weeks to get your favourite reads of the year submitted for consideration.

A truly 'independant' literary award, the nominations are open to readers only (i.e. no authors, publishers, or publicists). The only rule is that the book must have a 2011 release date. You can nominate up to 5 books in each genre. The books with the most nominations will make the 'Long List' so don't worry if your favourites have already been nominated - that's a good thing!

I'm a Voting Member this year for the Speculative Fiction category, which means I won't be nominating, just reading the Long List! To help kickstart those of you who have yet to make a nomination, here are a few notable sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books of 2011 (with those on my read/to-be-read lists highlighted):

11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Award)
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Award)
A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Award)
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Aftermath by Ann Aguirre (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (Amazon Best Books)
Alien in the Family by Gini Koch (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Among Others by Jo Walton (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Nominee)
An Apple for Zoe by Thomas Amo (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Basilisk by Rob Thurman (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Blackveil by Kristen Britain (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Bloodrights by Kristen Painter (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Cast in Ruin by Michelle Sagara (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Clockwork Rocket by Greg Egan (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Deadline by Mira Grant (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Divergent by Veronica Roth (Goodreads Choice Award)
Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Dreadnaught by Jack Campbell (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Eat Slay Love by Jesse Petersen (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Embassytown by China Mieville (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Flashback by Dan Simmons (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Ghost Ship by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Ghost Story by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Grave Dance by Kalayna Price (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Graveminder by Melissa Marr (Goodreads Choice Award)
Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Heartless by Gail Carriger (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Hounded by Kevin Hearne (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Hunt the Moon by Karen Chance (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini (Amazon Best Books)
Legends of Shannara by Terry Brooks (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Naamah's Blessing by Jacqueline Carey (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Pale Demon by Kim Harrison (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Rising Tides by Taylor Anderson (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
River Marked by Patricia Briggs (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Rogue by Trudi Canavan (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Rule 34 by Charles Stross (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Seed by Ania Ahlborn (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Morning (Goodreads Choice Award)
Silver Shark by Ilona Andrews (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Snuff by Terry Pratchett (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Spellbound by Kelley Armstrong (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
That Which Should Not Be by Brett J. Talley (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Allow of Law by Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Cypress House by Michael Koryta (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Final Evolution by Jeff Somers (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The King of Plagues by Jonathan Mayberrry (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Magician King by Lev Grossman (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Night Eternal by Guillermo Del Toro (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Night Stranger by Chris Bohjalian (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Omen Machine by Terry Goodkind (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Nominee)
This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Twilight's Dawn by Anne Bishop (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Vortex by Robert Charles Wilson (Amazon Best Books)
what the night knows by Dean Koontz (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Wonder by Robert J. Sawyer (Amazon Best Books, Goodreads Choice Nominee)
Zone One by Colson Whitehead (Goodreads Choice Nominee)

If you are a blogger, please consider helping to promote the awards by posting about program, posting your nominations, adding a badge to your blog, or doing whatever you can to get the word out.

♥

INTERVIEW: Karen A. Wyle (author of Twin-Bred)

2011-12-06T08:31:00.000-05:00

Good morning, all! Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Karen A. Wyle, author of the science fiction novel Twin-Bred (which I'll be reviewing later this month).

Karen is an appellate attorney, photographer, political junkie, and mother of two daughters, living in a county outside a town in Indiana. She is a lifelong reader, and somewhat more recently, an author. Karen writes science fiction, general fiction, and picture books - so far. She reads science fiction, historical fiction, courtroom drama, biography, history, 18th and 19th century English classics, mysteries, YA, and once in a while a bit of fantasy. She doesn't read self-help books - except about writing and publishing.

Before we get into Karen's interview, let's take a quick look at Twin-Bred:

Can interspecies diplomacy begin in the womb? After seventy years on Tofarn, the human colonists and the native Tofa still know very little about each other. Misunderstanding breed conflict, and the conflicts are escalating. Scientist Mara Cadell’s radical proposal: that host mothers of either species carry fraternal twins, human and Tofa, in the hope that the bond between twins can bridge the gap between species. Mara lost her own twin, Levi, in utero, but she has secretly kept him alive in her mind as companion and collaborator.

Mara succeeds in obtaining governmental backing for her project – but both the human and Tofa establishments have their own agendas. Mara must shepherd the Twin-Bred through dangers she anticipated and others that even the canny Levi could not foresee. Will the Twin-Bred bring peace, war, or something else entirely?

