From the Mouth of Babes...

Is total adorable gibberish. Whatever could they be talking about? A very passionate duo with their words.

Get ready to giggle...over 5 million already have. (aren't their striped socks cute?)

Claimed Book Review *Evangeline Anderson*

Evangeline Anderson is a multi-published author who writes for a great amount of epublishers and many cross genres. When I heard about Claimed, her self-published sci-fi romance, I wanted to give it a read since I’ve enjoyed her past work. And how could I not read a borderline erotic sci-fi romance with what I call a yummy, possessive hot alpha type alien male? Evangeline is great at writing steamy tension with wonderful, seductive heroes. Her hero Baird is definitely one of them.

Claimed is set in 2030, five years after the Earth is attacked by the menacing aliens known as the Scourge. Earth is saved from another alien race called the Kindred. The Kindred are alien warriors, humanoids, and ones that are bigger or massive when it comes to human males. The Kindred were able to defeat the Scourge and now live in ships above the surface of Earth. They come to Earth for brides since they’re lacking their own females. A human female can even belong to two male Kindreds, where there’s a four week ceremony allowing the Kindred males or one lone male to court his bride. Week one is where he feeds her and caters to her every need. They also sleep in the same bed and can touch. Week two is when the bathe together and some intimate scrub-a-dubbing goes on. Week three is the tasting period. The Kindred male tastes his future bride in whatever way he likes (licky licky that secret area on the female), and week four is where they finally consummate their relationship and bond together (the male attaches himself inside his female with his “mating fist at the base of the Kindred’s shaft which is engaged only during bonding sex with his mate”. This brings to mind the whole barb scenario ala Lora Leigh or JR Ward.) From that they’re committed and married.

Baird anxiously waits for his female to claim as his bride. He’s been having dreams about Olivia Waterhouse for a long time. When he was captured and tortured by the Scourge, he thought about her constantly to keep him from going insane, and feels she saved him. Olivia is also having strange erotic dreams of some unknown man. (Take a guess who it could be?). These dreams disturb her because they don’t make any sense. And then when two draft officers come to her home and take her to Baird, she really freaks out. It seems human woman are placed into a draft to be married to a Kindred. Olivia has been drafted as Baird’s chosen bride.

Olivia is scared, and rightly so. There’s a good possibility she’ll never see her sister again and her friends because when a human woman is claimed by her Kindred husband, she barely goes back to Earth. Plus since Baird is a Beast Kindred, she knows he’ll be overly possessive, on edge and too big for her to handle. (Poor well-endowed Baird). Baird is so excited to finally claim Olivia, although he knows it will be hard work on his end. And when Olivia is forced to go with him, she’s not receptive to his gruff charms. She tells him she’ll give him his four weeks, but refuses to bond with him. Now Baird has to figure out a way to court Olivia gently and with respect in order for her to fall into love with him and want to stay with him forever.

Claimed is an inventive and quirky sci-fi romance with an adorable hero who lacks some social skills, including how to romance a woman. He’s very persuasive with his body in the way that Olivia can barely deny him. Baird is le sex on the alien stick. At no time does Baird overpower Olivia or force her to do what he wants, and that means when they are intimate. He may start something, but leaves it up to Olivia to finish it. Poor Baird walks around frustrated and is cranky at times. He also has some self-esteem issues because he thinks Olivia is scared of him and doesn’t find him handsome. If only he knew how much Olivia is attracted to him, but holds back because the idea of being separated from all she knows and those she loves is something she can’t accept.

There are some funny scenes, especially when Olivia tries to learn and navigate the Kindred way of life. When she investigates Baird’s home, she has a few problems, one being a rug in the bathroom that’s more like a human vibrator and a pet of Baird’s that looks like a cuddly teddy bear, but one with fangs for teeth. She also thinks Baird is drugging her into submission with his overpowering sexy scent. The sexual tension between Olivia and Baird is amazing, and Baird enjoys cuddling, taking baths and cooking for Olivia. This is my ideal man.

The only down side of Claimed is that it’s too long. There are long passages of internal dialogue from Olivia and shifting back and forth between her sister on Earth and then back on the ship. Also the ending with the Scourge seems tacked on in order to invoke a more emotional response so there can be a believable HEA to cement why Olivia has fallen for Baird.

Otherwise, I did enjoy Claimed. It’s a very sexy and sweet story with a close to perfect hero as you can get. Fans of Christine Feehan will like Claimed. I look forward to the future stories in this series and one I recommend you check out. (available on Smashwords for 2.99)

Final Grade: B

All About eChook Digitial Publishing and Giveaway

A good amount of emails I receive for book review requests are from media relation companies on behalf of an author. A few weeks ago I was sent a very nice gift package from Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc showcasing a new digital publishing company called eChook This was the first time I was sent such a package and it really caught my attention.

Some eChook goodies I was sent (They're was also hot chocolate as well, but I drank it ;)

I went right to the eChook website to learn more about this digital publishing company that publishes short-short stories and are actively searching for writers to submit their short stories up to 2,000 words. And since I'm a writer myself, I asked the creator, Tessa McGovern for an interview about her company. She said yes as you can see here...

KB: How did you come up with the idea of eChook?

Tessa: I was playing with my iPhone one day, thinking how much I love its gorgeous colors, and it hit me how lovely it could be to put short stories with a photo of their settings - mine are usually set in London or the English countryside - and readers would be instantly transported to, say, the River Thames in London, and then they could read the story uninterrupted. Then, having done the first app, I realized I had become a publisher. I love to share great stories, and so eChook was born.

KB: Why is it so important, now more than ever, to take a break in the middle of the day?

Tessa: We're all so busy these days that it's hard to get enough rest and relaxation. A ten-minute story is a simple way of taking a break - no matter where we are, we can escape to a different world and get lost in a beautifully-written, moving story. It's a way of changing gears that's rejuvenating; a ten-minute boost during a busy day.

KB: How do you think it will change people?s perceptions of short stories?

Tessa: I think people who don't typically read short stories will see how much fun they can be, especially when the stories are linked and you can follow the same characters throughout as you can in 'London Road: Linked Stories', and people who already love short stories will have a reliable place to go when they want to be moved and entertained.

KB: How is eChook available?

Tessa: On Kindle, from the app store on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, online at www.eChook.com, or iTunes. It costs $3.99, once you download it, you own it forever.

KB: Who is the ideal reader for eChook?

Tessa: Anyone with ten minutes to spare who loves to read!

KB: How do you select stories for eChook?

Tessa: People submit their fiction, memoir or essay at echook.com. We pay up to $100 for between 750 - 2,000 words, and have standard entries as well as competitions with cash prizes. We love stories that move us, and leave us feeling okay or good at the end - not necessarily happy endings, but not a tragic ending that's going to cause floods of tears if we're reading whilst waiting in the post office!

KB: Do you think eChook will inspire people to write short stories for the first time?

Tessa: I do. There are 70 million people writing blogs, and writing has become a form of fulfillment and entertainment for many people. Creative writing is different, it takes longer, but I believe everyone can learn the points of craft that creative writers use. To that end, we blog free writing tips and also have a newsletter, 'Literary Delights', that offers stories for readers and instruction for writers. And in our forthcoming Memoir app, we have writers who've been published in the New York Times as well as writers who're being published for the first time. We're writers ourselves - we're not judgmental and we will edit to make a piece as strong as possible.

KB: How long have you been working with short stories?

Tessa: I began writing in 1992 and my first short story was published in 1996. I began writing novels, moved to flash fiction, and then finally found my favorite length - short shorts (approx. 1500 - 2,500 words). I discovered how meaningful and compelling these short stories can be, and I love the (never-attainable) process of trying to make each word perfect.

It's something I'll do until I'm too old to sit up and peck away at a keyboard. I love how reading can change how you look at the world, and writing can change how you feel about it. That's just amazing to me. And a few years ago, I realized how the type of story I write affects the quality of my life. Dark stories that end badly are so sad to write. They put the focus on everything that's wrong with the world. Depressing! Moving stories that end positively in some way (or include something funny) give me hope and restore my energy. They remind me that most things can be overcome, and what can't be overcome can be accepted. They open the door to joy again. I just love the whole process.

