eBook Petition

It seems the federal government is active in protecting the digital rights of the film and music industries, but they can't be bothered to protect the rights of authors and publishers. That's a sad state of affairs, and it says a lot about the dumbing-down of America and the devaluing of books, in general.

The publishing industry deserves the same protections film and music do. The laws being broken are the same...copyright and, in some cases, Millennium Act. The laws exist, and the FBI and other sources are supposed to investigate when pirates blatantly set up shop. These "sharers" make illegal copies of books, break security/DRM...and even split the binding on paper books, scan them in, and pass those copies, so books that have never released in e-book are passing freely in e-book.

Putting an FBI warning in the front of e-books is not protection enough. Despite a ton of information being provided to the FBI by the e-book industry (EPIC, in particular), there has been no sign that they will make any move to protect our rights. They have been provided specific information about e-publishing, pirate scanning of paper books, and specific pirate sites, and there has been not a single word or sign of movement from them. That is unacceptable.

They won't get to work, unless we make it clear we won't stand for it. Whether you're an indie/e author, a NY author, a publisher, an editor, or a concerned reader, you have a stake in this issue. Piracy affects us all.

If the FBI cracks down on the ISPs allowing it, the servers in particular housing it...and the sharers individually, when possible, we stand a chance. By doing nothing, the FBI makes rights management impossible and debases the laws of copyright and Millennium Act. We have them for a reason. Do not let them fade away.

By signing this petition, I agree that the FBI should be investigating and shutting down pirate sites that deal in e-book sharing activities. The publishing industry deserves equal protection, under the law.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN IT

There's a new game in town ...

eXcessica is something entirely new. We are not a traditional e-publisher, instead we are a collaborative formed to remove the middleman and bring you, the reader, some of the best in truly hot erotica.

eXcessica publishes everything from sweet to scorching, including the taboo stuff other e-publishers won't touch. eXcessica authors cross the spectrum from award-winning professionals to fresh, new voices. Some are here because they want complete control over their work. Others are here because they want a larger cut of their sales proceeds. Still others, because their material is considered too edgy for traditional e-publishers.

By having each author take responsibility for their own editing and cover art, eXcessica is able to make its overhead expenses negligible. eXcessica authors know that sloppy work reflects poorly on us all and that success hinges on everyone doing their very best to ensure quality.

We invite you to step inside the minds of our eXcessica authors.

We promise you a memorable experience!

# # #

My take on the naysayers: With any publisher, quality varies from author to author. As does style. No reader is going to like every single thing published by any given house. This will undoubtedly be true of eXcessica as well. Readers are going to follow their favorite authors. Period. Those who assume eXcessica is all about uber-squicky stuff, who insist on painting everyone with one brush, are just snark lemmings. I admire Selena's efforts to make a home for her edgier works and for inviting others to join her. Only time will tell if it will be a successful venture. She has my support and, when I finish Zane, it will go to eXcessica.

Manic Readers reviews Spring Training

Cristina from Manic Readers gives Spring Training 4 of 5 stars:

Andrea Spring loves men involved in sports. Having had many casual encounters over the years, she is a pro at leaving them behind. But what happens when one won't leave her fantasies? Especially when he's a coach for two of her former lovers that she left the season before? Will Mark finally be the one to tame her?

First of all, this is a part of a series starting with Double Header which I haven’t read yet but Spring Training works well on its own. There are a lot of references to sports and athletes and it would help to have a passing knowledge of any sport or even to have seen certain sports movies like “Bull Durham”. Knowing the lingo will help you to understand some of the inner workings taking place in the story. I love the use of the different toys which made the sex scenes very hot. There are multiple partners and the language is very to the point which elevated the heat level even more. Andi is a very interesting female character and though I wasn't so sure I would like her at first, by the end I was cheering her on.

~ ~ ~

Pre-Order Me!

I get a kick out of the whole concept of pre-ordering an ebook. I mean, it's not like there's a limited supply, right? Regardless, it's kinda cool. The advance listing is really in preparation for the Romantic Times BOOKlovers Convention (Pittsburgh, 16-20 April), where Spring Training will make its debut.

That gives all you rabid Brio & Belegon readers ample time to buy the prequel, Double Header, and enjoy it -- not that that's necessary in order to comprehend Spring Training. It's just a damned good book with lots of hot sex in it.

~ ~ ~

Megalomania

Well, if this blogger is right, print-on-demand publishers (which comprise the majority of small press & ebook publishers) are about to be faced with a dilemma: Stick with their current printer (usually Lightning Source) and lose distribution through Amazon.com ... or transition to Booksurge (which Amazon bought in 2005) and lose revenue in order to retain that Amazon distribution.

*sigh* Yet another thing for authors to worry about. Personally, that availability on Amazon means more to me career-wise than the income. I suppose that's what Amazon is counting on, huh?

More from the WSJ here.

~ ~ ~

Publisher Polls

I was sick of hearing about the need for this, so I created a polling structure on LiveJournal. If it's used, fine. If not, fine.

http://alessia-brio.livejournal.com/48580.html

I Heart Selah ...

... and apples. Oranges? Not so much.

A rose by any other name...

All digital media is subject to unlicensed copying, including ebooks. Without protection, the industry would collapse. Whether it's considered "buying" or "licensing" -- the fact remains that what you're paying for is ONE copy of the product.

