No Secrets Goes Live Tomorrow! #Multicultural #New Adult @nonaraines

Good morning, friends! I'm so excited to share the release (happening tomorrow) of my multicultural New Adult romance No Secrets! 

She wants him…

            Alyxandra Franklin crushed on Cris Garcia the first time they met. He wasn't like the guys in her crowd, the boys in grown-up bodies. No, Cris was a man. A man who'd stand up for his girl, hold her close and keep her love safe. In spite of her feelings, Alyx never made a move on him. How could she? He belonged to her best friend, Gabi. And now it's too late.

He hates her…

            Cris figures if he never sees Alyx Franklin again, it'll be too soon. She's nothing but a spoiled stupid rich girl, too busy partying to care about anyone but herself. She's the reason Gabi, the girl he loved, lost her life.

            But he's wrong. Gabi had secrets. When those secrets blow up his life, Cris is willing to go to any lengths to unravel the lies. Even if that means befriending Alyx—and sleeping with her—to learn the truth.

Only 99 cents through December 3! Find No Secrets here:

Amazon:  https://amzn.com/B01N3W0N2Q

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nosecretsamulticulturalnewadultromance-2167966-178.html

iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/no-secrets/id1173065461?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/no-secrets-6

Excerpt:

He took her hand. "Come with me."

She allowed him to lead her to an alley next to the building. "What's here?" she asked, not afraid, just curious.

"This." He took her in his arms and kissed her.

Her lips were so pillowy soft, he wanted to lick them, bite them. Whoa, slow down there. Good way to scare her off.

She must have read his mind, because she placed her hands on his chest and gently urged him back. Her eyes were clouded with confusion. "Maybe we should…I don't know, slow down some."

He took a step back, disappointment settling in his gut. But he wouldn't be like that pushy douche outside Chauncey's who kept pestering her, who wouldn't take no for an answer. "Okay."

"I mean…" She shook her head. "I don't know what I mean. I like you, Cris. I have for a long time. But I just—"

"Because of Gabi, you mean?"

"Yeah. I was her friend, and you…"

"Yeah."

"Is it weird that we're—"

"No," he answered quickly. "We both…we cared about her." He couldn't choke out the word love. "But she's gone."

Alyx was silent, as if weighing his response. "I hope it's not wrong."

A pang of guilt zinged him, but not because of Gabi. Because he was here with Alyx under false pretenses. She thought it was just a date. He had other motives.

But enjoying her company wasn't a lie. The way he felt holding her, kissing her—that was real. "Does it feel wrong?" he asked, holding his breath for her answer.

"No," she said at last, lifting a hand to his cheek. "It feels really, really right."

They kissed again. Gently, he urged her mouth to open. He tasted hops and yeast, but the bitter tang of the brew was no match for the sweetness of her kiss—a flavor he wanted more of.

When he released her, reluctantly, she sagged against the side of the building. Her eyes were dreamy and soft. She smiled hesitantly when he gave a quiet laugh. "What's funny?"

"Just…your makeup." Scary looking as it was in the glow of the streetlamp, it couldn't hide her natural beauty. "I never pictured I'd be kissing a zombie."

She laughed. "Well, I'm kissing one too."

When he tried to kiss her again, she stopped him. "Wait."

After fumbling in her purse, she pulled out a handful of tissues and touched them to his face. He jerked back at their moist feel. "What are you doing?"

"They’re wipes. To take off the makeup," she answered.

He snorted. "Baby wipes?"

"Hush, you. No, they're for makeup." Gently, she swiped the cloths across his forehead, over his cheeks, down his nose. He watched her as she tended to him carefully, tenderly. Her concentration on the task just made him hotter. Each time her fingers brushed his skin, his pulse spiked.

It felt like foreplay.

******

Thanks so much, friends! I hope you'll check out the story and its related romance, No Promises.

Have a wonderful week, all!

Nona Raines

Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com

Sign up for my newsletter and get a free read! http://www.nonarainesfreebook.com/

Readers, please don't panic!

My upcoming title is a m/f erotic, but please don’t panic dear fans. My Portland Men series is still going strong, to include (but is not limited to): shifting Rockin’ the ’Nog to reflect the series, as well as Ides of March, and creating a sequel to Ascend.  Rewriting the two books above came about because of the question of Ascend’s sequel. (Read: twisting my elbow and giving me the Stink Eye.) More on that in the next blog entry because I first want to discuss my m/f erotic novel and why I didn’t shift that one to m/m.

