tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63964942362506912442024-02-22T00:43:30.408-05:00Romance According to RachRachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-67760386344103084832018-09-11T08:41:00.001-04:002018-09-11T08:41:26.644-04:00An Excerpt from A LOVE AFFAIR IN LAS VEGAS Good day, all.<br />
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Today, in honor of 9/11, I wanted to share a scene from one of my recent releases, <i>A Love Affair in Las Vegas</i>. This book is set in Vegas at a hoteliers' conference, but both main characters are from New York.<br />
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I lived in New York until my mid-twenties, just outside of Syracuse, and I was pretty young when 9/11 happened, in middle school, and it's something that has impacted my life in tertiary ways ever since then, though I was not directly impacted by it. It's something that I wanted to bring up as backstory for both of these characters, Barnaby and Dawn, because it's still something that touches my life today, and I know it touches the lives of a lot of people, even 17 years later.<br />
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This scene takes place about halfway through the book and it's one of the most emotional scenes I've written, and it helps Barnaby and Dawn really talk about real-life things in ways they haven't yet, up to this point in the story. Here it is:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Hey, a rising tide carries all boats,”
he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She rolled her eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What? It does. I’ve always believed
there’s too much competition in our industry. Particularly in a tourist mecca
like New York. How often do you think hotels go vacant or close down because
they can’t get enough business? Not the roach motels, obviously, but the places
that provide the same level of service as we do. We’re not in competition for a
limited number of guests. Some people travel because they have to, obviously,
but a lot of them do so because they like the hotel experience, because they
need somewhere they can trust to stay when they’re visiting. If we are all so
focused on beating one another out for the same guests, then it’s the guests
who suffer, and we all end up losing in the long run.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone
speak so passionately about what we do. I mean I like helping people, don’t get
me wrong, but for you, it’s more than that. It goes deeper.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He’d always talked like this about his
job. He’d never had someone notice that it was about so much more for him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I was homeless for about eighteen months
when I was a teenager,” he blurted. He hadn’t meant to say it, but there it was
now. Out in the open. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/3kre78" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdjDWBvek89hIqNYv3-htaFk9h_KteFFnSrIvDS4rEtYUwUfBWbWjrGRmtK1XtkdyKq2HTUHZ8D2Fqb7ucJd5Zh0eVGcfYIeMLaHDgjYwEuIeoOyN5HwGFUMYyzJXQk7L-bEpGdSSaSuh/s400/love+affair+in+las+vegas+Cover.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He expected to see pity on her face.
Expected her to shame him for something that had never been his fault. Instead,
after a quick blink of surprise, she smiled. “That definitely explains it,
then.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He was so surprised by complete
acceptance, without any hint of shame or pity, that for a few minutes, he
didn’t speak. When he went to open his mouth again, the waiter appeared with
their meals. She’d ordered a braised lamb shank with mashed potatoes and squash,
and he was almost jealous until he caught the smell of his steak. They thanked
the waiter for the food, and he finally got brave enough to ask, “Explains
what?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Why you love managing the hotel. You
get to provide for people what you never had, even if only temporarily. A home.
A safe place for them to stay, even if only for one night.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He nodded. Damn. She really did get it.
He wasn’t used to being so transparent. “It’s not something I talk about much.
Most people don’t understand. In fact, so many of them wonder what the hell I
did wrong to become homeless or why I wasn’t taken away from my parents.” His
throat threatened to close up a bit as he talked, and he took a few sips of
cold water. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I’m sure it’s not easy to talk about.
What helped you get from there to where you are today?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He finally started cutting his steak,
and she began eating as well. After couple bites, he gave her a little rundown
of what it had been like for him. “My mom wasn’t a great woman. She and my dad
argued a lot. She wouldn’t stay around, always out finding the next best thing,
and when she finally left him for her second husband, and decided to move back
to the UK, he kept me and my brother. She hadn’t really ever wanted much to do
with us, frankly. I don’t think she ever wanted kids. I think she had us to try
to keep my dad around. He was an investment banker when they first married, and
we lived pretty large, shall we say.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She ate quietly as she listened, giving
him her full attention, and when he took a break from speaking to eat a bit,
she asked, “So she was only really with him for the lifestyle?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yeah. And when the market crashed
after the Towers came down, he found himself out of a job. We’re lucky he wasn’t
at work that day. He was, by some miraculous fluke, taking me to have my wisdom
teeth removed.” It was the easiest thing to sit here and talk to her about some
of his deepest, darkest memories. Like they had known each other decades
instead of days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Wow.” He could see the shared memories
in her eyes of that tragedy. “I can’t believe you could have lost your dad like
that. How awful.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We were lucky. My dad called me his
little miracle from that day forward. He actually asked the doc if he could
keep the teeth as a souvenir. Gross, I know, but even later, when he lost his
job, and mom left, and we were living on the streets for those months or
bouncing around shelters, he never lost those teeth.” He drank some water to help
his parched throat, and then cleared I, before asking, “You said you’ve lived
in New York your whole life, were you in the city at that point?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I actually grew up in a small town in
Upstate. Well, you would call it Upstate, since anything that isn’t Manhattan
is Upstate New York to you people, but it’s really in the Hudson Valley. I was in
elementary school, and even though I was young, that morning is one of my
earliest memories. I remember exactly what we were learning: counting money,
dimes and pennies. Mrs. Morton was going through the lesson when the classroom
phone rang. Watching her try so hard not to show us how scared she was will be
forever etched in my mind. She had a daughter who worked right down the street
on West Broadway who she wasn’t able to get in touch with until days later. She
was a wreck that morning, obviously. But she soldiered on, gave us lots of hugs
and sang lots of songs that day.” She smiled sadly at the memory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I think that was the time I realized I
loved the city I’d never seen. I remember sneaking peeks at the news coverage
of the aftermath, hiding from my mom because she didn’t want me watching that
kind of crap, and just thinking, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God,
look at these people helping each other. Look at them risking their lives for
their neighbors. </i>I grew up in the small town that always treated the city
like it was this big dangerous place, but that day, and in the days following,
I saw a very different New York than the one I’d been taught. And from that day
forward, I knew I’d live there one day.” Her gaze had been far-away in memory,
and she blinked, refocusing on him. “Wow, sorry. That was a bit more of an
overshare than I needed to have.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“That’s okay. For me too, ya know? I
wasn’t exactly planning on pouring out my darkest secrets to you, though it’s
kind of nice to be able to talk about real stuff with a woman. You’d be shocked
at how many people look at me differently after I tell them about being
homeless when I was younger. Like I’m somehow less of a man.” But she didn’t.
Now that her gaze was on his once more, it was the same comfortable no-bullshit
expression she’d been giving him all along. It was like he could feel the lines
of connection growing stronger between them. The sex had been amazing from go,
but the more time he spent with her talking, really talking, about things that
mattered, not just work or banter, the more he felt the link between them
growing. Could she feel it, too? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i>A Love Affair in Las Vegas </i>is only 99 cents if you want to get your copy here: <a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/3kre78" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.books2read.com/u/3kre78</a>Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-5605082087602600862018-09-06T06:00:00.000-04:002018-09-06T06:00:04.305-04:00Blog Spotlight: Steel Time by J.L. Gribble<br />
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Hello all, </div>
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Welcome back to Romance According to Rach. I'm so excited to share this upcoming release with you. This is the 4th book in a great UF series that I adore! While it isn't romance, readers of all genres are sure to love this latest installment from J.L. Gribble. </div>
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This week, book 4 of the Steel Empires urban
fantasy/alternate series is released! </div>
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In a world with vampires, warrior-mages,
weredragons, and sarcastic violin players, time travel seems like the obvious
next step. Read on for more information about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Steel Time</i>, by J.L. Gribble<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABOUT THE BOOK<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb-bDw-4Kmpz9T8sxT7vTuJl_ZO_ooNYs_9VbCid9W5B-Fwnm4P_QZ6bxsdpcpuO5yrq003uI4mELOgJqfV8echYme82_1SRoK16kc8B3cfgX4CZFeYn3G1KAuOY5ffCCtZFTOUVNfcuT/s1600/Steel_Time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb-bDw-4Kmpz9T8sxT7vTuJl_ZO_ooNYs_9VbCid9W5B-Fwnm4P_QZ6bxsdpcpuO5yrq003uI4mELOgJqfV8echYme82_1SRoK16kc8B3cfgX4CZFeYn3G1KAuOY5ffCCtZFTOUVNfcuT/s400/Steel_Time.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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You’re never too young or too old to experience a paradigm
shift.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Toria Connor is 25 when tripping over an artifact in the
ruins of Nacostina thrusts her a century into the past, before the city is
destroyed during the Last War. Now, she finds herself alone. Adrift in a time
where she must hide everything important to her, from her mercenary career to
her true magical ability.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Victory is over eight centuries old when she follows her
adopted daughter. She has seen empires rise and fall, but never anything like
this. She must survive alone in a city inhospitable to vampires, dodging
friends and foes from her past alike.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Both of them know the clock is ticking down to the moment
when the city is wiped off the map. Now, they’re in a race against time. To
find each other. To escape the past. And to save the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Currently available from:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Time-Empires-Book-Four/dp/1947879065">Amazon</a><br />
<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/steel-time-jl-gribble/1128803313">Barnes
& Noble</a><br />
<a href="https://aerbook.com/maker/productcard-3830143-4182.html">Direct from
publisher</a><br />
<a href="https://carpelibrumonlinebookstore.com/products/steel-time-by-j-l-gribble">Carpe
Librum</a> (the author’s local indie bookseller)<br />
Or support your own local independent bookstore by requesting a copy today!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABOUT THE SERIES<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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It is possible to read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Steel
Time</i> as a stand-alone book, but don’t miss out on Toria and Victory’s
previous adventures!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Book 1: <a href="https://jlgribble.com/books/steel-empires/steel-victory/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Steel Victory</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i>Book 2: <a href="https://jlgribble.com/books/steel-empires/book-2-steel-magic/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Steel Magic</i></a><br />
Book 2: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://jlgribble.com/books/steel-empires/book-3-steel-blood/">Steel Blood</a></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XP7Q2bH-gWESHA-u_5ulJgCsTe0ByVGGAmKbFvNe-kYwNA053zUhUVIszttv_YdIzP_UFbPDlgzP_NEGusBV07TT2odDueN9ztMCUM-ssZ1XfbMbcNuqg4uVcxrQ4nAqUvtlQbK2CFEq/s1600/Gribble+photo+color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XP7Q2bH-gWESHA-u_5ulJgCsTe0ByVGGAmKbFvNe-kYwNA053zUhUVIszttv_YdIzP_UFbPDlgzP_NEGusBV07TT2odDueN9ztMCUM-ssZ1XfbMbcNuqg4uVcxrQ4nAqUvtlQbK2CFEq/s400/Gribble+photo+color.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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By day, J. L. Gribble is a professional medical editor. By
night, she does freelance fiction editing in all genres, along with reading,
playing video games, and occasionally even writing. She is currently working on
the Steel Empires series for Dog Star Books, the science-fiction/adventure
imprint of Raw Dog Screaming Press. Previously, she was an editor for the Far
Worlds anthology.<br />
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Gribble studied English at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
She received her Master’s degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill
University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where her debut novel Steel Victory was
her thesis for the program.<o:p></o:p></div>
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She lives in Ellicott City, Maryland, with her husband and
three vocal Siamese cats. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Find her online at:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://jlgribble.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jlgribblewriter/">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hannaedits/">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/hannaedits/">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/hannaedits">Goodreads</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-66884778155385356942018-07-15T19:48:00.001-04:002018-07-15T19:48:50.117-04:00Blog Tour Kickoff! Enter the Giveaway hereRachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-21871343324149614092018-07-14T16:45:00.001-04:002018-07-14T16:55:41.018-04:00#BlogTour & #Giveaway! <span style="color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hello all,</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Please come join me on my blog tour. I'll be talking about the Marietta International Hotels series, giving you behind the scenes info, and giving away a $25 amazon gift card! Come along:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Marietta Hotels Schedule<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">July 15<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">July 16<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-68814028338022584692018-07-13T23:00:00.000-04:002018-07-14T11:48:50.447-04:00#SatSpanks blog Hop: A Love Affair in Las Vegas<h4>
Hello all, and welcome to the blog, Romance According to Rach. This week, I want to share a little impromptu spanking scene from my latest release, <i>A Love Affair in Las Vegas</i>.</h4>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Mmhmm,” he mused. “And what exactly
should serve as punishment?” He needed to hear her say it, to ask him for what
she wanted. There could be no miscommunication between them. He knew what he
wanted. To flip her over so he had access to that voluptuous bare ass and could
dole out a spanking for her brazenness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A bit of uncertainty crossed her face,
and she took a deep breath. What was she thinking? Finally, she said, “I’ve
been thinking of exploring a few things.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Which is true, and probably part of
the reason I think perhaps a little spanking is in order.” Her voice was soft,
but sure.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/3kre78" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlXJn5YgNwZWcReOjl046brY8ieReloC34YF5nbNX63ik2FzYT_7B2IqZI9_S75eJVfKaEMTCiQ48PowuSGzRzTn17ZJK_q1GmiymD0IZMv6TLruzHuscylrSHhANOEz85ylqsDoAHCQy/s640/love+affair+in+las+vegas+Cover.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The spanking continues from here. To read more, grab your copy of <i><a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/3kre78">A Love Affair in Las Vegas</a></i> here: <a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/3kre78" style="font-size: 11pt;">https://www.books2read.com/u/3kre78</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dawn
Jansen only ever wanted one thing: to provide a life for her daughter in New
York City, away from the small-town minds of her family and her upbringing. Now
that she has finally made it to manager, this goal is in sight. One of her
first duties is to attend a conference at the Marietta Las Vegas to learn all
she can about running the show. But her plan to learn as much as she can on a
professional level, turns into learning far more about herself than her job.
