Showing posts with label guest blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guest blogging. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Join me at the Smutketeers today
To celebrate publication of THE JEZEBEL I'm hanging out with the Smutketeers today & I've got an Amazon book voucher to give away to one person who posts a comment. Click on the pretties to hop over there. :)
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
The BDSM-apalooza is now on!
Just a reminder to call by the home of the Smutketeers over the next two days for some great chat about BDSM and some awesome giveaways! See you there. :)
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Guest blogging elsewhere today
I'm over at the lovely and talented Justine Elyot's blog today, chatting about the recently published SEDUCING THE MYTH anthology, my story "The True Folly of Icarus" and my other work in progress.
Go here to read more.
Go here to read more.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
I'm in the author spotlight
I'm over at the Minxes of Romance in the author spotlight today. Go here if you'd like to read the feature.
Friday, July 08, 2011
Find me elsewhere today
I'm guest blogging at the British Romance Fiction blog today, chatting about inspiration, The Harlot & Lowlands Scotland. Go here if you'd like to check it out.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Can you learn from my mistakes?
Building a career in publishing can be a really tough job, and often it's a long haul too. I'm in a good position now, contracted for a couple of years, (which is the most security a writer can ever bank on) and I work with some terrific people in the industry.
Being where I'm at enables me to look back at my journey. I recently shared some of my thoughts over at the Genreality blog and I'm reposting it here in case it's useful to anyone who calls by. If you want to ask any questions, please do!
---
Hi folks, it’s wonderful to be here at Genreality to share some of my writing journey. Can anyone learn from it, I wonder? Hmm. Well, I’m pretty sure someone can learn from my mistakes. ;-)
My first paid work was contracted almost fifteen years ago, and it was a short story for the UK Black Lace line. Since then I’ve had short fiction published in over eighty anthologies. I’ve published ten novels, four of which were trade paper books with New York publishing houses. Most recently I received a new two book contract, this time with the mass-market publishing line HQN. It’s been a winding road, and it’s been quite a journey. I’m now a full time author and I work with some terrific people. I really couldn’t wish for better, but as I look back I confess I take a deep breath and shudder, because I can see the missteps and blundering errors I made along the way, things that took me two steps back after one step forward. For a while there it was quite a catalogue of disasters. How on earth did I manage to stagger through this far?!
Hard work and the love of writing kept me at it, basically. I love to learn and I was constantly learning and honing my craft. I adore the storytelling. I also had tenacity on my side, and…a huge great dollop of luck. Yes, luck. Lucky breaks happen when we submit at the right time for that editor, and we can’t know when that is going to be. I’m hesitant to give aspiring authors advice as a result of my mixed fortunes, but I figured I can share some of the advice I read that worked for me, and some that didn’t.
The first thing I quickly learned was that some of the things you read about publishing may never apply to your individual path. There’s no one way to do this, even though some people might seem to suggest there is. (Their way being the best way, of course ;-) Here are some bits of advice I read that made me fret: “follow the market,” “brand yourself,” and “write the book of your heart.” I heard these things over and over around the time I started to submit novels for consideration. Follow the market — okay, we need to know what editors are buying, but it was actually luck that I was writing the right sub genre when it was required. And yes, the best thing we can do is write the book of our heart because it’ll be the best piece of writing we can do. If we’re enjoying the writing the reader will enjoy it too. If we’re not enjoying it, it shows. That makes sense. But what if the book of my heart doesn’t fit the market, and how could I brand myself when I was writing lots of different subgenres?
Other writers out there had these great slogans about their work but I couldn’t find anything that represented mine. The best thing I could do was to pick out the most consistent theme in my work and offer that as a brand. My work is characterised by eroticism and strong storytelling. That’s the closest I ever got to a brand because I’ve written erotic fantasy, paranormal romance, contemporary erotica, historical romance, even a bit of futuristic. I write a lot of cross genre stories too. My next publication, for example, is a historical paranormal erotic romance set in Scotland. (The Harlot) I’ve written different lengths for different markets in different countries. I’ve sold to the biggest romance publisher in the world and I’ve also had my work published in Penthouse and Bust. Branding what I was doing wasn’t ever going to be easy. Bottom line is I just want to write good stories that readers enjoy. The good news is I got through anyway.
