Romance with SASS

Let me catch my breath!

2012-05-27T00:30:53Z

I've had some great news this past week.

I got a fantastic 4.5-star review at Affaire de Couer for The 18th Floor.

"Margie Church has given us a hot BDSM story with The 18th Floor. It will leave you hot, wet, and needing to reenact scenes from the pages of this fast-paced, steamy, highly sexual story that gives a look into the Dom/BDSM life style. This is well written, and readers will finish feeling well satisfied." Read the entire review and see this cool magazine.

Well now! And the book has more than doubled in sales over April. Thank you so much, readers! There's a keen interest in BDSM erotica these days and I'm glad to have 2 books in that genre - The 18th Floor and Razor.

You may remember that the first part of Razor came out in the anthology, Bound for Love, in late February. Now, the full novel version will be out July 1. K.B. Cutter (my co-author) and I are very excited that Affaire de Couer has already asked to review the book, and our publisher, Sizzler Editions has bought us an ad for the July/August issue! They've got Bill Mills creating a book trailer too. Aren't we dressed for the prom!

Suffice it to say, I'm very, very excited about having this amazing publicity for my books. Affaire de Couer is based in the San Francisco area with a print circulation of around 75,000 readers who have likely never heard of me before. With all the attention 50 Shades has brought to the BDSM romance market, I'm psyched. If you're curious about D/s relationships and the lifestyle, click on the read me feature on The 18th Floor's Amazon page.

Coming June 26 from Decadent Publishing:

Blurb: Executive Decision

The prospect of getting caught while having sex is a powerful aphrodisiac for Logan Carlyle. He's viewed as the leader on the sales force, but in bed, he's a submissive all the way.

Hunter James is just as adventurous as Logan. He's lower in the sales ranks, but he's the top when it comes to his relationship with Logan.

When Logan's thrill-seeking desires create chaos with their careers and severs their relationship, Madame Evangeline's expertise is required.

Executive Decision is part of the very popular 1Night Stand Series. I'm excited to have my first title with Decadent.

I'm looking forward to a second short story, Night Music, to come out in September. It's a very erotic menage! Night Music will be part of Decadent's new Edge series!

I've been asked to be on a few panels at the fantastic DragonCon in Atlanta over Labor Day weekend. DragonCon is the world's largest fantasy/Sci-Fi convention. I'm thrilled to be able to share my knowledge about book promotion, social media, and writing erotica with authors and readers. Now if I can just find a place to crash. The city seems sold out!

I always love hearing from you. I got some ideas for a new story from a reader last night. Your comments and ideas are welcome. After all, I'm here to write books you're dying to read.

I hope you have a great weekend. Please remember to take a moment on Monday to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the men and women who have and still serve this great nation we call America.

I'll be back soon,

Margie

Hop against Homophobia

2012-05-17T06:01:00Z

From May 17 through 20th, many of my colleagues are joining forces to promote an accepting atmosphere for homosexuals. I'm not part of the blog hop, but I lend my support to their efforts. It's not because I write gay novels. It's because I think people, all people, deserve to be treated with respect. Those who have been marginalized need to be lifted up.

I'm a practicing Catholic, and our archdiocese has asked us to vote with the church against legalizing gay marriages in Minnesota. I don't plan to vote that way. I don't believe that making gay marriages legal threatens mine. Just as I don't believe that God hates gay people, or that living the gay lifestyle, in all its forms, is against God's law. I remember that man wrote the Bible and man translated it. And there are plenty of straight people doing a horrible job at parenting.

So, I hope that you'll consider what I've said. You don't have to agree, but please be respectful. Some day, the gay person walking through the door could be your child or someone else you love. It's past time to end the dissension - based on fear and ignorance. Love is simple. You don't have to go to school or to church to learn how. You just have to be willing to try.

Thank you,

Margie

Meet Author Zee Monodee!

2012-05-11T06:05:00Z

Hi everyone! Pleasure to be here today – thanks Margie for having me over! Don't miss my new book and a free book at the end of these zany questions!

1. Dumbest thing you ever did and didn't get caught.

Skipping out on classes when I was in secondary school (we don’t have middle/high school here. British system; secondary school from ages 12 to 18). My friends and I did this mostly during our later years in school, when we were 17 or so. We’d elevated this to an art, even knowing how to deflect the teachers’ attention during recess if we ever crossed their paths.

Today, I think it’s dumb, because, beside the thrill of playing truant, that behavior brought me nothing at all (except some lousy grades!). The older I get, the more I realize how difficult it is getting to make my brain cooperate with learning, when (cliché, I know!) back in that day, the brain was like a sponge, and I didn’t make the most of it. But hey, maybe that’s also what they call ‘youth’ – being so silly you veer borderline stupid.

2. Tell us something unexpected about yourself.

I’m qualified as a professional seamstress. Undertook my O and A-levels in Fashion & Fabrics, with the aim of becoming a designer maybe. But though I love to sew and make my own clothes, doing this academically has killed all the joy in the act. In exams and class, you have to be so meticulous about each and every stitch... well, combined with my already anal, it-has-to-be-perfect personality, I would’ve set myself up for a heart attack before 30 if I went on to become a designer and/or seamstress.

3. Chick flicks or action/adventure?

Both. Depends on the day and the mood. Also, why not have both? Stephanie Plum is the perfect example of this. And too, both types will have hot, hunky men in the cast, and I’m pretty easy to satisfy when you have a hot man there on the screen *grin*

4. If you could live someplace else, where would it be and why?

A 5-star luxury hotel on the beaches of Mauritius, with twice-daily housekeeping, full board, room service, and a nanny service! It’s not exactly the luxury I’m after, but if someone could take over my household duties and chores and leave me free to write/read/do nothing, that’s my idea of heaven!