From Gizmodo:

If you buy a regular old book, CD or DVD, you can turn around and loan it to a friend, or sell it again. The right to pass it along is called the "first sale" doctrine. Digital books, music and movies are a different story though. Four students at Columbia Law School's Science and Technology Law Review looked at the particular issue of reselling and copying e-books downloaded to Amazon's Kindle or the Sony Reader, and came up with answers to a fundamental question: Are you buying a crippled license to intellectual property when you download, or are you buying an honest-to-God book?

I certainly don't think epublishers are out to fleece anyone, but YMMV.

Resurrection Reading

For Easter weekend, Phaze is having a 20% off sale and a drawing. The code for the sale is BUNNY08 and will be good from Saturday (22nd) through Monday (24th). The

drawing will be for a Phaze gift pack and other goodies, and it will go to a random member of the Phaze announcement list.

Happy Oestre, y'all!

If you missed the show ...

If you missed the gab fest this morning, the show is archived on the site and can also be downloaded for offline listening. Go HERE.

We talked about the upcoming Philadelphia Book Festival, Romantic Times, promo, blog snark, cover art, and epublishers. It was a good time, and I look forward to doing it again!

On the Air!

I lose my virginity tomorrow. *grin* My radio virginity, that is. From 11am-noon Eastern tomorrow, I'll be chatting with Stella Price on her Blog Talk Radio show: Books Beyond the Boundaries

You can listen via the website or, if you wanna harass me, call (347) 945-6309. The show is live, so knock yourself out.

We'll be talking about anything and everything, from writing to cover art to promo and beyond. I'm looking forward to it. Hope to hear you then!

The E-volution of Publishing

A nice article about epublishing on eMuse-zine:

The E-volution of Publishing: The Pros, Cons and Misconceptions of Epublishing
By Jacquéline Roth

The moment has finally come. The house is quiet. No one will disturb you now for at least an hour. You brew that perfect cup of your favorite tea or coffee and curl up in your favorite chair. The lighting is ideal and the anticipation as you prepare to sink deep into the escape provided by your favorite author grows. You press the power button and the screen lights up and you begin to read.

Had ya up ‘til that last part, huh? Imagine being able to enjoy your favorite books any time, to carry them with you everywhere you go with out the hassle and weight of carrying multiple paperbacks or hardbacks around with you. Ebooks.

For those unfamiliar with them, electronic books are not just copies of someone’s manuscript being hocked on a questionable website. They are not a fad. Just as you can carry your daily organizer, phone, stereo system and computer around with you in your purse or pocket, you can now carry your library. From clay tablets to papyrus to scrolls to leather bound books to paperbacks, the format of the written word has changed throughout human history. And it’s changing again. What was originally met with skepticism and dismissal by publishers and readers alike has become the next step in the natural evolution of publishing that has exploded in popularity among those same readers and publishers.

Brenna Lyons, President of EPIC (Electronic Publishing Internet Connection) an organization that represents readers, authors and publishers of ebooks, says there are good reasons for the acceptance being enjoyed more and more by ebooks. Lyons sites issues such as ease of storage, lower costs, longer shelf lives of books as well as privacy and ease of purchase. According to Lyons, ebooks even get a doctor’s stamp of approval, “PDA’s and e-ink screens are actually better for your eyes than a computer screen or a paper book. Ophthalmologists actually suggest these readers to their vision-impaired patients.” Most ereaders (ebook display devices) have adjustable contrast screens and adjustable print fonts. “Many programs like ReadPlease and Adobe Reader can turn your ebooks into audio books.” Lyon’s also jokingly notes that ebooks could be considered hypoallergenic in that they do away with the dust and book dust that bother some.

The publishing companies, including the big boys in New York, are also succumbing to the attractions of epublishing. For publishers and authors the appeal of ebooks are undeniable. An electronic book is a much less expensive book. The editing and cover costs remain, many ebooks have beautiful award winning covers. But the overhead cost of printing, binding, storing, shipping and refunding paper books can be massive and do not exist with the ebook. Early forays by the NY publishers into epublishing were limited, but Lyons and many epublishers believe that now that the indies have worked out the kinks in the system, NY is jumping into the loop with a passion, especially in the romance, erotica and science fiction genres.

Even authors enjoy a distinct advantage in the world of epublishing. Deanna Lee, Publisher of Cobbleston Press—one of a handful of indie publishers that has put romance and romantic erotica at the forefront of the epublishing revolution—sees great advantages for the author. “Epublishers can take risks that print publishers can’t because our overhead is low. At Cobblestone, the wait time on submissions is less than ninety days and the time frame from contract to publication is currently less than six months –so those two points are pretty attractive all on their own for writers.”

EPIC’s 2008 ARIANA Winners Ebook Cover Art

EPIC President Lyons states that while New York editors and agents are welcoming of those with epublishing credits, giving them the respect and credibility they deserve, it is not all a matter of warm hugs and Kumbaya for epublishers and epublished authors. “To be honest, I’ve seen more snark and dismissal from certain old-school writers’ organizations (surprisingly the romance ones are more accepting these days than the science fiction/fantasy ones, which seems odd, considering the technology we’re embracing) and from individual New York published authors.” Lyons went on to say that these people are “few and far between.”

While Gorlinsky and Lyons disagreed on the reception of ebooks in the science fiction genre, both noted that the willingness to embrace ebooks seems to be highest among romance readers. Romance, whose figures also include women’s erotica, is the highest selling genre worldwide. In the US, while romance readers are often subjected to unflattering stereotypes, studies show they are the most prolific of readers, show the most author loyalty and are the most discriminating.

