Look, Ma…I was productive!

New Colors. New Header. New tagline.

I’ve been agonizing for months over the layout of this crazy blog. It was very dark and a bit on the dreary side before. I’m still not entirely happy with it, but it’s getting better. It’s a work in progress, like so many other things in my life.

My new header is pretty. It’s not perfect yet, but I’m also not done tweaking. There’s a pretty good chance the whole color scheme is going to change before I’m done. Stay tuned and see what sort of mess I make!

So beyond that, I’ve not been around much, as usual. I’m trying like hell to get a novel finished and polished. Yes, we’re talking about Wes and Anna. I came to a point about two weeks ago where I realized that my conflict needed some serious punching up. I figured out what needed to happen, but I couldn’t figure out how to accomplish it.

Then I started re-reading and realized that the answer was in front of me all along. I KNOW HOW TO FIX IT! And I can fix it and finish up the last 20K or so of this book once and for all!

I’ve also been agonizing over where to submit it, and I think I’ve made a decision. I have two indie publishers I’ve been considering, but this book, for some reason, holds a special place in my heart. Once I create a title and get it edited a bit, I’m going to swallow that queasy feeling and submit to Harlequin.

It’s worth a shot, right?

Satisfaction… and how to get it.

Two weeks ago I unleashed THIS POST on the world. Ever since then I’ve been thinking about the over-criticism the romance genre as a whole takes and I find myself wanting to talk more and more about the elements of a good romance novel. As I am often wont to do, I’m starting at the end.

The end of the book, I mean. I decided to start there because the ending is the most important part of a romance story. When writing romance, you have two options:

1. Happy Ever After, in which your characters hook up and will live forever in whatever bliss they create. It is not just implied that they’re happy – we know for a fact they’re happy and will continue to be happy forever. Hence the ever after portion of that tag.
2. Happy For Now, where your characters are satisfied with the outcome, whether it’s forever or just for the night.

No matter what you do, the only way to satisfy your audience is to make absolutely certain your characters are happy in the end. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. They have to be happy and the story has to be tied up in a nice, neat little package.

Yes, there are exceptions. There are always exceptions, but if you want to be one of them, then you’d better have a damn good reason why your characters aren’t happy.

So you want to write a series and it requires your heroine go missing at the end of the first book? Okay. This is not unusual and something I intend to discuss in more detail later, but for the purpose of this post it’s on the no-no list. But if you insist that she be missing, then make her missing. Just remember that your readers have to know two things before you stop the story:

First, that there WILL without a doubt be a second book. Second, that your hero will stop at nothing to get her back. And I do mean nothing. If he’s required to face Hell itself to get her back, he better be putting on his flame-retardant gear when the curtain goes down.

Nothing disappoints a romance audience faster than a one-and-done ending with no emotion and no satisfaction. Like I said in that original post – the whole point of reading romance is to fall in love over and over again. The best way to accomplish that is by giving the audience the illusion of eternal happiness.

[INSERT DISCLAIMER HERE: I'm getting ready to ruin the endings of two of my books! Consider yourself warned!]

Personally, I’ve written both endings. In Marked, Russell and Tabitha have their moment of post-coital afterglow, but they’re both satisfied. They’re both happy. And even though there’s not a hard and fast commitment, the implication that they’re going to remain more than friends is there.

I did that for a reason. It’s a stand-alone story but I love Tabitha. One day (and I’ve been asked!) I might get a wild hair and decide to write a sequel. And that’s fair. I’ve not left loose ends, and there’s no unfulfilled anticipation.

I’ve also given my characters Happy Ever After. In Something in the Air, it’s a short courtship, yes, but Nic and Kelly Ray take it all the way because they know it’s meant to be. But just because a beautiful wedding in the Cayman Islands is right for them doesn’t mean wedded bliss is right for every couple.

It all comes down to personality and timing. Not every scenario needs happy forever. Sometimes they just need happy for now, and that’s okay.

Just make sure they’re happy, and your readers will be too.

Cover Reveal: Outlaw’s Gamble

Morning, darlings! Kharisma is back today and yes, she’s making me look bad AGAIN with another gorgeous cover reveal for another awesome book.

