Tuesday, March 27, 2007

RT Review of ArtiFactual

ARTIFACTUAL: TALES OF THE EROTIQUE MYSTIQUE
by Alessia Brio and Will Belegon

These four stories follow the main characters as they discover the amazing time-travel properties of sexual artifacts, where they participate in consensual bondage, same-gender sex, masturbation and much oral sex. This fascinating premise is disappointingly undeveloped and the last story presents an anti-morality message that has the heroine appearing mean-spirited.

Susan Mobley

RT Review of ArtiFactual

Monday, March 26, 2007

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Excerpt: Time Warp


Time Warp, by Alessia BrioAlex bounced down the stairs and into the kitchen just in time to see the final seconds tick off the oven's timer. Hair and make-up were complete, but she still wore her old fuzzy bathrobe. She'd get dressed as soon as the meal preparations were complete rather than risk a spill on her new outfit. Whistling, she donned the oven mitts and extracted the Bundt pan, carefully lowering it into a shallow bowl of cold water. It hissed momentarily as the change in temperature halted the baking process, and Alex jerked her head to the side to avoid the rising steam.

"It's astounding. Time is fleeting," she sang.

Dan would be home in about an hour, and she still had much to do. Their third anniversary celebration was going to be extra special: traditional, yet new and exciting.

As Alex began to prepare the cake's black icing, the Rocky Horror DVD on the kitchen table caught her eye. Pity that none of the nearby cinemas were playing the classic film at midnight. She recalled the first time she'd laid eyes on Dan as he did the Time Warp in the aisle of the old Warner Theater downtown. Perhaps "love at first sight" was a bit cliché, but in Dan's case, she believed it. Seven years later, her feelings for him had only deepened.

He'd had to extricate himself from his first marriage before they could be together openly, and that took considerable time and energy. It wasn't easy on either of them. Fortunately, the ex-Mrs. Goody-Two-Shoes, Beth, didn't make much of a fuss. Alex despised her graciousness while at the same time appreciating the qualities that made her such a sweet little doormat.

"Madness...takes its toll."

Halloween became "their" holiday. So much so, that they even married at the stroke of midnight on November first after a night of revelry, with the reception preceding, rather than following, the ceremony. Friends loved it. Family thought it way weird. Neither Alex nor Dan cared.

This year, rather than pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters then hit a rowdy costume party, Alex planned a much quieter anniversary celebration at home. A shiver passed through her as she anticipated Dan's surprise. Her outfit alone would shock him to the core. The third was traditionally the leather anniversary, after all.

"But listen closely...not for very much longer..."

Alex spread the thick, black icing over the cake and topped it with a few dozen orange candied spiders. Setting the dessert aside, she turned her attention to the rest of the meal. Nothing fancy, just their favorites. Once everything was ready, she dashed up the stairs to finish her preparations, still singing.

The black leather corset and miniskirt cost a small fortune, but Alex splurged anyway. They'd only ever have one leather anniversary, and she wanted to make sure Dan never forgot it. Even her lace undergarments were trimmed in leather, although red rather than black. She was nothing if not thorough. The matching fingerless opera gloves topped her ensemble, and Alex paused before the mirror only long enough to make sure her décolletage was evenly overflowing.

"I've got to...keep control."

Descending the stairs—slower this time due to the spike-heeled Morgan black Victoriana lace-up leather boots—she saw the splash of headlights across the window as Dan's car pulled into the driveway. With a grin, she lit the black pillar candles on the dining room table and dimmed the lights. She waited until she heard him come in the side door and put his briefcase on the counter before moving toward the kitchen.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Schweet!

Little things often make my day ... like finding this on All Romance eBooks:
EPPIE @ ARe

Sunday, March 11, 2007

And the EPPIE goes to ...

If I don't do this right now, before I pack up the laptop & head for the closing breakfast here at EPICon, it'll be just one of many more things to tackle when I get home this evening ... after a 7 hour drive ... after two previous nights of less than 4 hours' sleep ... after the adrenaline is gone ...

EPPIE 2007 envelope

EPPIE 2007 trophy

Saturday, March 10, 2007

The Pink Banana

The Pink Banana
Well, we didn't sign many books last night, but we had a good time ... and yours truly dropped a chunk of change on lingerie. *blush*

Shara Lanel posted this pix from the signing on her blog:

Pink Banana booksigning (9 March 2007)
That's yours truly in black.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Greetings from EPICon

EPICon 2007

When I catch my breath, I'll tell you what a rush it is to have Sherrilyn Kenyon ask for your card!

Monday, March 05, 2007

Fantasies I

Fantasies IPhaze Fantasies, Vol. I
by Alessia Brio, Leigh Ellwood, Bridget Midway and Ann Regentin
March, 2007
ISBN 1-59426-556-9

Four tales of erotic fiction by four Phaze favorites! Alessia Brio continues the Costa Rican adventure that launched fine flickering hungers, her 2007 EPPIE Finalist for Best Erotica. Bridget Midway shines with "Service Recall," a tale of relationship rebound done right. Leigh Ellwood opens the door to a magical menagé in "Midnight Passions." And Ann Regentin's "Midnight Conversations" explores the sexual memories of a fixer-upper's past occupants.

Length: Quasar (Anthology - 94,000 words)
Rating: Nova - 5 (Stories include scenes of MMF and MFM sex)