Top Marketing Tips for Indie Authors -- #ScienceFiction #Thriller #Marketing @bryonvaughn

By Bryon Vaughn (Guest Author)

While Neurogarden is my first novel, I have been working with my wife, Tani Hanes, to publish and market her work in the sexy new adult romance genre for the last six years. That is to say, this isn’t my first rodeo on the marketing front. Will that experience help me with my own writing? I’ll have to get back to you on that, but I will be applying everything I have learned for my own work.

Here are the top three tips that I can share with any other budding marketers looking to get their work to the next level.

1. Start a mailing list for your fans. This is critical. You need to be able to directly reach out to your audience to keep them fully engaged in your work. A list of people that want to hear from you is the first step in building and maintaining a connection to your fans. I have found that giving people an incentive to join is helpful to not only get them to sign up, but to keep them paying attention.
   
   What has worked for me is to brand the mailing list as a VIP Club, where you send bonus content, previews of works in progress, and anything that you think your readers would want to know. Make it exclusive, and they will feel like an insider. Then, when you have a new release, they are primed to buy it directly from your email.
   
   

2. Paid email marketing. Find at least 5-6 email advertisers that are prominent in your genre. This may be difficult if you are in a more niche market, but do your research and you will see they are out there. For the romance genre among others, I can recommend the following, they have been very productive for us:
   
   Red Feather Romance - https://www.redfeatherromance.com
   

   BookRaid - https://www.bookraid.com
   

   BookRebel - https://www.bookrebel.com
   
   They aren’t too expensive, and with a good book and a clear market, these can yield a solid return on the investment.
   
   

3. Create compelling book descriptions. While this is not necessarily marketing specific, having a very well written and compelling book description is vital, and will help you when you are able to get people to the buy page from your other marketing efforts. Amazon allows for some HTML formatting in the descriptions, so be sure to take advantage of that option to call out important points. At one point when sales were leveling off, I went through and rewrote and formatted every book description in my wife’s catalog (26 books!) and sales increased almost immediately.
   
   This is purely anecdotal, but there was no other change to our promotional strategy, so it is very likely to have helped move the needle. Here is the basic formatting structure that I used, in case it helps anybody out there:
   
   <h3><i>Exciting tagline goes here...</i></h3>
   Compelling book description goes here…
   
   <h3>Meet the Characters</h3>
   <b>Character #1 name</b>
   <i>Pithy description of a character trait (e.g., The Sultry Seductress)</i>
   More detailed description of the character and their motivation goes here…
   
   Repeat for any main characters you want to call out.
   
   I used a similar format for the book description of Neurogarden on Amazon if you want to see how it looks in practice.

Hopefully some of this information will help other indie authors and publishers out there, and please feel free to share your own findings in the comments section. I look forward to learning from you!

Blurb

Where can you run when there is no place to hide?

Brenna Patrick is a brilliant technologist specializing in neural-cognitive functions and AI. She has cracked the code to solve one of the most troublesome problems in the field, and turned that into the multi-billion dollar NeuralTech Corporation.

Working quietly with the U.S. Department of Defense, NeuralTech is poised to leapfrog the competition with a revolutionary system for tracking people, starting with the world’s most wanted terrorists. But there are only so many terrorists in the world, so who’s next?

When a pair of Columbia graduate students, Jenny and Leo, stumble on the dark secret of NeuralTech’s success, it kicks off a tense game of cat and mouse. As they fight to defeat the powerful forces arrayed against them, nothing less than the fate of humanity hangs in the balance…

NEUROGARDEN is a roller-coaster ride of a thriller, one that will have readers pondering the nature of memory, and of reality, long after they've read the last page.

 

Read Lisabet's review of Neurogarden:

https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2020/09/review-tuesday-neurogarden-by-bryon.html

 

Excerpt

Settling into a location near the bottom of the dome, the zone transitioned to red. She pointed toward the red node, and up popped Henry Alan Foster's mugshot, coupled with his current location. The crowd murmured, their faces masks of disbelief.

"What say we send the authorities to pick up Mr. Foster?" Brenna outstretched her arms with her hands giving a "thumb's up" sign as if to ask for the crowd's approval, answered by a rise of clapping and a smattering of cheers. At that moment, Jenny saw how much Brenna enjoyed being not only the center of attention, but the person with all the power. It was a look she had seen earlier in Brenna's office, but in the moment she’d thought it was a look of infatuation, or perhaps love. Now, however, it was clear to Jenny that Brenna relished control more than anything else.

Brenna scanned the viewers at The Podium glass. "Or should we send a bullet?"