The book is, and has always been, a response to my fans’ question of, “Hey, what’s the story of Annabel and Jeremy?” Thing is, if I were to portray the situation in its fullness, then my Jeremy stops being relatable and transforms into an abusive a*shat. Yes, Jeremy was in a terrible emotional and intellectual space regarding his fearful choice to stay in the closet, and that resulted in damage done to him as well as the people in his inner circle.

Is there any value to read about this traumatizing mental landscape? No. Butterball is already out. But there is a story to tell. In sum: Annabel’s.

What is it like to be uncomfortable in one’s own skin?

What is it like to lost and orphaned?

What and how can torn souls be healed?

Those questions, and finding those answers, is the core of my upcoming The Veteran’s Homecoming. It’s my honor to introduce Annabel Lawrence and Jeremy’s brother Zachary Roberson.

Now, Annabel has been wronged by Jeremy but that isn’t anything I will discuss. I like to keep my heroes, wounded or otherwise, stay heroic. So…Jeremy’s past is in the past. However, it is referenced because what Zach knows is the lies. Why? Because this Jeremy is pre-Travis (in Butterball) and, consequently, he’s still closeted.

That means his life is a lie.

That means that he needs to keep the reason for his broken relationship to be a secret.

That means, when given the opportunity to come clean to his brother Zach..but fails

That means, Annabel is is Zach's target for justice. Zach is a marine. Honor is the heartbeat of Zachary Roberson. He learns too late that honor honor isn’t the course of his brother at that time in Jeremy’s life. Annabel, furious about the past, is on a quest for justice.

The two come together like a swirling confluence of raging rivers…and fall in love.  Isn’t that a lovely thing? Did I mention that Zach’s personal sexual kink is BDSM’s owner/property? Annabel’s miniscule amount of trust makes that sort of play problematic.

Now Zach must find a way to fix what he broke. He needs to heal what he injured. He needs to accept that Annabel may very well be his future.

Welcome home, marine!

-------------------------------------------------------------

So, another moment of genius or madness? Intrigue the audience or alienate them?

Time will tell...

Does #Romance Require #Research? #Writing

Good morning, friends. Nona Raines here. I'm proud to be a romance author. Unfortunately, romance writing is often downplayed as not being "real writing." When it comes to fiction genres, ours tends to be looked down upon as Cinderella sitting in the ashes. Never mind that ours is the top selling genre of fiction. And sadly, too often romance writers are not looked upon as "real" authors. But we work hard at our craft, and it also involves a good amount of research. Today I want to share some of my adventures in research.

*No, I don't mean that kind of research, LOL.* Kindly get your mind out of the gutter! :-) Though truthfully, I've been known to research sexy topics when trying to spice up a love scene.

In my first book, One Good Man, the heroine was a librarian. For the character of Andie I used my own career in public librarianship to guide me. 

For more on One Good Man, please go here.

For other books, I've had to research my characters' careers. I've also researched locations, cities, and landmarks. Having friends and family who live in certain spots can be very helpful.  Good old Google is your friend. Google Maps and Google Earth can be very helpful when trying to get the "real feel" of a place.

You can go old skool and use books, as long as they are up to date.  Sometimes even an out of date book can give you insight into how the job has changed through the years. Your local library is a great resource and if it doesn't own a copy of the book you need, can often borrow a copy through interlibrary loan. Speaking of the library, let me give a shout out to the fact that internet access is available for free at most public libraries--in case a person does not have the means or the access to their own computer or modem.

But let's face, nothing beats the internet. When it comes to researching careers, you can find a lot of information. There are plenty of blogs and websites devoted to different types of careers and jobs. I found a lot of info this way when researching Emergency Medical Service personnel for No Promises.  I found not only interviews, but video as well. Even comments on blog posts can be extremely enlightening. And don't forget good old YouTube--though there you must be careful to separate the wheat from the chaff.

For more on No Promises, please go here.

But our best resource is always other people. Interviewing folks about their real life jobs is so rewarding. Talking to someone provides real insight into a person's career and relationship to it. I've found most people more than happy to share information. During my research I've interviewed several EMTs and paramedics, a highway worker, an owner of a consignment shop and a 911 operator.  If you're polite and respectful, most folks are only too happy to share. Facebook friends too can be amazingly helpful. I've quizzed a few about working retail for my current WIP.