She may get a second-chance at this whole love thing after all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Barnaby
Garrison has always had one goal in life: to help people. He’s found his calling
as a hotel manager, and since his past failed relationship, has focused all of
his energy on work. But as soon as he notices Dawn in the crowd at the
conference, his focus instantly splits. When he realizes the attraction is
mutual, he doesn’t waste any time seducing her to his bed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Can
what began as a fling in Vegas turn into something more once they’re home in
New York? Or does what happen in Vegas truly stay in Vegas?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Be sure to check out the rest of the spankings on the hop here:<br />
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="https://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=286315" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-19273811200485248752018-03-28T10:16:00.000-04:002018-06-22T20:44:20.437-04:00Why Erotic Romance is #Feminist Literature & Why I Write It <div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In honor of International Women's Day, I wanted to share some thoughts with you on why I write not just romance, but erotic romance, and what it means to be a feminist erotic romance author. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">First let's start with the idea that romance is feminist literature. This may not sound groundbreaking in the news department, but it's a rather new idea on the block. For years romance has been denigrated for being anti-feminist, or bodice-rippers, glorified patriarchal rape fantasies that simply perpetuate stereotypical portrayals of women and romance in a male-dominated world. (Phew, that was a mouthful). In recent times, romance has become a better genre, but it also has become better understood, and the realization that it is actually the opposite of anti-feminist is becoming more and more prevalent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Romance is about women, for women, written by women. That's what romance is all about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Note however that women is not <b>all </b>romance is about, of course. There are lots of different flavors of romance on the market now, with new subgenres and different forms of love and life becoming more popular every day. Romance is also about men, and about love. There are ménage stories and m/m stories and stories about groups of lovers, asexual partners, trans and queer individuals, some who identify as women, and some who do not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On the whole, even when the story is not about just women, and not written just for women, or by women, romance at its core is still about feminism, about the idea that a woman is just as good as a man, just as important and worthy, and should have the same ability to pursue life, liberty, and happiness as any man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was asked (as part of a large group) recently why my books were going to change the world. Why were they important enough that readers needed them? Whose lives were they going to change? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Those questions got me thinking, and now I have an answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My books are all about being sex-positive, body-positive, empowering and feministic. I write all kinds of flavors of erotic romance: f/f, m/f, m/m/f, BDSM, contemporary, femdomme, multicultural. And every one of my books has one theme in common: empowering my characters to know what they want, physically, sexually, emotionally, and to give them the tools to go after what they want. My characters embrace their sexuality. They embrace the idea that it’s okay to want and need a partner (or partners), to be vulnerable and sexy, and to be bold and strong, all at the same time. This is what makes my romance so feminist in nature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With every book, I aim to break down the idea that sex is evil, or that women don’t have a sex drive. I work to dispel the myth that sex-positivity and embracing sexual desire is a bad thing. I also work to dispel the myth that feminism = man-eating bitches. Feminism isn’t about hating men. It’s about loving them in a way that doesn’t mean loving yourself less. And that’s what I write about. That is why I write erotic romance. We can break down these barriers. We can change the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One book at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thanks,<br />Rach</span></div>
Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-43276428281844688482016-10-14T10:22:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:22:48.751-04:00I'm Getting Married Tomorrow!Good morning,<br />
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Just a real quick post to say that I am still around, just very swamped with my very own personal real-life romance. I am marrying the man of my dreams tomorrow. It's been a whirlwind of planning and life the past few months, preparing for the big day. I, of course, got sick last week, and have had a nasty chest cold for 7 days. I'm finally feeling better, so here's hoping I'll be in tip top shape for the wedding day (and night ;-p) That would never happen in a romance novel - the bride getting sick just before her big day! Though I suppose it could be a chance for great conflict in the book! It's certainly been a hell of a thing, trying to work, and get better, and finish up all the million and one little last minute details.<br />
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But I am off now to go get ready for my rehearsal and dinner! Wish me luck!<br />
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~RachRachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-23491183074816378372016-09-30T10:23:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:23:45.029-04:00Author Interview with Rachell NicholeGood morning readers,<br />
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I found some great interview questions, some of which I think I've answered before when I was interviewed, but several answers have changed, and I got some new questions. I thought I'd give you a behind-the-scenes peek into my head! BEWARE. Actually, you should all probably run screaming from the room right now....<br />
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Oh, still here? Well, aren't you the brave one. Well, here it goes. A (sort of self-)interview with me!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What project are you currently working on? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I’m currently on a bit of a writing hiatus. But my WIP is <i>Adirondack Avalanche</i>, a sequel to <i>Break Through the Ice</i> which focuses on Lexi “Lex” an actress trying to change her image, who gets snowed in with Clark, a man dedicated to helping underprivileged youth who can’t stand the prima donna prissiness of an actress.</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What is your favorite snack?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">POPCORN! I have a rampant popcorn addiction, and my (almost) husband and I have a legit homemade popcorn popper machine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I have heard from numerous authors that chocolate is the staple of their diet. Is it in yours?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Of course it is. I’m a woman, aren’t I? As favorites go, I LOVE brownies. And other forms of chocolate like that as well as regular chocolate bars like Twix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Will electronic readers ever take the place of the humble paperback?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Maybe in 50 years. But not just yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">If you could be one of your characters – Who would you be? And why?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I really love damaged characters and ones with really big flaws. So I’m not sure I could be any of them, because I know what all of their issues are. But I wouldn’t mind Layla Morgan’s life. She was the heroine of <i>An Affair Across Times Square</i>. A lawyer with a large trust fund and a true wild side. I could live that life. I love to argue, so trying cases would be right up my alley. In fact, in my day job, I work at a law firm. ;-p<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Who or what influences you when you write?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">EVERYTHING. Any book that I’m reading when I write a book can influence the way I see the book and also the writing style. I’ve found myself coming up with new spinoff ideas from the books I’ve been reading through the course of the creation of the new novel. And sometimes if I start a new book in the middle of writing a manuscript, I have to go back and fix consistency issues because I started writing a character one way and then switched halfway through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">When you have writer’s block how do you break free?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I don’t believe in writer’s block. I believe in getting it done. I’ve had really piss poor word counts this year, but as I’ve been working two new jobs in addition to my author job, and planning a wedding (which is TWO weeks away), I haven’t had a lot of dedication to my writing this year. It’s been the longest hiatus since I started publishing in 2012, but that will be one of my new focuses as soon as the honeymoon is over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Is there a genre of book you would like to write but haven’t yet?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I want to write an erotic romance that is also a murder mystery. I don’t know as if anyone has ever blended those genres before, but I’d really like to. I’ve never written mystery before, so I think that would be really challenging. Honestly, I want to write everything! If only there were enough hours in the day.</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Drop Dead Fred. I love it. I just watched it again the other night for the millionth time. It’s hysterical. And sweet. And just wonderful. “What a pile of shit.” – makes me laugh out loud every time, and it’s in the first two minutes of the movie.</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Who would you want to be tied to for 24hours?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vin Diesel – no contest! He’s incredible. I’ve been in love with him for years. Could we go with fuzzy leopard-print handcuffs though?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and writing?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Reading. I love to read, even when I’ve been surrounded by words all day.</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">The 20’s. I know it’s really idealized by modern culture, and I’m sure it wasn’t really the way we all idolize it, but I would adore experiencing it for myself.</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Do you believe in love at first sight?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yes. Maybe. Lust at first site, absolutely. Love… maybe a special kind of love. Like the initial oh, my God moment where you can picture yourself in a big white dress staring into their eyes at the end of the aisle. But the deeper friendship connection that I think we need to sustain love… not so much. That has to come later and be built on memories, on experiences, kindness, support, life. I will say that I fell and fell hard and fast for my future husband, but it wasn’t quite love at first site.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Have you ever been nervous over reader reaction when a new book comes out?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">All the time – but it’s usually before the book comes out. My mom beta reads almost all of my titles before they come out. I’m always nervous about her reaction. Her last beta read of <i>To Sir</i> came back with “Liz isn’t damaged enough… fix her.” And she was right, of course.</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">How much does reader response mean to you over your books?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">A ton. I’m a people-pleaser at heart. I love to hear from readers that they enjoyed the book or that they took something away from it, whatever that may be.</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">What is the nicest thing a reviewer has ever said about one of your books?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Not a reviewer – but a fan said that my book kept them up until 4 a.m. even though they had to go to work the following day.</span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-27213154829946010042016-09-09T10:29:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:29:42.437-04:00#Diversity in Writing & Publishing<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Diversity is a word that is being looked at more and more closely in the writing and publishing world these days. And diversity doesn't always mean what people think it means. Diversity can have everything to do with skin color, and also <i>nothing</i> to do with skin color. Now, you may think that I get to say that, that because my skin is light, I can interpret diversity to mean something other than "non-white." But I would vehemently disagree. This is not me invoking my white privilege, honest. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wrote an essay back in college that was published in an introductory text to be read by all incoming freshman for years to come after I graduated, and it was an essay that I was uniquely qualified to write, because of my history. It was an essay on which the premise, there is no such thing as race, was based. Culture exists, culture is a brilliant, amazing diverse thing, but <i>race</i> is a social construct. It's something humanity created to make an "us and them" dichotomy. I know this, because I lived it. I'll give you a bit of a history lesson: my grandmother only dated black men after her third divorce. I had the immense fortune to grow up with six grandparents, three grandmothers, and three grandfathers, though my gram never married Sam, he was my grandfather. At every birthday, at every Thanksgiving and Christmas, etc. It was the most normal, natural thing in the world to me growing up that I had a grandfather who just happened to be a few shades darker than me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, diversity in writing and publishing <i>does </i><b>absolutely</b> include voices from other cultures and backgrounds, 100%, but it also means so many other things. I've had the chance through teaching the past few months to do some research into diversity in publishing, both within the romance genre, and from outside of it, and I couldn't be prouder to be in the publishing world than I am right now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Looking at the awards, and the accolades, finally being doled out to women who write horror, and self-published authors who write romance, and yes, writers from different ethnicities and backgrounds - all I can think is <i>FINALLY!</i> Finally this industry I love, this industry I want to dedicate my life to is finally taking notice that women can write science fiction and horror, that men can write romance, that readers and publishers alike want diverse voices, authors from all walks of life and backgrounds, all ethnicities and cultures. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 out of 16 Bram Stoker winners this year were women, and there were several more women in the running to win in multiple categories. Now, you may say that 1/4 is a piss poor statistic for women in the horror genre, and yes, this is true, but 10 years ago, there was nary a woman even on the docket, and yet, one of the most famous horror authors of all time was a woman. One of the most-used texts that has been made into countless movies and inspired millions of authors, <i>Frankenstein</i>, was written by a woman, a hundred plus years before women writers were really allowed to be a thing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, when you look at this year's RITA award winners, it's true that they are all women, and that most of them are from "white" backgrounds, but some are not. Moreover, several of the books on the list were self-published. This is a form of diversity in publishing that we don't necessarily talk about all that often - the stigma still associated with self-publishing, as if that was the only option left when the book was deemed undesirable by everyone else - that's just not true. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, I am not saying that we do not need more, many many more, other voices in writing, particularly in genre fiction, because we <i style="font-weight: bold;">so </i>do. But I am saying that diversity means a lot of different things, and I for one, see that we are finally moving in the right direction. So, readers, get to demanding more diversity in your reading. Writers, get to writing diversely. Write something unique and unusual for a genre, jump into a genre you "have no business writing in" because we need you to! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As you may know, I work a lot of diverse characters from different backgrounds into my books. I write about people who are light-skinned and dark, some who have Asian or American Indian backgrounds. I write about straight people and lesbians, and gay or bi-sexual men. Because just because I have light skin and a college education doesn't mean that is the only perspective I can, should, or want to write from. I love writing about different characters from all over the place, and I hope you enjoy reading about them too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">~ Rach</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-20276645389774378172015-10-21T10:32:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:32:28.012-04:00Changing the Slut-Shaming Culture, One Book at a Time<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Slut. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's a nasty, dirty little word that gets bandied about. Between women and girls, between a woman and herself, her body, the culture around her, and often, her male counterparts in the school or work environment. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, I say ENOUGH is enough. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">What a woman does or doesn't do with her own body is her damned business, and no one else's. Except, perhaps, her partner's. Let's be serious, folks, sex is great. Sex is <b>amazing!</b> If it's not, you might be doing something wrong... I'm just saying... But on the whole, sex is an expression of love and pleasure. Now I'm not saying you can't have sex without being in love, cause that's just silly. But you have to love yourself, love your body, and take pleasure in taking and giving pleasure. That's the way this whole sex thing works. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Except, somehow, we're all Eve. No matter what you do - if you're a woman in our society - you're the seducer. You're the evil influence. You're to slut. You aren't entitled to enjoyment and pleasure of the flesh. Because you're a woman. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Again, here, I call BULLSHIT. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was this great video circulating about a month back that I loved. This is the opposite of slut-shaming and the walk of shame. This is taking <b>pride in your stride</b>. If you haven't seen the video, here's a link: <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/b03e988362/walk-of-no-shame-with-amber-rose?_cc=__d___&_ccid=fzjvi5.nvhucw">http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/b03e988362/walk-of-no-shame-with-amber-rose?_cc=__d___&amp;_ccid=fzjvi5.nvhucw</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's brilliant. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, onto this whole not being a slut thing. We've turned slut into a dirty word. But... what if it's not? What if it's okay to be a slut? What if it's <b>great</b> to be a slut? Not in a negative way. Not in a derogatory kind of way. But in a "yeah, I like sex, and I have a lot of it," kind of way??? Wouldn't that be nice? </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">There's this kind of recurring theme in most of my books about a woman embracing her sexuality, about flying in the face of the demure, virginal, construct that implies women only want to have sex to please their man, to keep him happy, and to procreate his children. