Release Day!

Almost Home is finally out! I've been posting excerpts all over the web, and I certainly don't want to neglect my faithful blog followers. Here's a sizzling little section.

You still have two days, by the way, to enter my "Almost Home" contest and win a free copy of the book. See my newsletter page on my website for details.

Excerpt - Warning: X-rated, M/M

Suzanne's heart beat so loud in her ears, she could barely hear Gino's continuing gasps. She suddenly realised her own fingers were buried in her cunt while her thumb circled her clit. God, it felt good! As she watched, her arousal negating her shock, Harris pushed a third invading finger into Gino's body. Gino moaned. Harris chuckled. Suddenly he snatched his fingers out of the other man's ass, triggering a groan, and positioned the tip of his cock at Gino's entrance.

She wanted to get closer. She needed a better view. She was desperate to see the blond's hard shaft sliding into Gino's stretched hole. She flicked at her clit, knowing the moment was coming soon.

Lost in her voyeuristic frenzy, she still didn't move, or at least shedidn't intend to. Maybe a pang of pleasure caught her off guard. Maybe shestumbled because of the floppy slippers. Whatever the cause, Suzanne suddenly lost her balance. She flailed wildly, trying to regain stability. Her weight pushed the door open. She toppled down onto her knees at one edge of the rug, her right hand still tangled between her thighs.

"What the hell...?" Harris leapt up from the bed and stood looming over hercrumpled form, his cock bobbing inches from her face. "What are you doing here?" His normally gentle face was a mask of fury.

Suzanne wanted to sink through the floor. Shame set her cheeks on fire. She pushed her curls out of her eyes with a sticky hand and stared down at her bare, bruised knees. "I - I woke up and heard something - I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

All at once Gino was there, kneeling beside her. He put a finger under her chin and raised her eyes to his. He wasn't smiling, but he didn't look nearly as angry as Harris. "Of course you meant to, Suzy Q. Don't lie. You were curious, weren't you? That's natural. And a little jealous too, I'll bet."

Suzanne shook her head. "No. Not jealous." She realised how strange this was, even as she recognised that it was true. The sight of her lover being taken by a man hadn't made her jealous at all, just excited. "I just wanted to see - you looked so beautiful together..."

"How would you feel if I watched you and Gino making love?" The blond artist's expression softened.

Suzanne's first reaction was shock. But it wasn't the notion of Harris observing them that shocked her. It was the realisation that Harris'suggestion didn't bother her in the least. In fact, she only grew more aroused at the thought.

She sought Gino's eyes, which were sparkling now with habitual mischief. Harris crouched down on her other side, his gaze level with his lover's. She felt some unspoken message pass between them.

"What do you say, Suzy?" Gino whispered. "Care to join us?"

A rush of heat nearly swept her away. "Really? You don't mind?" She turned to Harris, who gave her a nod and a half-smile.

"The only thing I can think of that's better than sex with one of my lovers," said Gino, helping her to her feet, "is sex with both."

The Queen of Tease

My guest today is best-selling author Marie Rochelle, who is sharing information on her new release More Than Friends: Brad, coming out next Monday.

Blurb

Brad Drace desired the beautiful and sexy Alicia Hart from the moment he saw her on the tennis court and he didn’t make it a secret to her. However, Alicia made it very clear that a romantic relationship couldn’t and wouldn’t happen between them.

Yet, Alicia didn’t seem to understand that he was a Drace brother and the men in his family never took no for an answer.

Alicia Hart wasn’t interested in getting involved with Brad. He had a way of staring at her like he saw her every hope and dream. No matter how much he wanted something more. She had to stay strong and make sure they never became… More than Friends.

Excerpt

“Hello?”

Alicia tried to calm down her racing heart at the warm, rich sound of Brad’s voice. Just the tone of it sent her down a path of steamy nights rolling around in bed for days. Lord, it wasn’t right that one man could make her entire body melt with one spoken word. She had to keep her wits about her.

“Brad, it’s me, Alicia,” she spoke up when she finally regained her voice well enough to speak.

“Sweetheart, I know. I saw your name on my Caller Id, but I thought I was seeing things at first. How are you doing?” his deep, rich, tempting voice asked.

Sweetheart…Alicia wouldn’t admit it to Brad, but she liked when he called her that.

“I’m doing well.” Alicia kicked off her shoes and relaxed on the couch. Taking to Brad always made her feel so comfortable and peaceful, she didn’t know what it was about his tone but it did something to her.

“That’s good, Alicia. Why are you calling me? I thought you told me that you weren’t going to talk to me anymore after our last conversation? What can I do for you?”