That's about it folks. As important as research is, we authors have to be careful not to fall down the rabbit hole and get lost. At some point we have to get busy and write! :-) Delivering a good story is what it's all about.

Have a wonderful week, all!

Nona Raines

Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com

Genus or madness?

Genius or madness?

I’m sitting at my keyboard and contemplating that question. Why? Because I decided to rewrite my title Rockin’ the ’Nog.  Complete revision of the story. Why? Because I’m either a screaming genius or corkheaded and mad.

So, what happened when I first wrote ’Nog—way back when—was a small story placed in the Christmas time of Portland, OR while I was in a time of transition in my life. No, not a cancer scare specifically (as mentioned in the book) but drowning in loneliness due to the alienation I’m forced to endure in order to escape the PTSD delivered by the childhood I’ve endured, survived, and continue to process in my fiction. It’s been hard, but I’m now out of “survival” mode and into “thriving” mode.

But, back to the book. As I’ve done in the past, and will probably do in the future, I used my fiction to help me process things that are happening in my life. More, I did receive a mistaken “c*ck shot” from a buddy, who thought he was texting someone for a hook-up. HILARIOUS!! Then I put it into a book and we all laughed. (The trouble of being buddies with a fiction author. Anything interesting that crosses my plate could, and probably would, end up in a book.)

But now, four years later, ’Nog has something else to say because I have something else on my plate. That plate is full of concerns for my audience who follows my Portland Men stories and characters. Specifically, my publisher’s murmurings for a “sequel” to Ascend. (The thriller about the knife-wielding serial killer?)

Well, okay. I’ll produce a sequel but, in truth, a sequel isn’t simply “picking up where the other left off.” There is usually more, at least when I produce a sequel, because for me a story must be larger before it can encompass more time and space. So, to produce a requested sequel I needed to produce MORE.

“Backstory is dead story” so, no, I wasn’t happy to lump it into the one manuscript. (I mean, why? I’m a fiction author. When I make a story I usually put it to paper. (Why do all the work and not get paid? #justsaying.) So, I decided to sacrifice my peace of mind—and more than a bit of my sanity—to restructure and revise Rockin’ the ’Nog, now to my m/m brand with Loose ID Publishing.

Yes, there will be a romance between two characters—one who just happens to be the attorney prosecuting the criminal who tried to kill the starring characters of my Ascend—and the guy he’s been lusting after but…well, you know.

Aside that romance, please pluck a bit of the criminal’s story from ’Nog. That would have been the “backstory” of a sequel but, like I said, I loathe backstory dumps so…yeah. Anyway, enjoy the new ROCKIN’ THE ’NOG and Merry (Upcoming) Christmas! And look for the Ides of March, my St. Patrick’s Day story which is getting the same revision treatment.

After that, Ascend’s sequel. Also, btw, I’ve working on upgrades of Catching Her Balance and, also, something new. My first try at serial-type detective fiction.

I expect 2017 to be GREAT!!

I'm Getting Married Tomorrow!

Good morning Divettes,

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.

But I am off now to go get ready for my rehearsal and dinner! Wish me luck!

~Rach

The Quest for Erotic

There’s nothing more annoying than a know-it-all. Am I right? Worse, once again the truism of “those who can’t write, critique” is proved. Yeah, I’m a long-term reviewer and, thus, I have an opinion. About everything. “It’s what I do.”

Worse, I’m o-so-confident in myself that I put my beliefs to action and I put my hands to a keyboard to write erotic romance. I’d love to say that it was an easy thing to do, with all the history I’ve had in the romance genre, but it wasn’t. Romance itself demands a deep sense of authenticity, erotic more so.

One can talk about something, maybe even build a scene around something, but unless one is actively inside that something—now or in the past—then the reader will recognize that. Worse, they will not forgive it. No, that’s not specific to romance itself, but this hard line in the sand is often proven in the romance genre.

I remember reading a book in the 80s where the protagonists were “on the bridge to Catalina Island and…” There is no bridge. Read that again. There is NO BRIDGE TO CATALINA ISLAND. Just a nauseating two-hour boat trip that I endured twice a summer, every bloody summer, because my mother dragged me on the boats for the hellish yearly July 4^th trip—this is not a therapy session. 

