Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Taking Lance by Candi Kay


Genre:
M/M, M/M/F, M/F, F/F, Older Man/Younger Man, Older Man/Younger Woman, Gay/Bisexual Erotica, Unprotected Gay Sex

Synopsis:
40-year-old Rick, who is bisexual, had to marry a woman or lose a large inheritance from his homophobic father. The marriage is loveless and practically sexless, but he plans to stick it out just long enough to collect his cash. Horny and frustrated, that changes when Rick meets his wife's 18-year-old son, Lance.

Taking Lance is part one of the Taking Lance series.

Rick and Lance's story is continued in Keeping Lance.

My Review:
Only Candi Kay would know, but Taking Lance almost read like a true story because the situations, emotions, and behaviors of the characters were so raw a realistic. This one is definitely for those who like taboo because between the generational, pseudo-incest, homosexual, and group sex it broke all sorts of societal "norms." And for those who read my blog, you know I love my taboo! Taking Lance is slightly longer than other erotica, and so you have plenty of time to enjoy what this story has to offer.

Find Taking Lance and Candi Kay Online:
Amazon ♥ Goodreads ♥ Author Blog ♥ Twitter

Monday, March 30, 2015

Satisfied By A Stegosaurus by Richard Bacula


Genre:
Paranormal

Synopsis:
Layla's quest to save her tribe takes her to the Valley Of The Giant Lizards, where she must perform a sacred ritual in order to gain enough power to defeat her tribe's enemies.

Inspired by Real Events!!!

My Review:
So much monster erotica contains dubious consent that it's a rare gem to find one that is clearly consensual. Layla has spent time mentally and physically preparing for this connection with a stegosaurus, and so she's a willing participant in the love-making activities. Not only that, but rather than being turned into a submissive, Layla actually becomes empowered to essentially the point of a super-woman through her prehistoric encounter. I love how Bacula's writing style and word choices add to the setting of his story. I would recommend this on to those who like monster erotica but without the dubious-consent component (like what's often found in vampire erotica.)

Find Satisfied By A Stegosaurus and Richard Bacula Online:

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Demonic Cravings Series by Elizabeth J. Kolodziej



Genre:
Paranormal

Michael's Synopsis:
Ambitious demon Sultras is asked by major demon Malachi to watch over his half-demon daughter Kasidy. But the politics of Hell and Sultras’ growing attraction to Kasidy complicate the job as Kasidy comes to embrace who she really is.

In Demon Protection Plan, told from Kasidy’s viewpoint, we learn how she has avoided connections with humans because of her unique background. But her isolation ends when she’s caught up in a criminal investigation and assigned to protective custody. She and Decland Kerrigan, a cop with secrets of his own, must hide out until the trial begins. But naturally nothing goes according to plan.

Michael's Review:
I enjoyed both of these stories, and the author did a good job of giving making Sultras and Kasidy sympathetic without making them into something that—being demon and part-demon—they should not be. The sex, naturally, is red-hot. I do wish they had the attention of a better editor, but the errors weren’t pervasive enough to distract from the story.

About the Author:
Elizabeth J. Kolodziej is a novelist and a lover of gadgets, writing, mysteries, and an avid reader. Her paranormal romance, The Last Witch Series, is coming up on its fourth book, Demonic Charms, and there is still more on the way!

While taking the past ten years to build this new age world, Elizabeth as done lots of hands on research such as experiencing flight, sensory deprivation, and much more to really master the art of bringing her descriptions to life for the reader.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Fiction Writing from George Mason University and her on going learning of the art of writing, Elizabeth believes she can truly help others master their own art and love of writing.

With the support of her family, friends, dog (Sherlock) and cat (Ahmeemotep) she is more than happy to give her readers exactly what they want in her books…adventure.

