Madelynne Ellis

Nookie Island is complete

2012-01-28T16:12:00.000Z

Wow! In a minute I'm going to refresh my memory about what the real world looks like. Just now I'm wallowing in the fleeting joy of having finished another book. Nookie Island started off so well, but it's kicked my butt continuously as I've worked my way forward. Originally, I planned to finish this back in December. Well, fate conspired, so here I am at the end of January, three days away from my deadline, just sneaking it in under the wire.

Do you want to know the really scary bit?

It's already available for pre-order on Amazon! And believe me, that fact has been spurring me on for the last few weeks. It always makes me nervous when a book I haven't finished writing is listed, even as a pre-order.
You can check it out here [UK]and here [US].

Reviewers Choice Award

2012-01-07T19:47:00.001Z

Just emerging from my crushingly close deadline for Vanilla to let you know that I've received a Reviewers Choice Award from TwoLipsReviews for my novel, Enticement.Look see, a pretty to display too.

PS: Both Anything But Vanilla and Gabriel's Naughty Game are available for pre-order on Amazon.

Book List 2011

2012-01-01T11:53:00.000Z

Yokan - Noise, Makoto Tateno
Yokan - Premonition, Makoto Tateno
Lord of Misrule, Rachel Caine
Simply Forbidden, Kate Pearce
Lost Gods, Kim Knox
Monica's Secret, Saskia Walker
Manwich, Sedonia Guillone
Naked, Megan Hart
Unlocked, Courtney Milan
A Touch of Dead, Charlaine Harris
Forbidden Heat, Opal Carew
Anchor and Storm, Kate Poole
The Dark Enquiry, Deanna Raybourn
Break Out, Nina Croft
Dead Reckoning, Charlaine Harris
The Choirmaster, Justine Elyot
Splendid Captivity, Brita Addams
Forbidden, Karen Erickson
Tempted, Megan Hart
Spying in High Heels, Gemma Halliday
Power of Three, Portia Da Costa
Past Pleasures, Charlotte Stein
Maiden Lane, Lynne Connolly
Half Blind (beta) Christine Price
Hareton Hall, Lynne Connolly
Eyton, Lynne Connolly
Harley Street, Lynne Connolly
Venice, Lynne Connolly
Devonshire, Lynne Connolly
Yorkshire, Lynne Connolly
The Debutante's Dilemma, Elyse Mady
Regency Nights, Kitti Bernetti
Behind the Duke's Door, Lynne Silver
Grace Under Fire, Jackie Barbosa
Butterfly Swords, Jeannie Lin
Lover Unleashed, JR Ward
Shadowfever, Karen Marie Moning
Delicious Love Triangle (beta), Sedonia Guillone
The Rest Falls Away, Colleen Gleason
Breath of Heaven, Cindy Holby
The Duke's Captive, Adele Ashworth
The Taking, Erin McCarthy
The Wish List,Gabi Stevens
A Certain Wolfish Charm, Lydia Dare
Too Wicked to Kiss, Erica Ridley
Promise of Ice (beta), Christine Price

Blood Moon - at very long last.

2011-12-27T13:18:00.001Z

I've been sitting on this cover for a few weeks waiting until I had the text edits back before announcing the release. Finally, after several years in the making, I'll be releasing Blood Moon (aka the Bloody Book) in early January 2012.

Here's the extremely gorgeous cover, which is so perfect that I can't recommend or thank Kim Killion of HotDamn Designs nearly enough.She was a dream to work with, and produced my favourite book cover (of my books) ever. Everything about it is perfect, from the backdrop to the representations of the characters.

Marked and prophesized to be the demon prince reborn, Blaze Makaresh, an impulsive loner, is on the run from the youkai, demons who wish to claim him, and the Talon, their ruthless hunters. Only one person is prepared to help keep him alive and sane--Asha Lemarche, a cold and lovely ex-demon hunter with an addition to Blood Rain, a demon derived drug that heightens sexual pleasure. Blaze has until the Blood Moon rises to thwart his enemies, or risk the subjugation of the entire human race, but at what cost to himself and those closest to him?

Bound

Determined to keep Blaze human, but hooked on the taste of him, Asha is forced to reasses her position when their human foes outnumber their demons ones tenfold and the only safe haven lies on the other side of the Division Bridge in the demon realm.

Captured

Asha's life is on the line, but the fierce sexual attraction that binds her to Blaze may prove to be the riskiest part of all,leading to a transformation none of them predicted.

Where I'm At.

2011-12-19T10:37:00.001Z

The last month has been crazy, and that's without going into the details of my non-writing life. If I added those it, I think the polite term would be mental. The impolite term isn't printable. However, sticking to the writing front... crazy, yeah.

Let's see,

I've had the cover for my Spice Briefs outing, Gabriel's Naughty Game, due in Feb 2012.
I've signed a contract with Total-E-Bound for another contemporary menage novella, called Sharing Adam which is going to appear in one of their anthologies.
I've signed on the dotted line with a super seckrit publisher, after some negotiations who will be publishing Nookie Island (though not under that title) in 2012. Speaking of which, I really do need to make that deadline. 10K to go folks.
I've parted company with my agent. Kind of sad about that, but it makes more sense in terms of the markets I'm looking at currently.
The Bloody Book, actual title Blood Moon is currently been edited and is due for release shortly.
Kim Killion of HotDamn Designs has created a totally gorgeous cover for Blood Moon that I think I may actually love it the best out of all the covers I've ever had.
I've put together a short story written by my kids for Mr Madelynne's birthday. It hasn't been released, but it is wonderful in a way that only stories written by children can be.
We Were Lovers Once is currently free at most sites that aren't Amazon.
Oh, and I'm still debating the future of my Romps & Rakehells novellas.

All in all, far too much to think about at once. Especially as it means that in the first half of 2012 I can currently look forward to

edits on 4 projects. You know they're going to arrive at once.
Working on The Bloody Book 2, which also has Moon in the title.
Actually writing the proposal for a second project to go to the seckrit publisher, rather than the vague idea I've so far presented.
Finally writing AGW3.
Getting my act together over Romps & Rakehells.
Actually doing something with the half written novel on my hard drive. I'm considering posting it as a serial on my blog. Opinions on that idea are very welcome.
Oh, and sorting out what I'm going to do with the second half for 2012.

What have the rest of you planned for next year?

30 Days of Christmas

2011-12-04T20:39:00.001Z

I'm over at Lex Valentine's blog today, where you can comment for a chance to win a copy of Three Times the Scandal as well as books by Lex Valentine and Karenna Colcroft.

Naughty Games & Cover pretties

2011-11-28T23:11:00.001Z

Here it is. Hot off the press. The cover for my first, and sadly only Spice Brief.

Gabriel's Naughty Game
Pub Date: Feb 2012, Harlequin Spice Briefs
ISBN: 978-1-459-22141-3

“I want to see you withanother guy.”

When Gabriel tells me hisfantasy, I want to laugh it off, pretend it’s a joke. But I know it isn’t—he’sserious. I’m all for a little daring in the bedroom, but this is toorisky. It gets even worse when Gabriel reveals who he wants me to sleep with: Nye,the only other man who’s ever tempted me.

I soon realize there’smore to Gabriel’s game than simple voyeurism. But whatever Gabriel wants,Gabriel gets….

Highs and Lows

2011-11-07T13:27:00.001Z

... or maybe that should be lows and highs. I attended a family wedding over the weekend. First disaster was on arrival. Mr Madelynne, kids and I all get safely into our hotel room only for Mr Madelynne to ask, "Where's my jacket?"

To which I replied, "Isn't it in the car?"

NOPE! It's only still hanging up still at home several hundred miles away.

He spent the next hour and a half doing a whirlwind tour of the supermarkets in order to find something other than socks and pants to wear, since the reception was being held in a gorgeous fortified priory, I don't think jeans and a tatty old jumper would have cut it.

Then the car died on the return journey. We think it's the engine. I'm pretending everything is fine...toobedoobedoo. Haven't cancelled Christmas quite yet as we're still waiting to hear from the garage.

However, to make up for it a little bit. I've had three... count them, three... reviews in the JERR newsletter this month, and all by different reviewers. I did glance through squinting to begin with, but I needn't have worried on this occasion.

Enticement = 5 stars. "What a fantastic book!"

Indiscretions = 4 stars. "For those who love a fast paced saucy historical full of ambience, that brings a by-gone era alive, then Indiscretions is the story for you."

Three Times the Scandal = 5 stars. "Three Times the Scandal has a mixture of laughter, tears, scandal, suspense and love all mixed together making a perfect sexy historical read."

Visit JERR to read the full reviews.

Midway Mayhem

2011-11-03T20:51:00.001Z

View of Fort Clonque (Nookie Island)

Nookie Island is on pause at 51K. For various reasons including having cold, school holidays and natural writing flow. The prose had begun to stall and the character motivations were becoming rather woolly. I really ought to know better than to think I can write an entire first draft without revisiting anything. Hence, I'm taking a break from getting words down this week in order to edit what I've already written. Hopefully by tightening up what I have, I'll find it easier to move forward. The other added bonus is that I love editing far more than I enjoy creating a first draft.

I've revised the work plan for 2012 to slightly more realistic levels now, having incorporated mid-book editing timing. I'm still hoping to write the best part of four novels next year. I'm sick of having all these books hanging around that I never seem to get to.

Currently on the schedule. AGW3, The 2nd Bloody Book, a contemporary erotic novel, a couple of historical novelettes, a SciFi novella and an Edwardian mystery.

Oh, and fingers crossed WE WERE LOVERS ONCE will soon be available on Smashwords and their affiliates, assuming I haven't mucked up the formatting requirements.

Sniffles

2011-10-25T09:14:00.001+01:00

I'm full of stinking cold at the moment. Stinking because it's one of those stealth bugs that fools you into thinking you're well when you're not. It came out of nowhere on Friday and turned my throat into a prickly hedgehog, annihilated a few brain cells and then pretty much disappeared again. Now, it's sudden returned and installed trapdoors in my sinuses that make it virtually impossible to breath regardless of whether the darn things are open or closed. Closed beats the leaky tap effect of them being open.

Hence, it's no wonder I'm a little down on my word count goal (only 1000 words). It's so hard to write sexy stuff when you're a walking germ mine. That said, the shortfall could also be attributed to my fascination with the projects that are supposed to be waiting in the wings. I did a bit of outlining on one of those projects yesterday, which is gearing up to be a three guys/one girl situation. Though possibly not on a permanent basis.

I'm still seeing flashes of the SF thing I'm contemplating too, along with snapshots of Vaughan et al. One of the things I want to get done soon is to drag out my notebooks from when I was writing Phantasmagoria and go through the notes/scenes I wrote for AGW3 at the time. I'm also toying with the idea of writing a Xmas story from Lucerne's point of view to post on my blog during advent. I was going to do that last year, which perhaps gives you and idea of how slowly things sometimes move.

Okay, need to get out of bed now. Kiddies Halloween party looms. At least I'll blend in with the other zombies.

Future Plans

2011-10-23T13:17:00.002+01:00

Friday I sat down and outlined my "timetable" of projects for 2012. This involves blocking off sections of time in pretty colours on a spreadsheet and estimating how long it'll take to get things done. The result, while theoretically do-able, is also highly optimistic. It doesn't account for natural disasters or the fact that I probably won't manage to write 9K every week. (9K of drivel, maybe. But I need most of it to be sound.) Also, things are subject to change depending on what I hear back from editors on the work I currently have on submission.

So, what's the point if I know I'm going to deviate from the plan?

Simple. It's a target. It gives me a frame to work to. More importantly, it lets me acknowledge all the projects that I have stacked up in the background, and says, "This is when I'm going to work on you."

Next year's aim then is to work on two projects at any one time in order to complete (I'm laughing here, because it's such a good joke.) four full length novels and three novellas. I know what three of those novels will be, but I'm less certain of the novellas which tend to be more along the lines of whatever takes my fancy at the time.

Vaughan fans will be pleased to know that TSK (or AGW3) is currently first on my list once I've completed Nookie Island.

I've lots still to complete for 2011 first. Nookie Island is past the mid-point, but still a long way from finished. I also have a couple of short novellas I want to finish off, both historical and a proposal to write for another contemporary novel. Crazily, I'm also toying with the idea of writing an SF set novella. I know, madness, isn't it, but I've always enjoyed SF horror type stories. The question is whether I can blend that with the erotic. Hopefully, I can.

PS. You can make what you will of my pic choice.

