Oh, I must. I really, really MUST!: A Rant from Rach

On to my rant of the day...

Fellow Seton Hill Graduate and author friend, Tonya Burrows, posted a link to this article this morning, and as I read through it, all I could do was laugh.

The author of the article, Palash Ghosh, says, "After all, romance novels fall into the same sordid category as soft porn, violent comic books and anything written by Stephen King in the realm of literary "guilty pleasures."'

Oi! Where do I even begin to respond to that one, folks? Sordid, porn, guilty pleasures? YES PLEASE. I mean, sign me up, now. Are these supposed to be negative things, I ask you? In a world where women are finally (FINALLY) starting to own their sexuality, delve into the unknown, come into their own sexual identities, these are all good things. Now this article focuses mostly on historical romances, which I only read occasionally, but when I do, I LOVE them. I've noticed I really enjoy romances of all types, though I do tend to feel like something is missing if they're too saccharine sweet or all the naughty things are BCD. 

Ghosh goes on to say, "I know many... smart, attractive, successful, 'liberated,' modern females who nonetheless find some kind of deep satisfaction and vicarious thrill from delving into hyper-romantic, contrived and extremely unrealistic tales of handsome, manly heroes falling in love with virginal women, enduring a series of adventures, then inexorably ending in a happy resolution." 

Hmmm... let's inspect this. Smart, attractive, successful and liberated women can't enjoy a FANTASY of a handsome, manly hero?? Um, hello? Where is this rule written? And let's just compare the male fantasy portrayed in romance novels to the perfect blonde bombshells in those um... art films the average American Male fantasizes over. How is a man in romance novel any more "contrived and extremely unrealistic" than Pamela Anderson or Jenna Jameson? 

Let's move on to the article's statistics, courtesy of the Romance Writers of America: 

"*More than 9,000 romance titles were released in 2012, yielding sales of about $1.44 billion (more than triple the revenues generated by classic literary fiction), making it the biggest portion of the U.S. consumer market at 16.7 percent.

*Some 75 million people in the country read at least one romance novel in 2008, but most are long-time dedicated consumers of the genre." 

Hmm... then there's this little nugget, "I had thought that romance novels accounted for a very small fringe corner of the literary market." - If that's the case, then you must have been living under a rock, never been inside a store, read the NYTimes Bestseller List, or seen the headers on Amazon, Facebook, or any other type of website advertising romance novels. 

As you're here reading this erotic romance blog, you're an obvious fan and I need not continue on about all the ways in which the romance novel rocks, so I shall just say this... 

Women don't really have any desire to go back and live in a time when petticoats, corsets, and gloves were required at all times, when the only interests she was allowed to have were reading, painting, and childbearing, when she could not own land, earn money (except with her body), vote, have a say in her marriage or anything else as the article suggests ("Perhaps most women [even the ones who get lost in romance novels] do not want to go all the way back – but it is obvious, they are unhappy with how the world has turned out in the contemporary era.") 

It is simply this... 

Sometimes we (men and women alike) get disillusioned with our lives, get bored in the bedroom as well as the courtroom, and yearn for a fictional world on paper where we can live vicariously through words and characters who are bold enough to love with all their hearts, to fight with all their passions, and face all of the world's sometimes insurmountable obstacles to hold tight to the one they love. 

And so I ask you, readers, what the hell is wrong with that? 

~Rach

I Lost NaNoWriMo & It Felt Great!

Howdy ladies and gents,

Well as I'm sure you're all aware by now, November is over. The leaves are gone, the turkeys are safe for another year, and the twinkling lights of the impending holidays are downright blinding in some areas.

It also means National Novel Writing month is over. Just in case you missed my other posts on this freaking craziness, it's 30 days to write your ass off. The goal: to write 1,667 words EVERY day for thirty days straight, for a grand total of 50,000 words! It's crazy town.

And I completely failed.


Up until four days before the end of November, I had only written 8,913 words. That's it. If I push it, I can write that in a single day and there I was four days and miles away from 50,000. I knew even I couldn't write 41,087 words in four days, one of which was Thanksgiving Day. Now my family is understanding of my crazy schedule, my skipping dinners and movies and other things when I'm in the writing cave, but even I couldn't skip out on the turkey and stuffing. So that night, after everyone was gone and the house was settled, with a belly full of delicious food, I locked myself in the writing cave and got to work. I had three whole days off from the day job and I was going to use them, damn it!

Thursday night I wrote 2,500 words. They were a bit slow going, the story was dusty after having not been touched for weeks, and I was getting back in the groove. But I wrote. And I stayed up all night doing so. Exhausted, at 2 a.m. I crawled into bed with a big ass smile on my face. I felt like me again. For the first time in almost eight months, I was a writer!

