Guest Post I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)

Please welcome author Evee Lamb to my blog today. Evee will talk about the editing process in the guest post below. Thanks for visiting.

Guest Post

Thank you so much for having me Charlene! Really happy to here and talk about the editing process. For each author their method, both in writing and editing, is completely different. There’s no one true paradigm. Writing books can give you a blue print but what it really boils down to is what you’re comfortable with as a writer.

            My first rule of thumb is to never edit while I’m writing. If I do, I get lost in the technicalities and I lose my drive to actually write. I start every writing process with a thorough, well fleshed out outline that breaks each chapter into important bullet points. During the actual writing I focus on the story. I let the story flow and make alterations to the outline as I go, even if it means I’ll have to go back and rewrite the beginning. Sometimes when I’m writing I won’t be able to think of a name or piece of information, if that happens I usually put in closed brackets the item I was trying to write (ex: [character name]).

            Some writers when they finish a story will launch into editing. Others will tell you to wait at least six months. I neatly put my story away (and by neatly I mean I forget it on my desktop) for about one to two months, usually long enough to replenish my juices or start working on a new project. I wait until I’ve thoroughly forgotten all of the plot and it isn’t the focus of my mind anymore. And then once I get that niggling feeling in the back of my brain that yells, “HEY MAYBE YOU SHOULD DO THE THING”, I sit back down and start to edit.

            Whoever tells you editing is fun is a liar. It’s hard work and sometimes painful. I do two rounds of edits, then send it to an editor, which is usually two more rounds. Then I start submitting it to agents or to one of my publishing houses.

            For the first round of edits I just comb through and make any grammatical corrections, fill in places I left blank, alter huge sections that needed redrafting, and all together just do a basic edit. Sometimes I’ll remove sections, if I feel it’s necessary, but it isn’t my main focus. Idly editing should take at most a week. Lately I’ve been so busy it’s taking longer. But there’s no time frame, so you do you and let it take as long as you need. I then let it sit again for a couple weeks, let the emotions settle, and then go back through one more time. This round I really nitpick and tear the story apart, cutting, rearranging, and fixing any weak points in the story.

It sucks, it’s hard, and sometimes you want to cry because you have to delete that perfect sentence, but in the end it’ll be a better story.

About the Book

Title: I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)

Author: Evee Lamb

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Erotica

After being stuck in a dead end relationship with her abusive ex-boyfriend, Zelda wants to say goodbye to relationships and say hello to no-strings sex. Preferably with a man who owns a lingerie collection larger than her own. So when Pytor Valentine pings into her inbox after Zelda decides to navigate the world of online dating, Zelda thinks she’s found the perfect man. He’s everything should could as for: handsome, well-read, owns an extensive collection of lingerie, and is looking for unattached sex.

But after seeing Pytor wrapped up in silk, all of his hard muscles and sharp curves trimmed with lace, Zelda isn’t sure one night of white hot passion is enough. But with Derek muscling his way back into her life and Pytor not looking for a relationship, Zelda doesn’t know if she’ll ever get more than sex.

If Zelda wants to survive with her heart in tack, she can’t fall in love. Too bad she’s pretty sure she already is.

Author Bio

Evee Lamb lives in Columbus, Ohio with her two cats Mo and Cheedo. She publishes male x male romance under the penname Evelyn Shepherd. Between writing and working as a graphic designer, she spends her free time expanding her library and traveling.

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Book Excerpt from Tempted by Pleasure

Book Excerpt

Warning: excerpt is for adults only!

The next morning, dressed in my favorite power suit, I park outside Erin’s bookstore and review her profile for the hundredth time. With my professional connections, I have access to private records. I scan the last page. She’s 5’5, 120 pounds, athletic, and in good health. Kevin will consider her the perfect specimen. We’ll find out after he examines her in his downtown office this afternoon.

I secure the file in my brief case, then grab the bouquet of green orchids off my backseat. Mary greets me from the counter.

“Mr. Wagner?”

“Good morning Mary. Is Erin here?”

“She’s in the back.”

“Can I find my own way?”

She eyeballs the flowers and smiles. “Don’t tell her I said yes.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

I end up at a closed door and knock.

“Come in.”