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="http://amzn.to/ZURxhD" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUP3L6NOv2G5pcr0HtRpJ0FeVozwM6KV6LM1-C_N0yyOT9NPa2ArRGw391k1MKRU5ENnmbzgwQmJKjEnV9-YKsd-4SGyptoEW8WDw4RDTz4wPp94twavdjSS7wNUj04ewHcgdgj5bp4p9/s200/RN_AnAffairAcrossTimesSquare.jpg" width="137" /></a><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In my first novel, Layla Morgan is plagued by the idea that she's wild, wanton, and it's been a curse her entire life. Until she meets Tyler, and his sexual appetites coincide with her own. There are several other books that revisit this theme of a woman embracing her sexuality, about not being ashamed of her own body, or her needs. Of knowing what she wants and going after it, because she wants it, because she <b>deserves </b>it. She breaks free of this archaic idea that she has to be a proper lady. She realizes that her wild streak and her passion are two of the reasons that she is who she is. They are a part of her, and she embraces them. She even uses that passion and wildness to find her own bold voice and solve a murder case. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In some of my most recent titles, this theme has come to light again. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="http://amzn.to/1wBI4yD" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98ROTChBBkkE-Y13GuobpxU4cXaKonH9wMbXRKRiOqziaR57vIN0jrrbgxajQFXHhywfDOjPxAxbSVxxGlAQAo8H07x2OXbXkpM2LCLNo_nk-A9geEMRQYWff5V-x_Z3A34zaGKw76sO4/s200/LI_RN_ToSir.jpg" width="137" /></a><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In <i>To Sir</i>, Liz is dealing with the lingering issues of mental and emotional abuse as a child in a household of strict parents. She doesn't understand how her assertive, rebellious streak could coincide with a submissive side. She doesn't understand the difference between being forced to submit, and <b>choosing </b>to submit. Through this journey she goes on, she realizes there is freedom in submission, in letting Chase take care of her needs, in acknowledging what she wants and needs. She comes out of this journey realizing who she is a person, and how she can embrace love and submission and not feel one ounce of guilt about either one. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="http://amzn.to/1Lh26jd" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdDfvy07pqsgnDwaWB_gHhki1JQtXfxN01XjO_Ghfa6CDYTL88HH_HnfhvKmqVos3G5V-cHY0uGZ_1AoCXVGDNmBWKOEZR1nzni-aFirNKGrHzRDlmms_2LAFrYm6jCHk6UYOt1FHTxYx/s200/RN_BellebyNight.jpg" width="137" /></a><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">My most recent release <i>Belle By Night</i>, goes back to this theme. Only this time, it's a bit on the other end of the spectrum. Anna (aka Annabelle) is a Domme, but she only plays one on the phone sex line. She's been burned in the bedroom before by a past lover who called her a <i>freak</i> for liking a little kink in her sex life. Obviously he wasn't man enough for her, but it leaves her gun-shy of embracing that dominant side of herself, about finding it acceptable, even wonderful, to engage that side of herself. She finds a new man, her special <i>pet</i>, and he not only tolerates her dominance, but revels in it. She spends a long time in the book grappling with this idea that love isn't for her, </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">that she's a freak for wanting to issue orders and dish out a sprinkling of pain in the bedroom,</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">that she's been burned one too many times by men who weren't alpha enough, brave enough, to stick by her side through thick and thin. Until she finds the most alpha of men in her </span><i style="color: #741b47; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">pet </i><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">submissive. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="http://amzn.to/1sEHDCy" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYFqavleU1b6k9DZeRx9qYmN_2JMNL4wkrxcHx3X_m97yUscMIlxrOeUIyNrs30Jnhf6f9FbMh3hLbz_HuInmvBccw_HM5i70M89Hts4-Rago1ixr95UFZzXqf86t6tl8_w4eVTu6PFs1/s200/RN_Gingerbread+Photography.jpg" width="137" /></a><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I explore this theme in several of my other titles as well. <i>Gingerbread Photography</i> is about two bisexual men, one of whom has a hard time being openly affectionate with his male partner, who decide that their sweet photographer, Lexie, might be the answer to their prayers. This book explores not only a woman's sexuality and coming to terms with the idea of being a <i>slut</i>, but also delves into the idea of acceptable definitions of love and sex, and with Ben coming to terms with not only his relationship with Walker, but their new relationship with Lexie, and what that means for them. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is also a theme that crops up in my other titles, <i>Queen of Hearts</i>, <i>An Engagement in Paris</i>, and <i>Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1bhuZ4z" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlFY_TcS4et6mCekM_65b-bDipvXdPQtgwuv8360mrrbi4F7amO-oRbcJN80rd_X0h7BUcydE4sG16f-6urjtKtQjsM1ufkzDxsr-hznYuaMqg_Y1hZpRX0cHfQnN0KsK7uhv0C-KO_2F/s320/Break-Through-the-ice-full-2.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The one title that has the best overt scene about slut-shaming is </span><i style="color: #741b47; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">Break Through The Ice</i><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">, which was rereleased earlier this year. There's actually an entire scene in this story about slut-shaming that I want to share with you today. In this scene, my hero, Vince, and my heroine, Jaz, have just hooked up for the first time. They barely know each other, but their connection is strong, and they decided to go for it. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;">Vince slid his fingers into her hair and kissed her deeply. Then he lifted his head and grinned at the sated expression on her face and the sparkle in her eyes. He loved that he’d put that look there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> “You probably think I’m a huge slut now, don’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> He laughed. Every time she opened her mouth, something unexpected came out. Was he surprised that she’d invited him back to her cabin tonight? Delightfully so. But if she believed it made him think less of her, she had this image of him in her head that wasn’t at all like the real him. “Do <i>you</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> “I know I’m not a slut, so that doesn’t really matter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> “I meant do you think <i>I’m</i> a slut. Or a man-ho, or whatever it’s called these days.” It saddened him that she might have built him up as an untouchable hero, the lady’s man movie star who bedded every woman he encountered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> “Of course not.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> He tried to hide his sigh of relief, but at her smile he knew he’d failed. “Well, okay then. Same answer here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> She appeared pleased by his response. Worried he might be crushing her, he shifted. But she didn’t unwrap herself to let him slide away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> “I’m not a porcelain doll. You’re fine right where you are.” There was amusement and an edge of something darker in her voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> “How did you know what I was thinking?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> She shrugged one bare shoulder, and he couldn’t help dipping his head to lick a bead of sweat sliding down her skin. She shivered, and he continued to kiss and lick her shoulder, neck, and collarbone. Slowly, she lowered her legs. He slipped free of her warmth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> Jaz pushed him until he flipped onto his back. “So, we both agree. We’re not sluts,” she said as she pulled off the condom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> He nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> She wrapped the condom in a tissue then dropped it in the wastebasket beside the bed before returning her adept fingers to his quickly reviving shaft. As she stroked him, he thickened, lengthening in her palm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> He encircled her wrist with his fingers and stilled her movements. “I’m out of condoms.” He’d only had one <i>just in case condom </i>in his wallet, damn it. He’d have to risk rushing her through the dark camp to his own cabin. Somewhere in his luggage there were more. He never went anywhere without them. It sucked to be unprepared when the unexpected happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20px;"> She grinned. “I’m not.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, there you have it folks. Want to be a slut and have lots of amazing dirty sex?? Go for it. And enjoy every second of it! </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">~Rach</span><br />
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-31408020702163111862015-10-16T10:34:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:34:55.229-04:00#SatSpanks Blog Hop BELLE BY NIGHTWelcome back everyone! It's time for another round of the Saturday Spankings Blog Hop!<br />
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Today, I again want to share a little scene from my most recent release. Last time, I shared a self-spanking scene. Today's is a bit different, and happens during another call between Mistress Belle, and her <i>pet</i>. This time, however, Belle is going to use her whip...<br />
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“Let’s see… I think for your impertinence tonight, we shall start with a light whipping. Stay on your knees, but lean forward onto the bed, rest on your forearms, and let your forehead lie between them.” She lifted her short whip, with a dozen foot-long leather strips, and cracked it, letting it land on a bench at the end of her bed. The loud <i>crack</i> through the air made her smile. </blockquote>
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“Such a naughty boy, calling me, already stripped bare. You were so sure I was going to let you come, were you, pet?” She swung the whip again. <i>Snap. Crack.</i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10pt;">Anna by day, but Belle by night, Annabelle Stevens trades in her classroom ruler for a telephone and leather bustier when the sun goes down. With her heart set on finishing her Master’s degree and opening her own low-cost preschool, she had to earn extra cash somehow. And as a phone sex operator, she makes more than she could working three day jobs. But when day and night collide, Mistress Belle’s favorite caller jeopardizes her normal life, and she has to choose--the dream she’s always wanted, or the secret identity that lets her be the Domme she truly is.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10pt;">Widower Dean Wellington has one goal in life: to be the best father he can be to his autistic son, Preston. But when he realizes he’s falling far short, he fears he can’t give Preston everything he needs alone. When his search for a wife leads to one disastrous date after another, he finds solace in the unlikeliest of places: a phone sex operator. He knows Mistress Belle can’t be appropriate mother material, but when she orders him to bend his will to hers, he’s lost to the passionate storm she calls forth.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10pt;">When Dean realizes he’ll never find a better mother for his son than Preston’s teacher Anna, he has to choose between the Mistress that brings out his darkest desires, and giving his son everything he deserves. Little does Dean know that the choice may not be a choice at all.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Check out the rest of this spanking awesome blog hop!<br />
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http://saturdayspankings.blogspot.com/2015/10/saturday-spankings-participants-october.htmlRachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-31001432422365612822015-08-12T10:35:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:36:08.738-04:00#Guest Post & #Review WINNING STREAK by @KatieKenyherczHello Divettes!<br />
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I'm back again with a guest post and review of <i>Winning Streak</i> by the wonderful and talented Katie Kenyhercz!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgUvxOpmXfFV8moKI8axXEc6VIuwYstdG-fs2D-s4IUzA_i1uOf3QFV02824ZR1127yq_dfBxY8CajQIdkitu43J1TvROK63pXQ8sjNIBQiWbS47gnRsk86rSb1n0bFAuH00YKsLVMM13/s1600/winnging+streak+3d.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgUvxOpmXfFV8moKI8axXEc6VIuwYstdG-fs2D-s4IUzA_i1uOf3QFV02824ZR1127yq_dfBxY8CajQIdkitu43J1TvROK63pXQ8sjNIBQiWbS47gnRsk86rSb1n0bFAuH00YKsLVMM13/s320/winnging+streak+3d.png" width="224" /></a>As the new head of public relations for the Las Vegas Sinners hockey team, Saralynn Reese wants to leave behind the frivolity of her popular girl image. Unfortunately, her first big assignment is to clean up the media messes of the team's assistant general manager, Madden Vaughn. He's flirty, impulsive, and self-centered; he also happens to be drop-dead gorgeous. Could there be more to Madden under the Ralph Lauren surface?</div>
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Having struggled with a gambling addiction since his early twenties, Madden's finally moved past it and into a secure, corporate job working for his sister, the one person who means the world to him. When rumors fly and the team and his family both doubt his word, an unlikely ally pulls him out of his funk with a manicured hand: Saralynn.</div>
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He's tired of chasing the same type of unattainable girl, and this up-and-coming publicity dynamo fits that mold perfectly. But she also challenges him and believes in him like no one else. Can they help each other keep their feet on solid ground . . . or will these twin hearts find themselves skating on thin ice?</div>
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<b>Rach's Review: </b>5 out of 5 Divas</div>
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Heat level: 3.5/5 </div>
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I've got to say, I really loved this book. Now, I admit I might be a tiny bit biased, as I was one of Katie's critique partners way back when on the first book in this series, <i>On the Fly, </i>and I had a good long while to fall in love with Madden in that book! So when Katie told me he was getting his own book, I was ecstatic! And <i>Winning Streak</i> definitely does not disappoint! I loved this book start to finish. Madden and Saralynn both have some serious issues, and the obstacles to their relationship are many and intense. These were both stellarly believable characters and their time together on the page sizzles. This story really touched my heart and gave me some warm fuzzies, in addition to some serious sexual tension that threatened to burn up the pages! Can't recommend this book highly enough. Or the series for that matter. I've always been a bit of a hockey fan, but not hugely into the sport, so don't let the hockey scare you off. This is a wonderful series, and I can't wait to see what's in store next for the Las Vegas Sinners.<br />
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From the author:<br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2801"><i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2803">Winning Streak</i><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2800" style="font-family: "arial";"> is an anomaly in the Las Vegas Sinners series because I never intended to write it. I'd planned to have a hockey hero in every book. However, when <i>On the Fly </i>came out, I got a lot of reader feedback asking for Madden's book. They fell in love with Jacey's sweet but hapless brother and wanted more for him. I'd already planned <i>Full Strength</i>, the goalie's story, for book 2, but when it came time for book 3, I put a poll out to my readers. Who did they want first, Madden or Dylan Cole, the rookie turned young captain? Madden was the resounding winner.</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2810">I started writing <i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2808">Winning Streak</i> and hit wall after wall. I knew I had to deal with Madden's gambling addiction, but beyond that, I wasn't sure what to do with a non-hockey playing hero. Enter young professional and relationship train wreck, Saralynn Reese, the goalie's younger sister from <i>Full Strength</i>. Saralynn is a former mean girl looking to better herself, and that made her both a challenge and a joy to write. I had to keep her sympathetic and show her depth but still hold onto the snark and a bit of the high </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2812" style="font-family: "arial";">maintenance that makes her funny. I had the <i>best</i> time writing her because she is almost nothing like me, which was different from writing Jacey and Allie, my two previous heroines. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2814" style="font-family: "arial";">The fun of <i>Winning Streak</i> is that you have two people who are broken in the same amusing way. They were beautiful and shallow for most of their lives (at least that's what most people saw) and now both want to improve. Throwing them together is like the blind leading the blind, but they do learn about themselves through each other, and I love that. Madden's struggling to gain his sister's trust and respect after a gambling relapse years back, and Saralynn's trying to get people to take her seriously by taking charge of the Sinners PR department. Her first assignment is to clean up one of Madden's media messes.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2817" style="font-family: "arial";">I love the way these two play off of each other, and they both go through some rough growing pains but struggle to do their best.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7bm7tVGxvpOLxTOcJYJSZKnSjqXczk8_4vkqjtkjbqEKpYqNleuMrc40iwWjXHnURScrAkrCh-9UXMadQCJbpJimeEWS5ANQILLhD1CNHu6Z3SfLSdHQ4LeCnph65NsBDYqloXNWNgkT/s1600/home+ice+3d+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7bm7tVGxvpOLxTOcJYJSZKnSjqXczk8_4vkqjtkjbqEKpYqNleuMrc40iwWjXHnURScrAkrCh-9UXMadQCJbpJimeEWS5ANQILLhD1CNHu6Z3SfLSdHQ4LeCnph65NsBDYqloXNWNgkT/s320/home+ice+3d+book.jpg" width="210" /></a><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2819" style="font-family: "arial";">The 4th Sinners book, <i>Home Ice, </i>is already out, and naturally focuses on young NHL phenom, Dylan Cole, who hits his first ever slump and can't seem to deal. He falls for America's figure skating sweetheart, Lorelai Kelly, who broke her ankle in the last Olympic Games and is struggling to get back on her blades and stay in the spotlight while she moonlights as the star of Sin City on Ice.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2741" style="font-family: "arial";">The 5th and final book in the Sinners series is <i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2822">Fair Trade</i>, and it will release this December. It follows Grayson Gunn, a player in his early 40s who's looking to retire at the end of the season. He'd played his whole career for his home team out of loyalty but they never made the playoffs, and they mercy trade him to the Sinners for one last chance at the Cup before he hangs up his skates. He's intrigued by the new team assistant physician, Olivia Parker, who had worked for an AHL team before getting the Sinners' offer. They're both recovering from painful divorces and trying to get their bearings in Las Vegas when an unexpected chemistry pulls them together even as they try to stay away.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2744" style="font-family: "arial";">I still plan to write a collection of short stories catching up with each couple from the series and entitle it <i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1439295126047_2827">What Happens in Vegas</i> because I've had several readers say they wanted to know what happened to everybody. Happy to oblige!</span></div>