Friday I got up, not so bright and early because I'd been up all freaking night, but early enough, and once again locked myself in the dungeon. I then proceeded to write 5,000 words in four hours. I was officially on fire. I took a couple little breaks in that time, but no big ones until I was really in need of a long one. So I took a couple hours off, ate a real meal, came out of the dungeon and visited with animals and family, and then I went back to it. Another 5,500 words later, I was beyond exhausted, as I'm sure you could imagine. And I knew I had a full day of writing ahead of me on Saturday. Once again, though, I went to bed knowing my world was right again.

I wrote another 6,000 words on Saturday, and then I just couldn't do anymore.

Here's the little graph and stuff to show how I did with my word count. 

My total word count for November was 28,528. In terms of the 50,000 word count goal, I barely made it past the 50% mark, a failure in all respects. NaNo is supposed to teach you to make writing a daily habit, to build it into your life, and laugh off writer's block because you just have to keep writing to get to that word count goal. I will never be a daily writer. I've come to terms with this, made peace with my writing style, and have worked to build my life around the way I write.

But this year's NaNo reintroduced me to myself, my inner Muse, my love of writing and telling stories, and I couldn't be happier. Do I wish I had a solid draft to revise through the month of December? Sure. But as my momentum levels out and the day job and real world intrude into my writing cave, I will remember during the next 30, 60, 90 days that I am a writer, that I love writing, and that I have to make it a priority and get my ass in the chair.

So I failed, and it was fantastic.

Who else failed Nano this year? And was it as good an experience as mine?

~Rach

Happy #Thanksgiving! And the Things Rach is Thankful for...

I'd like to wish you all a wonderful and sexy Thanksgiving!


It's been hard for me to come up with things for which I am thankful this year. I have buried two family members, and a family pet in the last ten months, and have another family pet who is terminal. It's been a whopper of a year, and a friend of mine has blamed it on the year "13".

As the year nears a close, however, I remember that while today was a difficult day, it was not nearly the disaster I was worried it would would be. We made it through, with the stuffing, and the gravy, and the fall-off-the-bone turkey, and it wasn't until the rush of the meal prep and cleanup was over that I realized that though our family seems to be growing smaller with every passing year, the core of love, support, and humor is still there. We are battered, bruised, and sometimes beat-down. But today was filled with laughter instead of tears, and I am eternally grateful for the family I still have, and the new addition to the household, our five-month-old Shepard mix Honey. In just over a week this little girl has made herself right at home.

I am also thankful for my writing, my love of words, my craft, and my readers. While this past year has seen a lot of personal turmoil, it has also brought me some great professional growth. I've published two books since January, and worked on a third and fourth, one currently under contract with Twenty or Less Press, due out soon. My writing has given me a place to escape, to focus, and to look forward to, and for that I am exceptionally thankful.


What are you all thankful for this year?

Seal of Destiny by Traci Douglass on sale for only #99Cents

I love helping to share new books with the readers of our Divas blog. Today I'm sharing with you about Book One in a new paranormal romance/urban fantasy series by Traci Douglass. Traci and I attended the same MFA program at Seton Hill University, so I know this book is great, though I haven't read it yet, it's at the top of by TBR pile, especially since it's on sale today for only 99 Cents! :-) 

Here's the book description: 

Love conquers all… but can it stop the Apocalypse?

Mira Herald is having the worst life ever.  Not only is she plagued by horrific nightmares starring the Devil himself, she’s now the target of a power-hungry, rogue minion, freshly sprung from Hell and bent on her destruction.  To complicate matters further, she’s acquired a stalker. One who insists he’s a divine warrior sent for her protection because she houses an ancient relic with the power to unleash Armageddon. Last time Mira checked, she wasn’t insane. Still, all this celestial mayhem is enough to drive a girl crazy.

Kagan is a member of the Scion, an elite team of immortal warriors selected by Divinity to aid mankind and save the world. After a century alone, Kagan is summoned for a new mission. He’s eager to begin. Eager until he’s informed his mission consists of protecting a woman with no clue to the power she wields. Plus, his briefing fails to prepare him for his new target’s cosmic-sized attitude problem.  As Divinity’s sworn servant, he’s required to fulfill his duty. His oath, however, does not require him to be enthusiastic about his new assignment or warm-and-fuzzy toward his new compatriot. He plans a wham-bam rescue and a quick return to solitude. 

The rogue minion attacks—with the backing of a mysterious organization—and all Hades erupts, putting a fast end to any whirlwind escapes. Accustomed to staunch independence, Mira’s survival now requires full cooperation and an unwavering belief in Kagan. The battle-hardened warrior is also forced to chose: between duty and desire. Amidst the turmoil, Kagan and Mira’s undeniable passion draws them closer to each other and down a path neither expected but both yearn for, more than they ever knew. 

