Leta Blake

author. human. working hard to become stellar at life.

Leta

Writer Wednesday: Berengaria Brown and Combustion

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Today we’re interviewing Berengaria Brown’s main characters from her book Combustion.

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What are your names? And tell us a little about yourselves?

Hi. My name’s Xonra Gibson and I’m Vice President of Advertising for an HR company called HR Resources Ltd. I attended the memorial service for one-hundred-one-year-old MaryAnne Menzies, a family friend, and was embarrassed to be attracted to the broad-shouldered hunk squeezed into the chair next to me at the overcrowded event, Glenn Hilton. Glen is partnered to the equally yummy Morgan McLean.

How did you meet? Was it love at first sight?

It was definitely lust at first sight for all of us. I was trying to focus on the service for MaryAnne but couldn’t keep my eyes off Glenn.

Hi, I’m Morgan. Glenn and I followed Xonra back to her car. Not only did we want to spend more time with her, but also, she’d said the car wasn’t fully inside the parking space and we’d had our car wheel-clamped at the same funeral chapel only a month or two earlier so we knew her car would be in trouble. And it was. I almost died of embarrassment when she insisted on phoning my sister to check that we weren’t a couple of slave traders or ax murderers, though. It just proves what a strong and feisty partner she is.

What do you believe is your worst or most frustrating quality? What about his/hers?

Hi, I’m Glenn. It wasn’t easy to convince Xonra to come away with us for a weekend to get to know each other better. And even then she’s busy scenting a mystery and trying to solve it instead of thinking only about us. But I wouldn’t have her any other way. Morgan and I love that she has brains as well as a body that calls to us.

What is your best quality? What about his/hers?

Morgan again. I think the fact she was so determined to discover what was happening at Berisford Village only made us love her more. She wanted to help those people and it showed her tender, human side, a side I plan to find out a lot more about in the future.

If you could have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

The men have already made my wish come true, that we’ll have our own happy ever after. But I want that for the people of Berisford Village as well.

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And now we’ll speak to Berengaria!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Berengaria is a multi-published author of erotic romance: contemporary, paranormal (magic, ghosts, vampires, fairies, dragons, and werewolves), futuristic, medieval, and Regency-set historical. She loves to read all different kinds of romance so that is what she writes: one man/one woman; two women; two men; two men/one woman; three men, two women/one man, three men/one woman…. Whatever the characters need for their very hot happily-ever-after, Berengaria makes sure they get it.

What makes your current offering a different and compelling read?

For such a short book, (19,000 words) there’s a lot happening. Apart from the funeral, there’s a hot and sultry ménage romance story, and the vacation mystery as well.

What’s next for you?

I’ve just contracted a new book with Ellora’s Cave, called “Four-Way Split”. We haven’t done edits yet, but I’m hoping they won’t be too far in the future.

 

BUY LINK

Berengaria Brown Around the Web!

http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/

http://berengariabrown.com/

Friend me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter.

25 Things I Want To Do Before I Die

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By Trever Coe
By Trever Coe

It has been occurring to me lately that I’m almost forty. That’s not so very old, but it’s not so very young either. The time has passed for letting life slide by me without planning or effort, belief in years to come in which stuff will just simply ‘snap into place’ for me is no longer reasonable. Life has taught that, yes, sometimes good things just fall into your lap, but sometimes you have to decide to make them happen, too.

And so, it has come to this. Unless I actually admit in some real way to the twenty-five things I most want to do before I die, then I might not even know what they might before it is too late. I’d hate to be too old to travel and realize, “Gosh, it’s only just now occurred to me that I’d have liked to see Paris in springtime.”

Another thought that occurs to me about owning up to Twenty Five Things I Want To Do Before I Die–this is such an intimate question! I’m not sure I can answer it with complete honesty in this public space. The truth is there are things I want to do that are so incredibly unlikely simply because of a lack of talent or ability that it is embarrassing to admit to longing for it. But, hey, vulnerability is a good thing, right?

So, I’m starting a series of twenty-five things I want to do before death. Once a week for 25 weeks, I’ll post one of the things I want to do. I’m vowing to be as honest and vulnerable as possible, though I am not vowing to post them in order of importance, because that would be too difficult and lack spontaneity.

See you next Tuesday with the first one.

Three Things I Don’t Get

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I generally try not to be too controversial or make statements here that might alienate readers or publishers or other writers. I’m not saying today’s post is going to be wildly contentious, because most of the things I don’t get are purely a matter of “to each his own” and “your mileage may vary”. But this is just a heads up that this post might push a few buttons.