I swear I’m going to learn to tell her no one day…but for now, here it is!

Slade is a half Native American man with nothing to lose and wants to sell his ranch. Jess is a stubborn, resourceful woman with everything to lose who is determined to buy it. What neither expected was to face was the biggest gamble of their lives.

Slade Blackclaw was a drifter with no desire to settle down and even less to become a rancher. However, with the death of his father he inherited the ranch that his cherished mother had adored until her death. Being half Native American afforded Slade no luxury in life and he’s learned to take what he needs when he has to.

Jess Logan needed to work. Her father, William “Sly Bill” Logan, was growing deeper in gambling debt as each day passed. The last beating left him bedridden for more than a week. Though she hated him for all but selling her off to pay his latest debt, losing her mother at the age of six made Sly Bill her only remaining family and someone she would not turn her back on. She had less than three months to come up with the money owed or she’d have to marry the dirty, foul smelling Otis Grayson in order to settle her father’s debt.

After returning to Blueridge, Montana to survey the ranch, Slade decided he wouldn’t stay. Having a permanent home was not in his cards. Taking out an ad at the local saloon, he acquiesces and meets the only person who replied. Little did he know, Jess was nothing like what he expected.

Jess knows she isn’t what Slade had hoped for…let alone what he wanted. But with debtors closing in on her father, and very possibly her virginity, Jess will do anything or be anyone for Slade to save her father and, more importantly, herself.

Release is scheduled for late October with a full book tour beginning in November. To keep up on Slade, Jess, Sly Bill and the release of Outlaw’s Gamble, please visit any or all of the following:
Website – Blog – Facebook – Twitter

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE TOUR-WIDE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

About Kharisma

Years ago, Kharisma traded in snow, ice and tornadoes for sun, heat, sand and mountains. She now lives in beautiful Arizona with her husband, kids & rescue dogs and goats. Now, in her eleventh year in Arizona, she is once again braving new terrain and has moved up into the White Mountains.  This will be the first year that she will see freezing temperatures and snow.

Dabbling in writing through Junior High and High School, Kharisma officially got her start writing LGBT, BDSM and erotica. Never one to slow down, she started writing several additional genres including crime, medical, historical and paranormal. Her latest adventure is a dark horror. Her Highlander Mine serial is an unexpected success of which she hopes to have more of.

When you pick up one of her books, she wants you to walk away turned on and inspired! Come take a stroll into Kharisma’s worlds of ecstasy, love, adventure and fear.

Her website is here: http://www.kharismarhayne.com/ and you can also find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KharismaRhayne?ref=hl

Slipping into Something Sexy

Oh, get your mind out of the gutter. I’m talking about book covers! As a romance author having signed and lost and re-signed contracts I’ve learned one very important lesson: Good cover art can make or break you.

A book cover works just like a little black dress. You want form-fitting but comfortable, and just hot enough to draw attention without giving away too much. But it also needs to be relevant. You don’t want a girl in skimpy underwear on the cover of your book if your heroine is a Quaker.

Bad example, I know. But you get my point. You want it to touch on elements of the story in a cohesive way that makes a potential reader do a double-take. It’s that second glance that’s going to get your book pulled off the shelf and turned over for a quick blurb check. That second glance might just be what gets your book sold.

I learned that lesson the hard way. My contemporary romance novella, Something in the Air, was originally published with someone else. When the rights were returned to me, I submitted and signed it and its sequel with Purple Sword Publications. And the amazing part is that a brush-up on editing and a new cover later, I’ve had more compliments and reviews on that book since February than I ever had people even look at it before. Take a look for yourself.

When I saw this new cover, I immediately fell in love with my own story again. I missed that feeling too, because I had a lot of fun writing it. This picture more appropriately conveys the love between my hero and heroine. Can’t you see it on their faces? I don’t know about you, but when I look at them, I feel his love in the way he holds her. It’s emotional. It speaks to me.

I’m definitely a connoisseur of good cover art. I admit that I’m one of those shameless types that walks down the aisles in the bookstore until something jumps out at me. Yes, I’ve bought many a book on cover art alone. Yeah, I’ve also been sorely disappointed a time or two but you know what? I don’t mind buying a dud with a pretty cover because I know some struggling artist put his or her heart and soul into those pages.