Will love save the day? The world’s fate depends on the answer. 

More about Traci: 

Traci is the author of paranormal romance/urban fantasy and contemporary romances featuring a sly, urban edge, including her current Seven Seals series. Her stories feature sizzling alpha-male heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes; smart, independent heroines who always give as good as they get; and scrumptiously evil villains who are—more often than not—bent on world destruction. She enjoys weaving ancient curses and mythology, modern science and old religion, and great dialogue together to build red-hot, sizzling chemistry between her main characters.

 She is an active member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Indiana Romance Writers of America (IRWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Writers (FF&P) and is pursing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction through Seton Hill University. Her stories have made the final rounds in several RWA chapter contests, including the 2012 Duel on the Delta, the 2012 Molly Awards, and the 2012 Catherine Awards. An earlier draft of the first book in the Seven Seals Series, Seal of Destiny, won the paranormal category of the 2012 Marlene Awards sponsored by the Washington Romance Writers.

Other current projects include upcoming books in the Seven Seals series, a new contemporary novella series due out in early 2014, and a new futuristic suspense series with hints of the paranormal and plenty of romance.

Pick up the book today here: http://www.amazon.com/Destiny-Crimson-Romance-Traci-Douglass-ebook/dp/B00AWWONDQ/ 

Website and blog: http://www.tracidouglass.net 

FB Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/TraciDouglassAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Traci_Douglass   

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8112113-traci-douglass

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/tracidouglass

Sexy Snippet DOMESTIC DISCIPLINE NEEDED

Hey Readers! 

Welcome back to the Divas site. As we gear up for NaNoWriMo this year, I've started cheating early! :-) Isn't that nice? 

I'll be on my first family vacation in 7 years during the first week of November, so I want to get a jump start on NaNo before November 1. Unethical? Maybe. But I'm doing it anyway. 

So here's a Sexy Snippet from Domestic Discipline Needed, my BDSM-themed erotic romance that I'll be writing for NaNo this year... 

He slipped the veil over her eyes, shrouding her in darkness and she shivered. She could feel the heat of him behind her, pressing into her body. Warming her in a way nothing else could. She wanted to lift her fingers to feel the soft fabric, but knew she couldn’t. Knew her hands were bound behind her in an equally soft fabric.

She couldn’t see, couldn’t hear anything over the pounding of her heart, but she could feel. The tight corset laced around her middle came up to just the peak of her breasts, chafing her nipples with every inhale and sending a delicious spiral of desire straight to her core.

He tugged at the restraints around her wrists, forcing her shoulders down and back and thrusting her nipples in one hard jolt against the edge of the corset. She gasped at the contact. He pushed a leg between hers, keeping a firm grip on her restraints and inching her heeled feet apart just a little more. Her bottom half lay bare to his hungry gaze, save for the red stilettos he’d bought for her.

Spoiling her brought him pleasure, and who was she to deny him anything?

She clenched her thigh muscles to keep herself upright when she was already so full of need she wanted to beg. But it was too early in the night for that. If she started begging now it would be hours before he granted her release. Hours of the most unbelievable pleasure she’d ever experienced, surely, but she didn’t want to wait that long.

He clipped the ribbon between her wrists to a chair and she followed his footsteps in her mind as he came around to face her. She couldn’t see him. But she could feel him there. Could feel his hot gaze as it roamed over her body. He moaned in appreciation of the view and she felt an answering rush of wetness soak her core.

Only he could do this to her. Dress her up the way he wanted with such slow caressing touches that she burned for him even before the scene really started. He reached around her to cup both ass cheeks in his large hands and she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out at just that simple touch.

“Good girl,” he said. The caress of his voice was like a thousand feathers trailing down her spine at once. He smacked her right butt cheek hard and this time a little squeal escaped before she could stop it.

“Maybe not so good after all.” 

The NaNoWriMo Crazy Train Pulls Out of the Station in 16 Days!

Well, it's that time again folks. 

Normal people are getting ready for Halloween, stocking up on candy (and floss), mentally and physically preparing for the impending holidays and the influx of family members. 

Writers are prepping for their own little battle - it's called National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and it's ridiculous! For those of you out there who've never heard of this crazy time, November is no longer turkey-centric. It's all about the writing - 50,000 words in 30 days! 