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1. Ménage books

There are so many things I don’t get about Ménage books. Let me count them:

a) I don’t get why they are called Ménage instead of Ménage à trois, given that the word ménage means “household”. People are always saying, “I wrote a ménage for my next novel”. I think they really mean they wrote a ménage à trois, because otherwise they’re saying they wrote a household for their next novel. I could almost get this if it was a four or more person arrangement, but almost all so called “Ménage” novels are actually just ménage à trois.

b) I know that poly situations exist in all permutations. Based on research I’ve done into it and the examples I’ve seen, it does appear that the most successful often are the V-shape relationship. Two guys, one girl, where the guys don’t hook up sexually but are good friends and not jealous of each other. Or two girls, one guy, same set up. Or three guys or three girls, but the same deal–two of the people aren’t fucking each other and aren’t jealous of the ones who do fuck.

Obviously, there are successful examples of poly arrangements in this world where this is not the case. So, please don’t feel the need to reply by saying I’m minimizing the options here. I’m not. I recognize that there are many, many ways this kind of thing can play out. I just…don’t get it. Deep down in my monogamous little heart, I’m boggled by even the V-shape arrangement, and have a hard time processing the plethora of stories out there which seem to focus on two guys fighting over a girl until they decide to ‘share’, or continued jealousy, or arrangements where everyone is fucking everyone else. I also kind of don’t get the appeal, but that’s the next one.

c) I just don’t get it. I’ll admit it. I have a tendency to develop an OTP (one true pairing) about characters. I tried reading a poly story once a long time ago written by a pretty well-known author who happens to be a friend of mine, and I was sick with jealousy on behalf of one of the characters, even though that character was not jealous himself. I could not even finish the entire story because it made my heart hurt so deeply to read it. But, obviously, I’m in a minority here because so called ménage books are everywhere these days. When I asked authors to do Writer Wednesdays again with me, about half the books that came back seemed to be Ménage à trois.

So, what is it that appeals to you, ladies (and gentlemen)? I know, I know, it’s as simple as two guys and their accompanying bits seem pretty hot as a fantasy. And, yes, in 99% of books written by women it is two guys and a one woman. And, sure, you know, if I’m reading straight up porn (also known as PWP), I’m totally down with threesomes and moresomes and all the holes being filled at once. But once love and romance is introduced? I guess I’m just way too monogamous to truly understand the appeal.

[BTW, because it needs to be said, I respect everyone’s right to live their life as they see fit and to have any arrangement, with any number of people, so long as it works for them, and so long as everyone is consenting to said arrangement, and adult.]

I know, I know, I just don’t get it. See the title of this post. It seems like I’m massively in the minority in terms of not really enjoying a romance book featuring more than two main lovers.

Basically, I look at this trend as a boon to those in successful and happy poly relationships, or who wish to be. They certainly have a new avalanche of books aimed at issues they might enjoy. I’d be curious how people in actual poly relationships feel about the way the situations are represented in these books.

Anyway, all y’all that love it, please go on loving it! I just don’t get it.

2. Sushi.

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It’s cold. It’s spicy. It’s got a strange texture. I don’t get it.

3. Sports that involve balls and points.

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I do get how they can be fun, but I don’t get the massive amount of excitement put into them, the devotion, the heart-stopping love for a team and its wins. It isn’t like a character from a tv show or a book. I can’t sink my teeth into the points earned and take my imagination on a day long ride. And I have no control over it! If they win or lose is completely out of my hands. And it’s often loud. And there are a lot of people there. And, yeah, I just don’t get it.

So, this has been my three things I don’t get. I hope you enjoyed my little revelations of odd-ballness.

Go Slow by Haim

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I’m obsessing over this band and this song especially. A full-length album would be much appreciated! From what I can tell, their EP is only available on iTunes.

Sex With Fairies

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For the (on average) twenty people per day who come to my blog via Google looking for some version of “fairy sex” or “fairies having sex”. I know you’ve been disappointed to find yourself reading this entry. But, I’ve got good news! Keira’s and my next book, due out in the next month or so, will feature a ton of fairy sex. Cheers! 

In the meantime, feel free to check out our first two fairy tale inspired books. There’s plenty of sex in those, too. Just, you know, no  fairies. 

Fanwork Friday: Pause for Zokka Flailing

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So, last night I had a migraine, but that’s not the important part of this post. I put the kiddo to bed, but I could hear her reading in her room. I wanted to wait to go to sleep until she was out, too, so I decided to while away the time by going down the rabbit hole of the internet. I honestly have no idea how I even clicked my way to this story, but I ended up opening an Avatar: The Last Airbender slash story with very little intent to actually read it.

But then, holy crap, I fell.

The rabbit hole sucked me down.

I found that I was wrong this whole time about my Avatar OTPs. I thought they were Aang/Katara, Sokka/Suki, and Zuko/Mai. But guess what? This was incorrect. I am still all for Aang/Katara, but my new shiny OTP is Sokka/Zuko! Oh, man, it is delish. Who knew? Whoooo knewwww???