5. Plotter or a pantser and why?

Plotter, big time. I’m anal, and I have to know where I’m going. I have to know the purpose behind everything, make the most of my time, because I know I don’t have much of it. I’ve had cancer twice, and now I live to accomplish the most I can with whatever time God has granted me. In my writing, this means I have a few projects a year I want to complete and push through. No way to do that without a deadline and strict organizing. And with a deadline, you gotta know where you’re going, and how to get there in time. That’s why I’m not a pantser, because I don’t have the time to skip along the road and stop to smell every rose along the way.

I also like to know what I’m doing – nothing I hate more than having to start over at the halfway mark, or even when I’m finished with a project. Planning and plotting helps me escape that.

6. Biggest challenge as a writer?

To stick to my deadlines, and write everyday when there’s six thousand other things screaming for my attention at the same time. It’s not easy to reconcile being a mother, a wife, a homemaker, the chauffeur/cook/helper/homework tutor, and be a prolific and good writer on top. At the same time, I don’t want to, and cannot, choose between my other duties and writing, so balancing it all is the true test for me.

7. Craziest plot you never wrote.

That never-ending soap opera plot, where children from forbidden love affairs grow up and go on to have their own forbidden love stories, on a backdrop of some rich and famous, tabloid-worthy lifestyle situation in a ritzy, sophisticated location (Yes, I’m a soapie fan!)

8. Best piece of advice you ignored.

In order to sell, you need more sex! The more, the better, and who cares if there’s no plot?

Yes, I actually heard that one, from someone who thought she’d “made it” big because at one time, publishers were gobbling up her strung-sex-scenes erotica.

I strive to provide deep, meaningful, fulfilling stories. The first people I don’t want to let down are my readers; second come my characters; third is myself, as a person.

9. If there was one writing mistake you'd like to correct, what would it be?

It’s not a mistake per se, but I started my writing career using pen names, and had some books come out under those names. But then I decided to use my own name, because I refused to invent new names/personalities to fit each and every different genre I might want to tackle. The time and effort I had put into those pen names, well, I lost them when I switched to using my real name for publication. That’s a few years of my life, and I wish I had started right off the bat using the name I have had since I married my very own hero 10 years ago.

10. Describe your writing year so far and what's on the horizon.It’s been full of tremendous ups! My second book in the Corpus Brides romantic suspense/espionage series has just come out with Noble Romance Publishing.

End of May will see my first release with Decadent Publishing, and part of their 1NightStand line, come out – it’s a multicultural love story set on my island, Mauritius.

Project-wise, I have a busy year ahead of me. Currently penning another story for Decadent, as part of their newly-started Western Escape line, where stories are set in the community of fictional Freewill, Wyoming. I also make head start on Book 2 in my Destiny’s Child series, with Noble. And I am planning and starting Book 3, Let Mercy Come, the last in the Corpus Brides series, soon. Amidst all this, I am also working on a collaborative series with my bestie. Lots to do, and Lord knows where I’ll find the time for it all. But, hey – we don’t find time; we make time, innit?

Buy Links:

Before The Morning: An action/adventure, romantic suspense tale on the backdrop of a clandestine espionage agency - come read the story of Rayne, a spy who leaves that life in the name of love, & Ash, the man who changes her world! Get it at Noble Romance!

FREE for this week only: WALKING THE EDGE (Corpus Brides: Book 1): A romantic suspense novel, wherein an amnesiac woman is on the quest for her forgotten memory... Escape from London all the way to Marseille, France, and discover the secrets, deceit, danger, & the powerful love, she uncovers during her search! Get your copy here!

Contact Links for Zee Monodee:

Blog

Facebook & Goodreads: Zee Monodee

Twitter: @ZeeMonodee

Thanks for having me over today, Margie! It’s been so much fun answering your questions!

You're welcome, Zee! come back any time. I'm glad you ignored that advice, BTW. There is no way to predict what readers will love or hate. You have to be true to yourself.

Sarah Ballance is in the House!

2012-04-27T06:00:00Z

Hi, and thanks so very much for having me today! My latest release, TIDE OF LIES, is a romantic suspense set at the beach. I happen to live a few minutes from one of the most gawhr-geous beaches anywhere (not that I'm partial, LOL) and love setting my books there. (My previous releases RUN TO YOU and FAMILIAR LIGHT are also beachy.) The spouse and I escape there every chance we get—check out the photo for a glimpse of our paradise, where yes, wild horses *do* roam—and, while I don't think our lives have ever been on the line like my characters' have, the thrills never end. I hope you'll stick around for a glimpse of TIDE OF LIES . . . that is, if I don't scare you off first. LOL

Let's get to know Sarah!

Biggest joy as a writer?

Finishing a story. In my day to day life, nothing is ever finished. With six kids, laundry and dishes are never done. School work is never, ever done. Messes appear faster than I make the kids clean them up. While writing is probably never really *done* (there's always more to learn), I can *finish* a story. It's an amazing feeling of accomplishment in a world usually lacking in finish lines. ;c)

Biggest challenge as a writer?

Consistency with putting time into my works-in-progress. I can devote a decent amount of time to writing each day, but I end up behind on the ol' to-do list and have to use my "writing" time for "other" things—replying to email, loading blogs, completing interviews, etc.

Favorite time of day to write.

My favorite time is actually morning, but it seldom happens. My younger children (23 months and 4 years) tend to get up pretty early and usually wake me up, and I can forget concentrating until they go to bed! LOL.

Describe your writing year so far and what's on the horizon.

TIDE OF LIES came out April 2, and I'm working to finish LAST CALL, a romantic suspense coming to For the Muse Publishing in a couple of months. (I *really* need to get it finished. AK!) I also want to write the sequel to HAWTHORNE—readers are demanding it—and have two more romantic suspense titles in the works, one of which will be a free read. I hope to complete and publish three more books this year.