This year, I'll be writing a BDSM-themed book, tentatively titled Domestic Discipline Needed. It will star Elizabeth (Liz) Clark, an erotic romance author who can't get the idea of being dominated out of her head, though it goes against every modern feminist belief she's ever had, and my hero, Chase Masters, a Dom, and owner of the local BDSM Club, who's been searching for three years for a new sub or girlfriend and knows immediately that Liz doesn't have a submissive bone in her body. Or does she?


I have officially started research for the book. I borrowed some books from the lovely and talented Ms. Nona Raines on delving into this topic, and have been perusing them over the past few days. This week will involve some hard-core... um reading, of course. :-) 

If you are interested in BDSM, as at least 11% of the population is, be sure to check out Nona's post on writing BDSM and where to start the research if you'd like to write one, here's the post. Also, make sure you check out her own BDSM, Uncollared. 

I'll be posting my progress, musings, and notes as I descend into this dark and interesting world. 

~Rach

#RealityTV for #Writers??

So I've recently had this idea that I want to create a Reality TV Show kind of like a cross between American Idol and The Bachelor.

The judges/panelists would be one USA Today/NY Times Bestseller, two agents, and two editors.
The authors/writers would all be genre writers in all genres, though we'd try to have at least three in each genre to start with.
The host would be... well, me! :-) A sort-of mid-list multi-genre author with an MFA. I could host/mentor a few of the contestants, and we'd need a few more mentors depending on how many contestants. And we could be #TeamRach, #TeamNona, #TeamDanica #TeamPris #TeamBill etc. :-)

The format would start out with a five page submission that we'd have people read/act out on stage - that would be like the HUGE music-halls of people they have for American Idol. This process would take a few weeks and the winners would be pared down to 30 or so and then they'd all be flown out to live in a huge gorgeous house with multiple rooms/dens for writing time, a larger class-room type room and stuff. Something from the Romantic/Gothic or Victorian ages would be appropriate for a bunch of writers I think. Each week the contestants would have to submit 10 pages to the panel, some of which will have to be read/acted aloud for judgment. Of course, since popular fiction is supposed to be POPULAR, there would be an audience participation voting process where they could vote based on the selection read/acted on air or could read on the website the whole submission.

When a contestant has to leave - the Quill ceremony would hand out quills to all the writers who get to stay and a Golden Quill for the winner that week. That person would get an hour of one-on-one time with one of the judges to talk about their work/ideas etc.

Soooo... who would watch this awesome show? I'm really only half-kidding about this. We should make this happen.

~Rach

#50Shades Casting - Opinions Abound

Hey Folks,

Welcome back!

Tonight I'd like to chat about the recent casting of the Fifty Shades of Grey movie. There's been a lot of talk about the casting, about making the book into a movie in the first place. So here's one Erotic Romance Author's opinion on the subject:

Charlie Hunnam wasn't even on my list of people who could possibly play Christian Grey. For me it was all about Richard Madden - the charismatic, and gorgeous, actor on Game of Thrones. 

I mean just look at that penetrating gaze! 

Now say what you will about Fifty Shades, the characters, the book, the author... it was a wildly successful best-seller that opened the eyes and bedrooms of many readers who'd never heard of erotic romance before. 

But alas, it wasn't in the cards. Now there's a real reason that I wouldn't have thought of the Sons of Anarchy star as the right person for the job, and it's not because he's not a terrific actor. He's amazingly gorgeous and I love him as Jax Teller on the amazing SoA, but he plays such a gorgeous scruffy anti-hero on the show that I first had trouble picturing him as the suave billionaire persona, because this is how he embodies his Jax Teller persona.

 BUT this is what he looks like as well. 

Cut the hair a little, shave the beard, and DAMN! This could totally be Christian in the red room wearing his beat-up jeans. 

Now onto Dakota Johnson, whom I'd never heard of before a day or two ago. She's a virtual unknown. Cute, kind of perky looking, and I'm not sure what to think about her actually. I hadn't put much thought into who I would cast in the Anastasia Steele role, so I didn't really have a pre-formed opinion of who would be good in the role. 

So I suppose for now, we'll just have to wait and see. I'm liking Charlie more and more as I think about it.

From an author's standpoint, I can definitely say there have been moments when I'm writing where I know who I would cast in the film version, and I wonder if EL James thought the same thing and if she was surprised or disappointed in the choices. I for one have confidence that Charlie will rock the roll, because he's an incredible actor.

Readers, what do you think? Excited about the casting? Disappointed? Indifferent??

Share your thoughts.

~ Rach

Writing Through the Drama

Hey Folks,

I know I mentioned over a month ago that I was getting back into the swing of things and slowly coming out of hibernation, but it was clearly a big fat lie... Cue Pinocchio Nose Growth Here... I haven't written anything more than a few thousand words in the past three months, my online presence has been slipping from active to almost nonexistent, and I haven't even been to any writing-related events since the In Your Write Mind Workshop in June.