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By Rabby at DeviantArt

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Sokka: So we came all this way for nothing. I failed. Again.
Zuko: Err, what would Uncle say‌? Sometimes clouds have two sides, a dark and light. And a silver lining in between. It’s like a silver sandwich! So…when life seems hard…take a bite out of the silver sandwich!
Sokka: Maybe we haven’t failed after all!
Zuko: That’s the spirit! I can’t believe that worked. I didn’t even know what I was saying!
Sokka: No, what you said made no sense at all.

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Sokka: My first girlfriend turned into the moon.
Zuko: That’s rough buddy.

***

Oh, and the story, which is kind of crack-fiction and chock-full of epithets and kind of over the top with unrealistic sex, but who cares, is Volatile by squirrellysemantics. Just so you know.

Writer Wednesday: Fires of Justice & Sabrina Garie

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Thanks Leta for hosting me and letting me share a little about myself and my book Fires of Justice. I enjoy sharing a blog with you over at Darker Temptations so I knew coming over would be great fun. Let me introduce you to my heroine and hero.

What are your names? And tell us a little about yourselves?

Hey, I’m Calista. I live in Maine in a small home over an occult book shop I inherited from my parents. They died when I was an infant and my aunt, the great queen Esmy to whom I bow in honor, raised me. I’m a fire witch, the only one in my coven, which can be a little isolating at times. I lived a quiet, disciplined life, praise be Aunt Esmy, until soldier boy over there decided to come for a visit.

Boring more like it. I got you out of the house, took you places, added a little zest to your existence. I’m Cullen and like my lady over there, I’m a fire elemental, a shifter who morphs into mythical creatures attached to fire, like a phoenix or a dragon. Fire also gives me and the little lady quite the appetite. When we met, I was a marked one, a soldier of Argenta, the guardian of justice, balance and unity, and tasked with delivering justice when magic is thrown out of balance. Callie was my assignment.

How did you meet? Was it love at first sight?

Callie: On the contrary, Cullen was a total buzz kill. Argenta forced us to work together and he hated me at first sight. Mr. Grumps and Scowls out-iced the frost giants when he arrived on my doorstep.

Cullen: In my defense, I did have a nasty history with your parents. I figured you’d be the same—DNA and all that. You surprised me and I warmed up quickly enough. You were moaning loud enough to wake the dead by midnight.

If it wasn’t love at first sight, what changed?

Cullen: After years of talking my assignments out of bathrooms and down from trees, Callie was a breath of fresh air. Not only did she not take any of my crap, she really saw me, not just the soldier holding her marching orders. All those drinks she poured down my throat to get me to loosen up didn’t hurt either.

Callie: It took my best bottle of wine to get you to finally crack a smile. When he did let loose, he had enough energy to keep a fire witch satisfied. In addition to the amazing, frigging, monkey sex, it’s the way he made me feel that had me tumbling head over heels–as if I belonged. I’d grown up without a family. My aunt barely knew what to do with me. But Cullen felt like home.

What do you believe is your worst or most frustrating quality? What about his/hers?

Callie: My sarcasm, it drives everyone around me crazy. He’s got a serious grumpy side.

Cullen: I do not. I just didn’t want to work with you. I can be unforgiving, she can be a little dreamy, which drives my practical nature into seizures.

What is your best quality? What about his/hers?

Callie: Mine is my resilience, I can handle just about anything. I survived her highness. His is loyalty, his rootedness. Before he was indentured to Argenta, he had been an earth shifter. He brought me a solidity I never had.

Cullen: I have to agree, my loyalty is my best quality. Hers is her courage—to face me, to face her past, to forgive—it’s like no one I’ve ever known. I think I fell in love with her for that.

If you could have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

That our children will have Callies’ red hair. And Cullen’s smile. And they’ll be safe, they said in unison. The why is self-explanatory.

***

What keeps you inspired?

My daughter. I’m finally living my dream of being a writer but it took me a long time to find my niche and drum up my courage to do so. I’m a serious late bloomer. When I think about her, and the life I hope she’ll lead, the best thing I can do for her is to model that behavior to consciously and subconsciously show her the way. In addition to my love for writing, that need to teach my daughter the importance of persistence and hard work to achieve your dreams gets me coming back to the page. And I do, every day, even if I can only find ten minutes.

What is the most rewarding aspect of writing and/or publishing? The most terrifying/frustrating?

Being able to create something that you can share with others is hands down what I find most rewarding about writing. It gives me a way to express my thoughts, ideas and feelings that others can respond to—in a dialogue or in private. The most frustrating thing is time—I never have enough and the next story always starts to emerge somewhere in the middle of the current WIP. Sometimes it feels as if I’ll never get to them all, even though the characters are screaming to get out.

What’s next for you?