The crowd roared its approval, and with that, Brenna turned her thumbs downward as she nodded to her engineer. After a few taps, and about ten seconds, the mugshot of Henry Alan Foster disappeared from the dome and the room erupted in resounding approval.

Jenny watched Brenna bask in the glow of this moment, and while she was still in awe of the majestic raven-haired figure before her, her stomach lurched as if she were dropped out of an airplane. At this moment she wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in Leo's strong arms and to forget this whole day happened.

About the Author

Ever since reading Douglas Adams back in my formative years, I have had an interesting relationship with humor, science fiction, and technology. My first computer was a TI-99/4A, so yeah, I’m old, but only until scientists have cracked the code on transplanting our brains into shiny new vessels.

My body may be showing signs of wear, but I’m keeping my brain tight.

When I am not dreaming of far off worlds and writing, I am living a semi-normal life working in New York City, and watching movies with my wife and her spastic cat, Moss.

Author Links

Web site: https://www.bryonvaughn.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/bryonvaughnauthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/bryonvaughn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bryonvaughn

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Neurogarden-NeuralTech-Corporation-Book-1-ebook/dp/B08F7BWCDZ

Bryon Vaughn will award a $50 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.

 

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Haunted by their pasts -- #Thriller #EnglishVillage #Giveaway @DaysDyingGlory

Blurb

Kevin gripped Jilly’s coat and his voice became little more than a whisper. “I’m cursed, Jilly. Everyone who looks after me dies in a fire, or someone they love does. I don’t know how to stop it.”

When Rev. Alastair Roberts adopts Kevin Alderman, he dismisses any reference to the boy’s curse. But, as the pair spend more time in each other’s company, it becomes apparent that Kevin is not the only one with a bitter past.

As the past continues to haunt them, can they hope to change their future?

Excerpt

“Was he really Alastair’s son, or was he like me?”

“He was really his son,” Jilly replied. “But you’re his son, too, Kevin.”

“No,” Kevin replied stoically. “I haven’t had a dad since Liam, and I don’t want the same thing to happen to Alastair that happened to him.”

“What did happen?” Jilly asked, holding the child to her as they both looked at the grave.

“He burnt to death in his car.” Kevin gripped Jilly’s coat and his voice became little more than a whisper. “I’m cursed, Jilly. Everyone who looks after me dies in a fire, or someone they love does. I don’t know how to stop it.”

“Well,” she said firmly, trying not to let her fear at his words show. “I don’t believe in curses, only bad luck. It sounds to me that you’ve had your share of that. But then, so has the vicar. Shall we go back home and try out some of those conkers?”

Kevin smiled slightly and nodded. “Who is Dawn Louise Roberts?” he asked as they turned away.

About the Author

Virginia grew up in Orkney, using the breath-taking scenery to fuel her imagination and the writing fire within her. When she's not writing, Virginia is usually to be found teaching music. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of music, especially as a tool of inspiration. She also helps out with the John o' Groats Book Festival which is celebrating its 4th year next April.

Virginia lives in the far-flung corner of Scotland, soaking in inspiration from the rugged cliffs and miles of sandy beaches.

She loves cheese, music and films, but hates mushrooms.

Author Links

Website: www.crowvus.com

Twitter: @DaysDyingGlory

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaysDyingGlory

The Book is on SALE for $0.99 During the Tour

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1031177

Virginia Crow will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

 

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Review Tuesday: Neurogarden by Bryon Vaughn -- #sciencefiction #thriller #ReviewTuesday

 

Neurogarden by Bryon Vaughn

Brenna Patrick, CEO of upstart company NeuralTech, believes that she’s smarter than everyone else. In general, she’s right. However, it’s not just her exceptional intelligence that has enabled her to build the most advanced AI system on the planet in a just a few years. Credit also belongs to her single-mindedness in pursuing her goals, her formidable talent for psychological manipulation, her almost unearthly beauty – and her willingness to ride roughshod over anyone who gets in her way. Her cold-bloodedness is matched only by her vanity, perhaps her single biggest weakness. Though she’s only in her forties, she spends a fortune on the latest anti-aging fads, scrutinizing her mirror each day for any evidence of the ravages of time.

Brenna’s technology, funded by the deep pockets of the Defense Department, makes it possible to locate any individual on the planet, in seconds, given a single image. Obviously the military wants this capability to neutralize terrorists, criminals and anyone else deemed to be a threat. Brenna realizes the applications are far more varied, that her AI “Garden” provides her with the potential to effectively control the entire world.