Some of my publishers would tell you that I’m really a pain in the butt when it comes to my covers. My cover art request forms are long and detailed with lists upon lists of THINGS I REFUSE TO HAVE ON MY BOOKS. But I’m not the only one. Look at Lexxx’s cover over to the right. Isn’t it pretty? I know her pretty well, and I know that she wouldn’t have allowed that cover if it didn’t speak to her. It’s dark and sultry, isn’t it? That’s the very type of thing that makes me stop and back up to see what it’s all about.

And another one. Crymsyn and Anastasia have a gorgeous one here, don’t you think? The man is sexy, and so is the tiger in the background. Kinda makes you want to know what the connection is, doesn’t it?

See, that’s my point. A pretty picture can hook you in a heartbeat. And when it comes to the way us romance ladies write, heartbeats are what we want. We want you to fall in love with our book covers so you’ll pick up our books. Because I can promise you, once you open up our books, you’re going to fall in love with us.

Jitterbug PR Presents: Scent of Triumph by Jan Moran

Good morning, darlings! I have another guest today! Jan Moran is with me, to showcase her Historical Romance Novel, Scent of Triumph.

We were going to play 20 Questions today, but things happen and it didn’t quite work the way we planned. No matter…check out her book anyway!

About Scent of Triumph

Scent of Triumph is the story of Danielle Bretancourt, a talented young French perfumer with a flair for fashion and a natural olfactory gift. In the language of perfumery, she is a Nose, with the rare ability to recognize thousands of essences by memory. The story opens on the day England declares war on Germany, and Danielle and her family are caught in the midst of a raging disaster sweeping across Europe.

Her life takes a tragic turn when her husband and son are lost behind enemy lines. She spies for the French resistance, determined to find them, but is forced to flee Europe with fragments of her family. Destitute, she mines her talents to create a magnificent perfume that captures the hearts of Hollywood’s top stars, then gambles again to win wealth and success as a couturier. Her intelligence and flair attracts the adoration of Jonathan Newell-Grey, of England’s top shipping conglomerate, and Cameron Murphy, Hollywood’s most charismatic star.

Danielle charts her course through devastating wartime losses and revenge; lustful lovers and loveless marriages; and valiant struggles to reunite her family. Set between privileged lifestyles and gritty realities, here is one woman’s story of courage, spirit, and resilience.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Jan Moran

Author. Media Spokesperson.
Business Consultant.

Jan Moran is the author of the Scent of Triumph, as well as Fabulous Fragrances I and II, which earned spots on the Rizzoli Bookstore bestseller list.

As a fragrance and beauty expert, she has been featured in numerous publications and on television and radio, including CNN, Women’s Wear Daily, Allure, InStyle, and O Magazine. As an editor and writer, she has covered fragrance, beauty, and spa travel for a variety of publications such as Cosmopolitan, Costco Connection, and Porthole Cruise.

She is the founder and creator of Scentsa, a touch-screen software program for retailers and brands.  The fragrance and skincare programs are at Sephora stores in the US, Canada, France, Mexico, Brazil, and Denmark.

As a speaker, consultant, and major brand/retailer spokesperson, she has spoken before numerous groups, including Fashion Group International, The Fragrance Foundation, and The American Society of Perfumers.  She has represented brands and retailers in media on behalf of several PR companies, including Edelman and DeVries. She is available for consulting, training, and speaking engagements.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and the University of Texas at Austin. As an entrepreneur and former CEO and board member, she speaks on a variety of topics, including topics in the fragrance and beauty industries, technology engagement at retail, entrepreneurship, the business of writing, and other C-level topics.

She is a member of The Author’s Guild and the RWA.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Book Tour: Bound by Seduction

She’s at it again! The lovely Kharisma Rhayne is back today, allowing me to host her for the tour of her Bound By Seduction Anthology. I’ve been watching this one for awhile, and I have to admit… she’s a clever little beast when it comes to her books. Come on in, take a look, and be prepared to walk away with your very own copy.

WARNING: this post contains VERY adult language and story excerpts. Please read at your own risk, and if you have little ones, you may want to keep them away from the computer as you read.