Anyway, as you can see I *still* remember that gaffe and, no, I don’t forgive it. But back to EroRom and the tacit contract of authenticity between reader and author.  It was that very thing that gave me pause when my (then) publisher invited me to write m/m romance. Of course I said, “Yes,” but my mental answer was, “But, I don’t have the equipment for that.” Yes, EroRom demands authenticity and not to make too fine a point on that topic, I know what it’s like to desire a someone. More, (I’ll say it) I know what it is to touch and by touched by a guy I’m attracted to.

As for the “male specific” bits of authenticity—and, yes, there is a huge difference between the male mind and the female mind—I find authenticity from what’s authentic. A guy. My buddy Brian, in fact. (So very often he sighs when faced with a question, but he’s never let me down.)

Reviews: “Such an authentic voice!”

Me: “Yeah, my guy friends give input. I’m not gonna lie.”

But then, it was a question of “do I have a character for this?” As it happens, I did. My Jeremy, bless his (fictional) heart, had threaded through my first two books based in Portland, OR. (I see a coltish awkwardness in retrospect, but learning in the public’s eye is—imho—pretty much the story of all genre authors.) So, Jeremy, a bearded and balding, chubby and 50ish dude. I wanted him to be a heel, to use a wrestling term, but he fought back.

He pushed at me, telling me he was gay and closeted. How could that be a romance hero? I thought it was me. Maybe this craft wasn’t for me? Was I doomed to only review? Then I signed up for a teaching module at Seton Hill’s WPF program, and this one was on the topic of LGBTQ romances.

(Shout out to Annie Harris!) In that module I heard an off-hand comment about how there was next to no romance characters that were less than physically perfect. You’ve seen them.  John De Bare-Chested. Joe Chisel Chest. Laura of the Perfect Bosom and Flowing Locks. The idea of writing of an imperfect character was gently addressed by Annie. Basically “why not?”

I heard Annie and I heard Jeremy, and Butterball was born, now in the hands of Loose ID publishing. (To this day, it remains my bestseller. A chubby closeted gay man is my bestseller. What were the odds of that?)

~  Michelle

Author Interview with Rachell Nichole

Good morning readers,

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....



Oh, still here? Well, aren't you the brave one. Well, here it goes. A (sort of self-)interview with me!

·         What project are you currently working on? 

I’m currently on a bit of a writing hiatus. But my WIP is Adirondack Avalanche, a sequel to Break Through the Ice 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.

·         What is your favorite snack?

POPCORN! I have a rampant popcorn addiction, and my (almost) husband and I have a legit homemade popcorn popper machine.

·         I have heard from numerous authors that chocolate is the staple of their diet. Is it in yours?

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.

·         Will electronic readers ever take the place of the humble paperback?

Maybe in 50 years. But not just yet.

·         If you could be one of your characters – Who would you be?  And why?

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 An Affair Across Times Square. 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

·         Who or what influences you when you write?

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.

·         When you have writer’s block how do you break free?

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.

·         Is there a genre of book you would like to write but haven’t yet?

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.

·         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?

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.

·         Who would you want to be tied to for 24hours?

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?

·         What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and writing?

Reading. I love to read, even when I’ve been surrounded by words all day.

·         What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?

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.

·         Do you believe in love at first sight?

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.

·         Have you ever been nervous over reader reaction when a new book comes out?

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 To Sir came back with “Liz isn’t damaged enough… fix her.” And she was right, of course.

·         How much does reader response mean to you over your books?

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.

·         What is the nicest thing a reviewer has ever said about one of your books?

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.

The Bias Against Romance, and Acting Like a Professional

When I started writing romance two years ago, I had an idea of what I was getting into. After all, romance is famous for nothing so much as being "formulaic," "easy to write," and "just about sex." True, romance specifically requires a happy ending--or at least a happy-for-now, so in that sense, many people consider it predictable. After all, if you know the main characters are going to get together in the end, what's the point? As I was writing, however, I realized that in romance, it isn't the destination that's important but the journey, and that journey took me to some fascinating places. I noted on a friend and editor's Facebook post about a similar topic that for this trilogy I've had to research, among other things, Russian culture and language, bipolar II disorder, what happens when a skate blade completely severs a tendon, the NHL Players' Association's collective bargaining agreement, the process for investigating an alleged sexual assault in New York State, and bronchoalveolar carcinoma. (So tell me again that romance doesn't require any research?) 