Find the Demonic Cravings series on Amazon:

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Guest Post by Roselyn Jewell

The Pros and Cons of writing and selling erotica
Guest Post by Roselyn Jewell

First let me start by introducing myself and I also want to say that I’m thrilled to be doing this guest post! I’m Roselyn Jewell and I currently have 7 books on the market; of those 7, three are erotica and four are not. So since I have experience in writing and selling both erotica and “cleaner” books, I figured it would be interesting to do a pros and cons list for writing erotica vs. other genres. Since I hate to end anything on a negative note, I’ll start with the cons:

Cons:
  • Erotica is definitely a niche market. I think these days it’s becoming more popular, but there are still a surprising number of sites that state they will not review or promote erotica, making it a bit harder to advertise and also limiting your potential audience and reviewers.
  • It’s a controversial genre. Since erotica is filled with X rated content, it can be a controversial topic. Some people are dead set against it and are very vehement about it. Sadly, there are readers out there that may not even give your non X rated books a chance if you have X rated books out there. Also as stated before, there are sites that won’t advertise it all at because some of their viewers may see it as “offensive.” I think it is very unfortunate that it is viewed that way and that some people are so closed-minded, but even in 2014, that kind of thing still exists.
  • It can be challenging to write. In my experience, it can be difficult and challenging to write a really steamy, hot book while still maintaining a solid plot line and real character depth and development. Another challenging aspect is continuing to come up with different and exciting sexual things that the characters can do. You don’t want to just have them doing the same things over and over or using the same descriptive words for certain body parts or acts. If you’ve written 50 books, all with detailed sex scenes, I imagine it would be quite challenging to keep the descriptions and the variety new and fresh.
  • You could potentially lose some followers and fans. The first book I put out was PG rated. In fact, I didn’t put out an X rated book until the 4th or 5th. So by then I had already built up a bit of a fan base and had followers on social media. After I put out my first erotic novel, I did notice an increase in the number of unfollowers on Twitter. There were also some sites who had promoted me in the past that refused to promote me anymore, simply because I now had a book that was considered erotica. In my personal opinion, I’d rather not be associated with them anyway if that will make them turn on me so quick, but of course we all want as many readers, fans, followers, etc. as possible, so it is a consideration.
Okay, enough negativity. Let’s move on to the Pros:

Pros:
  • Erotica readers tend to be very diehard and loyal fans. It may be a niche market, but if you gain fans in the erotica niche, they tend to be extremely loyal and dedicated. Not that fans in other markets aren’t just as loyal, but it’s a plus to know that even though the market may be more narrow, once you’ve made a fan, chances are you’ve made one for life.
  • The challenges can be fun and help you grow as an author. Though it may be challenging to continue coming up with a variety of fresh erotic content, it can be really fun to challenge yourself. It also helps you grow as an author to continue to expand and grow your comfort zone and more thoroughly develop your writing abilities. Once your experience and your abilities grow, that will be reflected in any other genre you may write as well.
  • It can spice up your own sex life. In my case, writing all of these detailed, erotic sex scenes definitely helped spice up my marriage a bit! Even if your sex life is already good, it can still be fun and different to say hey, check out this scene. Wouldn’t that be fun to try? It can also be used as a type of research to be able to know for sure whether that position you wrote about would actually be practical or not.
  • You get to feel like a sex goddess. What woman doesn’t want to feel like a sex goddess now and again? While you’re writing all of these erotic scenes, you get to put yourself in the role of master sex goddess, which can be a lot of fun.
  • You get to live out your fantasies. No matter what your sexual fantasies may be, if you’re an erotic author, you can “live them out” in the pages of your books. You can make the male main character have the looks and personality of your long time crush, you can have threesomes even if you’re married, or go wherever your imagination takes you! There’s nothing wrong with a little fantasy ;)

I’m sure there are more pros and cons that I have not covered. But I didn’t want this guest post to turn into a novel, so I just went with the main ones that I’ve had experience with. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy your erotica J

About the Author:
Roselyn Jewell is the author of 7 novels, with another on the way. If you’d like to know more about her or her books, please see her website at http://www.roselynjewell.com.
She can also be emailed directly about anything at Roselyn@roselynjewell.com. She’s also on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter @jewellromance.
If you’d like updates about upcoming books, sneak peeks, freebies, and more, you can sign up for her mailing list at http://eepurl.com/0gNeT.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Island Fever by Cindy Johnson

Genre:
Paranormal

Michael's Synopsis:
Mousy, uptight accountant Nancy arrives in Tahiti for a professional conference determined not to enjoy herself. After she offends Ari, one of the resort employees, with her attitude, he engages a local shaman to loosen her up—with some unpredictable side-effects.