I peek inside. Her face is buried in a book and she doesn’t look up. “Need help, Mary?”

“I’ll let you decide.”

At the sound of my voice, her head snaps up. “Foster Wagner.”

I step into her office. “That’s all you have to say to me after all these years?”

“It’s more than you deserve.”

I laugh, knowing Erin is all pretense; I can tell from the way she sits and her tight expression. “Still can’t forgive me for being young?”

“You mean desperate?”

“Testosterone.”

“Don’t blame your hormones for crude behavior.” Her gaze sweeps downward, pausing on my crotch.

“Memory lane?”

She blushes, then glares at me. “Don’t be rude.”

“What’s on your mind, beautiful?” I lay the flowers on her desk. “Peace offering?”

“Light green orchids.” She looks confused. “How did you know? There’s at least fifty stems here. I can’t accept such an extravagant gift.”

“A peace offering.”

“Foster.”

I love the way she says my name. Those lips should be wrapped around my cock, not chastising me for past sins.

“Why are you here?”

“To reconnect.”

“We didn’t part on good terms.”

“I’m fully aware.” The painful memory has never faded, but I’ll do anything to make it up to her. I’ve waited years for this moment. “Let’s have lunch.”

“I-I . . .”

“It’s not a lifelong commitment, Erin, it’s lunch.”

She sets her book aside. “I know.”

“Is that a yes?”

She shakes her head. “What about yesterday?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”

“I wanted to see if you’d figure it out.”

“But you told Mary you didn’t like Edgar Allan Poe. Return the books, Foster, they’re too valuable to end up with someone who doesn’t appreciate them. I don’t like games.”

“No?” I ask, knowing differently. “Who said anything about a game?”

She stands, rubbing her hands together. “So I’m supposed to believe you waltz in here to simply reconnect after you spent nearly five thousand dollars on me over the course of two days?”

“Five thousand?” I play stupid.

“Those flowers cost a fortune.”

“I didn’t ask for a receipt.”

“My goodness.” She edges closer, a mixture of emotions on her pretty face. “Is it possible the obnoxious jock has grown a heart? Learned to be a gentleman?” She’s so close I can smell her delicate perfume over the fragrant flowers. “Did your mother put you up to this?”

“My mother?” I laugh. “She’s on an extended holiday in Italy.”

“Your father? Our parents still play golf together.”

“I haven’t spoken to the old man in weeks.”

“I suppose you were never the kind of son who took orders very well.” She perches on the edge of her desk, her legs spread wide enough so I can see the shape of her pussy lips through her snug jeans. “Congratulations on your successful business endeavors.  How was Saudi Arabia?”

That catches me off guard. I’m starting to think she recognized me in the book store, but didn’t want to admit it. “You’ve kept up with my career?”

“My mother keeps me up-to-date and I occasionally watch the local news.”

A perfectly reasonable explanation, but it still surprises me. “My sixth trip in four years. We’re about to close a deal on wind turbines. Green energy is the future.”

“I agree, but how can you specialize in environmentally friendly technologies and pump the earth dry of petroleum and natural gas at the same time. This fracking bullshit is a nightmare. Earthquakes near Dallas?”

I brush a stray hair out of her eyes. “Geopolitics mostly. But don’t get too preachy, baby. If I want to debate environmental issues, I’ll call the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Right now, all I want is to spend time with you.”

She presses her lips together. “Just searching for moral and intellectual clarity.”

“Something I’m sure you’d swear I’ve never had.”

“There’s always hope.”

I chuckle. She’s still my angel, the moral compass I always needed to help keep me on the straight and narrow. Only she’s gone from pretty to beautiful.

 “If I agree to meet you for lunch, will you stop harassing me?”

 “Can’t make any promises.” I’d do anything for her, but I can’t let her know that too soon.

She folds her hands on her lap, staring up at me. “I don’t know whether I should be flattered or run. You always were cocky, Foster.”

And you were always a patronizing little tease I couldn’t get enough of. With all the references and stares at my man parts, I know what she’s thinking about.

I reach around her and pick up the phone. “Mary?”

“Mr. Wagner?”

“Do you keep vases in the break room?”

“Yes.”

