Can't Touch This

The first time… ahhhh. We write about it all the time. Well. Not the first time, first time. I mean the first time two people come together in an intimate, sexual way. It’s charged, it’s scary, and it’s exciting. You get the picture. Most erotic romances capture and celebrate that wild, hot, clumsy, gritty, sweet, first encounter. We thrive on that kind of energy as authors.

The ‘first time’ is my favorite scene in a book to write. I build plot around it. I use it to reveal character, to change characters beliefs, I mean it can move mountains for cripes’ sake. I love it so much I added an additional man to Brithright just to have a second ‘first time’ in the book. (okay… that’s a lie, but you get my point) The first time is hawt, even when it’s a disaster for the characters.

Okay, you say. So what?

Well. I was at the magazine rack again yesterday. I know. I know. Keep the red head away from the Cosmo. I know they piss me off, but I just can’t help picking them up and reading all the so-called sex advice they contain. OMG It makes me scream. I have growled at them in the grocery line. Innocent bystanders have been frightened.

This time it was Glamour… I think. I’ll go look it up if anyone really cares. I did not buy it. They had a survey of the “Things that drive men crazy” or some such sensational title. I thumbed through it… and it was a survey of over 30 thousand men. Wow, I thought, a real significant sample size. The questions were better than usual. Cool. This is promising. Then I got blind-sided by one little thing.

The questions wasn’t that odd. It was one of the answers that threw me into a tizzy this time. The question: What is the one thing a woman can do your first time together that will turn you off?

The answers made sense, at first… The first one was spanking me. I get it. That could easily be a little too aggressive. No problem. The second answer was playing with his back door. I get that too. It’s not every man's ideal fun.

Then there it was - the thing that about 7% of this 30+ thousand man survey do not like their women to do on the first sexual encounter?

TOUCH HIS TESTICILES - Yep that’s it.

Why? Or actually, why not? In Beware of the Cowboy, the ‘first time’ scene starts with a big long BJ. My heroine spends a good amount of time with the ‘boys’. I ponder and still - I do not get it.

I asked Hot Body… he didn’t get it either. But apparently it's true. If you make the statistical extrapolation to the rest of the population, a little less than 10 percent of men DO NOT like their balls to be fondled the first time out.

I would have never, ever guessed that. You?
Food for confusion this Wednesday....


Kiss Kiss
~Mari

What's In A Cover?

A lot of hard work i'll tell you.

I have the good fortune of having Kendra Egert to do all my cover art for my Pentacles of Magick series with Phaze. Thank you Kendra!!!

I'm busy working on writing book 4 and already planning the promotion of it including an ad in the Romantic Times Magazine. Said ad is due in a couple of days so I decided to sit down with my concept in my head and try to create something in Photoshop.

Are you laughing yet? You probably should be. My skills are no where near the level of the amazingly talented Kendra but I do tend to get by when designing some basics.

A few weeks back I found what I thought to be the perfect couple for book 4 of the series and knew for certain then I would be incorporating them. Since this series will also be coming out in print I decided to take a trip to the local bookstore and do some major observations on book covers of all the bestsellers in Romance.

Tastes vary widely in covers, I get that, yet time and time again surveys prove that a good cover can make a difference in sales. Its not all that goes into the buying decision obviously but it can be a deciding factor in even getting the reader to pick it up off the shelf to check out more or keep on walking. Or for you ebook lovers (ME!)the cover might get you to click on a book at your favorite online retailer that you might have passed on by otherwise. We have to face it, cover art is crucial.

So without further ado, I shall show you my concept cover that I gave to the cover artist.





And then what the artist came up with.



Isn't she fabulous? I'm lucky I tell ya. Real damn lucky!

Eliza

Movies That Are As Good As The Book. And Movies That Aren't.

Movies based on books usually suck. That's the subject of today's blog in a nutshell. So if you're in a hurry, just a quick stop to see what I'm blathering about today, that's it. Now, notice I said usually, so there are notable exceptions. And, (I love to make sweeping generalizations and then qualify them to death), and when I say suck I really mean they're not as good as the book. This is more of a rant than an actual, bona fide blog. See it all started because my kids have been on a Jurassic Park kick. And now they've remade Brideshead Revisted, which is based on a great book by Evelyn Waugh. Read it. Skip the movie. I am.


Let's start with my personal exceptions. Because this blog is about my likes and dislikes. I can't speak for anyone else's. Anyway, exceptions to the don't suck rule: To Have and Have Not. This was Bogey and Bacall's first movie together. You know, "Just put your lips together and blow." Damn, I love this movie. These two were so freaking hot you believed they were doing the nasty when the camera discretely panned away. Hell, I wanted to do Lauren Bacall after I saw this movie. She was HAWT. Okay, back to the subject, this movie is LOOSELY based on Ernest Hemingway's book of the same name. Note the emphasis through capitalization. Because the movie has almost nothing in common with the book except the title. The book sucked. I'm not a big Hemingway fan. Actually I'm not any kind or size of Hemingway fan. Have you read Hemingway? Yeah, exactly. I haven't read all of his books, I'm not that masochistic. But I can say that every book of his I have read I'm pretty much rooting for the main characters to die a grisly death as soon as possible and end my torture. The movie, (see, bringing it back around to the subject again) is good. Lots of atmosphere, great dialog, sexual tension out the wazoo, Bacall's awesome hair, Hoagy Carmichael on the piano. Seriously, they couldn't go wrong.