Every epublished author, it seems, has a story to tell you about an encounter with a print published colleague or a reader who refuse to read their work in e-format. “When are you going to write a real book?” or “I’ll just wait ‘til it comes out in print,” top the list of demeaning questions and comments that frustrate authors.

This is an attitude that isn’t isolated and ebooks are still not an easy sell to the American public. Recent polls show that less than one third of readers have tried an ereader and over half of those polled said they wouldn’t want to. But what the poll did reveal was that among those who had tried ereaders, especially those who reported themselves as high volume readers reading at least one book per week, the level of acceptance of the epublished books skyrocketed.

Acceptance aside, once a reader embraced ebooks, one of the issues in the beginning was the availability of reading devices. The pool of readers who wanted to sit at their computers or laptops and read their books was small. But into this void stepped Sony, Franklin and most recently Amazon.com. These high end readers offer a variety of bells and whistles, including a wireless connection from Amazon’s Kindle. Readers can now think of a book and have it downloaded onto their reader in minutes, ready to read. The main problem is that these devices go for a big chunk of change. Fortunately the increasing popularity of PDA devices and the introduction of less expensive readers by Ebookwise and Franklin have eased some of the problem.

Variety used to be an issue as well, but a visit to Amazon’s website shows us that a large percentage of their books are available as electronic books. In fact, many new releases and most mass market paperbacks are available for download. Fitting with Lyon’s observation about the epublishing acceptance within the romance genre, legendary Harlequin Romance has also begun offering their entire catalogue as ebooks. Add to this distributors such as Fictionwise.com and the indie publishers’ websites and there is a huge assortment of books available.

And there are even more reasons for writers and the readers to “go e.”

[read the rest]

The EPPIES

Just a brief snippet of M.C. Jeff Strand's EPPIE Awards Banquet presentation.

Pile On!

Posted without comment. Or, rather, posted AS comment re this (and past and future) blog dramas:

Mob justice

One of the side effects of the massively many-to-many publishing model that is the blogosphere is the following math:
1. controversy is fun to write
2. controversy is fun to read
3. piling on is safe and fun
4. undoing 1, 2 and 3 is no fun, hard work and easy to avoid.

When I was a kid, there was a fair amount of mob justice. A bunch of kids would spread a rumour, a posse would appear, ask no questions, beat the crap out of you and move on.

A friend of mine is now in a similar situation (and, as Arlo Guthrie famously said, "you may find yourself in a similar situation..."). And the question is, what should he do.

If he takes the time to point out to those bloggers that they're wrong, that they've taken one data point and blown it out of proportion while ignoring the facts (and there are many facts that they've ignored) he's just adding fuel to the fire. "Of course you'll deny it," they've said to him on the phone, "that just proves we're right".

Bloggers love a good fight. They love the give and take and the comments and the links. So my friend keeps his mouth shut and waits for it to blow over.

And it will blow over. Blogging is about speed, and no news is bad news if you're in the hunt for an easy score.

So that's the right way to deal with the mob, but it's not fair. It sucks, actually. The mob wins and nobody learns anything.

Interviews

I've done my share of 'em. The single most common question asked of me (and, I believe, all authors of erotic fiction) is some variant of: Do you write from experience?

My somewhat evasive response is typically: I've never had a reader accuse me of not knowing what I'm talking about.

The question itself (and its prevalence) tells me that folks reading erotic fiction (be it erotica or erotic romance or whatever label is applied this week) want to know they're getting accurate information. My experiences--sexual or otherwise--are my business. If I choose to share them, that's also my business.

Now, however, some are saying, "Whoa! TMI!" in regard to that very same information and are casting aspersions on those who choose to share. It has me scratching my head. These people seek--SEEK--information about authors from blogs, chats, workshops, etc. but recoil when they get it. Some even go digging for it in the places authors socialize online so they can point to it and hold it up as a dripping example of depravity. WTF? Further, they paint an entire community with whatever color offends them the most.

It's like a cavalcade of repressed church ladies with their steamy novels tucked into their handbags. They find all those menage scenes titillating, but when they learn that the author has admitted to experience with menage, they're aghast: "OMG, what a total slut! I'll never read her work again!" or "I'll never submit to her publisher."

Smacks of hypocrisy, dunnit? When it comes to other authors, in some cases, it also smacks of desperation. The genre has undoubtedly grown more explicit. Those accustomed to writing "traditional" romance feel increasingly pressured to include sex scenes that fall outside the realm of their experiences just to stay in the game. So, they research. They seek information--just as one researches weaponry or historical fact. It seems the first place they look is to other authors. Personally, if I want information about a sexual (or any other) practice with which I've no experience, I'm not gonna ask a fiction writer.

However, in that vein, I recently presented a Passionate Ink workshop along with Eden Bradley and Lillian Feisty entitled Everything You Always Wanted to Know about (Writing) Sex but Were Afraid to Ask. We covered a lot of subjects and openly answered questions about a wide variety of experiences with the intent of helping authors achieve authenticity. Alas, no good deed goes unpunished.

No author can force someone to read their words--be they on a blog or in a book or on a website. No one can force another to attend a workshop. So I question the integrity of those who react negatively to such things.

Anyway, speaking of interviews. Here's a lesson from the 2006 La Jolla Writers' Conference by Sara Lewis. I attended two of her sessions that year. She provided one exercise to jumpstart your writing that I found interesting, and I've used it for stalled works in addition to launching new ones.

It's kind of a "trick your muse into cooperating" approach. The rules are thus:

a. Write longhand. (No typing.)
b. Write continuously for 20 minutes. (No stopping to "think.")
c. Write script-style as if you are interviewing a character.