“Please bring a large one filled with cool water to Ms. Covington’s office.” I replace the headset, letting my arm brush against Erin’s thigh. “Easy fix. If you don’t get those expensive flowers into water, they’ll wilt.”

“This is a waste of time.”

She slides off the desk, but I block her path. “If you didn’t want me here, you would have ordered me out of your office.”

“Maybe,” she admits. “Or perhaps I’m just getting my daily dose of entertainment.” She gazes up at me, her forehead creased in stubbornness.

I’m lost in her eyes, wishing I could bypass all the formalities and just fuck her now.

About The Book

Title: Tempted by Pleasure (Secret Invitation Part One)

Author: Devon Hart

Genre: Erotica

Welcome to a game of risk and indiscretion.

The prize: a night of passion.

The price: your silence.

Nothing exciting happens to someone like me. I live between the lines, only dreaming about breaking the rules. My chance at love disappeared the night I left home to escape my old life.

Eight years later, I never expected that “old life” to resurface in my bookstore.

Foster Wagner is the type of man most women would crawl through fire or broken glass to possess. And judging by the way he’s staring, that danger goes both ways.

I’m in trouble.

Note: Part Two will be released soon.

Author Bio

Devon Hart lives in the Pacific Northwest and loves to travel. Married to her biggest fan, her husband is the inspiration behind many of her super sexy heroes. When she’s not hanging out with friends or in the garden, she can be found in her favorite spot in the house reading or writing her next story.

Links

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Release Day Party All In: Playing The Fool

About The Book

Title: All In: Playing the Fool

Author: Lane Hart

Genre: Romance / Erotica

WARNING: THIS BOOK IS FOR 18+ ONLY DUE TO THE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENES (M/F, M/F/M, M/M) AND ADULT LANGUAGE.

Will Reavis is the last man standing. All of his lifelong friends are settling down, and seem nauseatingly happy with their significant others. Even his little sister Jules recently married, taking off with Will’s best friend.

While Dylan and Jules are away on their honeymoon, they leave their penthouse apartment and expensive vehicles in Will’s care. After a night on the town with his new wingman, criminal defense attorney Joe Montgomery, Will meets the woman of his dreams.

Knowing a beautiful woman like Lacy would never go for a normal, nothing-special guy like him for more than a one-night stand, Will let’s her believe that all of Dylan’s riches are his own.

Lacy Pierce is newly single and not looking to settle down anytime soon. Why would she do something so foolish, when she knows how things always end? Her own father had affairs on her mother, and her famous football playing ex-boyfriend Zack Bradford cheated on her repeatedly during the year they were together.

Will seems like Zack’s opposite, and even better, he looks … safe. When she finds out the cute, unassuming, intelligent guy is actually the first man that can show her the wild passion she’s been missing out on, she reconsiders her no commitment rule. That is until she finds out Will has lied to her, and only sees her as a one-night fling.

Fate eventually steps in to bring the two back together.

When Lacy agrees to help out in her father’s law firm during the summer, she has no idea that the young attorney she’ll be working for is none other than Joe Montgomery, Will’s good friend. She’s also surprised to find out that Will is actually the IT guy for her father’s firm, when their paths cross once again.

After Lacy and Will get hot and heavy in public one night, they not only end up with criminal charges, Lacy’s father puts an end to idea of them continuing a relationship. He threatens to have Will, Joe, and Will’s friend and Joe’s assistant, Jess, all fired.

Unwilling to risk the consequences, Lacy tries to stop thinking about Will. Her hot new boss makes for a pretty nice distraction, and the two pass the time teasing and flirting with each other. Things begin to get complicated with Lacy and Joe, especially when it becomes clear that her and Will aren’t over.

Will does a little soul-searching and decides that he’ll do whatever it takes to have the woman of his dreams … even if that means indulging in some of her naughtier fantasies! But all relationships are fragile, and when Lacy finds out that the only two men she’s ever trusted have both conspired to betray her, it’ll take a tragedy to help her see that the ones we love occasionally deserve our forgiveness. Lacy will also find out the hard way that her wild and foolish decisions will eventually catch up with her, impacting all the men in her life.

 

Author Bio

Lane Hart lives in the south with her husband, children and pets named after Star Wars characters. After thirty years she’s finally figured out what she wants to be when she grows up. When Lane’s not writing she spends her free time reading everything she can get her hands on, watching football, and conducting research for scenes in her next steamy book.