KB: Tell us a little more about the eChook app? London Road.?

Tessa: London Road: Linked Stories is part fiction and part memoir. The lead story, When Janice Bailey Walked, is about a woman on the morning of her release from prison. She makes her way into London to a half-way house and each story is from the point of view of one of the residents there. The collection is based on a very crazy time in my life when, after my parents’ divorce, my mother ran a bed and breakfast in south London. It was in the seventies, Maggie Thatcher had closed many of the psychiatric hospitals, and we had ex-psychiatric patients and regular bed and breakfast guests living in our house.

KB: Which short story gives you a breath of fresh air in the middle of the day?

Tessa: I've just discovered Vanka, by Chekhov, which is amazing - he's such a simple writer, despite being so famous. (Our newsletter 'Literary Delights' includes 'Vanka' and a writing tip that illuminates writing technique as practiced by Chekhov)), I love anything by William Trevor, Gail Godwin, Alison Lurie, Alan Bennett (who's so funny).

KB: If you could have any writer contribute to eChook (dead or alive), who would you choose?

Tessa: The writers above, as well as Elizabeth Berg, Jodi Picoult, and Anne Tyler.

KB: What is next for eChook?

Tessa: We're thrilled with our first multi-author app, Memoir, Vol 1. The stories are wonderful - a whole range of women's voices (and one man!), and we're so delighted to present these talented writers to readers.

KB: How can writers submit stories for the next collection?

Tessa: Visit echook.com and go to the Submissions page. All the details are there. We look forward to reading!

How would you like to win the eChook gift pack I was sent? One lucky person will be able to if they leave a comment here by Monday 4/4. (US residents only)

The eChook gift pack includes: (to help you relax and enjoy a good story)

-eChook bag
-eChook mug
-eChook free app code
-tea
-mouse pad
-lip balm
-chocolate candy
-hot chocolate

... for those writers who would like to enter their Mother's Day contest:

Father isn’t the only one who knows best! In honor of Mother’s Day this year, celebrate your favorite quips and quotes from mom (or any other wise woman in your life) by submitting them to our “Wise Women’s Words” club on BookTrib.

We will choose our favorite and the winner will receive a fabulous gift bag from eChook filled with goodies to help you (or mom) sit back, relax, and enjoy the restorative power of a good short story.

…but that’s not all! The winning quote will be immortalized in a special post on our BookTrib blog, in eChook’s blog and “Literary Delights” newsletter. Winners will be announced on Monday, May 2nd at 1 p.m. ET.

To satisfy your literary craving on the go, check out eChook, the new publishing app and digital publisher that brings beautifully-written short stories to the palm of your hand.

The Neverending WTFckery Cycle Of Some Authors Who Have Public Meltdowns Over Bad Reviews

I have the Cee Lo Green song, "Fuck You" stuck in my head thanks to another author who has had a public meltdown over a review. The reason is because author, Jacqueline Howett, who didn't care for a review  of her book, The Greek Seaman on BigAl's Books and Pals blog, didn't only leave the phrase- "Fuck off" once, but twice in the comments at Al and those who left comments there.

Al gave The Greek Seaman 2 stars for this reason:

"However, odds of making that final click are slim. One reason is the spelling and grammar errors, which come so quickly that, especially in the first several chapters, it’s difficult to get into the book without being jarred back to reality as you attempt unraveling what the author meant. At times, you’ll be engrossed in the story when you’ll run across a flowery description of the emotions Katy is feeling about her situation or her husband. These are numerous and sometimes very good. Chances are one of these sections originally pulled you so deeply into Katy’s world. Then you’ll run into one that doesn’t work and get derailed again. Reading shouldn’t be that hard."

Personally, this review succeeds in explaining why Al had issue with The Greek Seaman, mainly based on spelling and grammatical errors. Instead of Jacqueline not commenting or simply saying, "sorry the book didn't work for you, but thanks for taking the time to review", she had to run off at the mouth, which caused more than a few to tweet and post this exchange on Facebook. You can only imagine how fast this was spread.

Some of Jacqueline's comments about why they review didn't work for her goes as follows:

"You obviously didn't read the second clean copy I requested you download that was also reformatted, so this is a very unfair review. My Amazon readers/reviewers give it 5 stars and 4 stars and they say they really enjoyed The Greek Seaman and thought it was well written. Maybe its just my style and being English is what you don't get. Sorry it wasn't your cup of tea, but I think I will stick to my five star and four star reviews thanks."

Then Jacqueline begins to leave those 4 and 5 starred reviews found on Amazon in the comments. Al explains again why he gave the review he did and Jacqueline comes back telling Al to take the review down because it's considered abuse. A few anonymous commenters chime in. Jacqueline continues on with her rant where she says:

"Well what should I expect of anyone associated to Big ALs snake pit and rat hole. You are a big rat and a snake with poisenous venom. Lots of luck to authors who come here and slip in that!"

Finally Jacqueline replies with "Fuck off!" and less than 20 minutes later with the same phrase.

This is where I must ask, WTF?! I've seen some bad reactions from authors over reviews in pubic, but this one takes the cake. Talk about an author having such vitriol toward  reviewer that backs up his opinion on why the book didn't work for him. Yes, getting bad reviews can hurt, but suck it up and act as a professional and move on. There are more important things in life than losing your top over one person's opinion about your work.

When will authors learn YOU NEVER, EVER COMMENT ON BAD REVIEWS, and in a public forum such as blog where they end up attacking the reviewer? People will stop over and come to the reviewer's defense. And now the author, who didn't stop and take a moment to think or bitch privately to a close friend or family member or even a pet, will have to either change their pen name or find another line of work because of her unneeded emotional and again- WTF? outburst.

There are over 300 comments left there now. Some believe the reason Jacqueline acted the way she did is because she's an indie/self-published author. And because 's self-published or an indie author (which I have to be honest since I don't know what's the difference bewteen being self-published or indie. Aren't they the same?), it's not a surprise she would act this way. Seriously, it doesn't matter if you're a self-published, e-published or a traditionally published author. So please, don't think because one self-published author acts this way that all self-published authors do.

Whichever way you publish your work doesn't matter. All that does matter is the way you accept how your  book is reviewed, especially when you ask them to review it. Reviews are subjective. Acting in a rude manner is not.

Yet another example of the never ending cycle of WTFckery that occurs in regards to an author's reaction to a bad review.

Author Guest Post: Jill Sorenson and Best BJs 4-Ever (NSFW)

Watch out, this is one naughty post from author of everything sexy romantic suspense, Jill Sorenson!

Hello KB! I had so much fun talking about lady flavors the last time I visited that I couldn’t wait to come back with a related topic. Today I’m focusing on oral pleasure for him. What makes a blowjob scene hot—or not? Which authors excel at writing them?

I was shocked when I first encountered a “real” blowjob scene in a mainstream romance novel. Thank you, Lori Foster. The heroine went down on the hero in the shower and didn’t stop until he climaxed. Since then I’ve read plenty of similar scenes, and even written a few myself. This particular act can be difficult to romanticize. We want to read about generous heroes who prefer to give, rather than take. When the heroine is the one doing the pleasuring, I have to believe she’s really into it. Nobody likes a ho-hum hummer.

Victoria Dahl takes going down to a whole new level in Talk Me Down. I love how Molly uses nonverbal cues to let Ben know exactly what she wants:

“Mmm,” she hummed against his skin, then she parted her lips and took him inside her, slow at first, then as deep as she could.


He was a heavy, pulsing weight against her tongue. Perfect, just like she’d always wanted. She took him deeper than she’d taken any man and heard him groan her name. Licking, sucking, she felt him grow even bigger, just for her. His fingers tangled in her hair.