And now, without further ado, please welcome Karen A. Wyle!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Q. What is your background? What are your interests outside of writing?

A. I was born a Connecticut Yankee, but moved to California at age 8. I then bounced back and forth between the coasts until I met my now-husband and moved with him to the Midwest. I now consider myself a Hoosier. I'm Jewish, the first generation of my family to be born in this country: my parents and their immediate families barely escaped Hitler's Europe.

My other interests include politics, history, photography, and whatever my daughters are up to.

Q. What is Twin-Bred about?

A. Can interspecies diplomacy begin in the womb? In Twin-Bred, the human colony on Tofarn and the indigenous Tofa have great difficulty communicating with and basically comprehending each other. Scientist Mara Cadell proposes that host mothers of either or both species carry twins, one human and one Tofa, in the hope that the bond between twins can bridge the gap between species. Mara lost her own twin, Levi, in utero, but she has secretly kept Levi alive in her mind as a companion and collaborator.

A. I read an article online about interactions between twins in utero -- synchronized movement, touching, even kissing. Either this article or a comment on the article mentioned the longterm effect of losing a twin in utero. As an avid science fiction reader, I tend to see the sci-fi potential in any event or discovery. I imagined a scientist seeking to overcome the comprehension gap between two intelligent species by way of the bond between twins. It would be natural for the scientist who conceived this idea to be a twin; it would be intriguing if she were a twin survivor, and if she had somehow kept her lost twin alive as a companion, who could be a character in the story.

On a deeper level, I have always been fascinated by communication issues and the struggle to understand what is different.

Q. What did you learn from writing Twin-Bred?

A. As this was my first novel since age 10 (completed novel) or age 14 (novel abandoned after 40 pages or so), it taught me a great deal about myself as a writer, and about the process of writing fiction. I learned that most of the writing takes place on a subconscious level -- that I had to sit down and be ready to write, ask a few key questions about my characters' emotions and situations, and then get out of the way.

Q. What traits do you share with your main character?

A. Like Mara, I'm impatient, although I am not quite as likely to explode as a result. I am no scientist, but I have an inquiring mind. I'm persistent and stubborn. I am not terrific at forming social connections, although I am not as socially isolated as Mara. Mara's artistic talents are borrowed from my older daughter, an art student and my cover artist.

Q. What would you most like readers to tell others about this book?

A. That it's a thought-provoking and engrossing read, with likeable, loveable and/or intriguing characters, and a conclusion that doesn't disappoint. And to buy the book!

Q. What led you to self-publish Twin-Bred?

A. Once I finished the rough draft of Twin-Bred, I began reading every blog and Twitter feed I could find, as well as several books, about the publishing process. At first, I was learning how to query agents and publishers, and how to format a manuscript for submission. But the more I read, the more I realized two things:

Self-publishing was eminently feasible and would give me much more control over content, marketing and timing.
In the current unsettled state of the industry, there are serious risks involved in the traditional route. More and more agency and publication contracts include language that can seriously limit an author's future options, and offer relatively little in exchange. Nor can one have great confidence that the publisher who's preparing your book for publication in eighteen months will be in business that long.

Q. Are there any specific authors whose writing styles or subject matter inspired your book?

A. Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow and Children of God are brilliant treatments of the theme of human-alien communication difficulties. These books inspire me even as their excellence intimidates me.

Footfall, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, is another excellent, and very entertaining, treatment of the same theme, although in a different context (alien invasion of Earth). I particularly enjoyed the role that Niven and Pournelle gave to science fiction authors in the analysis of the alien threat. While I did not use this device, it may have influenced my decision to have my colonists name their various towns after science fiction authors.

Q. What is your greatest strength as a writer?

A. I'd be interested in readers' answer to this question! -- but my guess would be: my way with language. Another possibility: my affection for and good wishes for humanity/sentient species in general.

Q. What do you like best about being a writer, and what do you dislike most about it?

A. I love it when the story decides to write itself! It's a bit like being a medium and channeling some spirit. I dislike my ongoing battle to keep carpal tunnel syndrome at bay.