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I will be very sad to see this series end :-( But I am so excited that <i>Home Ice</i> is Dylan Cole's story and I can't wait to read it!<br />
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Grab your copy of <i>Winning Streak</i> here:<br />
Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/1hvuerP" target="_blank">http://amzn.to/1hvuerP </a><br />
Barnes &amp; Noble: <a href="http://bit.ly/1TpgSco" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1TpgSco </a><br />
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Thanks for stopping by today, Katie! It was great to have you.<br />
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~ Rach<br />
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-35840859891221834592015-07-29T10:40:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:40:28.335-04:00#Guestblog & #Review of STEEL VICTORY by J.L. Gribble (@hannaedits)Hello Divettes!<br />
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It's been a dog's age since I've been around the blog, and I have immense apologies and updates on that coming very soon!<br />
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But today, we have a lovely guest post by a new friend and fellow author, J.L. Gribble.<br />
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J.L. and I met last month at the In Your Write Mind conference in Greensburg, PA. Her debut novel dropped on June 26, at a fabulous book signing, and sold like hotcakes! There's a lot of reasons for that: number one, because the book is fantastic! (more on that in a moment) First, some of the nitty gritty - the book cover and blurb, and our post from J.L. ;-p Enjoy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35lr3MGYUjRQts-sNWIZ-aQxkoStIjeidjY5sS-JxnB5EmLSg_0Q4BIoRA3IXqwZNiFsf077peaH_7iC-x5SfKqLMPY7Xje0B5uHGR5LN8hnPMvsO_ulJahn5XfPvLHbr31LKqU8Ug6G7/s1600/SteelVictoryHiRes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35lr3MGYUjRQts-sNWIZ-aQxkoStIjeidjY5sS-JxnB5EmLSg_0Q4BIoRA3IXqwZNiFsf077peaH_7iC-x5SfKqLMPY7Xje0B5uHGR5LN8hnPMvsO_ulJahn5XfPvLHbr31LKqU8Ug6G7/s320/SteelVictoryHiRes.jpg" width="208" /></a><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">One hundred years ago,</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> the vampire Victory retired from a centuries-long mercenary career. She settled in Limani, the independent city-state acting as a neutral zone between the British and Roman colonies on the New Continent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Twenty years ago,</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Victory adopted a human baby girl, who soon showed signs of magical ability.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Today</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, Victory is a city councilwoman, balancing the human and supernatural populations within Limani. Her daughter Toria is a warrior-mage, balancing life as an apprentice mercenary with college chemistry courses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tomorrow, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">the Roman Empire invades.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hello! My name is J.L. Gribble, author of the urban fantasy/alternate history novel STEEL VICTORY, and I’m popping in because I heard this is where all the sexy books were. (I have not been disappointed.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our lovely hosts invited me to add to the discussion and introduce you all to my new novel, which features vampires and other paranormal races, along with human magic users. Traditionally, in paranormal romance and much of “standard” urban fantasy, these are the characters getting all of the sexy bits. Unfortunately, I’ve got bad news for you. There’s no sex in my book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> “Oh geez,” you’re all thinking now. “What the hell is she doing here then?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, hopefully you’ll stick with me while I try to explain my reasoning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6cSuhRmoqiYR6iuIXpTLYfzt0kpP-gZlfxFLkyZ3zrBBGKntLg2HHyOl5YXknBll5Jbk6KJoUvevRQG8u-sl3Xr8x5IDeWOQ7p4gi_HK8DnIt-Wd1i3AlfX1sSqvXgFR4eqLxATihTTK/s1600/11695476_979080725455544_6479006632319672608_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6cSuhRmoqiYR6iuIXpTLYfzt0kpP-gZlfxFLkyZ3zrBBGKntLg2HHyOl5YXknBll5Jbk6KJoUvevRQG8u-sl3Xr8x5IDeWOQ7p4gi_HK8DnIt-Wd1i3AlfX1sSqvXgFR4eqLxATihTTK/s320/11695476_979080725455544_6479006632319672608_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">STEEL VICTORY was written as my thesis novel in graduate school, which I attended during the height of the Twilight craze. I’m a bit of a closet hipster, so I was determined to go against the grain. My vampire was not going to have a sex scene in my book. While I definitely appreciate the sex appeal inherent in the vampire state (in fact, the 20-page research paper I wrote on this in college goes into quite a bit of detail on this aspect of the traditional “horror” monster), I didn’t feel that it was a necessary part of the character itself. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My goal was to write supernatural creatures with just as much depth and complexity as any “human” character, without taking the shortcut of only leaning on their otherness as a substitute for proper character development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That’s not to say that Victory, Master of the City of Limani, is an asexual creature or without any sort of companionship. In fact, as of the events of the novel, she has been in a committed (romantic and sexual) relationship with her daywalker (my variation on the “human servant” trope) for almost a hundred years. However, I believe that in every good story, regardless of length, every scene and every interaction should have a purpose. And I could not find a place or a purpose for a sex scene in my book. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the methods of conflict that I employ often in my own storytelling is the idea of pushing my characters to the limit. I put them through hell. And part of putting Victory through hell was putting Mikelos, her daywalker, in a position where the two characters having sex was out of the question, while also doing so in a way that has the reader accepting and supporting that narrative decision. (Nope, I won’t tell you how I manage it. Sorry not sorry. Spoilers….)</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take a moment to think critically about the best erotica you’ve ever read. Chances are, every sex scene in the book had a greater purpose than just titillating the book’s audience. I had to do the exact opposite: make every scene between Victory and Mikelos serve a purpose that did not lead them to having sex.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thanks for hanging out with me while I critically discuss my own work, and hopefully you’re intrigued enough to give STEEL VICTORY a chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite the lack of sex.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And now for my review! <b>Five out of Five Divas! </b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So this story was a bit on the outskirts of what I usually read. But like J.L. said - give it a chance, despite the lack of sex! I did, and boy am I glad for that. This story transports you to the beautiful world of Limani, full of intrigue, paranormals, and wonderful characters. I enjoyed getting transported to this new world and getting inside the heads of Victory and her daughter Toria. These ladies eat danger for breakfast, and I couldn't wait to see what trouble they found around every corner, as they worked to save Limani. The heat level, of course, is 0 Divas, but don't fear, Divettes, this book won't leave you wanting. As soon as I was done reading, I went, "where's the next one????!!!" Well, I know that J.L. is working hard on the next book in this series, and I, for one, can't wait for the next installment. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And I have it on very good authority that there is hope for readers to get to see behind the curtain of the beginning of the relationship between Mikelos and the lovely Victory. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Be sure to pick up your copy at these locations: </span><br />
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Amazon <a href="http://amzn.to/1NPyBrB" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1438121444700_2517" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background: transparent; color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://amzn.to/1NPyBrB</a></div>
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Direct from publisher: <a href="http://rawdogscreaming.com/books/steel-victory/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1438121444700_2514" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background: transparent; color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://rawdogscreaming.com/books/steel-victory/</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZHe0ZWH1j12_DMuS2hDBw5ZqGAUb9qPaZLTG6RlYsatB9m87m2Exo6NKAW5z6-GC0J9C0s4NWzYpyI_oqH268vkC26quZWNdOiNJbj1jNPA92eNjumnWYcn3y7M7V-t_F_0NKk4t-gi4/s1600/Gribble+photo+color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZHe0ZWH1j12_DMuS2hDBw5ZqGAUb9qPaZLTG6RlYsatB9m87m2Exo6NKAW5z6-GC0J9C0s4NWzYpyI_oqH268vkC26quZWNdOiNJbj1jNPA92eNjumnWYcn3y7M7V-t_F_0NKk4t-gi4/s320/Gribble+photo+color.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By day, J. L. Gribble is a professional medical editor. By night, she does freelance fiction editing in all genres, along with reading, playing video games, and occasionally even writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Previously, Gribble studied English at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She received her Master’s degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and STEEL VICTORY was her thesis novel for the program. This is her debut novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She lives in Ellicott City, Maryland, with her husband and three vocal Siamese cats. Find her online (www.jlgribble.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jlgribblewriter), and on Twitter and Instagram (@hannaedits). She is currently working on more tales set in the world of Limani.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Well that's it for us today, ladies and gents.<br />
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Thanks so much for stopping by!! </div>
Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-18717157460496634362015-01-10T10:30:00.000-05:002018-06-22T10:31:29.737-04:00Writer's Retreat at Broadkill Resort! <div>
Hello all! I've been a bit quiet as of late. <grin>but it's been for good reasons! I've been working my tail off on a novel for NaNoWriMo. It's a paranormal romance that I've been wrestling with for years, unfortunately. But I think I am finally finishing it!!! More on this on my other penname's blog here: <a href="http://www.jocrosier.com/2015/11/im-late-im-late.html">http://www.jocrosier.com/2015/11/im-late-im-late.html</a> </grin></div>
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I have also been doing some very crazy real-life stuff. (More on this later!) </div>
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This past weekend, I had the immense pleasure to help break in a brand new writer's retreat and workshop stop down at Broadkill Beach, DE. It is called Broadkill Resort and is run by the owners of <a href="http://rawdogscreaming.com/" target="_blank">Raw Dog Screaming Press</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwj2L7CRBWLIFN0OJPjBivUu96E-aOT_HXqEz9CDE7uxSyhyphenhyphenPxSOjxeVF7VC06OmBHx9JLdYEHoQaPPP7lYCrKuSy6VjHtp6ve1ZBv-7G-wLgTq-hxg19IDili4JxdOz4uZxePkx5WNof/s1600/IMG_20151206_110632246_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwj2L7CRBWLIFN0OJPjBivUu96E-aOT_HXqEz9CDE7uxSyhyphenhyphenPxSOjxeVF7VC06OmBHx9JLdYEHoQaPPP7lYCrKuSy6VjHtp6ve1ZBv-7G-wLgTq-hxg19IDili4JxdOz4uZxePkx5WNof/s320/IMG_20151206_110632246_TOP.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is a shot of the nearly deserted beach just a block away from the house! From what John &amp; Jennifer have said, this beach stays like this, even in the summer! It's almost like having your very own private beach!<br />
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So, the fiance, Chris, and I went to help break in the house over the weekend. We did some writing, we did some reading, we got to spend time in this amazing house and with our awesome friends. The house is beautiful (as you will see in the pics below) and has four separate bedrooms and a bonus room that can also serve as sleeping quarters. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-I7x-_TzoiguCyhTRziIRHCk0g9P5CE5syjbKzsGanrHFShkYFDQ6CkSW6vn0eJKXvOAdJPdyvtjHOLdztRERCE90xGyd2DV3n-mWZvSLuotUCrSnpRV2G4MG5MJXkojkABaxDIqNVLm/s1600/broadkill+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-I7x-_TzoiguCyhTRziIRHCk0g9P5CE5syjbKzsGanrHFShkYFDQ6CkSW6vn0eJKXvOAdJPdyvtjHOLdztRERCE90xGyd2DV3n-mWZvSLuotUCrSnpRV2G4MG5MJXkojkABaxDIqNVLm/s1600/broadkill+house.jpg" /></a></div>
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They will be holding writers retreats and also writing workshops/retreats here, beginning next month! Chris and I are honored to be the first official workshop hosts in January 15-18! We will be teaching several workshops on plot, character, and other writing crafts. We will also provide you with a few yummy meals, hours of quiet to write, and a place to stay for 3 nights! Spots are limited, so please email me ASAP if you're interested. Rach at RachellNichole Dot com </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGsCFYeFfjmQ391GECUJfzYnxBRJS8CsD712YqrEmhHP_28RmSP5at_OpPZiSPst3OIJNp_xyYOpEeAi7GTCb8IfQ5-iJTyeOIYALZScVjvmNNEXz04yO-BLRGzxKc9fV9qeSvsXx4eF0/s1600/broadkill+living+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGsCFYeFfjmQ391GECUJfzYnxBRJS8CsD712YqrEmhHP_28RmSP5at_OpPZiSPst3OIJNp_xyYOpEeAi7GTCb8IfQ5-iJTyeOIYALZScVjvmNNEXz04yO-BLRGzxKc9fV9qeSvsXx4eF0/s1600/broadkill+living+room.jpg" /></a></div>
This is the lovely living room. Look at those beautiful bookshelves! They are sure to be stocked with books soon enough.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHiG8QXezu9cmdqs997BSKzWRrCP1-uMemLA7pVSuO3dj_1jVVOGsvIoODcsEatiJ6IAGsS1pHm78O-yWn4Jfu6_pvvo-LnuqjU8rXuRF5vkcJElSN6KmYC_pAlZPHMIU-jiRTg-suSeA/s1600/broadkill+porch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHiG8QXezu9cmdqs997BSKzWRrCP1-uMemLA7pVSuO3dj_1jVVOGsvIoODcsEatiJ6IAGsS1pHm78O-yWn4Jfu6_pvvo-LnuqjU8rXuRF5vkcJElSN6KmYC_pAlZPHMIU-jiRTg-suSeA/s1600/broadkill+porch.jpg" /></a> This is the back porch. A perfect quiet writing spot! It can get a bit chilly back there, but with a space heater, the room is cozy! </div>
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This is the antique stove and oven! It was so much fun to figure out how to work it! Quite the adventure. I'm still not quite sure how we didn't blow ourselves up. But it works well once you're used to it. We made bacon and blueberry pancakes for breakfast and I roasted a chicken for dinner! MMM Mmm, Good. </div>
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We had such a blast over the weekend, and I can't wait to go back next month. More details and a link to reserve your spots will be available in the near future (probably after the holiday rush has passed). </div>
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Until then, you can find more info about the resort here: <a href="http://www.broadkillresort.com/">http://www.broadkillresort.com/</a></div>
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To help sponsor some writers, they have also set up a fund. Any amount you can donate will go toward sponsoring a writer to come to the resort for a few days to write! If you're unsure what to get your creative friends and family this holiday, this is a great, unique gift! <a href="https://www.youcaring.com/broadkill-writers-resort-480084" target="_blank">https://www.youcaring.com/broadkill-writers-resort-480084 </a> </div>
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I will share more concrete details about upcoming workshops and retreats as soon as they are available! </div>
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Rach</div>
Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-26268818945489507302014-08-30T10:42:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:43:20.827-04:00#SatSpanks with @RachellNichole <span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Welcome back to the Divas blog for this week's Saturday Spanking! </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This spanking comes again from my newest release, <i>To Sir</i>. Sheesh, can you tell I'm an erotic romance author? I use words like come and release any and every chance I get!!! :-p </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">He rubbed his hand around and around her ass cheeks, then fingered her entrance. “Wet for me already, you little minx.” He wrapped her braid around his other hand so he could tug it whenever he wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Still, Sir. I believe I’m still wet for you, from this morning’s session.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Smirking, he brought his hand down with a loud <i>smack</i>. She tensed, crying out. “That’s what you get for correcting me. The rest will be our just-because spanking.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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For more on Liz &amp; Chase, check it out here:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">When Elizabeth Clark is plagued by the idea for a kinky novel she can’t shake, she has no choice but to plunge, head-first into a genre she vowed never to pursue. But when she realizes the seductive allure of submitting her will, her interest in the BDSM lifestyle becomes less academic, and downright personal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Dominant and club owner, Chase Masters, has no idea what to expect when his partner books a meeting with an author doing research on the BDSM scene, but he’s blown away with the woman who walks through the door. He’s sure at first that she must be a visiting Domme, not the author. Her manner is confident, brusque, and even a bit disapproving of his lifestyle, but when he switches from his easy-going club owner mindset into his Dom voice, she instantly backs off. Perhaps she’s more submissive than she let on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Chase and his club are in the crosshairs of a local senator and the bank, and he fears he might lose everything. So when Liz grudgingly agrees to be his, if only for a few weeks, he’s elated. But what kind of long-term relationship can a broke, out of work, homeless Dom offer to a burgeoning submissive who won't submit outside of the bedroom?</span></div>
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Get your copy here: <a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/mYopod" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.books2read.com/u/mYopod</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Thanks for coming *HAH - see, there I go again* Be sure to check out my fellow Spankettes! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>Powered by Linky Tools</b><br /><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=240208&type=basic">Click here</a> to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">See you all soon, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">~ Rach </span></div>
Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-84634267354612363282014-08-27T10:45:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:45:30.982-04:00I'm having a party and you're all invited!Hey everyone!<br />
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So I'm throwing a big ol Facebook bash with never before seen scenes and insider info, polls, and more to celebrate the new release of <i>To Sir</i>. Please stop by and check it out. Read some stuff, respond to the lovely posts, etc. Everyone will be entered to win a basket of e-book goodies! :-)<br />