Addendum

2011-10-18T13:19:00.001+01:00

Enticement seems to be on a bit of a roll at the moment with another top notch review. This one from You Gotta Read It Reviews who gave it a You Gotta Read It rating, and said among many lovely things including "this is a fine example of erotic romance and I highly recommend it."

Hope you'll check out the full review.

Mid Points

2011-10-18T09:59:00.002+01:00

I've reached the mid-point of Nookie Island and boy can I tell. Mid-points are awkward. This is the point in a book where my initial enthusiasm is completely gone and I start wondering how I'm ever going to get to the end. It's the point where I wonder if I've put down enough groundwork to hold the story. It's also crunch time for my characters and whether there liked and understood. If they're not by this point, they've no hope of holding a readers interest for the rest of the book. This is why I tend to linger around this point for a while without really progressing (in terms of the word count. I do make progress in other ways). Things seem extra doubtful for this project because I've reached this point far quicker than I've ever done before working on a full length novel.

So, what can I say about this book... There's an awful lot of sex, some seriously rotten, gothic weather, ice-cream and lots of exposures! Kara is confused, Zach is sulking and Ric... Ric is pretending that everything is rosy, because that's way easier than dealing with reality. Silly boy likes to bottle up his baggage and stow it in the cellar. (His cellar has about reached bursting point.) Oh, and the tide is never convenient for travel to the mainland. I suppose it would help if they occasionally stopped bonking or actually read the tide timetable. LOL.

In other news, "We Were Lovers Once" is now available at All Romance Ebooks in addition to Amazon. I'm amazed I've managed to navigate the process, but it's looking good. I may hit other outlets in the future, but for the moment I'm more concerned with my deadlines.

Lots of projects waiting in the wings too, another proposal for seckrit publisher that wants Nookie island, the next bloody book, plus the third AGW book (Vaughan is showing immeasurable patience), my Edwardian project and a whole slew of other shorter works, all of which should keep me busy for years.I'm not going to ask for votes on how to prioritise it all, because I suspect I already know the answer.

Finally, I'm mulling over what to do for Xmas this year. I'm not sure whether to repeat the Advent Calendar or go for something less extensive. Suggestions welcome.

*****
Recently watched: Pitch Black (again), National Treasure (hm) & Downton (love it).
Recently read: Manwich by Sedonia Guillone

Awesome Review

2011-10-11T13:15:00.000+01:00

Oh, happy days! Nothing brightens my day quite like a glowing review, and considering the dismal weather today, my day certainly needed a bit of brightening.

Alberta over at Manic Readers gave Enticement 5 stars and opened her review like this

Whew!! Get out the fan, turn the air conditioning to freezing and get a cold drink before you read this one. It’s so hot flames were spouting out of my ereader!

You can read the rest of the review by following this link to Manic Readers. She says some very lovely things about bad boy, Kit and his errant ways eg:

Kit is the kind of man that everyone needs in their life at least once. If you are lucky enough to have a Kit in your life permanently, you may not need this book at all! But read it anyhow. Kit eats, lives, breathes, thinks, acts, and actually IS sex.

I'm pleased to know I'm not the only one who thinks so. Thank you, Alberta.

Where have all the good words gone?

2011-10-10T12:57:00.000+01:00

I'm 36K words into Nookie Island now. Yep, things have slowed down. Matter of fact, I've been fighting with it for well over a week. I'm over the frantic rush at the beginning to get the words down and make it work, over the elation of acceptance, and mired in the reality of getting the damn book written.

There's a secondary problem with the words slowing to a trickle in that I start doubting myself. Note: this is not intended as a woe is me speech. Think of it as more of an observation of the facts.

FEWER WORDS = BAD MOOD = I SUCK AT WRITING = BAD MOOD = FEWER WORDS

I think all writers go through this. We all doubt ourselves. At least, all of the ones I've ever met. We get over it too. I'll keep on writing and suddenly it'll all fall into place. That or I just have to keep plodding until I reach the end. Every book is different. Some of them flow onto the paper better than others. This one, I think, is going to be a choppy ride.

Oh, nearly forgot to mention the lovely review of Enticement I received from Rage, Sex & Teddy Bears. Who said "I think that if you enjoy menage stories at all, this should definitely be on your list. It takes a very graphic and hard look at the lifestyle without losing any of the innate sexiness." You can read the complete review here.

WE WERE LOVERS ONCE available on Kindle

2011-10-09T23:03:00.001+01:00

My little Saturday project has reached fruition (at least I hope it has). That is to say, it's now available to download at Amazon, and hopefully at some other outlets in the near future.

Former artist's model, Sophia Melrose has come to bid farewell to a past lover, only to haver her old desires reawakened by his mesmerising son.
Gabriel Hawksmore has long been fascinated by the enigmatic Mrs Melrose. Now, at his father's wake he finally has the opportunity to act.
Caught up in the act of rekindling past passions and old memories, Sophia and Gabriel collide to form some scorching new ones.

http://www.amazon.com/We-Were-Lovers-Once-ebook

http://www.amazon.co.uk/We-Were-Lovers-Once-ebook

This short story can also be found in the Mammoth Book of Hot Romance.

Winners

2011-10-07T14:11:00.001+01:00

Thanks to the wonderful peeps who entered my release day competition. Since there were so few entries, I've decided to give each of you a prize. So, maggieblackbird, Patti & Leilani, please email me: madelynne at madelynne-ellis dot com and let me know whether you'd prefer a copy of Enticement or Three Times the Scandal, and your preferred e-format.

Enticement in Print

2011-10-05T13:13:00.000+01:00

Enticement, my contemporary menage novel set in the sleepy village of Kirkley, Yorkshire is officially released in print today. Wheeee! Release days always put an extra bounce in my step. Hopefully enjoying the hot sexiness contained within its pages will do the same for any readers.

Here's the blurb to remind you what it's all about.

Once trouble moves in, it can throw a kink in your plans.

Evie’s future finally looks as tidy as the Yorkshire house she shares with Ross, her serious boyfriend. Until she comes home and sneaks into his after-work shower—and discovers she’s just jumped a naked stranger with mysterious, deep-running ties to Ross’s past.

Fresh from a bartending stint in Japan, Kit plans to move into his newly inherited house as soon as it gets a roof. Meanwhile, his old friend Ross has offered him a spare room. How better entertain himself than by pushing Evie’s buttons…and her boundaries?

Risk isn’t Ross’s style—at least, not anymore—but then again, he was never able to say no to Kit. Memories of their wild adventures still spice his sexual fantasies. Fantasies that could cost him Evie’s love, if she knew.

Captured by Kit’s bad-boy charm, Evie finds her vision of domestic bliss rapidly fading in the growing intensity of Kit’s dark sexuality. Kit knows he’s playing fast and loose with Ross and Evie’s relationship, but he’s certain he can win them over and have what he’s always wanted. A three-way romance.

Even if his last attempt ended in a disaster that comes back to haunt them all…

And here's some buy links from where you can purchase its goodness.
http://store.samhainpublishing.com/enticement-p-6539.html

http://www.amazon.com/Enticement-Madelynne-Ellis/dp/1609282922/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317816182&sr=1-4

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/enticement-madelynne-ellis/1100397911?ean=9781609282929&itm=1&usri=madelynne%2bellis

You can also read the first chapter here.

Prizes too! I can't have a release day without prizes. So, I'm giving away ebook copies of Enticement and Three Times the Scandal to which ever lucky person gets drawn out of the hat. Leave a comment to enter.

Also, if you like Kit, you might like to check out his first appearance in the short-story Woe in Kabukicho.

My Saturday Project

2011-10-02T12:02:00.001+01:00

This is what I got up to yesterday afternoon. Sadly, that isn't a picture of me enjoying myself. Nope, I'm attempting to figure out Amazon DTP etc in order to load We Were Lovers Once, which is the story that was recently published in the Mammoth Book of Hot Romance. Even if I don't figure it out, I had fun making the cover.

The Romance Studio Party

2011-09-26T13:44:00.000+01:00

I'm talking about my AGW/Georgian Rakehells series over at the Romance Studio today, as part of the Ai Press Party. Hope you'll come by and say hello and ask questions. There are also prizes to be won.You can check it out here: The Romance Studio Party

Enticement in Print Giveaway

2011-09-24T08:34:00.001+01:00

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Enticement

by Madelynne Ellis

Giveaway ends October 07, 2011.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Islands & Timetables

2011-09-21T09:41:00.000+01:00

Since the kids are back at school, and I've been blessed with a deadline, I've had to adopt a new writing schedule. It seems to be working for the most part, perhaps because I've tried to keep it simple. Mon-Wed I'm concentrating on Nookie Island, minimum of 2K per day. Rather miraculously, I'm actually more or less managing that! Thursday is other projects day and Friday is please myself and tidy the house day. Anything I accomplish on a weekend is considered a bonus.

Fort Clonque

What I find amazing about this system is that I've gone from attempting to get 5K/week done, spread over the whole week and frequently failing, to writing 6K in 3 days, plus bonus material on other projects. How does that work? Is my brain going to suddenly seize up sometime next week and refuse to play along any more? Is it the deadline that's prompting me to work a bit harder? Maybe it's just this book.

St Michael's Mount

I realise I haven't said much about it. Not that I say a great deal about any of my works in progress. Nookie Island (no that isn't the official title) is a contemporary erotic menage set in the UK on a teeny tiny made up island. The island is based on a combination of Fort Clonque, off Alderney, and St Michael's Mount. Both islands, like the one in the book, can be reached by a causeway from the mainland, but are cut off at high tide. That means no escape for my heroine. Hm, actually she's kind of hiding out on the island and with two gorgeous men chasing her, I don't think she's all that keen to go home. What do you think of the island setting?

Bargain Buy

2011-09-04T18:19:00.000+01:00

Three Times the Scandal is on sale for the following month so if you've been thinking about snagging a copy, now is definitely the time. Actual price varies between the various resellers ranging from $4.56 at Amazon (£2.81 in the UK) to $3.89 at ARe. That's a fantastic price for a 96K book. I know I'm always tempted by a bargain, hence the huge TBR pile that I'm accumulating on my Kindle.

Oh, and don't forget that I'm signed up to Kindlegraph if you'd like a personalized message to go with the book.

Anyway, he's a little snippet just to remind you what it's all about:

Dutiful, dependable and desperate… sometimes falling into the arms of a gorgeous rakehell really is the only way out. Better yet, make that three gorgeous rakehells.

Opening Excerpt:

31st January 1801 – Darleston House, Knightsbridge, London.

“Isn’t it marvellous?”

Fortuna Allenthorpe forced a benign smile for her younger sibling, and wished she felt half her sister’s delight. “It’s grand,” she remarked. “Truly, grand.” Indeed, the ballroom was a fantastical paradise, dressed with vast swathes of silken fabrics of emerald and gold, and enormous potted ferns. Their hostess, the Countess of Onnerley, wore a turquoise silken turban, decorated with a single star-like jewel and six enormous ostrich plumes. With a little imagination Fortuna could easily imagine the ballroom as part of a vast Persian palace. The moon outside blazing over a desert city in a cloudless sky, instead of inadequately lighting the churned up slush they’d driven through to get here.

“Shall we go in?” Alicia, the closest of her seven sisters to her in age, gently squeezed her hand.

Fortuna nodded, though she felt sick to her stomach. “I rather suppose we must.”
Alicia gripped her hand a little tighter. “You know you do look awfully pale, perhaps you oughtn’t to have come out.”

“Nonsense, Alicia.” Their mother, a short stout woman, bustled between them, breaking them apart. “It’s merely anticipatory nerves, and well her stomach might flutter. It’s not every day a girl can expect to be engaged, nor a mother so delighted. I’m quite aflutter myself.”

Fortuna flicked open her fan and tried to waft away her misgivings along with the colour in her rapidly heating cheeks. Beneath her rigidly laced stays and narrow petticoats, perspiration slicked her skin. Why had nobody listened to her protests? Even Aunt Beatrice, their chaperone, had approved the match before she took her annual Christmas visit to her family in Norfolk. Why couldn’t they see that it would be a terrible marriage?

If only there were a way to flee into the night, avoid the proposal altogether.

“It won’t be long now, darling. I expect we’ll hear him announced.”

Fortuna peered at her mother over the flounced edge of her fan. She hoped Sir Hector’s carriage got stuck in snowdrift and never arrived.

Was it wrong to wish for a husband who excited her, whose very presence made her tingle with excitement? She pursed her lips. Sir Hector Macleane was not, and never would be that man. Twice her age, over large and a dreadful bore, the only reaction he provoked in her was disgust.

His title and impressive estate had swayed her parents’ hearts far more than her protests, which they dismissed as natural maidenly reservations, but then, as she’d repeatedly said to herself in the mirror, they didn’t have to live with him.