Q. In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

A. My family; politics (not saying in which direction!); reading; the beauty of everyday details.

Q. What other books will we be seeing from you?

A. This summer, I completed a rough draft of a second novel, tentatively titled Reflections, which is general fiction. It has two alternative tag lines: "Death is what you make it" and "Will you need courage in heaven?" It is set in an afterlife with certain features which lend themselves to the confrontation of lingering personal issues and unfinished business. For example, you can relive any memory in perfect detail -- and if someone else who took part in the remembered scene is there with you, you can trade places and remember the events from the other person's perspective. There are other aspects of the afterlife that, while serving this same purpose, are also just plain fun. You can be any age at any time, and visit any place that you remember or that anyone you meet -- from any time in Earth's history -- remembers.

Reflections concerns a mother who desperately wanted a child, but who left that child in the care of her parents and grandmother for unknown reasons. The child, grandparents and great-grandmother die in an auto accident four years after the mother's mysterious departure; the mother dies of stress cardiomyopathy ("broken heart syndrome") some time later, and is reunited with the family she left behind.

I recently published a short story (free on Smashwords) called "The Baby," which involves human cloning. I am planning to write additional stories set in the same near future, some of them involving the legal issues that human cloning may raise. I hope to release the additional stories one at a time or save them for a collection.

And finally, I am working on the sequel to Twin-Bred via the November 2011 National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). If the process of editing Twin-Bred is any guide, it will be at least autumn of 2012 before that sequel (presently unnamed) will be available.

Q. Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers?

A. OK, long answer coming up:

Read, read, read. Read fiction, biography, history -- whatever interests you. Read authors whose voice appeals to you.
Don't let anyone tell you whether you're meant to be, or whether you are, a writer. Even well-meaning folks may be poor critics, and not everyone who makes pronouncements on your potential will be well-meaning.
Keep pen and paper, or some other means of taking notes, with you at all times. Don't assume you'll remember your great idea 5 minutes from now -- write it down immediately!
Become compulsive about multiple backups of your idea notes, works in progress, rough drafts, subsequent drafts, etc. Use the cloud, e.g., Dropbox or Evernote. Email attachments to yourself. Put files on a separate hard drive and on flash drives.
Keep your inner editor gagged and stuffed in a closet when you're working on rough drafts. Don't be afraid to leave blanks or bracketed notes as you go. (My latest rough draft has one that reads "[insert appropriate South American country here].") National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org) is a great way to accomplish this. There'll be time enough later for lots and lots or rewriting.
Learn about self-publishing, and about the publishing industry. There's a wealth of info and support out there for indie authors. Conversely, this is a risky time to sign a contract with an agent or publisher. Because of the uncertain and fast-changing conditions in the publishing industry, many agents and publishers are inserting "rights grabs" and other clauses in their contracts that could cripple an author's career. If you do sign with an agent or publisher, pay a good IP attorney to go through the contract with a microscope. Don't let the allure of "being published" lead you to grab at an offer of representation or publication without vetting it thoroughly.

Q. Where is Twin-Bred available?

A. Here are the purchase links:

Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (POD)
Nook Store
Smashwords (various ebook formats)

Q. If your book were to be made into a film, whom would you cast?

A. Roughly half my cast would have to be CGI with heavily tweaked voices. As for Mara Cadell: is there a younger Lisa Edelstein out there? Or a younger, female Scott Glenn? Jamie Gertz might be good, if she can be made up to look younger; or Keira Knightley (in her less glamorous mode). Smadar Sayar is another possibility.

Q. What would we find under your bed?

A. A large collection of dust puppies. Dust puppies are like dust bunnies, except that they are composed primarily of dog hair.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Thanks so much to Karen for stopping by. You can read more about Karen and her work at http://www.karenawyle.net/ or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KarenAWyle.

♥

Mailbox Monday, What I'm Reading, and What's Beside my Bed

2011-12-04T16:18:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox, It's Monday, What are you Reading, and What's Beside Your Bed are weekly memes hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, Sheila at Book Journey, and Nanny at Getting Naughty Between the Stacks. Both are great ways to share the books you're either reading, or shifting to the top of your TBR pile (because, let's face it, sometimes a little shifting is the best we can manage!).

Nothing new again this week . . . taking some time to catch up on my reading before the TBR pile topples over and buries someone. :)

Once again, I'm hopping between books as the mood grabs me. Teasing me for time and seducing my attentions from beside my bed this week are:

♥ The Athena Project by Brad Thor
♥ 11/22/63 by Stephen King
♥ The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

Well, that's it for now . . . what are you reading?