What I did not anticipate is how deeply the horror community misunderstands and despises romance--and as someone who has spent most of her career writing horror, this enrages me. I would expect the horror community of all people to understand what it's like to be disparaged and disrespected. Horror in any form is frequently dismissed altogether because of its associations with violence, its critics not taking into account the wealth of psychological and "quiet" horror that balance out the more extreme variations. When I see horror writers doing the same thing to romance, when the extent of their knowledge is revealed to be thirty-year-old Mills & Boon paperbacks, I'm reminded of insecure playground bullies who make others feel bad in order to boost their own self-confidence. It's sad and more importantly, it's unprofessional. In the past few months, I've seen a horror writer refer to romance as "mindless," and I've come across this gem in a horror publisher's guidelines: "Dark Fantasy/Supernatural Romance – Yuck." I fully expect a publisher to list the genres they don't accept. What I don't expect from an alleged professional is their opinion on that genre, rendered in so juvenile a way. (Not to mention that dark fantasy and "supernatural" romance are not the same thing.)

Listen--I was one of those people who used to deride romance and tout myself as superior because I didn't read or write that crap. Then I met a bunch of awesome romance writers. I learned. I grew--which is the most important thing you can keep doing as a writer. I discovered that I wanted to write it, that I loved writing it, and that I put more time, effort, and research into The Firebird Trilogy than anything I've written thus far. But one thing I cannot conceive of doing is to publicly insult an entire genre and by extension all the people working in it.  

If you don't like a genre, that's your prerogative. No one likes everything. But if you're going to conduct yourself as a professional, it would behoove you to educate yourself and act like one. It's a tough business, and we're all in this together. Let's give each other some support. 

--Jenn

Falcon's Way by @nonaraines #Contemporary #99cents

Happy Monday, everyone! I'm so glad to be here today to share the news of my latest release, Falcon's Way, which is one of  stories in The Charmed Bracelet: Love Stories Linked Through Time. I'm sharing the anthology with four other amazing authors: Lara Archer, Leela Lou Dahlin, and A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder. I'm so thrilled to be among them.

Let me tell you a bit about Falcon's Way:

Trust no one. Barrett Gilmore survives by that creed. She learned it the hard way.

The hard times are mostly behind her now. She no longer goes hungry. She has a job and a decent place to live. And if she's not really happy, at least she's at peace.

Until Michael Falco storms into her life. Sure, she's grateful he intervened when that street kid attacked her, but she never asked him to play the hero in the rest of her life. She doesn't need rescuing.

But still he pursues her.  Barrett knows there's an angle. A man with his wealth and high lifestyle could only want one thing from a woman like her. And she's not for sale. She doesn't trust him, but worse, she doesn't trust herself around him.

If Michael has his way, he'll show her how to do more than merely survive—he'll show her how to live.

And here's an excerpt: 

"How's your arm feeling?" he asked, watching her alertly, as though to pick up on any discomfort.

She was stuck with him, at least through lunch. No reason not to have a civil conversation. "Not bad. I'm just glad to know it's nothing serious."

"We'll stop at the pharmacy on the way home and fill that prescription," he told her.

"Wonder how much that'll run me." She didn't see the point in paying good money for something that was probably just fancy aspirin.

"I'll handle it." Falco's voice was firm.

Damn it, he was doing it again. Had she asked him to pay for the prescription? "Is that what you do? Handle things? Make decisions for people and expect them to just fall into line?"

She hadn't expected a response, but he seemed to seriously consider the question. "In my line of work I'm used to making decisions."

"Your line of work." She remembered the card the big man gave her last night. "Falco Ventures. What's that?"

"We're venture capitalists. We look for small businesses and start-ups to invest in."

"Falco. Is that Italian?"

"Yes."

She recalled something else about the card—its logo. A large bird with its wings spread. "Falcon? Is that what it means?"

"Falcon or hawk, yes."

Perfect. Barrett had caught a nature show on falcons once. They looked so majestic and lonely, circling the sky in solitary flight as they scanned the ground for their next meal. Falco watched her sharply now with hooded eyes, the way that bird of prey might watch a mouse.

             Well, he'd find out she was no mouse.

*****

I  hope you enjoyed that little snippet! I more exciting news--the complete anthology is available for only 99 cents for a very limited time! 