Lane loves to hear from her readers on Facebook, Twitter, on her website, or by email!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WritingfromHart
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lanehartbooks
Website: http://www.lanehartbooks.com
Email: lane.hart@hotmail.com

Buy the Book:
http://amzn.com/B00THSCPNQ

Giveaway

Three lucky winners will each get a box set of the first three books in the All In Series:

–          All In: Double or Nothing

–          All In: Betting on a Full House

–          All In: Calling His Bluff

Go here to participate in the giveaway.

Author Interview Lips Like Ice Tour

Author Interview

Have you been writing for a long time? What inspired you to start a writing career?

I began writing in elementary school for my classwork, and really enjoyed it. Probably more than any other class but music and art! All through my childhood, I loved the ability to tell stories but mostly focussed that in theatre and acting. I got to go to a conference called Author Author at the age of eight, which paired young kids with published authors to talk about writing and being an author. After that I had a vauge idea that I’d like to make books for a living, but didn’t really get serious about it until first year university. I was writing mountains of fan fiction by that time, having discovered it around age 11, and one of my TAs suggested that I try writing something original. That first book has been buried forever, but I learned a lot about what kind of storyteller I wanted to be and when I moved overseas I decided to finish a whole novel before I came home. That book ended up being my debut novel, “Triptych”, which was published by Dragon Moon Press in 2011.

Is Lips Like Ice your first book? If not, please tell us a little about your first book.

Lips Like Ice is my first full-length erotica book as Peggy Barnett. Before this I’d only published shorts and one novella – Dear Abby – as Peggy Barnett. But when Fifty Shades of Grey took off and I realized that there was a market for full length novels, I thought, Gee, that looks like fun! What if, instead of a SF/F novel this year for NaNoWriMo, I write an erotica one? And I was right, it was an absolute load of fun!

Why did you choose erotica as genre for your book?

One of the things I find difficult now that I’ve transitioned from fan fiction to original fiction is that there’s so much less emphasis on explicit sex! Sex is an important part of the human experience, the way we relate to our lovers and our spouses, and a lot of the way we define ourselves as people. I found that I was continuously adding sex scenes to my original work that was either too explicit or too frequently occurring, and I had to find other ways to build character or plot advances. When Gabrielle Harbowy approached me to write straight-up erotica for her anthology Jacked-In, I had a really fun time doing so and realized that this is a part of storytelling that I realized I missed. So, for my next novel attempt, I decided to go all-in and write an erotica novel.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

It may sound a little glib, but my biggest piece of advice is to just do it. Find time, find space, put your fingers on the keys and just write. The most important thing you can do as a writer is to finish a novel. Write it, edit it, polish it, and then put it aside and start another one.  If you want to be a professional author, you need to teach yourself how you like to write, (and there’s no right way; only your way), and then do it again. And again. And again. You may not sell the first. You may not sell the second. But the more you do it, the more you’ll figure out your own habits, your own workarounds, your own needs. And the better your books will get.

Do you have any works in progress you’d like to tell us about?

Well, as Peggy Barnett I’ve begun pecking out ideas for the sequel to Lips Like Ice; I’m just waiting to see if the editor and the publisher express interest in one. I hope so! I’d love to spend more time with these characters and this universe. As J.M. Frey, I am extremely pleased to be able to share that Reuts has literally just announced that the first of an epic fantasy trilogy, The Untold Tale, will be published this December! It’s a meta fantasy series about a woman who loves fantasy books, and accidentally ends up as the main character in one!

About the Book

Title: Lips Like Ice

Author: Peggy Barnett

Genre: Science-Fiction, Erotica

He calls himself the Prince. He is humanoid but not human–fascinating, sensual, at the cusp of maturity, and accustomed to getting what he wants. And Lydia has awoken in his world to find that she has been given to him–as a pet, a plaything, and, if he so desires, a lover.

But the Prince lives in a world where birth order dictates gender, and in declaring himself male he has thrown tradition back into the face of his father, the King, a very, very dangerous creature to cross.