♥

INTERVIEW: Cheryl Rainfield (author of Hunted)

2011-12-02T08:41:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday, everyone! Here to help celebrate everybody's favourite day of the week is Cheryl Rainfield, author of the edgy, realistic and hopeful novel SCARS, and her new paranormal fantasy HUNTED.

Cheryl broke the silence about the rising issue of teen cutting through SCARS, which after being challenged in a Kentucky public library, began an outpouring of support from readers and fans – many who had used self-harm. The cover of the book featured a photo of Rainfield’s arm, and the cuts she endured from her own inflictions. SCARS became #1 in the American Library Association’s Top 10 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, made it on ALA’s Rainbow List (LGBT recommended books) and was named a 2010 Governor General Literary Award Finalist. Cheryl is an incest and ritual abuse survivor, feminist, queer, and avid book reader and lover. She writes and creates art, and lives in Toronto with her little dog, Petal, and cat, Amazon.

Before we get into Cheryl's interview, please allow me to introduce you to the world of HUNTED:

Caitlin, a Paranormal teen, and her mom are on the run from government Para-troopers, who chase down, torture and imprison all known Paranormals. Caitlin and her mom must move frequently to avoid detection, but she enrolls in the local high school as they hide in plain sight in a seedy motel, hoping for some sense of normalcy before taking off again.

Caitlin’s dad, also a Para, was murdered by a mob when he spoke out for para rights. In the commotion, a woman snatched Caitlin’s brother Daniel and no one knows where he is or if he is even still alive. Caitlin’s mom loses her Para abilities from the shock of these terrible events. When Paras begin to be murdered by the Para Reaper, Caitlin is in even greater danger; at school, anti-Para classmates make accusations that cost some students their freedom and sometimes their lives. As if things aren't complicated enough, Caitlin falls for a classmate, Alex, a Normal, and thus dangerous for her to be with for fear of betrayal.

As the government crackdowns worsen, Caitlin finds her long lost brother, right in the halls of her own high school. He is now a powerful government Para, something he tries to hide from her at first. Caitlin knows Daniel is changed and damaged, but trusts him until she learns of his intentions towards Normals. The two ultimately clash in a massive power struggle that pits the siblings against each other. Will Caitlin vanquish her powerful brother and save the Normals, or will the future be bleak for Alex and all of his kind?

And now, without further ado, please extend a warm Friday welcome to Cheryl Rainfield!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥ I know you're busy with the release of Hunted, so thanks for making the time to stop by, Cheryl. For those who may be new to your writing, and who haven't yet checked out your latest release, please tell us a little about yourself.

I write edgy YA fiction (books for teens)--both realistic (SCARS) and fantasy/dystopian (HUNTED). I am an incest and ritual abuse survivor, and I put bit of my trauma experience into each of my books. I also write my emotional truths, and put hope and healing into each of my books. I love books--they helped me survive the abuse, helped me escape it while I read--and I love writing. I feel so very fortunate that I can create books now that reach others, the way books reached me.

♥ Did you deliberately choose a genre because there's something specific that draws you to it, something you feel it offers that other genres don't, or was it just 'right' for the story you wanted to tell?

I love reading YA and children's books the most (with a bit of adult suspense mixed in). I think YA books can be better reads that some adult fiction--they usually don't have long boring passages of description that completely stop the story, and they also usually have intense emotion, truths, and hope. Because I love the genre so much, and perhaps because I often feel like I'm still a child and a teen, and I vividly remember the pain of it, I write for that audience.

I love realistic YA--I think it helps readers know they're not alone, or helps others understand a bit more of what it's like to go through something that they don't have experience with. I think it can increase compassion. And I love fantasy YA--I love the way it allow me to escape, to dream, to hope. I needed both kinds of books while I was being abused, and I need them now, still. So that is what I write.

♥ How does your past influence your writing? Are you conscious of relating the story to your own experiences?

I put a lot of myself and my trauma experience into my books, and I am very conscious of doing so. Writing gives me a voice, and I'm also trying to help others while still telling an entertaining story. Like Kendra in SCARS, I'm a sexual abuse survivor, I'm queer, and I used self-harm to cope, as well as art and therapy. I also, like Kendra, sometimes cut to keep myself from killing myself. And like Caitlyn in HUNTED, I know what it's like to have my life threatened, to be tortured, to face oppression, and to have to decide between hiding my true self or being who I am, even if that means danger to myself.