Jenny Mercado and Leo Marino, grad students in business at Columbia University, seem an unlikely pair to challenge Brenna’s power. Indeed, their original goal is to impress the high-flying executive with their pitch deck. When Brenna offers Jenny a NeuralTech internship, the gutsy Puerto Rican woman is thrilled, even though she senses Brenna’s interest has as much to do with Jenny’s physical attractiveness as with her competence. In fact, the lust is mutual. Jenny is fascinated by the older woman’s beauty and her brilliance. When Leo inadvertently discovers the terrible truth underlying NeuralTech’s innovation, though, both he and Jenny find themselves mortal danger.

In Neurogarden, Bryon Vaughn has created a dynamite cast of characters and set them loose in a world barely different from our own. His New York City includes bagels and perpetually packed subway cars, skyscrapers and Spanish Harlem tenements. Once you accept the core technological premise of Brenna’s Garden (a bit of a stretch, but this is science fiction), the rest of the story becomes frighteningly believable.

I loved the fact that novel is largely narrated from the perspective of Brenna, the monomaniacal genius. She is complex and multidimensional, even evoking some sympathy despite being utterly amoral. Mr. Vaughn understands that most villains do not see themselves as evil. They view their actions as completely justified; indeed they may see themselves as persecuted.

Meanwhile, Jenny is brave, sexy and smart – a kick-ass woman who proves to be a match even for the formidable Brenna – and ex-marine Leo is simultaneously loyal and stubborn, naïve yet wily, especially when dealing with the familiar mindset of the military.

The plot is tight, with plenty of action, and just enough bizarre tech to remind you you’re not in Kansas anymore. I was surprised to realize the book is less than two hundred pages long; a lot happens in that short span. The characters grow and change, and the stage is set for what I assume will be a sequel. There’s no cliff hanger – the immediate conflicts are resolved - but one gets the sense that Brenna, Jenny and Leo aren’t finished with each other.

Given how much I enjoyed Neurogarden , I’ll be looking out for the next book in the series.

Mysticism and magic in the Negev desert -- #MagicalRealism #Memoir #JewishMysticism @ESDanon_

 

Blurb

A memoir turned into thrilling fiction; Moon in Bastet is based on the life of author E. S. Danon. The story follows a fourteen-year-old girl named Eva, an orphan living in the Negev desert of Israel who is working as a custodian of Cirque Du Christianisme. Her life is controlled by a volatile drunk named Bella who favors a group of equally volatile teenage bullies over her and her own safety or sanity.

Bullied, neglected, and alone – Eva’s only friends are an odd, thirteen–year–old Sephardic boy named Jack and a small cohort of Bedouin sister-wives. On the brink of giving up on life, Eva stumbles upon a mysterious cat in the middle of the desert. Or really, did the cat stumble upon her?

Together they must fight to stay alive, win the battles thrown at them, and Eva must learn to not only lean on others but to trust in herself.

Filled with mystery, magic, and symbolism – Moon in Bastet is a story of resilience, survivorship, forgiveness, and women empowerment. This is a work filled with Jewish mysticism that can be enjoyed by people of all races, ages, and religions everywhere.

Excerpt

Mist twinkles atop the desert sand as a cohort of camels take their morning promenade. A girl runs past them, chasing the rising globe of fire.

Her breath labors as she slips on a rock.

“Ugh!”

A perfect little scrape forms on her knee, but she continues onward and unfazed.

Her skin is olive tinted; her head covered by a canopy of endless brown, curly hair. On her face sit two prominent beauty marks, on either side of her mouth. She is slender and not yet fully grown, but by no means does she have a frail frame. She wears a beige, spaghetti strapped dress that is knee length and complete with a secret pocket - all of which is covered in dirt. A headband woven from plants and flowers sits around the girl’s head.

This girl is named Eva.

She sprints up another dune’s side, her dress ballooning around her as she sits suddenly with crossed legs. The mirage of the sun’s gaseous performance begins to play on the horizon; another Israeli sun rise in the Negev. Like toy soldiers, the sun’s rays advance in a medley of oranges and yellows. Pink is usually reserved for sunrises - however on this day, a rosy aura is cast around the girl as she grabs a rock and casts it towards the sun: This is how a desert girl skips rocks. Next, she takes aim at the arse of the nearest camel.

The rock misses by centimeters, causing a fuss amongst the cohort, but Eva’s almond shaped, brown eyes glisten.

“G-d! Adonai! Where are you? I see you in the colors of the sky!” Her voice echoes as her eyes drift upon the sunrise. “Why are you ignoring me like everyone else does? I feel you in the warmth of light but where are you? Why haven’t you rescued me yet?” She shivers and brings her bare feet in closer to herself. “Can you at least give me a jacket? You’re not very gentleman-like, you know… it’s really chilly this morning.”