Another piece of advice I read was to make a five-year plan. What, like a five-year dream, I wondered to myself. ;o) I mean, come on..! This isn’t like a regular job where we can study for qualifications and move forward as a matter of course. I was working in an area where things change all the time, not only markets but the whole face of publishing is forever changing. I’m a realistic type and I knew I might never be contracted by a big house. The whole concept of a five-year plan seemed alien to me. The important thing here is to aim high but to keep one foot on the ground, because if we get carried away with the dream the rejections hit very hard (and yes I have a box full of them, it’s been a big learning curve,) and that eats away at our motivation to write. We can make a five-year plan but we need to consider it a guiding star rather than a goal because we need to be flexible and ready to change when the industry changes.
One of the best pieces of advice I read (and I really do want to reiterate this one) is to investigate a publisher as much as you can before you submit, and be wary of new publishers with no history. Yeah, I could really understand that. Trouble is, it’s so tempting. New publishers are eager to fill their slots and things move so much quicker. Very tempting for a new author, and I confess I fell for it. Several times over. Hence the missteps and errors I mentioned earlier. Let me explain.
The first time I erred I’d read the warnings but I figured this one was reasonably safe because it was an established publisher who was opening a new erotic line. My first novel was contracted and I celebrated….and then waited. And waited, and waited. My work was totally locked in, and a year later the line was cancelled having never opened. I didn’t even hear this devastating news directly from the publisher or editor. I heard it from another author. I was never officially notified. I had to contact them and beg for my rights back. In retrospect I consider it a lucky escape. At the time I was gutted about the lost year.
Then a year or so later I did it again. I know, can you believe it?! An exciting new line from a publisher who was interested in fantasy and paranormal romance. I was dazzled by promises of mass-market titles and audio books and exciting growth and development plans. I plunged in and was fast tracked. Shortly after my two titles went to print the line changed direction completely from short fantasy romance to big urban fantasy, and my books and those of several other authors were suddenly wallflowers in warehouses. These things happen, publishing is a business after all. But once again I was a casualty of publishing and it was a huge disappointment. Luckily I did manage to get the rights back and those stories have better homes now.
Then I heard about this exciting new e-publisher starting up in my own country. No way, I said! Not falling for that one again. But…it was here in the UK, and it did sound exciting, and they were actively looking for authors. I held back for a long while, and when I did investigate I went in with extreme caution. I submitted a short story that was a rights returned project. That meant I could investigate without committing any writing time. Yup, finally got the old brain in gear by this point. ;o) As it happens, that new publisher turned out to be a terrific one. I’m still working with them years later and have a substantial backlist there.
On balance I would reiterate this gem of advice: always investigate publishers thoroughly, research on the net and be brave and email other authors asking questions. If there is negativity there you’ll soon hear about it. If it’s a new publisher on the block, be doubly cautious. Let some other fool tread the path first, someone like me. ;o)
In closing, here are some of the best bits of advice I can offer to new writers. Keep your head in the clouds but your feet on the floor. Never stop learning. Love what you do, it’s the love of the craft that will keep you going through the hard times. And my favourite: “read, write, submit, repeat.” If you’re not in you can’t win. Good luck!
Being where I'm at enables me to look back at my journey. I recently shared some of my thoughts over at the Genreality blog and I'm reposting it here in case it's useful to anyone who calls by. If you want to ask any questions, please do!
---
Hi folks, it’s wonderful to be here at Genreality to share some of my writing journey. Can anyone learn from it, I wonder? Hmm. Well, I’m pretty sure someone can learn from my mistakes. ;-)
My first paid work was contracted almost fifteen years ago, and it was a short story for the UK Black Lace line. Since then I’ve had short fiction published in over eighty anthologies. I’ve published ten novels, four of which were trade paper books with New York publishing houses. Most recently I received a new two book contract, this time with the mass-market publishing line HQN. It’s been a winding road, and it’s been quite a journey. I’m now a full time author and I work with some terrific people. I really couldn’t wish for better, but as I look back I confess I take a deep breath and shudder, because I can see the missteps and blundering errors I made along the way, things that took me two steps back after one step forward. For a while there it was quite a catalogue of disasters. How on earth did I manage to stagger through this far?!