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Yahoo!!!!!!!! So come check it out! Facebook Release party: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/262028727339645/">https://www.facebook.com/events/262028727339645/</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">When Elizabeth Clark is plagued by the idea for a kinky novel she can’t shake, she has no choice but to plunge, head-first into a genre she vowed never to pursue. But when she realizes the seductive allure of submitting her will, her interest in the BDSM lifestyle becomes less academic, and downright personal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Dominant and club owner, Chase Masters, has no idea what to expect when his partner books a meeting with an author doing research on the BDSM scene, but he’s blown away with the woman who walks through the door. He’s sure at first that she must be a visiting Domme, not the author. Her manner is confident, brusque, and even a bit disapproving of his lifestyle, but when he switches from his easy-going club owner mindset into his Dom voice, she instantly backs off. </span></div>
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Get your copy here: <a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/mYopod" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.books2read.com/u/mYopod</a></div>
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-9702056630068645342014-08-24T10:52:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:53:12.622-04:00#SPeekSunday with @RachellNicholeHello hello!<br />
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It's your resident Diva Rach here again.<br />
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I know I've been posting all kinds of tidbits from Liz &amp; Chase's story over the past couple of weeks, but that's just because I can't wait until release day to share their amazing journey with you all! So without further ado, here's another Sneak Peek at my upcoming release, <i>To Sir</i>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> He hiked up the edges of her too-long dress, along her silk stockings, until he reached the scorching flesh of her upper thighs. God, was she wearing a garter belt? He could feel the silk of the straps on the outer edges of her legs. “And you want in?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> “Yes,” she moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> “I can’t take you in there looking like a preschool teacher. Where’s the leather-clad erotica writer I met two weeks ago?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> “Give me five minutes,” she said, releasing her hold on his neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> “You have thirty seconds. I have to get back upstairs. And you’re coming with me.” He left no room for argument or discussion. The hickey didn’t matter. The logic he’d been reviewing the past twenty-four hours about why getting involved with her was such a bad idea didn’t matter. She was here, needy and insistent. And he couldn’t resist her again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> She nodded and started to pull the dress up. He glanced around. No one was paying them any attention. When he returned his attention to Liz, he forgot to breathe. She was shaking out her hair, biting her lips, and wearing a black lace bra-and-panty set, complete with a full garter belt and sexy-as-hell stockings. Damn. She’d been hiding that body under such a sweet little dress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Want more? I know I do! Get MORE here: </span><a href="https://www.books2read.com/u/mYopod" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.books2read.com/u/mYopod</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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Be sure to check out more Sneak Peeks from these other authors! </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Thanks, </span></div>
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-20027317610703134362014-08-23T10:56:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:56:58.194-04:00#MySexySaturday with @RachellNicholeHey Y'all. Welcome back to the Divas blog. Today I'd like to share a bit more with you about Tyler Lachlan and Layla Morgan, the hero and heroine of <i>An Affair Across Times Square</i>. Now these two lovelies were the kickoff to my super sexy <i>Marietta Hotels</i> series, which will eventually have several books. Right now the books are <i>An Affair Across Times Square</i>, and <i>An Engagement in Paris</i>. Now book two centers around Mandy, Tyler's younger sister, and her French fiance, Julien.<br />
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This week's My Sexy Saturday is all about what happens to the characters after we write THE END. So here's a snippet from <i>An Engagement in Paris</i> about Tyler and Layla, who of course come to Paris for Mandy's wedding....<br />
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“But you love New York,” she said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I do. And I love my job there. But there’s just something about this city that’s enthralling.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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He swung her into his arms and spun with her. She tossed her head back and laughed, the deep, throaty sound coiling his body tight. He would never tire of making her laugh.</div>
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“Oh, my God. Tyler! We’re engaged.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Yes, Ms. Marietta, we are. I hope you won’t mind organizing another wedding?”<o:p></o:p></div>
“Not at all, Mr. Times Square. Not at all,” she said and kissed him.<br />
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Or read more of <i>An Engagement in Paris </i>here: <a href="http://books2read.com/u/4jD2ao"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">http://books2read.com/u/4jD2ao</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><br />
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Thanks so much for stopping by! </div>
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Be sure to check out these other sexy snippets about characters after THE END. </div>
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-36584519601668735752014-08-13T10:57:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:57:35.094-04:00#GuestBlog @DBlackErotica, author of THE BUCKET LISTHey there ladies and gents.<br />
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Have I got a special treat for you all today!<br />
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Please give a very warm Divas welcome to Mr. Douglas Black, a fellow Loose Id author of M/M Erotic Romance of the hottest (and most Britishy) variety!<br />
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So without further ado, I give you all Douglas...<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hello Rachell, thanks so much for letting me stop by to talk about the inspiration for my new novella, <b>The Bucket List.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Bucket List </b>was released on August 5<sup>th</sup> by Loose Id Publishing. It follows Kade, a young man who has recently broken up with his long-term boyfriend, Niall. Kade is devastated that his relationship has ended – he thought he and Niall would be together forever – but when he turns to his friends for sympathy, he doesn’t find any forthcoming. Instead, his friends think the break-up is good for him. They think Niall has been verbally abusive to Kade throughout their relationship and they believe this has caused Kade to retreat into his shell. They write Kade a bucket list in a bid to force him to break out of his comfort zone and start experiencing and enjoying ‘life’ again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You would think the main inspiration for this story would be the concept of bucket lists and you wouldn’t be wrong, but as I was writing I started to play around more and more with the idea of personal comfort zones and the importance of stepping out of them in order to keep experiencing all the exciting things life has to offer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the start of <b>The Bucket List, </b>Kade is very much stuck in his comfort zone, but he’s more than happy with that. He feels as though his life is falling apart at the seams and all he wants to do is fall back on what he knows and what makes him comfortable, namely, his routines. He doesn’t want to follow the bucket list since he doesn’t think his life needs any more upheaval, but, to keep the peace with his friends, he goes along with some of the tamer items on the list.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The list forces Kade to step out of his comfort zone, whether he wants to or not, and the first thing he ticks off the list manages to give his world another good spin on its axis when it results in Kade meeting Blake. If Kade hadn’t followed the bucket list, then his path might never have crossed with Blake’s, and then where would we be? Well, I wouldn’t be telling you all about my new novella, for a start!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I was writing <b>The Bucket List </b>I kept finding myself thinking about how easy it can be, and how common it is, to see your life change before your eyes. We’ve all been there. Usually, it’s the smallest thing, the split-second decision, the chance meeting or the unexpected parting that tends to send us spinning off down a path we never expected to take. And that’s not always a bad thing. In fact, more often than not, I think it often turns out to be a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I tell you my story concerns a main character reluctant to play ball with his bucket list (so to speak) who begins the novella very impressed with himself for going to shop in an Asian supermarket instead of his usual branch of Tesco, you might think that sounds like a very strange, very plain place to start a story. But that’s the point. It’s the little things we do, the small efforts we make when we really can’t be bothered (like the dinner party invitation we want to cancel, but don’t because we can’t think of a good enough excuse) that often lead to big changes in our lives that we would never have seen coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That’s the idea at the heart of <b>The Bucket List. </b>I suppose it can be summed up by saying, ‘you have to be in it, to win it’ and I think there’s a lot of truth in that. Life is out there and it’s happy to wait for all of us, but its certainly not going to come and find us. We have to go find it! Kade learns that in <b>The Bucket List</b>. If you want to find out how he does it, you can pick up your copy now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>The Bucket List </i></b><i>was released by Loose Id Publishing in August 2014. It is available from all good ebook retailers now. Find below the blurb.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blurb<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OLE_LINK3"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OLE_LINK12"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OLE_LINK11">When Kade Doherty gets dumped, he expects sympathy from his friends. Instead, he gets a bucket list. His friends want to help him enjoy life again, but Kade isn’t convinced a list of outlandish leisure pursuits will help much with that. To keep the peace he goes along with the plan and in the process, he meets Blake.<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blake’s Australian accent and surfer-boy looks are the stuff of sexual fantasies and Kade surprises everyone – including himself – when he wastes no time making a move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kade goes with Blake into the Scottish highlands, but just as he is beginning to get used to life with his very own Mr. Australia, reality comes knocking. Kade’s newfound happiness falls apart when his abusive ex demands they meet. Blake senses something is wrong and he wants to help, but Kade knows he can’t confide in Blake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After all, Kade hasn’t exactly been honest. He might feel like a different man when he’s with Blake, but Kade knows he’s still just an accountant from Glasgow with slight obsessive compulsions and a bucket list that someone else wrote. He knows Blake won’t hang around, let alone help, when he finds out the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or will he?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">And now for even more goodies... Here's a snippet of <i>The Bucket List</i>... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OLE_LINK14"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OLE_LINK13">Kade made his way slowly over to Blake, keeping close to the relative calm of the curving bar. He stepped in beside his Mr. Australia. Blake didn’t turn to look at him.<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kade assumed that, even given the circumstances, it was still acceptable to start with, “Hello.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blake turned his head, and Kade felt that warmth he had felt with his back to the fish tanks in the Asian supermarket. “Hi,” Blake said, his voice deep enough to carry against the music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He turned, opening up his body and inviting Kade to step closer. Kade did. He wanted to, wanted to see if that strange connection he had felt earlier was still there between them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Who’s your friend?” Kade asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blake just shrugged. “Don’t know. Just some kid. Art student, apparently. He was a good dancer, though.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Not a good kisser?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blake looked Kade up and down, taking his time doing so. Kade had always thought the idea that someone could undress you with their eyes was a concept fit only for the cheap romance novels his mum used to read, but he couldn’t think of a better way to describe what Blake’s eyes had just done to him. The words needed to describe how that made Kade feel wouldn’t be fit for polite company. Not that Kade was really in polite company.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I wouldn’t know. Didn’t want to kiss him.” Blake reached out and stroked his hand down Kade’s right arm, from his shoulder to his wrist. He left it there for a few moments, holding tight, and then he pulled Kade’s wrist toward him. Kade’s hand landed on Blake’s hip, his thumb teasing Blake’s tight, strong stomach muscles. When Blake let go, Kade didn’t move his hand away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Why didn’t you want to?” Kade couldn’t stop staring into those bright blue eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blake shrugged and wrapped the hand that had been around Kade’s wrist around Kade’s neck. “He’s not my type. And I was hoping I would meet someone else here tonight. I thought it was a long shot, but I didn’t want to take the risk and ruin my chances.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite his recent drink, Kade’s throat felt dry. He didn’t even care if that was a lie. Blake’s strong fingers rubbed Kade’s neck just below his hairline.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Who were you hoping to meet?” Kade asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blake tugged him in close so their bodies were pressing together. Kade’s hand slipped around to Blake’s back, holding on tight as Blake put his lips to the side of Kade’s neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“You,” Blake whispered. They were so close to the loudspeakers that the word should have been lost, but Kade heard that loaded syllable and felt it translate like heat through his body, like he had just stepped into a hot bath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Are you here with somebody?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kade shook his head. He felt Blake spread his legs. There was barely any distance left between them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Then would you mind if I did this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kade turned his head to find Blake’s lips less than an inch away from his own. He smiled and tried for one of those winks he was so not used to giving, and then let Blake close the distance between them.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Want more? Get your copy here: </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.loose-id.com/the-bucket-list.html"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">http://www.loose-id.com/the-bucket-list.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MG4LA20">http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MG4LA20</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bucket-List-Douglas-Black-ebook/dp/B00MG4LA20/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407313872&sr=8-1&keywords=the+bucket+list+douglas+black">http://www.amazon.com/Bucket-List-Douglas-Black-ebook/dp/B00MG4LA20/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407313872&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+bucket+list+douglas+black</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sbODAXI6epE3BQSvRacLJ8PY8pEScCR5UMVmw-Arxcz2vJ5i3fK1Oswq1u6iR2kkRaUPU-Friu3hlYQgJLVTJUKTCVFbIyYFQfycJe2ZdXRhUjoDV9fZD7PRmqxgOTX4lBV-bU-V1M_A/s1600/DB_TheBucketList_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sbODAXI6epE3BQSvRacLJ8PY8pEScCR5UMVmw-Arxcz2vJ5i3fK1Oswq1u6iR2kkRaUPU-Friu3hlYQgJLVTJUKTCVFbIyYFQfycJe2ZdXRhUjoDV9fZD7PRmqxgOTX4lBV-bU-V1M_A/s1600/DB_TheBucketList_banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OLE_LINK2"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OLE_LINK1"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Douglas Black was born and raised in bonnie Scotland. An archaeologist by trade, Douglas started writing MM erotica - as a means of avoiding starvation at university - before returning to the genre in 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Welcome to your fantasy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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You can find Douglas here: </div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Blog: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 24px;">http://douglasblackerotica.wordpress.com</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Amazon: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 24px;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Douglas-Black/e/B00A93HUHO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1406885803&amp;sr=8-1</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Facebook Author Page: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 24px;">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Douglas-Black/1632968396841732?ref=hl&amp;ref_type=bookmark</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Twitter: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 24px;">@DBlackErotica</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 24px;">Thanks so much for stopping today Douglas. It was great to learn more about Kade &amp; Blake! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 24px;">~ Rach </span></div>
Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-26650060986545600922014-08-06T10:57:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:58:11.665-04:00#Guest Post & #Review - TAMING DARKNESS by @KatDaemon <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hey, hey, hey! Welcome back to the Divas of Desire. </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We have a GREAT special guest today, Kat Daemon, author of <i>Taming Darkness</i> and the upcoming <i>Killing Darkness</i>! Kat and I met earlier this year, via our mutual friend (and fellow Diva) Kara, and let me tell you, the three of us had a BLAST at RT 14. :-) I'm so pleased to introduce you to Kat, and her good friend, Lucifer. </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiw4WcxcNighN4tuAM01pDMIrYF-4qb2s7SGZ80oFALjBUmu8lysRIWmKFTmOl4Qok3uBLIDm3OhSRjfAK9KGjK2r32d_rEneB9tfkRfmhyphenhyphen4on58i_4StrW8UpYaijTwIyF3HFrP5L9L4O/s1600/Taming+Darkness+Banner+540+x+200.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiw4WcxcNighN4tuAM01pDMIrYF-4qb2s7SGZ80oFALjBUmu8lysRIWmKFTmOl4Qok3uBLIDm3OhSRjfAK9KGjK2r32d_rEneB9tfkRfmhyphenhyphen4on58i_4StrW8UpYaijTwIyF3HFrP5L9L4O/s1600/Taming+Darkness+Banner+540+x+200.png" width="400" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Taming Darkness<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Darkness Saga<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Book 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Kat Daemon<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.3636px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16.3636px;">Cover Artist: S.P. McConnell</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Genre: Paranormal Romance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Date of Publication: April 16, 2014 </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">ISBN:1497495350 </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">ASIN: B00JRHVFOC</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Number of pages: 174 pages </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Word Count: 54,000</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Book Description:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since he was sentenced to earth eons ago, Lucifer has always lived by three simple rules: Humans are toys that are meant to be played with, love is a useless emotion, and the only creature worth fighting for is himself. To him, nothing matters but his own enjoyment, whether it be manipulating those around him, or indulging in the sins of the flesh with Lilith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then he found young, sweet, and innocent, Maria, who is everything that Lucifer detests. She has devoted her life to her one true love, God. Unable to resist a challenge, Lucifer sets his sights on tempting Maria away from his enemy. Disguising himself as Lucas Starr, he creates a world that not even Maria can resist. He never planned on having the tables turned on him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Imagine Lucifer’s surprise when Maria brings him to his knees and shows him a glimpse of heaven once more. Blinded by his arrogance and an unlikely vision, Lucifer falls again, this time forgetting that some lines should never be crossed. When his greatest opponent, Michael, shows up, all Hell breaks loose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Will Maria be able to accept Lucifer for who he truly is, or realize what Michael already knows: some destinies can never be changed?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">And now... the inside scoop, from Luce himself! </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">The Inspiration behind Taming Darkness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">By: Lucas Starr<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">It is my understanding that you, the reader, are curious as to how Kat Daemon came up with the idea for her novel, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman italic" , "serif";">Taming Darkness</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">. Isn’t that cute? You naturally accredited her with that much talent. The girl is pretty decent at being a scribe, but you must understand, that is all she is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Here, allow me to enlighten you as to what really happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I found Kat last winter, all alone in her living room clad in sweats and a hoodie. It was her birthday, and she was staring at her laptop waiting for some acknowledgement of her day to appear via a digital message. Pathetic, I know, and being the generous demon that I am, I took pity on her. You see, Kat had written about me before, she’s a bit infatuated, and who can blame her? The problem with her past writings is that she always failed to make me the main attraction, and I do not like to play second fiddle to anyone. It was time to remedy this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">So, after clouding her vision with what she comically refers to as “muse dust,” I laid the contract down before her: A novel that finally tells my side of the story. Sure, you are all familiar with the tale: Revolution in Heaven, temptation in the Garden of Eden, and the creation of Hell. But, all you know is what they have poisoned your brain with. Lies, I can assure you, and nasty ones at that. It was time to clarify what had occurred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">With the seed planted, the tale began to unfold, and I guided Kat, making sure that she got every detail just right. I even insisted that she include my naughty, serpent sidekick, Lilith, in the tale, because I have learned: When Lilith is happy, then I am happy... in more ways than one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Our next stop was a train ride where I took her into Manhattan and showed her all the spots that she needed to write into the story. Her eyes were ablaze with excitement as she took pictures and made notes for later reference. And yes, if you are wondering, my own home was included on the tour. I even invited her into my bedroom, a private spot that few have seen and survived to talk about, mostly because a night with me is worth losing one’s soul over. She was hesitant at first, but I convinced her that if she was going to write an accurate novel, thorough research was in order.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Finally, I allowed Kat to become privy to my deepest, darkest secrets and showed her what happened when I encountered the one creature that showed me a glimpse of Heaven once more. Once I knew I had obtained Kat’s sympathy, I trusted her with my tale implicitly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">True, my intentions were for my own self interest, but I think we can all agree that in the long run, it worked out for everyone. I was finally able to get my story told, Kat got her book deal, and you, dear reader, get a rare glimpse into the magnificence that is me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 19.0909px;"><b>Not enough Luce for you?? Here's more. An excerpt from <i>Taming Darkness</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">There are many places that I have called home over my lifetime. I have rooms in every corner of the globe. Yet, I have such a fondness for Manhattan that I made a penthouse on the Upper East Side one of my more permanent lairs. I acquired the building during the stock market crash of 1929. Amazing what people are willing to give up when they are in a state of panic. Although the entire building is mine, I prefer to spend my time at the top, watching the city, keeping a close eye on humanity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> This particular evening, I was host to a party, an impromptu event in which many of my minions had brought with them a human counterpart to tempt and indulge. All around me, the weak were lost in laughter, swimming in the sensation of sin as they turn a blind eye on their conscience. Bodies were draped over chaise lounges with veins full of heroin, brains closed to common sense. Girls danced for men with dollars while greedy hands in the corner bet their house over a card game. In the back rooms, people fucked like dogs, cheating on their spouses, and snorting lines of cocaine off of the bodies of the camouflaged demons that would later chain them to the beds. The air was thick with smoke and fragrant with booze. It was a typical Saturday night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> I sat cast in shadows, a king on my throne, observing the jesters that provided my entertainment. Sometimes, human behavior fascinated me. But mostly, I was watching Lilith. She was sitting on top of the bar, with no less than a dozen suitors at her feet. Leave it to Lilith to break my one guest rule. Red leather high-heeled boots ran up her legs, black hot pants revealed too much flesh, and a red halter top tied her up in one neat package. Her skin might as well have been white marble, with lips red as roses begging to be kissed. Lavish, flaming red hair spilled over her breasts, hitting her hips in thunderous waves. She was the vision of a ripe, delicious, cherry waiting to be plucked. One of my favorite features was her eyes. They were always changing color, alternating between green and yellow. What was even more fascinating was that she could spin them at will, hypnotizing any man that needed to be soothed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> The primitive beings before her fought hard to serve, hoping for a fraction of consideration, but her eyes were on me. They always were. Hopping off of the bar, she walked toward me, her body swaying in a seductive rhythm, her hips demanding my attention. She offered me a half empty glass of bourbon, and made herself comfortable in my lap. Stretching out like a cat, she lay against my chest and raised a lazy hand beneath my chin, tracing my chiseled jaw with her finger. Had it been a normal night, I would have enjoyed her this way, but I knew it wasn’t for me. It was all part of the act for her fans, whose hungry eyes longed for her, with tongues hanging and dicks waving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> I pulled her hair out of my face, rested it on her shoulder, and took a generous gulp of the bourbon. “Rough day at work, dear?” I asked while eyeing the strings of her shirt knotted at her neck. It didn’t seem to be tied very tight, and I was tempted to pull it apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> “If only it were. You know I like it rough.” She purred in my lap. “May I ask what the great Lucifer has been up to? I haven’t seen you around lately.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> I handed her the glass and revealed my secret. “I found a new toy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> “Oh? I’m in need of a new toy.” She took a drink from the glass and licked her lips before laying her head against my shoulder. “I keep breaking all of mine.” She gestured toward the bar, where the men were begging for her return. Her fingers unbuttoned my two top buttons. She slipped her hand inside and ran her fingers over my pecs. She was warm, like me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> “I’m not sharing this one,” I declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> “You never do,” she said, pulling her hand back a tad more defiant than I would have liked. Sitting up and slamming back the bourbon, she leaped from my lap, taking a step back toward her fans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">“Lilith...I think I might keep this one for a while. This soul may be a bit harder to acquire.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> She turned and looked at me for a moment, contemplating my intent. “I never interfere with your work, just as long as it doesn’t interfere with me.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> “Go have fun. Work up an appetite, and when you get hungry, come back to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> She leaned down and placed a firm hand on each armrest, looking into my eyes with her wild, animal instincts. She kissed me fiercely, and added, “I always do.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> “One more thing,” I said grabbing her wrist and kissing the inside of it before she fled toward her toys. “That blonde with the great hair, but bad teeth...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> Lilith turned a lazy head and noted who I referred to. “Do you want him?” she offered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> “I want his watch,” I said, my eyes locked on the Rolex that was in all likelihood a family heirloom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: red;"> Lilith laughed. “Is that all? Consider it yours.” Then she made her way back to the crowd to break a few hearts, and perhaps a few necks as well.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rach's Review! </div>
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4 out of 5 Divas</div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">So this book was a treat. Luce's voice is wonderful. The way he taunts and flaunts his badness is refreshing. It's nice to see an anti-hero who knows he's a bad guy. And who'd badder than the devil himself? There's a lot to revel in with Luce and his seduction of Sister Mary. And by the end of the book, I was begging for more. I cannot wait to see where Kat takes us with the next book. </span></div>
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Still want more Luce? I know I do! </div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 19.0909px;">Available at </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Darkness-Kat-Daemon/dp/1497495350" style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 19.0909px;">Amazon</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 19.0909px;"> </span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-darkness-kat-daemon/1119269174?ean=9781497495357" style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 19.0909px;">BN</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 19.0909px;"> </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kat-daemon/id865821920?mt=11" style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 19.0909px;">iTunes</a><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">About the Author:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Kat Daemon grew up in New York where her imagination always seemed to get the best of her. When she’s not hanging with demons, she’s usually armed with a strong cup of coffee and dreaming up her next tormented character.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">You can find out more about Kat and her books at <a href="http://www.katdaemon.com/">www.katdaemon.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kat.daemon.1">https://www.facebook.com/kat.daemon.1</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/katdaemon/">http://www.pinterest.com/katdaemon/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7383307.Kat_Daemon">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7383307.Kat_Daemon</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-42620598358038789652014-07-29T10:58:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:58:59.586-04:00#Tuesday #Tips with @RachellNichole<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hey y'all </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thanks so much for stopping by today. Sorry I've been a bit quiet the past few weeks (AGAIN), and a big shoutout to our girl Nona who's been holding down the fort for us here in SexyTown! </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So today's tips are all about the reason I've been MIA: Moving! </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Four weeks ago, I finally moved! So the past month has been all about painting, unpacking, buying new nonsense for the new place, getting organized, putting stuff up on the walls. So now, here's 5 Tips from a recent Pro on how to move, and what to avoid! </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwMsCloPv1sCk0sU7oYi9Y7BMTdpAbtkbzwjPGJWgSJ1E_jIPAabAQ1uy2ugGFU_U2Ig6aA72Rlq9YOnuql7_coxbbdAoP1ks_PUpEBrisOeINS9ILlu7K38oE5DG6-0ybpLRWwpRcmiv/s1600/photo_24309_20130427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwMsCloPv1sCk0sU7oYi9Y7BMTdpAbtkbzwjPGJWgSJ1E_jIPAabAQ1uy2ugGFU_U2Ig6aA72Rlq9YOnuql7_coxbbdAoP1ks_PUpEBrisOeINS9ILlu7K38oE5DG6-0ybpLRWwpRcmiv/s1600/photo_24309_20130427.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. <b>Be prepared!</b> This was a huge step in getting ready to move. I've moved before, but nothing like this. This time, we got this stuff called mover's wrap. It was amazing! Picture green saran wrap on a wand. I wrapped tables, glass cabinets, dressers, and pretty much anything else I could think of to wrap! This stuff helped protect the furniture, was much easier than trying to tape cardboard around the glass shelves or table legs or anything like that. Plus, it was <b>so much</b> <b>fun</b>! </span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTyfxysOtMz_TcOBqLR55sM0wJDRG7A71sfUuIkMKsvgZ0FPGayzJj0fzseRaZ6QZVw3p5iEgTTShH9IExBAMRLKDsXwbR2hE-oBEvIlqe5zULgy_PtNuPTLkU95vd91U6-UG5tysDZhx/s1600/photo_3058_20070827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTyfxysOtMz_TcOBqLR55sM0wJDRG7A71sfUuIkMKsvgZ0FPGayzJj0fzseRaZ6QZVw3p5iEgTTShH9IExBAMRLKDsXwbR2hE-oBEvIlqe5zULgy_PtNuPTLkU95vd91U6-UG5tysDZhx/s1600/photo_3058_20070827.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. <b>Get a big truck</b>. Now this might sound self-explanatory, but a lot of people don't get a big enough one. Remember ladies, it doesn't matter what they say, size really <i>does</i> matter! I got the 17-footer 'cause I got a lot of junk. We had a couch and futon and a couple beds, table and chairs, a couple end tables, a glass cabinet, and about a zillion boxes. And we packed the hell out of that big truck. It was just the right size. The junk just reached the end with an inch to spare to close the door. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. <b>Have lots of (female) friends, but not too many</b>. Again, maybe this sounds like an easy one to remember, but you have to get the number just right. Now the right number depends a lot on size. Remember number 4? <i>Size matters!</i> So for us, the correct number was five. The old place was relatively large, and the new place was up three mini flights of stairs. If we'd had six or seven or heavens, eight, people, we would have tripped over each other. As it was, with some good communication, we were able to work around one another and coordinate the move with very few issues. And, kick the men out. I know that may seem kind of contradictory because of all those big muscles and such, <i>but</i>, when it's just the ladies, there's a few extra seconds of chatting and planning, but the results are flawless. We got the truck loaded, drove to the place, and had everything off the truck, out of the cars, and up three flights of stairs in four hours. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWcffdTVkLfAUs8AWAdvHLXOiZs7kNslanLsIqafeAFJeZX6QBORQ1uYDYCHn0ul3_fAErntQQKTnohgv_u7SA_idmApE2fR3LGTgkK2UgD3umaeKpMxIs6D5sjMpxFWCx1Qd9AuDhRXg/s1600/photo_12144_20090709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWcffdTVkLfAUs8AWAdvHLXOiZs7kNslanLsIqafeAFJeZX6QBORQ1uYDYCHn0ul3_fAErntQQKTnohgv_u7SA_idmApE2fR3LGTgkK2UgD3umaeKpMxIs6D5sjMpxFWCx1Qd9AuDhRXg/s1600/photo_12144_20090709.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. <b>Paint First</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">. </i>When you can, it's always better to get into the new place before all of your junk is in it to paint. Trying to paint in a sea of boxes while you're unpacking and moving furniture and all that junk is insane. Don't do it. Just, <b>don't</b>. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And last but not least, the number 1 thing to remember when moving...</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. <b>Don't try to get settled in a week.</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>(Like I did). Trust me, it just aint gonna happen, folks. Even with an army of people, it will take at least a month to get everything unpacked an in its rightful place. And doing that at breakneak speed while also working a job (or three) will make you feel like ripping your hair out. Take your time. This is your new home, and I more than anyone know what kind of hell it is to feel unsettled and not know where anything is or where it goes, but forcing this process makes you long for your old place, where everything was just so, and it's not worth it to make yourself crazy trying to get settled all at once. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, that's it. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been a month, and that's my moving wisdom to share with you all. Now that I've rushed to get settled (I know, I know, something I advise you all against) I feel wonderful! And I promise to be around the Divas watering hole much more often in the coming months than I have been recently. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thanks everybody, and as soon as I can get some good shots of the new place, I'll share them all with you. Wait until you see the office! It's red. :-) </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">~Rach</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-46972705726443933792014-06-17T10:59:00.000-04:002018-06-22T10:59:45.845-04:00#TuesdayTips with @RachellNicholeWelcome back lovelies!<br />
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It's time for another inspiring rendition of Tuesday Tips!<br />