Tension wound through her belly and squeezed her sex tight. She’d masturbated to this fantasy so many times, she knew she’d hardly even need to touch herself to come. Her body had memorized him long ago in her dreams.


When his hand tightened in her hair, she moaned her approval, but he didn’t play along. Ben was far too much a gentleman to be more aggressive than that. How could he know she didn’t want tenderness? She hoped he could take a hint.


Molly eased off him, offering playful licks and kisses inside of the deep-throated ones he wanted. She teased and tortured him until his fingers tightened and pulled her the slightest bit closer. She obliged, just until the pressure stopped, then she teased some more. They played through the cycle two more times until he finally gave in.


His hand spread across the nape of her neck, his fingers closed around her hair, and he guided her over his dick, pressing her deep, setting the rhythm he wanted.


Oh, God. Her clit felt tight as a bullet, sending out shards of pleasure each time her thighs rubbed together. Molly squeezed the muscles of her sex, keeping rhythm with Ben’s dick sliding into her mouth.


When that wasn’t enough, she slipped her hand into her panties and touched herself, groaning her ecstasy into his cock…

Whew! Hot stuff, right? It’s also a brilliant piece of characterization. We see that Molly is a take-charge kind of girl, eager to act on her desires. She isn’t afraid to communicate her sexual needs to Ben. There’s nothing weak or submissive about her character, despite the fact that she’s on her knees, begging to be dominated.

Although the scene is in Molly’s POV, we also know that Ben is a gentleman because of his actions. I loved his initial reluctance to get aggressive and his eventual capitulation.

Dahl’s scene is my favorite of all time (best BJ friends 4-ever!) but there are several others that spring to mind. Beth Kery writes sizzling erotic romance with exquisitely graphic sex scenes. I was wowed by the blowjob in Wicked Burn. If I remember correctly, the hero wraps the heroine’s pearl necklace around the base of his shaft. He rolls the beads up and down…while she’s going down.

Some of the scenes that stand out in my memory have a harder edge. In the roughest BDSM romance I’ve read, One Breath at a Time by Gwen Masters, the heroine gets deep-throated so completely that she can’t breathe. I also remember a dirty man-on-man BJ from LB Gregg’s Happy Ending. The hero comes on his lover’s face, which I might have found offensive in m/f. In this story I thought it was pretty hot, not to mention true to the characters and appropriate for the tone of their encounter.

For me, a successful oral sex scene isn’t simply a detailed account of the act itself. It’s not about how well-endowed the hero is, or how much the heroine can swallow. It’s more about the interaction between the characters, their deepening connection, and the way they express themselves physically.

I wouldn’t say that any of my scenes compare to the examples I’ve given, but I thought I’d include a snippet anyway. The Edge of Night has a secondary romance between the hero’s younger sister and a troubled gang member. Here they are in the passenger seat of Eric’s car. Bon apetit!

Coming from Bantam Dell on April 5th

She slid down to the floorboards, kneeling between his splayed knees. “Plenty of room here.”


A muscle in his jaw jumped as he took another glance out the back window, checking the deserted parking lot. “We’re going to get caught,” he murmured, but it was a token protest. He wanted this. When she took off her bra, his eyes glazed over.


Smiling, she pressed her lips to his abdomen. “No one can see me.”


He started at her mouth, swallowing hard.


Delighting in her feminine power, Meghan unbuckled his belt and lowered his zipper. “Tell me what you like.”


He said something in Spanish, more a curse than an instruction.


She tugged down the front of his boxer shorts and circled her hand around him, squeezing and stroking. He watched her tentative motions, mesmerized. When she bent her head to him, tasting the hot skin, he shuddered. Emboldened by his response, she swirled her tongue around the blunt tip.


“Fuck,” he choked, threading his fingers through her short hair. “Open your mouth.”

Would you like to win a copy? Let me know in the comments by Friday April 1st. This is also open internationally.

What do you think about oral sex scenes? Do you have a favorite or least favorite? Is this act too graphic for mainstream romance? When it comes to BJs, is crude behavior and rough handling acceptable?

Black Dagger Brotherhood Skit: Why Qhuinn & Blaylock Need To Be Together

We interrupt this week's WTFckery for another WTFckery altogether! In honor of the release of JR Ward's Lover Unleashed on Tuesday, I have another BDB skit for all you, much like I did last year when Lover Mine came out. Click here to view that skit. You've already seen Smexybooks and Fiction Vixen's LOL BDB skits from a few days ago. Now it's my turn!

Last time we left Caldwell, Qhuinn was in a bad place because his one time best friend and the man he lusts for, but won't bond with Blaylock, has found  fun times in the silk sheets with Saxton, Qhuinn's classy slut of a cousin.

Blaylock, my Abercrombie & Fitch soul mate. *chug* I miss my redhead boo!

The Scribe Virgin is sick of Qhuinn's massive emo-ing. She has decided she needs to kick Qhuinn's ass and show him why he must claim Blaylock and soon. She sends a special friend to show what the future will be like if Qhuinn and Saxton are not together.

POOF!

Qhuinn: Waaa Blay... WTF are you? *coughs* Mo fo gack. You doused me in glitter. Now I'm all sparkly and shit. You look like some deranged My Little Pony with a swizzle phallic stick on your forehead.

Unicorn From The Future: Neigh! I'm the unicorn from the future. Listen, my momma peep the SV is sick of your emo crap and needs you and Blay to get together because if you don't some heavy shit will verily go down.

Qhuinn: True dat? Wait...shouldn't you be a ghost from the future?

Unicorn From The Future: Sorry, bro there's already one too many ghosts in this world. Unicorns are the next big thing!

Pac Man Jane Ghost: *Poofs* Did someone call?

Unicorn From The Future: *stabs Pac Man Jane Ghost and she disappears* Stupid Jane ghost who wants to fix everything. Any hoo, we must check in on Blaylock and Saxton before I show you what the future will be like if you two don't get together.

*Unicorn from the future drags Qhuinn to spy on Blaylock and Saxton together*

Blaylock: Do I make you horny?

Mho Saxton: Lover, that's the wrong line. It's- "Do I...please you?"

Blaylock: Oh yeah! So, do I please you? I should since I've  allowed you to tie my up with your cravat no other man has been allowed to touch.

Mho Saxton: Oh yes. I want you for however long I have you. And seriously, you really need to stop thinking and start feeling as I pleasure you under my lovely new satin coffee sheets I bought from Starbucks.

Blaylock: I'm glad you're here. *groan*

After Qhuinn breaks down in tears from the deep, sexual connection Blaylock has found with Saxton, the Unicorn From The Future whisks him to the alternate future...

Unicorn: Because you and Blay weren't together, you weren't able to stop Rhage from sitting on another dove and killing it. The Scribe Virgin grew so verily angry and banished him to full dragon form. Since the Brothers could handle him, they fired him. The only job he could get is working as the new Puff the Magic Dragon. Now him and Mary are living it up in the land of Hona Lee:

Mary: Rhagekins I'm bored! A strange little boy called Jackie Paper keeps calling me Momma and from all the hot dragon sex we're having, I can't stop laying eggs and giving birth to dragon babies!

Mini Rhage Dragon Jr's: Roar Momma roar!

Rhage: Roar roar... sigh roar.

Mary: I need a drink.

Unicorn: And because you and Blay weren't together, you couldn't stop Rehv, who couldn't get over his disturbing smutty relationship with his half sister. He dumped Elhena and fell in love with a shift-changing snake since his icky half-sister looked like a snake. He also decided to open his own winery to bring in major cha-ching to support his Sympath community. Rehv is now a drunk who can't stop drinking the Brotherhood Booze:

Rehv: Hic!

Unicorn: Because you and Blay weren't together, you couldn't stop Marissa from getting hit by a bus!

Crime Scene Photo: Marissa run over by bus

Unicorn: From that accident, Vishous comforted Butch over the loss of his mate through smutty man sex and they ended up leaving the brotherhood to open their own bed and breakfast:

Butch: I'm so happy, V!