Eva puckers her lips in defeat, and then meditates in the following silence, focusing on the warmth ricocheting from the sand and onto her goosebumps.

“Well at least my cramps are gone,” she says once her anxiety diminishes – massaging her lower stomach, happy that her most recent predicament has gone away. “But yet I still must deal with the cramp of life: being unheard and misunderstood.”

Reminded of the reason why she came to pray in the first place, Eva turns to the sky and gives a cloud a dirty look. “G-d, you have approximately twenty-four hours or I will throw rocks at every camel that I see! I can’t survive in that stupid Circus another day.” She throws a finger towards the unsuspecting cloud in the sky and pauses, thinking of a way to coax G-d into saving her.

“You know what - if you like your camels so much, then you better get me out of this place!” Shaking her head, she mumbles, “I’ll just throw rocks at each of their heads. Not like they would care. They’re already dumb… dumb camels.” She looks at a moon shaped scar on the top of her hand, given to her by one of the water-hoarding creatures several years ago.

“Dumb camels,” she repeats.

Silence again is all that responds to Eva once she finishes speaking to herself. She slumps over, shrugs, and decides to head back to her home that sits half-a-mile away from the dunes.

Her feet slip on the sand, causing her to lift her left hand to her face. She huffs as she thinks of her favorite book; reading it gives her solace in her own solitude. Eva sighs, feeling stuck in an ocean made of sand and trapped with her own imaginary desert marlin. She’s already picked out several camels to act as the sharks.

Ironically, one of the camels spits at her as she passes – as if asking, “Where’s your rock – dumb human?”

“Rude,” she mutters in response.

Eva finds her way to a camp studded with only several architectural structures that is surrounded by seven-foot-high wall made of sand. There is only one exit and one entrance, a sky-high rectangular structure made of wood that suffices as a gate. As she skips under it, a sign that reads Cirque du Christianism sways after her.

Officially home, she is welcomed by an array of Circus tents.

Her lazy footsteps saunter past the main tent to her right, soon halting as she approaches a much smaller blue tent. Looking back towards a white tipi, she can feel her body tensing as she holds her breath before leaping forward in front of the blue tent.

I hope he doesn’t attract attention to me.

About the Author

Elizabeth Danon received her B.S. in Marine Science from Stony Brook University before working as a Marine Biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service. She traveled the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and Gulf of Mexico: collecting data aboard commercial fishing vessels and dredges.

When that didn’t pan out to be the glorified job that she expected, finding herself covered in shark snot and fish scales daily, Elizabeth became a technical writer. In her spare time, she began doing standup comedy after taking comedy bootcamp with the Armed Services Arts Partnership. At this time, she married the most wonderful man who also provides most of her joke writing material. Unfortunately, because he’s Indian he has also enabled her Maggi addiction… Like she needed that on top of her already long-standing iced coffee issues.

Her favorite show is Schitt’s Creek, as she feels a special bond to her fellow comedians - and Sephardic brethren. Growing up half-Jewish herself, Elizabeth eventually converted to being full-Jewish with Temple Israel as a student of Rabbi Panitz.

Her enriched, but complicated, heritage has been an inspiration for most of her creative writing. Being an Aries, she has always felt like a leader and has therefore integrated her feminist beliefs into her work, albeit dropping every women’s studies course that she ever elected in college.

Additionally, her writing has an unmistakable international presence. Elizabeth wanted to discover as much as she could about her Sephardic Heritage and went on Birthright, followed by her independent travels to over ten other countries… carrying nothing but a red bookbag.

Website: https://linktr.ee/esdanon

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/esdanon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/DANON.ELIZABETH.BOOKS/about/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/esdanon_

Buy Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Bastet-S-Danon-ebook/dp/B086LLL4T8/

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moon-in-bastet-es-danon/1137305185

 

E.S. Dannon is giving away a $10 Amazon GC to one lucky reader.

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Charity Sunday: Surviving the Fires – #Wildfires #ClimateChange #CharitySunday

Over the past few weeks, I’ve watched, appalled, as wildfires have torn through California and Oregon, consuming everything in their path. I have family and dear friends in California, so I’ve had the chance to see this disaster through their eyes. Fortunately, everyone close to me is safe – so far at least – but their stories of eerie red skies and smoke so thick they can’t breathe have made me freshly aware of how vulnerable we all are to the ravages of nature – and the consequences of anthropogenic climate change.

It seems pretty clear that we can expect more catastrophic fires, floods and storms in the coming months and years. I’d like to think that the last few months will be a wake-up call to those who have previously denied the reality of global warming. Meanwhile, I’m focusing on the immediate victims of the fires. Specifically, today I am donating to two local charities working to provide food, housing, information and financial assistance to people impacted by the disaster: the Community Action Partnership of Sonoma and the Food Bank for Monterey. I will donate one dollar to each of these organizations for each comment I receive on this post.