“Ah! Girls.” Mrs. Allenthorpe nudged her five attending daughters to attention, before swirling gracefully on the spot. “Good evening, Sir Hector.” She extended her hand for him to take, and dropped into a low curtsey. A formality quickly replicated by her four younger daughters. Fortuna remained rigidly upright, a wave of nausea almost choking her as Sir Hector diligently turned towards her.

“Miss Allenthorpe, I’m enchanted as always.”

Gracious, but the man was huge. Built like a wild boar. Her nose barely reached his chest, which put her on the same level as his collection of gaudy brooches, each an exquisite example of what not to do with an array of precious gems.

The heat drained from Fortuna’s skin as Sir Hector brushed his dry lips across her knuckles. She tried to smile, but it was no use, the thought of him heaving himself over her in bed, touching her with his club-like hands filled her with horror. Aghast, she cast her gaze downwards, hoping he would mistakenly think her demure.

Sir Hector coughed to clear his throat. “Miss Allenthorpe, I’ve a gift. If you’ll forgive the impudence.”

No, not here, not now. It would be a deal more difficult to refuse him in front of her expectant family. Luckily, when she squinted at her palm, the object was a delicate mother-of-pearl comb and not a betrothal ring. Fortuna stared at the shiny waves of pearlescent pink and felt relief wash through her limbs like a drug.

“Sir, it’s exquisite, but I can’t possibly accept this.”

“Nonsense.” Mrs. Allenthorpe snatched the comb from Fortuna’s hand and with a sharp stab pushed it into her daughter’s elaborate hair arrangement. “My daughter is extremely flattered by your generosity, Sir Hector.”

“Oh, Tunie, it’s lovely,” Mercy, the plainest of the five girls, announced. “The very palest pink and a perfect match for your sash. How clever of you, Sir Hector.”
“Very pretty,” said Mae, the youngest, her lips jealously pursed and her arms folded across her ample breasts. Her huff lasted no more than a second.

Fortuna gently eased the comb away from her scalp as her sisters continued to twitter. As beautiful as the gift was, she wished she could pass it on to one of them and Sir Hector with it. Mercy at least found his lapidary monologues interesting. They’d have suited far more as a couple.

Sir Hector gave another of his intrusive coughs. “Perhaps you’d oblige me with a turn about the room, Miss Allenthorpe.”

“Of course.” Given the extravagant present and her mother’s expectations, she could hardly refuse.

Sir Hector laid her hand upon his sleeve, and with her tucked against his side, plunged them into the crowd.

Itty Bit of a Newsflash

2011-09-03T10:18:00.000+01:00

I'm working on a new project. It's sold on proposal but I can't say where to yet.(Eek, deadlines!) What I can tell you is that it has a contemporary setting and bucket loads of sex. It's also set on a teeny weeny island and involves two men who might look a little bit like this.

Oh, and I'm still finishing up a m/f/f historical novella too. Yes, you read that right. It wasn't a typo. I'm writing something with two women and one man. What's more, it's gloriously entertaining.

Carriages

2011-08-17T22:50:00.000+01:00

Yes, I know it was ages ago, weeks at least, but here at last are some of the carriages I photographed. I have to say here that I love my camera. Sure, they're not the best pics in the world, but considering the lighting conditions in the room where they were housed and the fact that flash photography wasn't permitted, I think they came out surprisingly well. They really are lovely, though I think I like the Spider Phaeton best. I imagine it was pretty hair raising driving around in one. What's not perhaps apparent in the pictures is the actual size of some of these carriages. They are absolutely huge. Some of the wheels on these beasties are easily my height, so I don't think there was a whole lot of hopping in and out of them without waiting for some manner of assistance.

Mid to Late 19th Century Family Carriage.

1829 Britzschka Chariot - family carriage. Note the luggage compartments.

late 19th Century Spider Phaeton

Spider Phaeton interior

Private Omnibus

1838 onwards Brougham with Moroccan leather interior

Kindlegraph

2011-08-01T23:44:00.002+01:00

Isn't this cool? I think it's a fun idea. I always enjoy signing books, even though I never know what to write. Should anyone want a kindlegraph from me, you can sign up here http://kindlegraph.com. Much easier than posting out signed bookplates.

I've been to Shugborough again today to admire their collection of carriages. They really are beautiful. I'd love to have a ride in one just to see what it's like, though I suspect I'd be horrendously travel sick. I'm bad enough in a modern day coach. Anyway, photos once I download them off the camera.

Writing plans have been turned around a bit since I'm now working on a super seckrit proposal. Still hoping to finish off the Romps & Rakehells story that I'm part way through, assuming the summer holidays and the family being home allows for it.

AGW reprise

2011-07-24T19:47:00.001+01:00

I wish I knew what was going on, but frankly I don't. It seems that A Gentleman's Wager has been re-released in the UK (this is good since it was out of print) with the original 2003 cover (left) rather than the 2008 cover (below) which would make more sense. Guess Ebury who acquired Virgin's back catalogue have decided to put out some of those books. I thought I'd seen a projected release date of October, but hey, July is fine too. Anyway, it means it's available again, at least in the UK. Amazon link here.

We Were Lovers Once

2011-07-24T11:42:00.002+01:00

Once upon a time I wrote a story. It was a melancholy mood piece all about loss and change and getting older, which isn't exactly a typical theme for an erotic romance. However, being the optimistic sort (or mad) I sent it out into the world, and by some miracle it ended up in the Mammoth Book of Hot Romance, which was released earlier this week in the UK (out 23rd August in the US).

Here's a little sneak peek at my contribution to this fab collection.

Snippet from "We Were Lovers Once."

Gabriel wrestles a hand below my skirt. His gloves are cool against my thighs. One finger flicks upward and brushes the lace of my panties. Tremulously, I try to push him away, but he thrusts me up against the stacks of paintings, so that my bottom rests upon the top of an ornate brass frame and my back arches towards the wall.

“Stop!”

“Is that really what you want?” He rests his hands lightly upon my knees as he lifts one eyebrow. “Don’t you really long to give in. Weren’t you wild once?”

“Never.” Ray was the wild one, the instigator. I was just drawn to his flame. But looking back I know that’s a lie I’ve been drip-feeding myself for over two decades. It’s the way I’ve reconciled myself to the role I chose. I thought I wanted stability and a decent life in suburbia. I’ve made myself into a perfect wife. I’ve performed to the best of my ability, but this staid laced-up woman isn’t me. The real me is buried deep inside, screaming and flailing now determined to get out. And like his father before him, Gabriel sees it. He slides his hands up my thighs again, until his thumb tip brushes the lace of my knickers, and presses between the lips of my slit.

“Take them off, I dare you.”

This has gone too far! “What sort of pretence at mourning is this?”

And yet, even as a protest, my nerves zing with excitement.

Gabriel’s silver eyes gleam with all the wickedness I could ever wish for. “Tell me to stop again, and maybe I’ll believe you.” One long finger hooks around the leg elastic and touches me intimately. I squirm, but not because of any desire to get away. No, I want more than this tease. I want to feel ecstasy again. I want the bliss a man’s fingers working over my clit can bring. I desire sex that is dirty and crude. That is painful, irresistible and debauched.

“Are you going to take off yours?” I ask, when he tugs again at the lace.

“I don’t have any on.”

“Prove it.” I shove him backwards, and this time I do not find him immobile. He retreats, whilst working open his belt buckle. God, he’s so like Ray, right down to the way he snags his bottom lip with his tooth as he concentrates. Fly undone; he coyly teases the flap of fabric away from his loins, offering me only a momentary glimpse before he hides his assets again. Three times he repeats the gesture, before I shimmy down from my perch among the paintings and rip the fabric from his hand. His trousers pool around his feet, and I shove the hem of his shirt up to towards his breastbone.

Gabriel watches my reaction from under his eyebrows. It’s a look of stubborn defiance that is both incredibly needy and fantastically hot. Unlike Ray, Gabriel is clean-shaven. Ink decorates his skin in place of hair, the black lines extending in a bold pattern of knots along the length of his cock, the end of which is pierced with a silver hoop. I wrap a hand around his shaft, but he doesn’t react, bar a subtle hiss when I deliberately squeeze, and then rotate the ring.

“Inked and silvered. I guess I can be pretty certain you’re not a werewolf.”

“I’m a changeling,” he snarls back, and if I didn’t know better I’d swear the gleam in his eyes was born of magic. “Your knickers,” he demands holding out a hand. He steps free of his pooled trousers, and throws his jacket and tie over the hat stand before pulling his shirt over his head, so that he stands before me naked.

Read the rest in The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance

Portia Promo

2011-07-18T12:32:00.000+01:00

Little bit of promo for my good friend Portia Da Costa today, who has a new anthology of short sexy works out.

A Walk on the Wild Side Books presentation

Blurb:

Portia Da Costa presents five short, sexy works that have also been published as standalones, all bundled together in a naughty medley offering over 40,500 steamy words at a super value price, half the cost of buying all the individual items separately!

This frisky erotic potpourri includes tales of BDSM, exhibitionism, m/m, m/f/m, an office lust/hate relationship... and zombies! Obviously not all those elements are in one story... but who knows, one day that might be one helluva project to tackle!

Here's the lineup:

The Efficiency Expert - erotic short story

Still stinging from a stringent management review at her workplace, office girl Susie encounters the very last man she wants to meet when she hits her favorite bar to relax and unwind. Gorgeous Noah Stevens is the ruthless company troubleshooter who's been making her life hell for the past three weeks, but after hours, he soon proves that his dedication to "efficiency" can work wonders in the bedroom.

Glint - short story of exhibitionism and voyeurism

While enjoying a lazy day at the beach, sexy holidaymakers Suzy and Gavin see a sudden glint of light flash from the headland overlooking their patch of sand, and realize that somebody's watching them through a pair of binoculars! Far from being alarmed, hedonistic Suzy finds the forbidden scrutiny deliciously exciting, and turned on by her own latent exhibitionism, she and Gavin decide to put on a titillating performance… and really give the distant voyeur something to watch!

Wesley and the Sex Zombies - erotic horror short story

Computer wizard Wesley Greensward is having a terrible day. His girlfriend is cheating, his best friend has let him down and he hates his job. Then, in a grungy motorway service café, a vision of unearthly loveliness walks into his life. It's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen... and the most beautiful man.

But while Wesley weaves an erotic fantasy about these two mysterious and delectable strangers, Luciferia and Maximillian are plotting and planning too... and their arcane scheme might mean the end of Wesley's life!

Forbidden Treasures - BDSM novelette

When Alice Porter finds a chest full of vintage curiosa at an antique market, she little realizes how her discovery of the forgotten treasures of an Edwardian disciplinarian will change her life. The sexy hoard includes a punishment ledger and a well used rattan cane, and the bygone items intrigue her husband Julian too. Sharing and experimenting with the writings and the wicked implement, the lovers begin a voyage of forbidden sensuality that shocks and thrills them both, revealing dark secrets from Julian's past and bringing the two of them closer together than they've ever been before.

Power of Three - romantic/erotic menage novella

Sun-drenched days and lush steamy nights stir strange desires in singleton Laurie Jones. She's been betrayed by her philandering fiancé, but that doesn't mean her libido is dead, no way. In fact the rampant hedonism of the lovers' resort where she's spending her solo honeymoon only makes her feel hornier than ever; especially when she watches her raunchy neighbors cavorting in a blatant threesome.

But relief is at hand for Laurie in the form of Ed and Denny, two gorgeous hunks sharing another nearby cabana. Golden boy Denny, and dark, enigmatic Ed are red hot for each other, but they also adore women too, and the sexy, generous pair quickly draw Laurie into a sizzling erotic ménage that not only expands her sexual horizons in a way that blows her mind, but also heals the pain inflicted upon her by her lost fiancé.

Author's note:

These stories contain explicit scenes of erotic activity and experimentation, including sex with multiple partners, spanking, caning, exhibitionistic sex and voyeurism and male/male lovemaking.

Excerpts of the individual stories are available at: www.portiadacosta.com/selfpublished.html

Available from Smashwords, All Romance eBooks, Amazon Kindle US, Diesel eBooks and Amazon Kindle UK. Other vendors to follow.

Bleurk!