Tell us something unexpected about yourself.

Longtime readers may already know this about me, but it never fails to surprise and it's just fun to tell, LOL. My husband and I had our first five children on purpose. Then I had my tubes tied . . . then we had another baby. We think we're done now . . . again.

When I die, I want people to say this about me . . .

Okay, slight tangent, but I want either "Told you I was sick" (if applicable) or "I've been waiting for you" or "What took you so long?" engraved on my headstone. And whatever you're thinking now that you've read this is probably exactly the right impression of the real me, LOL. I find the humor in pretty much anything, and I want to be remembered that way. ;c)

Do you use your personal sex life as fodder for your books?

My husband refers to himself as my research assistant, LOL. Truth is, I don't issue a play-by-play, but I do tap into those moments through my characters' emotions. My guy still gives me butterflies after more than 16 years together, and I use those somersaults to relate to my characters and hopefully enable readers to do the same.

The thing that makes me want to go postal...

Poor editing in a published work. I know we all make mistakes and things slip by the best of us, but when I see a published story positively seething with errors it makes me crazy. No matter what a writer's style or genre of preference, every story should have good editing. Or at least an attempt at editing, because glaring and frequent errors are pretty much inexcusable in my book. (And anyone else's, LOL!)

Still with me? I hope so! (I bet I lost someone at my funeral, LOL!) Here's a look at TIDE OF LIES, but before you go I'd like to thank you so very much for allowing me to be a small part of your day. Hope it's a great one!

TIDE OF LIES | blurb

A devastating secret. A shocking betrayal. A deadly obsession.

Haunted by three unsolved murders, Detective Holden Whitlow is stunned when his cold case takes a heated turn. Julia Cohen, his ex-lover, is back in town, and in the face of a brutal attack she's ready to run. No matter how tightly she holds her secrets, for Holden, turning away from the woman he's spent a decade trying to forget isn't any more an option than walking away from his job . . .even when it threatens to cost Julia her life.

Julia is still reeling from a past she can't bear to face. When she becomes the target of a killer, fate throws her back into Holden's arms, but she's yet to recover from a truth that has stripped her of everything—and everyone—she loves. Will she tell him the secret that will destroy him, or will her lie destroy them both?

BUY LINKS

NOBLE ROMANCE https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/409/Tide-of-Lies

AMAZON (author link) http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003WKYEJI

BARNES & NOBLE (author link) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/sarah-ballance

SARAH BALLANCE | bio & links

Sarah and her husband of almost fifteen what he calls "long, long" years live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children, all of whom are perfectly adorable when they're asleep. She often jokes that she writes to be around people who will listen to her, but her characters aren't much better than her kids. Fortunately, her husband is quite supportive, having generously offered to help her research "the good parts" . . . and she's never had to ask twice.

WEBSITE http://www.sarahballance.com/

BLOG http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/

AMAZON http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003WKYEJI

TWITTER http://twitter.com/#!/SarahBallance

FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/sarah.ballance.author.news

A real Jewel

2012-04-25T15:50:00Z

Our oldest chose her name before we even chose her. Today we lost her. It's a sad day indeed, but our lives were so much richer for our sweet Springer Spaniel, Miss Molly Margaret 's Jewel.

$0.90 Sale - NOPEMING SHORES

2012-04-20T10:50:16Z

With the help of her husband's ghost, a heartbroken, young widow finds the courage to live again.

$0.90 Friday, April 20th only at Noble Romance.
That's over $4 in savings to show my fans I appreciate them.

"A fantastic, emotional, heartbreaking, yet hopeful, character study with a ghost story twist."
"The depth of feeling is stunning."

                An IED snuffed out Gabe Holliway's life, but couldn't destroy his love. Using his unique gift, Gabe struggles to help his young wife, Lily, rebuild her shattered future.
               But when Gabe's ghost reaches out to her, Lily fears she's lost her last hold on sanity. Can she trust what she discovers and what her heart says? When she sees Gabe face-to-face, can she believe her eyes?
               When love transcends death, the answers are found in Nopeming Shores.

Click to buy NOW!

Do Reader Opinions Matter?

2012-04-14T20:50:51Z

The recent success of a BDSM erotica book that is extremely poorly written and very predictable created a lot of discussion among authors. We all asked why we should work so hard to polish every manuscript or learn the craft as much as possible, when 50 Shades of Shit can have meteoric rise to the NY Times bestseller lists and get a movie contract.

It's disheartening, that's for sure. Like many authors, I know I've got better written books than that one, and have yet to achieve anywhere near the level of success that book and many others have. Can I change that? I doubt it. I look at it this way. The reader wants what the reader wants and frankly, without a big publisher behind me, pimping my name and title from one end of the Earth to another, I'm pretty much on my own.

Karma has a lot to do with it, too.

Wrong place, wrong time – you're hit by a beer truck.

Right place, right time – you have a bestseller.

When Hard as Teak soared to #3 on the gay/lesbian charts, I was thrilled and stunned and, well, clueless. Is it a good book? Yup. How did it get that kind of attention from an unknown author in that subgenre? Karma.

I believe that my other gay male romance enjoys better success because of Teak, but the reader still has to be convinced to buy the book. No two of my books are the same. The story may continue, but there's going to be very different elements. And that might not appeal to the readers who want more like the last book. I think stories that are similar are boring, so I don't write them.

Writing is a solitary effort for me. When I conceive the story, I don't think about the reader until I'm deep into the writing. As the story really unfolds and I know my characters better, I'm thinking about how the reader will perceive them. Will they react the way I want them to? Will they think the plot is predictable (God, I hope not!)? Sometimes I think I've covered my bases, anticipated reader reactions, and I've still been off base.