V: True dat cop of my heart.

Butch: And I'm so stoked our side business is doing so well. Who would have thought that Lesser ash fog remains can be bottled up and sold as cologne and perfume?

Butch: For a man who wants to small baby powder fresh, buy True Dat. And for the ladies who want to smell as baby power fresh as their mates, buy Verily.

Butch: V, I think we need to talk about your spoon fetish.

V: Dude, that night you went all dom on me changed me forever! The way you used that spoon on me... rowl. This spoon is a product of our love and I want to adopt it and call it Mhartin. He also looks a bit like Jane, don't you think?

Butch: Can't call the spoon Mhartin. The letter "H" is so last year. How about Xmartin?

V: True dat. Come here and snuggle with me naked man chest to naked man chest with our sphoon Xmartin.

Unicorn: And finally because you and Blaylock never got together, Lassiter bumped off Wrath and took over the mansion and all of Caldwell!

Lassiter! My fellow rejects of the BDB world, we've a success! With George, the former seeing eye dog of Wrath's, who has sunglasses that will fry a person like Cyclops from X-Men, and ghost Jane who can go all corporal on a person's ass, we'll rule the world! Now follow me as we partake of this tasty Brotherhood sherry and watch 24 hour marathon of Welcome Back Kotter and CHiPS on Nick at Nite!

Qhuinn: This is horrible! Other than the Brotherhood Booze, this alternate BDB future is wack!

Unicorn: That's why you must claim Blaylock as your mate! If you don't the entire BDB world is ruined!

Qhuinn: *Nods* Okay unicorn that looks like a rainbow threw up on it, here I go...

Will Qhuinn rush in and take Blaylock away from Saxton to save the future of the BDB world? Perhaps he'll join Blaylock and Saxton in the satin coffee Starbuck sheets. Stay tuned for another WTFckery BDB skit installment to find out...

Leave a comment here by Friday April 1st for your chance to win a $20 Amazon gift certificate that you can used to buy your own copy of Lover Unleashed.

Bookedity News of the Week! Self-Publishing Announcements, Amazing Dollar Books Deals and Rita WTFckery

This week was chockful of book announcements from all ends of the publishing spectrum. For those who may not be aware, I'm here to give you the run down... *because I'm cool like that *G*

Two big named authors are deciding to try their hand at self-publishng and leave traditional publishing behind.

1. Thriller writer, Barry Eisler has walked away from a $500,000 book deal to self-publish his own work. Plus he let go of his agent. You can read about his decision over at self publishing guru author, J.A. Konrath's blog where J.A. and Barry talks about his decision in doing this.

Here's a small taste of the interview:

Joe: So... no BS... you were just offered half a mil, and you turned it down?

Barry: Yes.

Joe: Holy shit!

Barry: I know it’ll seem crazy to a lot of people, but based on what’s happening in the industry, and based on the kind of experience writers like you are having in self-publishing, I think I can do better in the long term on my own.

Joe: Holy shit!

Sorry. That needed to be said twice.

Barry: It’s okay, I like when you talk dirty.

We are living in remarkable times, aren’t we?

Joe: Indeed. "Barry Eisler Walks Away From $500,000 Deal to Self-Pub" is going to be one for the Twitter Hall of Fame.

Barry: Here’s something that happened about a year ago. Anecdotal, but still telling, I think. My wife and daughter and I were sitting around the dinner table, talking about what kind of contract I would do next, and with what publisher. And my then eleven-year-old daughter said, “Daddy, why don’t you just self-publish?”

And I thought, wow, no one would have said something like that even a year ago. I mean, it used to be that self-publishing was what you did if you couldn’t get a traditional deal. And if you were really, really lucky, maybe the self-published route would lead to a real contract with a real publisher.

But I realized from that one innocent comment from my daughter that the new generation was looking at self-publishing differently. And that the question--“Should I self-publish?”--was going to be asked by more and more authors going forward. And that, over time, more and more of them were going to be answering the question, “Yes.”

This is exactly what’s happening now. I’m not the first example, though I might be a noteworthy one because of the numbers I’m walking away from. But there will be others, more and more of them.

2. Over at All About Romance's blog, beloved historical and contemporary author, Connie Brockway has also announced that she is also going to self publish as well.

Excerpt from the interview:

So, what are the major reasons that you’re making the change?

Connie: Oh, there’s reasons a-plenty. First off, the contract I was offered was not good either monetarily and elsewise, the elsewise being in terms of eBooks. It doesn’t take too much business acumen to look at recent eBook sales history and project that eBook readers aren’t going to pony up the same amount for an eBook, that exists only as a virtual entity, as a paper book which costs substantially more to produce (printing, shipping, warehousing, distribution, covers etc.) Or if they do, they aren’t going to do it often. And if the publishers set the price too high, it’s the authors that lose the most. I hate losing.

Of course, this was more than a business decision. Strictly as a writer, I’m squealing with joy at the notion of being completely free to write the stories I most want to read. And, I sincerely believe, that my readers most want to read.

Connie has stated she has tried to convince her publisher to write a sequel to All Through the Night, but they refused. All Through the Night is one of my all time favorite romances and one I've been dying to have a sequel for. If she does do a sequel, a squee will be heard around the world from me.

As two authors move away from traditional publisher, there has been a few wonderful book deals announced.

3. Paranormal romance author Jill Myles and all around quirky and lovely person has just announced a 2 book deal to Berkley Heat under her new pen name, Jessica Clare.

"Jill Myles writing as Jessica Clare’s WHEN SPARKS FLY, in which a woman seeks romantic revenge on the boy-next-door turned hockey hunk who did her wrong in high school, until they reunite and she finds herself caring more about the romance than the revenge, to Cindy Hwang at Berkley Heat, in a two book deal, by Holly Root at Waxman Literary Agency (World English)."

Congrats Jill! (we'll still have words over you spoiling Breaking Dawn for me in July)

4. And for those bloggers who are aspiring author who think you can't get published, well one blogger has succeed this week with an eye-popping announcement.

Lenore at Presenting Lenore who reviews YA and loves to post pictures of her adorable cats can call herself a YA author:

"Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers has acquired a YA novel called Level Two by Lenore Appelhans, in a joint acquisition with CBS Films. According to S&S, this is the first time the company has coordinated a deal so that an author received a simultaneous book and film offer. In Level Two, the liminal place between our world (Level One) and heaven, Felicia spends her days reliving her memories from the security of her pod—until she gets broken out by Julian, a boy she met on Earth. Appelhans writes the popular YA blog Presenting Lenore. Level Two will be published in either fall 2012 or spring 2013, with a 200,000-copy first printing."

5. I'm simply amazed by Amanda Hocking and all her success. Not only has she made almost $2 million dollars on her own self publishing in one year alone,  and sold 300,000 more books in February, but she has just signed an incredible deal with St. Martin's for $2 million for 4 books with the publisher:

"Amanda Hocking, the 26-year-old author who shot to fame by selling more than a million copies of her self-published books, has signed up with a traditional publisher for her next series.

St. Martin’s Press, part of Macmillan, will publish Ms. Hocking’s “Watersong” series, four books in the young-adult paranormal genre. A heated auction for the rights to publish her books began early last week, and several major publishers, including Random House, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins, dropped out as the price climbed into the seven figures."

Amanda is living the dream I'm aspiring to reach. I bow down to her. Good luck Amanda and ignore all those naysayers coming out from all sides and being Debbie Downers about your decision to embrace the traditional publisher world. They are simply, petty and immature jealous haters. My motto has become, do what makes you happy and that's what's Amanda is doing. If only we all could be so lucky. Zoe Winters, who also self publishing, and is also very successful at it agrees in her post called Disgusted. You can't tell me if a publisher offered you a 7 figure book deal, or even half or that, of hell, a quarter of that, you wouldn't take it? I would.

