I don't live here any more!

HEAD OVER TO 
www.rebekahweatherspoon.com

I'm over there eating celebratory fruit salad.

 

#LineADay

I'm terrible at being an author. Or terrible at being an organized author. 9 days ago-- Yeah, 9. I told you I'm terrible-- I started posting a line every day from At Her Feet on facebook, tumblr, and twitter. Why didn't I post it here too? Cause I suck. Here's what I've posted so far. I'll update it every day, for the month of August. Also keep a heads up on tumblr and twitter and facebook, I'll be giving away books!

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I’m previewing AT HER FEET , one line at a time. :)

Day 1: "Shit, she could lead me around Hawaii on a leash, naked as a baby if wants."

Day 2: “I think she’s about to lecture me on back-talking. Instead she takes my chin in her hand and kisses me.”

Day 3: “I shuffle to the floor and in a heartbeat, my head is under her skirt.”

Day 4: “You can get more if your nephew never walks again,” Holly says.

Day 5: “I realize she means for me to sleep alone again, and I’m disappointed, but this time I keep my mouth shut.”

Day 6: “What’s the point of lotioning up your naked plaything if you’re not gonna linger on the butt?”

Day 7: “He tilts my phone and looks closer at the picture. ”The duckies are cute, but you need a wax, girl.’”

Day 8: “I squirm some more, trying to get her fingers a little farther down.”

Day 9: “’You’re naked in a cage on the side of the freeway, and you need me to comes save you.’ That’s how he says hello.”

Day 10: “I feel her fingers on me next, cool with lube as she runs a slippery glob up and down my crack.”

Day 11:  “I cry out, lifting my hips off the bed, but my shifting doesn't get me any closer to what I want.”

Day 12: “I'm going to take care of you when we get home, little girl. What I want to do to you we cannot do in public."

Day 13: "But I love you. Please reconsider."

Day 14: “I see how you've gotten so far in marketing.”

Day 15: “Wow, thank you. That's—thank you.”

Day 16: "She warms my ass with a controlled spanking and makes my pussy swell with every stroke of her tongue."

Day 17: "I'm starting to understand about the wanting."

Day 18: I look up into her deep-brown eyes and swallow as that smile touches the corner of her lips.

Day 19: The tears come so fast, the kind that come so thick and hot you don't even attempt to wipe them away

Day 20: "Oh my God. Hi," pops out of my mouth first. I'm shocked but pleased, and that overwhelms much of my brain.

Day 21: My hand drifts to Pilar's thigh, and soon the soothing feeling of her skin helps calm my thudding heart.

Day 22: There’s no need for her to move because in a few minutes I’m going to ask her if we can do it again.

Day 23: Everything about her is round and plump, from her cheeks to her large breasts to her hips. Her whole body is inviting.

Day 24: Her arms are around me, and instantly, I feel better.

Day 25: “That’s it. Good girl. Ride me just like that,” she says, and I know the pace suits her.

Day 26: She's fighting a smile as she lightly takes my chin in her hand. “Is there something I can help you with, baby?”

Day 27: I can't see straight and birds are singing in my ears. My butt feels great.

Day 28: “Son of bitch.” She sucks in a breath through her teeth. “You have a gorgeous pussy, Suzanne. And look how wet you are.”

Day 29: She touches my knee lightly before pulling her hand away. “You're not in trouble.”

Day 30: I was happy to submit to Laurel's hand, or flog, or paddle, but I needed more. I needed her affection with my subservience. 

Day 31: This is my my little girl, and I will protect her not because she is my submissive or even my property, but because I love her.

Tunes for Vampire Sorority Sisters: Book 3

My Jill

I think most people are particular about the way they do things. I've mentioned before that I really, really need to have a clear picture of what exactly my characters look like in my head before I can start writing their story. When I first saw Melissa Debling, I KNEW she was my Annie. (Melissa, if you're reading this I know you're your own person and my casting you as one of my characters was not at all creepy. I swear)

My Tokyo/Miyoko

Once I have my characters in place, I also like to come up with music that makes me think of them and their story. I have some really depressing music in mind for VSS Book4. Sam is in a pretty dark place. I had some great R&B tunes for Benny and Cleo, though "I love You" by Lenny Williams can and should be listened to at least several times a week just to add a little bit of drama to your day.

Yesterday, while I sat prepping for another adventure in reality tv, a song came up on my pandora station that was just too perfect for my next sorority girl/vampire lady adventure.

