Just Don’t Wash Their Socks

My aunt told my girl cousins to date men—let them take you dancing, to dinner, to movies, for midnight strolls. That part, the romantic part, was all good. But don’t marry them and wash their socks.

She and my uncle were married for almost fifty years when he died. They had ups and downs and were oddly suited. He was a dreamer, she was the practical one, but she loved him. Early in their marriage, she’d get up early and make his breakfast—bacon, eggs, biscuits from scratch and home fried potatoes.

She hated making potatoes every morning. He hated eating them. But this went on for years before one of them said something, afraid to hurt the other’s feelings but letting resentment grow and fester. I don’t know which one finally said something first, but they both independently told me that story years later, as a complaint about the other.

He wooed her when they met. He was a wonderful dancer and they went to dinner, dancing, picnics, the beach. Then they got married and the realties hit. Babies, potatoes and washing socks.

She read voraciously, not all romance but some. She was looking for that feeling of youth, that feeling of love. She knew she was loved, he told her often, but she still washed his socks instead of going dancing.

We all want romance, and if it’s not fully attainable, that’s better because it can go into our secret selves. And better yet, we control when it comes out.

Whether it’s sweet romance, historic romance or erotic romance, it’s ours and we imagine it in our own way.

Probably most of us wouldn’t make it living in a drafty stone castle in Scotland’s rainy and cold weather, using privies, never bathing, wearing the same clothes for months on end. But the lure of adventure is strong, and these facts won’t distract from the clash of swords and the sight of strong men running to the battlements. Not to mention running to our bedroom.

No matter where we see ourselves in romances—dusty western towns, Regency England, in the Caribbean with pirates—we have it to ourselves. It’s improbable and impossible, but that’s the appeal.

In my SNAP paranormal romance series, the impossible is a 500-year-old vampire named Jean-Louis. He’s beautiful, he’s cultured, he’s uber-wealthy, he’s brave and he has household staff to wash his socks.

We all need that secret place to go when the realties overwhelm us.

What’s your secret place? And who’s your secret lover?

Michele Drier was born in Santa Cruz and is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home.  During her career in journalism—as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers—she won awards for producing investigative series.

Her mystery Edited for Death, called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review is on Amazon and the second book in the Amy Hobbes Newspaper mysteries, Labeled for Death, will be published in June.

Her paranormal romance series, SNAP: The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, is available in ebook, paperback and audible at ebook retailers.  All have received “must read” reviews from the Paranormal Romance Guild. SNAP: The World Unfolds, SNAP: New Talent, Plague: A Love Story and Danube: A Tale of Murder are available singly and in a boxed set at Amazon, B&N and Kobo. The fifth book, SNAP: Love for Blood rated 5 stars, is now out. She’s writing SNAP: Happily Ever After? for release in fall 2013 and a seventh book later in 2013.

Visit her website: https://www.micheledrier.com or Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier or her Amazon author page, https://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G/

 My random number generator picked a winner—Janie McGaugh! Janie, congrats! ~DD

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 This week’s topic is “love hurts.” No couple I’ve written has been through more heartache than Darcy and Quentin. In fact, I wrote two books that document their travails, and I think there’s probably another story waiting to be written whenever I get off the current contract schedule. Enjoy reading about the first time Q thinks he’s lost his love.

If you post a comment today, you’ll be entered to win
a free download of this book!

“…congratulations to Ms. Devlin for creating a masterpiece. This story has all the elements that a Gold Star book has in it. The novel has intense suspense that was thrilling and delightful…” ~Gold Star Award, Just Erotic Romance Reviews

“… LOVE BITES is a delicious, emotional romp of a story, a tale that builds powerfully on the old, often-used love triangle and succeeds beautifully in creating something new and exciting.” ~Sensual Romance

On the trail of a serial killer, vampire Quentin Albermarle is mistaken for the killer by a police special task force. Once the smoke clears, Quentin finds himself in a delicious position-atop one of the unit’s crack officers, Darcy Henry.

In need of Quentin’s access to the vampire sub-culture, the task force leadership invites Quentin to join the crime unit as a special advisor, much to the chagrin of the men in the unit, and especially, of Darcy.