2011-07-14T21:07:00.004+01:00

This is me at the moment with my red nose and tickly ears, feeling sorry for myself. So much for all my good intentions at the start of the week. I was determined I was going to get the final final (well, until it sells) version of Darleston's book off to my agent on Tuesday. That didn't quite work out. Last chapter needed more work that I could manage in one day, then I spent all of Tuesday at school sports day being crisped by the sun. Wednesday's are always a total wash out, which brings me to today. I've done well I think, 2.5K is a rare achievement for me at the best of times, let alone when I've spent most of the day comatose due to the head cold from hell. The end is almost in sight (for the book, sadly not the cold). It's better for the rewrites. I'd finished things off too quickly the first time around. I was too eager to finish at the time. Projects get like that. Sometimes you have to distance yourself then come back and tidy up afterwards.

Only a few days left on my Goodreads giveaway for anyone who hasn't entered. It's set to finish on my Birthday. I'm not normally very materialistic over birthdays these days, mostly I just like to enjoy breakfast in bed and not being harassed too much, however, I know what one of my presents is going to be as it's currently sitting in the hall, and I'm stupidly excited about it. It aint often that something brings quite such a smile to my face. More on that next week.

Goodreads Giveaway

2011-06-30T21:06:00.001+01:00

Goodreads Book Giveaway

          Three Times the Scandal

          by Madelynne Ellis

            Giveaway ends July 22, 2011.



            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.

      Enter to win

Bookish Bounty

2011-06-30T12:35:00.001+01:00

I love it when I receive books, and there's something particularly magical about receiving books in which my writing appears. Tuesday morning marked the arrival of a big package (poor delivery guy was staggering under the weight) containing print copies of Three Times the Scandal. I'm really pleased with how it's come out. The cover is all shiny and the paper inside is a lovely and thick. I think a little competition to give away a copy or two might be in order to celebrate (announcements on that one later, when I've had time to do some planning).

The second delivery arrived yesterday. Much smaller, alas, but I'm no less thrilled with the final product. The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance is 25 tales from some fabulous writers. I'm quite awed to be among them. I'm also particularly fond of melancholy old We Were Lovers Once, so I'm rather giddy over seeing it in print. It's out in the UK the day before my birthday on July 21st, but doesn't release in the US until August 23rd.

Now in Trade Paperback too

2011-06-09T14:35:00.000+01:00

Three Times the Scandal is now available in trade paperback format for those who find digital reading difficult. You can grab your copy from Amazon, by following the link here.

Two Lovely Reviews for Three Times the Scandal

2011-06-03T21:10:00.001+01:00

There I was thinking I'll never get any reviews for Three Times the Scandal when two appeared in my inbox together.

The first is from Coffee Time Romance... 4 Cups

Ms. Ellis takes the reader on a journey full of surprises, erotic twists and turns, and suspenseful events.

Read the full review here.

The second review is from Night Owl Reviews, who gave it 4.25 Stars and said...

I really liked the development of Giles and Fortuna's relationship. Fortuna knows what she wants and isn't a retiring insipid flower.

And you can read the whole of that review here.

Yay for reviews.

Please let it end...

2011-06-03T10:23:00.000+01:00

... oh, it did!

Darleston's book is done. It's finished. I can move onto something else (eek!) after months of sweat and toil. Do I love it? Absolutely. Is it the book I thought I'd write when I set out to explore Darleston's character? Maybe not entirely. Do I know all about him now? Erm, I know a lot more than I did, but certainly not everything. I think he may demand a second book at some point dealing with a few issues that are inevitably going to arise and that have only been dealt with in the short term by the end of the book.

Right now, beta readers, crit partner and then off to my agent.

Here's a little sneaky peek of Darleston and Emma's first meeting.

Emma’s gaze strayed to the mantle-clock. From the direction of the dinning room, the scrape of chairs being pushed back preceded the sounds of heavy footsteps. The gentlemen, headed by Mr Hill, squeezed through the parlour door two abreast and availed themselves of various chairs. Seven of them in total were soon draped over the furniture, chattering loudly. Amelia made a beeline towards Mr Bathhouse. Emma made to follow only to be intercepted by her father and Lord Darleston.

Ada came up behind them bearing a second teapot. “I thought you might be needing some more, miss, with so large a party.”

“Yes, we were. Thank you, Ada.”

“Could you, dear?” Mr Hill gestured towards the steaming vessel.

Perhaps Amelia would be fine for a moment or two. Emma poured for her father and offered a second saucer to Lord Darleston. The wretched china trembled abysmally when she stuck out her hand. Close up, the urge to touch him grew infinitely stronger. The coat…his coat, each swirl in the fabric had a raised pile that gave it such texture and shape. And oh, that coat… Heavens if it wasn’t the most marvellously perverse thing she’d ever beheld. Each swirl in the fabric had a raised pile that gave it such texture and shape. Indeed seeing it up close she realised it was not simple brocade, but formed an interweaving pattern of nymphs engaged in quite lewd play. Yet it suited him perfectly, drawing attention to his big strong shoulders and the perfect narrowness of his hips.

For a moment, she thought it maybe only his outfit that engaged her senses. Then his hand shot out and steadied the wobbling cup and he blessed her with a smile that made the very corners of his eyes crinkle. Light flared in the depths of his pupils, like the moon spilling out from behind a storm cloud. He had grey eyes, flecked with specks of lilac that were like slivers of rain-washed slate.

The one look told her everything she ever needed to know about Lord Darleston. He was handsome and dangerous, and if she had any sense of self-preservation she would avoid him else those fanciful ideas she’d been entertaining earlier might very well get the better of her.

“Emma, my eldest.” Her father introduced her. “It’s so good to have you home again, dear. I do wish you and Langley would reconsider my offer. The old place is so cavernous with only Amelia and I in residence. Where is Langley, do you know? I do so want to speak with him before I retire.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know father. I thought he was with you. Perhaps he’ll be back in a moment.”

Mr Hill’s sallow brows wrinkled. Emma’s heart rate doubled. He knows. He knows. Lord Darleston was watching them. Oh God, please don’t let everything fall apart now. Her father sipped his tea.

“Well yes, I expect you’re right. But, I think I may just slip along right now.” He turned to Darleston and cuffed him companionably upon the arm. “I haven’t the stamina of you young bloods anymore. I’ll bid you good night, milord. Gentlemen. Emma will ensure that Grafton sees to your wishes. Do forgive my atrocious manners.”

“Don’t worry, father. I’ll see everyone off.”

“Yes, yes, of course you will. Goodnight, Emma. Mind you don’t go needling, Lord Darleston. She can be quite the prickly philosopher, but you mustn’t take her too much to heart.”

No, she oughtn’t to be taken at all seriously. Emma enfolded her fists around the fabric of her skirts, whilst she maintained a well practiced smile. Silly old fool didn’t believe her capable of a single eloquent thought. And he really ought to have considered the fact his guests would go late to their beds before inviting them. Now she and Lyle would have to play host and hostess, wherever Lyle happened to be.

Her father leaned towards her, meaning, she realised, to press a kiss to her cheek, but when Emma stiffened all the way from her toes to her lips, he straightened at once. “Well, goodnight dear.” He hurried away, yawning into his teacup.

“I’m sorry. He never does stay up past ten o’clock,” she apologised to Lord Darleston.

“No matter,” Darleston’s soft drawl coiled around her pleasure centres. It was quite wrong that a man’s voice could make one feel quite so tremulous in that regard.

“He does you a disservice, I think.”

“What!” Her throat grew tight all around the neckline of her gown, and another blush began crawling across her skin. It was curse of being fair. “He says only what he believes to be true.” That because she rebuked any form of physical contact that she was wholly flawed and simple of mind. The fact that she had run his household from the age of fourteen had quite entirely passed him by.

“And do you believe I should disregard your chatter as nonsense? Do you often speak thus, Mrs—”

“Langley,” she supplied, growing hotter still. “And no milord, I do not. Although you are at liberty to reach your own conclusion about whether what I spout is atrocious twaddle.”

Darleston gave a deep throaty laugh that rolled like a purr and sent sparks of heat flowing through her breasts. He was quite the most… No, it was wrong to think like that and positively discourteous to her husband. Not that they had a conventional relationship. Oh, to hell with it. If she couldn’t be honest in her own thoughts, then she would never hear any truth. Darleston was beautiful. Not in a dandified fashionable sort of way, but in a beastly way. Something about him yanked at her like there were a knot tied in the centre of her chest and someone kept tugging on the other end.

Emma focussed on a point mid-way down his chest. She dared not glance any lower, nor look up into his face for too long for fear that he recognised the heat in her gaze. She’d seen other women look at men in this way, but she’d never done so herself. Looking led to touching and touching was something she could never do.

“How is it you happen to be with us?” she asked, eyes downcast, as she retreated into the safety of an armchair.

Darleston leaned against the mantle. “I did intend to stay elsewhere, alas that didn’t work out. He had…other plans.” Darleston’s thin expressive lips quirked upwards but failed to form a smile. “However, as your father had already kindly extended an invitation, and I was already quite nearby…”

“And do you like it? What you’ve seen?”

“I’ve scarcely seen more than a passing glance. I understand you have 120 or so acres, but I’m sure I’ll find it charming, much as I find the lady of the house.”

Butterflies fanned the flames in her chest. It was an easy compliment for him to bestow, but not one she heard very often. Most people gave her a wide berth, just as wide as the one she gave them. Few sought her acquaintance or pleasure, preferring Amelia’s vivaciousness. “Strictly speaking that would be my sister, not I.”

He turned his head with her to spy her sister out. Amelia sat at the centre of a ring of gentlemen upon a tapestry-covered pouffe. The week was clearly to be one rife with trouble.

So Close

2011-05-27T23:26:00.001+01:00

I'm almost done with Darleston's book. Seriously, the end is so close, I'm almost there. I can see it, but there are just a few pesky words to pin to the page first. It's an awkward ending. There's so much at stake. I'm still wondering how I'm supposed to squeeze it all into the space I have left and yet do it justice.

I know the situation is tense because I've resorted to music for inspiration, a right old melancholy medley too. Well, maybe not all of it. Currently I'm trying to decide which version of Baby's On Fire I like best. It's a toss up between The Creepers and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Brian Slade in Velvet Goldmine. JRM definitely wins on the visuals. LOL.

Hm, maybe the music isn't helping one bit... I think I may become sidetracked.

Poor Neglected One.

2011-05-22T10:32:00.000+01:00

I've sat down intending to blog far too many times over the last month, only for things to immediately drag me away before I've composed a single sentence. I'm determined today, not because I have anything much to say, but because I like to update things here. That way I feel like the year is progressing apace, rather than me remaining suspended back in April.

Since the releases of Three Times the Scandal and Indiscretions (no reviews yet :-( ), I've been ridiculously busy with family matters. Unfortunately, they sap me of both time and energy, so Darleston's book has moved along rather more slowly than I'd hoped, though the end is in sight now. I've only a few scenes left to write, then I'll go over the whole again before sending it on to my agent. She's already seen the first half and expressed her love of it, so I hope she likes the conclusion too.

Then I'm going to turn my hand to writing a few short works. I'd really like to write another something for Spice Briefs, probably contemporary and possibly related to Gabriel's Games. Not sure yet. I also intend to write a third story to bundle with the two Romps & Rakehells novellas I wrote last year. Thankfully, I have an outline already written for that one, though I'm not sure how well I'll manage it. It's a f/m/f story, which will be a first for me.

As for which novel I'll start on after the novellas, it rather depends on whether any of the books I have floating around in submissions land get picked up. I'm rather keen to get back to Blaze, but Vaughan has been languishing rather a long time too, so perhaps it's time to get back to him and explore just what comes next for him, Bella and Lucerne. I do have some ideas, or rather I know how things begin-- with a carriage journey (LOL). Then I have my super secret project. The one I've been mulling over for aeons now. I'm still a little afraid to develop it, because I know I'm going to love it. Yet it's going to be such hard work, and require a lot of research. I do prefer not to have to extend myself over far in that direction these days. It's one of the things that puts me off setting another book in Egypt. I'd have to brush up on my archaeology all over again. Setting something in Georgian England seems so much easier.

New Release: Indiscretions

2011-04-26T11:48:00.000+01:00

Eighteen months into a delicate ménage à trois relationship, Lucerne, Viscount Marlinscar is feeling the strain. He’s engaged in a constant tug o’ war as both his lovers compete to win his affections. Only, Lucerne’s not so eager to choose. Matter of fact, he’s beginning to wonder if he’s not the one that’s being left out, considering the effort Vaughan and Bella pour into tormenting one another.

When the three lovers attend a society music recital, jealousy again rears its head, which convinces Lucerne that it’s time to take matters into his own hands. The decision doesn’t go down at all well, particularly with Vaughan, who shows his displeasure by dishing out erotic punishments to both Lucerne and Bella. However, the tug o’war isn’t over until there’s a winner, that is, unless the lovers can put aside their differences and decide that all three can have the passion and satisfaction they derive only from each other, no matter which one of them is in the middle!