Readers have already told me a bit about how they feel about these two. Please feel free to read the first two books in the series to get a glimpse of what they're getting at. Jill is annoying. So annoying, but I love her so much. A clingy little freshman when we meet her, who has issues with personal boundaries and a verbal bluntness that I personally love. Tokyo too is a bit of an asshole who has a habit of getting in the way. Am I bringing them together as a couple? YOU BETCHA! And I'm really excited about it. So what song is the perfect fit for them?

 Glowing by Nikki Williams

Why? You'll just have to read VSS Book 3 to find out. Oh and I should probably start writing it. :)

IM GUEST BLOGGING!

Hey friends! Brie over at Romance Around the Corner is hosting Herione Week, where various romancey types like myself have contributed blogs about women in romance.

My post is up today and I'm talking about women of color in romance, something I can relate to a little. I think. Please check out the posts and give Brie some props for hosting such a kick-ass event!

Coming Attractions

Thanks to the twitter nets and May over at Smexy Books, I've decided to do more formal updates re: what I have coming up next.

I make lists. I even posted one up here on my blog last week about what I was going to write next. That list has changed BUT now that list is more solid and I'd love to share what the rest of 2013 has in store for my typing little fingers. This list will remain that same as in I will be writing these things for sure, but I of course don't know when this stuff will be released for sure.

1. Getting Busy on Route 66

I'll be writing a roadtrip themed novella. This will feature a young (20's) black lesbian couple. Sex will be had. I don't have a title for this yet, or character inspiration because I usually write the shorter stuff in one or two sittings. The story comes to me in one hunk. I don't outline or anything. I NEED character inspirations for outlines. I have NO idea when this will be released, but I will update you folks when I know.

*EDIT (May 15)*

See this is why I hate announcing things until I actually start working on them. So I've added to this list

1A. A Screenplay

I'll be working on a treatment then screenplay for a lady-buddy comedy. I'm writing this with a good friend

1B. New Adult Romance 

Meet Shay-Leigh and Austin

 










I have a working title for this, but I'm almost positive that I'll change it. This is a little something I dreamed up about two black kids meeting during their freshman year of college. There will be some angst as there always is with these New Adult things, but for the most part it'll be a sweet, fun journey.

2. The Chance Encounter Trilogy

I'm kind of excited about this. I'm going to write a contemporary romance trilogy. For now I'm calling it The Chance Encounter Trilogy. Each book will feature a different couple, but all three books will be connected by the heroes' professional relationships. They all work together.

Couple #1: Bryan Connelly and Michelle Nordin

I don't have character inspiration for these two because Bryan is a 6'5 urban lumberjack type, with tattoos and an enormous chest. Michelle is half black/Swedish and what I like to call bottom heavy, or think in the hips. Finding people who look like that on the internet is hard.

Couple #2: David Nah and Amanda Baldwin

David and Amanda were headed toward being the stars of a really dark novella, but I like them so much as a couple I wanted to give them a brighter story. Their relationship starts on Tumblr over some fanart of their favorite show. What can I say, you write what you know. David and Bryan work in the same industry so I figured hmmmmmm maybe we can do something with these four. And that gave birth to...

#3 Theo Walker and Samita Tambe

Right now, I like their conflict the best. Parents, professional strife, SEX!

All three stories will have the sexy times. I don't know how to omit them. All three stories will be fun and relatively light. All three heroes will be sweethearts and all three leading ladies will be all around kick ass. I've never come up with three books so smoothly before. Did I mention that I'm excited to write these books?!?!? As of right now, I plan to self-publish this trilogy, but I have no idea how I'll feel when I'm done writing them, so we'll see.

3. Soul To Keep: Vampire Sorority Sister Series Book 3

Jill and Miyoko (Tokyo)

I'm pumped to write Jill and Miyoko's story. Jill is trying to figure out what kind of adult she wants to be and Miyoko is trying to deal with the kind of vampire she has become. I needed to get Benny and Cleo out of my system. Now I'm ready for some real angst and some demon related murder wrapped up in an x-rated vampire on human love story. 

And there you have it. I've done the math and all of this comes in at around 360,000 words. Can I do it? Yes. Yes, I can. Or else, why did I vote for Obama. I'll check back in as things move along. Feel free to bug me about my progress. I need to know that people care.

Are you there, New Adult? It's me, Bekah.