Hard work and the love of writing kept me at it, basically. I love to learn and I was constantly learning and honing my craft. I adore the storytelling. I also had tenacity on my side, and…a huge great dollop of luck. Yes, luck. Lucky breaks happen when we submit at the right time for that editor, and we can’t know when that is going to be. I’m hesitant to give aspiring authors advice as a result of my mixed fortunes, but I figured I can share some of the advice I read that worked for me, and some that didn’t.
The first thing I quickly learned was that some of the things you read about publishing may never apply to your individual path. There’s no one way to do this, even though some people might seem to suggest there is. (Their way being the best way, of course ;-) Here are some bits of advice I read that made me fret: “follow the market,” “brand yourself,” and “write the book of your heart.” I heard these things over and over around the time I started to submit novels for consideration. Follow the market — okay, we need to know what editors are buying, but it was actually luck that I was writing the right sub genre when it was required. And yes, the best thing we can do is write the book of our heart because it’ll be the best piece of writing we can do. If we’re enjoying the writing the reader will enjoy it too. If we’re not enjoying it, it shows. That makes sense. But what if the book of my heart doesn’t fit the market, and how could I brand myself when I was writing lots of different subgenres?
Other writers out there had these great slogans about their work but I couldn’t find anything that represented mine. The best thing I could do was to pick out the most consistent theme in my work and offer that as a brand. My work is characterised by eroticism and strong storytelling. That’s the closest I ever got to a brand because I’ve written erotic fantasy, paranormal romance, contemporary erotica, historical romance, even a bit of futuristic. I write a lot of cross genre stories too. My next publication, for example, is a historical paranormal erotic romance set in Scotland. (The Harlot) I’ve written different lengths for different markets in different countries. I’ve sold to the biggest romance publisher in the world and I’ve also had my work published in Penthouse and Bust. Branding what I was doing wasn’t ever going to be easy. Bottom line is I just want to write good stories that readers enjoy. The good news is I got through anyway.
Another piece of advice I read was to make a five-year plan. What, like a five-year dream, I wondered to myself. ;o) I mean, come on..! This isn’t like a regular job where we can study for qualifications and move forward as a matter of course. I was working in an area where things change all the time, not only markets but the whole face of publishing is forever changing. I’m a realistic type and I knew I might never be contracted by a big house. The whole concept of a five-year plan seemed alien to me. The important thing here is to aim high but to keep one foot on the ground, because if we get carried away with the dream the rejections hit very hard (and yes I have a box full of them, it’s been a big learning curve,) and that eats away at our motivation to write. We can make a five-year plan but we need to consider it a guiding star rather than a goal because we need to be flexible and ready to change when the industry changes.
One of the best pieces of advice I read (and I really do want to reiterate this one) is to investigate a publisher as much as you can before you submit, and be wary of new publishers with no history. Yeah, I could really understand that. Trouble is, it’s so tempting. New publishers are eager to fill their slots and things move so much quicker. Very tempting for a new author, and I confess I fell for it. Several times over. Hence the missteps and errors I mentioned earlier. Let me explain.
The first time I erred I’d read the warnings but I figured this one was reasonably safe because it was an established publisher who was opening a new erotic line. My first novel was contracted and I celebrated….and then waited. And waited, and waited. My work was totally locked in, and a year later the line was cancelled having never opened. I didn’t even hear this devastating news directly from the publisher or editor. I heard it from another author. I was never officially notified. I had to contact them and beg for my rights back. In retrospect I consider it a lucky escape. At the time I was gutted about the lost year.
Then a year or so later I did it again. I know, can you believe it?! An exciting new line from a publisher who was interested in fantasy and paranormal romance. I was dazzled by promises of mass-market titles and audio books and exciting growth and development plans. I plunged in and was fast tracked. Shortly after my two titles went to print the line changed direction completely from short fantasy romance to big urban fantasy, and my books and those of several other authors were suddenly wallflowers in warehouses. These things happen, publishing is a business after all. But once again I was a casualty of publishing and it was a huge disappointment. Luckily I did manage to get the rights back and those stories have better homes now.