Next exception to the movie sucks/book is better phenomena: The Grapes of Wrath. Okay, in this case, I loved the book. Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath is a stunning novel, socialist/communist propaganda that it is. I think everyone should read this book. But the movie is equally great. It veers from the book slightly. John Ford, the director, could hardly show a new mother nursing a starving old man on film in 1940, but it more than holds its own. As a matter of fact, Steinbeck thought the movie was better than his book. But the star here really is Henry Fonda. He, the actor, is consumed by the character of Tom Joad. In my opinion it is one of the best film performances of all time. And John Carradine does a fairly amazing turn as Casey, as well. A fabulous, highly recommended film.


There are some books that have been adapted for the small screen very well, and I'll include those as exceptions to the book to movie rule. Examples here include the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth, which had its own appeal aside from Mr. Firth. I think this was the closest of any adaptation of this classic work to Austen's original intent. Another excellent miniseries based on a book was A Town Like Alice, starring Bryan Brown. This is a very complex book by Nevil Shute about an English girl captured by the Japanese during WWII who survives a Japanese "death march." She befriends an Australian soldier, also a POW, and he protects her. It is a wonderfully understated book about war, sacrifice and love, one of my favorites of all time. And the miniseries really does this book justice.



Okay, I've discussed a few examples of movies based on books that didn't suck (i.e. they were not worse than the book.) Now let's get down to the trash talk. Movies that didn't hold a birthday candle to the books they were based on. The first may shock you. It's Jurassic Park. Hey, I loved that movie when I first saw it. Okay, I STILL enjoy watching it. But the book was better. When I saw this movie I turned to my roommate and said Wow! What a great movie. She shrugged and said, Eh, it was okay, but the book was better. I was all like, no way, the book cannot be better than that. So she lent me the book. I read it in one sitting. That book knocked me on my ass. She was right! Amazing. I don't think any movie based on a Michael Crichton book compares at all to the books. Same goes for John Grisham books gone Hollywood. But the worst Crichton book gone to movie, ala Spielberg, was The Lost World. The hero of that book was the heroine, Dr. Malcolm's girlfriend, who saved his sorry ass over and over (I can't remember her name. Oops.) But was that good enough for Hollywood? Hell, no! They had to make her a screaming mimi who gets her bacon saved by the brainiac. Whatever. Bite me. Hated that movie. Although Jeff Goldblum is one of those geeks you love to love. He can talk my head off in bed anytime he wants.

I don't even go to movies based on books I like anymore. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? No freakin' way, man. Actually, to be honest, I don't go to the movies at all anymore. I just don't have time. When I have free time I'd rather spend it reading. For obvious reasons.


Okay, for those keeping track, I actually talked more about exceptions to the rule than actual bad movies based on good books. Go figure. I remember the ones I liked better than the ones I didn't. Huh. This blog really had no point, anyway. So, in summation I say again, Read the book. Skip the movie. (I like to end with a sweeping generalization to incite lively discussion. And some man candy.)

When the good girl is away...

I come in and snatch her halo. hahahaha Don't tell her it was me.

Since Lissa is away in Florida this week and unable to make it in to blog, I thought I would sneak in and say a few words. hmm Problem is I got nothing. lol

I am grateful it's almost the weekend. It's been an exhausting work week. Comic Con started yesterday in California and all the reports coming in are killing me. (Did you see Barb Vey on the bat bike yet?) I had a last minute invitation to the Con but unfortunately could not get a flight out. For a few minutes there I thought I was going to get a chance to meet my Master, Joss Whedon. How exciting that would have been. Four days of total fan girldom. sighs.

I did however make it to see The Dark Knight this week. Wow. Heath Ledger was amazing as the Joker and I really liked the movie a lot. I've always been a fan of the Batman movies but I have to say this latest series with hottie Christian Bale is fast becoming my favorite.

So I will just leave you with some fun pics and hopefully Lissa will be back next week with a much better blog. lol

Making a list.... and keeping it!

Guess What? That’s right. It’s Wednesdays With Mari Time again! I know you can’t stand the excitement of it all. I’ll give you a minute to compose yourself.

Okay, ready?

Because I'm writing again today and that means my mind is on the keyboard. Yep. I said it. WORK! Writing is hard WORK! Your friends may not believe it, but you know it's true.
Anyway…




Eliza blogged this week about her great Savannah experience surroundings inspired her new vamp series. She mentioned her scribbling on napkins toand how the document the evening and it got me thinking about just how many times it was a “location” and not a person that sparked the Plot Bunny for me. (For those of you who are not familiar- Plot Bunnies are the creatures that give us the first stroke of a painting that eventually becomes a story. They can be cute, fluffy creatures or big, toothy, angry monsters… but plot bunnies are essential to the process. The problem is they can be very elusive.)