Today I'm talking about this New Adult fiction business. What's New Adult, you ask? Well I've been asking the same thing for a few months and over the weekend I decided to get to the bottom of this for my own selfish reasons. I've read three titles that I enjoyed, Homecoming by Nell Stark, LoveLife by Rachel Spangler, and Sheltered By Charlotte Stein. I'm currently reading Take What You Want by Jeanette Grey, but only Jeanette's book was presented to me as a New Adult book.

The New Adult genre has been a thing for a long time. I'll even go as far to say it's been around as long as stories themselves, but recently St. Martin's Press and the rest of the publishing industry decided to slap a title on these stories.  Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the genre (with a little help from St. Martin's and NA Alley).

"New adult literature touches upon many themes and issues to reach the readership that falls in between the categories of young adult and adult fiction. Many themes covered in young adult fiction such as identity, sexuality, depression, suicide, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, familial struggles, bullying^[6] are also covered in new adult fiction, but the various issues that are dealt with in the category hold it separate. 

Some common examples of issues include: first jobs, starting college, wedding engagements and marriage, starting new families, friendships post-high school, military enlistment, financial independence, living away from home for the first time, empowerment, loss of innocence, fear of failure, and so many others^[7].
 
This category focuses heavily on life after an individual has become of legal age, and how one deals with the new beginnings of adulthood. Commonly, these themes and issues have been seen taking place post-high school in popular new adult fiction titles, but there are exceptions^[8]." -- Yes, I'm citing Wikipedia because they had the most clear definition.

Inside Romancelandia, I've seen a bit of a divide on the subject. Some think this is simply a marketing gimmick, another set of quick buzz words to push something that already exists. And others actually find this is new description to be rather helpful and exciting. I actually fall into both camps. Do I think it is a bit of a marketing ploy? Yes, but honestly that's how you sell things. You use marketing techniques to drive customers to your product. Books are a business. But for me categories like this help me understand what I'm getting.

I want to know if I'm reading about a certain age group or certain themes. A perfect example would be Regency romance and Westerns historicals being separated under the umbrella of historical romances. I love historical Westerns, but I'm not a huge fan of Regency romances. These categories help me find what I'm looking for as a reader. As a reader, I also enjoy reading about the 18-26 age bracket. These romances a bit more mature than YA.

I'm at a point in my life where the Boyfriend and I are struggling to get beyond our college life-style. I mean I have to put in the effort to not stay up all night, watching cartoons and eating junk food. He recently just bought his first car. That was a traumatic experience. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've stopped calling my parents every time something goes wrong. For a while I felt that I was reading romances with characters that we too serious and in periods of their life (secure in their careers, too mature to get swept up in slightly immature (fun and hilarious) situations etc.) that I just couldn't relate to at all. New Adult solves this problem for me as a reader.

What does this have to do with me and my books? I'll tell you. When I first started writing Better Off Red, I realized that I hadn't read many books about characters in college. I think. I wanted to read more stories, particularly more romances with characters that were of college age.

When I first started sending Better Off Red out for submission, I knew I had  unique problem. Now there are Young Adult books with sex. Forever by Judy Blume is one that immediately comes to mind. That book has a lot of sex in it. A lot, but it's a straight up YA novel. It was written for the YA audience and the main characters are in high school. Better Off Red has explicit sex, but Ginger is 18. She acts and talks like a typical New England 18 year old. She's a bit on the angsty side. She's trying to nail down her sexuality and a good studying schedule. Ginger's life just didn't fit in with the standard romances I was reading.

So who the hell was I going to sell this book to? Luckily Bold Strokes was willing to deal with me and Ginger, and that part of the story is history, but then I had to market the damn thing. And that was tricky too. I could say it's a paranormal romance, but it still didn't fit in with the adult or the YA paranormal romances I was seeing out there.



Then along comes this New Adult business and I feel like Ginger and the girls of Alpha Beta Omega finally have a little place where they belong. Where dealing with class schedules and new relationships and parents and vampires all makes sense. So I'm taking a stand or jumping into the pool (thanks Jeanette), and I'm going to say that my vampires series is most definitely New Adult. All of my main characters will be between 18-22. They will all be in college and dealing with their sexuality and their parents and race and the undead.

Yeah. New Adult feels good.