Author: Who are you?
Character: My name is ____.
.
.
.

We did this as an in-class exercise, and at the end of 20 minutes I had 6 hand-written pages of character development for a pre-teen girl who'd been abandoned by her mother & was now living in a broken down VW van with her older sister whose pimp beat her. Surprised the hell out of me. I had no idea that little girl was milling around in my subconscious waiting to be written. (Okay, yes, she's STILL waiting ... but I've got her on paper now. I won't forget her.)

One thing I noticed as each of the attendees read their scripts aloud was that there was a distinct point where the character kind of "took over." The author's questions became fewer & further between ... and the character emerged. Way cool.

~ ~ ~

What's going on in there?

In my continuing effort to share nuggets from LJWC, I'm copying a post I made in the Literotica Authors Hangout in November 2006. (We don't spend all our time discussing our deviant and promiscuous lifestyles, after all. *rolls eyes*) I hope the spacing shows up nicely. The tables are giving me fits on this blasted blog.

~ ~ ~

I recently attended the La Jolla Writers' Conference. As I sift through my notes, I hope to capture some of the tidbits I found interesting/helpful. (Kudos to the AH, though. Based on what was reinforced there by agents and best-selling authors, I can attest that we have one hell of an exceptional resource here.) Anyway, the following is from a session presented by Doug Lyle entitled The Psychology of Character Motivation:

Characters are defined how they fit into several arenas or domains: emotions, life skills, creativity, intellect, sociability, work ethic, morality, and spirituality.

Within each arena, a character fits somewhere along a spectrum between two poles:

EMOTIONS	TOUGH GUY	.............................	WHINER
LIFE SKILLS	TEAM PLAYER	.............................	REBEL
CREATIVITY	DOER	.............................	DREAMER
INTELLECT	SMART	.............................	DUMB
SOCIABILITY	OUTGOING	.............................	WALLFLOWER
WORK ETHIC	GRINDER	.............................	LAZY
MORALITY	GOOD GUY	.............................	BAD GUY
SPIRITUALITY	BELIEVER	.............................	DOUBTER

A character will, to varying degrees, tend toward one pole or the other. The opposite polarity will be his "shadow side," which is what gives him depth and credibility. Without a "shadow side," the character will seem flat/one-dimensional.

Character arc is the shift from one pole toward the other. It is usually most pronounced with your protagonist. The antagonist is the "pole around which everyone else dances." The plot applies stressors to the characters and pushes them off balance, and in the process of rebalancing, the characters arc.

To demonstrate, he plotted a couple of well-known characters along the continuum between each pole at the beginning of the book/movie and again at the end -- showing how they changed (and thereby made the story more interesting/engaging): Clarice from Silence of the Lambs and Sarah Connor from Terminator.

He said that the problem with serial characters (James Patterson's Alex Cross, for example) is that they can only arc so much before they appear wishy-washy to the reader.

~ ~ ~
This is the example he made of Sarah Connor from Terminator.

At the beginning of the movie:

EMOTIONS	TOUGH GUY	......................X....	WHINER
LIFE SKILLS	TEAM PLAYER	....X......................	REBEL
CREATIVITY	DOER	.......................X...	DREAMER
INTELLECT	SMART	....................X......	DUMB
SOCIABILITY	OUTGOING	...X.......................	WALLFLOWER
WORK ETHIC	GRINDER	....................X......	LAZY
MORALITY	GOOD GUY	.....X.....................	BAD GUY
SPIRITUALITY	BELIEVER	..........X................	DOUBTER

At the end of the movie:

EMOTIONS	TOUGH GUY	.X.........................	WHINER
LIFE SKILLS	TEAM PLAYER	........................X..	REBEL
CREATIVITY	DOER	..X........................	DREAMER
INTELLECT	SMART	..X........................	DUMB
SOCIABILITY	OUTGOING	......................X....	WALLFLOWER
WORK ETHIC	GRINDER	..X........................	LAZY
MORALITY	GOOD GUY	.......................X...	BAD GUY
SPIRITUALITY	BELIEVER	........................X..	DOUBTER

She did a complete about-face along almost every continuum.

~ ~ ~

Another Litizen suggested the addition of a couple of erotica-specific polarities:

COMMITTMENT	SLUT	.............................	MONOGAMOUS
OUTLOOK	PRUDE	.............................	HEDONIST

I don't think it's absolutely necessary for a character to arc along every pole, but it makes for interesting discussion.

~ ~ ~

Leap Day Sale

Leap Day only comes around once every four years, and Phaze is celebrating with a special sale and Take a Leap Giveaway, with two ways to win!

All through Leap Day, 2.29.08, you can get 29% off all eBooks in the Phaze store using the checkout code LEAP2008. When you purchase a title directly from Phaze on Leap Day, you will be eligible to win one of TWO Phaze gift certificates valued at $29 each.

You can also enter the drawing by sending an e-mail to leapyear [at] phaze.com with your Name, E-Mail Address, and one sentence describing the best way to "take a leap" on this extra day.

How would spend your Leap Day? An actual "leap" with a bungee cord attached your ankles, or a metaphorical "leap" toward an exciting new job or romance? Let Phaze know. The answers best liked will be posted on the Phaze blog.

All entries for the giveaway must be in by midnight 2.29.08 to be eligible. No purchase necessary to win!

Until then, stay Phazed and Enthused!