Michael's Review:
This is a nice piece with some clever twists and turns that I did not see coming. Once Nancy is drawn out of her shell, the sex comes hot and heavy, and both she and Ari get a lot more than they bargained for. Worth the read.

Find Island Fever Online:
Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ Scribd

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Wasteland Diaries by Eliot Waistlin

Genre:
Urban/ts/tg

Michael's Synopsis:
Hard-drinking expatriate author Johnny hits the bars too hard one night and brings home a girl with a little something extra.

Michael's Review:
This is a short, well-written piece that has just enough vivid detail for the setting without going overboard. If you’re into ts/tg stuff, this should fit the bill.


Find The Wasteland Diaries and Eliot Waistlin online:
Amazon  Twitter  Blog

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

It's My Birthday!


It has been a year since I unveiled my pseudonym, Christina Harding via this blog and twitter. And, it has been an amazing year!! This blog has had 350,000+ views, I've gained 15,500 followers on twitter, posted to  this blog 147 times, joined Romance at Random as a guest blogger, appeared on many other blogs, accumulated a waiting list for reviews which is months long, and released three of my own erotic stories. I've met a slew of wonderful authors and readers, hosted many of them on this blog, reviewed many more, and I can't wait to see what this next year has to offer!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Dick Midnight vs Osiris by Dick Midnight

Genre:
Paranormal/satire

Michael's Synopsis:
As the great Paul “Bear” Bryant said, “It’s not bragging if it’s true.” Dick Midnight does not brag, nor does he need to. A taciturn but dashing author/adventurer/paranormal investigator (Think Daniel Craig’s 007 crossed with Indiana Jones, with a dash of Ernest Hemingway), Dick Midnight goes where others dare not and solves the unsolvable while maintaining his perfectly unflappable mien.

In this piece, oversexed Egyptologist Chavi Shehata mixes business and pleasure a bit too thoroughly and gets herself pulled into the Nether Realms by none other than Osiris, the Egyptian god of the dead, to become his eternal sex slave. Her colleague must enlist Dick Midnight’s help in rescuing her, though it’s not precisely clear she wants to be rescued.

Michael's Review:
If all of this sounds a bit tongue in cheek, it’s not. It’s tongue-perfectly-in-cheek. This is an entertaining yarn that never takes itself too seriously. As soon as I get done with this review, I”m going off in search of Dick Midnight’s other adventures.

Author Interview:
Can you describe your book in one sentence?
DM: Dick Midnight is hired to rescued an Egyptian archaeology professor who has come face to face, or face to pronounced loin, with the God Osiris.

What makes your book so different from all the books out there?
Much of the excellent material from numerous myth/monster erotica authors places the key relationship between the mythological creature/monster and abducted prey. The Dick Midnight approach incorporates another dynamic: he is author and warrior. It's not unlike the Castle or Jessica Fletcher or Ellery Queen concept of mystery writing, where the author also solves the crime. Dick Midnight is the author, but he's also a driving force in the stories. Combine Castle with Ash from Evil Dead and the brooding anti-heroes from samurai and spaghetti western lore, and we might be getting to the waterline as we delve deeper into the iceberg that is his character.

In addition to that, The Nether Regions. By uncovering a world not bound by our physical perceptions of reality, populated with an endless stream of mythological entities, one can stretch the limits of the imagination. The Nether Regions is a critical backdrop to the Dick Midnight stories. Nothing is off limits. Anything is possible. This allows for unending opportunities to explore the realms deep within the recesses of our minds.

How did you bring life to your characters?
DM: Dick Midnight lives the adventures. During the writing process, Dick Midnight has a way of interpreting the mental state of the characters in his tales.

For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?
A warning. The creatures are out there. Beyond that, hopefully acceptable prose, good action, descriptive sex and the occasional satirical cultural observation. And tits. Almost certainly tits. Although that would likely be included under the descriptive sex portion, so apologies for the digression.