She heard the slight hesitancy in his words, but Alicia wasn’t to allow that to stop her.”I need to talk to you. I know it’s late, but do you think that you can come by for a few minutes? It’s really important.”

There was a long pause and Alicia wondered was Brad even going to answer her. Maybe he was remembering the last time they were together and it wasn’t sitting well with him. She might have ruined her chances spending anytime with him and that hurt her more than not being about to do the project Tiffany wanted.

“Yes, I can come over when do you need to see me?” Brad asked.

Alicia clutched the phone to her ear and sent up a silent prayer that Brad hadn’t blown her off. God, he was such an amazing man. He was going to make some woman a wonderful husband.

“Do you think that you can come over tonight? I know it’s very short notice, but it’s really important.” Please let him say yes.

“Tonight…” Brad said.

“Yes.”

“Okay, I think I can swing by there before I head home,” he replied and then ended the phone call before she could say another word.

Alicia looked at the phone in her hand with semi-shock. Did Bard mean that he was actually going to show up for her tonight because she had asked him? Would it be in the next hour or three hours from now? Well, it didn’t matter how long it took because she was going to wait up for him.

After he showed up and she confessed the reason she called him over to her house what would Brad tell her. He wasn’t the type of guy to tell her to shove the idea up her ass or anything. No, he was too much of a gentleman for that kind of comment. God…Brad agreeing to ask his brothers wasn’t the only hurdle that she had to jump over.

The other Drace brothers had to give the green light for it too, but Lee would be the hardest sell. He hated her with a passion sorely for the way she had treat Brad over the years. However, she couldn’t blame Lee for his low opinion of her. Brad had been open with his feelings over the years and she constantly ran from them.

A sudden knock on the door drew Alicia’s away from her inner thoughts. Getting up off the couch, Alicia hurried over to the door and swung it open. She was glad that she was holding on to the door frame because if she hadn’t been she would have fallen over after looking at Brad.

Damn, was it right for one man to look this perfect without even trying?

Bio

The Queen of Tease: If you want to read interracial romance stories that leaves you panting for more and turning the pages faster than you can read them. Marie is for you.

After reading her first “dirty” book as a teenager, Marie knew she had to become a writer. She started writing a few years ago because she wanted to reach for her dream. She writes her characters so her fans will believe in the Happily Ever After. She loves collecting bear figurines and reading a HOT book when she gets the chance.

Find out more about Marie here:

Official Site: http://www.freewebs.com/irwriter/

Official Blog: http://shopdiva28.blogspot.com/

Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marie_rochelle/

Yahoo discussion group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarieRochelle2/?yguid=289462859

Counting Down

It's only three days until the release of my M/M/F holiday romance Almost Home. I hope you're as excited as I am. No, I guess that's not possible LOL. Anyway, if you'd like a taste in the meantime, check out the hot excerpt on my website.

Almost Home is part of TEB's holiday series YULE BE MINE. Some of my favorite authors also have stories in the series, which will be released over the next few weeks.

Total-E-Bound is running a contest centered around YULE BE MINE. Would you like to win an iPad? It's easy. Go to http://www.total-e-bound.com/competition.asp? for all the details!

Actually, Almost Home started out based on my own experiences -- before my imagination took off and starting adding lurid details. The triggering memory was a mistletoe kiss at a party, from a guy I had a crush on in high school. Some of Suzanne's history is loosely based on my own, too (I won't tell you which parts!). And of course I wove in details from the twenty odd years I spent living in snowy New England.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the book. You only have to wait a couple more days!

Don't forget, I'm giving away a free copy of Almost home on December 15th. Visit my website for details!

What’s Christmas to You?

By Stephanie Taylor (Guest Blogger)

As a child, Christmas was so magical. I always looked among the stars on Christmas Eve and watched for the red light of Rudolph’s nose, guiding Santa’s sleigh. The presents under the tree on Christmas morning were from a special someone that came in quietly during the night and left after eating his cookies. When I was in second grade, a friend of mine broke the news.

I approached my mother about it and she confirmed the worst. I cried and felt betrayed and wailed, “So you’re the one who ate all the cookies?!?”

Leave it to me…

Ever since that Christmas, the magical quality was lost. Of course, I still looked forward to it, but no longer was the supernatural element involved and the loss of Santa signaled one thing: I was growing up. The next twenty years went by in a blur of Christmas’s.