♥ Do you have a soundtrack to your writing, a particular style of music or other background noise that keeps you in the mood, or do you require quiet solitude?

I like to write in quiet, though I also write on the subway or bus when the travel time is more than 15-20 minutes. I've found I can shut out most things to write.

♥ Is there a favourite quote or scene from your work that you feel particularly fond of? Something that reminds you of why writing is important to you?

These feel very true to me:
From SCARS:
Other times, I look at my scars and see something else: a girl who was trying to cope with something horrible that she should never have lived through at all. My scars show pain and suffering, but they also show my will to survive. They’re a part of my history that’ll always be there.
And now, sometimes I don’t bother hiding the scars. I just let them show, even though I get stares, rude comments, and questions from strangers. I figure I’ve already gone through the worst; getting stared at isn’t that big of a deal.
I never want to have to keep anything else a secret, ever again.

From HUNTED, it's:
I want to chase after him, ask why he took such a crazy risk to give me a bar of chocolate. But I think I know the answer. You don’t feel much like living if you can’t be yourself.

♥ Is there a particular author who has influenced or inspired your writing? Somebody who either made you want to write in the first place, or who refreshes your literary batteries?

I have so many favorite authors and books that I keep returning to. When I was a teen, I read and re-read Lois Duncan's Down a Dark Hall, The Third Eye, and A Gift of Magic; most of Dick Francis' books (adult suspense that I could relate to); Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt; A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline I'Engle; The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key; Anne of Green Gables (and the entire series) by LM Montgomery, and many more. All of them fed me emotionally, but I think Lois Duncan, Dick Francis, and Cynthia Voigt especially influenced me; they had great tension and emotional truths and pain that I identified with, and characters who were good even under horrible circumstances (as well as the supernatural/magic aspect of Lois Duncan's books that I wished for).

And books with magic and hope in them, such as The Magic Grandfather by Jay Williams; The Toothpaste Genie by Sandy Duncan; The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key, also really influenced me and fed me, giving me hope. I still return to all these favorites, and I have many new ones as well, including Beth Revis' Across the Universe, Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier, and so many more.

I also use picture books to recharge me, and to give me a sense of hope or happiness, such as Tudley Didn't Know by John Himmelman; I Can Be Anything! by Jerry Spinelli, illustrated by Jimmy Liao; Tuesday by David Wiesner; Learning to Fly by Sebastian Meschenmoser; Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson; and Un-Brella by Scott E Franson.

♥ What first compelled you to begin writing, and what is it that keeps you motivated?

When I was being abused, my abusers frequently threatened to kill me if I talked. So writing--and art--became my voice. I was also very shy, introverted, and scared, and had trouble talking with people. I often spoke so quietly and so fast that people couldn't understand what I said. But when I wrote, I didn't feel threatened--I could say what I needed to say and be heard. I also found such safety and survival in books that it felt natural to me to use writing to tell my own stories. I am much less shy now--but writing still feels natural and right to me, and it still gives me a voice. I love being able to reach people, to encourage healing and hope and greater compassion.

I need to write. It is how I express things, how I have a voice, and how I reach others. I want to make a positive difference in this world, and writing is my way to do it. And in writing, I can rewrite unhappy endings, and say things I need to say. The wonderful reader letters I get also give me a boost. It feels so good when readers tell me that SCARS helped them to stop cutting, get into therapy, talk to someone for the first time about their abuse or self-harm or being queer.

♥ Is there a particular theme or message you're expecting readers to take away from your work?

I hope readers feel greater compassion for people who've been through the experiences I write about, and feel less judgmental, and that, if they have been through similar experiences themselves, they know that they're not alone, that there is hope, and that things can and will get better.

♥ What can we look forward to from you next? Is there a project on the horizon that you're really excited about?

HUNTED comes out Dec 02 in the US, and January in Canada. I'm very excited about it! I've woven more of my experience as a ritual abuse survivor into the story, of fighting against cults or a cult-like group, oppression, and hatred, and being able to overcome it.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Thanks so much to Cheryl for stopping by! You can learn more about her, and her works, at http://www.cherylrainfield.com/.