How do I know? Readers told me. They comment on my books and I try to read and learn from those reviews. Many of my colleagues don't acknowledge reviews or comment on them. It's a personal decision I'm not going to debate – but I at least say thank you when I find a review. You spent time and money with me (yes, I take it personal – it's not just a product) and good or bad, I appreciate that. Some say authors like J.K. Rowling and Tom Clancy don't bother with their reviews. Well, hell no. They have teams of publicists to do it for them, but I don't think for a minute that they are arrogant enough not to care what readers think. Readers get you there…they take you down, too.

Readers have suggested ways I could have improved the story and asked for a new book based on a character they liked. I have granted some of those requests – Love Bites: Dangerous Love and Krewe Daddy are recent examples of reader requests. I can't fix what is already published, but sometimes I've seen a consistent negative comment about my work. I can choose to ignore that or I can consider who my audience really is. It's not me. It's not my publisher. It's you, the reader. You hold a lot of power.

Maybe you've never thought of it quite that way. Publishers make decisions about which book contracts to offer us based on what you're buying. They want to make money by selling books. Duh. This is a business fraught with negativity. Poorly received books aren't likely to get a contract for a sequel. And, maybe the author won't get another contract either. When you slam a book – not just give it a poor rating, but a deep review that rends the fabric of the work unfairly - you could be negatively affecting a writer's career. One bad review isn't going to do it, but sometimes there's a pack mentality and before you know it, that book's chance of success could be down the drain.

Now come on, you have to have thick skin to be doing this, right? Sure. But remember there's a beating heart behind that book and the story was written for you with every hope and desire that you'd love the book and send it soaring to the top of the charts. And that same negativity has sometimes created such interest that sales soar. Go figure.

I believe in Karma. While I wonder how a book makes the bestseller list when it's so far below usual standards, I have to remind myself it's about sales. There's no accounting for what readers love or hate. One day, I hope it'll be my turn. So, in the meantime, I'm going to keep crafting the best books I can. I won't lower my standards and I won't stop listening to readers.

Thank you for buying my books and being a fan. You rock.

Until the next time.

Margie

US customers can find all my romances on Amazon. UK customers click here.

Evening at the M.U.T. - Lesbians v. Zombies!

2012-04-09T18:55:41Z

*Waves* Hello everyone! Thanks for coming by today. And, thank you Madame Margie for hosting me! You don’t mind if I help myself to the contents of your fridge while I’m here, do ya? Uhm, if so, I may have to reimburse you for a soda and a few slices of pie.

So, why am I here? Great question, thanks for asking. *shuffles papers*…*looks around*, no really, great question. Why am I here… Well, I have a new book out today and I’m hoping to swindle you all out of your pocket change with my amazing feats of charm and whit!

No, wait. I joke! Don’t leave.

Well, ok at the very least I would like to introduce you all to some of the cast making their debut appearances tomorrow. And if you stick through to the end and leave me a comment with your email addy, I’ll throw in a $5 gift card to Noble Romance for any book of your choice.

(I hear bribery never hurt anyone.)

All right, ready for me to get serious now? Ha, me neither!

But I will. Just for you. Just this once.

Let me introduce you all to Mr. Charlie O’Connell, a rather nice jolly old man from Southie (that’s South Boston, for all you somehow not in the know), who, I must say was an absolute delight to work with. With his voice ringing through my head, neither the Sandman nor the Boogie Man dared to venture into my room at night. And… never mind his disheveled appearance, he’s long overdue for some beauty rest, himself. This is what we like to call K – A – R – M – A, ain’t that right, Boy-o? *Slaps shoulder*

Charlie: “Meeehhhaa. Ruaahhtaassaammm.”

Sorry old man, could you repeat that? I didn’t quite make it out.

Charlie: “Meeehhhaa. Ruaahhtaassa-ahmmm.”

Aha, yes. But follow the script I wrote you or I swear to… *Tears arm off at the shoulder* if you don’t behave *waves his arm at him* I will slap you with your own hand!

Charlie: “Buh, wahuambubub.”

I thought so.

Erin: *Cough*

Ah yes, and here are Erin and Sarah, the leading ladies of our tale. Just in time ladies, please have a seat.

Erin: “What’s he doing here?”

Sarah: “Yeah, what’s up with that?”

Now, now calm down girls. You remember what I told you about your contract the other day, don’t you? You know, that section where you’re required to make public appearances. Riiiiiiight?

*long pause*

Sarah: “Yes, but.”

No butt!!! Seriously, Charlie’s literally melting away. If this interview takes too long I’m going to owe Margie a new chair. *Swat’s Charlie’s hand* No touching, Mr. O’Connell”

Charlie: “Buh, Bwaains.”

*Throws hands up* Eat later! Focus people, ok! Sheesh, characters! *grumbles*

Charlie: “Aahhuuum. Schsoooooookahnnnnmmmausus, faaafeeumwa. Rruuummeee?”

Sarah: “That’s an awfully personal question, don’t you think?”

Erin: “Yeah, what the hell? We had to take your crap “at work” but we don’t owe you anything here, buddy!”

Charlie: “KKaahabbbarau” *swats paper on his knee* *kneecap falls out from his pant leg…and rolls away*

*Erin and Sarah look at each other and turn a nice shade of pea green*

Erin: “Yes, we’re lesbians. It’s why we were cast for this part. Evening at the M.U.T. is part of the Lesbians versus Zombies series from Noble Romance.

Charlie: “Goooooo, uh ahaooaaaahaeee ahh dewwwin.”

Sarah: “That’s none of your business and don’t say that’s on the sheet because I didn’t see you look at it just then.

Charlie: “Puhooyent. Uhohkay, aaaahahhhheeee meeefffszzazzzmm?”