6. Yesterday RWA announce the 2011 Rita and Golden Heart Finalists. You can click here to read the nominations.

There are some great books nominated and worthy authors up there, but I'm not happy overall with the nominations.

Could someone please explain to me...

How Meljean Brook's The Iron Duke was not nominated when it was one of the most well received, admired and buzzed about romances last year? Major Fail!

another excuse to post hot man-titty cover

Why is it that not one digitally publisher book from an epublisher is not nominated? I know for a fact that digital books were submitted for nomination. Are you telling me out of the amount of digital books submitted, not one was good enough to be nominated for a Rita?

Why under the Series Romance category, it's overrun by Harlequin and Mills & Boon? I guess it should be renamed Harleqin/Mills & Boon Romance category. Again, not one digital ebook that could be considered a Series Romance was nominated.

And not having a GLBT and Erotica category, but having an Inspirational category is wrong. Yes, there, I said it. It's wrong.

Perhaps the Ritas should be renamed- WTFckery Ritas. I guess I'm bitter because I'll have a book published this year that I would like to submit for the Ritas. But what would be the point because from no digitial books nominated, mine would probably not stand a chance because it's a digital release that will definitely be published in print, but unfortunately not by one of the big 6 publishers.

Am I wrong about my feelings about the Ritas? What do you think?

Anyone else have any fabulous book news they may have read about their favorite authors? Of if you're an author yourself, you're more than welcome to leave a comment about your incredible news here.

Guest Author Post: Tracy Cooper-Posey on Honesty Amongst Thieves *BOOK GIVEAWAY*

Is Honesty Amongst Thieves Really Possible?

A book I remember re-reading several times when I was quite a bit younger, was If Tomorrow Comes, by Sydney Sheldon, released way back in 1988. It featured a heroine and master thief called Tracy, which had nothing to do with why I kept re-reading it! In fact, it was my first introduction to the idea of thieves, con artists, etc, being the good guys. The heroes. I'd never considered the possibility of a thief and a con artist falling in love and living happily ever after. I found the idea fascinating.

I touched on that theme with my short erotic story, Thief in the Night, in 2006, but there wasn't enough room to explore it in depth. It wasn't until I settled down to write Blood Knot and had the space and time to really sink my teeth into the theme that I really started to think about just how tangled and difficult such a relationship might be.

Especially with con artists, where lying is an inherent part of their natures and lives, I wondered how difficult it might be to draw boundaries between truth and fiction. After all, if you're constantly playing roles and putting on masks and characters, how in touch are you really going to be with your true feelings?

Worse, how could the person you profess to be in love with be certain that you're telling the truth? How can they be sure you really do mean it when you say you love them, when lying is part of your personality, part of who you are?

Ultimately, all couples have to take a leap of faith and trust the other person when they say "I love you." But the beginning of a true love relationship between two people who lie for a living (thieves, con artists. Actors, fiction writers?) must be incredibly rocky as they take those first shaky steps to agree that they're really not just stringing each other along, that this is the real thing. Trust would be difficult to establish and would come only with huge risk-taking.

That means that in order for endemic liars to fall in love and actually make it work, they would need to be extraordinarily courageous in order to reach out to the other person and expose themselves after a lifetime of hiding their true natures.

I suspect that in real life, liars are rather lonely people. But it does make for some delicious, fun and pulse-pausing fiction.

______________

After thirty-five novels with various publishers, under various pen names, and after nearly ten years with Ellora’s Cave primarily writing in romantic suspense and paranormal romance, I have finally taken a deep breath and self-published Blood Knot, an erotic urban fantasy romance (MMF, Contemporary, Vampires, Paranormal), and my 36th novel overall. It was released on March 9, 2011 and is available at Amazon and Smashwords for $2.99 in all the common e-book formats, and will soon be available in print.

I've won a number of awards, including Australia's Emma Darcy Award (the equivalent of the Golden Heart) and was most recently nominated for the CAPA's Best Erotic Paranormal and Favourite Author categories. You can find out more about me and my books here

Synopsis: Winter, a professional thief who can manipulate others’ biologies by touch, accidentally “healed” her former partner—and former vampire—Sebastian, whom she secretly loves. Her healing created a symbiotic pairing between them that neither of them wants.

Nathanial, a sexy thousand-year-old vampire and Sebastian’s ex-lover, talks Sebastian and Winter into stealing evidence that will expose all vampires to the world. But Nathanial is a puppet-master who doesn’t believe in falling in love with humans, leaving Winter unsure of his real feelings for her once he seduces her, or how he feels about Sebastian, the former vampire-now-human whose life he has turned upside down once more.

But the evidence they steal is hot property. The future of all vampires is on the line and others will stop at nothing to get it, leaving Sebastian, Winter and Nathanial with no allies but each other. They must trust each other to survive. Only...can they?
____

An Excerpt From: BLOOD KNOT
Copyright © TRACY COOPER-POSEY, 2011
All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Two

Sumitomo Mitsui Bank Commercial Depository, Raffles City Tower, Raffles Avenue, Singapore—Eleven months ago

THE JOB HAD almost been too easy. Right from the start Winter had been nervous about the set up, although Sebastian had kept reassuring her that if they systematically checked their security and kept to their normal procedures, then they would be able to cope with anything unexpected that came at them.
It was hard to pass up a two million dollar pay day. It bothered her that Pedro Slavomir had been first to pass, though. What had he seen about this job that she could not?

But the job had gone flawlessly. To begin, they had misdirected. It was inevitable that rumors might leak of a potential job. When the gossip emerged, it had been easy to draw attention to a more obvious target, the retail Sumitomo Mitsui Bank on Temasek Avenue. Very few people were aware of Sumitomo’s new commercial facility in the Raffles tower, which easily surpassed the retail branch in turnover.

After cocktails and dancing in the Raffles Hotel, Sebastian and Winter had made their tipsy way to their hotel room around one a.m., looking for all the world like a couple about to spend the night in each other’s arms.

They were dressed just like other elegant Raffles guests. Winter wore a beaded blue evening gown that hugged her figure and glittered every time she moved. It had little straps over her shoulders to hold it up and there was discreet boning and support to make the most of her cleavage. A split in the dress ran up her left thigh, showing off her silk stockings and Jimmy Choo stilettos.

Sebastian was turning heads as usual. If they hadn’t been working, he could have taken his pick of a dozen men or women who were doing everything but drool on his shoulder. He wore a dark charcoal suit that shouted good taste and expense. It made the most of his height and seemed to make a statement of the fact that he was a man who preferred the physical to the mental. Winter could feel it in her own responses to his good looks. She was aware of her own appearance and glad that she looked her best, even though she knew it was wasted on Sebastian. Lastly, he wore a black shirt and a dull green tie that gleamed and made the most of his blond hair and green eyes.

At just over six foot high, Sebastian stood out amongst the Raffles guests. Then, when he spoke and people heard his natural well-rounded English accent, the clean vowels, and his deep, thoughtful tones, they were mesmerized. If he happened to catch their gaze and speak to them directly, they were his. Hook, line and sinker. Sebastian could do with them what he wanted after that. He merely had to smile and give them that sleepy, charming look of his and they would tumble into bed with him and think it was all their idea.

Winter had seen it so many times she had become inured to it now.

At least they were working tonight. She had grown used to being left sitting alone to find her own company but tonight…she couldn’t put her finger on it. It would make a difference tonight.

Just after one a.m., they put aside the last of a long series of Martinis that had been discreetly poured into potted palms, washroom sinks and toilet bowls, spilt, and otherwise disposed of. Then they staggered up the elegant Raffles staircase, ostensibly heading for their room. As soon as they were out of sight of the hotel staff and guests, they straightened up and began to walk faster.

In two minutes they were standing at the door that led onto the roof of the hotel. Winter took off her stilettos and Sebastian removed his jacket. From his pockets he pulled a pair of light rubber pumps to protect her feet and give her some footing over the silk stockings. She hitched one side of the beaded gown up and clipped it to her hip. The other side was split, giving her room to move. Her hair, black as midnight, she normally kept in a short, simple hairstyle which made her work easier. She nodded to Sebastian.