Author's note: Indiscretions takes place between the events of A Gentleman's Wager & Phantasmagoria.

EXCERPT:

Both she and Lucerne were now eyeing him like he was some sort of meal they planned to devour. They’d each convinced him that they weren’t in league over Lucerne’s impromptu departure from the recital, but there was no mistaking that they were plotting something together now.

Impatient to learn what, Vaughan steepled his fingers before him. He turned his dark gaze first on Bella and then on Lucerne. “You had better speak plainly, or you’re both going to be sorely disappointed over whatever it is you think to embroil me in.

Bella’s eyes widened slightly. He didn’t believe her innocence. Lucerne’s chin grew more pointed as he clenched his teeth.

“What do you want?” Vaughan asked. Some manner of truce or permission to spend time alone without me, he imagined. Though heaven knows why they were troubling him with it. They could have spent the entire day tupping and he wouldn’t have known.

“You,” they replied in unison.

The words sent a jolt through his chest. His heart sped a little even as he continued to gaze on them in wary silence.

“Spend the night—”

“—and the day with us, Vaughan.”

“Tell us what to do.”

“How to please you.”

This was wrong in so many ways. He thought he preferred it when they were begrudging his presence and branding him some sort of demon for not allowing them any space in which to grow together. This smacked too much of deceit. They were trying to get him to lower his guard before attacking. Leastways, he believed that of Bella. He wasn’t nearly so sure about Lucerne.

“Do you expect me to believe that’s what you both actually want? Me? Together?”

“It’s the truth, Vaughan,” Lucerne replied, while Bella dipped him a curtsey. He supposed he was vaguely willing to believe it, although there was definitely some purpose behind it beyond affection or lust.

“What are you reading?” Bella picked up his book before he had a chance to put a hand down on top of it. Her mouth fell open in surprise, one that quickly transformed into delight at the illustration revealed. “Lord Pennerley, what sort of book is that to be perusing in broad daylight?”

“A perfectly filthy one, I should imagine if your expression is anything to go by.” Lucerne sidled up behind her. Hands resting lightly, yet possessively upon Bella’s shoulders, he leaned forward to glimpse the image so that his blond hair flopped over his eyes, partially hiding the delight that flickered there.

Vaughan’s lips thinned in bemused silence. If they imagined they’d embarrass him, then they were sadly mistaken. He had no qualms about his sexuality, or what he liked. It was simply a shame the rest of society wasn’t so open. “Maybe we should try it,” he suggested. If they were so keen on gaining his attention and pleasing him, then they’d best be prepared to indulge some of his kinks.

Bella’s head came up immediately, an unvoiced gasp upon her lips. Lips he’d kissed so hard that they were still rather ruddy and certainly a little tender even now.

Lucerne fixed him with an uneasy frown. He took a stiff pace backwards, suddenly defensive. “Who exactly do you envisage being in the middle?”

Vaughan laughed. “Not so game for my affection now, Lucerne? You disappoint me. I thought you were more open than that.”

Defensively, Lucerne poured his tall frame into one of the library’s narrow wingback chairs, where he folded his arms across his lap. “Open is one thing. I am however no acrobat. I don’t think I could hold that position for more than forty seconds, let alone sustain it with a cock in my mouth, breasts enveloping me and a lit candle anywhere near my arse.”

A bright image of peeling creamy blobs of hardened candlewax from off Lucerne’s belly, his buttocks and groin, played inside Vaughan’s head. Had he never punished him so? The thought of introducing Lucerne to such delights enchanted him. Lucerne would protest, claiming pain didn’t excite him, but the truth was it aroused him far more than he cared to admit.

Besides, denial of any kind had always acted like a drug upon Vaughan. “Another time, perhaps,” he muttered. “What about you, Bella?”

Bella rubbed at her cheeks, which had turned a gaudy shade of scarlet at the mere suggestion. Her reply rolled out of her unevenly. “The person at the centre is clearly a man, which I am certainly not. So I couldn’t possibly take such a position, even if it were in the bounds of possibility to do so. Are there not any more sensible arrangements in this tome of yours?” She flicked over several pages, her eyes growing rounder and hungrier over each successive image. “What is this?” she demanded.

Vaughan retrieved the book with its leather unmarked binding from her and returned it to shelf behind a locked glass door. “It’s privately published, circulated only to a select few connoisseurs.” On another occasion he might allow her to study it further. For now, he preferred to preserve its secrets in favour of more mundane pleasures. “About your proposition—I would suggest that we find somewhere more comfortable, but I do find that discomfort can be equally, if not more satisfying, can it not, Lucerne?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Oh, you know, Lucerne. You know exactly how much you like to be made to squirm.” Lucerne shook his head. “I think you’re mistaking me with Bella. What I like is straightforward. It’s less about dominance and more about enjoyment.”

“Are you saying you don’t like what I do to you?” Vaughan sallied forwards, stopping when his knees were level with Lucerne’s and a mere fraction of an inch divided them. He braced his hands on the arms of the chair and leaned over Lucerne, so that their eyes met on a level. Their gazes locked.

“Haven’t you punished me enough?”

“I’ll never punish you enough. It stokes the fires in the very pit of my soul to see you writhing in ecstasy beneath me.”

“That’s not what we came here for.”

Vaughan turned his head at the same time as Lucerne to glance at Bella.

“Can’t we really be together for once, Vaughan? I mean really together. Without the posturing and pettiness. Won’t you lie down and let us make love to you—together?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“You know why. It can never be.” He would never lower his guard and let them both press close to him at once. Alone they tested him, shredded all his restraints, which left him feeling exposed and vulnerable. Together they would flay him, expose every particle of his being right down to the core. He would never risk it. Could never risk it? Besides, it would upset the balance of the relationship. Lucerne had to remain central. He was the pivot; all this revolved around him. “You know I think I might go to Darleston House alone.”

“No, don’t.” Bella stepped forward. She lay a hand upon his chest. It was not enough to prevent him moving; it was barely any sort of pressure at all. Still he remained frozen, watching her, waiting as she slowly moistened her pink lips. “Lucerne is right. It doesn’t always have to be hard between us. It hasn’t always been so. Don’t you remember the first time? I remember how you both moved inside of me. How we were all one and in perfect agreement. Will you not join us all together again like that?”

Let her be central. Let her be the pivot. That was what she was asking. Nay, pleading. He saw it in her eyes. She didn’t want to be on the outskirts of their relationship looking in. She wanted to be loved by both of them in equal measure. In short, she desired everything to be about her, rather than about Lucerne, whom both she and he loved.<

Bella’s hand left his chest and pushed upwards into the dark strands of his hair. On tip-toes she leaned into him, offering herself up to him. Vaughan allowed her to graze his lips with a kiss. He caged the growl in his throat, not for her, but because Lucerne was watching his every nuance.

“For me,” Lucerne mouthed.

At what price? Vaughan didn’t speak. The communication between them passed in silence.

I’ll give you everything you desire, later. All you have to do is go along with this now, for me and for her.

The stubborn, prideful part of him wanted to disagree. It wasn’t that he didn’t desire Bella. He did. Admission of desire was not something he had any reservations about. He simply didn’t like the implied subtext of taking part. Just because they came together as a threesome, didn’t…wouldn’t make them whole. But if Bella, nay Lucerne wanted to believe that it did, then he would let them have their fantasy—at least for a little while.

”William,” Vaughan hollered. The footman immediately appeared from the hallway. “Make sure that no one comes in. We’ll be busy for a little while.”

Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Available now from Ai Press

I write like...

2011-04-20T19:48:00.002+01:00

I write like
Neil Gaiman

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

Playing with Vaughan.

2011-04-18T13:17:00.001+01:00

Around all the craziness that is life at the moment, I've been working on Indiscretions again. Why? Well, my editor at Ai Press pointed out what I already knew, that it was more of an m/m interlude between Vaughan and Lucerne than a menage a trois. Hence to bring it more in line with the other books, I've been expanding it. You know what that means, dontcha? Yup, I had to let Vaughan out to play. Bad idea, because naturally he was somewhat peeved at having been locked up for so long. Don't worry, he soon came round. He likes playing the villain too much not to.

Anyway, Indiscretions is now twice the length it started. Definitely more of a short novella than a short story and totally smoking hot.

What really surprises me though, is how fast the words have come. Not that I've turned this around in three days or anything (way too much non-writing stuff going on for that), but when I have sat down to write, I've managed pages without really noticing. Maybe familiarity simply makes it easier to write, maybe it's simply that my writing time is so scarce at the moment.

I do know that working on Indiscretions has given me a bit of a shove towards picking up the pieces that were left at the end of Phantasmagoria. Vaughan is simply too much fun. He's also, believe it or not, far less angst ridden than Darleston. Plus, he doesn't care what anyone else thinks, whereas Darleston does.

So, back to writing HHL (aka Darleston) later today. It's all plotted out, so I've only the final sprint to accomplish. Then, it ought to be on to the few novellas I've planned, but who knows. Maybe I'll squeeze Vaughan in there somewhere. I think I ought to before I launch into my "scary" secret project, otherwise we might not see him again for years.

New Release

2011-04-10T16:47:00.002+01:00

Three Times the Scandal

When you’re a dutiful, dependable and desperate woman… sometimes falling into the arms of a gorgeously sinful rakehell really is the only way out. Better yet, make that three gorgeously sinful rakehells…

Fortuna Allenthorpe is so repulsed by the man to whom her parents have engaged her that she takes the only available way out, and flees into the night with notorious rakehell, Giles Dovecote. Giles is a vocal advocate of free love, and he and his debauched friends the Darleston twins, are soon vying for Fortuna’s attention while introducing her to all manner of sexual delights.

Convinced that her tattered reputation will prompt her fiancé to call off the engagement, Fortuna is troubled to learn that Sir Hector is still set upon their marriage. It seems he’s more interested in her impressive inheritance, a ruby necklace known as the Star of Fortune, than he is in her errant virtue. What’s more, he’s prepared to destroy her family to ensure he gets exactly what he wants.

Suddenly, Fortuna’s only means of escape is to make a more agreeable match. How difficult can that be, when she’s head over heels for Giles, and he’s already sworn to help her? There’s just one problem—Giles’s deep-rooted belief that marriage is nothing more than social slavery. Past mistakes weight heavily on his conscience, but can he really sit back and condemn the woman he loves to a hellish match?

Available from Ai-Press | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | ARe

Long Overdue

2011-03-31T18:17:00.001+01:00

It feels like aeons since I last paid my poor blog any attentions. Hopefully, this post will bring things up to speed on what's been going on in Madworld over the last month or so, and allow me to get back into the swing of things.

First up, the reason for my absence. I moved house! OMG, the trauma, the back breaking labour involved, and that was allowing for the removal men doing most of the work. I can't fault their efforts. They might have looked like two ordinary guys with not much muscle between them, but whoa... I can't believe how much heavy furniture and boxes they moved without so much as breaking a sweat.

I'm now mostly settled in my new study at the new house, but I'm also still surround by boxes. I've a feeling it's going to be like this for a while.

Okay, move completed. I took my driving test on Tuesday. And passed first time! Yay! I don't know what driving tests are like in other countries, but in the UK they're damn hard work. I'm so relieved to not have to do it again.

While the above has been going on, I've also had my typical writing workload to contend with too. Ai Press have acquired both Indiscretions and Three Times the Scandal(formerly known as Fortuna). The digital version of the latter will be released during April. There's more information about Three Times the Scandal here. A print release will follow later in the year.

Here's a look at the lovely cover. I love how it fits with the look of the previous books.

I'm so pleased this book is finally going to be available and I can finally share this offshoot of the world I first created in A Gentleman's Wager. I hope people are going to share my love of both Giles Dovecote and his rakehell friends the Darleston twins.

Speaking of Darleston, he's still giving me a headache as I finish of his book. I've about another 20K to write, but the proposal is already with my agent.

2010 Rainbow Awards For Excellence.

2011-03-17T22:58:00.002Z

Pure Folly placed third! See, I even have a pretty banner to prove it.

In other news - I am still here. Things have been a little quiet writing wise as I've recently moved house. I'm now the proud owner of a brand new office --full of unpacked boxes-- but it's still an office. I'm also busy with edits for Fortuna, which is going to have a new title soon, and trying to get Darleston's book off to my agent. There are also a couple of new ideas simmering away too.

Some Brief News

2011-02-19T10:27:00.001Z

I've sold to Spice Briefs!