Then I heard about this exciting new e-publisher starting up in my own country. No way, I said! Not falling for that one again. But…it was here in the UK, and it did sound exciting, and they were actively looking for authors. I held back for a long while, and when I did investigate I went in with extreme caution. I submitted a short story that was a rights returned project. That meant I could investigate without committing any writing time. Yup, finally got the old brain in gear by this point. ;o) As it happens, that new publisher turned out to be a terrific one. I’m still working with them years later and have a substantial backlist there.
On balance I would reiterate this gem of advice: always investigate publishers thoroughly, research on the net and be brave and email other authors asking questions. If there is negativity there you’ll soon hear about it. If it’s a new publisher on the block, be doubly cautious. Let some other fool tread the path first, someone like me. ;o)
In closing, here are some of the best bits of advice I can offer to new writers. Keep your head in the clouds but your feet on the floor. Never stop learning. Love what you do, it’s the love of the craft that will keep you going through the hard times. And my favourite: “read, write, submit, repeat.” If you’re not in you can’t win. Good luck!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Eroticism and the historical novel
This blog post originally appeared as a guest blog at EROTICA FOR ALL (if you don't already know this site check it out! It's a superb resource for erotica readers and writers.)
I'm reposting it here now that THE HARLOT is out, in case it's fun for any readers who've happened on the book since then. I'm also going to link to the related articles and interviews on the website, in case anyone who finds the books later on wants to know about the background ideas and writing process. It's the sort of thing that appeals to me as a reader but up until now I haven't been organising many resources like this for my own work.
-----
I’m currently celebrating the release of my new novel, THE HARLOT. This story is an erotic historical with paranormal elements, set in the time of the Scottish witch trials. If I had to sum the story up in one word it would be “bawdy,” and that’s what I love about writing historical erotic. My characters aren’t the repressed people of the past, those with privilege, wealth, and a place in society. No. What I love to explore is down-to-earth, lusty sorts, those who grab life and live it to the full.
My central characters, Jessie and Gregor, both have troubled histories and walk on the dark side, surviving by the skin of their teeth. Gregor is a man hell bent on revenge, Jessie a whore who is under an accusation of witchcraft—an accusation that could result in the death penalty. Gregor rescues Jessie in order to have her work for him. He sets about teaching her how to seduce his enemy, in order to gain back land that was stolen from his family a decade before. It’s a reasonably businesslike agreement to begin with, but their main obstacles are each other! Gregor is trying to teach Jessie to seduce another man, but Gregor wants Jessie. Jessie wants Gregor. They are both strong willed and both think they can control the other. Given their irresistible sexual attraction the scenario provides an explosive combination of sexuality and desire!
The power dynamic between characters in a society that was overtly male dominated is great fun to play with, but writing about sex and eroticism in a historical setting is both liberating and challenging. An author can’t present a believable historical fiction without some reference to the risk of pregnancy and the sexually transmitted diseases of the time. These are the challenges. The liberation comes in the delightful nuances of the historical setting. In the early 1700′s working women didn’t wear knickers! Oh yes, the accessibility issue is a whole powder keg of eroticism. The ease of throwing up a skirt and petticoats and bending a woman over, can’t you just imagine what a temptation it was? :) Not to mention the whole corset, stays, bodice combo, and stockings that have to be tied with ribbons. Then there’s the men…flowing shirts, polished boots and laced up breeches that left little to the imagination. I’m fanning myself here.
Aside from the central relationship in THE HARLOT there is a secondary male/male plot. The forbidden nature of their affair during that time makes it all the more enticing to my heroine, who has the chance to observe the male lovers. She draws parallels between her own situation—at risk of being put to death for witchcraft—to theirs, the forbidden unlawful practice of homosexuality. The danger posed puts its own spin on their mutual desire, and all of these things bring erotic tension that is unique to that historical setting.
The paranormal aspect of the book gave me a chance to write about pagan sexmagic some more, a theme I adore exploring. Essentially this is the belief that the most powerful energies come from the natural world and its rhythms, and that we can draw on them. The energy between two (or more) people involved sexually and emotionally is something my characters can harness and utilise. Jessie is learning about this, and as her story progresses and her relationship with Gregor grows more passionate and heated, so her magical powers are nurtured and developed, leading to all sorts of shenanigans!