He transferred his Glocks to the holsters under his arms and readjusted the straps now he could let them show, added the flick knife and other gear from the pockets of his jacket to loops and straps designed to hold them, which he had added to the holsters.

“Let’s go,” she murmured, and disabled the alarm on the door.

They slipped out onto the roof and dropped their shoes and jacket just outside the door. Winter took a breath, feeling the low grade fizz and buzz of excitement she always got these days when the job was on.
In thirteen minutes, they had breached the Raffles Tower and reached the twentieth floor. Security was tighter on the twentieth floor, as the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation had their own security.

Here, Winter and Sebastian split up, for each had their own assignments, matched to their skills. And Winter had things to do that she didn’t want Sebastian to see.

Sebastian hesitated. “Be careful,” he said in a murmur, breaking their usual silence. His eyes were narrowed, concentrating. She knew he was listening hard. His hearing was often phenomenal.

She scowled and gave him a push. Go. His task was inside the vault, this time.

Sebastian shook his head and left, moving fast and silently. He didn’t look back.

After a moment while she tried to puzzle through his uncharacteristic break with practice, she turned and hurried down the wide, silent corridor she was in. This corridor, from the schematics they had been able to purchase, surrounded the vault and data centre on three sides. The fourth side of the vault and data centre was the twenty floor drop to the street below. The guards strolled the corridor ceaselessly, in random patterns. The corporation didn’t depend upon cameras. That factor, Winter bet, had been the one that had made Pedro Slavomir pass the job up. Given the peculiar conditions of the delivery that the contract demanded, it made it almost impossible, unless you had certain skills…

There was a guard up ahead, his back to her.

Winter unclipped her dress, dropping it back down so it looked normal. She shifted her walk, making it more seductive, pushing her hips forward. She smiled. When the guard turned around, he saw her and for two precious, startled seconds he hesitated, stunned to see a woman in evening wear shimmying her way towards him. Then his brain caught up with his instincts and reason took over. There was no possible way she could be in this corridor at this time of night unless she had overcome at least six security barriers.

He reached down and back for his gun, but it was too late, Winter was already within reach of him. She rested her hand on his arm on his arm. “It’s alright,” she soothed. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

He paused, gazing at her. “It is?”

She halted the flow of his endorphins she had sent streaming into his blood as soon as she had touched him.

The adrenaline spike from seeing her had been countered now. He, like most men in security and military forces, had a highly responsive biology and was easy to manipulate. She concentrated instead on soothing chemicals. Calm and happy juices. “Sure is,” she told him. “Everything’s just fine. Why don’t you sit down?”

She had learned long ago to make them sit, first. The bruises they got from falling raised too many questions later.

“Okay,” he said happily and sat on the floor. He grinned up at her.

Winter reached into his mind, riffling through the acids and proteins there, looking for the most recent patterns. “You’re not going to remember anything about me when you wake up later. You will wake refreshed from a short sleep and feel guilty about falling asleep on the job, but that’s all.” She found the sugars and fats that marked his most recent memories. “You won’t remember anything out of the ordinary other than you fell asleep. And it was a lovely sleep.”

“Okay.”

She put him to sleep and lowered his head to the ground. He was smiling in his sleep and she quickly adjusted the memories she had found, smoothing out the patterns and spikes. Dreams from his sleep would take their place.

Winter stood up and took one of the syringes from the pouch on her hip. Sebastian and the few who knew of them thought they were her secret wonder drug, her personal weapon that knocked people cold and left them with no memory of events afterwards. This, in part, enhanced Winter Manon Kennedy’s mighty reputation for breaking into the impossible-to-reach places, the unbreakable vaults, the unassailable locations.

If only they knew the truth. She grimaced and squirted the saline in the syringe onto her dress where the beading would hide the wet patch and put the syringe back in her pouch. The guard was snoring now, still smiling. Under the closed lids, his eyes were moving rapidly backwards and forward in deep REM.

One down, seven to go.

She paused to adjust her own arousal. It was always this way. Touching others, reaching inside them, especially combined with a job, gave her a rush. At first, she had resented that it was so. Now she learned to accept that life had shaped circumstances and her in such a way that this was how she was. She tamped down the arousal enough to ignore it and moved on.

Eight minutes and forty seconds later, seven of the eight guards were sleeping peacefully. She couldn’t find the eighth. He seemed to be eluding her. Finally, she rounded the corner of the last turn of the corridor, slowing down, her caution ratcheted up high. There was nowhere else the guard could be but somewhere in this last stubby wing of the corridor.

The corridor was empty. Winter didn’t let her guard down as she slowly traversed the twenty yard long passage. There were doors all along the corridor. He had to be behind one of them. She just had to draw him out.

Winter inched down the long length of the corridor, until cold steel touched her bare back. “Stop right there.”

The guard had the sing-song cadences of a native Singaporean and from the direction of his voice, he was short. Winter estimated he was shorter than her own five foot nine inches.

She backed up half a step.

“I said stop,” he repeated.

Winter wasn’t going to be able to reach him that way. She turned her head enough to sight him over her shoulder. He had his gun fully extended from his body. It didn’t matter. A finger was just as good a contact point for her as a chest or a face. She could reach into a body with her fingertip touching through thin cloth, like a business shirt, or the shirts the guards wore. But she had to be able to touch, at least. Contact was essential.

This one wasn’t going to let her get that close.

Except sometimes talking would get them to lower their guard enough.

“I suppose you’re wondering what I’m doing here,” she began.

“Shut up,” he snapped.

“I got lost, you see—”

“I said, shut up!” he screamed.

Crap.

Suddenly, there was a sharp sound of snapping wood, muffled. The guard grunted and sighed. Winter twisted to see what had happened.

The guard was crumpling to the polished, gleaming floor. Sebastian stood over him, a broken broom handle in his hand, the inner core of the spruce handle showing startling white in the dull night lights of the corridor.

The bristled end lay on the floor next to the slowly oozing guard.

Winter jumped forward to catch the guard before he hit the linoleum too hard. “Damn it, I told you before, no violence unless necessary!” She reached for the guard’s wrist, intending to soothe him, just as she had the others. She couldn’t send him to sleep until she had sent Sebastian away on a pretext.

“A gun at your back doesn’t make it necessary?” Sebastian replied. His tone was at once amazed and offended.

“No, it doesn’t,” she snapped, stepping around the guard to face him. “Damn it, how many times do we have to do this, Sebastian? You take care of your stuff. I take care of mine. I was handling it. I don’t need you to rescue me, take care of me, or watch out for me. It just trips me up and makes you dangerous. It screws up the job. Is that clear?”

His face hardened. “Clear as crystal,” he said flatly. He gaze flickered past her.

Eleven months later, dozens of recalls later, Winter still could not put together in her mind a visual sequence of what Sebastian did next. Only logic supplied her with what he must have actually done.

UPDATE:

As a special thank you, I would like to give away an e-copy of my recent erotic urban fantasy time-travel romance, KISS ACROSS SWORDS, to your readers.

Everyone who comments on this post goes into the draw and I'll close the draw at midnight MST on Monday, March 29th.

Here's the blurb for KISS ACROSS SWORDS:

Taylor Yates never dreamed growing up she would end up happily living with two drop-dead sexy vampires and time-hopping through their thousand years of personal history. Her life is complete…or is it?

When she finds herself at the seige of Jerusalem during the first crusade, Veris doesn’t know her at all and doesn’t want to. Worst of all, he and Brody are total strangers, and Taylor drives a wedge in deep between them by trying to seduce Veris at their first meeting—not something a lady of the day does if she wants to keep her head.