What does your writing area look like?
Cleanliness is not a Dick Midnight virtue. On this front, he is about as far from Godliness as one can be. Although, since he doesn't write in a particular space and finds time to put fingers to keyboard in locations dependent upon the cases, I guess cleanliness varies. He could be alone in a penthouse apartment overlooking the Caspian Sea or on the plains of the Kalahari Desert. In situations such as those, cleanliness becomes a rather subjective concept.

Your favorite quotes –
"You can say so much about so many things so often, but if you do you'll be saying nothing about anything all the time." Former NBA player, and now the late Edgar Jones, said that to a reporter 30 years ago as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. Dick Midnight finds it apropos.

"He also likes this one: 'When it comes to the creatures of our mythology, he already knows their names. Now he's here to kick their ass." That's me, referring to Dick Midnight in an entirely different tense, for the purposes of promotion.

What is your favorite thing about being an Indie writer?
This is all on you. Are you willing to write the material, without worrying about publishing house gatekeepers denying entry into the old-guard book distribution model? It's a great opportunity to see a project to completion, and then see how it will be received and what happens from there.

Your thoughts on receiving book reviews - the good and the bad -
Anything and everything is beneficial. If you put a product out there, you have to be able to deal with the reality that someone who takes the time to read it won't like it. That can be every bit as informative as the perspective of those who do. The more eyes on the product, the better.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for erotica?
That is very much a work in progress, and I'm honored that Christina Harding has provided a forum for the purpose of commentary and assisting in getting the word out. Beyond that, Dick Midnight is in the process of pursuing other avenues, but is extremely interesting in discovering what approaches have been especially effective for other writers. I'm also easy to reach: dickmidnight@gmail.com.

Will you have a new book coming out soon? Can you tell us about it?
Yes. There are many other stories in the works, and others already completed, including Dick Midnight vs The Minotaur and Dick Midnight vs Hafgufa (The Kraken). Look for Dick Midnight vs the Hydra (Japan), Dick Midnight vs Wyvern and Dick Midnight vs The Blind Cyclops by the end of 2014/early 2015. Additionally, other series and stories are in the works under the Dick Midnight Presents banner.

Stories are available on most online platforms, and I would love to hear from readers with any comments. Furthermore, I want to thank Christina Harding for taking the time to be a source of assistance to so many fine authors working hard to expand the boundaries of this genre

Best to all, and much thanks.

About the Author:
Dick Midnight is a badass.

He is also the master of pseudo-biographical mythological erotica, or mytherotica, for short. His stories have been must reads among an established cult following that discovered the works in the recesses of the deep internet. Now, for the first time, the extensive Dick Midnight catalog is gradually being made available in more accessible online venues.

For centuries, eons even, artists like Dick Midnight have warned of the dangers of the creatures of our mythology, looming in the shadows, on the fringes of civilization. But as science and academia have taken hold and proclaimed Gods and beasts as little more than figments of our active imaginations, we have let down our guard. When an unexplained abduction occurs, and Dick Midnight's services are requested, his double duty begins. He is at once monster slayer, damsel rescuer, and entertaining, engrossing, erotica wordsmith.

A complex personality with his own inner demons, Dick Midnight can be aloof and distant, intense and quippy, and often seemingly on the verge of spinning out of control.

But damn, can he write.

Find Dick Midnight vs Osiris online:
Amazon ♥  Smashwords  Kobo  B&N

Connect with Dick Midnight:
Twitter: DickMidnight
Email: dickmidnight@gmail.com
website: dickmidnight.com
tumblr: DickMidnight

Friday, March 13, 2015

Upside Down by Liz Gavin

Genre:
Swingers/Domination

Synopsis:
Carol Anne Sullivan is a tough New York stock broker. She's suffered enough in order to learn a hard lesson - never let love spoil her relationships. Her boyfriends know that rule from the start. She's domineering and assertive but also faithful and fair while the relationship lasts.

Mark Aikens is Carol's boyfriend. He's been in love with her for a while but his submissive side hasn't allowed him to rebel against her golden rule and to tell her how he feels. Fear of losing her forever might spur him into action.

Cindy O'Rourke has admired Carol from afar. So, she jumps at the opportunity to work for her idol. Little does she know, things will never be the same for her after that job interview.