I love to travel. I always have. As I’ve gotten older, it’s harder on me to be away from home, but I still love to go and experience. Scenery, people, and events from travels have turned up in all of my work. Recently, I haven’t done as good a job taking notes that would be helpful to my creative process or my tax documents, so I’m making a list of things I need to recreate from my memory, the photos and receipts from my travels.


For example, a couple of years ago, I got to spend the night on a haunted battleship. Now this was Halloween night on a haunted battleship. How freaking cool is that? Now the best part… I spent it in the company of real ghost hunters… you know some of the guys from TV and a real psychic.

It was heaven for a storyteller. We went on decks of that boat no one ever sees. I have photos of myself with the ghost hunters all done up with little forehead red lights, carrying video recorders and creeping though the ship. Geeky to see yourself that way in real life, but those images are perfection as character and plot fodder. Did I journal any of it? Write down those feelings and sensory inputs of running around an old stinky battleship in the dark while they were still fresh. Nope. I did not.

I counted on my memory and the photographs to be enough. I also thought I’d get to the story sooner. Never happened.

And here it is - three years later. I would love to write that story. I can pull out the photos, but I can’t remember the deck numbers… the Hunters’ names… the psychic’s name… the number of sailors that were killed when the hull was hit by the torpedo, or the details of a cool story the ships curator told me about a man that was decapitated in the torpedo room. That night, I heard a bunch of great stories about that ship and her crew that night, but I remember very few details. Oh, I don’t have to drone on here, do I? You get it. I didn’t write any of it down. A good bit of it’s gone forever.

None of the missing info will kill the story. I can make it all up. But, we all know that skirting reality strengthens a story incredibly. I could kick myself.

So, I’ve decided to help myself and make a checklist. Something to help me remember what to make note of and what may be important to a story later.

Yeppers, I’m a plotter by nature and I love a list that might help my process. And I’m sharing. I’m putting the basic’s here, but add what makes you remember.
I’m going to go back and do this for the several trips I’ve made this year. Hopefully, it will keep the impressions fresh for future use and document for Uncle Sam and his accountants all at the same time. Keep a copy in your tax folder.

Where are you?
The 50,000 foot view… from the plane and your first impression of the location.
Narrow it to the space your staying/visiting and who with.
Tell me some stories about it. Give some interesting experiences…people you’ve met…signs, store names, crap on the side of the road….whatever.

Who’s there?
What are the names of the people you’ve met. Can you contact them again if you need to?
What does it all mean to your creative process?
What kind of energy does this place have?
What kind of story would it support? Characters?

Money?
Where is your envelope for your receipts?

Anything I should add? I’ve tried to keep it open enough to cover almost every kind of trip or adventure.


And then there's this.....
Kiss Kiss
~Mari

And now for something a little different...

Okay, ya’ll know I’m not very good at this book trailer thing. So, I’ve been searching today and coming up with nada that appeals to me. I was about to give up, seriously, but, then thought about the books that I’m reading at the moment. Eliza got me to read J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I am enjoying them. Zsadist is my favorite, next to Butch and Phury.

Anyway, I went in search of some videos and found a lot of fan made ones using celebrities and popular music (and yes, wouldn’t we all love the chance to have books so coveted by fans that they can’t help but make tributes like these for us!!!). I had to laugh, though and decided that I would make these my choices for today. Most of them are rather long and some of the type casting is…a bit out there, but some of it I can clearly see...grins

Which brings me to my question of the day…if you have read these books and you have a favorite character or characters, who would you cast in the starring roles? I am going to have to think about this question myself and get back to ya’ll. For now though, enjoy!







I think this would be a fun series to see in movies…

Here’s my other question…do you have a favorite book that you’ve written that you’d love to see what a fan would do for a video in tribute to it? If so, which one…grins

Twenty-Four hour whirlwind

I have just returned home minutes ago from a crazy but fun twenty-four hours.

The kids have been gone for a month and it was time to bring them home. Plans were made to meet mom in Savannah and grab the kids. And since I have been dying to get to Savannah to do a little research, I decided to go the day before and see what I could learn in the way of research and drag Lissa with me since she was on her way to Florida.

Didn't get there as early as I wanted so I missed being able to take a Ghost Tour, but I did get to walk along the River, peering in the windows of the closed shops and admiring the architecture of the buildings. Several times I stood back and looked at the buildings, or the Riverboats or the suspension bridge and wondered how those things would fit into my new vampire series. Ideas flowed like water.

There were quite a few people out and about at 11:00 pm on a Sunday night and despite the oppressive humidity (I don't even sweat that much when I exercise), it was a great night for a walk.