Me and Sally Jessy

no one is as cool as SJR

Personal perspective is an odd thing. My sister and I chat on the phone sometimes and it's interesting to hear about things that happened when we were kids from her point of view. Most recently I was telling the Boyfriend about a pair of Sally Jessy, big red rimmed sunglasses my sister picked out for me in 6th grade to take to camp.

We were in Wal-greens and she was telling me that those sunglasses were cool. It was a day she had to take a her little sister to the store. For me that was the first time in my pre-teen life that my big sister, easily the coolest person I knew (she wore Exclamation! perfume after all) was trying to bring me to her level. I texted her about it the other night and we both had a laugh remembering those silly sunglasses that we quite a hit at camp.

What does this have to do with writing? I'm glad you asked even though you totally didn't ask. Something interesting happened the other day. I got paid. YAY! Let's hear it for money. This isn't about money though. Not really.

I think every author has their favorite stories and their favorite characters -- of their own. If a reader asks my what book of mine they should read, I automatically say Better Off Red. If they had little time I'd tell them to read Better Off Red, or The Fling if they ABSOLUTELY hate paranormal, but I always start with Better Off Red. I don't even know that it's my favorite of my books, but it is the first thing that comes out of my mouth. Funny thing is The Fling has been my best-seller since it's release around this time last year.

I've blogged about The Fling and the trouble it caused me.(Check out this post for my account of writing and editing while suicidal.) When I finished The Fling I hated it. Not, the work or the characters, I love both, but I hated my relationship to the book itself. Its creation reminded me of a very, very bad time in my life. But I sucked it up and went on with things, wrote some more, what have you.

At one point I told my live-in-lifemate that I had a feeling that readers would like The Fling the most. A few months later I saw my publisher and she confirmed that The Fling was doing very well indeed. Not that my other books were doing poorly, The Fling was just doing better. A year later, that's still the case.

My life just goes that way. When I don't like something, other people love it.

So what does this all mean? Hell if I know. Does writing while suicidal work? I guess though I don't recommend it and I'm sure I don't want to go down that path again. But I do know that as an author what I think about my work on a personal level will most likely not match up with what the readers think. In the fall my new short, Forever Yours, Eileen which I think is the best thing I've written so far, will be out. We'll see what readers have to say or if they even give it a chance. Here's my favorite review of The Fling to date.

By the way, The Fling is still for sale.

----

Misc. Update : Here's what I'm working on now/what's coming up from me.
Edits for At Her Feet which will be released in September
then I'll be writing a hetero novella
then I'll be writing a lesbian novella
AND THEN I'll be writing a hetero novel
Two lesbian shorts of my lesbian shorts will be released in September
Another lesbian short of mine will be released in October.
then I'll get around to writing the next book in the Vampire Sorority Series.

Sorry I'm taking my sweet ass time. Also take all the writing portions with a grain of salt. Sometimes I say things I don't mean. 

5 Favorites Blog Hop

Gimme 5!

Beverly Diehl cornered me at romance writers' meeting a few weeks ago, put me in a headlock and told me if I didn't do this block hop that she would confess awful secrets of mine to the whole world. She's so mean. 

Of course I'm kidding. We're hopping around the blogesphere (is that how you spell it) sharing our favorite books. Our 5 favorites to be exact. It was hard to choose, but I think I did an okay job.  Here my top 5(7)

Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister by Gregory Maguire

This retelling of Cinderella was a pleasant surprise. This is a story of a family of women struggling to survive. It feels like the story is set in medieval (I think) Holland. The step-mother in this tale is left penniless with two daughters, one of which suffers from some kind of mental retardation. She remarries to keep herself and her daughters off the streets. Cinderella is somewhat of a spoiled brat. It's a good time.

I read this book right after a break up, when I was dead broke and about to move back to New Hampshire to live with my dad. I remember clearly sitting on my balcony one afternoon, because my power had been cut off and it was too dark inside my apartment, reading this book and completely forgetting about my troubles. I think that's exactly what a book should do, transport you to another place. I know Wicked is Maquire's most famous book, but this is by far my favorite of his. 

A Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

This is the fifth book in the Outlander Series, I'll skip the plot summary because at this point in the series you're more following along with the family. This was the first book in the series that made me sob. Like raining buckets on my face. The first chunk of the book is brutal because it's almost a real time retelling of a single day, but the rest of the book tore my heart out.