Eventually I married and my own children came along. This year they’re 4, 3, and 2 (and yeah, I’m done thankyouverymuch) and every year I’m able to see some of the magic returning. For personal reasons, my husband and I have decided not to let Santa be a part of our Christmas. In our house, he’s like Disney Princesses or dinosaurs. Fun to pretend, but it’s clear he’s just that: pretend. Even so, to see their eyes light up and the reflection of the Christmas lights in their eyes as they stare in wonder at each intricate ornament, it’s like reliving my childhood. I know that no matter what traditions we begin, Christmas is magical to them.

My Christmas book, Tinseltown, released on 12/6 and it focuses on the strength of family making up the “magic” of Christmas. The blurb is below.

Tinseltown

by Stephanie Taylor

A-list actress Deb Atkins hasn’t allowed her glamorous lifestyle to go to her head. She owes this to her wonderful family, who keeps her grounded. So, for Deb, not just any man will do, especially if he’s part of the Hollywood elite. Most actors have one thing on their mind, and happily ever after isn’t it.

Until she meets Zach Sparks, her new co-star.

Zach Sparks is famous not just for his acting skills, but his quick wit and good looks. One glance at Deb, and he's smitten. After a drunken night at a Vegas premiere after-party, one thing leads to another. The result: marriage.

Deb is appalled by her actions. So much so, she and Zach can't get along on the set. Their director demands they spend Christmas holidays together to work out their differences or they're both fired. Driven by selfish motivations, they don't expect to fall in love over Christmas or for their marriage to turn into a real one. But can their tenuous relationship withstand a bigger test than either of them ever imagined?

To celebrate the holidays and Tinseltown’s release, I’m giving away a .pdf copy of my book to one lucky commenter. And be sure to follow me on Facebook for more opportunities to win fabulous prizes!

Read an excerpt of Tinseltown here: http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=96&products_id=374

BIO:

Stephanie Taylor wrote and illustrated her first novel, The Bear Who Ate Christmas, several notebook pages stapled together to open like a “real book”, at the tender age of six (it’s still in the attic, just in case you were curious). Over twenty years later, she lives in Alabama with her husband and is a mommy of three by day and a writer by night. She has a doctorate in multitasking and can actually walk a tightrope while changing a diaper with one hand and typing her next novel with the other. She is the author of Doubting Thomas and Tinseltown. Her next release will be on Valentine’s Day from Decadent Publishing.

Playing with the Passive

Thou shalt not use the passive voice!

How often have you heard this commandment? Almost as often, I'd bet, as “Show, don't tell”. However, like most things in life, it's not that simple. The passive voice is a legitimate English construction. It is perfectly grammatical and exists for very good reasons.

I've found that many authors, and even editors, are confused about the passive voice. Recently I had an editor object to one of my sentences because she believed it was passive. The sentence had the form “she had spoken to her friend before departing”. This is not a passive sentence but she apparently thought it was, presumably because it includes a so-called helping verb (“had”). So before I go further and defend the passive (under certain circumstances), let me try to clarify the definition of passive voice.

A sentence is passive voice if the grammatical subject of the sentence is the logical or semantic object, that is, the recipient of an action rather than the actor.

Maybe this doesn't help. Let me put it more colloquially. In a passive sentence, the subject of the sentence doesn't “do” anything; it is “done to”.

Some examples may make things clearer:

(1)
Active:   The dog bites me.
Passive:  I am bitten [by the dog].

(2)
Active: The vampire licked the tender flesh below her earlobe.
Passive: The tender flesh below her earlobe was licked [by the vampire].

(3)
Active: He had kissed her tenderly before he climbed onto his horse.
Passive: She had been kissed tenderly by him before he climbed onto his horse.

(4)
Active: I will eat my vegetables.
Passive: My vegetables will be eaten [by me].

In each case, the passive version reverses the active version, making the direct object be the subject, and optionally adding the former subject as the object of the preposition “by”.

The predicate in a passive sentence is some form of the verb to be followed by the past participle of the verb expressing the action. For regular verbs, the past participle ends in “ed” and has the same form as the simple past:

licked
kissed
prodded
checkmated
discombobulated

Irregular verbs, however, often have special forms for the past participle:

eaten
bitten
torn
shown
overgrown

By the way, only transitive verbs can be involved in passive sentences. A transitive verb is one that requires a direct object. (Some verbs can be used in both transitive and intransitive situations.) If there's no possibility of a direct object, then clearly the object can't be made into a subject.

Note that just because a sentence includes a form of the verb to be does not mean it is passive. For example, the following sentences are all active voice:

I am an erotic romance author.
I was hungry.
I had been waiting for the bus for nearly half an hour.