In short, I feel like a loser.

But... lest we get too damned depressed here, it happens. And I need to stop holding myself to ridiculous standards that no one could meet. So now it's time to power through and write through the drama that life
has dumped on me this year.

This applies not only to myself and other authors out there, but also to everyone reading this post. It's about inner strength, about knowing yourself, your limits, your goals, your mind and body, your soul. Last night I returned to yoga practice for the first time in months, and our instructor informed us that whatever we ever needed, we were automatically equipped with - we had it, always, in our heart center. We had only to dig it out, reveal it, and let its strength flow forth.

It's an interesting notion. Everything I need. Here, already? I wasn't sure I could believe that at first, but I've slept on it, meditated over it, let it mull and simmer inside me since last night. And I've decided she was absolutely right. Was the timing of me falling off the face of the digital earth ideal? Nope. Will I rebound, deal with it, and shake off the effects of a long-term break? Absolutely.

So here I go, making my pledge known to you all, and hoping to pass on some wisdom I've picked up this year: Life will kick you in the teeth. Repeatedly. But that doesn't mean the world is out to get you. It doesn't mean the universe will end or that you're being singled out and dumped on. It doesn't mean that there isn't hope, love, desire, support, and a wealth of amazingness still left in the world.

I promise to go forth and reinvigorate my writing life by:
WRITING
Blogging
Promoting
Reading
Tweeting
and
WRITING

:-)

Anyone else having the year from hell who needed a pick-me-up - I hope this was insightful and helpful. Power through, get the support you can, believe in yourself and trust that you have everything you need inside, even if that "thing" is the wisdom to seek guidance, love, and support outside yourself. You can do it.

And so can I.


Will post progress on this process as I balance a full time job, a home business, and writing.


~ Rach


A special note of dedication to two of the strongest fighters I've ever known: my grandmothers.

5 Tips to Beat the Post-Conference Blues

I wanted to talk with you today about beating the Post-Conference Blues. I know a lot of you are just coming back from Comic-Con and RWA National within the past week, so let's discuss the best ways to beat the post-con blues. 

5 - Sleep! As we all know, there's very little sleep at these amazing events. We're all so busy schmoozing the contacts, seeing old friends, absorbing the amazing community of like-minded people that we only get to immerse ourselves in once a year, if we're lucky, but most likely once every few years. So after you come out of this amazing bubble, sleep is necessary to recharge and prepare ourselves to face reality. 

4 - Work on the book. So after you've slept, spent a bit of time with your family, and slammed back into reality, you have to start putting all those workshops to good use and work on your WIP. Jumping right into the writing of it will help give you focus, allow you to use the excitement and momentum of the conference to hit the ground running while you work on the project. 

3 - Keep in Touch. Call your conference buddies, send them messages on Facebook or Twitter, add your new contacts to your friends lists or follow them. Keep the relationship building between you and these people. It will be a bitter-sweet kind of contact because you'll all remember the amazing time, and you'll miss being in your writing conference bubble, but you'll smile and laugh at the good times. Keeping in touch with these people will also help you feel connected to new friends and build a lasting bond, not just one you have while at a conference. 

2 - Blog about it, talk about it. One of the best ways to savor the conference, and ease back into reality is to keep a piece of the conference alive and well. Talk about the conference with other writers who couldn't make it, pass along your notes, your stories, your excitement to them. Talk about it with your family and friends who aren't writers, even though you know they just won't totally "get it" unless they're writers too. Follow blogs of those new and old friends who will probably be talking about the conference too. Go over the good times you had, and maybe read some insight for a panel or workshop you couldn't make it to. For the RWA conference I went to a couple years ago, they also gave us a huge file of all the handouts for the conference, which was a great help. You can also get the audio for workshops you couldn't make it to, though I believe you have to pay for those. 

1 - Plan for the next conference. The absolutely best thing you can do after you get home from one conference, is plan on going to the next one. Pick out roommates, book a hotel, start putting away money so you can afford the conference in 6 months or 12 months, or in two years. Even if the conference is long off, having a game plan and the "I'm going to be there again in a while" mindset will help you look forward instead of focusing on the hollow feeling in your gut when you leave the conference. 


So there you have it folks... some tips and tricks to use to battle the Post-Conference Blues. 


What else would you add to the list? 

Confessions of a Closet Introvert

Hey folks,

So soo sorry I've been silent as of late. I had a death in the family and have had another family member in the  hospital for the past nine weeks, sadly. 

But, as the saying goes, "the show must go on" and I'm ready to reenter the bloggerverse. 