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Actually, this is the news that I've been sitting on for a while, but the contract is signed now, so no more trying to hold it in.

Okay, details. They'll be publishing Gabriel's Game, which is a contemporary m/m/f menage story, which starts when Gabriel asks his girlfriend to indulge one of his favourite fantasies. Namely to see her making out with another guy.

More details about publication dates, blurbs etc when I have them. All I know so far is that it'll be available early 2012.

On the Horizon

2011-02-13T09:25:00.000Z

Much craziness abounds in the Ellis household, and not all of it due to the imminent move or the fact that I'm knee deep in co-organising the annual Romance Divas mentorship program. Nope, there's craziness on the book front too. (Interpret that to mean more work/stuff to comprehend that I can easily handle at one time.)

Firstly, there's the bit of news that I mentioned a few days ago. I'm still not saying what it is as the contract isn't signed... soon, though.

Secondly, I've sold translation rights for a German edition of Passion of Isis.

Passion of Isis is probably one of my least mentioned books, yet has been a consistently good seller. This will be it's second foreign edition. It's already been translated into Norwegian.

Next, and probably the most immediately exciting news at the moment, is that Ai Press have agreed to publish both Indiscretions, and ... wait for it... Fortuna. Yep, finally, after what feels like an eternity of waiting you get to read about Fortuna's adventures with Giles Dovecote and the naughty Darleston twins.

No scheduled date yet, but it will be released in both digital and print formats. Here's the blurb to remind you what it's all about:

Fortuna Allenthorpe is so repulsed by the man to whom her parents have engaged her that she takes the only available way out, and flees into the night with notorious rakehell, Giles Dovecote. Giles is a vocal advocate of free love, and he and his debauched friends the Darleston twins, are soon vying for Fortuna’s attention while introducing her to all manner of sexual delights.

Convinced that her tattered reputation will prompt her fiancé to call off the engagement, Fortuna is troubled to learn that Sir Hector is still set upon their marriage. It seems he’s more interested in her impressive inheritance, a ruby necklace known as the Star of Fortune, than he is in her errant virtue. What’s more, he’s prepared to destroy her family to ensure he gets exactly what he wants.

Suddenly, Fortuna’s only means of escape is to make a more agreeable match. How difficult can that be, when she’s head over heels for Giles, and he’s already sworn to help her? There’s just one problem—Giles’s deep-rooted belief that marriage is nothing more than social slavery. Past mistakes weight heavily on his conscience, but can he really sit back and condemn the woman he loves to a hellish match?

Meanwhile, I'm nearing the 55K mark of Darleston's book and looking at what comes next on the novellas front. I still have more projects that time. Wonder if that will ever change.

Sweet things.

2011-01-31T22:11:00.000Z

I have a bit of news that I've been sitting on for a little while now, and which I'm still sitting on, because I don't believe in spilling the beans until the contracts are all signed and whatnot. However, I will say that it's a first for me, and that I'm completely thrilled to have something with this publisher.

More soon, I promise. I just couldn't hold it in any longer. :)

13 Things that have p*ssed me off this week.

2011-01-20T14:31:00.002Z

1. Estate Agents
2. The lack of empty packaging boxes in my house.
3. The weight of my TBR pile!!!
4. The ache in my left knee.
5. The insistence on calling me while I'm at the hospital. It's not like I'm unavailable the rest of the week.
6. The big dip in my word count from what I'd like it to be.
7. The Synopsis I've failed to write.
8. Did I mention Estate Agents?
9. Maybe I should add dodgy surveyors to that list.
10. Crazy pet rabbits, that won't come in out of the cold. You'll freeze to death, you stupid animal.
11. My flagging sense of humour.
12. Having to get up at 6am. I'm a night owl. I'd much rather be going to bed then.
13. Hmm, and dare I say it, the lack of chocolate in the house, even though it's really bad for me.

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General Update

2011-01-16T09:32:00.002Z

It's been a busy, busy week. I've not got nearly enough writing done. Instead, I've been packing boxes and filling in exciting solicitors forms. Actually, a few good things have come of all this sorting in order to move house. I found - I say found, but I knew they were there all along - a couple of old notebooks from when I was writing Phantasmagoria. Naturally, I had to take a peek.

I was surprised at just how many notes I'd made for AGW3 (TSK), so they've been put in a safe place to refer to before long. Nope, I'm not imminently starting AGW3 as I'm still knee deep in Darleston's book. However, I think I might start writing the bit that happens before Darleston's book and AGW3 which links the two books and essentially sets them up.

Not quite sure how it'll turn out. It's basically when Darleston and Vaughan met for the night and.did some talking, made decisions and then parted ways. It'll probably never been seen by anyone but me, but I need to know what they said to each other that makes them both act, and naturally they won't tell me that unless I actually write it down. I'm still excited by it though :)

*****
Recently watched: BSG (currently enjoying a mammoth rewatching with Mr Madelynne).
Currently listening to: Musica Alhambra by Juan Martin
Currently reading: The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

How I do Titles

2011-01-10T11:18:00.000Z

I thought I'd share a few thoughts on titles today. I know a lot of writers find them incredibly hard to come up with. I'll admit that most of my books start out as . They only transform into an actual title when something better occurs to me. Sometimes that happens quite quickly, sometimes they'll go through several possibles until I find one that I'm happy with. Some books I finish and still don't have an proper title for. The most recent example of a book like that would be Fortuna. I've never been able to come up with something else that really fits. But then, Fortuna herself, who was named on a whim, turned out to have more in common with the goddess she was named after than anticipated. (Sidenote: One of the characters in Blood Moon who was given his name purely because I liked it, turned out to have a hell of a lot of the qualities of the thing he's named after.)

The other problem with titles for me, is that I really like them to have some deeper resonance with the story.

For example:

Pure Folly - The two men spend the night in a haunted folly, and engage in homosexual behaviour, which is downright dangerous giving the historical setting.

Passion of Isis - I'll admit, very few people seem to get the title for this one. Simply, Adie spends the whole book chasing around looking for Osiris's missing cock.

Phantasmagoria - I'm not going to dissect that one. I'm just going to link it to Bev QB's review, which explains it perfectly.

The best times title wise, are when I have a title right at the outset and can then write the book to fit. Darleston's book, which I'm writing at the moment is a fine example of one of those. What's it called? I'm not ready to share yet. :)

Cover Attempt

2011-01-02T23:09:00.001Z

Today featured way, way too much ironing. Back is now killing me but I have conquered the Christmas clothing mountain. Shame that by tomorrow evening it'll be inching it's way up again. Anyway, after all my hard work I figured I deserved some fun. This beauty is what I created. Hehe... I'm very proud of my first attempt at a cover. Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but it was fun all the same, even if it did involve a rather steep learning curve. Don't think I'll be giving up the day job just yet though.

Reading List for 2010

2011-01-02T10:24:00.000Z

Hmm, I didn't do so well on my reading target this year, probably because a hell of a lot of my spare time was sucked up with house viewing. Final score was 30 books. Not horrible, but not great either. No wonder my TBR pile is still enormous. I did discover some new to me authors and enjoyed some old favourites. And nothing in there was too meh! Either I'm good at picking out what I like or I just got lucky.

Here's the list:

# Dark Road to Darjeeling, Deanna Raybourn
# Control, Charlotte Stein
# The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown
# The Usual Apocalypse, Christine Price (beta)
# Moon Called, Patricia Briggs
# City of Ghosts, Stacia Kane
# Unholy Magic, Stacia Kane
# Feast of Fools, Rachel Caine
# Rough Cut, Mari Carr
# Midnight Alley, Rachel Caine
# The Dead Girls' Dance, Rachel Caine
# Night Moves, Eden Bradley
# Hell's Angel, Cathryn Fox
# Glass Houses, Rachel Caine
# Gabriel's Woman, Robin Schone
# Unholy Ghosts, Stacia Kane
# A Gentlewoman's Predicament, Portia Da Costa
# Divine Misdemeanors, Laurell K Hamilton
# Waiting in Vein, Charlotte Stein
# Dead in the Family, Charlaine Harris
# Lover Mine, JR Ward
# The Dead Travel Fast, Deanna Raybourn
# Addicted, Charlotte Featherstone
# When Alex Was Bad, Jo Davis
# Witchling, Yasmine Galenorn
# Called by Blood, Evie Byrne
# Covet, JR Ward
# Dead and Gone, Charlaine Harris
# Tongue Thai'd, Sedonia Guillone
# Lover Avenged, JR Ward

New Cover Yummies

2010-12-31T09:57:00.000Z

Here it is, the long awaited cover for the Mammoth Book of Hot Romance, and while it hasn't got my name on the cover, it does have one of my stories, We Were Lovers Once, inside.

Keep track of the release date in the sidebar.

Advent Calender Day 25: Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T07:00:00.012Z

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Advent Calender Day 24: Xmas Eve Giveaway

2010-12-24T07:00:00.051Z

Yeah, it's present giving time. I have the following selection of goodies to give away. Leave a comment to enter and I'll do the drawing when I get home from the cold north some time after Christmas.

Print:

A Gentleman's Wager - Georgian set menage a trois
Phantasmagoria - Georgian set menage a trois, sequel to A Gentleman's Wager
Dark Designs - Contemporay, gothic wedding setting, menage a trois, with a yaoi twist.
Lust at First Bite (which contains my short story El Alquimista) Anthology of vampire erotica

Ebooks:

Pure Folly - m/m Regency ghost story
Enticement - Contemporary menage a trois

Freebie:

Don't forget that Indiscretions is still available to download in .pdf format here for the next week.

Advent Calender Day 23: Fortuna & the Snowman

2010-12-23T07:00:00.013Z

A Wintry Snippet from Fortuna.

Giles had held her, overlooking the garden, for a long time the previous night, but there’d been no deeper show of affection between them. They’d eaten dinner early, and then he’d read to her for a while, something about the rights of women. How crazy we are, she’d thought, as she’d lain awake in bed, hoping he’d come to her. We want each other, and yet we’re apart. She fell asleep with her hand pressed to her puss and the memory of his touch sharp in her mind.

“Where’s Mr. Dovecote?” she asked his servant the next morning, when Giles failed to show for breakfast.

“Taking his customary turn about the park, miss. He doesn’t want no one suspecting that he’s harboring you.”

Ah! “Oh! Of course.”

When two o’ clock came and went, and Giles still hadn’t returned, Leach provided her with short boots and a woolen pelisse and ushered her into the walled garden. “You can pace out there, Miss. He’ll be back before long. Nothing will have happened to him. He’s not generally home much during the day.”

Outside the frosty air stung her cheeks. Already, the daylight had begun to fade, leaving the sky a muggy shade of gray.

Fortuna crossed the square lawn and headed beneath the archway cut into the towering rhododendron hedge. She’d been out twenty minutes and her fingers and ears were turning numb, when a voice startled her from her thoughts of home and husbands.

“Miss Allenthorpe.”

Fortuna shielded her eyes and peered back towards the house. A man, not Giles, was jogging towards her. His hat slipped off, half way across the lawn, revealing a flash of vivid-red hair. Neddy Darleston skidded onto one knee before her. He seized her hand and raised her icy fingers to his lips. “Good afternoon.”

“Mr. Darleston.” A lick of heat spread across her icy cheeks at the attention. “Have you brought me some news?”

Neddy rose and laying her arm upon his sleeve, tucked her close to his side. “Just expressing my relief at finding you so well.”

Fortuna blinked at him, finding it difficult to look at him and not imagine him sprawled before the drawing room fire, as she’d seen him last: muscled, naked and perfect.

“Why, if your mama and sisters were to be believed, you’re virtually at death’s door, having succumbed to the most terrible sore throat.” He grinned. “In short, I regret to inform you that not only has your absence gone unrecorded, your reputation is also safe.”

She didn’t want her reputation to be safe. “They are claiming I’m ill.”

Neddy squeezed her hand where it lay upon his sleeve. “I believe one or two other families have used that ploy before. A disobedient daughter doesn’t show the family in terribly good light, you know, and you do have rather a lot of sisters for your parents to auction off.”

“Yes, but I want Sir Hector to think I’m ruined.”

“I concede that is a problem. Of course, you’re family are probably expecting you to turn up again at some point as Mrs. something or other.”

There was sense in that. They probably did think she’d eloped, not just run off to save herself from Sir Hector. Her family had never been able to see that she hated him because he was vile, not because she wanted someone else. “Actually, I ran away to escape marriage, not to make one?”