Meanwhile, I have a rather intense excerpt for you from my paranormal erotic romance Hot Spell, which actually includes a forest fire. Don’t worry, though. In this fantasy, the earth heals itself.

Blurb

The flames of passion are more than metaphor.

The city swelters in the grip of an unseasonable heat wave. Sylvie endures her solitary urban existence for the sake of her career, but the prospect of a hot, lonely three day weekend proves unbearable and she flees east to the pine-shrouded mountains. Far more at home in nature than in the city, Sylvie doesn't mind being alone in the wilderness, but she's not the only being haunting the glades and the trails.

Aidan is fiercely attracted to the voluptuous beauty he finds sun bathing nude in a high meadow, but he must resist his overwhelming desire for the sake of her safety. The sun-bronzed man with the red-gold hair is cursed with power he knows will destroy her if they give full rein to their passion. Can Sylvie refrain from tempting him? Or will she risk being being literally consumed by love?

Excerpt (Rated X)

Another orgasm hit her like a tsunami. She couldn’t think straight anymore. All she knew was pleasure and Aidan—the feel of him inside her, wrapped around her, kindling her into one crisis after another. Aidan was pleasure—pure pleasure and pure love.

“You”, she gasped, as the tremors faded. She was amazed that she could speak. “Please, Aidan…”

That was all she could manage, but he understood. He pulled his fingers out of her anus, leaving her gaping and empty, then seized her hips with an iron grip. His fevered hands branded her flesh, marking her as his. She would have sworn he couldn’t go faster or deeper, but she was wrong. His cock tore into her, three or four thrusts to every breath, slicing into her flesh like a super-heated diamond blade.

It should have been painful but it was anything but. Every time he filled her, she wanted to sing. The burning that followed his every touch had a frequency that resonated with pleasure, if it wasn’t exactly pleasure itself. She welcomed the heat. It made her swell and bloom, opening to new currents of delight. Still he moved faster, raging through her with the force of a hurricane.

She felt heat beating against her skin, like the sun had come down to earth. Fragrant smoke filled her nostrils—wood smoke. The scent brought memories of campfires, cosy winter nights by the hearth, sleigh rides—all sweet things that made her smile. Aidan drove his cock deep into her cunt, stirring her to another boil. Her limbs crackled with electricity, sparked by his touch and the feel of him, deep, deep inside her belly.

Something else crackled. Her eyes stung and teared. She opened them to discover that all around the clearing, the forest was ablaze. The grass surrounding them wilted and browned. Flames sped across the ground and jumped from one tall spruce to the next, until each was a new torch lighting the night. The sky was golden-red like the scales of a Chinese dragon. Still Aidan fucked her, sending tendrils of flame winding through her. She burned, the forest burned, and Aidan pulsed inside her.

He was close. The smoke grew denser. Her skin was cracking from the heat but Sylvie didn’t mind, not at all. This was her destiny, their destiny—to fuck and to love, to come together and to burn together.

Aidan howled and slammed against her ass. Inside her, she felt his cock swell, larger and larger still, until she thought she’d burst apart from the pressure. Then he jerked and his boiling cum filled her cavity. It poured out, spilling down her thighs, leaving stinging, burned flesh in its wake. “Sylvie!” he yelled and more liquid forced its way into her, searing her soul.

The grass around them burst into flames. The trees crashed as they were consumed, like local thunder. Lightning tore through the sky, even brighter than the forest fire. Sylvie felt herself melting, consumed from the inside out, as Aidan’s fiery jism ate its way into her vitals. Now we’re truly one, she thought with a secret smile, as pleasure flared and swept her into its heart. Now and forever.

The world grew brighter and brighter, until she couldn’t keep her eyes open. “Aidan,” she called and felt him grasp her hand, even as flames ran over their joined flesh. He was there as the flames reached crescendo, the fire-whipped wind howling through the charring branches. He was there as she sank into a warm pool of sweet darkness.

Don’t forget to leave a comment, and do your part for people left hungry or homeless by the fires. And I do hope you’ll visit the other bloggers participating in today’s hop. Each one is supporting a worthy cause, and you can help.

Thank you!

Indescribable -- #Orgasm #AmWriting #Description

Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy

What does an orgasm feel like?

An explosion? A tornado? A bursting balloon? Electricity short circuiting your body and brain?

A violent but welcome sneeze? A deluge? A little death?