First, a thanks to my co-bloggers, Nona and Danica for holding down the fort here at the Diva's Pad. I've been reading the posts, even though I'm not commenting much. :-) 

Now... onto some interesting stuff... A view behind the curtain of a single author's life...

The Post-Conference Blues! 

I used to call it the Post-Rez blues (post-residency) when I was still a grad student and going down to Seton Hill College/University for a week-long flurry of writing, learning, and absorbing the writing community. Since I graduated, I was able to go back this June for the In Your Write Mind conference, which was, of course, amazing. 

So I finally arrive at the hotel, after a very long 7 hour drive (after having worked for a few hours) and it was like coming home. The writing life is sometimes so solitary that authors forget to answer the phone, leave the house, eat, sleep, or do any of those normal human things! It's kind of scary actually. So when we get the chance to go to a conference, or a write-in, or anything else where we can be social and with our own brand of crazy, we jump at the chance. 

Two wonderful ladies from my local RWA chapter, Kara Leigh Miller and Nicole LaFleur, joined me for the conference, and we had a blast! 

Here we are at the Princess Bride themed ball. :-) 

I taught a panel on the Three Act Structure plotting method, and that went really well. I attended several workshops that were fantastic on world building, undergarments through the ages, revision, and all kinds of things. We call Seton Hill "Hogwarts for Writers" because there's a certain kind of magic that flows from the walls, and permeates the air, the ground of campus, everything. 

I mean, can you see the resemblance? 

So, after four days of this amazingness, you can imagine what it's like coming back to reality. It sucks, big time. Every time I leave a conference, it's a gut-wrenching kind of deal. Inevitably, there are some tears when goodbyes are said, as well as some laughs, and promises to keep in touch. 

At the same time, though, I know I wouldn't survive if conferences were more than a few days long! Being in that writer bubble, in that place where the real world ceases to exist and you don't watch any news, read a newspaper, or even check your email diligently, is amazing, but it's also exhausting. For a closet introvert like myself, conferences where you're always surrounded by people (no matter how awesome said people are or how close you are) are exhausting! It's like the most basic form of overstimulation (not that erotic romance authors believe in such a thing). But in real life, there's no way I would survive a conference that was longer than 5 days, 6 at the very most. I just don't like people that much... or maybe it's that I just have spent too many years alone inside my own head that I need that time to survive. 

But I wouldn't trade my weeks in writer heaven for anything in the world. Finding a community, a family like that is something few people ever find, and while I can only tolerate small doses of the crazy, I cherish it. 


So there you are folks, a sneak peek inside this author's closeted introversion. :-) 

Promise to be back soon with more, 

~Rach

Seductive Studs & Sirens - week 1

Hey folks,

This is my first time participating in Seductive Studs & Sirens - I'm an SS&S VIRGIN! Oh, my.

Thanks for stopping by today. I want to share with you all an excerpt from two very seductive Sirens, Maya & Erica - the heroines of my Valentine's Day Erotic Romance, Queen of Hearts, which will hopefully be book one in an ongoing series set around Erica's matchmaking service.


Without further ado, here is a little taste of Maya & Erica to whet your appetite.

Erica took a healthy swig of her vodka-cran and stepped closer, her bare arm brushing against Maya’s breast through her sheer black top. As Erica’s hot gaze trailed over her exposed body, Maya was even more sure this outfit had been the right move. The top, coupled with a pair of jeans she liked to think of as painted-on, and knee-high heeled boots, made for one hell of a combination. She knew what she looked like. And the heat in Erica’s eyes confirmed the other woman appreciated the view. They stood, Erica’s arm still flush against Maya’s nearly bare breasts and checked one another out.

For her part, Maya enjoyed what she saw. The low-cut, short emerald dress showed off all Erica’s best assets. With short sling-backs, the ensemble complemented Erica’s light complexion and tall, curvy frame. Her new companion seemed just as inclined to skip the small talk as Maya was. 

Queen of Hearts is on sale at these locations: 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/VdWejF or  http://amzn.to/XOvjcC 

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/YftYl9

Barnes & Noble : http://bit.ly/10cUqaU

All Romance Ebooks: http://bit.ly/XYumAN

Kobo - http://bit.ly/WHPiNo

Seductive Studs & Sirens is a weekly blog hop for authors and bloggers of LGBT erotica, romance, and erotic romance. Want more? Click here to find links for all the participating Studs and Sirens this week. You can also tweet and search #SeductiveSnS on Twitter for posts. 

Thanks, 

Rach

#SneakPeekSunday with Rachell Nichole

Welcome back to Sneak Peek Sunday!