Sarah: “Oh, well it wasn’t that bad, you see that scene where I got attacked was totally choreographed and Doug… that’s the guy’s name who played that zombie… was actually really gentle. I mean, aside from the smell, that scene was an absolute pleasure to do.

*Erin rolls eyes*

Erin: “Puhlease. I tell you what, Sarah admitted later that if I hadn’t come to her rescue she would have resorted to flingin’ her poop in his eyes as she made her grand exit.

Sarah: “ERIN!”

Erin: “What, baby? It’s true, ain’t it. There’s no shame. Anyone would have flung poop at a zombie to get away. You have nothing to be ashamed of.” *rubs Sarah’s leg*

Charlie: “Ahhhhum, sskkkews meh. Buh whaaassah bbuuhwaahna Kuhhhlayer”

Erin: “What about, Claire? Huh? Next time you see her you should ask her how she likes her shinahs!”

Sarah: “Hehe, I think what Erin is trying to say is that… that sleazy conniving trouble maker had it coming and she’ll get it again if she even thinks about…”

*Erin rolls on the floor laughing*

Sarah: “What?”

Erin: “Ahaha, you should totally see your face! You’re all like, with the nose scrunched up, and the red cheeks… It’s cute.”

Sarah: “Oh yeah? You like it when I get mad, do ya?”

Erin: *eyebrow wag* “Why don’t you come over here and let me show you how much I like it?”

Sarah: “Oh yeah?”

OKAY Folks, That’s enough! *snatches paper from Charlie* For crying out loud… I can’t leave you kids alone for ten minutes, can I? No, I don’t want an answer, it was a RHETORICAL questions… I swear, for a bunch of geniuses…

That’s all for today folks. Just something to wet your appetite. Thanks for coming by and enjoying a few laughs with me! Happy Monday, happy reading, and good day to you all!

Contest: Tell me what you find sexy about reading horror or thriller stories, or watching movies of the same genres and there’s a little somethin’ in it for you! Don’t forget to leave your email address. This contest will be open until Friday, April 13 (FRIDAY THE 13^TH!!!).

Buy Link:

Link for Lesbian versus Zombie Series on Noble Romance: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books?series=38

About Renée: Born in Florida but raised in various towns in New England, R. Renée Vickers now lives in a small town just outside of Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband and children. And although work and family life leave her little free time, she spends every available moment indulging in her favorite passion, writing.

It's always a pleasure to have you, Renee - your humor is delightful and I wish you the best with Evening at the M.U.T. and the L v. Z series!

Margie

Welcome Aussie Author, LJ LaBarthe

2012-04-03T06:00:00Z

I was wondering what to write about and wracking my brains this morning. I was outside, watching the sun come up, the colours on the clouds as summer wars with winter and autumn tentatively holds on as victor of the season of the day. It was a beautiful morning, even with the loud traffic from the two main highways that I live very close to, and I could smell the scent of the sea blowing in on the breeze.

I live in Adelaide, capital city of the state of South Australia, and, like all Australian capital cities (except for Canberra), it’s a coastal city. Most of the major cities are coastal, which means that we love our beaches. We happen to be blessed with a national coastline that varies between gorgeous, paradise, and heavenly. It’s not uncommon to get sea breezes here, there’s really nothing like the scent of the sea as you go about your day.

Margie said to me, as we were talking about travel, that she couldn’t imagine living somewhere without snow. This led me to remember that I have only seen snow once in my entire life, and I’ll be 40 this year. Australia isn’t really renowned for its snow; we’re known for our deserts and our beaches and yes, our very weird and frightening mass murders, too. (No country is perfect, what can I say. Don’t believe me about the murders? Watch the movies “Snowtown” – based on a true story or “Wolf Creek”, also based on a true story.)

Anyway, snow. I was in Victoria in my final year of high school, as part of my high school’s annual sporting exchange with a pair of Victorian private high schools. The boy’s school had come to Adelaide that year, and we girls had gone over to Melbourne to do battle against the girl’s school. I was on the debating team. On the way back to Adelaide, we had an excursion to the Victorian Alps, the snowfields that are so popular with snow fans, along with the New South Wales snowfields. This was my sole experience with snow.

What I learnt about snow is that it’s hard, cold and wet. And that tobogganing is an activity best done when there isn’t a tree to crash into close by. Odds are that you – or rather, I and my friend – will crash into that tree, every time.

Friends overseas always express surprise that I’ve only seen snow once in my life. I didn’t fully appreciate how strange it must sound until I had a friend come to stay for a month from Texas. She had never seen the sea. How can this be, I wondered! It’s the sea! It’s everywhere!

I was amazed at this – the sea is so much a part of life in Australia, just as the desert and summers that are analogous to Hell – that I kept asking her how she’d managed to live without ever seeing it. And then, my friend and I proceeded to take our Texas buddy to every beach we could get to. Subsequently, we gave her a tour of the South Australian coastline that covered not just the amazing diversity of beaches and coastal wilderness, but the best fish and chips ever, crispy battered and piping hot fish with golden crunchy chips with fluffy centers. (Which are in Semaphore, in case you’re in Adelaide and want fish and chips.) We drove along the Esplanades, walked along the boardwalks, sat on the sand and watched the moonrise over the sea, and shivered as it rained, because it was winter and very, very cold. And my Texas friend said that now she’d seen the sea, she’d really seen true beauty.

As a lover of the sea, even if I’m not swimming in it, I couldn’t agree more. And I’m very blessed to live in a country with amazing coasts and cities built by the ocean. Now, if summer could be a little less humid, it’d be perfect!

And now for the book! “No Quarter

BLURB: Book 1 of the Archangel Chronicles

You would never know it from his flamboyant lifestyle, but Gabriel’s not just the cheerful, fun-loving adoptive father of a pair of indulged young adult humans. He’s an Archangel, commander of Heaven’s legions of Seraphim, and despite his apparently easy virtue, he’s harboring a serious crush on his superior officer, Michael.

