Saturday, May 09, 2009

Reviews, Trophies, and My New Book Trailer

I just experienced every author's dream. One of the many. It's also a fab Mother's Day gift. Priscilla Petty at Night Owl Romance awarded the reviewer top pick and 5 out of 5 stars to Night of the Senses. She also had these kind words. "Night of the Senses is a romp through BDSM paradise as these authors pool together to share some of their deepest and erotic fantasies of this exciting lifestyle. Each author masterfully tells a tale that will have you twisting and turning in your seat, and I dare you to choose a favorite. But don’t take my word for it-go out to get NIGHT OF THE SENSES today." My story is entitled "Welcome to Paradise" and focuses on the sense of hearing. I'm thrilled with each and every fantastic review like this. It inspires me to keep writing and to bring new characters to life. I don't understand my younger daughter, however. Yesterday morning she received a beautiful trophy, tall and shiny gold and silver, for a great season of playing softball. She was called onto stage in front of all her fellow players and their parents, and they made a big deal over her. She told me later, "I don't want another trophy. I already have 40. I don't have anywhere to put them." I jumped on that. We should take kudos where and whenever it is given. We should respond gracefully and gratefully. There will be many times in life where we get just the opposite or nothing at all. Personally, I'm grateful to be paired with such a group of talented authors, to have a publisher who supports us by sending our books for review, by having an entire romance reading community that appreciates us. In return gratitude, I will say a huge THANK YOU to Priscilla and Night Owl Romance, my publisher, my editor, my fellow authors, and to all my readers. I also wish to thank all the mother figures in my life (my mom, my mother-in-law, and my aunts), my daughter-in-law, and all my friends, cousins, colleagues, and readers who are mothers for making our world so loving and wonderful. I hope all of you have a wonderful day. My hubby is umpiring at a big softball tournament so he won't be here but my kids are planning something "special". I don't know what yet but I'll give an update tomorrow. Oh! And I have another wonderful Mother's Day gift. My story "Charity's Auction" is being released Monday May 11th as part of the "Caught in the Middle" anthology at Total-E-Bound. I just made the book trailer below for Charity's Auction. Click on the picture or text link to view. Let me know what you think. :) View this montage created at One True Media Charity's Auction by Ashley Ladd You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Taking Chances

I have another new book releasing tomorrow, just in time for Valentine's Day. And today is my second child's 27th birthday. So I have a lot to celebrate even if I feel like I'm in a time warp being old enough to have a 27 year old son. Worse, I also have a 28 year old son. You know what I mean. As a romance writer and lover, every day is a day full of love and romance for me. I don't need one special day to celebrate, although I still love it. That's why when I heard about the Valentine's Day anthology at Total-E-Bound.com I had to join in. What better way to give back to my chosen profession? A Valentine's collection of secret liaisons... A long-time secret admirer of star pitcher Blake, geeky nerd Wes asks Blake to make him over into his fantasy man - for someone else. Geeky nerd Wes Donovan has a secret crush on Blake Kircherner, star pitcher of his baseball team. Unfortunately, the only time Blake seems to notice him is when he's making the last out for their team and losing another game. With Valentine's Day and the team's annual Valentine's Day party coming up, he can't stand the thought of going dateless again. So he asks Blake to make him into a new man and help him make their coach Clay, jealous. In reality, Blake's the one he hopes to make jealous and to win after he's transformed into Blake's fantasy man.

Night of the Senses

Determined to live life by her own rules, Jordan's more than ready to devour two yummy men, what her religious father thinks, be damned. Eager to escape the bitter cold of the frigid Northwest and especially her strict, overzealous religious father, Jordan seeks a new life in sunny Florida at a resort called Paradise. When she meets the proprietors, Evan and Chris, she's ready to try new, titillating things with the yummy pair, even blindfolded BDSM and especially ménage a trois. She reasons that if the men in her father's religion can have more than one wife, she certainly can have more than one husband.

In "Welcome to Paradise" which is part of the "Night of the Senses" anthology, I've really pushed the limits. Of course it's BDSM and MMF which not long ago was REALLY pushing my limits. No, I mean something else. What I mean is I took a chance with the heroine's characterization and her father's. I could make enemies. I thought about changing it, toning it down, to make it more politically correct. My editor said she really likes it as is. I hope the majority of my readers will. I fully expect at least one or two to be put off. But living life means taking chances - my life anyway. How often do you push the envelope? All the time? Ever? Wouldn't life be boring if we never did? You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)