Carol has been going through a rough patch: world economical crisis, dysfunctional parents, demanding clients, faultyequipment. Without much time for herself, her love life is suffering. So what is the big deal if she fantasizes about a new employee when her boyfriend, Mark, can't give her what she needs? The big deal is - the new receptionist, Cindy, is a woman who threatens to turn her world upside down.

This is the steamy tale of an unconventional love triangle which should be read with an open mind and an open heart. Sometimes, love comes to our lives in unexpected ways but with such overwhelming power that the best course of action might be to surrender to it.

My Review:
What a fascinating story showing a calm, collected, successful woman who thinks she has her life all figured out slowly realize it's not as it all seems. Through the course of this story, our heroine goes on a journey of self discovery which includes many aspects of her life be it professional, family, relationship, and sexual. At the end of this adventure, Carol winds up in a completely different, but highly improved place in her life. Liz does an excellent job of delving into Carol's psyche, allowing her readers to appreciate every turn in her journey.

Author Interview:
Can you describe your book in one sentence?
A love triangle like you've never seen before - steamy hot and surprising.

For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?
The unexpected. I'm not saying this is the best book ever written but I took extra care to make it as surprising as possible. As a reader, I often get frustrated when I read something too obvious. So, in my first novel I tried to avoid being too obvious.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
There were many moments but the last chapter made me cry while writing it. Without giving away any spoliers is hard to say `why` it moved me so much. Let's just say that there were so many intense emotions going on it was impossible for me not to get involved with them.

How did you bring life to your characters?
That's a great question. I'm a rookie at writing but I'm a junkie at reading so I never thought I'd be a cliche author when it gets to describing my characters. But I am. (scoffing) I have the impression my characters are real people and they tell me their stories. Many times I have an idea for a scene, get down to write it and it turns out much different from my original idea. Then I realized the characters had taken control of the story. Do you think I need to go back to therapy? LOL Sometimes I do.

Do you have a day job as well?
Unfortunately, I'm not a full-time writer and I have a pretty busy schedule in my regular job. I'm a teacher and a translator so you can imagine how chaotic my life can be.

There are times when I'm free and sit down in front of my laptop to write and draw a blank. Other times, I have a million ideas popping up in my head while driving or teaching or having lunch and can't do anything about it. It's very frustrating.

But as a rule, I have a great time when I'm writing so it makes up for all the other times I get pissed off at other things. LOL I can say writing is an awesome past time for me as it is now but I'm working on making it my sole occupation.

Your thoughts on receiving book reviews - the good and the bad.
It's a thrilling experience. I try to read and answer as many reviews as I can. I honestly think that if a person got the time out of their life to write about my story it means that I've touched them in some way. The least I can do is acknowledge that and reply to it.
The good comments are excellent for an author's ego but the bad reviews, when they are honest and not biased, can help you improve your writing abilities. They have done that to me more than a few times.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Write about your passions. When we write from the heart, the words flow better.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published?
As corny as it may sound, my readers feedback is the most rewarding thing. My friends are fed up with me - they can't hear me saying ""I've got fans"" any longer. (laughing) I, on the other hand, am thrilled to hear from the people on my mailing list and y team of alpha readers. They are the best any writer could ask for because they are hard working and they encourage me with their insightful comments.

What is your favorite part of being an author?
It's hard to pinpoint one aspect. But if I think hard enough I'd say it's the possibility of living so many different lives because while you're writing you get to experience your character's emotions and that can be so fulfilling.

Will you have a new book coming out soon? Can you tell us about it?
yes, I will. I have already published the first two chapters of this book. It's called 'Luck of the Irish' and it's free on Amazon, Smashwords, B&N and Kobo. It's my first romantic novel and it has turned out to be quite a challenge to transition from erotic romance. I'm quite in the middle of writing the book. My group of alpha readers are enthusiastic about it and I really think it's an interesting story. It's got a lot of romance and a dash of suspense and police action, too. I don't have a publishing date for it yet but I'm hoping to be able to finalized it and send it to my beta readers by the end of July. So, stay tuned!

About the Author:
Hello, my dearest readers.

When I was in Second Grade (just a couple of years ago, really), my teacher told my mother I should start a diary because I needed an outlet for my active and vivid imagination. You see, I was a talkative child who would disrupt her class by engaging my colleagues in endless conversations. I loved telling them the stories my grandfather used to tell me.