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Since I like to change up my patterns some on tours, I’m going to share an excerpt of Mykal & Kristyna today rather than introduce them first. (See? I’m keeping you on your toes.)

Mykal couldn’t take his gaze off her face as he adjusted her legs over his shoulders. He got closer to her pussy and took a deep breath, breathing in her scent. Feeling his cock jerk against the bed, Mykal willed himself to regain control, to take her slowly. She will scream my name, he silently vowed. Stuffing back his own desire, he watched her face as his tongue swept the middle of her sex, a long stroke from back to front. She shivered under his touch with longing and desire.

“You taste incredible.” His tone low and raw, stung of desire. Mykal knew Kristyna could see the look on his face. He struggled to hold onto his control. Amazing! She did this to him.

With her gaze locked on him again, Mykal went back to his enjoyable task. He licked her front to back and back to front. He nipped gently at her clitoris and sucked her. Mykal knew that his sharper, longer teeth made it all the better for her. The more she moaned and moved beneath him, the more he vowed to pleasure her. It was such sweet torture. He wanted nothing more than to take her right then. But he had to wait.

He inserted his tongue into her pussy. “Mykal!” He smiled against her and swirled his tongue in her juices.

Kristyna let out a gasp as she hissed his name. She tangled her hands in his hair, pulling him closer to her heat. He was lost a moment, relishing her need for him. He needed more. She needed more. God help him, she was going to come over and over for him tonight.

Mykal moved her legs up, opening her wider. She still watched but had no idea what he planned. Could it be that she wondered what he would do to her? He found that he enjoyed the torture he was giving to her, and so did she.

“Please, Mykal, I want you. Now.” Kristyna said. He knew that she had never wanted anyone the way she wanted him. Mykal remembered that she had referred to him before as unique and beautiful. He only had to say her name and she was ready to throw off her clothes and beg him to take her.

“Patience,” Mykal inserted a finger into her slick, tight pussy. He moaned at her tightness. If he didn’t know better, he’d have stopped to ask if she was a virgin. He’d seen her with other men during the months he’d watched over her. And he’d wanted to kill every time. Not her. Never her. But them. Yes, them he could kill. Mykal held his emotions for her with a tight rein. He never wanted to see her unhappy. Never did he want to see her unhappiness caused by his hands.

He pushed her legs farther, tilting her upward so he could lick her anus. She squirmed against his grip. He circled the puckered opening with the tip of his tongue and she gasped.

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Don’t forget to stop by the other blogs (previous stops and future stops) on this tour for other information, character introductions, excerpts, information on upcoming books in the series and more.

I’d love to hang out with everyone. You can find me at:
Website – Blog – Facebook – Bound by Seduction – Twitter

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE TOUR-WIDE GIVEAWAY!

Please be sure to stop in and visit all the blogs on this tour (also, there should be daily direct links posted) http://www.kharismarhayne.com/2013/03/full-april-1-20-for-bound-by-seduction.html

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

ABOUT BOUND BY SEDUCTION

PART 1: JARED & BEKKA

Jared and Bekka, two people with a huge conflict. He’s FBI, she’s the prosecuting attorney. Him in his high class suits with attitude to match, her with an uptight personality and a virgin to boot. Watch the sparks fly from the office to the bedroom as these two go head to head and flesh to flesh.

PART 2: JARVICK & ARABELLE

Arabelle finds herself at the gym on a Friday night and ends up working on more than her cardio with oh so hot stranger, Jarvick when he guides her to his truck for some cuffed experimentation. Just how well will these two fit together?

PART 3 MYKAL & KRISTYNA

The third installment in the Bound by Seduction series finds that Mykal has admired Kristyna for quite some time. He knows there are dangers with bringing her into his world. After a time, he decides to try to become friends, leading them right into relationship territory and landing them right into his bed. But what price will she pay to be his forever?

PART 4: SHANE & KASEY

Shane has a special surprise for Kasey on their date. He’s been out of town for a while and wants to show her how much he’s missed her and push their boundaries.

Kasey is surprised when she opens her door and sees a dozen roses outside. She’s even more surprised to see that they’re bound together with rope. The note attached to it has her anticipation rising.

Will Shane’s planned evening go off without a hitch? Or will the tables get turned?