I’m excited to announce that my second novella, Next Move, has just been accepted by Ellora’s Cave. It’s a contemporary second chance romance, where the characters are a little older, have scars from past marriages, and the heroine has a child. Since I think we need reminders sometimes that moms are sexy too, I wanted one to be my heroine.

Blurb

Always read the fine print when swearing an eternal oath to gods and guardians…

Beholden by the sacred vows of her coven, fire witch Calista Reid agrees to temporarily mate with shifter Cullen McMahan to fulfill a mission assigned by the guardians. When tall, dark and damaged arrives on her doorstep, generating enough heat to scorch a fire witch, Calista finds herself drawn to his battle-hardened body and broken soul. His pain speaks to her own deep-rooted isolation and the intensity of his hunger slakes her passion like no other.

Cullen, scarred by a past that left him an indentured soldier to the guardians, resents yet another hump-on-command assignment…until he encounters the compassionate, fearless, incendiary redhead who detonates his body and reawakens the emotions sacrifice and loss had suppressed. But Cullen harbors a terrible secret—one that reaches back into Calista’s troubled childhood and threatens the foundation of their growing bond.

Buy Links

Ellora’s Cave
Amazon 
Barnes and Noble

You can find me on the web at:
Website/Blog: www.sabrinagarie.com

Straddling the Language and the Kiss

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I’ve always tried to straddle the choice laid out in this song. It’s my responsibility to always straddle it. And because of that, I doubt I’ll ever be actually very good at either the language or the kiss. I suppose the pain of that stretch is something to love because while it means mediocrity all around, I’ve still got a damn excellent life.

Maybe I should change this tag line from “working hard to become stellar at life” to “working hard to be okay with mediocrity and failure because of all the beauty and love”. Or maybe that is how one becomes stellar at life.

FANWORK FRIDAY: THE HAWKEYE INITIATIVE (& Hayley!)

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One of the things I love about Fanwork Friday is showing off how smart fans can be as well as talented. My pal Hayley is here today to talk about an awesome fan initiative to expose misogyny and misrepresentation in comics

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“How to fix every Strong Female Character pose in superhero comics: replace the character with Hawkeye doing the same thing.” Gingerhaze 

I love comics. Marvel’s my main bag, but my affection for the medium stretches from The Avengers and Batman to Scott Pilgrim by way of Adventure Time and Hark! A Vagrant! I tend to eschew the major titles for the most part, preferring X-Factor to X-Men (I’m sorry, but a mutant-run film noir detective agency > Wolverine’s numerous dead ex-girlfriends.) Likewise, my favourite Avenger is not Iron Man or Thor, but dear old Hawkeye.

But I’m also a woman, and as a comic-reading woman, it’s pretty hard to ignore the blatant misogyny inherent in the depiction of women in superhero comic art. I’m not the only one. A group of tumblr artists have decided to illustrate this issue in the most hilariously excellent way possible: with the Hawkeye Initiative.

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Started up by a bunch of amazing tumblr artists, all of whom you can find out about on the Initiative’s Origins page,  the purpose of the Initiative is a simple one:  “A blog with Clint “Hawkeye” Barton being placed in the same provocative, female poses that are featured in superhero comics.” As a Hawkeye fan, it’s hilarious, but as a woman and a feminist, it’s also pretty horrifying to see. What is wrong with these women’s spines? I have a curved spine and some days it hurts just to get out of bed, never mind fight crime provocatively in a thong.

One of the major targets for ridicule is Rob Liefeld, whose art is so horrendous that there have been entire articles dedicated to how awful he is. (It also makes me sad that he invented my favourite superhero after Hawkeye, Shatterstar, now one of the highlights of Peter David’s X-Factor but once the height of 90s ridiculousness.)

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Check out this contribution to the Initiative. What are those legs I can’t even.


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Sometimes artists make the misogyny extra-obvious by drawing the Black Widow in the “masculine” pose. This one made me choke with laughter.

(The other Avengers get involved too. Any appearances by the Hulk or Captain America are highlights.)
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You could spend hours laughing at the fantastic contributions, but good art can change the world and the Initiative started making waves within hours of its inception. Here’s hoping that this and projects like it will eventually stamp out these sexist images, or at least lead to male superheroes fighting crime in just their y-fronts too. It would make The Avengers 2 very interesting indeed.

While I’m on the subject of Hawkeye, a recommendation: Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye series, which began in 2012, is one of the best comic books you will ever read. It’s hilarious, with awesome art, great dialogue, and the female Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, presented as an actual person! Clint also owns a dog who eats pizza, leading to this final, disturbing contribution from the Initiative.

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Hayley works in children’s literature by day, and is a freelance writer and photographer by night. When she’s not reading comics. You can find her at hazzachaz.wordpress.com. 

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Speaking of being smart, apparently I’m not because the coding on this just about did my head in. I’m sorry, Hayley, that it looks such a wreck!