Having missed dinner because of the drive, Lissa and I were starving and went in search of food. Not an easy thing to do that late night in historic Savannah it would seem. But we persevered and well, it paid off in a big way.

A nice woman invited us into her empty restaurant and bar, Mardi Gras on Bay, letting us know they were still serving food. We ended up with some great seafood and even better sweet tea. (which by the way is extremely important here in the South. Not just any old tea will do)

We told her we were there to research a book. Vampire romance in fact and she began to share some of the local haunted history and next thing we knew we were being shown to the haunted basement of the restaurant. She explained no matter what they did it was always freezing cold down there and despite there being nothing wrong with the electrical systems the ghost always messed with the lights and sound system down there. And she was right walking down there was like being in a walk in freezer. The only lights they could get to work consistently down there were the black lights. Can I just say creepy? With the brick walls and cobblestone floor it was just like something out of a great scary movie. I just thought it was cool. It seemed like the perfect place for a killer party.

Shortly thereafter the owner and chef Louis came in to chat with us and he too started to regal us with Savannah stories. I learned more about the history of this incredible city in three hours than I ever could have from reading a book. I have a napkin full of notes and the perfect setting for my vampires. Not to mentioned a renewed sense of pride in the true hospitality of the south. I know they stayed open later than they intended to but they never let on they were anxious for us all to leave. They chatted with us and the other patrons who wandered in and out until we were ready to leave.

Their eagerness to share their city and their wonderful food and company make me anxious to return again soon when I can stay a little longer. Not to mention I regret not getting back there this morning to enjoy Louis' shrimp and grits, which he assured us would not be instant. lol

Now the kids and I have returned home and I must get back to work and a normal schedule. But it is amazing what a difference 24 hours can make.

Eliza

Code Blue, People

I'm brain dead. I just read Mari's and Lissa's blogs from this week. (I'm behind. Sorry.) They were great. Wonderful. Thoughtful. You guys suck. How am I supposed to follow that when I'm brain dead? I have nothing of value to say. Can I just whine for a couple of paragraphs? No?

Sigh. Okay. Why am I brain dead you ask? I am brain dead because this book I'm writing is taking everything I've got. No, it's not hard to write it. I'm not dragging each word out kicking and screaming after 36 hours of labor. Just the opposite. This book is pouring out. I'm eating, drinking, thinking this book 24/7. I'm up late trying to put it all down as fast as I can. I wake up with an, "Oh, man! That would be great in Chapter Five," moment. It's frickin' exhausting. Because I just came off that same roller coaster with another book.

I wrote an emotionally exhausting scene last night that made me cry. First time that ever happened to me. I'm hoping that the scene is that good, and it's not that I'm so tired or hormonal. Thankfully it was still that good today. Has this happened to a lot of you? I know Mari and I talked about it happening to her in one of her books. But that kind of shit is exhausting. (Have I mentioned how tired I am enough? Yes? No?)

(This picture is my inspiration for my current book)

I'm actually feeling a lot of anxiety over this book, in spite of the way it's flowing. The book is about characters from previous books that people know and love. I keep asking myself, is this book doing them justice? This is the story I've always planned for them, but is it the story the readers want? It's rather unsettling. I know that when I read a book in a series about previous beloved secondary characters and it falls flat it's a tremendous let down, more so than any stand alone book could be.

But I can't change the story, because it's their story. It's been their story from the first time I introduced them in my first book. Actually, it's a great story. I love my two heroes and my heroine in this book. (Okay, I say that about every book. But it's true!) I love that people are waiting for this book because they love the characters as much as I do. I'm conflicted. Do I sound conflicted? Or I'm having a breakdown, and these ramblings and paranoid episodes are part of it. It's all good.

Corset

I was talking to someone recently that has inspired me to create a character around him, or at least, part of him. I mentioned him last week at the end of my blog… His love of piercings was interesting to me. Quite honestly, 11 piercings on his cock were too much for me, but before he had 11, he had 3 and then 7. I told him that the one that I was inspired by most, that I was curious about most was the one with 7. He had no reason why, just that he wanted to and said, of course, that the women love the sensations…


In speaking with him about his piercings, I started thinking (yeah, I know, bad idea). Then, I read the Eden Bradley story in Hot Nights Dark Desires and was fascinated by the female character’s obsession and need for tats. This led me down another thought path (again, I know, really, I do…bad idea for me to be thinking this much).

I have never owned one, and have no recollection of when I became so fascinated, but…corsets. I love them. The different fabrics; leather, lace, satin, pvc, velvet. The variety of color. Everything. I’m afraid if I ever put one on, I’ll be obsessed and hooked.

I have slowly been working on a story with a girl that is interested in corset training. I have read up on some of it a while back. The process is a slow one so that the body can adjust and be re-shaped without damage to internal organs or broken bones. Waist size diminishes gradually, appetite as well.


Women have been wearing corsets for centuries. Men find them sexy on a woman, erotic; the enhanced breasts and cleavage, the hand-spanning waist, the feminine flair of hips.