You can find it at any one of these retailers:

Amazon: https://amzn.com/B01IFYI3PG

AllRomance ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thecharmedbracelet-2076558-166.html

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-charmed-bracelet-lara-archer/1124100052

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-charmed-bracelet

iTunes: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-charmed-bracelet/id1134573972?mt=11 

Thanks so much, friends, and have a wonderful week!

Nona Raines

Website--Facebook--Twitter--Newsletter

Now available: my newest releases, No Promises and the Not the Hot Chick series

The Quest for Erotic

There’s nothing more annoying than a know-it-all. Am I right? Worse, once again the truism of “those who can’t write, critique” is proved. Yeah, I’m a long-term reviewer and, thus, I have an opinion. About everything. “It’s what I do.”

Worse, I’m o-so-confident in myself that I put my beliefs to action and I put my hands to a keyboard to write erotic romance. I’d love to say that it was an easy thing to do, with all the history I’ve had in the romance genre, but it wasn’t. Romance itself demands a deep sense of authenticity, erotic more so.

One can talk about something, maybe even build a scene around something, but unless one is actively inside that something—now or in the past—then the reader will recognize that. Worse, they will not forgive it. No, that’s not specific to romance itself, but this hard line in the sand is often proven in the romance genre.

I remember reading a book in the 80s where the protagonists were “on the bridge to Catalina Island and…” There is no bridge. Read that again. There is NO BRIDGE TO CATALINA ISLAND. Just a nauseating two-hour boat trip that I endured twice a summer, every bloody summer, because my mother dragged me on the boats for the hellish yearly July 4^th trip—this is not a therapy session. 

Anyway, as you can see I *still* remember that gaffe and, no, I don’t forgive it. But back to EroRom and the tacit contract of authenticity between reader and author.  It was that very thing that gave me pause when my (then) publisher invited me to write m/m romance. Of course I said, “Yes,” but my mental answer was, “But, I don’t have the equipment for that.” Yes, EroRom demands authenticity and not to make too fine a point on that topic, I know what it’s like to desire a someone. More, (I’ll say it) I know what it is to touch and by touched by a guy I’m attracted to.

As for the “male specific” bits of authenticity—and, yes, there is a huge difference between the male mind and the female mind—I find authenticity from what’s authentic. A guy. My buddy Brian, in fact. (So very often he sighs when faced with a question, but he’s never let me down.)

Reviews: “Such an authentic voice!”

Me: “Yeah, my guy friends give input. I’m not gonna lie.”

But then, it was a question of “do I have a character for this?” As it happens, I did. My Jeremy, bless his (fictional) heart, had threaded through my first two books based in Portland, OR. (I see a coltish awkwardness in retrospect, but learning in the public’s eye is—imho—pretty much the story of all genre authors.) So, Jeremy, a bearded and balding, chubby and 50ish dude. I wanted him to be a heel, to use a wrestling term, but he fought back.

He pushed at me, telling me he was gay and closeted. How could that be a romance hero? I thought it was me. Maybe this craft wasn’t for me? Was I doomed to only review? Then I signed up for a teaching module at Seton Hill’s WPF program, and this one was on the topic of LGBTQ romances.

(Shout out to Annie Harris!) In that module I heard an off-hand comment about how there was next to no romance characters that were less than physically perfect. You’ve seen them.  John De Bare-Chested. Joe Chisel Chest. Laura of the Perfect Bosom and Flowing Locks. The idea of writing of an imperfect character was gently addressed by Annie. Basically “why not?”

I heard Annie and I heard Jeremy, and Butterball was born, now in the hands of Loose ID publishing. (To this day, it remains my bestseller. A chubby closeted gay man is my bestseller. What were the odds of that?)

~  Michelle

Setting the (Writing) Mood with Music

The human brain responds to music in a way it does with no other sound, even language. Given music's tie to dance, which was originally intended to create an intense, pleasurable sense of intoxication and release, it's no wonder so much of our music centers on love and sex and that dancing often leads to sexytime. Here's how to harness the power of music for your next writing session.

Many people prefer to write in silence or with the TV on. Because I was a DJ once upon a time and can't imagine writing without music, I challenge you to spend a little time creating a playlist, whether it's through Spotify, YouTube, iTunes--whatever your preference is. This may seem time-consuming, but it can be a lot of fun and a great way to discover new music. Center it around a general theme or your current project. I write in several genres, so I have playlists for vampires, werewolves, fantasy, even the apocalypse! I also put one together specifically for Firebird, and now I can't hear those songs without picturing the scene to which they correspond. (You can check it out here.) For me, this is part of the discovery process. I've gotten tons of ideas from song lyrics; even the mood of a song can inspire me and lead to something I hadn't thought of previously. It can influence my characters as well. Alex's musical preferences largely arose because of the genres that dominate the Firebird playlist.