Notice also that the question of tense (that is, at what time the action occurred) is independent of whether a sentence is active or passive. In my first four examples, (1) is present tense, (2) is simple past, (3) is past perfect and (4) is future. In the passive version, the form of the verb to be determines the tense.

So now that we know what passive voice is (and is not!), why is it so maligned? The primary reason so many books advise against using the passive is the fact that passive sentences can reduce the impact of an action. Active sentences are shorter, more direct and more dynamic than passive ones. Using active as opposed to passive voice is akin to choosing strong, specific verbs over weak, general ones: “stumbled”, “sauntered”, or “strolled” instead of “walked”, for example.

In fact, psychological research has demonstrated that passive sentences are more difficult to understand than active sentences. This makes sense. In an active sentence, the grammar supports and provides clues to the underlying meaning. In a passive sentence, grammar and meaning conflict.

Given these results, why would you ever want to use the passive voice? There are at least three situations in which the passive is desirable or even necessary:

1. The true actor – the logical subject of the action – is unknown.

As the door slid closed, I was knocked on the head so hard that I saw stars.

Many articles have been written about the perils of the passive voice.

2. You deliberately want to focus attention on the recipient of the action, because this is your current POV character.

Henrietta had been wooed by every eligible bachelor in the county, but she despised them all.

Buck was bruised and battered by the gang's weapons, but he refused to give up.

3. You deliberately choose an indirect mode of expression for stylistic reasons.

Professor Rogers was a man of well-established habits, delicate sensibilities and
refined tastes. He was enthralled by the soaring harmonies of Mozart's Requiem
and intrigued by the challenging arguments of Sartre. Rogers was confused when
students insisted on sending him email. In his world view, words should be committed
to paper and vouchsafed to the Royal Mail for delivery.

In the third example, the repeated use of passive voice reinforces the presentation of Professor Rogers as a fussy, overly-intellectual character, the exact opposite of a man of action. Even though this paragraph is not in fact in the Professor's words, it sounds like something he might have written.

In summary, there are sometimes good reasons for adopting the passive voice. As a general rule, however, active voice tends to be more readable and engaging. What is is important is to be aware of your choices in this regard. If the passive seems right for the situation, don't be shy about using it. Recognize the passive when it pops up in your writing and make deliberate decisions based on knowledge and craft.

Inexpensive Holiday Gifts for Writers

By Sandy Nicks (Guest Blogger)

A gift for the writer in your life doesn’t have to cost as much as a laptop or an iPad. Most writers I know get excited just going to an office supply store. They love to browse for special pens, notebooks and anything else they need for their office. And while most writers will appreciate gift certificates to an office supply chain or a book store, the gifts listed below will add a thoughtful touch.

Coffee Mugs - Like most people, writers rely on some form of caffeine to keep them writing throughout the day and into the night. A mug with a writing related saying on it is sure to keep them awake. I have a few with both funny and inspirational sayings on them. Of course, adding a pound of their favorite coffee is a nice touch to this gift!

T-Shirts – Give them something they can wear while working on their prose. Let’s face it, hanging out in a t-shirt is comfy, and when your writer is sitting at the computer smacking their head against the keyboard it’s important that the rest of their body is comfortable. T-Shirts with writing-related sayings are cool. I have one that reads – “EDIT is a four letter word” and my favorite reads – “I hear voices…character voices.”

Journals – Even though we live in a digital world with numerous options for keeping notes, a handheld journal is a necessity to a writer. They come in many styles and don’t have to be “powered-on” to begin writing. Some writers use them for random thoughts, character development, story ideas and snippets of dialogue. Whatever the reason, having a journal handy is invaluable. I personally love spiral bound, 5x7 ones with lined paper. I have three hardcover journals with one word embossed on the covers – thoughts, ideas and jottings. My husband bought them for me! They also have an elastic band attached to the back cover so you can slip it inside to “bookmark” wherever you left off.

Books on Writing – From instruction to inspiration, there are hundreds of books on writing. Whether you buy one in print, e-book or on a CD, you really can’t go wrong with this gift. Well, unless your writer ends up spending more time reading about writing than actually writing! I also suggest checking the publication date because while most books are timeless, some may be outdated due to the ever changing landscape of the Internet.

Subscription to a Writing Magazine – There are numerous magazines dedicated to writing. Some are genre specific, but most are for writing in general. Save your writer a trip to the book store and have their favorite magazine delivered right to their door!