As I look at images and fantasize and dream…another form of corset comes into view. It is not something I could ever do, but in looking at it in pictures and having seen it in person, I find it to be an incredible work of art. It is time consuming, it would be painful, but if done right, beautiful.


All of this is body modification, pure and simple. We change our bodies, add things, use our flesh as a canvas of self expression, sometimes in love, and sometimes in hate. We change our hair color, paint our nails, wear make up. In everything we do to ourselves, we’re expressing a piece of our personality, a piece of who we are. As writers, we take this a step further because we express not only physically sometimes, but always through words.

What body mods do you have? Do you have your belly, nipples, or clit hood pierced? Do you know anyone with a cock piercing? What about your tongue, lip, eyebrow, nose?

Do you have tats? I don't. Not yet anyway. I am curious about them and have been thinking lately where I might like to have one and what I would like it to be.

But, my fetish...the corset. If I sell to EC, or Samhain, I can see a corset in my future. I would like a closet full, or at least a coat closet full of them...to me they simply say 'feminine' in a way nothing else does.

~lissa

The View From Above

Morning... It’s Wednesday's with Mari time once again... and today I’m treading back into the mind of a writer to discuss the view from Above.

Last night, Hot Body and I were discussing the trailer that Sam blogged about. It was pretty, but not so informative. We went and looked over some of the other videos Harper Collins have on their website. And I have to say, that given their resources as a publisher, most of them missed by a mile.

I drabbled on and on about the production quality of the trailers. I like this one’s use of images and the music in that one. Bla Bla Bla. HB gave me that crosswise look of his and asked me to show him my favorite trailers… two of them. I did. And, of course, one of the two was Alex Sokoloff’s trailer for The Price. I love this trailer…

HB asked my why.
"It moves me," I answered.

He said, “No, baby. Alex’s trailer boils the story down to a universal truth that we all can identify with… The fear of losing someone you love and what you would do to save them.” The trailer does what we all work so hard to do for our Blurbs, Synopsis and our Pitches… It wraps up the real meaning of the story in a very universally understandable way in a 60 second trailer!

Brilliant! Entertaining!

And damn near impossible to do! HB is a photographer. He looks through a camera lens and makes a moment to express something profound about his subject. He is used to narrowing the broad into the singular and making a beautiful statement from it. This is one of his shots…. He has made a very definite statement. I love universal meaning here. Not sex, kids, but very understandable and identifiable by the viewer.

What he asked me to do is very similar. What is your story about? Not the adventures of the heroine, not the trappings of the plot, but what is the universal truth of the story and your character, the thing that every reader can identify with and hold up as a motivator in their lives or mirror into their soul?

I spent hours putting plot and character into Birthright and he wants me to boil it down to 6 lines of text for a trailer that will be a universal truth that every reader can connect with on a deep level????? No problem! LOL But he’s right.

Now... How do we do this as authors? When we’re pitching a book, to sell, we put together cover letters with short blurbs and elevator pitches for our stories. We’re trying to show the tone, characterization, and the really cool plot all in an effort to get the editor or agents attention… but what are we leaving out? The actual meaning of the story.

So I have some work to do. I know what that is. It is a deep and personal thing for me. Why did I tell her story in the first place? For Liza in Beware of the Cowboy it was a very easy answer. Liza needed to trust. She needed to trust herself enough to trust her lover. There it is. Two short sentences. In 14 words I can sum up the universal truth of that book. That’s what that story meant. The rest is interesting, sexy and fun, but the story was about a woman that needed to learn to trust herself. Everyone will get that. It’s the view from above for the story.
The 50,000 foot view.


Now.. I have to do it for Keena and Birthright. Can you do it for your stories? It’s harder than you think. Can you find the universal meaning in books you love?

So... a good trailer will not only have pretty images and a good soundtrack, the best will also have the universal truth of the story that moves us, makes us want to buy the book.

Kiss Kiss
~Mari

October by Richard B. Wright

Hey, everybody! I'm back from the beach and doing my Trailer Trash thang. I actually can't post the video I picked, but I'm adding a link. I can't figure out how to do it, because this one is special.

It has come to my attention that HarperCollins Canada has set up their own production offices and is starting to do their own book videos. They plan to put out about 500 a year or so, mostly for online advertising. Pretty cool for HarperCollins authors. Anyway, here's the link to a list of book trailers on their site. I looked at a couple, and I was seriously impressed with the quality. Not a surprise as I'm sure they have a large budget and the facilities to use it wisely.

I chose October by Richard B. Wright. This video is so beautiful it made me ache inside. No kidding. I'm not sure what it's about. It seems to be a bittersweet family/romance saga. Not really my cuppa tea, but man oh man the video is amazing. The images they used were just stunning. There is this one shot of an elderly hand that is an amazing photograph. And some seaside pictures that are beautiful. The images are woven together so well, in a montage that includes some overlapping (I'm sure there's a technical term for that.)