Writer Wednesday: Kate Davies and Most Likely To Succeed

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Most Likely Succeed Cover

What are your names? And tell us a little about yourselves?

Kelsey: My name’s Kelsey Moore, and I’m…kind of floundering right now, to be honest. Back in high school I was really driven – they even voted me Most Likely To Succeed. But when my dad bailed on the family and our flower shop was about to go under, I turned down my scholarship and stayed to help out. Ten years later, and I’m still there, no college, no job mobility, and certainly no success. Is it any wonder I want to avoid the reunion if at all possible?

Nathan: I’m Nathan Barrow, and I haven’t been back in my hometown since graduation. I’ve been working all over the world as a water systems designer for an international relief organization. My ten year high school reunion seemed like a good opportunity to get back in touch with the people I knew back then, especially my lab partner, Kelsey. I’ve always wondered what happened to her, and can’t wait to catch up.

How did you meet? Was it love at first sight?

Kelsey: I’ve had a crush on Nathan since, oh, forever. But nothing ever came of it, mostly because he was just so focused on his studies. I was, too, of course, but that didn’t keep me from checking him out.

Nathan: Love at first sight? Um, no. We were just buddies, lab partners. Kelsey was my closest friend. It wasn’t until I saw her at the reunion that my feeling started to change.

What do you believe is your worst or most frustrating quality? What about his/hers?

Kelsey: I’m kind of an Eeyore, always focusing on the negative side of things. I should be more positive. As for Nathan, he has this irritating habit of trying to fix things.

Nathan: I’m not the most observant person, at least when it comes to interpersonal skills. I get caught up in whatever I’m working on and tend to miss the nuances. Kelsey is way too hard on herself. She doesn’t see how amazing she is.

What is your best quality? What about his/hers?

Kelsey: I’m fiercely loyal. Nathan is smart, driven, and an all around good guy. I mean, really? He could be making tons of money in the private sector, but he’s working for a relief organization instead.

Nathan: I’m pretty supportive of people. Whatever makes them happy and fulfilled, I’m in favor of it. And Kelsey? She’s one of the brightest, most fascinating people I’ve ever met. I love watching her mind work.

If you could have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

Kelsey: I’d love to be the person that Nathan sees me as.

Nathan: I wish Kelsey and I could find a way to work together again, both personally and professionally. We worked as lab partners – I know we could work as partners in every sense of the world.

***

What makes your current offering a different and compelling read?

To me, what sets The Girls Most Likely To… apart from everything else I’ve written is the way they intertwine. Most trilogies follow one after the other, where the second book picks up sometime after the first book ends. In this series, all three novellas are set over the same weekend, so the three couples interact throughout all three books. (So a couple interacting at the bar in one book will be observed by another couple in the second book, and the third couple will hear about it later!) It was challenging to find ways to intertwine the storylines without being repetitious – and all the books had to stand on their own, as well. But I love the way they turned out!

How do you juggle writing and working outside the home? Or how do you juggle writing and your family life? Or writing, working, and family life?

Ummm…lack of sleep? 🙂 It’s definitely a challenge. I’ve got a very active family, a full time job, and the writing. I find that I work better when I have deadlines, because otherwise, it’s too easy for writing time to fall to the wayside. I’ve also gotten very adept at writing in the car, whether as a passenger or while waiting in the parking lot for practice to be over.

What’s next for you?

Well, books two and three are coming out in April and May, so readers can find out what happens to Bree and Marc, and Tess and Nathan. After that, I’m finishing up a rodeo novella for submission, and deciding which of my other projects I want to tackle next.

Lastly, provide me with covers, blurbs, buy links, and where you can be found on the web! 🙂

Buy Links:

Amazon Preorder

Barnes and Noble Preorder

Carina Coming Soon Page

Find Me:

www.kate-davies.com (currently being revamped)

www.kate-davies.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/KateDaviesRomance

Twitter: @kate_davies
Group Blog: www.ninenaughtynovelists.blogspot.com

Blurb:

Book one in The Girls Most Likely to…

Ten years after being voted Most Likely to Succeed, Kelsey Moore is still living in her hometown, still working in her family’s flower shop, and too embarrassed to attend her high school reunion. Only the chance to reconnect with her study buddy—and secret crush—Nathan Barrow tempts her to go.

Nathan isn’t sure why he came back for the reunion after spending the past decade working abroad. But when he runs into his former lab partner, Kelsey, he’s sure glad he did. The chemistry between them is as potent as ever, and when she offers him a weekend of wild, no-strings-attached sex, Nathan knows he’d be a fool to say no.

Nathan can’t be tied to one place for long. But the more time they spend together—in and out of bed—the more Kelsey wonders if their reunion could become something more permanent. That is, if Nathan is still interested when he finds out she’s been less than honest with him about her life since graduation…

Silver Fish & Silverfish Not At All The Same

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The only kind of silver fish I’m able to deal with seeing even in a picture. Vintage postcard courtesy of Vintage Travel Postcards at Blogspot.