Fiction in Three Acts

In November of last year, as anyone who interacts with me for longer than a couple hours knows, I attended the La Jolla Writers Conference. It was my second year attending, and I fully intend to attend every year until I achieve a level of success that warrants an invitation to be one of its presenters. When that happens, I'll gladly contribute my time, energy, and *cough* wisdom in the pay it forward spirit with which this conference was founded.

In that same spirit, I'd like to use this blog to share some of the nuggets gathered from its generous presenters, wildly successful authors who don't have a problem rubbing elbows with people like me.*

The following is taken from a presentation by Stephen J. Cannell. He said the secret to the success of his mystery/thriller novels is that he ensures his story arc follows the pattern of a three act play.

From Wikipedia ...

Three Act Play

In a three act play, each act usually has a different tone to it. The most commonly used, but not always, is the first act having a lot of introductory elements, the second act can usually be the darkest with the antagonists having a greater encompass, while the third act is the resolution and the protagonists prevailing. There is an age-old saying that "the second act is the best", owing to the fact of it being in between a starting and ending act and thus being able to delve deeper into more of the meat of the story since it doesn't need to have as prominent introductory or resolutive portions. Of course this isn't always so since a third act or even a first act can have the common second act characteristics, but the most used is that type of structure.

Act One

Act I comprises the first quarter of the screenplay. (For a two hour movie, Act I would last approximately 30 minutes.)

What happens in Act I?

Exposition--The part of a story that introduces the characters, shows some of their interrelationships, and places them within a time and place. This part of the story introduces the main character, the dramatic premise, and the dramatic situation.

Inciting Incident--an event that sets the plot of the film in motion. It occurs approximately halfway through the first act.

Act Two

Act II comprises the next two quarters of the film.

What happens in Act II (Confrontation)?

Obstacles--In the second act, the main character encounters obstacle after obstacle that prevent him from achieving his dramatic need.

First Culmination--a point just before the halfway point of the film where the main character seems close to achieving his or her goal/objective. Then, everything falls apart, leading to the midpoint.

Midpoint--a point approximately halfway through the film where the main character reaches his/her lowest point and seems farthest from fulfilling the dramatic need or objective.

Act Three

Act III comprises the final quarter of the film.

What happens in Act III (Resolution)?

Climax (Second Culmination)--The point at which the plot reaches its maximum tension and the forces in opposition confront each other at a peak of physical or emotional action.

Denouement--The brief period of calm at the end of a film where a state of equilibrium returns.

Will & I sat at a greasy spoon a day later picking apart our already-published work to see if and how it fit this structure. While it's not a set-in-stone formula, I think it has its merits both for an overall story arc and for an isolated sex scene. We spent far more time, though, staging the final chapters of our next release, Spring Training. I think it's a better book as a result. *tips hat* Thank you, Stephen J. Cannell.

Next, The Psychology of Character Motivation.

---

* Hey, I said I wasn't going to "participate" on her blog ... not that I wasn't going to "read" it. But, twisting words seems to be a talent of hers. Ironically, it's also what gets her knickers in a twist when someone else does it. Ah, hypocrisy. It's everywhere. Just like the authors who have no problem attending workshops and picking the brains of those who actually have some of the experiences about which they're writing -- then looking down their noses at same. *snort* To them, I say: Lead, follow, or get the fuck out of my way.

Oscar Sale at Phaze

To accompany your Oscar celebration (or replace it, if you don't partake of Hollywood hoopla), Phaze is having a store-wide sale. All titles, including print, are 30% off today! Just use code GOLD2008 at checkout.

Mensa Bulletin Review

Coolness! ArtiFactual was reviewed in the latest issue of the Mensa Bulletin:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Special:
All Romance eBooks Discounted!

Romance, love, chivalry, chocolate ... it must be Valentine's Day, and that means Fictionwise's big Romance and Erotica sale is on! Through February 25th, all Romance and Erotica eBooks are 20% off.

Lucrezia Magazine Interview

The February (GLBT-themed) issue of Lucrezia Magazine is now available. I'm absolutely thrilled with the in-depth interview about Coming Together!

~ ~ ~

Yes, We Can

My state's primary is not tomorrow, but if yours is, please vote -- and remember: Yes, We Can!

She finally told me her name!

This morning, I returned to a neglected manuscript: my Urban Phaze novella, Succorae. The protagonist had been reticent to reveal her name, but she opened up to me this morning. Her given names are Gianna Grace, and her family calls her Gigi. Surname, as yet, unknown.

Gigi is a Succorae, a race of supernatural beings who feed on evil. Through sex, the Succorae absorb their partners' unsavory characteristics -- like benevolent succubi.

Given that I hope to dress as Gigi for the Romantic Times Blood & Steel Vampire Ball, I really needed to flesh her out (so to speak).

Here's an excerpt from the prologue:

The blade sliced through the meaty part of her thigh, carving flesh from bone, and Gianna watched in detached fascination as thick blood welled from the wound. It looked like motor oil, viscous and black in the hazy moonlight. She waited for the pain to register, knowing it must logically follow. It seemed to take a long time, but she forgave her nerve endings for their lassitude. A quick inventory told her she bled from at least three places, not least of which her ass. At least, she thought it was her ass. He might have torn her through when his cock failed and his fist took over.

When the fresh pain hit, it sucked the scream from her lungs and sent it echoing off the corrugated tin shed that served as shelter to the man hovering over her. The scents of blood and semen fought to overpower his Skoal-laced Iron City breath. Like a jackal, he turned his head, lifting it into the night, moments before she heard the approaching siren.