♥

Hops, Follows, and Tag Alongs, Oh My!

2011-12-02T08:07:00.001-05:00

The 18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines.

Q. What are 5 debut authors that you've found and loved this year?

A. To be honest, I couldn't tell you. Unless an author has contacted me, requesting a review of their debut work, I don't pay any attention to publishing pedigree. If a book sounds interesting, that's enough for me. I might go back, after the fact, to see if they've written anything else, but I don't look for the 'debut author' stamp.

It's also time for the Friday Follow, courtesy of Parajunkee's View!

Q. What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to books? Maybe you don’t like love triangles or thin plots? Tell us about it!

A. My biggest pet peeve is the lack of a good, solid, well-developed plot. I've read so many books where the author clearly put a great deal of thought into the characters, and obviously had a lot of fun playing out the romantic tension, but never developed the plot beyond the 'cool concept' phase.

Finally, it's time for TGIF, is a weekly feature created and hosted by GReads! that re-caps the week’s posts and has different question each week.

Q. Writing Reviews 101: What's your process for writing book reviews? Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

A. Be original, and make your reviews personal. Don't try to copy somebody else's style, and don't write as if you're going to be graded on it. Have fun, gush about what you loved, and bitch about what you didn't. Cold, clinical, scholarly reviews just don't appeal to me. I want to know what your emotional reaction was, how the story made you feel. Did it excite you? Did it make you sad? Did it nearly make you pee your pants laughing? Always write with your book-loving friends in mind, and you'll be ok.

As always, I urge you to hop around to some new blogs, tag along with some new friends, and find some great new reviews to follow. I always find something new to delight me!

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"Waiting On" Wednesday - Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole

2011-11-30T08:35:00.000-05:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about (created by Jill at Breaking The Spine.)

Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole:

Army Officer. Fugitive. Sorcerer.

Across the country and in every nation, people are waking up with magical talents. Untrained and panicked, they summon storms, raise the dead, and set everything they touch ablaze.

Army officer Oscar Britton sees the worst of it. A lieutenant attached to the military's Supernatural Operations Corps, his mission is to bring order to a world gone mad. Then he abruptly manifests a rare and prohibited magical power, transforming him overnight from government agent to public enemy number one.

The SOC knows how to handle this kind of situation: hunt him down--and take him out. Driven into an underground shadow world, Britton is about to learn that magic has changed all the rules he's ever known, and that his life isn't the only thing he's fighting for.

Sounds like a techno-thriller take on an urban fantasy concept . . . I really like it!

How about you? What are you waiting on this week?
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[Jan 31, 2012]

INTERVIEW: Naomi Clark (author of Dark Hunt)

2011-11-29T06:09:00.002-05:00

Good morning, all! Please extend a very warm welcome to Naomi Clark, author of the Urban Wolf series, including Silver Kiss and Dark Hunt, urban fantasy with a lesbian twist, from QueeredFiction Press.

Naomi lives in Cambridge and is a mild-mannered office worker by day, but a slightly crazed writer by night. She has a perfectly healthy obsession with giant sea creatures and a preference for vodka-based cocktails. When she's not writing, Naomi is probably either reading or watching 80s cartoon shows, and sometimes she manages to do all three at once.

Before we get into Naomi's interview, let's take a quick look at Dark Hunt, the newest installment in her Urban Wolf series:

Ayla Hammond is taking on Paris. Hoping for a romantic getaway in the City of Lights with her girlfriend, Shannon, she finds a city under the dark thrall of Le Monstre. Getting caught up in mystery and murder was the last thing Ayla and Shannon expected to find in the City of Love, but as the body count grows and tension rises between Parisian werewolves and humans they find themselves stalked by an unknown terror. What is Le Monstre and why does it make Ayla's wolf want to turn tail and run? Can it be stopped before they become its next victims?

And now, without further ado, please welcome Naomi Clark!

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♥ Thanks for stopping by Naomi! For those who may be new to your writing, and who haven't yet checked out your latest release, please tell us a little about yourself.

I'm an urban fantasy author with a passion for werewolves, based in the UK. I've been published by Damnation Books (my Shoregrave series about a ghost tour guide who hunts vampires at night) and QueeredFiction (my Urban Wolf series about a werewolf and her PI girlfriend), and have lots of short stories flying around the internet too!