I guess the teacher wasn't a big fan of my stories. Or maybe she preferred a quieter group of students. Either way, my mother bought me a diary and I happily wrote on it for a month or so. Then, I gave it up. I didn't see the appeal since I was writing for my own enjoyment only. I missed the audience my friends in school provided me. I went back to disturbing my dear teacher's class.

Since then, I've been a hungry reader. I read anything and everything I can get my hands on - from the classics to erotica. And that's how I got the courage to start writing down some of my naughty fantasies. Nowadays, I'm a writer. I write erotic romances and some erotica, too.

Living in New Orleans improves my creativity tenfold. It's such a vibrant, gorgeous and wonderful city but NOLA also has a darker, wickeder side that has always captured my imagination.

So, welcome to my world of steamy, sexy Alpha males and naughty, independent women. Add a touch of the paranormal in the presence of some wicked souls and you'll get the picture.

Sit back, fire up your eReader and enjoy the ride!

XOXO
Liz Gavin

Find Upside Down and Liz Gavin Online:
Amazon ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook  Blog ♥ Goodreads

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Blood Drive by Lane Hart

Genre: 
Paranormal/Vampire

Michael's Synopsis:
Sam is a good-natured vampire working at the local blood bank. Kate is a virginal college freshman with a murky past. When Sam draws Kate’s blood during a blood drive, he discovers that—unknown to her or anyone else—she’s a witch. This is a problem because of the government agency that’s tasked with hunting down and executing paranormal creatures like the two of them. Sam and Kate hit it off but must balance their budding attraction against the complications of their backgrounds. Also, Sam has a cat (which matters, you’ll see).

Michael's Review:
If this sounds a bit like a Twilight knockoff, it is in some ways, but I still found it enjoyable. Sam and Kate are interesting, likable people, and I wanted to see what happened to them. There’s a lot of hot sex and some nice twists and turns in the plot, which starts slow but builds in a satisfying way as the story goes on.

Excerpt:
"The way his eyes roamed down my body, I was pretty sure he was checking me out. With that little bit of confidence it was now or never if I wanted to see or talk to him again. The chance of rejection was worth risking because I was so tired of being lonely, and he was so gorgeous.

“Could I maybe call you if I have any more questions?” I asked hesitantly.

His mouth dropped open. “Hell yes. I mean yeah, sure. Please call me,” he stuttered in what seemed like maybe surprise, making me sigh in relief.

I pulled my phone from my pocket to quickly put his name in my contacts before he changed his mind. All I knew was that his first name was Sam.

“Um, what’s your last name?” I asked embarrassed.

“West, it’s Sam West,” he said with a sweet smile.

“Okay, what’s your number?” I asked, my fingers hovering over the numbers on the screen waiting.

“Eight, six, seven, five, three oh nine,” he called out. I started putting the numbers in then stopped. Why did that sequence of numbers sound so familiar? Wasn’t it an old song?

“Is that really your number?” I asked as I looked back up at him.

Sam actually laughed out loud. Catching him off guard, he looked like such a happy and carefree guy, and even more adorable. There was something about his eyes that had seemed sad before now, even with the perfect smile he was usually flashing.

“Yes, that's really my number, why? You think I’d give you a fake one?” he asked still grinning as he pushed his long hair out of his eyes.

I was so captivated by the sight of him that I completely forgot what we were talking about again.

“Call it and make sure if you want,” he said when I didn't respond. “I just have horrible taste in music.”

If I called him then he'd have my number in his phone too, without me trying to force it on him like the desperate girl that I was. Not that he’d ever actually call me.

I smiled as I finished entering in the number then hit send.

“Boop boop boop,” what sounded like the Super Mario Brothers theme song blared out from his behind. Without taking his eyes from mine he grabbed his phone from his back pocket and answered it.

“Helllooo? Jenny’s busy right now, but I can give you a good time,” he said referencing the old song with an even deeper and sexier rumble to his normal masculine voice. Oh, and I bet he really could too, I thought blushing again.

I couldn't help but laugh as I ended the call, and if felt so good that I was sad that he was leaving.