As he stood and hurriedly zipped his fly, Gianna thought she just might live to see another sunrise. That was a split second before he plunged the rusty dagger into her navel and disappeared into the muddy shadows of the Monongahela River bank.

~ ~ ~

P&E Poll Results

The votes have been tabulated. Here are the 2007 P&E poll results ...


Romance Short Story published in 2007...
Artistically Inclined [ RESULTS ] 7-way tie for #17

Print/Electronic Erotica Novel published in 2007...
ArtiFactual: Tales of the Erotique Mystique [ RESULTS ] 4-way tie for #19

Short Story (All other genres) published in 2007...
Time Warp [ RESULTS ] #15

Print/Electronic Book Editor...
Alessia Brio, Coming Together [ RESULTS ] TOP TEN! (#9)

Anthology published in 2007...
Coming Together: For the Cure [ RESULTS ] #11

Author published in 2007...
Alessia Brio [ RESULTS ] 5-way tie for #28

Artist publishing in 2007...
Alessia Brio [ RESULTS ] 3-way tie for #13

Book/e-book Cover Artwork published in 2007...
Lord Carabas [ RESULTS ] 7-way tie for #15

Poet published in 2007...
Alessia Brio [ RESULTS ] TOP TEN! (#9)

Poem published in 2007...
forked [ RESULTS ] TOP TEN! (#7)

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About (Writing) Sex But Were Afraid to Ask

Title : Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About (Writing) Sex But Were Afraid to Ask
Date : Feb 9-10 2008
Presented by : Eden Bradley, Lillian Feisty, Alessia Brio
Cost : $15 (PI Members) and $20 (Non-PI Members) Be one of the first 20 PI Members to email karen.e.erickson@gmail.com to be added to the free members list. [NOTE: The free slots are all taken. Sorry.]

Workshop Description :
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About (Writing) Sex But Were Afraid to Ask
An in depth and totally uninhibited discussion about any and every subject, with three authors who’ve been there, done that, and written about it!
presented by Eden Bradley, Lillian Feisty & Alessia Brio

* * *

In this two-part workshop, we’ll cover every subject imaginable! This will be done in an open discussion format, where we will interact with our audience, introducing various topics and answering questions. In Part One, we’ll discuss the basics of writing sex, and our experience in the erotica and erotic romance market. In Part Two, we talk about edgier subjects.

This online workshop can be done in one day, or in segments lasting up to three days in a Question and Answer format.

BIOS :

Eden Bradley writes dark, edgy erotica. She’s published with Bantam, Berkley, Harlequin Spice, Phaze and Magic Carpet Books. Her first Bantam novel, THE DARK GARDEN, was a Romantic Times Top Pick in June 2007 and is a Reviewer’s Choice nominee, and has been praised as “the most beautifully written BDSM novel…ever…” by Love Romances & More. Erotica author Maria Isabel Pita has called Eden’s work “elegant, intelligent and sensual”. She has a number of erotic novels, novellas and short stories coming out from her various publishers in 2008 and into 2009.

Eden, the 2008 president of her local Romance Writers of America chapter, Los Angeles Romance Authors, has also published a number of articles on writing sex, and has presented her workshop, An Exercise in Sensuality, at several Romance Writer’s of America chapters. News and updates can be found on her website: www.EdenBradley.com.

You can also visit her at her blog: edenbradley.blogspot.com.

Lillian Feisty writes fresh erotic fiction for Ellora’s Cave and Harlequin Spice Briefs. Her first novella, Dance of the Plain Jane, was called a “stand out” story by Romantic Times and a “particular favorite” by Just Erotic Romance Reviews. Feisty, as her friends call her, writes in many genres of romantic fiction including contemporary, urban fantasy, and light paranormal. I Love Lacy and The Sting of Desire will be released in 2008.

Ms. Feisty owned an art gallery for several years, holds a degree in Creative Arts and was just a few units short of her MA when she decided to drop out of school to write smut. She currently serves as president of Passionate Ink, the special interest chapter of Romance Writers of America for erotic romance authors. She loves to ramble about the strangest things at lillianfeisty.com.

Alessia Brio: Take one part Appalachian redneck, one part insatiable sex goddess, and one part filthy-minded wordsmith. Mix well and serve with chocolate-covered cherries. There you have the one and only Alessia Brio. Alessia writes all colors and flavors of erotica, from heterosexual to ménage to same sex, and from twisted to humorous to deeply touching. (Sometimes, usually by accident, it even qualifies as romance.) Her work has earned her critical acclaim in the form of an EPPIE for Best Erotica (fine flickering hungers) and a Romantic Times Top Pick (Coming Together: For the Cure) in addition to a plethora of glowing online reviews. Readers can find her online at alessiabrio.com

To Pay Online :

Using PayPal (http://www.paypal.com), send payment to renewals@passionateink.org with “WORKSHOP - Everything You Wanted to Know” as the subject. In the “message” section, include Your Name and Email Address.

Cost: $15 for Passionate Ink Members, $20 for non-members

To pay by check, print this page and send with a check to
Passionate Ink Workshops
c/o Karen Steele
1304 Forest Marsh Dr
Neptune Beach, FL 32266

Under Fire at Joyfully Reviewed

Join some of the authors and poets of Coming Together: Under Fire from noon 'til 6pm Eastern today on Joyfully Reviewed's Yahoo!Group! They'll be posting excerpts and talking about what inspired their hot contributions to this charity anthology.