It’s well nigh impossible to capture an orgasm in words. Part of the problem is the fact that different people probably experience coming in different ways. (I say “probably” because I can, ultimately, speak only for myself.) Indeed, climaxes for a single individual vary from one time to the next. Some are more intense and sharp, others fuller and more muted. (At least, that’s true for me.)

Then there’s the question of anatomical gender. I’m pretty sure that female orgasm feels somewhat different than male orgasm. It’s more “inside” than “outside”. Also, it’s often more difficult to achieve. For me, coming almost always includes a sense of strain, of reaching for something just out of reach. And even in these supposedly enlightened times, between 10 and 40% of women claim to have never experienced a climax. How can they know for sure, though, given that your account and mine might diverge a lot – and any attempt at description can do no more than approximate the reality?

The sensations involved in orgasm often get mixed up with the emotions. To describe coming, you need to consider both. Emotions may actually be easier, so it’s tempting to ignore the physical aspects – yet those can be overwhelming.

As authors of erotica, we’re expected to describe the indescribable. It’s tough. I find myself falling back on metaphors, often related to the natural world: tidal waves, earthquakes, storms, lightning and the like. Explosions and shattering glass, plunges over a precipice, whirlwinds and a temporary release from gravity: I find myself using these images again and again.

After a while this starts to feel hackneyed and stereotyped. I really hope my readers won’t notice, that they’ll be so aroused, they won’t be thinking about how often I utilize some words and comparisons.

Here are a few female orgasm snippets from my recent work:

The climax was like nothing Annie had ever known, sensation so raw and strong she wasn’t sure it could be called pleasure. It tore her open, ripped her apart, turned her inside out. The world turned black, edge with red flickers of bliss. Her spasming cunt was the only reality.

~ from Babes in Bondage

It all combined to push her into one more climax: the knowledge of her own depravity; the incredible sensation of being full to the point of bursting; her partners’ moans and cries, the swelling of the cocks plugging both her holes, and finally, the heat of their cum, simultaneously flooding her cunt and her ass.

Pleasure exploded in her depths, so sharp that it cut her loose from her body. She seemed to hover near the ceiling, looking down at the three bodies entangled on the bed. The ruddy-headed man drew back, his cock emerging from the woman’s anus with an audible pop. White streams of semen dribbled from the stretched opening. The man below rolled the woman off him, onto her back. More cum streaked her inner thighs. He gathered some of the milky fluid and smeared it on her breasts.

~ from The Slut Strikes Back

Then his beautiful brown eyes snapped open and snagged mine. His cock swelled in my depths. I felt the shudders that rippled down the shaft. He released a strangled cry as wet heat bloomed inside my pussy, and all at once I was there too, teetering on the edge of climax then tumbling over into bliss.

My clit thrummed; my nipples throbbed; my quivering channel clamped down on Dave’s cock, triggering moans and fresh floods of jism. Rich, ripe pleasure swirled up and spilled over, drenching me in sweet delight.

~ from Cherry Pie and Mistletoe

 

She opened to them both, riding the pleasure they conspired to bestow. Again and again, Archie buried his massive prick in her bowels. Though she was sure he’d been fully erect when they began, he seemed to grow larger each time he impaled her, until she feared she’d be torn apart by his monstrous organ. The fear only multiplied her lust. Meanwhile Ian plunged his fingers into her channel and sucked on her clitoris, setting up a circuit of bliss between her front and rear holes.

A sudden climax rose from her depths, seizing her and flinging her about like a leaf in a whirlwind. On and on it swirled, bearing her upwards, to a breathless, dizzying height where her body dropped away, leaving only bliss.

~ from The Pornographer’s Apprentice (WIP)

And here are a few excerpts describing male orgasms. The imagery is definitely different, more external, more concrete and focused more on the expulsion of cum.

“Wait—no, we can’t— Mrs. Thomas, please—oh!” He choked back a cry as the bouffant bombshell swallowed him to the root. Her agile tongue danced along his shaft, teasing, before she turned on the industrial-level suction. Jake didn’t have a chance. It took no more than thirty seconds for her to bring him to a boil. With a strangled yell, he let go, pouring his jizz into the lady’s eager mouth.

~ from More Brides in Vegas

My fingers tangled in her gorgeous coppery hair, I held her still so I could keep control as I ravaged her mouth. I couldn’t hold on much longer. I closed my eyes, savoring the building pressure. Yes, oh yes…

Skillful fingers tickled my balls, then gave them a gentle squeeze. Pleasure exploded, spiraling up and out from my taut groin. My cock shuddered and expelled a flood of cum into Jane’s welcoming mouth. Her muscles fluttered around my shaft as she swallowed, triggering another cataclysm. More jizz erupted from my rod. She turned up the suction. My cock produced another ecstatic spurt.