The music is terrifically effective. I think HarperCollins has access to music beyond the usual sources online, ya think? Anyway, the music is evocative, romantic, stirring, just a fabulous accompaniment to the video.

So, go check out this video, please. It is that good. It's like a work of art in itself. I'm going to go watch it again.

See you on Friday.

I want some new INK!

I have been thinking about tattoos a lot lately. Thinking about where I want to get my next one.

I really want one on the top of my foot but that is my special place that is being reserved for when I sell to NY. That will be my big celebration.

So...

In the meantime I have a new idea. Last year I got a belly piercing and well, that didn't work out to well. It got snagged and never healed up properly and when I went in to the hospital for a week last November they made me take it out. In that week it healed over and now there is a not so great scar left behind. so I have all this beautiful belly jewelry that I cant wear anymore and I miss it.



So i'm thinking about tattoos and that belly scar and I thought why not get one around the belly button that will sort of blend in with that scar. It would be pretty and functional, I like that.

Now the quest begins to figure out what it will be. Lots of ideas swirling around and tonight I watched The History of Tattoos on the History channel and saw some of the coolest things.

Like, did you know there is invisible ultraviolet ink? Only to be seen under the black light? How cool would that be when you go to a club?

Even freakier...Ever thought about getting your eyeball inked? turning the entire white section of your eye a different color. Okay that totally freaked me out but still...

Right now I already have two tattoos. A large butterfly over my right shoulder (which actually used to be a cartoon devil that I had covered) and a small rose bud on my hip. This is not a new thing for me, because its hard to believe that it has been almost 20 years since I got my first one.

Now I watch LA Ink with my husband and see how trendy tattoo art has become yet it doesn't take away from how much I want more. In fact LA Ink is in West Hollywood and I have a trip in late September to the West Hollywood Book Fair. hmmmm Wonder how far in advance you need an appointment to get into Kat's place. Probably never. lol



Lest you think I have gotten completely off the subjects of books...nahhhh...I am currently reading Hot Nights, Dark Desires by Eden Bradley, Sydney Croft and Stephanie Tyler which includes an erotic story about Tattoos by the fabulous Eden Bradley. I highly recommend this entire book.




Do you have ink? Got any ideas for a smallish tattoo around a belly button?

And one last off topic plea.

It's round 8 at The Romance Studio Diva contest and OMG I am still in it. Please take a moment and go and vote by clicking on the banner below. Thank You!



Eliza

Beach Baby, Beach Baby . . .

So, I'm at the beach. It's why I missed blogging last week. I'm on dial-up here. Is it totally archaic, or is just me? I feel like I'm slogging through the digital stone age. Anyway, no pics for that reason. I promise extra next week.


Go check out Romance Novel TV. One of the books they're pimping this week is . . . (drum roll to ramp up the suspense. But not the scary drum roll. The cool, hip, Paul Schaffer (that guy who leads the band on David Letterman) kind of drum roll. Where were we? Oh, yeah, book they're pimping is . . . AT LOVE'S COMMAND! **audience cheer** Yay! Very cool. I went to the site to check it out and saw Christina Dodd and shit, and was like Holy. Smokes. What the heck am I doing on here? It was a surreal, and yet way, way, cool moment. So, (here's the moral of my story, Grasshopper), all you struggling writers keep on a truckin'. One day you two will be pimped by Romance Novel TV.


That reminds me, I just read a m/m novella about truckers. I just couldn't get into it. I mean, truckers. I just could not willingly suspend my disbelief to envision hot truckers. I'm really, really, really sorry, because I'm sure there a lot of them out there. But I just couldn't go there with my happy on. Okay, ADD moment over.


I haven't been reading as much at the beach as I usually do. I think it's because I'm totally wrapped up in the book I'm writing right now, and most of my spare time is spent working on it, or thinking about it. And then there's the three kids. I think they might have had something to do with the death of my reading leisure time. Maybe. It's a possibility.


We went to Myrtle Beach today. Long story short, we were having a blast at Broadway at the Beach and then God smote Myrtle Beach with torrential storms. Out of the blue. Just sunny, la, la, la, la, la, and then WHAMMO!! Forty days and forty nights. We drove the ark to our home away from home (an hour's drive from Myrtle), and by the time we got here we had sleepy kids and cranky mom and pops, and it was not a good scene. So tomorrow, it better be sunny because we are going back to the beach. Not Myrtle, I mean the actual sandy kind of beach, to frolic in the ocean waves and bask in the sun.


Okay, now you know I'm still breathing, I'm just doing it in a remote location. I will be back next week with pictures. Of nekkid men. Maybe. Oh, please, who am I kidding? I'll be here with the mancandy.

Toys!

Toys! Toys! Toys!

A week or so ago, I took a trip to a toy store. No, not the Fisher-Price kind of toy store, but the OTHER kind of toy store.


I was there on a personal shopping trip, but while there found some very interesting and intriguing items.