“Okay, now I know it’s really your number,” I said as I put my phone back in my jean pocket and tried not to let him see how pathetic I was.

“I hope you’ll call me,” he said so sincerely that my eyes shot back up to his. His ever-present sexy boyish grin was gone, and instead he looked so serious and genuine that I thought I'd melt into a puddle.

“I mean, again. When I’m not standing in front of you,” he amended making my smile widen.

“Well, now you’ve got my number too,” I said as I pushed my hair behind my ear, and glanced back down at my shoes.

He just stood there without saying anything until I looked back up at him.

“Okay, I’ll call you. But just to warn you, I’m going to try and talk you into going on a date with me,” he said with a nervous but hopeful smile.

I'm sure my mouth must have dropped open. He'd said ""date"". This incredibly gorgeous man wanted to go on a real date with me? But I didn't want to have to wait for him to call me, if he ever actually decided to call.

“I’ll answer, and I could probably be convinced,” I finally said with a smile as I turned around and started walking away before I made a bigger fool of myself.

“I hope so. Bye, Kate,” he said.

“Bye, Sam,” I responded, still in shock, as I made my way across the parking lot.

Author Interview:
How did you come up with your title? 
Blood Drive represented where the two main characters in the book, Sam and Kate meet - at a blood drive. Also, it references Sam's need for blood as a vampire, and there's something about Kate's blood that drives the book as well.

Where do you get your ides/inspiration for your writing? 
The idea for Blood Drive actually came from a picture on Twitter of a car parked outside a blood bank with a "Vampyr" license plate. I thought it would be funny to write about a vampire hiding in plain sight and build the other characters and their story around him.

Do you work with an outline, or just write? 
With Blood Drive I used an outline and I think it really helped me stay on track and know exactly where to take the story.

For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect? 
Well the characters in Blood Drive all have potty mouths. I did a word count just to see, and the f-bomb was used almost 400 times. I even read back through each of them to see about toning it down but I couldn't. Unfortunately, the characters just aren't the same without the foul language.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why? 
Chapters six and seven were my favorite because that is where Sam and Kate start to relax with each other and form an instant sort of connection. Kate loses here shyness and she starts having a really good time with Sam.

What makes your book so different from all the books out there? 
I think my book has twists that other books don't have. Most of the ones I read either have perfect happy endings or sad endings. After all the drama, Blood Drive ends with a more realistic ending.

Tell us about your writing process. 
When I'm starting a new project, I can go days or weeks barely eating or sleeping as I write. I try to take breaks in between but the stories are always running in my mind.

What was the hardest chapter (or part) to write and why?
The ending was the hardest for me to write. When I got to the end and tried to follow my outline it just didn't work for me. So I thought it over, and from there the story went on for another 100 pages or so in a different and unexpected development.

Can you describe your book in one sentence? 
Blood Drive is a fun and sexy story about a lazy vampire who falls for a beautiful girl, and the asshole who will lie, deceive and betray his only friend to come between the two of them.

Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why? 
I don't think I'll ever write any sci-fi novels because that's just not something I've ever been into.

About the Author:
Lane Hart is a paranormal romance author. She grew up in North Carolina, and still lives in the south with her husband, and her two daughters.

She has worked for over eight years in a criminal law office, and has a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice. She is fascinated with the criminal justice system, and finds it inspires her writing.

Lane spends her free time reading everything she can get her hands on. During the summer she can be found on one of the beaches on the east coast, and in fall she enjoys watching football with her family and cheering on the Carolina Panthers.

Her previous works include the Wild Series - Wild About You, Wild & Out, and Wild & Free.


Find Blood Drive and Lane Hart Online:
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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Guest Post By Paris Rivera

My three rules for a hot story
Guest Post By Paris Rivera

If you take a few shapes – a line here, a circle there – and place them in a certain order, you may find that certain changes occur in the brains and bodies of those who examine these shapes.

That, I suppose, is the magic of erotica. By arranging these things we call ‘letters’ in the right order, you can bring a lot of pleasure – and even physiological changes – to the reader.

But getting those letters in the right order is not all that easy!

If it were just a case of describing sex between two (or more!) people, then every other person would be able to sell thousands of erotica books.