~ from Santa, Baby!

Without warning, or at least any that he recognized, yeasty fluid filled his mouth. He coughed and swallowed. Dylan’s cock convulsed, spitting out more gobs of warm liquid. Rafe gulped down as much as he could, the remnants leaking from the corners of his mouth. The odd taste, the unfamiliar sensations, and, most of all, the knowledge that he’d sucked his lover to climax, all combined to take him over the edge. With one last thrust, he let go.

The pleasure was round and full, different somehow from his usual wild, jagged orgasms. It surged up from his depths, powerful, irresistible, sweeping away every thought in a blissful tide of satisfaction. For what seemed like hours, the waves rolled through him, pleasure swirling up from his balls and out onto Dylan’s tongue.

~ from The H-Gene

 

Sometimes I feel so bored with my own descriptions that I’m tempted to get lazy, give up, and simply write “she came hard”. Indeed, that might be enough to evoke the experience of orgasm for some readers, but it doesn’t do justice to the myriad variations on the theme of climax.

Indeed, perhaps all erotic writing faces the problem of describing the indescribable. Orgasms are only one example. Our goal is to produce physical arousal, using only the most abstract of tools – language. We can sketch out the scene, paint pictures of the protagonists, their bodies and their facial expressions. We can invoke other senses, smell and taste and sound. Ultimately though, it is our readers who fill in the blanks based on their own experience or fantasies.

All literature, in fact, involves a collaboration between the reader and the author. In erotica, the connection is simply more – intimate. 

 

Get ready to bleed -- #Scifi #Giveaway #Aliens #Vampires @PdallevaAuthor

By P.D. Alleva (Guest Blogger)

The story of The Rose Vol. 1 begins immediately after the end of World War 3. More than a handful of characters in the novel are completely unaware of what has been happening behind the scenes of the war. Unaware that aliens exist and definitely unaware that there is a human/alien conspiracy responsible for the war, I relate these characters to the reader, all of whom are tossed into this alien conspiracy eye opener, discovering the existence of aliens, underground cities, and the threat the conspiracy poses to all of humanity.

During the writing process I envisioned the reader sitting shotgun on a thrill ride with the characters behind the wheel, discovering one twist after another as the multiple alien species’, their history and lore, are brought to the forefront of consciousness existence while continuing to provide intrigue and a thirst to learn more. Of course I enjoy cliffhangers that add to the mystery of alien lore and theories featured in the story. Following is a brief ‘inside flap’ description of the story that provides a slice of background.

World War III has been raging for more than a decade. Desperate to survive, American citizens found refuge in the many safety camps scattered across American soil. Sandy Cox is among them. She arrived with her husband Ben four years ago. Now word has arrived that a treaty has been signed: War is over.

But the treaty is not what it seems. Rumors of chemical zombification and genetic experimentation on the young and unborn spread through the safety camp as the very soldiers tasked with providing safety quickly turn against their people. Sandy, six months pregnant, lives in fear for herself and her unborn child.

Enter Phil, a rebel freedom fighter with a mission to deliver Sandy to Atlanta where a group of freedom fighters wage a secret battle with a hidden enemy. And Sandy is the key to their success. But when Sandy and Phil are caught hiding in a run down hotel all hell breaks loose. And in the aftermath of the battle, Sandy is escorted to an underground medical lab and Phil is presumed dead.

Once taken underground, Sandy quickly discovers there’s more to World War III than human beings are aware of…and they come with teeth. Grey aliens and a species of Alien Vampires -- The Dracs -- have formed an alliance with powerful humans.

Now Phil must enter the underground compound as Sandy fights for the life of her unborn child. Armed with The Blades, an ancient weapon used in sacred alien martial arts, Phil braces himself for battle with alien vampires, greys, and genetically mutated humans.

Gear up, strap in, and indulge in an action adventure unlike any other.

Just a little taste of what’s in store with a little bit of information on the backstory, including the war and why Sandy is originally found in a safety camp. As an avid reader, I’ve always enjoyed stories that keep the reader guessing, wondering, and interested in learning more about the characters and depths of the plot. It is the writer’s job to keep the reader engaged, providing tid bits pertaining to the overall plot and arc of the story while maintaining that intrigue, want, and desire to learn more. And of course, tossing in some plot twists that develop into redirection conspired with action that ultimately feeds the reader with a holy cow, or WTF kind of response, but always driving the excitement. As we cheer and wait to learn the fate of our favorite characters it’s the writer’s job to transform that intrigue into a mind-blowing reality that drives a stake through the heart and mind with complete satisfaction.