Baby by Patricia MacLachlan

A Tale of a baby in a basket. Who doesn't love a little small town story about a baby in a basket. But really, I read this book in 7th grade and kept the copy that I "borrowed" from my teacher. I still have it. Sorry Mr. A. I loved Larkin's voice. She was a kid I could relate to, but what I really loved about this book was how it didn't sugar coat death and loss and trauma. Toward the end of the book Larkin's teacher talks about the death of her brother and reads a "Dirge Without Music" by Edna St. Vincent Millay to the class. I memorized this scene and recited it to make it to the finals of our school's oral interpretation contest. I think it was one of the few times I really applied myself academically. In hindsight, I think this was a time when my own family was really starting to change and as a kid, this was a story I could really hold on to.

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty/Beauty's Punishment/Beauty's Release by Anne Rice writing as A.N. Roquelaure

Sleeping Beauty is awoken and swept off to a BDSM training camp in a nearby kindgom. There is a for real fairy tale ending. Uh... I'll just leave these here.

Always and Forever by Beverly Jenkins

Picking a favorite among Beverly Jenkins's books was hard. Really hard. I read a book of hers and I love it and then I move on to the next one and then I love it. Always and Forever for me is one of her most complete stories, not just a romance, but an adventure and a story of personal growth and love. Jackson and Grace come together as they wrangle a group of prospective brides to head out to the Kansas Territory. Jenkins writes hilarious interactions between the women and an amazing Western for Jackson and Grace once they fall in love. And it ends the way I want nearly all romances to end. You'll have to read it to see what I mean. It's corny, but I love it. 



And here's the reserve list because 5 books is just ridiculous.

Vows, Years, and Morning Glory all by LaVyrle Spencer 
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Fledgling and Kindred by Octavia Butler
Witches by Raul Dahl
Night Song by Beverly Jenkins
Voyager and A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward
Split by Mel Bossa
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

Now you! Tell me some of your favorite titles in the comments. I need more books to read! 


Next week check out the faves for some of my favorite author friends. 

Jeffrey Ricker
'Nathan Burgoine
A.C. Mason
Ambrielle Kirk
Felice Fox

 They'll keep this hopping right along. :)

Day 993: Crowd Participation: UPDATE!

Hey, I need opinions. I'm writing a short story about an existing couple, but I can't decide which couple to pick. What do you guys think? Should I write about Ginger & Camila, Benny & Cleo, or Annie & Oksana? I'm going to decide by Friday 3/ 8/1. Please help. Gimme your opinions in the comments below. Please. Help.

Update: I've gotten feedback everywhere (facebook/tumblr/twitter), but here. Was it something I said??

Here's the tally so far.

Annie & Oksana (The Fling): 9
Ginger & Camila ( Better Off Red): 8
Benny & Cleo (Blacker Than Blue): 4

Ginger and Camila took it!
Final Tally:
Ginger & Camila: 14
Annie & Oksana: 9
Benny & Cleo: 4
Looks like I have a sexy short about Ginger and her Mila to write. :)

Day 975: VAMPIRE BITE BLOG HOP

I'd like to say thank you to the amazing Jolie Du Pre for opening the invitation to join this amazing hop.

It's fitting that this hop would fall on Valentine's Day. So far my vampires are hopelessly in love. They kick ass when they need to, but the love their humans so much that some times they don't have time to crack heads and this is where I've run into a problem. Well maybe not a problem. Something to consider that would make my books even better.

I read my reviews. I most certainly believe that reviews are for other readers, so I don't and would never respond to them, but recently a reader left a review that got me thinking. Maybe my vampires are too nice. The other night, while up in bed this is how I pictured them with their humans.

Camila and Ginger

Cleo and Benny

I need less of this ^^^ and more of this. -->

 

Camila and Cleo are bad ass. Both would throw down in a heartbeat, but I think I love them so much and I love them SOOO much with Ginger and Benny that I forget sometimes that they are vampires. This is the tricky part about writing paranormal romance. I'm turned off by violence, but it's different when it's being committed by the undead. I've never been courted by a violent vampire before. I mean I have violence in both Better Off Red and Blacker Than Blue. One college student didn't live through it all and there was mention or rape and suicide and other violent acts. People get choked. Benny and Cleo have a rather unpleasant and scarring run in with a very powerful demon, but there wasn't enough carnage. WELL THIS STOPS NOW!