I love this meme, and I love sharing snippets of my books with you all. This week, we're going back to my first release, An Affair Across Times Square because I'm still working with Layla and Tyler in the sequel to Marietta Hotels Book One. The second book in the series is called, An Engagement in Paris and I'm working on the first round of edits with my wonderful editor Serena now.

So I thought I'd share a snippet from An Affair Across Times Square this week.

His breath stilled in his lungs as he watched the curtain open one agonizingly slow inch at a time. He couldn’t breathe as he looked at Ms. Marietta. She stood beside the table, a shiny black halter top dress setting off her light mocha skin and showing him a beautiful glimpse of her cleavage. The long dress almost reached her ankles but had a high slit on the left side, revealing a delicious expanse of thigh. Black strappy heels and sparkling jewelry completed her attire.

She pushed the button on the waiting telephone, and he turned on his speakerphone as it rang.

“I see you got my note,” he said.

Her answering laugh warmed him even more. “Yes, I did.”

I'll let your imaginations take over from there... 

For more than just a little taste, check out An Affair Across Times Square here: 

http://books2read.com/u/38rZgO  

for more information on this and other books, check out my website at www.RachellNichole.com 

For exclusive reads, freebies, and info, leave your email address to be added to my e-newsletter list. 

Thanks, and HAPPY EASTER, everyone! 

~Rach

#WIP it Wednesday: An Engagement in Paris

Welcome back to WIP it Wednesday! I've been pretty quiet as of that, and for that I apologize. Lots of life and family stuff getting in the way. But enough about that... on to the good news!

My latest erotic romance, An Engagement in Paris, is officially under contract at Loose Id! I'm already looking forward to whipping this WIP into shape with the help of my wonderful editor Serena. I'm sure she'll have lots to say about the book and the ways we can make it even better. 

Julien and Mandy were great characters that I had a lot of fun with. I've spoken a bit about them here before, when the book was tentatively titled, A Marietta Wedding. This is the sequel to An Affair Across Times Square, which is book one in an ongoing Marietta Hotels series. The series will feature new characters in each book, while also having cameo appearances from characters you've seen before. For more information on the Marietta Hotels series, check out the section on my website dedicated to it http://www.rachellnichole.com/Marietta-Hotels.html. 

Here's a bit more about the book: 

All Mandy Lachlan wanted was her own identity. All she had to do was run away to Paris to find it. Instead, she finds love, a baby, and a marriage proposal.

Julien Chevalier needs a family. Ever since his mother left when he was a kid, he’s been searching for the security and consistency that comes with marriage and babies. So when he falls for the young African American professor at the Sorbonne, he knows immediately this is the woman for him.

Julien needs to get married the same way Mandy needs her freedom. When they find themselves at the impasse of matrimony, one of them will have to compromise what they want and need. 
I really fell in love with Mandy and Julien. He falls hard and fast for Mandy, even though she kicks him out of class the first time they meet. As for Mandy, she's pretty hard-nosed and doesn't take crap from anybody. She's the sister of the hero of my first book, An Affair Across Times Square. Tyler and his love, Layla,  are also in this second book and it was great to see them on the page again. 

I was so excited to set a book in Paris, the city of love. I've been to Paris quite a few times, and I had a lot of fun using it as a backdrop for a romance. 

The anticipated release date for the book is June of this year, so stay tuned for updates in the coming months. I can't wait to see the cover for this one! 

~Rach 

Rachell Nichole - Sneak Peek Sunday

Howdy,

And welcome back to Sneak Peek Sunday!

I have a few lines from my recent release, An Affair Across Times Square. This piece comes from Chapter Five.... Enjoy

Tyler thrummed his fingers against the railing in the elevator. He didn’t remember the ride to the eighteenth floor taking so long the day before, or any of the days before that. But the extra time gave him a moment to clamp down on his panic. He’d started having second thoughts on his subway ride through the city. What kind of idiot looked forward to gawking at a half-naked woman across the street?

So there you have it folks, your little teaser for today. :-) 

I hope you enjoyed it. 

An Affair Across Times Square is on sale now at these locations: 

http://books2read.com/u/38rZgO  

Don't forget to check out the other authors this week! http://www.sneakpeeksunday.blogspot.com/2013/02/sneak-peek-sunday-2102013.html

Lesbian Love, anyone?

Hello folks,

Welcome to a special segment this week - not WIP it Wednesday, but a post about my latest release, Queen of Hearts. 

This was my first foray into same-sex romance, and it was great fun! Maya and Erica came to me one early morning as I thought of doing a Valentine's Day story. I hadn't planned on writing this novella, or on writing any lesbian love, not that I was opposed to it or anything, but I really mostly only read and write hetero love. So this one kind of took me by surprise, and what a wild ride it was! 