The little whips and crops and floggers, oh my!

The variety of toys that vibrate and that look remarkably REAL…oh yeah!

The clips, clamps, collars…Mmmm!

And then there were the glass toys…Stunningly beautiful!

Yes, beautiful. They were locked in a case near the register. They were different lengths; the glass wrapped and ridged, and there was color. Different, brilliant colors. Reds, yellows, blues, greens, purples. They were smooth and thin; smooth and thick. I just stood there staring at them.

I would love to have one. Just…for visual effect, I think. I can’t imagine spending that kind of money on it though.

There was also a small bookshelf in the back, beyond the toys. I have a couple of the books that were on the shelf and some that I didn’t but that I know the authors. What an interesting place to put an erotic romance! And of course, there were books that could be used for research…yes, research!

I have to say, I do love sex toys. While in the store, contemplating my purchases, a comment was made that the smaller ones are the more powerful and…orgasmic.

I know there are women that wouldn’t be caught dead in a store like that, but I don’t find anything wrong or distasteful about it. It’s all in how open-minded one is. I used to buy mine online, and while yes they are cheaper online and more discreet, it’s fun to go into the store, see the people that are inside. There’s inspiration there, too.

I totally bypassed the lingerie. I didn’t care.

What about you? Do you like toys? Have any? Would you put one of your print books in an adult toy store? I’m very curious about the thoughts of others here…

And next week…I’m gonna talk about the guy I know that has 11 piercings. Uh huh, you heard me right…11 piercings! Right there on HIS…!!!

Good Vibes, ya’ll…yes, pun intended!

~lissa

Two-Faced, I Say!

It’s Wednesday again! I know. I know. Two times the Mari in one week is almost too much hotness to take! LOL Not.

Anyway. It’s my day again. And I’m going to rant. Another surprise.

This time I’ve been thinking about how erotica and erotica writers are perceived by the general public… and some authors even get it from those closest to them. We’ve all heard the question: Do you do those things you write about? As if having a healthy sex life is some sort of disease. Fantasy Folks. Hello.
That could be more interesting to, say, Samantha. She writes the menage stories. I’m sure Mr. Kane loves to hear that question… But, I write paranormals. I would like to think that I would be open enough to have a relationship with a werewolf, but who knows. If I actually came face to face, or body to body, with one, I'm not sure how I would feel. In real life that would be as scary as going into the basement after the power has mysteriously gone out…. Not so smart.

Since it’s VERY unlikely that I get fixed up with a Were, I have to say no. I have not ever had a sexual experience with a werewolf or a vampire. Sorry. BUT… I do have a good appreciation for my own sexuality and a good imagination. So I use them both to earn some money. Evidently, that is also very scary to some.

Why do people perceive this as such a bad thing? This particular rant started at the grocery yesterday. I’m going back to the magazine rack again today kids! Here’s my rant. Magazine covers are splayed all over the grocery store racks shouting again and again about how to have a better sex life… how to drive him crazy bed, (eye level for the kiddies too) yet…. I actually had someone tell me once that they wanted read my books, but they like me. As if she read my sex scenes she couldn’t stand to be in the same room with me ever again. LOL
I might get my sex coodies on her. ACK!

Why is our society so two-faced about sex? It’s not new. I realize that. But, come on kids. It’s okay to list 56 ways that sex is good for you (Woman’s Health July/August issue) and to tout the finer aspects and health benefits of masturbation (same issue) in a magazine, but I still get looked at sideways because I write erotic fiction.

Again I say two-faced.

Rant complete…. HotnessManCandy for the day now….
Bon Jovi ManCandy!!!

Pheeeewww… I feel better.
Kiss Kiss
~Mari

My turn… My turn….It’s Trailer Trash Tuesday and it’s my turn. Today’s video is from Book Candy Studios. I got an email from them with examples of their work soliciting business from me. They have a great number of videos posted on their MySpace page.

The one I chose today is the one they sent in the solicitation email. I guess based on the content on my website, they sent an erotic romance trailer. They must have been looking over the Ellora’s Cave authors and soliciting business. Smart. They have a very clean website and say that they read your manuscript before making the video. I think that is a great plus. I was unable to find pricing on the website, so I have no clue what this guy cost.
BCS Romantic Suspense: "Black Heart" trailer


This is a very long video. Coming in at one minute forty-six seconds, it’s a bit too long for my taste, but it is a very complicated plot and it is spelled completely in the video. And I love the music in this one, but Latin vibes do it for me.

Black Heart is the second in a series by Tracey Cooper Posey. The plot is intriguing and the imagery is actually very nice in this video. I feel like it is just a hint away from moving to the next step. I’m sooooo not a techie or a designer, so I can’t figure out what I feel is missing here. It’s just a tad off from being a great video. Maybe it's that they used the same images over and over. I just can't put my finger on it.

I have to say that I was interested enough that I went and looked up the author…who I have not read.. and bought the first in the series, so I guess the video did it's job well. I just can’t help but wondering what it is I’m looking for.