Mini, Hand-Held Recording Device – These are awesome to keep in the car or in your pocket. Also, most are digital and don’t require a tape. When the muse strikes and your writer can’t grab a pen to jot down their brilliant idea, they can just pick up this handy device and hit the record button. Your writer won’t ever have to worry about losing a precious gem of dialogue or next article idea again! Just make sure they’re careful if they decide to talk and drive ; -)

Package of Blank CD’s and/or a bunch of Flash Drives– Every writer needs CD’s or flash drives in order to save their notes and a copy of their manuscript. One can never have enough blank CD’s or flash drives. I prefer flash drives because they’re small, easier to carry around and the transfer of precious information is quicker than a CD.

Digital Photo Frames – These can be costly, but you can find a decent one for about fifty-dollars. These photo frames add a nice touch to any desk. Why clutter your writer’s space with numerous frames when they can have one that holds all their favorite photos?

The above gift ideas are fairly reasonable in price and will put a smile on your writer’s face. However, if you can afford to spend more there are always cool gadgets like e-readers, iPads, and one that I’m considering – software that transfers voice to words on your computer. It claims to be three times faster than typing! It sounds cool, but for me, I’m not sure if I can initially get my book done by talking out loud. My brain goes so fast when I’m writing that the thought of saying it out loud first makes my head spin – LOL I’m also not sure if the software could keep up with me!

If you have any gift ideas you’d like to share, I would love to hear about them! I also wanted to let you know that my husband prints t-shirts and we have leftover stock from a writing web site we used to own. If you’re interested in a t-shirt, please email me (sandy@sandynicks.com) and I can tell you what we have left. We have about 10 different sayings and they’re reasonably priced! If you mention Beyond Romance – you’ll get a substantial discount!

Bio: Sandy Nicks lives near the Jersey Shore with her husband, 4 kids and 9 spoiled pets. She writes romantic comedy (Falling for Autumn, Book 1 in the Sisters for All Seasons series is available now & Book 2, Crazy Days of Summer, will be released in 2011) and time travel romance (Circle of Eternity, available now) for Vanilla Heart Publishing. When she’s not writing, she loves going to the beach, reading, hanging out with the kids and taking her dogs to the reservoir.

To learn more about Sandy and her books, please visit: http://www.sandynicks.com , follow her on Twitter [ http://twitter.com/sannicks ] or contact her at: sandy@sandynicks.com Sandy’s books are available in print and various e-book formats including Kindle, Nook, iPad, Sony and more. You can purchase her books on Amazon, BN, and many other online retailers.

I want to thank Lisabet for having me today! I also want to wish all of you a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

Love and Money

The start of a new month always involves some extra work for me. I have commitments as a reviewer and newsletter author that make the first few days a bit rough. Still, I've started to look forward to the transition, because my primary publisher Total-E-Bound sends out their royalty statements, like clockwork, on the first of the month. I open the email from their administrative assistant with mixed excitement and trepidation. Were my sales up or down? How many copies did I sell of my new release? And of course, how much money did I make?

My sales have been trending gradually upwards over the past year. This month (which covered October), though, they dipped significantly, compared to my last statement (which covered September). Disappointment hung on me all day, even though I don't support myself through my writing, and even though I know that third party outlets (like Amazon, B & N, All Romance Ebooks, and so on) normally report and pay quarterly, and that this distorts the numbers.

I was distressed by my own reaction. When did money become so important to me? I began writing for love, for fun. My first novel was almost a lark, a challenge to myself - "I'll bet I can write a sexy novel for Black Lace." Now, it seems, writing has become a business.

Of course, that's the advice I give less experienced authors: remember that your writing is a business. You have to act professional. You need to keep track of your revenues and expenses. You should plan your submissions to maximize your exposure and yes, your financial returns. You can't wait for inspiration; you've got to write even when you don't really feel like it.

I follow these maxims myself, or try to, and seem to be seeing some modest results. Yet now, I feel like a hack. I write because I want to see the numbers climb. Some of the joy has vanished. Although there are still those glorious times when I'm in the groove and the words just flow out onto the paper, they seem to come less often. I spend my time worrying about blog posts and advertising, website updates and deadlines.

I said I don't support myself by writing, but the money I do make is a welcome supplement to my fairly modest income. Sometimes, I wonder, though, if the money is tarnishing the whole endeavor. Am I just prostituting myself? Am I smothering my artistic sensibilities, choosing to write based on what the market seems to demand?

I'd love to hear from other authors about this -- especially those of you who do write full time and count your royalties as your primary income. When money is involved, how do you keep the love alive?

Reminder: If you visited Beyond Romance during my Guest-a-thon, check my Tuesday post to see if you were a winner. If you are, I need you to send me your snail mail address (PLEASE don't post it on the blog!!)