Neddy patted her arm, his customary easy grin plastered across his face. “How very wise. I’ve never much fancied the matrimonial coif myself.” He squeezed her tight as they strolled on a little further, following the high boundary wall, over a lumpen rockery, to a set of trellising hung with the remnants of last years peas.

“Giles isn’t much of a gardener,” Neddy observed, as he plucked one of the blackened shriveled pods from the stalk. He balanced it above his lip like a moustache, making her laugh. “Do you know what I think this garden needs?”

“Some love?” she suggested.

Neddy tilted his head forward, and peered up at her from beneath his furrowed brows as if considering. His expression loosened into a beaming smile. “No, Miss Allenthorpe. A snowman.” He darted around her and capered away across the uneven earth, scooping snow into a ball.

Fortuna clapped her hands in delight. He reminded her of an exuberant puppy dog; nothing like the sculpted, sexual being she had previously watched copulate before the drawing room fire. Neddy, like Giles was a curious dichotomy, two seemingly opposite things at the same time.

“I saw you with Lady Darleston,” she admitted, when he caught her staring at him.

Neddy peered up at her from beneath his long fringe, from where he was bent rolling a second snowball. “I know. I saw you too. So, which was holding you back from joining us, my brother, your morals, or the fact that I’m not Giles?”

She gasped, shocked by his lack of embarrassment, and the impertinence of the question. If he’d known she was there, had he heard her describing him? Had he thought about touching her, filling her with his cock, in the same way he’d driven into Lucy?

“I know you practice free love,” she blurted.

“Has Giles given you the indoctrination speech? Wonderfully idealistic, ain’t it?” He lifted the snowman’s head into place, then faced her, his eyes slightly narrowed behind his curtain of hair. After a moment, when she hadn’t replied, he shrugged his shoulders, and started hunting about in the snow. “Say, help me find some arms and eyes, wont you? I have a carrot for a nose.” He dug in the pocket of his great coat and pulled out a brilliant orange specimen, which he jammed into the center of the head.

“You carry carrots about?” she spluttered, startled into speech. Truly, he was incredulous.

“Why yes, now that you mention it.” He thoughtfully squeezed his cleft chin. “I have had this one on me for a few days. Quite a few,” he flicked it dubiously, “given that it’s rather bendy. But, one never knows when the opportunity for these pleasures will arise, and it’s always the nose I struggle to find.”

Fortuna gave a rather un-lady-like snort of laughter, imagining him sneaking up on unsuspecting women in the park, brandishing his orange root and blithely suggesting they roll snow together. No wonder the society mamas warned their daughters to stay away from him, he was impossible not to like, easygoing, and totally charming.

“How are you doing finding those arms?” he asked.

Fortuna among the beans and found him some twigs, which he pushed into the snowman’s sides.

“You’re not really alike, are you? You and your brother.”

“We’re identical.”

“Physically, maybe, but not inside.”

He rested his elbow upon the snowman’s head, and considered. “That’s a curious way of putting it. The thing you have to remember about us is that Robert carries all the burdens. I just bear a meager allowance. And I know which of us I consider the most unfortunate.” He winked at her; then pressed two stones into the giant snowball for eyes. “Anything else you’d like to know or get off your chest, or shall we save them for a future tête-à-tête?”

“There is one thing.” She pursed her lips. “Why do they call you Neddy? Isn’t your name Alberic?”

Neddy snorted, and a tear ran down his cheek when he tried to stifle a further explosive laugh. “Miss Allenthorpe, you’ve seen me naked. Work it out for yourself. If you can’t, you’re too innocent to know, and I shall mercilessly rib Giles when he appears for comprehensively failing with your education.”

Perplexed, she crossed her arms. Nothing she’d observed of him while naked provided any clue to his nickname.” Her petulant frown lasted but a moment though, as Neddy waved and called out at two gray clad figures strolling towards them across the lawn. Finally, Giles had come home, and he had with him Neddy’s brother.

“Look at them, thick as thieves. They’re always like that you know. Watch out, Robert will get horribly jealous if you start squeezing between them.”

Fortuna glanced at the pair, who were hunched rather close, clearly deep in conversation.

“Let’s have some fun.” Neddy rolled a third, much smaller snowball, and lobbed it towards the other men.

Aim, perfect, the snowball exploded across the front of Darleston’s chest.

His lordship looked down at the frosty smear and dusted it off. He raised his gloved hand in a kind of tensed warning, before launching a retaliatory volley that hit his brother square in the face.

Neddy spluttered ice. He coughed so hard that Fortuna was obliged to pat his back. She scurried away as further missiles flew back and forth, yelping as they landed around her feet, until her borrowed footwear snagged against a freshly uncovered plant pot. Neddy put an arm out to save her, and she ploughed into him, driving him backwards onto the snowman, which collapsed beneath their combined weight.

Shock stole her breath. Disorientated, she flapped her arms and wriggled. Neddy lay warm beneath her, his body a series of sharply defined ridges and sturdy prominences that molded perfectly to her own contours. Further panicked, by how close they lay, her hands fluttered over parts of his anatomy ladies weren’t meant to touch.

Neddy just lay back and laughed. “You know, it’ll be much easier to get up if you stop wriggling.”

Gloved hands closed around her upper arms and lifted her upright. Giles pulled her close and cradled her against his shoulder. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” she sniffed. “Uncommonly fine.”

Giles had held her, overlooking the garden, for a long time the previous night, but there’d been no deeper show of affection between them. They’d eaten dinner early, and then he’d read to her for a while, something about the rights of women. How crazy we are, she’d thought, as she’d lain awake in bed, hoping he’d come to her. We want each other, and yet we’re apart. She fell asleep with her hand pressed to her puss and the memory of his touch sharp in her mind.

“Where’s Mr. Dovecote?” she asked his servant the next morning, when Giles failed to show for breakfast.

“Taking his customary turn about the park, miss. He doesn’t want no one suspecting that he’s harboring you.”

Ah! “Oh! Of course.”

When two o’ clock came and went, and Giles still hadn’t returned, Leach provided her with short boots and a woolen pelisse and ushered her into the walled garden. “You can pace out there, Miss. He’ll be back before long. Nothing will have happened to him. He’s not generally home much during the day.”

Outside the frosty air stung her cheeks. Already, the daylight had begun to fade, leaving the sky a muggy shade of gray.

Fortuna crossed the square lawn and headed beneath the archway cut into the towering rhododendron hedge. She’d been out twenty minutes and her fingers and ears were turning numb, when a voice startled her from her thoughts of home and husbands.

“Miss Allenthorpe.”

Fortuna shielded her eyes and peered back towards the house. A man, not Giles, was jogging towards her. His hat slipped off, half way across the lawn, revealing a flash of vivid-red hair. Neddy Darleston skidded onto one knee before her. He seized her hand and raised her icy fingers to his lips. “Good afternoon.”

“Mr. Darleston.” A lick of heat spread across her icy cheeks at the attention. “Have you brought me some news?”

Neddy rose and laying her arm upon his sleeve, tucked her close to his side. “Just expressing my relief at finding you so well.”

Fortuna blinked at him, finding it difficult to look at him and not imagine him sprawled before the drawing room fire, as she’d seen him last: muscled, naked and perfect.

“Why, if your mama and sisters were to be believed, you’re virtually at death’s door, having succumbed to the most terrible sore throat.” He grinned. “In short, I regret to inform you that not only has your absence gone unrecorded, your reputation is also safe.”

She didn’t want her reputation to be safe. “They are claiming I’m ill.”

Neddy squeezed her hand where it lay upon his sleeve. “I believe one or two other families have used that ploy before. A disobedient daughter doesn’t show the family in terribly good light, you know, and you do have rather a lot of sisters for your parents to auction off.”

“Yes, but I want Sir Hector to think I’m ruined.”

“I concede that is a problem. Of course, you’re family are probably expecting you to turn up again at some point as Mrs. something or other.”

There was sense in that. They probably did think she’d eloped, not just run off to save herself from Sir Hector. Her family had never been able to see that she hated him because he was vile, not because she wanted someone else. “Actually, I ran away to escape marriage, not to make one?”

Neddy patted her arm, his customary easy grin plastered across his face. “How very wise. I’ve never much fancied the matrimonial coif myself.” He squeezed her tight as they strolled on a little further, following the high boundary wall, over a lumpen rockery, to a set of trellising hung with the remnants of last years peas.

“Giles isn’t much of a gardener,” Neddy observed, as he plucked one of the blackened shriveled pods from the stalk. He balanced it above his lip like a moustache, making her laugh. “Do you know what I think this garden needs?”

“Some love?” she suggested.

Neddy tilted his head forward, and peered up at her from beneath his furrowed brows as if considering. His expression loosened into a beaming smile. “No, Miss Allenthorpe. A snowman.” He darted around her and capered away across the uneven earth, scooping snow into a ball.

Fortuna clapped her hands in delight. He reminded her of an exuberant puppy dog; nothing like the sculpted, sexual being she had previously watched copulate before the drawing room fire. Neddy, like Giles was a curious dichotomy, two seemingly opposite things at the same time.

“I saw you with Lady Darleston,” she admitted, when he caught her staring at him.

Neddy peered up at her from beneath his long fringe, from where he was bent rolling a second snowball. “I know. I saw you too. So, which was holding you back from joining us, my brother, your morals, or the fact that I’m not Giles?”

She gasped, shocked by his lack of embarrassment, and the impertinence of the question. If he’d known she was there, had he heard her describing him? Had he thought about touching her, filling her with his cock, in the same way he’d driven into Lucy?

“I know you practice free love,” she blurted.

“Has Giles given you the indoctrination speech? Wonderfully idealistic, ain’t it?” He lifted the snowman’s head into place, then faced her, his eyes slightly narrowed behind his curtain of hair. After a moment, when she hadn’t replied, he shrugged his shoulders, and started hunting about in the snow. “Say, help me find some arms and eyes, wont you? I have a carrot for a nose.” He dug in the pocket of his great coat and pulled out a brilliant orange specimen, which he jammed into the center of the head.

“You carry carrots about?” she spluttered, startled into speech. Truly, he was incredulous.

“Why yes, now that you mention it.” He thoughtfully squeezed his cleft chin. “I have had this one on me for a few days. Quite a few,” he flicked it dubiously, “given that it’s rather bendy. But, one never knows when the opportunity for these pleasures will arise, and it’s always the nose I struggle to find.”

Fortuna gave a rather un-lady-like snort of laughter, imagining him sneaking up on unsuspecting women in the park, brandishing his orange root and blithely suggesting they roll snow together. No wonder the society mamas warned their daughters to stay away from him, he was impossible not to like, easygoing, and totally charming.

“How are you doing finding those arms?” he asked.

Fortuna among the beans and found him some twigs, which he pushed into the snowman’s sides.

“You’re not really alike, are you? You and your brother.”

“We’re identical.”

“Physically, maybe, but not inside.”

He rested his elbow upon the snowman’s head, and considered. “That’s a curious way of putting it. The thing you have to remember about us is that Robert carries all the burdens. I just bear a meager allowance. And I know which of us I consider the most unfortunate.” He winked at her; then pressed two stones into the giant snowball for eyes. “Anything else you’d like to know or get off your chest, or shall we save them for a future tête-à-tête?”

“There is one thing.” She pursed her lips. “Why do they call you Neddy? Isn’t your name Alberic?”

Neddy snorted, and a tear ran down his cheek when he tried to stifle a further explosive laugh. “Miss Allenthorpe, you’ve seen me naked. Work it out for yourself. If you can’t, you’re too innocent to know, and I shall mercilessly rib Giles when he appears for comprehensively failing with your education.”

Perplexed, she crossed her arms. Nothing she’d observed of him while naked provided any clue to his nickname.” Her petulant frown lasted but a moment though, as Neddy waved and called out at two gray clad figures strolling towards them across the lawn. Finally, Giles had come home, and he had with him Neddy’s brother.

“Look at them, thick as thieves. They’re always like that you know. Watch out, Robert will get horribly jealous if you start squeezing between them.”

Fortuna glanced at the pair, who were hunched rather close, clearly deep in conversation.

“Let’s have some fun.” Neddy rolled a third, much smaller snowball, and lobbed it towards the other men.

Aim, perfect, the snowball exploded across the front of Darleston’s chest.

His lordship looked down at the frosty smear and dusted it off. He raised his gloved hand in a kind of tensed warning, before launching a retaliatory volley that hit his brother square in the face.

Neddy spluttered ice. He coughed so hard that Fortuna was obliged to pat his back. She scurried away as further missiles flew back and forth, yelping as they landed around her feet, until her borrowed footwear snagged against a freshly uncovered plant pot. Neddy put an arm out to save her, and she ploughed into him, driving him backwards onto the snowman, which collapsed beneath their combined weight.