Almost everyone has some kind of creepy-crawly they react to irrationally. For my mother-in-law it is all insects and arachnids and most varmints, too. For my daughter, it seems to be spiders that set her off. My husband gets the heebie-jeebies from camel crickets. Whereas for me? It’s silverfish. *shudders* I hate them. Ugh. Show me a spider and I’m unimpressed, but show me a freaking silverfish and I’m irrational. “Get it out, get it away, ugh, ugh, ugh!”

This post is brought to you by a silverfish in my bathtub this morning. That sucker has now been sent on a merry journey down the drain to the sewer where he can make gross, horrible, shudder-worthy friends far from me.

In other news, I saw these pretty vintage postcards when looking for a picture of silver fish (not silverfish–which I won’t post a picture of, because, ew! who wants to see that?).

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Found at Vintage Travel Postcards.
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Betty Frazee drinks a Coke underwater for a Silver Springs, FL vintage postcard. Found at Vintage Travel Postcards at Blogspot

Do you have any creepy-crawlies you can’t handle?

Fanworks Friday: Podfic (What is it? Why listen? And more!)

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Electronic Love by Thaneda Siridhab

One of my favorite things about Fanwork Friday is highlighting all the many super cool things that fans do. I usually focus on visual things like vids or fanart because they’re easy to digest. I haven’t really gone into fanfiction too much, but I plan to do that more. In the meantime, though, I wanted to talk about Podfic.

According to Urban Dictionary: FanFiction that is read aloud and then made available for download. Sometimes the author reads, other times friends or fans of the fic. Great while driving or in meetings! Often popular whilst tread-milling, jogging, etc. Lose pounds to podfic!

A friend of mine, superstitiousme, has always urged me to try podfic but, quite frankly, I’ve never really understood the appeal. At my request, however, she’s generously agreed to educate me and you on the awesomeness of Podfic.

So, take it away, my friend!

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Leta asked me to write about podfic and why I listen. For those unfamiliar with the term, podfic is an audio recording of a fanfic, also known to some as audiofic. A fan written story that is read aloud by another fan (or by the author themselves) and recorded for other fans to enjoy. podfic has become a major part of fandom for me over the last 5 years. In fact, podfic is my fandom in a lot of ways.

A podfic performer shares their relationship with a fanfic with other fans. Their unique perspective and their passion comes through in the performance and it creates something that I personally find very compelling.

There you are, listening to the story and you can hear the sound of rain, gently falling outside. The performer begins to describe your favorite scene from the story–Merlin and Arthur are having a lie-in on a rainy Sunday morning. Suddenly you hear a text alert, but no it’s not your IPhone; it’s Arthur’s! The lie-in has been interrupted and the performer’s Arthur is pissed but you are smiling like a loon because this performer is ‘nailing it’ on the dialogue and you can really hear him! When this happens to me, it can be a sunny, 120 degrees outside but I’m totally in a London flat with rain-splattered window glass and snuggled boys in bed. Glorious! And all this while I’m doing the dishes!

For me as a listener, podfic can provide me with a totally new perspective on a scene I’ve read silently before, which just adds to my enjoyment of the fic.  I read really fast and as a result I tend to sometimes miss a lot of the little details in fanfic, so when a performance brings out some little nuance I’d previously missed when reading, it’s such a wonderful new depth to the story for me!

Podfic also allows me to keep up with my fanfic obsession when I’m on the go, performers sharing completely new stories with me that I probably wouldn’t have had time to experience without podfic. It makes traffic jams and housework seem like the best parts of my day at times!

So where do you find podfic? The Audiofic Archive contains the most comprehensive archive of podfic online, across all fandoms. In journaling fandom the archive is represented by Amplificaton (or  at LiveJournal). All stories cross-posted to the journal community on LJ or DW are automatically saved to the Audiofic Archive. Amplificathon is also the main hub of the Podfic Fandom in journaling fandom and runs three podfic challenges annually.

Here are just a few of the things happening in Podfic Fandom that excite me:

Amplificathon 2013 – A points-based podfic-creating challenge. So much podfic will be posted for the next six weeks!

Theatripod – Theatripod is a challenge to create multivoice podfics in the style of theatre productions, with a director, auditions, rehearsals, and a final recorded performance with minimal editing. Posting begins April 1, 2013.

Pod_Together (or at Dreamwidth) – An annual collaborative project challenge where authors, readers and artists work in partnership to create fanworks. This challenge has produced some truly amazing fanworks. It also provides fen a place to explore different ways in which writing, performance, sound effects, music and art can be used in storytelling.