In case you can’t tell, I had enormous fun writing this novel. :) It’s the first in a series of three. THE HARLOT will be followed by THE LIBERTINE, and THE JEZEBEL, the stories of Jessie’s siblings, with lots more bawdy sex and pagan sex magic.
I'm reposting it here now that THE HARLOT is out, in case it's fun for any readers who've happened on the book since then. I'm also going to link to the related articles and interviews on the website, in case anyone who finds the books later on wants to know about the background ideas and writing process. It's the sort of thing that appeals to me as a reader but up until now I haven't been organising many resources like this for my own work.
-----
I’m currently celebrating the release of my new novel, THE HARLOT. This story is an erotic historical with paranormal elements, set in the time of the Scottish witch trials. If I had to sum the story up in one word it would be “bawdy,” and that’s what I love about writing historical erotic. My characters aren’t the repressed people of the past, those with privilege, wealth, and a place in society. No. What I love to explore is down-to-earth, lusty sorts, those who grab life and live it to the full.
The power dynamic between characters in a society that was overtly male dominated is great fun to play with, but writing about sex and eroticism in a historical setting is both liberating and challenging. An author can’t present a believable historical fiction without some reference to the risk of pregnancy and the sexually transmitted diseases of the time. These are the challenges. The liberation comes in the delightful nuances of the historical setting. In the early 1700′s working women didn’t wear knickers! Oh yes, the accessibility issue is a whole powder keg of eroticism. The ease of throwing up a skirt and petticoats and bending a woman over, can’t you just imagine what a temptation it was? :) Not to mention the whole corset, stays, bodice combo, and stockings that have to be tied with ribbons. Then there’s the men…flowing shirts, polished boots and laced up breeches that left little to the imagination. I’m fanning myself here.
Aside from the central relationship in THE HARLOT there is a secondary male/male plot. The forbidden nature of their affair during that time makes it all the more enticing to my heroine, who has the chance to observe the male lovers. She draws parallels between her own situation—at risk of being put to death for witchcraft—to theirs, the forbidden unlawful practice of homosexuality. The danger posed puts its own spin on their mutual desire, and all of these things bring erotic tension that is unique to that historical setting.
The paranormal aspect of the book gave me a chance to write about pagan sexmagic some more, a theme I adore exploring. Essentially this is the belief that the most powerful energies come from the natural world and its rhythms, and that we can draw on them. The energy between two (or more) people involved sexually and emotionally is something my characters can harness and utilise. Jessie is learning about this, and as her story progresses and her relationship with Gregor grows more passionate and heated, so her magical powers are nurtured and developed, leading to all sorts of shenanigans!
In case you can’t tell, I had enormous fun writing this novel. :) It’s the first in a series of three. THE HARLOT will be followed by THE LIBERTINE, and THE JEZEBEL, the stories of Jessie’s siblings, with lots more bawdy sex and pagan sex magic.
Monday, June 13, 2011
New print book, guest blogging, and other news!
Whoa, my to-do list is keeping me busy at the moment, but I've got some bits and pieces to share so I thought I'd take a few moments to blog.
First up, today is print publication day for HOLLY'S INTUITION (Book 2 in the Erogenous Zones series) Woot! You can now buy this one in print direct from Total-E-Bound in the UK, from Amazon.com in the United States and it will pop up on Amazon UK at some point too.
I'm working on book 3 of the Erogenous Zones series now, FAYE'S SPIRIT. For those following the series, Faye's story takes place a year later than the first two, and she's getting pretty peeved that her two sisters are having such a great time in their relationships and she has yet to discover the delights of a ménage à trois. So when she finds herself ensconced for the weekend with two gorgeous guys who both flirt with her, she decides to be bold and brazen and tell them about her sisters, just to see what it might stir up. lol! Faye is a naughty minx. ;-) Faye's story is very different to her sisters because both her guys are straight, but what starts as a hot erotic experiment leads to a steamy and emotional entanglement. Readers are giving such great feedback for the first two books so I hope Faye's story hits the spot too.