I enjoy maintaining the mystery and I’ll have to admit sometimes I’m even blown away by a plot twist or character reaction. With a planned series of seven books over three interconnected series (The Rose Vol. 1 & 2, The Indigo Trilogy, and Winter Vol. 1 & 2) building the story requires mystery, wonder, and forever building stakes in each installment. Questions receive answers as needed, but as Phil – the rebel freedom fighter in The Rose – says to Cameron – a rogue American soldier whose been thrown into this mysterious rebellion shrouded in alien lore and conspiracy - “Every answer leads to another question.”

Blurb

A masterful, dystopian science fiction thriller of underground genetic experiments, telepathic evil greys, mysterious rebellion, conspiracy, martial arts, and Alien Vampires.

Sandy Cox believed WW3 was over. But for those Alien Vampires, War Has Just Begun.

Forty-eight hours after a World War III treaty is signed Sandy Cox awakens in an underground compound unable to move. Tied to machines she screams for help but no one answers. At least NO ONE HUMAN.

And they’ve taken her unborn child.

Enter Phil, a rebel freedom fighter who has had more than his share of Alien Vampires. Armed with THE BLADES, a sacred alien martial art, he enters the compound on a mission to find Sandy. But as he battles his way through the compound, Phil discovers Sandy has her own agenda. Finding her stolen child is all that matters.

But the vampires have their own plan and Sandy’s baby is at the heart of their diabolical plot. Joined by a crew of rogue soldiers, they must navigate the underground compound, battling genetically mutated humans, aliens and monsters.

When battling Alien Vampires, one thing is certain…Get Ready To Bleed!

Fans of The Hunger Games, George RR Martin, VE Schwab, Star Wars and Ancient Aliens will be fascinated by this high-powered, intelligent, edge of your seat dystopian sci-fi action thriller.

Excerpt

“It’s in the blood, dear,” said Ellen, one of the women Sandy shared time and space with, her skin worn by age, hard labor, and days spent under the sun. Blotches, liver spots and creases led the observer to the eyes. One dark, the other a cataract milky white and she always wore a dark shawl draped over the head and shoulders. Sandy was afraid of Ellen, she reminded Sandy of a gypsy or witch from a fairy-tale.

“Come again?” said Sandy, her eyes shifting from soldier to Ellen to soldier then back to Ellen.

Ellen had cut herself transferring a wood bucket filled with rice to add to an already large trough of buckets. A thick wood splinter pinned in the bottom of her palm dripping with a thick stream of blood. She turned to Sandy raising the bloodied palm and caught a drop of blood in her unwounded hand.

“The blood dear,” said Ellen. “All magic comes from the blood.”

Sandy cringed at the sight; she’d always been squeamish. Her stomach bumped, blood curled. Magic, Sandy thought. If only magic was real. How wonderful would that be? Sandy understood she was naïve, the result of an isolated childhood and her parents’ death when she was ten years old. Not that they had taught the young Sandy about the world she lived in either. They’d kept her under lock and key, never so much as offering a glimpse or advice on the outside world. They were always so cryptic with their explanations, living in an abundant and overgrown mansion as if luxury were a childhood friend. Sure there were plenty of rooms for a child to explore but as time went by those rooms seemed more like a prison than a home.

Years of neglect, isolation and secrets were as torturous as physical suffering. And she was tired of secrets. She wanted to know truth. Truth was like a blanket that keeps you warm in the coldest winter.

“The blood, Sandy,” said Ellen who clenched her fist around those crimson droplets, shaking her hand in front of her face. “All is in the blood.”

About the Author

PD Alleva is an alternative fiction author. His novels cross genres, blending mystery, conspiracy, psychology, and action with horror and dystopian science fiction. Alternative fiction is PD's attempt at describing what readers uncover in any one of his books, a new discovery towards mainstream storytelling. He's been writing since childhood, creating and developing stories with brash and impactful concepts that he would describe are metaphors for the shifting energies that exist in the universe. PD exists inside of his own universe, working diligently on The Rose Vol. II and exceptional horror novels. Be prepared for Golem, PD’s upcoming horror thriller.

Social Media

Website/Newsletter www.pdalleva.com

Facebook Page: @pdallevaauthor

Twitter: @PdallevaAuthor

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/pdalleva

Buy links

https://www.amazon.com/Rose-Vol-Dystopian-Science-Thriller-ebook/dp/B089JTPJ8G

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rose-vol-1-a-dystopian-science-fiction-thriller-pd-alleva/1137496315

 

PD Alleva is giving away a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card to one randomly chosen reader.

 

 

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