Writing all about girls was very cool in a lot of ways. I could really get inside Maya's and Erica's heads and craft them from the inside out. I used a new character technique to build these two - astrological signs and personality traits. 

But let me tell you, those sex scenes were crazy! No man? None? It made writing the scenes very difficult, and it also sometimes maybe made me think I was missing parts of the anatomies... but I wasn't. And in the end I LOVED writing this book. It was sexy, romantic, heart-felt and enjoyable to write. I hope you feel the same when you read it. 


After a one-night stand, fate keeps throwing Maya and Erica together. Astrology says they're compatible, but neither woman is sure. 

The book is on sale through this weekend for only 99 cents! 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/VdWejF

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/YftYl9

Barnes & Noble : http://bit.ly/10cUqaU

Enjoy! 

~Rach

Six Sentence Sunday with Rach

Welcome back to Six Sentence Sunday! I've heard the big SixSunday.com will be closing up shop in the end of January, 2013. I am very sad to hear this, but I know the Divas will continue to post our own Six Sentence Sundays, so fear not. You'll still get lots of little tastes of our hot romances! 

And now for this week's Six Sentence Sunday from my newest release, Spicy with a Side of Cranberry Sauce:

“Look, whatever we thought after our not so chance meeting, that’s off the table now. Never going to happen.” She wouldn’t let them succumb to the heat swirling between them. She would not— 

Amy stopped thinking as Mason lowered his head to hers. He crushed his lips against hers, and she moaned, her eyes sliding closed.

RE-RELEASE COMING NOVEMBER 2018

#WIP it Wednesday is BACK!

Hi there, 

Welcome back to WIP it Wednesday! I haven't done this series in a few weeks for a bunch of various reasons, but today it's back and I have a special treat for you. I'll be talking about my WIP that is in its very late stages: Queen of Hearts which will be ON SALE later this week! This is my first venture into self-publishing and it's been a wild ride! I couldn't have done it without Jessica Lewis of Author's Life Saver or Marissa Dobson of Sizzling PR. So thank you ladies. 


And now onto my WIP... 

Maya Cobb is a classic Gemini. She’s adaptable, affectionate, versatile, intelligent, cunning, and she holds a deep-seated fear of commitment. Which means she’s the perfect match for Aquarius Erica.

Erica Jones, also true to her astrological sign, is friendly, honest, loyal, inventive, fiercely independent, contrary, unemotional, and detached. She hasn’t found a satisfying relationship in ages, and is ready to give up on love, even though she runs a dating service. 

After a one night stand, fate keeps throwing them together in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day. Maya offers to help Erica plan the Queen of Hearts Matchmaking event, though she doesn’t know much about dating women. Erica quickly realizes that while Maya bolted after their first night, she might be the only hope Erica has to save her business.

Astrology says they’re compatible, but neither woman can be sure.

This book was so much fun to write and also very challenging. Writing same-sex erotic romance posed problems I hadn't anticipated. :-) 

And now for an excerpt from Chapter One ... 

January 25^th – three weeks to Valentine’s Day

“Has the prospect of being alone this Valentine’s Day got you down?”

Maya Cobb cringed and resisted the urge to punch the perky red-headed actress on the television. But she couldn’t seem to pry her gaze from the beautiful pale skin and smattering of freckles, or the dark peach lips.

“This year, I’ve got something special in store for you. Come to a V-Day mixer at Luc’s on Second Street, featuring the proven matchmaking skills from the Queen of Hearts herself. Cocktails, prizes, excitement, and more. For all the details, please visit our site at QoHMatchmaking.com.” The website flashed across the bottom of the screen in bright red letters as the actress spoke.

Maya’s gaze stayed glued to the screen until the last of the hearts floated away and a new commercial began. And damn if she didn’t have the urge to open her laptop and go surfing for the site. Was that the same dating site Jake had been nagging her to join? She thought it sounded familiar, but she couldn’t be sure until she asked him.

Didn’t matter, she realized as she opened the site. LGBTQ Dating, the Right Way, the header read. She closed the website, disgusted she’d actually gone and looked. Was she so desperate she’d consider joining a dating site? So what if it had worked out for Jake. It wouldn’t work for her and she knew it.

Besides, she hadn’t dated girls since college, so, Jake’s pestering aside, she wasn’t going back down that road again. If her last few boyfriends had been jealous jerks, the women she’d been with in school made these guys look like Prince Charmings. Women could be crazy. She didn’t need that kind of drama in her life. Not anymore. Besides, she wasn’t looking for Happily Ever After. And that seemed to be what Queen of Hearts was offering.

Looked like she’d be spending Valentine’s Day alone again.