A no-nonsense cop with no time for romance, Darcy suddenly finds herself embroiled in a steamy love triangle between her mortal partner, Joe, and the handsome vampire. Going from abstinence to wantonness, she is unable to resist the two men’s relentless seduction or her own sensual curiosity about a vampire’s special “kiss”.

When the real killer threatens the life of someone close to her, Darcy makes a choice that forever binds the three of them together.

Quentin watched from the shadow of the cockpit, his hand tightening around the puny stake he held. Nicky had a gun pointed at Darcy. Quentin didn’t dare make a move or he might distract her.

Nicky took a step toward her.

“Don’t come any closer,” she warned.

He sniffed the air. “I smell Quentin. He’s been all over you, hasn’t he?” His smile sent a shiver down Quentin’s back.

“You’re surrounded,” Darcy said, her voice steady. “You may as well lay down your weapon. You aren’t stepping off this boat.”

Quentin’s chest filled with pride at her courage.

“But I have you, therefore I have the advantage.”

A soft click and the blur of her arrow flying toward Nicky’s chest happened so quickly, Quentin didn’t have time to react.

The arrow sank only to its tip. Read the rest of this entry »

See the pics below? That’s the sort of thing I do when I’m trying to unwind. I can play with color and make what I see in my head happen. Something I can’t really do when I write. Making jewelry isn’t nearly as time-consuming either. The earrings took maybe an hour, because I kept putting things together, then cutting the wire because I didn’t like the length of the dangles. The pendant took a week because of having to leave it to dry in between applications of paint and ink and varnish, but only about an hour of real labor. The bracelet took a couple of hours because I played with dangles, trying to figure out what I liked putting together.

It’s therapy, and I’ve shared pics of things I’ve made since I started working with jewelry over a year ago. (You can see more of my jewelry on my Pinterest page.)

My question is, are you crafty or artistic? And would you like to share pictures of what you make here? If you send them, I will add them to this post! OR if I get enough, I’ll put together a post next Tuesday to showcase your artistic/crafty efforts! And if you have Pinterest pages where you show your work, send me those links!

Make sure your pics aren’t huge files, you can resize them so they don’t take forever to load. And please keep it to 2—so choose your best! Don’t be shy or think you have to be professional—I’m not! Email your pictures to me at Delilah@delilahdevlin.com.

I’ve seen a lot of interviewers ask authors how they decide which quirks or kinks their characters will have. The answer differs from author to author, but for me, the characters tell me as I write.

Obviously, it’s all coming out of my brain but it’s not a conscious decision. I sit down, start writing and stuff pours from my brain through my fingertips. Although, most days it’s more like a slow drip than a pour but you get the picture.

I don’t consciously decide, ahead of time, that my characters like to be spanked or like to perform fellatio, etc. I don’t know much of anything until it’s staring at me on the screen.

Sometimes, I say, “Ooh. Awesome.” Other times it’s more like, “Ew. Really?” But whatever. My characters let me know what they want and I usually give it to them.

In Araya’s Addiction, my first erotic paranormal romance, the heroine, Araya, a Sempire demon, wants love and monogamy. Her hero, Kean, has no such notion. In between him being a prisoner and her trying to refuse his advances, they end up experiencing scorching sex and an incredible happily ever after. But, there was one scene in Araya’s Addiction that made me blush. Seriously, I considered cutting it from the story but Kean insisted it stay and I reluctantly agreed.

I’m sure that scene won’t work for everyone but it worked for my characters and was a turning point of sorts. I hope you’ll check out Araya’s Addiction. The series title is still in the works but I have two more stories planned for this universe. One has already been accepted for publication and the other is being considered.

Thanks to Delilah for having me on her blog today! I’m honored.

Title: Araya’s Addiction
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance

When Kean wakes up naked, collared and locked in a cell, he knows thinking with his dick has finally gotten him into trouble. Part Incubus, Kean enjoys scorching sexual liaisons, a habit that has found him trapped, forced to help a Sempire rescue her daughter from certain death.