Taylor and Brody must woo Veris using the customs of medieval England, win his heart and his full commitment before Jerusalem falls in four days time—or when they return to their own time, their lives as they know them will be gone

Lover Unleashed Book Review *J.R. Ward*

*Beware Spoilers for those who are not caught up on this series*

When it comes to J.R. Ward’s writing and world building skills, I’m simply astounded by what she has created. Not only does she write some of the best male friendships I ever read in literature, but has left me aching desperately for her next book. J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood books consume my life, so much so, that I jokingly call them my crack. Now nine books in, Ward has begun to tie up loose ends, while introducing new story lines, including a new set of characters that will most like carry on this series for another nine books. Unfortunately, no matter how much I adore this series, I feel that it’s close to running its course. I wish I could say this book blew my mind away, but because of the weak primary romance and a boring new villain, not to mention I was more invested in the secondary stories more so than the primary, Lover Unleashed is comparable to Lover Enshrined (book # 6). Lover Enshrined is the one I ignore and act as if it doesn’t exist. If not for the Vishous, Jane and Butch, Lover Unleashed would have been DOA.

Lover Unleashed starts off right after the events of Lover Mine. Payne, the sister V never knew about, is paralyzed from the neck down because of a bad break in her back. Now she has come down to Earth, thus ending her imprisonment by her mother, the Scribe Virgin, in the Phade. V feels immense guilt over Payne’s situation and allows his mate Jane to fetch the one man who can save Payne- Dr. Manny Manello. V hates Manny since Jane and Manny were very close when she was alive. But since V’s glowing hand of power can’t help Payne, Jane will end up scaring the beejuses out of Manny when she asks him for help since she’s a ghost and he did think she was dead.

Manny has had a rough year. He still can’t get over Jane’s death and his only solace is a racing horse he owns. As he’s at Jane’s tombstone feeling dejected, she poofs in front of him and explains Payne’s situation. Manny becomes super surgeon and goes off with her thinking she’s working undercover for the US government. Soon the joke will be on him. When he meets Payne, he is stunned by her because SHE’S THE ONE HE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR ALL HIS LIFE. If Manny was a brother, the bonding scent would come out full force. Manny falls headfirst in love just by seeing Payne’s face and luscious braided hair as she lays horizontal unable to move. And how Manny cures Payne will have you in hysterics like it did for me. A certain Marvin Gaye song comes to mind in regards to these two.

Things between V and Jane are not good. V loves Jane more than his day glow hand of power, but can’t get over his psychological pain fetish. Wax dripping on his dippy doo, and fighting with lessers only stop his uncontrollable need for more pain for short periods of time. Jane feels she’s losing him. The only hope is Butch to break V down. And if Butch does what Jane is asking of him, he may lose a part of himself in the process.

A new group of vampires, led by Xcor, leave the old land and come to Caldwell. Xcor wants revenge against the woman who killed his father, the Bloodletter, while causing problems for Wrath. Then we have Qhuinn. Poor confused Qhuinn aches for Blay, but can’t have him because he has so much internal turmoil. He thinks Blay will never want him since he has found happiness with Saxton, who accepts him for all that he is.

This is only a small taste of what’s within Lover Unleashed, and while there are some great scenes, I was sorely disappointed. Panye and Manny, or ZZZayne as I like to call them, are too dull to be memorable. Their relationship feels forced and their chemistry lacking. Manny acts and thinks like a  BDB brother, which makes no sense to me. I was very annoyed by this personality transplant. Also his relationship with his horse was tacked on in a sloppy way that really had nothing to do with the overall plot.

The characters who  shine here are V and Jane. These two made the book for me. They had some of the steamiest scenes in the entire book. You will ache alongside V for what he’s going through. He’s close to destroying himself and only the second half of his soul can save him. Jane is very much the woman of his heart. Butch is a part of his soul, but sorry to say, not in a sexual way readers have been dying for. Ward puts to rest their underlying sexual relationship with a powerful and gut-wrenching scene. It all comes down to the deep seated trust these two have for one another. A gag ball and a spoon are involved, which works wonders on V’s breakthrough.

The most angsty character of all is Qhuinn. He feels as if he doesn’t belong anywhere. The only time he did was when he was with Blay. Now that he has pushed Blay away, he’s barely living. And even though he comes to the conclusion on how Blay makes him feel, he can’t have him because of what he has done. He suffers silently and has blocked all forms of communication with Blay. It’s going to take a very long time for these two to even speak to one another, let alone be together in that way the readers want.

There are two big things that really irked me as I read. The over use of “true” and “verily”, as well as the word “and” being written as- aaannnnddd at the beginning of some sentences was like nails on a chalkboard. Also Ward has adamantly stated she wouldn’t do something between two characters, but she has done that, and I’m “verily” annoyed over it. This plot point is almost a slap in the face because it’s so contrived, ridiculously soap operaish and an easy way to get around a character’s longevity.

Lover Unleashed does have some strong points, but has a major lack of appeal as if Ward has done all she can with this series. I’m now only invested in reading for the Blay and Qhuinn finale.

My craving has now dimmed. I really can’t say I’ll be on pins and needles (or sphoons) as I have been in the past for the next book. (NAL)

Final Grade: C+

A few other Lover Unleashed reviews:

Book Reading Gals

Rex Robot Reviews

**Make sure to come back here on Sunday when I post my WTFckery of a BDB skit. Let's just say Qhuinn gets a wake up call where he must try to get back with Blay. If he doesn't, the entire Brotherhood will fall apart*

Cover Alert: One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost

Jeaniene Frost has unveiled the cover for book #6 in her Night Huntress series.

Le hot stepback!

Every time I see Jeaniene's covers, I want to have babies with it. One Grave at a Time will be out on August 30th from Avon Books.

No synopsis yet. But from what I hear, Cat's coat takes center stage on the cover.

Do we like? I sure do!

WTFckery At Play? M/M YA Not Okay in YA Anthology

Best selling YA author, Jessica Verday of The Hollow's Trilogy, has written a post called Being Gay is Okay. She wrote a M/M YA for an anthology called Wicked Pretty Things (US: Running Press, UK: Constable & Robinson) which has pulled her story from the anthology. Why?

In her own words: "I was told that the story I'd wrote, which features Wesley (a boy) and Cameron (a boy), who were both in love with each other, would have to be published as a male/female story because a male/male story would not be acceptable to the publishers."

Now I know there are two sides to a story. Why wasn't Jessica's story acceptable? Was it too graphic sexually with in your face love scenes or too violent? If so, this can be fixed in the editing process, so even if the editor or the publisher comes forward to say that's the reason why the story wasn't acceptable doesn't fly for me.

But then the editor, Trisha Telep left a comment on why:

"Oh dear. Might as well give you my two cents. Not that it really matters but... Don't take it out on the publishers, the decision was mine totally. These teen anthologies I do are light on the sex and light on the language. I assumed they'd be light on alternative sexuality, as well. Turns out I was wrong! Just after I had the kerfuffle with jessica, I was told that the publishers would have loved the story to appear in the book! Oh dear. My rashness will be the death of me. It's a great story. Hope jessica publishes it online. (By the way: if you want to see a you tube video of me wrestling a gay man in Glasgow, and losing, please let me know)."

The cutesy respond doesn't fly for me either, nor does the, "hee hee I watch gay videos on You Tube, so see, I'm accepting of gay people."

It's not okay. What has occurred is not okay. What Jessica has done is beyond okay, and I applaud and admire her for her actions. Not many authors would do what she has done.

This saddens and sickens me. Can someone explain to me how an "alternative lifestyle or alternative sexuality" is not light enough or too sexual?

BTW, Jessica responded in the comments to how sexual her story is: "Three kisses. One implied - "When he was kissing me, and holding my face like I was air and he couldn't breathe..." and two direct "he kissed me one last time" and "I kissed him one last time."

Am I wrong or does that sound PG at best? 3 kisses are too sexy for a teenager to read? What if Jessica had written a boy meets girl romance and they shared 3 kisses together? Would there be a cause for concern? I bet you there wouldn't be.