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This week is all about plotting tips, since I will be teaching my adapted Three-Act Structure plotting method at next week's <a href="http://inyourwritemind.setonhill.edu/" target="_blank">In Your Write Mind</a> workshop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lixqHdj_MXZQkaZXjVlsjHwfc4Ecr0fcL8ycNgZ0LtVkM4mJVxKtShqpzhhxrSoLdaI7zj5aAKas7W45grQrcjIY6hASxcMBXodAbDfDzWzzqg_gXIdj48Nz6VtYJWVLWT5-ZHKSrzbs/s1600/photo_6331_20080616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lixqHdj_MXZQkaZXjVlsjHwfc4Ecr0fcL8ycNgZ0LtVkM4mJVxKtShqpzhhxrSoLdaI7zj5aAKas7W45grQrcjIY6hASxcMBXodAbDfDzWzzqg_gXIdj48Nz6VtYJWVLWT5-ZHKSrzbs/s1600/photo_6331_20080616.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>5. Try a new method</b>. So the first thing a writer should always tell other writers is that there are so many different methods of writing (or plotting) that you shouldn't feel married to one way of doing things. Everyone's process is different and what works for me might not always work for you. And what works for me for one book, might not work for me for the next one. Just like with kids. You have to adapt toeach book the way you do to each child. So when you're out there trying to figure<br />
out your next book, I encourage you to check out a bunch of different plotting methods. There are a bazillion books, blogs, and workshops about plotting. Check them out, and pick one, or pick a few bits and pieces from some different methods and make your own.<br />
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<b>4. Leave holes in your plot.</b> I know this may sound counterproductive, but if you get so bogged down on figuring out every single detail in the plot, the minutiae pieces will prevent you from plotting the whole arc of a book in one or two sittings. A plot shouldn't take you three months to write. You want to spend the bulk of your time on the actual writing process, not on figuring out what you're going to write about. Some authors write out a very detailed, step-by-step plot, and that's not a bad thing, but most people will get so bogged down in little pieces that they can't ever reach the end of the plot. So if you aren't sure of a detail or how exactly something is going to work out, leave it blank, put a space holder in that place to know something is missing, and move on to the next piece.<br />
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<b>3. Having a plot doesn't always mean you'll get bored with the book</b>. I hear this a lot from pantsers (those writers who write by the seat of their pants) often say that if they know the plot, they feel like they've already told themselves the story, so why would they bother writing it? This goes along with number four - leave yourselves holes. You can't discover everything about a book just from plotting it. Sure, you know the ending, but you can learn so much more about the characters, and their story, in a novel than you can just from a plot. If knowing the ending makes you bored, write out the bulk of the plot, but leave the ending a little open. You can even try plotting out three different endings, having a note card or sticky note for each one and then when you're almost done writing the book, you can discover which ending fits best with the book.<br />
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<b>2. Plotting a book should be fun.</b> Now, I know there are some nay-sayers out there that will say I should take my writing, my craft seriously. It's not a hobby, it's a job. And they're right. Really, they are. But, and this is a <b>big but</b> - if I'm not having fun at my job, I'm not doing it anymore. Period. Or else, why keep doing it? The day I stop finding the fun and enjoying the writing process<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_RcZkVWpZwYg-Z87wNrjVtBnXpV4899x0H3e7TgKhWb7_CbYFNDGY_iqdM83_-wiYoR0878-flfk9taipnyhUua6jcDQazMNZw3lN_hA_KVDjLWFWubtHID28MQK24dmTVSmGs35k35Q/s1600/photo_2619_20070728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_RcZkVWpZwYg-Z87wNrjVtBnXpV4899x0H3e7TgKhWb7_CbYFNDGY_iqdM83_-wiYoR0878-flfk9taipnyhUua6jcDQazMNZw3lN_hA_KVDjLWFWubtHID28MQK24dmTVSmGs35k35Q/s1600/photo_2619_20070728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
is the day I will retire from this job. Plotting is just one stage of the writing process, and it should be fun. Maybe it's not as much fun for you as research, or revisions, or writing the book, but you should still find some enjoyment in it. Maybe it's the idea of infinite possibilities when you start plotting a new book. Maybe it's the comfort of having a direction to go in before you sit down before the blank page. Maybe it's the fact that you love figuring out where you're going and exactly how you're going to get there. Doesn't matter. Whatever it is about plotting that you like, make sure you find a way to enjoy it. Because, if you don't, why are you torturing yourself to write a book?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ik1aLw0Y1os7Ylb01pLw2FoINqW4VKLmBZpfwSC4s8GMpP0Q5Tu82mK-y9wh1SvfYsqfW2_WNaYvzIsIy3W0AkfeDXVF17W9kalRQjOL6El7vBDaJ-yUeSbwvoAgtaaMPPoMotmaPsRO/s1600/photo_108_20051001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ik1aLw0Y1os7Ylb01pLw2FoINqW4VKLmBZpfwSC4s8GMpP0Q5Tu82mK-y9wh1SvfYsqfW2_WNaYvzIsIy3W0AkfeDXVF17W9kalRQjOL6El7vBDaJ-yUeSbwvoAgtaaMPPoMotmaPsRO/s1600/photo_108_20051001.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>And the number 1 thing to remember - A plot is never set in stone</b>. Pantsers also say things like "I can't write out a plot, because then I have to write the book that way." But, that's just not true! A plot is like a road map. There's point A (New York City) and point B (San Francisco). When you plot out your route, you pick a direction and highlight the way and then embark on your journey. Say you were *supposed* to stop in Wisconsin for some cheese, then South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore, then Utah for some salt, then Nevada for the Las Vegas Strip and then arrive in San Francisco, on time, and exhilarated, but instead you decide you just <b>have</b> to detour to Wyoming and see Yellowstone, then you're really hankering for some Idaho potatoes, and then you give up slot machines for the Space Needle up in Seattle before you meander your way through Northern California's Yosemite and then Death Valley before arriving in San Francisco... well, that's mighty all right! That's why you have a road map, because when you have to veer off course, when you just have to go down the less trodden path or into the deep dark woods, you have a guide to get you back to where you wanted to go. Let's even say you got to San Francisco and decided you <b>hated</b> it? Well, LA is just a hop, skip, and a jump away, and though it wasn't your intended destination, you've still traveled across the country, still gone from New York to California, and you've <b>finished the damned book!</b> That's the most important part, right? To get from the beginning of the book, through the murky middle, and to the glorious end!<br />
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So there you are, folks. Rach's top 5 things to remember when you're plotting a book. Now go forth and plot your pants off!<br />
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If you have questions or comments about plotting, plotting methods, or plotting resources, please feel free to share in the comments section! I can't talk about this stuff enough!<br />
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~RachRachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-36954608927120329652014-05-27T11:00:00.000-04:002018-06-22T11:00:52.567-04:00#RT14 - The Good, The Bad, and The WTF<span style="color: purple;">Welcome back to your local Diva hangout! </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">I've been pretty quiet as of late, but I have been ridiculously busy in the best possible way. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">First, it was prepping for the Romantic Times Convention (RT14) - I finished another round of revisions on my romantic suspense in preparation so that I could focus on the paranormal series I would be pitching at the Convention. And then there were the wardrobe decisions which took <i>ages!</i> I needed casual clothes, party clothes, costumes, business attire, and then the basics like</span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">undergarments... just thinking back on it makes me break out in hives! It was horrifying the condition of my bedroom and closet for over a week as I went through every item of clothing I remembered I had, and some I'd completely forgotten! And then there was the horror of trying to fit all of those things into two carry-on bags... it's a damn good thing I'm a seasoned world traveler or I might have been paralyzed in the face of the amount of crap I'd spread out on my bed to pack. "Is that all going to fit in that little suitcase?" my family asked. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4um-lkM8zbQRA3aHwCb0hcWkSophwguZHljbtUHJ3QESJmH8yi_ARl5oGjuVQzNxEbcUZLtOzGU56BCI3SitLuSt3aLA7r1yXjm6m7oruqmddYvVOPgS2fg8UdUClXOSilanFEOkqjKQ/s1600/IMG_20140511_174054436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4um-lkM8zbQRA3aHwCb0hcWkSophwguZHljbtUHJ3QESJmH8yi_ARl5oGjuVQzNxEbcUZLtOzGU56BCI3SitLuSt3aLA7r1yXjm6m7oruqmddYvVOPgS2fg8UdUClXOSilanFEOkqjKQ/s1600/IMG_20140511_174054436.jpg" width="112" /></a><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;">Oh, how little faith they have! </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">Of course it fit. With some coaxing, a few choice words, and a shove or two. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><-------------- font="" nbsp="" see=""></--------------></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;">Now that's how you pack, ladies and gentlemen!</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">Then there was the preparation for the book signing! Yikes. So I was going to ship my books down, so I didn't have to check luggage, and because I have more faith in the post office than I do in the airlines not to lose my stuff. So I packed up my babies and insured them and sent them on their merry way. Now if I was the nail-biting type, I'd have no fingers left! As it is, I'm more of a bitch and pace and not sleep type... none of which was very helpful or productive as I was trying to get everything in order to leave. Or while I was, you know, working the day job. So anyways, I sent the books and I put in my little tracking number and watched my box travel from NY to New Orleans... and then <b>NOTHING</b>. My babies got to the city where they were supposed to be, and that's it. I couldn't get anyone to tell me if they'd arrived at the hotel for the convention, if they were sitting in the middle of a Post Office warehouse somewhere, or if they'd fallen into the gutters on Bourbon Street. For six days, I didn't know where my babies were! </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">I barely kept a leash on my panic. I focused on my to-do list, on the tasks I <b>had</b> to accomplish. I called the post office, the hotel, the shipping department at the hotel, the coordinators for the convention. I pleaded, I demanded, I got downright pissy and hung up on several times! All to no avail. No one could confirm if my books had arrived or not. I packed my suitcase, I printed our boarding passes, and I ushered Kara through her first wonderful airport hopping experience. We arrived at the hotel, dropped our bags, and I went book hunting. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">Some of The Disenchantments! </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwHh-GMLmtc1qUgti-bdyiQAS6YLiMtMypiR1JfGDmrS0TQkPL4Lpoh6vbjGLlYyG7J-SzDnaiNJkEyCi21lnBwbNwtMjZbZdbWDteHr67vwQIESL51hgDXvVdeTIH2T6VSZENCL4o8ht/s1600/IMG_20140514_182601361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwHh-GMLmtc1qUgti-bdyiQAS6YLiMtMypiR1JfGDmrS0TQkPL4Lpoh6vbjGLlYyG7J-SzDnaiNJkEyCi21lnBwbNwtMjZbZdbWDteHr67vwQIESL51hgDXvVdeTIH2T6VSZENCL4o8ht/s1600/IMG_20140514_182601361.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple;">I got to the registration table twenty minutes after they closed. When the woman behind the table realized I was about ready to tear her face off or burst into tears, she very nicely, and with a heap of sympathy told me, "I know who we can call. Diane will know!" I prayed for a Hail Mary pass, only to be smacked in the face with a voice mail box. :-( We left a message, and Kara carted my sorry ass back to the room to get ready to go meet the Disenchantments - her wonderful group of author friends, who by the end of the week were like my family. They helped get my mind off my missing books, and we explored New Orleans for the night - Hello O'Briens and your amazing Piano Bar &amp; Hurricanes! They helped assuage my fears and tamp down my panic. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">The next morning, when there was still no call on my books, I again went on a quest. I found Diane, who checked her magical list and confirmed that yes, one box for Rachell Nichole had in fact arrived, in tact, and full of books! My God, I could have <b>kissed </b>her! I gave her a fabulous hug, thanked her profusely, and could finally breathe again! </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtHviWBUMvweQ3EEF7-TyYnzur0sIDziFcRtv1oIss-yOPORA-1bjPtZc3P2g_bPBZukD1sNSyOvMo6M1wMiNo6dQgRRpEE0KtQjVeJ8C0sne_6d8vI0PigkrsD3nMjSRiq9VO_4hwHVs/s1600/IMG_20140514_131759587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtHviWBUMvweQ3EEF7-TyYnzur0sIDziFcRtv1oIss-yOPORA-1bjPtZc3P2g_bPBZukD1sNSyOvMo6M1wMiNo6dQgRRpEE0KtQjVeJ8C0sne_6d8vI0PigkrsD3nMjSRiq9VO_4hwHVs/s1600/IMG_20140514_131759587.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple;">I went about my business, joining everyone in the giant ballroom for crepes and an introduction to RT, then I went to lunch with the fabulous <a href="http://www.friskbiskit.com/" target="_blank">Jessica Freely</a> to <a href="http://www.antoines.com/" target="_blank">Antoine's</a> - an amazing, up-scale Creole French restaurant which also doubles as a museum. The meal was incredible. The staff was impeccable, the tour was glorious. If you ever find yourself in New Orleans, I could not recommend this place enough! Our waiter was a third-generation employee who at one point had eleven relatives working in the restaurant with him. The history, the atmosphere, and the story of this place can be felt the minute you leave the front dining room and head into any of the other <b>fourteen, yes fourteen dining rooms!</b> The Japanese Room was by far my favorite (behind the wine cellar) and they even took us out on the balcony through these huge windows that slid upward and were the size of doors. We spent a good two and a half hours here and it was wonderful. The picture on the left is the Rex Dining Room, where all the Kings of Mardi Gras eat before the parade!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo8CLmJ08ZHaVEW5RmjoAWLgfb06rfRrIM3Nahnk_0849rKUNVwJXmH0b-Vg9EAcQ3mDXiWK3JH5_ANCr55YViCoNfFy4TWVkytnOHC3J5mooLI3u1hOwyr3gxwuqvzfbZi0IR83Bf9_5/s1600/IMG_20140514_110936124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo8CLmJ08ZHaVEW5RmjoAWLgfb06rfRrIM3Nahnk_0849rKUNVwJXmH0b-Vg9EAcQ3mDXiWK3JH5_ANCr55YViCoNfFy4TWVkytnOHC3J5mooLI3u1hOwyr3gxwuqvzfbZi0IR83Bf9_5/s1600/IMG_20140514_110936124.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;">After that, I went back to the hotel and found my new favorite person, Diane, to check in my lovely books and take possession of them until the book signing. She was wonderful, and I felt so indebted to her for finding my books that I stayed for a bit to help out when the line behind me grew exponentially.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">Here we are dressed as SINNERS :-) </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaCSwk_2ZKOIYYQVjyasbArVJyicyxYyHCHf5OfXuuPdaLVhain-wrxsOrf2uH4wk6xle-8tVQw7Cdeko4mk8A-yaC8BT6xEN7nKrEHhgYKfz39Vq8z1JGCA8G6dwbrilPYHRQJ47lMdW/s1600/IMG_20140515_214141239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaCSwk_2ZKOIYYQVjyasbArVJyicyxYyHCHf5OfXuuPdaLVhain-wrxsOrf2uH4wk6xle-8tVQw7Cdeko4mk8A-yaC8BT6xEN7nKrEHhgYKfz39Vq8z1JGCA8G6dwbrilPYHRQJ47lMdW/s1600/IMG_20140515_214141239.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple;">I didn't go to as many panels as I'd originally planned on attending, but I still had an incredible time. We partied at the Pub Crawl, at the Saints &amp; Sinners party, at the Harlequin Dance Party, at the hotel bar, on Bourbon Street, and pretty much everywhere else. I met some wonderful new authors and friends. I got to see some of my wonderful Seton Hill people, and I got to meet with four agents and an editor to chat with them about my books, which was great. One of them was super excited about my paranormal series about Mayan Demigods and so now I'm working on getting them ready to send her way, which is awesome! </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">I also got to meet some readers, which rocked my world. One woman, Deborah, and her good friend who's name I for some awful reason can't recall, were just the sweetest things. The three of us talked about books, and writing, and romance, and I kept running into them at the Convention, so that was really cool. I also had some people stop by my table at the book signing and ooh and ahh over my covers and say "Oh, yeah, I've read that." <b>OH, MY GOD!</b> That was an incredible, humbling feeling. :-) Made all the nonsense from the week totally worth it!</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">There were so many more little moments that were pure perfection, and others that were a complete mind fuck, but if I sat and wrote about them all, we'd be here all week. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">Overall, the convention was a success for me, but I don't know as if I'll do another one any time soon. The disorganization of many of the events and the craziness of a mismanaged convention of 2,000 people was a lot to handle, but I don't regret going in the least, if only for the amazing people I met and the great experiences I had. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">I think Kara will be sharing some of her RT Experiences with you all soon, so check back for that. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span><span style="color: purple;">Thanks, </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;">Rach</span>Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-52173194189626991112014-05-26T11:02:00.000-04:002018-06-22T11:02:35.370-04:00Guest Post Interview with Kara Leigh Miller<span style="color: red;">Hello again, Bloggerverse! </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;">Kara and I just spent a wonderful week together in New Orleans, and she and I will both be talking a bit more about that very soon. But for today, I've asked Kara to share with us a bit about herself, so I asked her 10 wonderfully probing questions. And here are her answers... </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">So, Kara, what do you write?</span> </i><span style="background-color: white;">I write a variety of things including romantic suspense, erotica, contemporaries,and new adult. I've even dabbled a bit in the young adult genre but found I didn't connect with it very well, so I'm sticking to the adult market. lol. Writing for adults gives me the freedom to turn up the heat and let things get sexy, which is always so much fun. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">Why did you decide to join the Divas of Desire?</span></i> <span style="background-color: white;">I adore the Divas! Having the pleasure of knowing these ladies in real life, I think they're a great group, they have a lot of fun, and I'm a fan of all their works. Honestly, who wouldn't want to be a Diva?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">What do you like about erotic romance? </span></i><span style="background-color: white;">The sex! Okay, so not the actual physical act, but the emotions behind it and the consequences. Sex always changes things, and I love seeing how characters evolve once they've done the deed. And I really like erotic romances when there's some humor before, during, and after the sex. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">What are you working on now?</span> </i><span style="background-color: white;">Currently I'm working on a few projects. I have a new series of romantic suspense novels, and I'm busy writing book two while my agent sells book one. I've just begun a collaboration with an up and coming author to write a semi-erotic, new adult, dystopian thriller. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: red;"><i>Tell us a bit more about you when you're not busy writing.</i> </span><span style="background-color: white;">It seems like I'm always busy writing. lol. But when I'm not, I'm spending time with my husband and kids. We can often be found at the park letting our kids play and our dogs run, at the movies (I'm a closet comic book nerd), or playing cards with friends.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: red;"><i>What will you be bringing to our blog? I'm sure there's lots to look forward to, but would you like to share a little taste of what you'll be blogging about?</i> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Right now, I'll be blogging "Man Up Monday" and "Throwback Thursday". Monday will be devoted to all things heroes, including some yummy and probably inappropriate pictures. On Thursdays, I'll be giving a throwback shout out to all the authors, tropes, and covers who've come before us and paved the way for what we do today.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">How do you write?</span> </i><span style="background-color: white;">I'm one of those writers who, when I get an idea, I sit in front of my laptop and just start writing. I rarely do any plotting, and if I get stuck, I'll dig out a notebook and a pen and write the old-fashioned way. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">What's your favorite book/favorite author?</span> </i><span style="background-color: white;">Wow. Picking a favorite book / author is like picking which of my kids I like the best ;-) I'm not sure I have a favorite book, but my top three favorite authors are: Lora Leigh, Julie Ann Walker, and Ryan Winfield.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">Boxers or Briefs? </span></i><span style="background-color: white;">Boxers! Preferably silk. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;">Where can our readers find you outside of the Diva's blog?</span> </i><span style="background-color: white;">I'm all over the place. Twitter:</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1401029929869_2366" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1</a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003571898300" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003571898300</a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">My website/blog:</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://www.karaleighmiller.com/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1401029929869_4157" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">www.karaleighmiller.com</a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></li>