Unwilling to aid in anyone’s imprisonment, Araya initially refuses her mother’s “gift”, but the passion simmering between her and Kean is undeniable. As they explore their shared lust, both Araya and Kean enact schemes to save each other. Their best laid plans may awaken emotions that will bind them forever.

*Note: A Sempire is a female demon who requires semen to survive.

Reviews

Gaele @ The Jeep Diva:

…With several steamy to downright scorching scenes, clever dialogue, humor and the potential for a happy ever after, this was a really fun and clever read. Dex has created a new sexual demon, and made them lovable, if not a bit outrageous in their attitudes and thinking. The desires and emotions of the characters were easy to relate to as the characters were well-defined and voiced, a nice addition to this novella.

Anna @ Book Lovin’ Mamas:

…The chemistry between Araya and Kean was smokin’ hot and they were great individual characters too. And I LOVE the sister and Mom. They were quite entertaining! … Overall this was a great read! Lots of fun and very very sexy! I can’t wait to read something else from this author and I will be impatiently waiting for more! 😉

Geraldine H:

…The story line kept me interested, the description of the characters as well as the scene were so well written, I could picture myself there. I became engrossed in the main characters as well as some of the “supporting” characters. I really didn’t want the story to end. The detail in the sex scenes were incredible! I am anxiously waiting on the next book and hoping it includes more on Araya’s fabulous sister.

Author Bio

Jocelyn was born in Iowa and currently resides in Texas. She shares her home with her very own 6’4″ alpha male and varying numbers of spoiled cats and dogs. Teaching one of her dogs to file his nails is one of her all-time favorite accomplishments. Jocelyn loves to paint, loves to read, and loves to write sizzling erotic romance about yummy demons that would make your momma blush.

Here’s where you can find Jocelyn on the web

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Blog  * Goodreads

Here’s where you can buy Araya’s Addiction

Amazon * Ellora’s Cave * Barnes & Noble * ARe

Writing in Many Genres, or the Delights of Diversity

I stand in awe of those who can write book after book in a single genre. How can they bear to do one story, then another, then another, then another ad infinitum that each follow the same structure? That is not an “all genre writers are formulaic” slam; however, the fact that each genre has certain expectations of structure/tone/ending is what makes it a genre.

That said, I still don’t see how a writer can keep writing the same set of expectations – however different each individual book might be. A cozy mystery is a cozy mystery. A romance is a romance. A horror is a horror. Etc. I love them all, but cannot even read just one genre. Or write.

I write romance and horror (as Janis Susan May), cozy mysteries (as Janis Patterson), children’s (as Janis Susan Patterson), and non-fiction and scholarly (as J.S.M. Patterson.)  Usually all at the same time.

Yes, I bore easily. It’s a character flaw. During my time in the 8-5 workforce I did everything from acting/singing to being a multi-magazine publishing group Editor in Chief (two groups, actually!) to being Supervisor of Accessioning in a bio-genetic DNA testing lab to checking documents in a travel agency. I’ve been a talent agent and a jewelry designer and more, but I won’t bore you with a complete list. Our home libraries (yes, plural – two currently extant and another in the works) bulge with research books on WWI/WWII and Egyptology and travel and photography and cooking and history. How this pertains to writing is that not only does this diverse knowledge pool give me a wealth of personal experience  to draw upon, it is a constant reminder of my need for variety.

People have asked me how I can switch from one genre to another and my only answer is how do you switch from any one thing to another in your life? From a manual shift car (my personal fave!) to an automatic? From cooking in a plain old skillet to using a microwave? From a simple desk-top single line telephone to a Smart Phone? We very seldom do the same thing all the time, from cars to cooking; why should writing in different genres be regarded as such an impossible task?

I’m not going into the branding thing here, but will suggest that readers are a lot more forgiving of genre-jumpers than some publishers – and some writers. I know I would read anything some of my favorite authors might care to do, including a re-write of the telephone book!