PodficBigBang – An annual challenge aiming to increase the number of long podfics available to the fannish community. Posting begins on August 12, 2013.

Pod_Aware – An annual one-week challenge to help fans that have never heard of podfic before find out what it’s all about.

The Podfic Fandom has grown a lot in the last 5 years since I first discovered it, but it’s still one of the most inclusive and just plain fun fandoms I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a part of. Even if all you want to do is listen and maybe give the occasional feedback, you are such a valued part of this fandom! If you can’t find much podfic in your fandom or pairing, even better; JOIN US!! Become a performer and share your favorite pairings with us! I promise we do not bite and we’ll LOVE having you here!

Writer Wednesday: Misa Buckley On a Thursday

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We had a bit of a mix up, so here is Writer Wednesday on a Thursday, featuring Misa Buckley’s new book, Tin Cat! Let’s interview her main characters and see what this book’s about.

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What are your names? And tell us a little about yourselves?

A: Amber Gerald, comic store owner. A year ago I was hit by a taxi cab and broke my back. Now I’m in a wheelchair, but that hasn’t changed who I am.

H: Hunter Gray, though Amber calls me Gray.

How did you meet? Was it love at first sight?

H: I was in pursuit of a dangerous criminal, part of paying a debt to society. My investigations led me to Amber’s shop and yes, it was.

A: What Gray said, though I think it was more lust at first sight than love.

H: I beg to differ.

A: You would. I think what changed for me was realising that Gray really cared for me. A lot of guys don’t look past the chair, but he did.

What do you believe is your worst or most frustrating quality? What about his/hers?

H: I don’t have any bad qualities.

A: *giggles* Yeah, right! He’s stubborn, irretractable, impossible – I swear, the list doesn’t end.

H: While she is overly talkative and terrible with secrets, obviously.

What is your best quality? What about his/hers?

A: Being talkative *laughs* Hey, it’s true enough for someone running any kind of store and I’ve always loved chatting to people, especially when we’re chatting about anything sci fi.

H: She is very good with people. Mine is not giving up at winning her over.

If you could have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

H: There are days I wish Amber could walk, not because she’s incapable, but I hate that an idiot stole that part of her life. I don’t think she’s wish that for herself, though.

A: Any more than you’d wish your past changed. There’s nothing more I want than Gray, and I have him. *looks a little smug*

***

Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up watching Doctor Who and Star Trek, and reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, so it’s probably not that surprising that when I started writing NaNoWriMo in 2007, it was sci fi that I chose to write. I find writing a much-needed haven from the crazy of raising five children and a Land Rover-obsessed husband.

I can be found on Twitter (@MisaBuckley) or at her website (www.misabuckley.com)

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

I had to do a lot of research into spinal injuries and the results, as well as listening to many people living with a similar level of disability to Amber’s. There’s still a lot of misunderstanding and even discrimination suffered by disabled people, and that was hard to stomach. However, it made me more determined to present TIN CAT as a story about a woman who just happens to be in a wheelchair, rather than one centred on that disability.

What’s next for you?

BAYNE releases May 6th.

Malia dreams of a life less ordinary but when her planet is visited by the Bayne, Destroyer of Worlds, she surrenders herself to him in order to give her people time to collect the tribute that the Overlord demands.

Despite Bayne being as much machine as man and having a violent temper, he rescues her from the unwanted attentions of his second-in-command and gives Malia a glimpse at the battered heart lying beneath the steel and scars.

As they start their relationship over, Malia discovers a man very different to the reputation that precedes him and probes deeper. However, her investigation uncovers a dark truth: a truth that someone wants to remain hidden no matter what the cost.

 ***

TIN CAT ~ A year after the accident that put her in a wheelchair, Amber Gerald has more or less gotten used to living with her impairment. It doesn’t make a difference to running a comic book store anyway, and the customers have been the best support group she could have wished for.

When she rescues an abandoned cat, Amber has no idea that she’s interfering in the mad scheme of a time travelling bank robber. Or that the man that walks into her store dressed like Blade is about to become her bodyguard.

Between being an unwitting owner of an android cat and falling for a cybernetic bounty hunter, Amber finds her life a whole new level of weird as science fiction becomes a very real factual threat.

BUY LINKS:

Champagne Books

Amazon

Kobo

All Romance EBooks

Galaga Leggings

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About three months ago, I saw these leggings and I coveted them. I thought the feeling would pass, as so many consumer yearnings do. But, no, the Galaga leggings called to me almost daily, until I finally gave in and bought them.

Excuse the fact that these pics are taken in my child’s playroom. This entire post is rather unplanned, so, you know, just ignore the Monster High doll parts and such, and admire the amazing leggings! Also ignore the strange lump thing on my foot that appeared after I broke it some years back and now has deformed my foot. Because who cares about deformed feet in the face of such great leggings?