As Lydia comes to realize that the Prince is as much a prisoner to his culture’s ways as she is, her resentment slowly unfurls into pity, understanding, curiosity, and a deep, unpredictable, consuming lust. She wants him too, on her own terms. But in a world fraught with hidden dangers, her terms are not open for discussion, not when their thirst for one another could doom them both. In a court where monarchs are obeyed and sexual hierarchies are strict, one wrong move could end the Prince for ever… and what would happen to Lydia then?

Author Bio

“Peggy Barnett” is the erotica pseudonym of a Toronto-based SF/F author. Peggy writes stories for the thinking erotica reader. She likes to write stories that are both one-handed reading and topical discussions of consent, non-binary gender, the full spectrum of sexuality and romanticism, and relationships that bloom beyond monogamy.

Links

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/peggybarnett
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeggyBarnettErotica
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eroticbarnett
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Peggy-Barnett/e/B00C4CHC94/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1424374246&sr=8-1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24642992-lips-like-ice

Circlet: http://www.circlet.com/?p=1137

Author Interview with Marie Morgan

I’m hosting an interview today with Marie Morgan. She writes erotica novels, and is currently touring with her erotica novella, “Getting Lost”.

Author Interview

1) How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing for over twenty years. I got bitten by the bug when I was very young. Only the recent boom in self-publishing—and success of other books that shall remain nameless—gave me the nerve to send my naughtier works out into the world. I’ve been in love with the Erotica genre since I was in my early twenties. Then, I got hold of the Sleeping Beauty trilogy and went haywire. I write other things, of course, but I haven’t yet had the steel spine to let them out of their cages. I’d like to know if I’m any good or if I’m fooling myself, you know?

2) Is Getting Lost your first novel? If not, please tell us a little about your first book.

Yes, it’s the first one I’ve had the chutzpah to release from the gate. It’s come out like a demon from the underworld: completely terrifying and just waiting to rip me to shreds.

3) Why did you choose erotica as a genre for your novel?

I didn’t choose the genre for The Island series; it chose me. Writing something so moving can only be brought to light when someone is completely naked and vulnerable to another person. It’s not about the sex; BDSM never is. That lifestyle brings something different to the table. It’s about surrendering one’s self to the pleasure of it all. Letting go and getting lost is something too many of us struggle with. This journey of healing and finding one’s self could only be told one way. Cicily is too stubborn and controlling to let go if she’s given the choice. I had to take that away so she could succumb and realize her inner power doesn’t come from being in charge of the situation, but her ability to bend with it.

4) Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Don’t rush the process. Take the time to make your characters more. It’s not about the story you weave; rather, the connection your reader will feel with your protagonist. Give them something to connect with. Oh, and hire an amazing editor who understands that.

5) Do you have any works in progress you’d like to tell us about?

I’m working on the sequels to Getting Lost right now: Crossroads and Being Found. In these, readers will find out more about the mystery man pulling the strings and how he’s associated with Cicily. Surprises abound!

I want to take a moment to thank you for interviewing me on your blog today. It’s all the readers and book bloggers who make authors’ jobs worth doing. Without you guys, we’d be nothing. So thank you for all you do! I hope you get a chance to enjoy Getting Lost.

Getting Lost

Title: Getting Lost (The Island, Book One)

Author: Marie Morgan

Genre: Erotica

Cicily Welling lost everything she cared about. On a dangerous path of self-destruction, she finds a website announcing The Island, saying how they can help those with “emotional problems.”

With much trepidation, she fills out the form and clicks submit, launching herself into a world she never knew existed. It all starts with him. He tells her she’ll heal and makes grand promises that she’ll never be a doormat again.

Now, getting lost is the only way she’ll be able to find herself. In this first book of The Island trilogy, Cicily finds out just how delicious getting lost can be.

Author Bio

Marie Morgan fell in love with the erotica genre when she read Anne Rice’s Sleeping Beauty series. Marie has attempted to delve deeply into the human psyche and show how embracing something new can set someone free.

Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marie.morgan.3950178

Twitter: @AuthorMMorgan

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AuthorMMorgan

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Morgan/e/B00FQI35XU

Purchase Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FMFFX6Y

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/364201

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getting-lost-marie-morgan/1117117138?ean=9781492881384

 

Giveaway

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Click here to go to the Rafflecopter form.