Courtney Milan's comment left on Jessica's post that states my feelings perfectly about this issue:

"I don't even know where to start. You wouldn't even think to say that a teen anthology that is light on sex and language would be light on, say, people of color, would you?

Saying, "Gee, I thought that having gay people in an anthology would be like having explicit sex" is wrong on so many levels. This is the most utterly asinine defense I've seen.

You say, "my rashness will be the death of me." Uh, that's not rashness. It's bigotry."

Rejecting this love story- "About one boy who loves another boy so much that when something bad happens to him, he'll do whatever it takes to get him the help he needs" is a big old fail and a WTFckery. One I hope Jessica publishes and will be read by both those readers who are accepting of love in all forms regardless if the main characters are of the same gender.

Guest Post: Nadia Lee on Self-Publishing Successfully

Nadia Lee is a romance author who has embraced self-publishing. Since I'm a big supporter of self-publishing I asked Nadia to discuss her own experience as an author who has entered into this new way of publishing that seems to be the next step for some in getting published. If you're interested in self-publishing, you'll want to read this...

Nadia's latest release, Carnal Secrets, is out now for $3.97 on-line at ARe and Smashwords.

isn't his a great cover?

Synopsis: After a rapid change in management, Natalie Hall is surprised to find that she's being promoted so quickly. But when it becomes obvious that the new CEO is interested in her on a more personal level, she pushes him away -- she doesn't want to repeat her past mistake of giving her heart to the wrong man.

A self-made billionaire, Alex Damon has his own reasons for pursuing Natalie. Her adoptive father, a powerful U.S. senator, is using his political clout to protect his friends the Rodales, who Alex intends to destroy for ripping his own family apart when he was a child. Furthermore, he suspects that Natalie is spying for the Rodales.

What he hasn't planned on is her unflinching sense of loyalty and integrity, the sizzling attraction between them that threatens to turn into something much more, and the dark secrets that can destroy them both.

Three Qualities of Effective (and Possibly Successful) Indie Writers

It's so hard not to think of indie-pubbing (or self-publishing) as a quick way to make some big bucks when you read about how much money Amanda Hocking and JA Konrath have made from their endeavors. I even read somewhere that Amanda paid cash for a house...! So oh geez, self-publishing sounds almost like winning a jackpot, except the odds are so much better.

Wrong.

Self-publishing is really, really difficult. I've done it myself, self-publishing the contemporary romance Carnal Secrets last month. (You can read about what I did and my decision-making processes on Zoe Winter's Blog, Kait Nolan's Blog, Love Romance Passion, Pearl's World of Romance and Monkey Bear Reviews.) Though it may sound easy, it really wasn't.

(For those of you wondering about A Happily Ever After of Her Own and Destiny Entwined, which are also on sale -- they were originally freebies for my newsletter subscribers. Carnal Secrets was always meant for publication. So I don't consider A Happily Ever After of Her Own or Destiny Entwined as something I've self-published as a business venture / product.)

From my observation and research, to be an effective (and possibly successful) indie author, you need three things:

1. A cold heart
2. The ability and willingness to take care of the business side of things
3. Realistic expectations

So let's look at each item:

1. A cold heart

Why a cold heart? Because you have to be objective about why you want to self-publish. Doing it because you're angry that everyone in NY rejected you with a form R and you're gonna make them sorry is not a good idea. That's not how you make a big decision like this.

If you're sure -- REALLY SURE -- that your writing is good, go for it. And do it only if you can produce a book that's just as good as the ones that are published by the big boys.

It's true that readers don't care if a book is self-published or NY published. But they are unforgiving; nor do they forget authors who disappoint them. If your book doesn't measure up, readers will create word of mouth -- the kind you really don't want. And it'll hamper your ability to sell books in the future.

2. The ability and willingness to take care of business

A lot of writers I know tell me they just don't want to deal with the business side of things. It does seem rather daunting to figure out break-even sales points, hire somebody for the cover, editing and file conversion, decide where to distribute and how much to charge, learn how to promote and create a system to track sales, profits and costs, etc. etc. etc.

But when you self-publish, you don't have anybody doing those things for you. If you don't do them -- or learn how to do them yourself or hire somebody who can do them for you -- you cannot self-publish.

Don't skimp on covers or editing or file conversion because you don't want to risk your money. If you aren't willing to invest in your own book, why should any reader be expected to fork over money for it?

As I mentioned before, you want to put out a quality product. You don't want your book cover to look homemade. Nor do you want your book to contain numerous errors that any competent freelance editor would've caught. (If you need a referral, contact me and I'll be happy to provide you with one.) And you don't want to publish an ebook with conversion errors so that it contains strange symbols and gibberish instead of punctuation marks and so on. (BTW -- if you're reasonably competent with HTML and CSS and have a Windows computer, you can learn how to convert ebooks. Get more info here.)

Again, this is a lot of work for one person, even if you outsource a big chunk of it. Read what Amanda Hocking has to say about the amount of work she needs to do as a self-published author: http://amandahocking.blogspot.com/2011/03/some-things-that-need-to-be-said.html.

3. Realistic expectations

You're not going to post your ebook on Kindle and wake up the next day with a million dollars in your bank account. That's just not gonna happen no matter what journalists who interview Amanda Hocking and JA Konrath, etc. make it sound like. (Those articles always make it sound soooo easy.)

JA Konrath started with a significant fan base he'd built from his NY publishing days. But it took him a year before he could make a good money (over $2k/month) from his self-published books.

I spoke with a successful indie writer who makes a good living from her self-published romance novels. (She doesn't have any traditional NY or epub experience or any type of special platform or fame; she wished to remain anonymous for the purposes of this blog post.) She told me that for the first year and a half, she was making $200/month or less (sometimes a lot less). Then she finally started building a backlist and saw some real money coming in consistently (over $2k/month). Nine months later, she has eight titles out and is consistently making $10k/month. So it took her about two years of really hard work to reach this point.

Sadly, most self-published writers will not reach this point. Self-published author forums are full of people who are barely selling one book a day. But if you look at the people who are successful (the Konrath blog has tons of guest posts by such people), you'll see a pattern: They write well, are business-savvy and work really hard).

Some of the points here may seem like a bit of a downer, but I wanted to let people know what they should consider, and for them to have realistic expectations about self-publishing. Though it's a lot of work, it can also offer a fabulous opportunity -- after all, you get to keep all your profits, and, when done right, you can make a very comfortable living.

Any questions or comments? :-)

About Nadia Lee:

Bilingual former management consultant Nadia Lee has lived in four different countries and enjoyed many adventures and excellent food around the globe. In the last eight years, she has kissed stingrays, got bitten by a shark, ridden an elephant and petted tigers.

She shares an apartment overlooking a river and palm trees in Japan with her husband, an ever-changing collection of winter white hamsters and an ever-widening pile of books. When she's not writing, she can be found digging through old Asian historical texts or planning another trip.

Carnal Secrets is her latest work. You can find the blurb and excerpt on her website or purchase a copy from All Romance eBooks, Amazon Kindle US, Amazon Kindle UK, B&N Nook or Smashwords.

Nadia's other books available now!

Synopsis: When her lover Theseus deserts her on an island, Princess Ariadne of Crete wishes to forget her betrayal-filled past. Dionysus answers her prayers, seducing her with his godly wiles and delivering mind-shattering ecstasy. However, when he reveals that she's his bride as foretold in a prophecy, she has to take a leap of faith, once more leaving her heart vulnerable to another, or live out the rest of her life on the island alone.

Synopsis: Melinda Lightfoot, a preschool teacher with an unusual ability to flit in and out of fairy tales, never thought she would get into trouble...until the Fairy Tale Police arrest her while she is in Beauty and the Beast. They offer her a deal: Find Beauty, who left the story when Melinda trespassed into it, or be charged with the ultimate crime -- Fairy Tale Killer. If that's not bad enough the Beast tags along in search of his true love, and Melinda starts falling for the fairy tale prince. She must choose between doing the right thing and having her own happily ever after.