I’m still trying to decide if I can afford a video for Birthright… or is it if I can afford NOT to have a video for Birthright???? We’ll see.

And there are others by Book Candy Studios here.

Nite…Nite…
~Mari

Twittering

First off, my apologies for missing the blog last Monday. Lately it has been one deadline after another and there is a slight, only a slight, possibility that I have taken on more than I should. lol I say that because I have in the past been accused of being a controlling you know what, who doesn't know how to slow down. Maybe I resemble that remark on occassion...Nahhhh

On to the blog topic of today...Twitter

Do you Twitter yet? I swore I wasn't going to take on a new social site yet all the many posts about Twitter lured me in despite my good intentions. Now I am not only all over that Twitter but have become a bad Twitter influence convincing all my friends to join too. LOL

No unfortunately Twitter is not a euphemism for something dirty, so get your mind out of the gutter for a minute. Although of course when I mentioned to a friend that 20 people were following my Twitter, he thought that sounded kind of kinky. lmao



Twitter is actually a really simple site where friends, readers and colleagues can follow your updates and get a peak into your daily life. When you go there you just post a little update about what you are doing right now and all that are following you get that message. As I overheard one person say, "It's like getting short text messages all day."

My first thought was "Oh no, it's going to be a huge time suck." But not so bad really thanks to a program i'm using called Twitbin that brings twitter right into my Firefox browser. Now I can send a receive my brief messages whenever I want without even going to the site. Easy Peasy.

If you're a voyeur, you are going to love Twitter. If you're an exhibitionist, you are going to love Twitter. I found a lot of people I either already know or want to know or basically just want to suck up to so that they will give me a big fat writing contract. (kidding)



Seriously, if you enjoy knowing what other writers are doing, cause who doesn't want confirmation that we are not the only crazies, check it out.

You can check me out at www.twitter.com/elizagaylebooks

Try it, I DARE YOU! *evil laugh*

Ok, i'm slinking away to return to edits before I get into anymore trouble.



Eliza

The Big Bad Wolf

Okay kids. It's Wednesday... and you know what that means!

First - I have to beg your forgiveness for missing my post last Wednesday. Bad Kiss and Tell Girl. My excuse isn’t good enough to even type. Let's just say I was playing and forgot to post! I know that will shock all that know me. I am very sorry.

And now - this Wednesday with Mari is going to deal with a very serious issue-

Predators.

There are some big bag wolves in the publishing industry. Sadly, they prey not on innocent children, but those of us that are looking to make our life-long dreams come true. Those of us that have worked on and sweat over a ms and are eager, sometimes even desperate to have someone recognize our work. And there are big uglies that are laying in wait to take advantage of that want.

The current technology boom in publishing is only making it easier for the scamers to find victims. As writer’s we have few venues to research individual editors, agents, or attorneys to see if they truly have our best interest at heart.

After years of trying to get published, it’s easy to close your eyes and accept the word of the agent on the phone asking for your ms. We WANT to trust that this person, the person telling us they can sell our work, is trustworthy. But, kiddies, this is real life and real business. There are bad agents, deceitful editors and unscrupulous publishing professionals out there. It's hard when you have that phone in your hand, listening to someone as they fulfill your life dream to know. It’s hard to be sane enough to think that you even need to research these individuals at a time like that. So what do we do...? We go to P&E!

One of the best sources for information on editors, agents and others in the industry over my short career has been Predators and Editors.

Started by David Kuzminski, P&E has made a pledge to the writer to help get us published and to provide us information, good and bad, on what’s happening in the publishing industry. I know a couple of writers who have avoided disasters by doing their homework on P&E before signing with an agent.

If you are new to the industry, please browse the site. Look at the listings. Use them to submit to reputable places in the first place. Use them to avoid the disasters. Read. There is so much great information on the site. As a neophyte I devoured info from this resource. I learned before I had a problem.

Now the news… David and P&E are being sued! Get that. Two of the predators are suing for liable. Go figure. You can read more about that here.

I’m late in finding this out and I’d hate loose a great resource for the writing community. Go. Make a donation. Assist David in assisting all of us. There is also an anthology called Help available that is donating all proceeds to the site and the lawsuit. You know I believe in charity anthologies!


Enough of the serious… here’s your Man Candy for Wednesday!

Kiss Kiss
~Mari

Trailer Park Tuesday Again

Hard to believe it's the first of July already. Summer is racing by and before we know it school sales will start and we'll be dealing with back to school issues. ack!

But in the meantime, it's July and I have the perfect video to showcase. A new series debuted today and I have a feeling it's going to be a huge hit.

I was lucky enough to read this story in advance and as usual loved it. Yes, I can admit to being slightly biased as I have been a big fan girl for quite some time. Her books are smoking hot and she writes one hell of an Alpha hero. In fact her books were some of the first erotic romances that I read and I can easily say inspired me to write my own.

So without further adieu I give you:

Warrior by Angela Knight