PART 5: JACOB & ISA

Jacob liked Isa, maybe even loved her, but if she couldn’t accept everything, it was time for them to both move on.  Would she accept what he was about to tell her?

Buy Links
ARe – Amazon – Barnes & Noble

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Tuesday Tales: Noisy

We’re back this week with a new chapter and a new prompt!

Today’s selection comes from that perpetual contemporary romance WIP with no name.  Anna has just woken up from a nap and found that it’s time for dinner on the Homegrown Ranch. Let’s see what she’s up to, shall we?

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When she woke, it was to the sound of a dinner bell and the savory aroma of steak. It brought her downstairs and directly into Wesley, Sr.’s path.

“Come on, sweetheart,” he said and took her arm, “let’s get you a good seat for dinner.” He led her out the door onto the verandah where the crowd of ranch employees bubbled and roiled around the long picnic-style benches. The cloud of noise enveloping this rowdy bunch made her ears ring as their boss led her by the hand toward a wide gap on one of the benches. The hands took their seats one by one, still embroiled in loud conversation and didn’t seem to notice. She took her seat on Wes’ right side at his father’s request and immediately found herself boxed in on the other side by Cam.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said with one of his most dazzling smiles.

“Hey yourself,” she replied, then turned her strained smile on Wes.

Before she could speak, Linda appeared from the kitchen door followed by three of the cleaner looking hands. They carried trays loaded down with steaks and foil-wrapped potatoes, and the clanging sounds of voices melted into near silence. The occasional stomach grumbled, but the din was gone. The smell of cooked meat assaulted her and Anna realized she was starving. Until that minute she didn’t think anything could distract her from the virile, sexy, aggravating man sitting next to her.

“We weren’t sure how you take your beef, honey,” Linda said as she leaned over Cam to place the tray on the table, “so we did one extra of each temperature. And don’t worry about the extras…these boys always see that no food goes to waste.”

Anna smiled at the kindly little woman, “Medium-rare, please.” Several pairs of eyes snapped to attention. Linda smiled down at her as she dropped a large cut of meat onto the plate.

“It’s not every day we get new blood that knows how to eat a steak.” She leaned close to Anna. “I think you have a few fans now.”

Anna glanced up to find that the surprised stares had softened into something resembling admiration. Out of the corner of her eye, she even caught Wes looking at her.

“That’s enough, boys,” Linda said, patting Anna on the shoulder. “Eyes on your plates.” The men complied, albeit reluctantly, and plates of baked potatoes and roasted corn made their way around the table. Anna’s stomach rumbled in anticipation, but as she reached for the foil wrap on her potato, Wes caught her hand and pulled it back under the table.

“Not yet,” he whispered. She turned to question but his father chose that moment to rise and tap his glass against the heavy table. The chatter immediately ceased and every set of eyes turned to the head of the table.

“I’d like to introduce everyone to our guest, Anna Scott. She comes to us from Raleigh, North Carolina. Miss Scott will be with us for the next eight days, taking photographs for a new advertising campaign, so please make her feel at home.” Wesley, Sr. continued with his announcements, mercifully moving the attention away from her. She lowered her head to wait out the speech, inadvertently catching Wes’ eye. He winked slyly before turning his attention back to his father.

The announcements ended and Anna raised her hand only to have it stopped again by Wes. She turned to look at him and found his head bowed. He didn’t let go of her hand. On her other side, Cam took hold of her free hand. For the second time today, she sat and listened to a blessing. This, too, was a simple prayer, yet the words were filled with conviction. It touched her.

She sat motionless long after the rest of the crowd started to eat. This world was so vastly different from the one she knew, and every time she turned around, these wonderful people reinforced that thought.

“You okay, sweetie?” Cam asked, startling her from her thoughts. The warp bubble she’d entered popped and the sounds of ripping meat, hearty conversation and clanging silverware took the place of the earlier noise. Anna pasted a smile on her face as he turned to him.

“Just fine,” she replied a bit too brightly. “I just got lost in thought for a minute.” She reached for her potato, half expecting Wes to stop her, but he was too busy slicing into his steak.

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For more wonderful stories to the prompt of “noisy”, check out the Tuesday Tales blog!