My vampires are blood thirsty and better yet, they do live in a world, our world, that is speckled with very evil humans. In my next book, Soul to Keep, I'm turning things around. The body count will rise, IN DETAIL. People will be killed. There might be a possession and an exorcism, even though I hate exorcisms. Feelings will be hurt and not to spare my own. There will be a vampire fight scene. Maybe even a throw down between a vampire and a human (not maybe. definitely. i already outlined it).

I have mixed feelings about Tokyo, my next vampire. She's a total dick. But she is also bad ass and this time I am determined to let her crack some skulls. Well, more skulls that Camila and Cleo have thus far cracked. 

The Vampire Sorority Sisters Series is for sale now from Bold Strokes Books.

 

ps. i looked for a picture of a demonic looking vampire and was hit was 1000 results of Edward Cullen and the guys from Vampire Diaries. What a world! :)

Day 934: NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP

It seems I've been tapped for The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. YAY!

The purpose of the hop is to find out what an author is working on and next and maybe get linked to authors you aren't familiar with to hear about their next project. Yvonne Heidt and Jeffrey Ricker.  I feel special :) So here's what I'm working on next. 

What is the working title of your book? 

Soul To Keep: Vampire Sorority Sisters: Book 3

 

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Vampire Sorority Sisters: Book 1 and 2 :)

 

What genre does your book fall under? 

Erotica Paranormal Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Jill in my head is Fefe Dobson and Miyoko/"Tokyo" is model/actress Sayaka Isoyama

 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

What would you do if finding the love of your life meant sacrificing your soul?

What is the longer synopsis of your book?


Oh, I haven't written it yet. I hate synopsisessss. Essentially, after seventy years as a vampire, Tokyo meets the one human who only wants her for her body, with out the aide of a blood bond. In order to win over college junior, Jill,  Tokyo must face her past and the crippling PTSD she suffered as a human during World World II. She must show Jill her true personality and expose herself to an evil that could kill them both.

 

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?


Hopefully my publisher, Bold Strokes Books, will be into it.

 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Uh, eight weeks? Let's go with eight weeks.




Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Jill popped up up in book two as such a vivid character. She's sweet, but so annoying and I love her. I knew her and Tokyo could be an amazing couple if they could get over some crucial issues. Throw in some vampire sex and well, you know.

 

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?


Murder? I'm going to kill some people in this book. :) There will also be some fun sex.

That's all I got.

 

Next Wednesday check out Zoe Archer's blog and read up on her next big thing!

Day 933

It's my favorite time of the year. The Lesbian Fiction Appreciation Event is here! Katie Babs over at Babbling About Books and More has invited folks from around the publishing world to talk their love of lesbian fiction. My post will be up tomorrow. Eeek! I'll do my best to update this post everyday with each new link, but here's what's up so far.

Storm Moon Press
Lucy Felthouse
Elizabeth Thorne
Leigh Ellwood
Julie Du Pre
Rebekah Weatherspoon <---- thats me!
Jill Sorenson 

Day 922

BOOK BIRTHDAY SURPRISE! 

 

Blacker Than Blue is now available in paperback and ebook from Bold Strokes Books. Go ahead, spend your holiday money. Load that ereader. :)

Day 911

Women and Words Holiday Hootenany is going strong. Today a copy of The Fling is up for grabs with a bunch of other BSB books. Go now! Win things!

Also - On Friday Better off Red and Blacker Than Blue were put up for grabs over on Smuketeers.com. I didn't post about it because I was pretty much in fetal position all day. I'm pretty sure they are still available to head over there for a chance to win my vamp books as well.

Day 907

Suzy and Pilar finally have a cover! 

 

 

Let me stop with the finally. I wrote this thing over the summer and it already has a cover. That's some DAMN FAST turn around if you ask me. Yes, At Her Feet is a BDSM erotic romance, but the cover works very well for these characters. This story is more about emotional submission... and spankings, than floggers and crops and chains. I wanted to stay away from handcuffs or crops and the like. Suzy and Pilar are both pretty femme and Suzy, like myself, loves pink. EVERYTHING'S PINK! My publisher was nice enough to listen to all of my pink related begging. :)  I'll report back as soon as they have a release date. Here are my leading ladies if you need a reminder.

Day 900

Lots of news! Events! Awards! News! News! News!

I'll go with the part where you can win free stuff. Though, it's all pretty good.  

Starting today (DECEMBER 5th) the awesome ladies over at Smuketeers are kicking off their 12 Days of Xmas Holiday Extravaganza.

Head on over to check out holiday fun with 64 amazing romance authors, myself included. We're giving away books, too. I'll be tweeting when my day is up, but go over there now. NOW!