~ ~ ~

More Nominations & Contest Entries

I am shameless about nominating my work for awards or in polls. I figure, what've I got to lose? Even if I don't win, it's free publicity -- getting my name and titles before the voters/judges. So, today I submitted ArtiFactual for a PEARL (Paranormal Excellence Award for Romantic Literature). Voting begins February 1st amongst the membership.

The eCataRomance Best of 2007 polls opened today as well. No registration required, but only 1 vote per IP address will be counted. Take a stroll over there and vote, eh? If you're so inclined, I'd be delighted if you'd vote for me in the following categories:

Best Sensual Romance
Bound for Success by Alessia Brio & Will Belegon

Best Sensual Contemporary Romance
Artistically Inclined by Alessia Brio & Will Belegon

Best Sensual Romance under 100 pages
Mixed Blessings by Will Belegon

Best Sensual Paranormal Romance
ArtiFactual by Alessia Brio & Will Belegon

Best Love Scene
Andi, Brad, and Eric in Double Header by Alessia Brio & Will Belegon

Best Erotica
Time Warp by Alessia Brio

Thanks!

~ ~ ~

Copy Cat

Eliza Gayle started my day in my second favorite way -- LAUGHING! (Sex is first, of course.) I'm reposting this video clip 'cause it's too damned funny & I'm thanking all known deities that it wasn't one of MY books being read aloud in it!



NOTE: The audio is explicit. Video is G-rated.

Yet another Best of 2007 poll

This one's at All About Romance. Pop on over and enter your favorites. It's heavily slanted toward "traditional" romances (as opposed to the steamier side of the genre), but let your voice be heard, eh?

~ ~ ~

Wearing Orange

Tomorrow is supposed to be a day for wearing orange, per the ACLU's campaign to close Guantanamo Bay, and I will. However, since I plan to stay at home and write all day, no one will see me except my children. So my blog is going to wear orange, too. It will be seen by (hopefully) more than 3 people. *grin*

If it matters to you, why don't you do the same?

Peace, y'all. Peace.

Coupons!

Now through next Friday (January 18th), you can take 15% off Fictionwise ebooks using the following coupon codes:

15% off Romance: SNS9R
15% off Science Fiction: SNS9SF
15% off Suspense/Thriller: SNS9T

I don't have any titles in the latter two categories, but please do use the Romance coupon to download any of my Phaze publications and/or the Coming Together anthologies.

Oh, and while I have your attention, the Preditors & Editors Best of 2007 readers polls are open through January 15th. Please VOTE.

~ ~ ~

Say it loud ...

and, yeah, say it proud:

I am a Litizen!

What is a Litizen?

A Litizen is a registered Literotica member who posts material (stories/poetry) on the main site and/or participates on its forums. I do both. Well, I rarely post new material there anymore. Some older stuff is still there for perusal, but I'm gradually removing it in favor of paying venues. I'm still active on the forums, though, particularly the Author's Hangout.

There are over three quarters of a million Litizens. Some (probably the majority) are just readers. Some are crude, brash, and damned near illiterate. Others are courteous, educated, and extremely talented. They all share a hearty appreciation of eroticism.

Does being a Litizen define me?

No more or less than my many other labels: woman, mother, author, activist/advocate, cover artist, editor, philanthropist, brunette, rebel, pantheist, bisexual, 40-something, intelligent, humble, demure, impulsive, etc. (I'm sure there are a few more that others would apply. Goddess, maybe. *wink* Oh, and I was recently called a "fucking artist." I like that one because of the various ways it can be parsed.)

Do I care if readers (or potential readers) are aware of my writing roots?

Heavens, no! I dedicated my first book to the "wonderfully supportive denizens of the Literotica Author's Hangout." So, it's certainly something I've never attempted to hide. The e-venue is home to some of the most caring, compassionate, talented, and generous people I have ever had the privilege to meet. I consider it an honor to call them friends and even more of an honor that they call me the same (among other things). It is there I met my partner, Will Belegon. It is there that Coming Together was born (or hatched).

The Lit forums can be an intimidating, exhilarating place. As I recently wrote in an email: "The discussion forums are a zoo--a wild, uncensored, hedonistic zoo--and I absolutely adore them for that very reason." I seldom stray outside the Author's Hangout, but I have ventured over to the Poetry Feedback & Discussion forum or the General Board on occasion. (The latter is the biggest, most active forum and, arguably, the wildest.)

I recently witnessed an alarming example of narrow minds and mob mentality defining a group of authors as incestuous pedophiles, simply because of their association with Literotica. It was reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition and other similar persecutions.

This morning, I read a blog post advising authors against advertising their association with Literotica, lest they be painted with an unfavorable brush. Um, no. I refuse to be ashamed of something that is not shameful. So, once more:

I am a Litizen!

~ ~ ~

Passion in Pittsburgh

click to enlarge

Isn't it pretty? *strokes the wrap cover* This print publication will combine the ebook novellas Artistically Inclined and Bound for Success. We'll have "exclusive" pre-release copies for RT in April, since it's in Pittsburgh. Official release later in the spring/summer.

The Cult of Phaze

Of all the damned ridiculousness.

Backstory: A day or so ago, Mrs. Giggles, a reviewer who's achieved a certain notoriety, posted a blog about Phaze in Verse, the EPPIE-nominated poetry anthology. I wish I'd saved it now, because she has this tendency to make things disappear. Ah, wait. I found it quoted on a message board:

There are people who enjoy reading poetry, but I am not one of them. The only poetry for grown-ups that I can appreciate are those by WB Yeats, but that's because he's kinda cute in the photo on the cover of the collection of his poems that I own. Even if the poem in question is supposed to be erotic, it goes right over my head. I guess I'm just not that kind of literate/artistic people. I only like rude poems found in kiddie books, but that's about it, I'm afraid.