For years Michael has devoted himself to developing a team of humans, the Venatores, to aid in the fight against Hell. He’s been pining after Gabriel for centuries without hope, believing himself to be too serious to attract the other Archangel’s interest. He’s happy to discover that he’s wrong, but their burgeoning relationship is stymied by a major problem: an egomaniacal human is recruiting demons and fallen angels in a bid to take over the world. It’s up to Michael and Gabriel, and the rest of the Brotherhood of Archangels, to beat back the forces of Hell before the Earth is overrun.

EBOOK: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2853

PAPERBACK: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2854

L.J. LaBarthe is an Australian woman living with disabilities and her cat. As a young child, she won a competition for drawing a picture of Australian Humpty Dumpty, complete with Aussie hat, corks hanging from strings dangling from the brim to keep the flies away. The drawing was accompanied by an adventure story with Humpty Dumpty she wrote set in Australia. From that moment on, she has not looked back.

She spends her free time watching television (and is a fan of “Spartacus”, “Game of Thrones” and World Movies), reads newspapers online for fun, and enjoys a good novel. She loves to cook and enjoys a snifter of absinthe from time to time.

She can be found on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/brbsiberia and her blog is at http://misslj_author.livejournal.com/ with her website at http://www.ljlabarthe.com

Sanya's Nights: New Erotic Paranormal

2012-04-02T06:00:00Z

Amber Rose Thompson is here today to share insights to her new book, Sanya's Nights. Please welcome her warmly and stick around for the contest at the end!

I was once asked why I refer to the main characters of my books as heroes or heroines versus protagonists. It was an easy answer but a bit hard to explain. We live in a world where sex is still viewed in reproach by a large majority as being dirty, kinky, wrong, bad, etc. (you fill in the negative adjective).

In such a context, any man, woman, intersexed, queer person who battles sex and dominance power games to find their own self-satisfaction and value is worthy of the title heroine or hero. It is no coincidence that we have the saying "All's fair in love and war." Many view love and sex as a war battlefield where scars and wounds are garnered and not always healed.

The main character, heroine, in my latest book, Sanya's Nights is no different. The battle wounds she brings to her latest sexual encounters run deep to the very marrow of her being. She must find the strength within to overcome her own demons and ghosts to find a future that holds any light and satisfaction for her.

Blurb: Her nights were filled with ghostly presences and unforgettable lovemaking. Sanya couldn't sleep after the tragic death of her fiance. Then she met Xander. Xander had the hots for her big time. To him it was true love. But all Sanya wanted from him was sex, in the hope of curing her insomnia and the disturbing dreams sleep brought. Yet once the deed was done and she returnd to bed, Sanya's mind begin to play tricks on her again, and she begin to have intoxicating, disturbing dreams about her boyfriend. Dreams that seemed to be taking her away from this reality - perhaps into madness or death. When Xander comes to rescue her, Sanya is unsure of what to make of him until he confesses his secret crush on her. But can his love prevent her from being swept away by her fiance into the world of dreams, will she be end up in a mental ward - or worse dead. His only hope is to help her free herself from the spell woven by Sanya's Nights.

In this vein, I am reaching out to readers. What is the perfect name for a hero or heroine. Post with a suggestion and win a chance for a PDF version of Sanya's Nights. All suggestions must be in by April 9th. For a tease of what Sanya's Nights has in store for you, here is an excerpt from the first chapter.

Sanya watched the curtains bluster outward. Or was it inward? They were moving towards her and away from the open window. She always pondered these types of questions when sleep despised her presence. As far as she was aware, there were no Gods or Goddesses of sleep to offend, but she wondered if some sort of sacrifice was in order anyway.

She lifted her wrist grudgingly to see what time it was. On the final ascent of her wrist she remembered she'd ditched the watch hours ago with a nice toss towards the far wall. She'd gotten tired of knowing how few hours for sleep she still had to grab before her alarm clock blared. Speaking of which, where had she hidden her alarm clock this time? Oh well, she'd remember soon enough when it went off in its hideously soul piercing call of doom.

Drumming her fingers on her stomach, she pinched at her satin night slip. It clung to her in an annoying way. It felt more like a mourning shroud than something sexy and alluring. Not that anyone was here to take in the way it draped over her perky breasts, dipping just slightly into her cleavage, suggestive of hidden contours ready for exploration.

Deciding whether to take it off or leave it on was her next predicament. Moving would show defeat in the eyes of sleep. Did she want to admit she'd been a failure at sleep again? Not that being frozen in nearly one place led to blissful sleep. Damn, life questions were too much to face alone, in the dark when too exhausted to sleep. Of course had she been able to sleep any of the previous nights she wouldn't be exhausted.

Sanya put a track mark of teeth down her lower lip. There was still the remnant of her cherry lip gloss. It was wrong, just wrong that no one else's teeth or tongue was wicking away the last taste of cherry for her. Life wasn't fair.

Here she was in an expensive night slip, her hair freshly washed and conditioned for lively buoyancy, according to the label, and she had the dorm room to herself. This wasn't even taking into consideration her kickass body from being on the gymnastic team.

Her mind harkened back to class earlier in the day about the fall of the Roman Republic and Caesar's antics. Maybe it was time to relive history and go and conquer a sex slave for her. Caesar never had a cold tent at night. Now thousands of years later she was living with indoor plumbing and heat but her mattress grew cold.

She punched her mattress for its insolence in only supporting her and sat up. It was time to go and hunt for a man. If Caesar could do it, so could she. She had Roman blood in her on her father's side after all. An army wasn't in her arsenal, but her legs could slay by shape alone and her slip did leave a lot of body available for eyes to prey on.