In other news, the ever charming Jeremy Edwards has sent me a photo of THE HARLOT out in the wild on bookshelves in Powell's City of Books in Portland, Oregon. This makes me so happy! Big thanks to Jeremy for making my day.
There was much excitement here when I heard that my 2010 novel, RAMPANT, recently won second place in the Write Touch Readers' Award Erotica/Romantica category! Woohoo! I'm delighted with this placing, especially being amongst so many great books.
Last but not least, I'm guest blogging over at Victoria Janssen's today, chatting about the joys and challenges of creating historical realism in THE HARLOT. Click here to check it out.
That's it for now. Have a great week folks!
I'm working on book 3 of the Erogenous Zones series now, FAYE'S SPIRIT. For those following the series, Faye's story takes place a year later than the first two, and she's getting pretty peeved that her two sisters are having such a great time in their relationships and she has yet to discover the delights of a ménage à trois. So when she finds herself ensconced for the weekend with two gorgeous guys who both flirt with her, she decides to be bold and brazen and tell them about her sisters, just to see what it might stir up. lol! Faye is a naughty minx. ;-) Faye's story is very different to her sisters because both her guys are straight, but what starts as a hot erotic experiment leads to a steamy and emotional entanglement. Readers are giving such great feedback for the first two books so I hope Faye's story hits the spot too.
There was much excitement here when I heard that my 2010 novel, RAMPANT, recently won second place in the Write Touch Readers' Award Erotica/Romantica category! Woohoo! I'm delighted with this placing, especially being amongst so many great books.
Last but not least, I'm guest blogging over at Victoria Janssen's today, chatting about the joys and challenges of creating historical realism in THE HARLOT. Click here to check it out.
That's it for now. Have a great week folks!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
I'm guest blogging at Genreality today
I'm over at Genreality chatting about my writing journey & some of my mistakes. Click on the banner if you want to call by and see me spill the beans on some of the missteps I made on my writing journey. ;o)
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Eroticism and the historical novel
I'm guest blogging over at Erotica For All today, chatting about eroticism and the historical novel. I'm also giving away two copies of THE HARLOT. Click on the banner to find out more.
In other news, THE HARLOT is now shipping from Amazon.com in the US! Wooohooo! I guess this might mean it will be in bookstores soon, although I can't be sure of that. Official publication day is June 1st. If anyone happens to see it - let me know. Or if I beg and plead, would you take a photo for me? :) I'll love you forever if I get to see my book on shelves. :)
In other news, THE HARLOT is now shipping from Amazon.com in the US! Wooohooo! I guess this might mean it will be in bookstores soon, although I can't be sure of that. Official publication day is June 1st. If anyone happens to see it - let me know. Or if I beg and plead, would you take a photo for me? :) I'll love you forever if I get to see my book on shelves. :)
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Finding appropriate character names
I'm blogging over at eXcessica today and I'm chatting about a fun new way I've discovered for choosing character names! Click on the image to go read more...
Monday, April 26, 2010
I'm elsewhere today...
I'm over at Jennifer Conner's column at the Seattle Examiner today, talking about heart stopping moments & cover art. Go HERE to read more.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Blogging elsewhere today
I'm blogging over at Victoria Janssen's place today. I'm chatting about craft, and meshing fantasy elements with real world elements. Go HERE to read more.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Guest blogging at Harlequin today!
I'm over at the Harlequin Paranormal Romance blog today chatting about RAMPANT and the appeal of the paranormal. Click here to read more.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Hanging out with the Naughty Author Chicks!
I'm over at the Naughty Author Chicks blogspot today. I'm talking about the sexmagic element of RAMPANT, and there's a copy of the book up for grabs. Click on the banner to call by and join in!
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Sex, humour, and my relationship with Fanny Hill
I'm blogging about FANNY HILL and sex and humour over at the eXcessica blog today. Go here to read the post.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Guest blogging with the Bradford Bunch
I'm guest blogging with the Bradford Bunch today. I'm chatting about a sense of place, or setting as character, and I'm giving away a copy of RECKLESS to one commenter. Click on the banner to visit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)