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<span style="color: red;">Well there you have it, ladies and gents! Don't worry, I'm thoroughly in the process of turning Kara into a plotter, so there's no need to fret, everyone. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">~ Rach</span></div>
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Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6396494236250691244.post-46347801805946158612014-03-31T11:06:00.000-04:002018-06-22T11:06:38.459-04:00Tag! I'm it!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Welcome back everyone! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been tagged by the lovely and talented <a href="http://nickigreenwood.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nicki Greenwood</span></a> to participate in a blog tag. Here's how it works - Nicki tagged me and two other fabulous authors and gave us the following four questions. So today I post my answers, and tag the next people and next Monday (April 7) you stop by their blogs to check out their answers! :-) It's a fun way to share some info about myself and some fellow authors with you all and you get the chance to get a behind the scenes look at some awesome people. And... go!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1396023195596_7096" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>What am I working on?</b> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Hmmm, well currently I'm rewriting (and I do mean rewriting like from page one) a romantic suspense I wrote a couple years ago. It was my second novel, and was in pretty rough shape. A couple weeks ago, I cut 20,000 words from the manuscript in 2 days. It was horrendous. And when I was done, I was left with the tattered remains that didn't even resemble a book. Now I'm at the rewrites stage - rebuilding the book, splicing existing pieces together with the new stuff, and trying to make it seamless start to finish. It's been... um fun. Right, fun. That's the word for it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Here's a bit more on <i>Los Diablos</i> - </span>Reporter Eva Ramirez is determined to find her brother’s killer. Undercover cop Diego Lopez is desperate to stop his ex-love from uncovering his involvement in her brother’s murder and getting them both killed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As fire reignites between them, they soon discover if they don’t work together and trust each other, they’ll both wind up in dumpsters behind Lucky’s Bar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br clear="none" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><i id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1396023195596_7095" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>How does my work differ from others of its genre?</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b><br /></b></i></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUP3L6NOv2G5pcr0HtRpJ0FeVozwM6KV6LM1-C_N0yyOT9NPa2ArRGw391k1MKRU5ENnmbzgwQmJKjEnV9-YKsd-4SGyptoEW8WDw4RDTz4wPp94twavdjSS7wNUj04ewHcgdgj5bp4p9/s1600/RN_AnAffairAcrossTimesSquare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ooh, this is a fun one. Let's see... with my erotic romances, I really like to focus on a good external plotline, which I think is missing from a lot of other books in this genre. I like to have a lot going on in my books. It's one of the reasons I usually write long novels. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9s8DlxYQFVc7847rssdwtGihmrIRhOje6sdZT4NxWoH7PZWPgwkOIZjRBdAmxxos7Xswd_PdjGav_I1CJEFuTAAAlUzzorzjlzdkDqS_Cu06r6bd_PcGYgGvWGA50WMGUh9Z8ZekGLRS/s1600/An+Affair+Across+Times+Square+New++COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9s8DlxYQFVc7847rssdwtGihmrIRhOje6sdZT4NxWoH7PZWPgwkOIZjRBdAmxxos7Xswd_PdjGav_I1CJEFuTAAAlUzzorzjlzdkDqS_Cu06r6bd_PcGYgGvWGA50WMGUh9Z8ZekGLRS/s200/An+Affair+Across+Times+Square+New++COVER.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9XLclGcVQz1gTzMKWpQTv3X-yRw5arKQPW0PPMcI7Ne7SKWpC19uuWObNUyJg1Ot1bbhMl3QKZ0OYOiWiazKlDBnPA5vLhpUO7nLwpFEPPDDRCL0z96FJKkPgufwFtVZezVXRXw_FVED/s1600/RN_AnEngagementInParis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My first was <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://books2read.com/u/38rZgO"><i>An Affair Across Times Square</i> </a></span>(right) and amid this incredibly sexy voyeuristic relationship between Layla and Tyler, there was also an intriguing murder trial and subsequent mystery to solve which helped create conflict and craziness in the book. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4-kOozhKmUyjfwC-UNjyawN-v7ycoepLMQTqAMVv-Io8OwhLDYqq10gXZrL3UpM-RTCARKmfG5vbTz831nO3UxMgBkdntFQxQGU1C7ayJ4mopdjq9t25Shd8a-NVhWzSDaII9vgtlJGq/s1600/Engagement+in+Paris+ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4-kOozhKmUyjfwC-UNjyawN-v7ycoepLMQTqAMVv-Io8OwhLDYqq10gXZrL3UpM-RTCARKmfG5vbTz831nO3UxMgBkdntFQxQGU1C7ayJ4mopdjq9t25Shd8a-NVhWzSDaII9vgtlJGq/s200/Engagement+in+Paris+ebook.jpg" width="125" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the sequel, <i><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://books2read.com/u/4jD2ao">An Engagement in Paris</a></span></i>, (left) I have Mandy and Julien pitted on opposite sides of the marriage battle - he wants to get married, she thinks she doesn't, but agrees anyway, and as the day inches closer and her family descends upon them, she panics. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNn4kJcyHjMLBxri-0nxb2EaJVR8E6GCKFvRjgEqRq159PchQhogzVx9o8j8EHmfGX5vGQyew_GRzmeNQUuk_QvrppwJYzPiSq-ikj1ExpwUv489KAQ8w56j0tOMj1VxxQw-l9RvEoMIY/s1600/RN_SpicyWithASideofCranberrySauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With my holiday story <i><span style="color: blue;">Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce</span></i> (left) Amy and Mason are </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_D10JvvGl-8Jf4QtgoM8HY2NtX8N5hvQRk_e4j4lXrpuHgZDwQCS3EVeftbAtaeCcvkpirr600ja5oPKIvJrrnNe1NmDjHa1PVYPLLz7_j8R49HD5hMieGOXi3CSpAbcnkNfI-ABIKK2v/s1600/Spicy+NEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1100" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_D10JvvGl-8Jf4QtgoM8HY2NtX8N5hvQRk_e4j4lXrpuHgZDwQCS3EVeftbAtaeCcvkpirr600ja5oPKIvJrrnNe1NmDjHa1PVYPLLz7_j8R49HD5hMieGOXi3CSpAbcnkNfI-ABIKK2v/s200/Spicy+NEW.jpg" width="137" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">instantly attracted to each other and then thrown together in this impossible situation - a holiday with their families.... during which his mother and her father begin dating. So it's not just their relationship bubble, but a lot of family dynamics and Turkey Day chaos which help make things a little crazy. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYi3uEpfbwAMgIj5OfwfTIRR8w_W59ZuDDA7tzGDLH3ZPLV8OnWfrwpZnUPI_2k7xGRt8YF49Fqhi9lnjiZhGfHaZNJxJXMqZTZGgBdXmSy-MdmiWO7uI5nBylWV2p3ViaUA411Vm57Lh/s1600/Queen+of+Hearts+proof+cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYi3uEpfbwAMgIj5OfwfTIRR8w_W59ZuDDA7tzGDLH3ZPLV8OnWfrwpZnUPI_2k7xGRt8YF49Fqhi9lnjiZhGfHaZNJxJXMqZTZGgBdXmSy-MdmiWO7uI5nBylWV2p3ViaUA411Vm57Lh/s1600/Queen+of+Hearts+proof+cover.png" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1iCEXPH" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Queen of Hearts</span></a></i> (right) Erica and Maya have a one night stand. Later, when Erica is in trouble of losing her business, she realizes she ran out on the one woman who might actually be able to help her. It's the pressure of failure that breaks through her barriers and forces her to accept Maya's help. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlFY_TcS4et6mCekM_65b-bDipvXdPQtgwuv8360mrrbi4F7amO-oRbcJN80rd_X0h7BUcydE4sG16f-6urjtKtQjsM1ufkzDxsr-hznYuaMqg_Y1hZpRX0cHfQnN0KsK7uhv0C-KO_2F/s1600/Break-Through-the-ice-full-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12HgDE0eI_4UPs-xk-4GTXZPYb2kj_eOR_EdPYte49NpWgWmeVenBbXok0d0dme6rEeNSz-4ecuTrFnnkMCec34KwYlw8IJHlKD5uDOvwqajgysssfNi564bE0RAum4F7wSOTO9dFYwEy/s1600/BREAKTHROUGH+COVER+-+NEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12HgDE0eI_4UPs-xk-4GTXZPYb2kj_eOR_EdPYte49NpWgWmeVenBbXok0d0dme6rEeNSz-4ecuTrFnnkMCec34KwYlw8IJHlKD5uDOvwqajgysssfNi564bE0RAum4F7wSOTO9dFYwEy/s200/BREAKTHROUGH+COVER+-+NEW.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My newest one, <i><a href="http://amzn.to/KZdjx9" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Break(Through) the Ice</span></a> </i>is all about Jasmine and Vince battling the elements (and the gossip) to be together. The Adirondack Camp they're in is just as much a character as they are, and that adds a nice element of suspense and danger to the book, which I love. :-) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br clear="none" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /></i><i id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1396023195596_7094" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></i></span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Why do I write what I do?</b></span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Because sex sells. :-p No but seriously, I love romance novels. I've loved them since I was sixteen. While my reading in the genre was paranormal and I still enjoy a lot about that genre, erotic romance is so much fun to write. Can't think of a plot point? Write a sex scene. Stuck on why the character hates himself? Sex scene. Want to make the couple's relationship get screwed up in no time flat? Sex scene! Need them to make up? Sex Scene. Can't reveal who the killer is yet? Sex SCENE! Need more time for them to fall in love SEX SCENE! :-) </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know that sounds really basic, or like I'm filling my book with sex because I can't write the book or don't want to work on the hard (or not so hard) stuff but because the sex, aside from being fun, is an integral part of the storyline. When you write historicals, your characters cannot be having sex on page thirty. You have to slowly build that kind of relationship and there are chaperones and rules of propriety and all kinds of things. When you write erotic romance, you don't have to worry about that, but you do have to worry about keeping things exciting. If your characters are geting busy on page thirty, and then again on page sixty-five, and one-hundred, etc. you better make sure that the scenes escalate, and that they're not random or erroneous. I love making sex an intricate part of the building romance and sometimes it even helps stave off the romance, because sometimes (like with Tyler &amp; Layla) it's just sex in the beginning and then slowly they develop feelings for each other. It's wonderful to watch that unfold. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br clear="none" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /></i><i id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1396023195596_7093" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>How does your writing process work?</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b><br /></b></i></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oi - um, this is a hard one to answer because it's different for every book. The things that are the same for me are the basics: </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have to build real three-dimensional characters. That usually means photographs (I use a lot of models or actors for this), their main personality traits (including their astrological sign or exact birth date because that helps me build a full character), a background of their childhood and major events in their lives (death of a parent or sibling, abuse, past lost loves) and basically their damage. Perfect or completely well adjusted characters are boring and also useless in a romance plot because if they're perfect alone, why would they want or need a life partner or romantic attachments. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have to have an external plot line - sometimes it's a paranormal or suspense/mystery plot, sometimes it's a little less involved. I just finished a BDSM book in which the heroine is on a deadline with a book and has to get the research done and write the book before the deadline, and I have a hero who is in danger of losing his business, his house, and basically every he's worked his entire adult life for. So the stakes have to be high - sometimes my emotional stakes are high, sometimes it's the physical stakes like in the WIP where Diego and Eva are in mortal danger. </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As for the process itself, sometimes it starts with a scene in my head with two people and I build everything off that. Sometimes it's a person or character. Sometimes it's an overall concept like "our parents are dating" or "instant enemies" or other kinds of tropes like that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I almost always create a plot using the 3-Act Plotting Method that Alexandra Sokoloff talks about on her blog about using screenwriting tricks to plot your book. And I usually have a visual layout of the main setting in a very basic, ugly, disproportionate drawing (because I have no artistic ability whatsoever) which helps me figure out what's where in a scene. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I like to write a "dirty draft" after I've done the plotting, some of the research, and the character backgrounds. Inevitably somewhere in the draft I realize that something isn't going to work or that a character happens to have done something in their past which I didn't know until I reached the midpoint climax and then I make notes to go back and fix it after I finish the draft. It usually takes me 1-2 weeks to do the research/plotting/character background stuff and 2-6 weeks to write the draft (depending on the length and topic of the book) and then I let it rest for at least a week and get the real life stuff done that I've been ignoring while fully immersed in the book like grocery shopping and seeing my family. And then I re-read the book, start to finish, without making any changes and I use these mini sticky notes and take notes on everything I need to change, the main characters, and important info I need. Then I start making those changes and when I finish doing one, I get to rip the sticky note off the notebook page, crumple it up, and throw it away. It's VERY satisfying. :-) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And that's it. Me, my books, and my writing in a (very large) nutshell! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thanks so much for the Tag, Nicki!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>And now it's my turn to tag some people. I have chosen two great authors to tag and I can't wait to see their answers next week! Check em out: </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwq03EvmBaiSy1DD_Le7Npymy2HEfUnWB5p62b4shhtJECe4WnT1_48M_iiGmE4EF0zUI4zXSWCdG1qchxm0vYA6g4A-BGUeX4-1oF0oIfZNexVKljumbCbwm0FD-2fOpCYRa5vKWpZaxC/s1600/1383641_10152341495279616_1592470064_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwq03EvmBaiSy1DD_Le7Npymy2HEfUnWB5p62b4shhtJECe4WnT1_48M_iiGmE4EF0zUI4zXSWCdG1qchxm0vYA6g4A-BGUeX4-1oF0oIfZNexVKljumbCbwm0FD-2fOpCYRa5vKWpZaxC/s1600/1383641_10152341495279616_1592470064_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: red;">Stephanie Wytovich:</b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1395973915718_12084" style="color: red;">Stephanie M. Wytovich is the Poetry Editor for Raw Dog Screaming Press, a book reviewer for <i>Nameless Magazine</i>, and a well-known coffee addict. She is a member of the Science Fiction Poetry Association and a graduate fom Seton Hill University’s MFA program for Writing Popular Fiction. Her poetry collection, HYSTERIA, can be found at </span><a href="http://www.rawdogscreaming.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.rawdogscreaming.com</span></a><span style="color: red;">. Follow Wytovich at </span><a href="mailto:stephaniewytovich@blogspot.com" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank" ymailto="mailto:stephaniewytovich@blogspot.com"><span style="color: blue;">stephaniewytovich.blogspot.com</span></a><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1395973915718_12101" style="color: red;"> and on twitter @JustAfterSunset.</span></span></div>
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<b>Priscilla Kissinger: </b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Priscilla A Kissinger is a three-time Golden Heart finalist who writes contemporary romance with a Latino flavor. A single mom with three daughters, Priscilla recently earned an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. During the day she works as an administrator at a major university, and she spends her free time writing, reading, playing tennis, training for half marathons, watching sports and singing karaoke with her family.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: red;">You can find out more about her at </span><a href="http://www.prisakiss.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue;">www.prisakiss.com</span></span></a><span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1396066720644_2422"><span style="color: red;">, follow her on Twitter with @prisakiss or catch her blogging on </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.peanutbutteronthekeyboard.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">www.peanutbutteronthekeyboard.com</a> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> www.ghfirebirds.com</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So be sure to stop by and check out Stephanie and Priscilla's answers on Monday April 7 at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">stephaniewytovich.blogspot.com &amp; </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">www.ghfirebirds.com </span></div>
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Thanks, </div>
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~ Rach</div>
Rachell Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574760920645426444noreply@blogger.com0