The flimsy covering of her sensitive parts could easily be shoved out of the way by insistent hands. Battle ready she was. Now she just needed an available cock to soothe her tired limbs by and thereby be granted the blessing of euphoria induced sleep. Now that would have been a great Roman name for a woman. Euphoria.

Sanya jotted down that idea in her brain so she could bring it up in class and watch the men try to refrain from squirming and her teacher play with his suspenders. She did notice he played with his suspenders a lot when she opened her mouth or walked by him to find a place to sit. Suspenders were a great guide into the lower regions of a man's anatomy. Men should wear them far more often than they did; she rationalized while shifting her legs off the side of the bed and getting to her feet.

Shoes and slippers were unnecessary. At this time of the night, the only place she was going to find a captive was in the TV room at the end of the hall. Maybe, if luck was going to bless her, like it often had Caesar, a poor pitiful, male soul would be watching TV instead of faking sleep. A poor pitiful, male, soul that didn't have a Macedonian war-prone, girlfriend hidden away would be even better. But she was desperate and would deal with any ignited war flames later, after she'd had her conquest and was satiated.

Happy dreaming and thanks for reading, Amber Rose

Buy Sanya's Nights right now!

Welcome Silvia Violet, Sci-Fi M/M Author!

2012-03-24T06:00:00Z

Drum roll, please! I'm so happy to welcome for the very first time, Silvia Violet. I put her on the hot seat for 20-questions and she's sharing a fantastic excerpt from her brand new book - released today - Abandoned.

Hi! I'm Silvia Violet. I fell in love with my heroes, Lark and Derek, as I wrote this book, and I having a blast working on the second book in the series. I've got a little taste for you, but first I'll let you get to know me a little better.

What's your biggest joy as a writer?

My biggest joy is hearing from readers who've been touched by my characters. Knowing that one of my stories has affected someone makes me want to sit right down to write another book (after doing a bit of crazy dancing).

The best piece of advice you ignored was:

I've been told by my physical therapist and my massage therapist that I need to get up and move around every half hour so I don't end up with pain in my neck and shoulders and in my hip (I get flare ups from an old injury). This is very good advice and ignoring it has sent me back into physical therapy several times. I need to take breaks. I need to stretch. But I'm very jealous of the hours I get alone with my laptop, and once I'm in the writing groove, the rest of the world fades away. I'm going to have to resort to finding a timer to remind me to get moving.

You sound just like me, Silvia! I'll be so lost in my work, I don't feel the tension in my shoulders and arms until it's too late!

Do your characters speak to you?

Absolutely. They often talk so fast I have trouble keeping up with them as I try to type. Sometimes they wake me at 4am desperate to tell me more of their story. As annoying as that is, I prefer it to when they stop talking, and my story stands still, or when several sets of characters all try to talk at once. I'm a writer who needs to focus on one story at a time, but my characters don't always believe me.

I had a vampire tell me he was in a different time zone so that was why he kept waking me up. Erm...?

How do you respond when people ask about graphic sex in your novels?

The question I get most frequently is: So…um…have you done everything you put in your books? I answer by reminding the inquisitive person that you don't have to commit murder to write a murder mystery or be a wizard to write a book about one. I use imagination and research along with personal experience.

GREAT answer!

What's your favorite movie?

Serenity. I've watched it over and over. I can't get enough of Captain Mal and his intriguing crew.

Favorite Thing to Eat or Drink?

Chocolate Cake. I keep waiting for cake to have it's day as a health food. I could eat it breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

LOL My husband would agree with you!

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee and lots of it, preferable freshly ground and prepared to my exacting standards. I'm a bit of a freak about coffee.

If you could live someplace else, where would it be and why?

Edinburgh. I've been there twice and both times, and I fell in love with the city. You can feel the history in the old town area. It's beautiful. It feels urban yet there are plenty of parks and green spaces, and everyone I encountered was friendly.

Describe your writing year so far and what's on the horizon.

So far this year, I've signed contracts for Abandoned which just released, Astronomical which will be part of Silver Publishing's A Mind is a Sexy Thing collection, "Professor for Dessert", a short story in the Ad-Dick-Tion Anthology from Breathless Press, and Finding Release, a werewolf cowboy/horse shifter story coming later this year from Silver.

I'm currently finishing up the sequel to Abandoned (Galactic Betrayal 2: Deceived) and working on a story for a free anthology from the M/M Romance Group at Goodreads. My writing plans for the rest of the year include another Protect and Serve story, a third book in the Galactic Betrayal series, and a sequel to Finding Release. I've also got notes on an m/m Regency and a story set in the NC mountains starring a restaurant owner.

Wow, your writing year is all mapped out for you. That must feel great! Congratulations!

And now, here's a taste of Abandoned….

Galactic Betrayal 1: Abandoned by Silvia Violet

Blurb:

Lark Zaccaro and Derek Carlson were partners and friends. Lark wanted more. Then someone at the Intergalactic Investigations Bureau sold them out to enemy aliens. Lark was forced to abandon Derek to the enemy, and Derek bought the IIB’s story that Lark betrayed them all.

When Lark’s deep cover mission and Derek’s new job in search-and-rescue collide, the desire simmering between them explodes. Lark needs Derek’s help to escape a new enemy, and Derek needs to discover the truth about what really happened on that alien planet. Can they overcome lies and betrayal and find the love and comfort they seek, or will their past forever keep them apart?

Excerpt:

Lark Zaccaro smiled as he stepped out of the dripping jungle heat, and into the prison building. Even inside, the stale air was so splyvin' hot it belonged in an oven. He didn't know how anyone could breathe. Not that he was supposed to give a fuck if his prisoners got air or not. He took as deep a breath as he could and headed straight for the interrogation room.