 --

Starting Wednesday, December 12, 2012, Women and Words will be kicking off their 2012 Holiday Hootenanny. Everyday readers can enter to win a book from a list of great LGBT romance authors. I'll be featuredd on Day 5, giving away a copy of The Fling. 

--

On Thursday, January 10, 2013 I'll be participating in Book'd in Burbank, a literary social event. I'll be reading from Better Off Red. If that doesn't bring you running, there will a comedy MC, drinks and desserts. :) The drinks and desserts are what got me on board. Check out more here, courtesy of Liz D.

--

 

And lastly, the news that has me super pumped.

Elisa Reviews announced the winners of the Rainbow Awards over the weekend and TWO of my books won awards.

1st Place: BEST DEBUT LESBIAN NOVEL/BOOK - Better Off Red

2nd Place: BEST LESBIAN EROTIC ROMANCE - The Fling

2nd Place (tie): BEST LESBIAN PARANORMAL/HORROR- Better Off Red

This is amazing because so many fantastic books were nominated, books I absolutely loved. I inhaled Meghan O'Brien's The Night Off and Awake Unto Me by Kathleen Knowles. I almost cried during Robin Silverman's reading of Lemon Reef. To be included is such an honor.

I'm particularly excited about Better Off Red's win for debut novel. An author can only win that type of award once in their career and to win it for a book and characters that are so close to my heart is both humbling and encouraging. 

For the complete list of winners and honorable mention recommendations check out click HERE.

I'll post again soon. There is cover art for At Her Feet in the works... ♥

Day 862

You'd think I'd forgotten all about this blog. Ha. I didn't. I've just been busy. I'll skip the details and jump right to the news.

Blacker Than Blue is days away from going to press. I had a hell of time editing it and I have to say I think I could write at least four stories for Benny and Cleo. I love them as a couple. :) In January, right before its release, I'll be doing a book/t-shirt giveaway, so keep your eyes peeled if you like winning stuff.

Once that was done and off to the magical land of paperbacks and ebooks, I finished my first/final round of revisions of At Her Feet. If you've been following my blog, you might be asking what At Her Feet is. Well, my publisher was happy to buy Suzy & Pilar off my hands, but after batting some ideas around, we went with a title change. At Her Feet should be out some time near fall 2013. I think. I'll report back when I know for sure.

And that's it, really. I'm working on some non-romance related things. I might take a class. You're never too old to further your education. When I get back to the romancing, I have two hetero romances I want to write and then there's the next Vampire Sorority Sister novel to research, write and then beg my publisher to buy. I'll report back when I have concrete plans. In the meantime, Happy NaNoWriMo for everyone participating. I'll leave you with Melanie Fiona's Stop My Heart. I heard it in Crate&Barrel last week and now I'm obsessed with her. ♥
 

Day 797

I love having guests especially when it means I don't have to vaccuum or do the dishes. Ruth Diaz is stopping by today to talk about sex and her new novella The Superheroes Union: Dynama. EVERYONE BE NICE!

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The Elephant in the Room: Sex in Writing and Cultural Baggage

I'll never forget telling my mother that I had decided to write romance, or possibly just erotic fiction. She didn't say anything supportive about it, though she was supportive of the attempt. Instead, she made a request. She asked me to write under a pseudonym. This isn't as harsh as it may sound. For one thing, erotic romances and other erotic fiction are often written under a pseudonym. I had already decided to use a different name for this type of writing. For another thing, well, my mother was born in the middle of the last century in the middle of the Midwest in the middle of nowhere. There were only five students in her graduating class. She did not have what you'd think of as a cosmopolitan upbringing, and even if her attitudes toward sex don't much reflect that anymore, her brothers and sisters and parents send nieces and nephews have all grown from the same roots.

Sex is one of those subjects you don't discuss between generations, let alone in a coed environment. Probably not even in an all-female environment, not without blushing and speaking from behind a concealing a hand, or perhaps in the context of humor. It wasn't that she wanted to restrict what I might write. But she never wanted to be in the position of having to explain it to our extended family.

Sex is a part of life. Most of us admit it, even in my small-town, Midwestern, extended family. As a matter of fact, we're bombarded by sexual imagery in media and advertising on a day-to-day basis. We don't necessarily discuss that with other people, but most of us don't deny it. On good days, we aren't even embarrassed by it unless someone actually implies we're having sex. (Even if we are.)