In my personal experience genre-jumping keeps my writing fresh, as does having several projects going on at once. When one goes stale, I switch to another which, even though it might have gone stale in the past, now appears a different book with a fresh look. This is not always easy when I am juggling two deadlines, but it has never failed to work, and I have never missed a deadline yet. Currently I have on my computer – in various stages of completion – a romance, a time-travel romance, two cozy mysteries, two romantic adventures and a section of a scholarly tome destined to be a college text. Needless to say, the two that are under contract are getting the most attention at the moment, but I know the others are there, patiently waiting to help me over any rough spots that might manifest or to stimulate my flagging imagination.

Did I mention that I bore easily? I would never restrict myself to reading and/or writing just one genre any more than I would consider having just one job for my entire working life. I cannot help but think of my patron saint Auntie Mame’s unforgettable words, “Life is a banquet and most poor fools are starving to death!”

Enjoy and explore what you can when you can.

I’m on pins and needles now, waiting until the first readers download the first installment of this adventure. I can’t wait to hear from you! I love the book. It’s a good thing too, because I’m still writing it! I don’t know how it ends. Really!

How does this Kindle Serial thing work? You pay for the book once. Just $1.99 for a full-length novel. You can’t beat that deal. You’ll get installment 1 automatically, and then every two weeks new installments will be sent without you having to do a thing. I think there will be 8 installments total, but I’m not sure because I haven’t thought about where this book is going!

In the meantime, don’t be shy about leaving reviews along the way. You can let other readers know what your experience was. And you can update your review as the story progresses. I’d appreciate it very much, and other readers will pay more attention to your thoughts than mine.

Also, there’s a special forum set up to talk about the book. I’ll be checking in and answering questions. You can find it here: Amazon forum. There’s a brand new link there, called “Discuss Episode 1 of “Crescent Moon.” I’ll be waiting…

And because I want to entice you into showing up there, I’ll run a special contest, just for my friends here. If you join me at the forum and wiggle your fingers or wink to let me know it’s you, you’ll receive a free download of my anthology Strokes. Maybe you could leave a comment here and tell me your email addy so I’ll have it to mail your free book. Everyone will get a copy—and it’s more expensive at Amazon than Crescent Moon! Now, there’s a deal, right? 🙂

All that having been said (I’m taking a deep breath now), here’s where you can buy your copy: Crescent Moon Buy Link

Chat later! DD

From ancient Egypt to present-day New Orleans, a woman of exceptional strength is called to protect against an unspeakable evil…and to experience an unforgettable seduction.

Khepri still isn’t used to being The God’s Wife. The daughter of a common farmer, she’s more comfortable being friends with servants than employing a whole team of them. Being the wife of Amun affords her luxuries she only dreamed of, but her dreams are not always a haven…they are also filled with demons. Lately she’s had doubts about the role she’s been thrust into. She’s had yearnings for another sort of life, one where she’s loved intimately, rather than only adored from afar.

When a powerful man lures her away from her temple, she’s thrilled at the chance for an adventure. Her adventure quickly becomes a nightmare when the handsome vizier mummifies her alive. Pure of heart and body, she’s the warrior he foresees will battle a demonic pharaoh if ever he awakens. Khepri’s sure he’s insane, until she awakens in a distant future. Alone and needing a guide in this strange and garish new world, she turns to the troubled man who set her free…

When New Orleans police detective Justin Henry Boucher is called to the Garden Museum to investigate stolen Egyptian artifacts, it’s not exactly the adrenaline rush he used to get working a homicide. But with a reprimand on his record and a sorrow he can’t shake, he will take what he can get – as long as he can keep his badge. What he doesn’t count on is having to keep his cool when he finds one of the priceless artifacts – a golden-skinned goddess wrapped in fabric like a mummy, left to die and needing his help. She’s a mystery he’s determined to unravel. She might also be the cure for his lonely heart.

Does Anyone Here Speak Artani?

How tough is it to come up with an otherworldly language?  For me, it definitely had its challenges when I wrote my book “Star Catcher.”  Authors of sci-fi, or high fantasy that takes place on an alternate Earth, are obligated to dose their writing with a fair amount of made-up language. A book with a non-Earth setting would understandably contain a number of foreign words.  Some words may label objects or creatures that are indigenous to the alien world, while others may be the translations of familiar Earth terms.