A few hours earlier, his guards had discovered a man crouched in the underbrush, spying on their enclave. Lark's morning had been hell so far, and a vicious interrogation suited his mood perfectly. The two guards flanking the door stepped aside, so he could enter what was truly more of a torture chamber than an interrogation room. At least that's what it had been for his predecessor, and the longer Lark lived on Lancarina, the more he found himself becoming like the man he'd assassinated and replaced. He pushed that disturbing thought away. He wouldn't dwell on how low he'd sunk since he'd left his partner to die in a Lithusian prison cell.

The captive hung from the ceiling, suspended by a heavy chain circling his bound wrists. His toes barely scraped the floor, forcing his arms to support the weight of his large body. The dirty chain bit into his wrists, and blood dripped down his arms. In this squalid jungle, he'd have a deadly infection in no time. Lark would have to do something about that. The man had a ship with advanced defenses. Thus, he was Lark's ticket off this cesspool of a planet.

The man's clothes hung in shreds, and Lark couldn't help but admire his muscular body. His gaze slid over the captive's hard thighs, the impressive bulge in his pants, and the well-defined and disturbingly familiar planes of his chest. When he saw the man's face, he froze. No. It couldn't be. His former partner would have no reason to be here. But Derek Carlson, the man who had haunted Lark's nightmares and his fantasies every day for the six Old Earth months he been in this hellhole, was right in front of him. Chained. Suspended. His to do with as he pleased.

Lark's cock hardened, pressing against the confines of his pants. His body knew what it wanted from Derek, but his mind was less sure. Retribution? Forgiveness? A hot fuck before he threw him in prison to rot? Salvation? His gut knotted at that thought, and he fought to keep his guards from noticing how off kilter he was. He had to play his role, not rush this moment.

There would be time later, in his private quarters, to decide what he wanted to know and how he was going to get the information. If the vessel they had captured in the jungle was Derek's private issue ship, then he'd finally forsaken the lying scum at the Intergalactic Investigation Bureau. They might say their mission is to protect everyone in the five galaxies, but they only care about protecting their own asses. Lark intended to find out why Derek had left, but his guards would play no part in that interrogation. Derek was his.

Lark took a few steps toward the prisoner and studied him. He'd wanted him for years, from the moment they were assigned to work with each other at the IIB. Derek had turned down all his advances, saying they should keep their relationship professional. But now Derek was his prisoner, not his partner. If he wanted to live, he'd do whatever Lark told him to.

From the way Derek limply hung in his bonds, he was either unconscious or doing an excellent job of faking it. His former partner had fought hard from the look of him. A livid bruise stood out on one cheek and purple splotches decorated his ribs. A deep gash on his arm had dripped blood trails that were now dry. He would have to tend to Derek’s wounds.

Lark needed the man's piloting skills. If he were going to kill Derek for believing those liars from the IIB when they told him Lark had turned traitor, he intended to do so with his own hands after they got off planet. Fortunately, he kept a fully stocked first aid cabinet in his quarters. He just needed to find a way to get Derek there without making his men suspicious .

Nothing but fear and the promise of a huge payoff on their next deal kept Lark's men from turning on him, in the same way he'd turned on the man he had been sent here to investigate. He pulled a long thin blade from his boot and pretended to examine the sharp edge as he circled Derek. He had to suppress a gasp when he saw the maze of scars criss-crossing Derek's back. If he let himself think about how Derek got those, he might be sick right here.

"Leave us," he said to the guards who were eyeing the prisoner in obvious hope of getting some play time.

Abandoned releases March 24. It's available now. Buy at Silver Publishing.

Long slow whistle! That was hot, my dear!

More About Silvia!

Silvia Violet writes erotic romance and erotica in a variety of genres including sci fi, paranormal and historical. She can be found haunting coffee shops looking for the darkest, strongest cup of coffee she can find. Once equipped with the needed fuel, she can happily sit for hours pounding away at her laptop. Silvia typically leaves home disguised as a suburban stay-at-home-mom, and other coffee shop patrons tend to ask her hilarious questions like "Do you write children's books?" She loves watching the looks on their faces when they learn what she's actually up to.

When not writing, Silvia enjoys baking sinful treats, exploring new styles of cooking, and reading children's books to her wickedly smart offspring. You can get to know Silvia better by visiting her blog or finding her on Facebook.

Website: http://silviaviolet.com

Blog: http://silviaviolet.com/blog

Facebook: http://facebook.com/silvia.violet

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Silvia_Violet

What's On My Mind?

2012-03-23T06:03:00Z

I'm stopping by to wish you a happy spring and share some writing news. Most of us are enjoying an extremely early departure from winter's grasp. I hope that brightens your day if you're one who detests the cold and snow. I happen to like winter - I know I'm weird - but if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. It's pretty cool to have the furnace turned off and have the windows open this time of year in Minnesota! So, cheers!

I recently sold a m/m erotic romance to Decadent Publishing. Executive Decision will join their very successful 1 Night Stand series. It's ultra contemporary and sizzling hot. I don't have a release date on it yet.
This is my first book with Decadent, and I've very excited to join their roles!

Fellow author, K.B. Cutter and I, are deep into writing the novel version our erotic BDSM romance, Razor. I'm hoping that book will hit the market in mid-summer. We're having a ball writing this psycho-emotional drama that challenges the conventional rules of marriage and traditional perspectives about true love.

I have a number of other writing projects in progress or committed for the next few months. As they get closer to reality, I'll tell you more.

Krewe Daddy is doing extremely well in the market. Thank you so much if you've bought a copy. Sales of Hard as Teak have jumped up again, too. Again, thanks so much. If you're a fan of m/m romance, I invite you to read these two books!

Silvia Violet will join me at Romance with SASS on Saturday. I hope you'll come say hello to this very talented author and friend.

Thanks for being a friend and a fan. Until the next time.
Margie