But hey, don't let me stop you from enjoying things like Phaze In Verse. It's an EPPIE-nominated thing, after all. For the life of me, though, I can't imagine what kind of poetry one can write about a publishing house. Sonnets of appreciation for getting published? Sordid haikus about the orgies that went on in the recent company Christmas party?

By the way, is it just me or Phaze's publishing roster when it comes to erotic stuff comprise mostly folks from Literotica?

Yeah, it's a little snarky... but, really, not too objectionable. (In truth, maybe 10% of Phaze's roster of 120+ authors has Literotica roots, if that. I take the blame credit for that, as I enthusiastically encouraged some of my Lit colleagues to submit their work to Phaze. I also took one of the earlier Coming Together anthologies to Phaze. It will be released in print on the 7th, by the way. *grin*) I looked at the initial post as a positive, in general. Free publicity with a link directly to the buy page. A couple of Phaze authors posted clarifications and suddenly, we're a coven of creepy authors for wanting to set the record straight.

A cult, mind you. I'd say that comes dangerously close to libel.

Seriously, what gives? Cults don't allow their members to speak out. (Oh, wait -- that was another publisher -- one that blacklisted authors who didn't behave.) Cults don't let their members belong to other cults... erm, publishers. (Damn, close to half of Phaze's roster has work also published elsewhere -- with its blessing, even.) Cults don't let their members go without a fight. (I can attest that no one's a prisoner at Phaze.)

Rather than wonder why so many of its authors are willing to voice their support, it's just assumed that we're under some collective spell. In these times of epublishers going tits-up at the drop of a hat, it's easier to cast aspersions on one that's regularly paying its authors, dealing above-board in all its activities, and putting out quality work that's consistently achieving positive recognition from independent industry reviewers. Uh huh. (Don't step in that hypocrisy!)

I added the following comment (as close to verbatim as I can recall):

Hrm.

Note to self: Clarification now qualifies as defensiveness in the blog-o-sphere.

Note to Emily: That comment was beneath you.

Note to Mrs. Giggles: Thanks for the free publicity.

The next thing you know, that post was pulled and the following appeared:

This is officially a Phaze-free zone

After some thought, I've deleted the last two blog entries because the whole drama is pretty stupid. So, if you have missed it, email me and I will let you know what you missed. Of course, my POV is no doubt biased, but that's okay considering that the folks involved are a bunch of humorless twats.

I'm not going to mention the publishing house ever again. I am not going to buy anything from there, not that I ever did much of that in the past anyway, and I am not going to even write down their name because the very action seems to bring out the creepy cult determined to make mountains out of molehills and assume that I am attacking all of them personally. This is not the first time I found myself dealing with the cult, mind you, but this is the last time as I'm not going to waste any more time on them, their books, or anything else they have to sell because they just weird me out with their delusional self-importance and selective-reading.

I made a mistake of assuming that a select few of the twits there are the cult members but now I'm convinced that all of them must have drank the Kool-Aid.

Whatever. Let's just move on.

Okay, now that I have think about it, the above is really most immature and mean. I stand by my point that I am not going to mention this publishing house unless I absolutely have to because of the drama the mention inevitably generates, but it is not fair to lump in the publisher for the unfortunate creepy coven that write for them.

So, let me revise my point: I still have nothing against Phaze - come on, are you kidding? I don't even know who owns that business, much less harbor any personal agenda against that person! - but I think some of their authors should do well to get over themselves.

Sorry for the drama, feel free to email me to send me some jeers if you are embarrassed for me as much as I am feeling quite embarrassed about myself at the moment, but if you don't mind, I'm going to put the whole drama behind me.

No comments for this entry, folks. I'm having a headache as it is and I really want to put the whole thing behind me.

Thus ends my participation on Mrs. Giggles' blog. When it comes to defensiveness, she and a few other dr'oggers have a serious pot/kettle thing going on. No more for me. I believe in my publisher, its staff, its authors, and the work it produces for a variety of solid reasons -- and I'll gladly tell anyone who'll listen. Those folks aren't listening.

~ ~ ~

P.S. As I was drafting this post, the following Google Blog Alert appeared in my inbox:

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST PHAZE
Because I am going to touch on Phaze, what with experiences in the past have taught me that some of the authors from this place are very zealous in defending the house, I am...

Of course, when I clicked the link, the post was already gone. Figures.

P&E Poll Time

Please visit the site and cast your votes for the best of 2007 in the following categories ...


Romance Short Story published in 2007...
Artistically Inclined [ VOTE HERE ]

Print/Electronic Erotica Novel published in 2007...
ArtiFactual: Tales of the Erotique Mystique [ VOTE HERE ]

Short Story (All other genres) published in 2007...
Time Warp [ VOTE HERE ]

Print/Electronic Book Editor...
Alessia Brio, Coming Together [ VOTE HERE ]

Anthology published in 2007...
Coming Together: For the Cure [ VOTE HERE ]

Author published in 2007...
Alessia Brio [ VOTE HERE ]

Artist publishing in 2007...
Alessia Brio [ VOTE HERE ]

Book/e-book Cover Artwork published in 2007...
Lord Carabas [ VOTE HERE ]

Poet published in 2007...
Alessia Brio [ VOTE HERE ]

Poem published in 2007...
forked [ VOTE HERE ]