 I am sex-positive. I respect and understand the choices of people prefer not to consider themselves that way. But I, personally, am sex-positive. Writing sex scenes does not automatically reflect sex-positivity, though, any more than admitting that sex is perfectly natural means my relatives are comfortable discussing it. One of the challenges I faced in writing The Superheroes Union: Dynama was writing from a sex-positive point of view while staying true to my heroines...neither of whom considers herself sex-positive.

 In the end, I decided the most sex-positive thing I could do for the story was address sex as realistically as possible, despite some of the underlying wish-fulfillment that makes romance what it is. My heroines talked to each other about safer sex--maybe later than they should have! They didn't use sex toys, not because they had any reason not to, but because Dynama's twins found the one in her underwear drawer when they were four, with predictably bad results, and she decided to do without until they were old enough to understand privacy.

Both my heroines see their bodies as flawed, because body image in Western culture tends to be so artificial right now, very few women measure up to their own expectations. But they see each other as beautiful, each taking joy in the other's body, even if neither is sure she takes joy in her own. Dynama's superhero costume covers her from neck to ankles, and the only character who runs around with a superhero emblem on her boobs is the Invincible Woman, who deliberately put it there as a target.

 In the end, I didn't break any new ground for portrayals of sex in fiction in The Superheroes Union: Dynama, and my relatives still mostly don't ask about that romance they knew I was writing. But I've refused to pretend there's no sex in it; and I've managed to give both my heroines full ownership of their bodies, their sexual preferences, and their sex lives.

 In a dreadful social moment in the US where everything from men's hair product commercials to the Republican Party's 2012 platform is trying to take women's sexuality and place it firmly in the hands of men, that may just be the most sex-positive thing I could do.

How do you feel about sex in romance, and does that have any relationship to how you feel about sex in the rest of your life? And seriously, has any woman seen that Axe commercial with the dismembered boobs and disembodied hair and not wanted to throw something at her television? Visit my blog for the swag giveaway! Comment to win a Superheroes Union totebag or T-shirt.

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What if your evil ex really was evil? TJ Gutierrez used to be a superhero. But after the birth of her twins seven years ago, she hung up the yellow spandex. Until the day her archenemy and ex-husband, Singularity, breaks out of prison. When it becomes clear he’s after the kids, she’s forced to call the nanny helpline—and once again become...Dynama! Annmarie Smith doesn’t have a superpower. She saves the world by keeping kids safe while their parents fight evil. She temporarily moves in with TJ, and the way the magnetic mama puts family first captures Annmarie’s respect, and maybe her heart—even though she knows better than to fall for a superhero. Still, it’s hard to resist their wicked chemistry. Kapow! But they can only hide from the world for so long. When Singularity’s quest for custody puts the kids’ lives in danger, can the two women conquer the evil villain and save TJ’s family—all before their first date? The Superheroes Union: Dynama is available from Carina Press. You can read an excerpt here. Carina Press store | Amazon.com | BarnesandNoble.com

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Ruth Diaz writes genre romances about non-mainstream relationships. She hides a number of publications in a different genre under another name, but The Superheroes Union: Dynama is her first romance publication. For more information, you can subscribe to her blog, like her on Facebook, or follow @RuthDiazWrites on Twitter (where she is most active and, well, opinionated).

Day 758

First let me say, I'm having trouble picking a Tokyo/Miyoko for my Vampire Sorority Series. Check out this post here if you want to give me your two pennies worth of opinion. I need feedback people.

Updates!!!! Here's where I've been. Here's what I've been doing.

- The Advocate Magazine asked lil old me to contribute to this month's I Advocate section. Seeing myself in a magazine period is amazing. Being featured in The Advocate is just mind blowing. Pick up a copy on newsstands now. :) 

- I was also featured over at Romance Cooks, sharing a recipe that always makes me think of my vampire queen Camila from Better Off Red. Check it out. Make some cookies.

- I'm taking FOREVER to edit Suzy & Pilar. I'm not under a deadline with it so I'm taking my sweet ass time. Eeeep.

- Next week (July 25, and 26) I'll be loitering at the annual RWA conference in Anaheim. If you're there and you see me, say hi. I'm wicked nice. Really.

- I also realized that I missed the two year mark for this blog. Ooops. I'll do a big TWO YEAR post soon. Feel free to listen to my new favorite song while you wait.