♥ The journey from 'aspiring' to 'accomplished' can be a long one, even in the era of small presses and digital publishing. When did you begin writing, and how did you feel when you first saw your work in print?

I've always written! I really can't remember how old I was when I wrote my first story (which was probably about ponies), but I don't remember a time when I wasn't writing something. I was thirteen when I sent my first novel off to a publisher who, quite rightly, rejected it. It wasn't until I finished university in 2005 that I got really serious about getting published and making a career as an author, and in 2009 my first novel, AFTERLIFE, was released. It was a completely surreal feeling – scary, exhilarating, and very motivational!

♥ Did you deliberately choose a genre because there's something specific that draws you to it, something you feel it offers that other genres don't, or was it just 'right' for the story you wanted to tell?

I've always been geared towards the supernatural and mystical, and when I was first writing, I wrote high fantasy. I discovered Anita Blake in my teens and realised this was what I wanted to do – bring the supernatural into the real world. So I almost feel like the genre chose me, rather than the other way round. The stories in my head were already right for urban fantasy.

♥ How does your past influence your writing? Are you conscious of relating the story to your own experiences?

I travelled a lot as a kid, because my dad was in the army, and I love setting stories in places foreign to me. I think subconsciously a part of you always leaks through into the writing, but I try to keep myself out of my characters as much as possible – I don't want to share my thoughts and feelings with readers; I want them to hear my characters'.

♥ Do you have a schedule or a routine to your writing? Is there a time and place that you must write, or do you let the words flow as they demand?

I work a full-time day job, so most of my writing is done in the evenings and at the weekends. Beyond that, there's no set routine. Most nights I get about 1-2k written, and if I can sneak in any extra writing at work, I do! I try not to work on more than one thing at once, but sometimes a new idea will hit me in the middle of a current project and I get distracted, so at times like that I will just go with the flow and work on what appeals to my imagination most!

♥ Do you have a soundtrack to your writing, a particular style of music or other background noise that keeps you in the mood, or do you require quiet solitude?

Mostly I have the TV on in the background, as I write in my living room and my other half is usually watching something or playing a computer game. If I'm alone, I listen to music – Tori Amos, AFI, and Blaqk Audio are my favourites to write to at the moment, although sometimes I'll make up a soundtrack for a particular book.

♥ For some authors, it's coming up with a title, and for others it's writing that first paragraph ♥ what do you find is the most difficult aspect of writing?

Editing! I could tinker with a book forever and still think of things I wanted to change, so editing can be quite painful for me. My record is eleven rewrites...and I'd probably still be rewriting that book if I hadn't decided to bite the bullet and just self-publish it so it wasn't haunting me anymore!

♥ Sometimes, characters can take on a life of their own, pulling the story in directions you hadn't originally anticipated. Has a twist or turn in your writing ever surprised you, or really challenged your original plans?

I finished the first draft of the third Urban Wolf book in September, and that turned out completely differently to how I imagined – a lot more politics, a lot less inter-personal stuff. When I do the rewrite, I'll try to balance it out and get in the personal scenes I originally planned to include, as it will all contribute to the next book.

♥ When you're not writing (or reading), what are some of the hobbies and passions that keep you happy?

I got introduced to D&D this year, which has become a surprisingly big part of my life. I never imagined I'd get quite so into it as I have! I also have two snakes, who can be quite demanding, and I'd love to add to the collection and get some geckos in the future.

♥ Just for fun, who would you single out as your number one celebrity crush, and what would you like most to do with/to them?

Right now it's Chris Hemsworth. I'm not sure what I'd do with him...Probably just stare like an idiot...

♥ If you could live a day in the world of someone else's story, whose would you choose, and why?

I always, always, always wanted a dragon, so I'd pick Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. Spending a day flying around on a dragon sounds perfect to me.

♥ What can we look forward to from you next? Is there a project on the horizon that you're really excited about?

I'm currently working on a new Shoregrave book, which has me excited as I get to revisit one of my favourite characters, Ethan Banning, a demon-possessed PI. After that, I'll be redrafting the third Urban Wolf book, which will be a big challenge, but I think it'll be worth it if I can make the book into what I want it to be.

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Thanks so much to Naomi for stopping by! If you'd like to check out more of her work, please do visit her at http://naomijay.blogspot.com/, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
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