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You can buy your own awesome Galaga Leggings at Eat Me Clothing’s Etsy Store.

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Thanks to SuperstitiousMe for bring this to my attention. It is worth reading in its entirety, but this was my favorite part: …the ultimate dig isn’t labeling someone as gay. It’s calling them a girl.

https://letablake.com/2013/03/10/4061/

Fanworks Friday: The King of Anything

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This vid. Oh, wow. I love it still. So much. Thank you, Amelia, for making it. Soaps are awful evil things that are ridiculous and melodramatic, but I guess I love that somtimes, because, gosh, I loved Luke and Reid. The less I say about the character of Noah, though, the better.

The song can be found HERE.

Writer Wednesday: Klutzy Love by Sharon Kleve

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Today we’re talking to the main characters of Sharon Kleve’s book, Klutzy Love.

1.      Who are you and tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Corny Myers and with my shoulders back and my stomach sucked in I am five-feet-eight inches tall and weigh about one hundred and twenty five pounds. A monster hot dog and a side of deep-fried cheese curds can put me above that in a heartbeat.

My boyfriend Steve, never turns away from a challenge, he meets them head-on. He has to be aggressive, tough, and focused to be a Seattle narcotics cop.

2. How did you meet? Was it love at first sight?

Love maybe, lust definitely!

Steve was sweet, considerate, and a little bit wild and that was only part of the reason why, after a night of drinking margaritas with my girlfriends, I woke up in his wonderful king-size bed after a night of pure unadulterated bliss. The others were: he rode a hot motorcycle, smelled like Christmas, and was thorough—he hadn’t missed an inch of my body.

4. What most annoys you about each other?

Steve will tell you I’m a klutz and will run into burning buildings for no reason. That’s not completely true. Though, I do think hospitals should give out punch cards. You could get a discount for multiple rides in an ambulance. If you ride more than six times in a year, your seventh ride should be free. I guess I was halfway there—what a sad state of affairs.

Steve doesn’t like my profession as a pet detective. If he knows what’s good for him he’ll get over it.

5. What do you most admire in the other person?

Steve admires my ability to bounce back from a concussion. I admire his awesome butt in jeans.

6. What keeps the romance working?

Lots and lots of hanky panky….

7. If you could have one wish come true, what would it be and why?

I want to find out if my old boss, Mr. Langfield, was killed by his widow. He croaked while bungee jumping on his honeymoon. Why he agreed to be tied to a big rubber band was beyond me, especially since he was afraid of heights. It was very suspicious. Moreover, he was my friend and confidante.

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PhotobucketSharon Kleve was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband.

She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. She gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other’s arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deserve—with a few bumps and bruises along the way.

One of her favorite things to do is picking up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing herself in the emotions between the characters. She hopes to inspire her readers the same way her favorite authors have inspired her.

When not writing, she can usually be found either curled up in her recliner with her cat and a good book, or in the kitchen baking sourdough bread or bagels.

Author of “The Corny Myers Series”

Flamingo Blues, Published December 2011

Be Mine, Published February 2012

Klutzy Love, Published August 2012

Love Under The Christmas Tree, (Christmas Anthology), Published November 2012

Josey’s Christmas Cookie, Published November 2012

Valentine Special Delivery, Published January 2013

Valentine’s Say I Love You, (Valentine Anthology), Published February 2013

Contact Sharon at:

Website 

Blogspot 

Facebook 

Twitter 

GoodReads 

Links to Purchase:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

 

Homosexual or Homoamorous

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Larry Benjamin has a great blog post up asking “Is Homosexuality Really Just About Sexual Identity?”

To quote:

I put forth the notion that “being gay, lesbian, homosexual is about attraction, it’s about who you want to hold hands with, who you want to go to prom with, who you want to build a life with. Sex is an outgrowth of attraction, an expression of something. And yes, sometimes it’s just a primal urge but surely not all the time, not every time, not exclusively.”

It’s a topic I’ve been thinking about recently myself, but had never gone so far as to spell it out in the way that Mr. Benjamin has done so well. I’d been thinking more along the lines of, “Maybe it’s time we stop thinking about it as homosexual and consider it homoamorous.”

The definition of the word ‘amorous’ includes sexuality but more largely encompasses the idea of falling in love. To me, that seems more descriptive of the majority of gay and lesbian experiences.

Rainbow Con 2014 – Tampa! And Exposed by Skylar M. Cates!

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Rainbow Bright and Lala Orange by fabian ciraolo

 

I’ll be at Rainbow Con in April of 2014. I believe they still have reader (and possibly author) slots available. I’m excited and look forward to meeting folks there!

In other news, Skylar M. Cates’ book, Exposed, is out and available now. I was lucky enough to be involved in some editing of this book, and I’m excited that it is out in the world. Here’s an link to a  gushing review left by someone other than me over at Goodreads. 🙂