Which raises the age-old question: what is it that makes a story sexy!

Well, that’s obviously a very personal question. You know what they say: different strokes for different folks!

But I’ll tell you a few things that I think make for a sexy story. I’ve published more than 60 http://parisrivera1.wordpress.com/ books of lesbian erotica, and and now two audiobooks, which incidentally are fabulous fun to do. (There are some wonderful – and superfriendly – narrators out there!)

So let me give you my three ‘rules’ for a sexy story. This would pretty much apply across the board – it doesn’t have to be lesbian erotica.

Number 1: Build the Tension. There has to be something that stands in the way of just ripping our clothes off and getting straight down to it.. How interesting would we find Romeo and Juliet if the Capulets and the Montagues went out for pizza every Friday night?! These obstacles to love – or lust – obviously don’t have to take the form of gang warfare. It might just be two people who drawn to each other but constrained by a public train (as in my story Strangers on a Train). Or it might be a meeting between a sexy college professor and one of her students (If You Say So, Professor).

Another thing that might set people apart – and ramp up the erotic tension – is an age difference. I find the dynamic between a woman of, say, 35 and another of around 20 is incredibly sexy. Don’t ask me why! If you want to pay for my ‘shrink’ sessions, I’ll give you a proper answer!

Another element of tension might come when a married woman is tempted to try a ‘first time’ with another woman, as in my story A Second Awakening. Will she? Won’t she? Should she? Shouldn’t she? We kind of know which way it’s going to go (this is erotica, after all). But the tension is still important.

I think the importance of erotic tension is part of why stories with a ‘taboo’ are so popular. I personally don’t get into some of the really ‘taboo’ areas, but I know a lot of people do.

So let me get to rule number two: Do the Dance. This is related to building the tension, but I love it when two characters talk playfully and teasingly, dancing around the idea, the possibility, of a seduction. Sometimes the ‘upper-hand’ can change in mid-story: to me, this is more interesting than a piece where someone is clearly ‘domme’ and someone clearly ‘sub’. A good example is my story Your Bath is Ready, Madame, where the French maid gets to play at being in charge while the Englishwoman who has hired her for a massage humbly and teasingly searches for the ‘soap’. Since the French girl is fully clothed and in the bath at the time, the erotic tension is pretty intense. A fabulous example of an erotic bath scene (and a bit of an age difference as well) is Madeleine Stone’s very arousing and pleasingly literary novel Tangled.

Another example of ‘the dance’ is my ‘mile high’ story, Unfasten Your Belts. As the story unfolds, a sexy businesswoman with a confident manner and a husky voice is suggesting to Julie, a young student just dumped by her boyfriend, that a bit of massage might help to relax her during the flight. Julie is reluctant but Samantha persists:

The wine arrived and they both sipped thirstily. Samantha turned to Julie once more: “But why not, dear? Why not give it a go?”

“Well, for a start it’s a public plane.”

“That’s true, but as far as I’m aware there’s no law against a shoulder massage.”

“Oh, a shoulder massage, I see!”

Samantha gave a smile that she hoped was alluring: “Why, what were YOU thinking?!”

The fun – and the heat – of the scene comes partly from Julie’s resistance to the idea of a massage, and the fact that at some deep level she is deeply intrigued and her imagination is actually running riot!

That brings me to rule number three for making a sexy scene: You gotta care for the characters. (And that means that, at some level, they’ve probably got to care for each other). We don’t have to be too ambitious or pretentions here: writing erotica is not like writing War and Peace! But if you cannot identify with the emotions and passions of the people in a story, it will probably leave you pretty cold. That’s also where the dance comes in: I like it when characters can show their humor. And I think it’s sexy when one character conspicuously cares for another: it might be a massage; looking after them when they’re sick; letting them sleep (Gym Crush); helping them get over someone; putting them at ease; helping them to learn; whatever. To me, that’s sexy.

Call me weird, but erotica can be nice. While Fifty Shades did clearly create some characters that were compelling for very large numbers of people, my approach is a very long way from the weird ‘torture chamber’ in E. L. James’s blockbuster.

And that’s got to be a good thing, hasn’t it?