Let’s begin with creating the basis for an entire language.  Do you need a dictionary filled with alien words before you start writing?  No, but consistency is the key.  Keep a cheat-sheet of your alien words so you don’t end up changing the spelling of your memory-erasing medicine Tristayl partway through your manuscript.  Spell check won’t help you there.  You also have to be careful about different tenses if you happen to use alien verbs.  I had the darnedest time hammering out that my alien planet was called Artanos, its people were called Artanians, and their language was Artani. I had to check over my finished piece multiple times to make sure I hadn’t flubbed it anywhere.

I recently saw a question posed by a sci-fi author on a group I’m in. She was looking for a good way to come up with alien names after her editor asked her to make some changes. It seemed her aliens sounded…well, too alien.

Too alien? Well, not in the sense that they couldn’t be pronounced—another potential problem—but too cliché-sounding.  Think of Beldar and Prymatt from The Coneheads, and you get my drift.  This author was asking how others come up with their alternate language.

When I began writing “Star Catcher,” I stumbled upon this website (https://www.ralph.nuoj.com/alien.php), which uses a system of vowel and consonant patterns to develop alien names.  I read through, noting the construction of each pattern, saying them out loud, and generally getting a feel for each “type” of name.  It’s almost like each word bank is a key to its own language.  I noticed which ones “felt” right, what common letters and sounds were used, and which were easier to pronounce, and then I started playing around with them.

After you make your decisions, you need to run them by some test readers.  About two-thirds of the words I originally came up with remained after my beta readers looked over my book.  No matter how you formulate your language, if a word causes the reader to stumble, pause, read, and reread each time they see it, it’s no good.  You don’t want to take the reader out of your world and punch them in the face, you just want a gentle reminder that they are in another world or time—preferably an easy-to-read reminder that flows off the tongue.

I consulted a number of real Earth languages while forming my “system.” Did my aliens have a soft, pleasant Romance-based language?  Were they a warring species with a guttural and explosive tongue?  Tweaking other languages, like Spanish or German, is another possibility, especially if the author is already familiar with these.  Why not make your life easier?  And why not make your reader’s life easier?  Odds are they will recognize the meaning of your words if they are similar to something known, even if they are taken out of context.

That brings up my final point about language building: if the word calls to mind, in some way, what it is tagging, that can help the reader carry a mental picture while continuing through the book.  As an example, my wild-boar-slash-wolf-beasts (animals with three eyes and tusks curling up from their bottom jaws) were originally called xoovs.  My betas didn’t know how to say it in their heads each time it came up (and they do come up a fair amount).  Someone suggested subtly making their name sound more like earth animals they resemble.  I changed their name to wrovs, hoping for a slight wolf connotation and an easier pronunciation.

What do you think? Any sci-fi authors out there have a strict system for language-building? Any readers have a preference when it comes to alien language? Do you feel it adds authentic alien flavor, or do unfamiliar words distract you from your reading?

Lust flares hot and bright when Stella Aims’ world collides with the gorgeous and mysterious Noth Zobor. The tall dark stranger doesn’t speak a word of English, but Stella is happy to teach him everything she knows, including a crash course in the universal language of love. Their passion burns down to sweet and smoldering before Stella’s reality is completely spun around.

People aren’t always what they seem—but what if they aren’t even human?

Concerned that Noth’s been lying to her, Stella searches for him and walks into a trap straight out of a nightmare. When she wakes, she finds the real deception was far worse than she ever suspected, and her lover is not at all what he seems. Forgiving him might be the easiest thing Stella has to do, because getting out alive and saving her fellow humans from captivity and experimentation will be the toughest challenge of her life.

Can lovers from two different planets overcome forces that push them galaxies apart? When the fate of two species hangs in the balance, love may be the only thing strong enough to save them all and give hope for a new future.

Star Catcher releases on June 3^rd, 2013 from Liquid Silver Books, and will be available at all major e-book retailers.

Author Bio:

Kimber Vale writes erotic romance of all stripes. Come for the sex. Stay for the story. Find her M/M work published under K. Vale. Stalk her on Facebook and Twitter @KimberVale, and check her site for updates and new releases at www.kimbervale.com.