The trick is to avoid music you might sing along to, because before you know it, you'll be typing the lyrics. Video game soundtracks and dark ambient have become my go-to for this reason. This is where writing my first drafts in longhand also helps--I'm more conscious of what I'm writing and less likely to transcribe my favorite song into my book. :) But don't start writing right away. Just listen for a few minutes. Let the music speak to you and let your mind wander. How do you feel? What are you thinking about? Does the song remind you of one of your characters, and in what way?

Writing something sexy and don't know where to begin with your playlist? Try the Angels: Chill Trance Essentials series or the Sexual Chillout and Sensual Trance series for starters. Typing in "erotic chill out" brings up some nice results as well. YouTube playlists are especially fun because they lead you to a wealth of other songs and artists--and hopefully, to the sexiest scenes you've ever written!

--Jenn--

Not tonight, honey, I have a headache: 5 Things that Kill the Mood

If you're here and reading this, then, like all of us, you like to fling open the bedroom door and get your fictional freak on. Welcome! You're in good company ;-) As both an avid reader and writer of erotic romance, I've read a lot of sex scenes. Some of them had me dragging my husband upstairs or running to take a cold shower. Others left me shaking my head. I've even been known to laugh out loud at times (which I'm positive was not the authors intention). 

So, I've wondered, what is it about certain sex scenes that don't do it for me? What do those authors do that kill the mood? Here are my top five things that will make me roll over and cry headache... 

1. The "C" Word -- No, I'm not talking about cum. I'm talking about that nasty four-letter word that's used to describe the female anatomy, or often hurled as the ultimate insult. C-U-N-T. I absolutely hate this word. There's nothing sexy about it, and every single time I encounter it in a book, I physically cringe. Every. Single. Time. Please, please use something else. I beg you. 

2. Paging Dr. Penis -- I read a book once wherein the heroine either thought or said something to the effect of, "I can't wait to feel his penis inside of me." *Insert screeching air brakes sound* Nope. Cue the laughing. I'm sorry, but penis is such a clinical sounding term. If it's in a romance, it had best be used in a medical setting or by a parent having "the talk" with their kid. Seriously, I'd rather read the word "cock" or "dick" a bazillion times.

3. Say What? -- Now, I'm all for dirty talk. In fact, I find sex scenes without dialogue to be boring, and I generally skim read or skip them. But throw in some hawt dirty talk? Woo, now we're talking! However, if the dirty talk reads like it was lifted from a porno script, I'm outta there! Don't allow characters to lose their personalities simply because they've lost their clothing. 

4. No Doesn't Really Mean No, Does It? -- Lack of consent leading up to and during a sex scene will make me stop reading completely. I will put the book down and walk away. And silence does not equal consent. A perfect example... In a recent read, the hero tries to get busy with the heroine while she's at work. The heroine verbally says, "We can't do this here." To me, that's a big fat NO! But the hero, refusing to be swayed, keeps kissing her and tempting her. Eventually, she gets all hot and bothered and then they have mind blowing sex. I mean, is there any other kind? This isn't sexy. This is rape-y, and with the rape culture being what it is in today's society, this not okay. At all. Ever. Period. Full stop. 

5. The Never-ending Erection -- Okay, I get that this is fiction, and if the sex was portrayed realistically, people wouldn't read it. But c'mon! When the hero gets off in the heroine's mouth and then 2.3 seconds later he's rock hard again and pounding away inside of her... Let the eye rolling begin. Unless he's popped a little blue pill, give him a little bit of time to recoup. 

Remember, reading is a personal and subjective activity. What kills it for me might be the thing to get your libido running. So, sound off in the comments. What kills the mood for you? 

~ Lexi ~ 

Diversity in Writing and Publishing

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 nothing 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. 

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 race 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. 

Now, diversity in writing and publishing does absolutely 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. 

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 FINALLY! 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. 

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, Frankenstein, was written by a woman, a hundred plus years before women writers were really allowed to be a thing. 

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. 

Now, I am not saying that we do not need more, many many more, other voices in writing, particularly in genre fiction, because we so 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! 

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. 

~ Rach