Shock stole her breath. Disorientated, she flapped her arms and wriggled. Neddy lay warm beneath her, his body a series of sharply defined ridges and sturdy prominences that molded perfectly to her own contours. Further panicked, by how close they lay, her hands fluttered over parts of his anatomy ladies weren’t meant to touch.

Neddy just lay back and laughed. “You know, it’ll be much easier to get up if you stop wriggling.”

Gloved hands closed around her upper arms and lifted her upright. Giles pulled her close and cradled her against his shoulder. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” she sniffed. “Uncommonly fine.”

Copyright 2009-10. Madelynne Ellis. All Rights Reserved.

Advent Calender Day 22: Charlotte Stein Keeps on Giving

2010-12-22T07:00:00.041Z

Yep, Charlotte is back. How could I possibly refuse her a second visit when she posts such delights as the Eric Northman comedy twirly penis hat? Answer: I couldn't. So I'll hand you over to Charlotte to tell us all about the things she'd like to hand out for Christmas. Oh, and there's a little present for her at the bottom too.

Things I’d Like To Give For Christmas

1. Something that the hubster actually wants. I mean, I know that men are hard to buy for. I’ve heard that familiar refrain. I’ve heard all my friends crying about the fact that their husbands will only tell them three things they want, and how they don’t know what else to get. But I just don’t have any sympathy because my fella won’t even tell me one thing that he wants. He’s like the box from Hellraiser version of Christmas. I have to press all over him until he springs open and reveals, like, “an alarm clock for my iPod”. Which is, frankly, very little return for my bloodied fingers and that dude over there with pins in his head telling me that he now owns my immortal soul.

2. An entire twenty-four episode, twelve series run of the new version of The A-Team. Complete with ridiculous storylines about saving South American villages from cowboys or whatever other bollocks they usually had, and all that rescuing they did of Murdock from loonybins, and you know, like, Murdock getting shot down in the middle of a forest and then building a new airplane out of one shoe and a bit of old tree. And of course, it has to have the actual cast from the movie, because God knows, that nobody Liam Neeson needs the work.

3. An entire twenty-four episode, twelve series run of the new version of Star Trek. Because I’m on a theme, okay, and talking about The A-Team made me remember how much I utterly adored the Star Trek reboot, and how much I can’t wait three years between each movie. Which is really just me saying that I want to see Spock Pon Farr. Come on. I know everybody else wants it, too. Can you imagine Zachary Quinto Spock freaking out and trying to have sex with everything that moves? And you know they’re never going to do it in any of the movies. Dammit.

4. The ability to play any Mario game to the hubster. He keeps falling in holes. It’s desperately pathetic to see. It’s like he forgets to jump. He just walks right into them. And it’s even worse around Christmas, because we have loads of time to play together (Heh. Dirty) and he’s got all the dexterity with a games pad as a monkey without thumbs. I have to help him by doing things like waiting at the side of a lava pit, so he can see that it’s dangerous. But sometimes he just runs right into it, anyway.

5. Christopher Pike his talent and dignity back. What happened, Chris? I used to live for your books. Now they’re riddled with silly inaccuracies and you turn into a whiny baby when some reviewer points that out. Bad Chris. No cookies for you.

6. Should I want to give something like world peace, here? I dunno. Everybody wants world peace, don’t they? Which is funny, because you’d think that if everyone wanted it, it’d be very easy to get. But I suppose it’s hard, when everyone hates each other.

7. I know. I’ll give everyone the ability to not hate each other. So someone spilt your coffee or said something dumb on the internet or tried to stop you being an absolute ass. It’s not the end of the world. Zombies appearing? That’s the end of the world. Call me when your Dad is eating your face.

P.S. In the spirit of giving, here is the link to my upcoming Ellora’s Cave release. It’s also called Giving, it’s very naughty femdom, and it’s out December 30th:

Ahem, and now for that little pressie. Here you go, Charlotte. Merry Xmas with big smoochie kisses.

Advent Calender Day 21: Dear Santa

2010-12-21T07:00:00.018Z

For this Christmas what I'd really like is a nice, empty room that I can occupy with my laptop in order to get down to some serious writing. I currently have five books sitting on my hard drive awaiting my attention and it'd be cool if I could get to them.

On which subject a contract or three would be super amazing. It's not like I'm asking for miracles here, since I have several projects already sitting on editors desks, so all you'd have to do is give them a bit of a nudge. Maybe threaten them with mince pie withdrawal or suggest you might leave Rudolph under the Xmas tree alongside their brand new kindle. I'm sure reindeer aren't that up on technology and so wouldn't think twice about where they were stepping. Not that I'm trying to be mean or anything.

I'd also like to pass my driving test, if that's okay with you. That's my car driving test BTW, not my sleigh flying test. I'm happy to leave that up to the expert. Besides, I really couldn't afford the reindeer upkeep.

If you could also make the house move go smoothly that would be ace.

Returning to writing, I'd like a fan letter please. One that is full of glowing praise about my world-building, and how amazing my characters are. I know I've had one or two before, but praise is good for the soul, especially when you're busy freezing to death.

BTW what's with the Arctic snow!

Hmm! Gloves! I think I'd better wish for a new pair. Fingerless ones, please, so that I can type my magnum opus while freezing to death. (I hope you're noting my dedication to my art here.)

Best regards,

Madelynne

PS. If you could see to persuading Gackt and Johnathan Rhys Meyers to drop round for a threesome that would be most awesome of you too. Failing that Zachary Quinto would do as a stand in. You might have to distract Mr Madelynne first. I suggest you write an updated version of Ultima Underworld for PS3 move or Wii. That ought to keep him busy for a month or two.

Advent Calender Day 20: A Little Sprig of Mistletoe

2010-12-20T07:00:00.014Z

On the fifth day before Christmas, my Advent calendar gave to me a tipsy kiss beneath the mistletoe.

A forgotten prequel to ALL HE WANTS by Emily Ryan-Davis

“And a little splash of rum,” seventeen-year-old Telly Johnson whispered to herself as she topped off a fresh glass of eggnog with a generous pour. There was so much liquor flowing at her parents’ Christmas party that nobody would notice a bit of missing booze.

Masculine, laughing voices neared the kitchen. She hurriedly screwed the top back on the bottle and grabbed a handful of red-sugar-sprinkled cookies before heading for the back stairs. Nobody would notice as long as she didn’t get caught.

As she placed her Santa-slippered foot on the bottom step, “Jingle Bells” grew louder and a draft whooshed across the kitchen, cooling the backs of her legs. Cringing, she froze in place. Maybe if she didn’t move—

“Telly?” Warm and deep. His voice. Heat rushed her cheeks before he said, “I didn’t know you were home.”

It’s the rum, she told herself, turning slowly to face him. One look at Keith Moss, U.S. Marines t-shirt stretched across his muscular chest, and she knew the rum thing was a dirty lie.

“I didn’t know you were home,” she countered. “Jamie didn’t say you were coming.”

“Did you ask him?” Keith stepped into the kitchen, letting the door swing shut behind him. He dropped three crushed beer cans into the recycle bin and reached for the refrigerator. Telly eyed his headgear. White fake-fur and crimson velour hid his short blond hair. A bunch of mistletoe danced on the end of a red spring coiled to resemble the cone of a Santa hat.

The mistletoe gave an alluring shimmy when Keith resurfaced with another beer. He popped the top and leaned against the ‘fridge door. Telly curled her toes in her slippers. Damn her sweet tooth. And the rum. She should’ve stayed upstairs with the holiday romance she’d bought for the weekend.

“It’s freezing outside,” Keith said. “Why aren’t you wearing pants?”

“Because I don’t wear pants to bed.”

“This isn’t bed. And I’m not the only guy who could’ve come into the kitchen to catch you in your nightgown.” Keith made a face and raised his beer to his mouth but lowered it without drinking. His eyebrows lowered and drew together. “Is that spiked?”

“Um. No?” She edged up another step. “It’s rude for guests to go into the kitchen at a party. Nobody’s going to see me. See? I’m going back upstairs now.”

“Uh-huh.” He pushed away from the refrigerator and caught her forearm before she could turn and dash up the stairs. Holding her in place, he raised her glass and sniffed. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Her fingers tightened around the glass. “Are you going to tell?”

“I should. Rum could stunt your growth.”

Telly stared at him. “You’re drunk.”

Her brother’s best friend laughed. “So are you. Difference is I’m allowed to be.”

His stupid mistletoe danced a jig to the tune of his mirth. Telly pressed her lips together, then asked, “How many kisses have you gotten tonight?”

Keith heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Not nearly enough. Jamie excluded young, single women from the guest list.”
He somehow managed to extricate her drink from her grasp. Telly let it go. She had something else in mind, and as long as he had both hands occupied…

“You have to get at least one. You’re standing under mistletoe.” Quick, before she lost her alcoholic courage and before Keith thought ahead far enough to dodge, she placed her hands on his shoulders and stood on tiptoe to kiss his him.

Expecting something brief – expecting Keith to recoil in shock – her eyes flew open when, instead of jerking away, he parted his lips and licked into her mouth. Telly dug her fingernails into the muscle padding his shoulders. A low sound of pleasure vibrated from his throat and he stroked deeper. Liquid heat rushed south, leaving her cheeks cold and her abdomen hot. Suddenly uncertain, she pushed at his shoulders.

Keith let her go but not far. He sighed against the curve of her neck, kissed her earlobe, and murmured, “I’m not sure who’s going to kill me harder, my dad or your brother.”

“Don’t tell,” she whispered shakily.

“I’ve had too much to drink. I probably won’t remember to tell.” He straightened and backed away. Telly watched him pour her spiked eggnog down the drain. He glanced sideways at her. “Really. No drinking. ”
He fingered his mistletoe, then pulled the hat off and tossed it in the trash before leaving the kitchen.
She rescued the silly hat and took it to bed with her, hoping it would come in handy again some day. Maybe when she was legal and Keith was home again.

-
Fortunately for Telly and Keith, the opportunity does come again this Christmas. For very legal kisses, check out ALL HE WANTS, available now at Ellora’s Cave.

Merry Christmas!
-Emily Ryan-Davis

Advent Calender Day 19: Portia Da Costa

2010-12-19T07:00:00.001Z

My guest today is my super duper fab-o-rific writing buddy Portia Da Costa. Who is, of course, also a star of erotica and erotic romance. Here she's sharing an excerpt from the first outing in her Ladies Sewing Circle stories from Spice Briefs.

Excerpt from A GENTLEWOMAN’S PREDICAMENT

Inquisitive widow Sofia Harewood attends the House of Madame Chamfleur in order to discover what sensual delights she missed out on during her marriage…

“You’re very beautiful, my dear,” whispers Ambrose, hand still upon me, “But you’re a modest young woman and I know all this is new to you.” His mouth is so close to my cheek that I almost imagine he’s going to kiss me. But he doesn’t. “Perhaps you’d like to retain your undergarments for the moment, to spare your blushes?”

Spare them? Too late for that. My entire body is in a state of conflagration. He’s barely touched me but I’m an inferno down below.

“Come along, Mrs. Harewood. Let’s get you settled comfortably on the chaise.”

Like the proverbial lamb to the slaughter, I let him lead me to the plush, upholstered couch and help me up onto it. As I settle into place, not knowing what to expect, I close my eyes. And as I prepare to meet my fate, Clarence’s skillful fingers ease the pins from my hair and fan it out across the cushions. All the while, Ambrose lightly strokes my hand.
What am I doing here? Why am I allowing these two men that are scarcely even acquaintances make free with my clothing and my body? I must have lost my wits or the Madeira was drugged.

But I know that’s not so. And I know this is what I’ve wanted for a long time. The thing I knew existed but was missing from my life.

When my pulses have settled, and I’ve calmed a little, Ambrose releases my hand and gets straight down to business. Slowly, seductively, he strokes my cheek, then my chin, then my throat. A moment later, he’s at the tiny silk ribbons that fasten the front of my chemise, undoing them swiftly.
Without speaking, he folds the soft fabric aside and exposes my pale body to his gaze, and to Clarence’s.

When he touches me, really touches me, I cry out like a child, and instantly Clarence is at my head, stroking my hair like a skilled groom calming a skittish pony. He murmurs to me, “There, there…” while Ambrose handles my breasts, gently fondling and cupping and kneading.

His actions are light, circumspect, almost respectful, but their effect is like nothing I’ve ever known. I squirm on the upholstery, my body excited, twisting and uneasy. When he increases the intensity of his caresses, I whimper helplessly. How can this be? How can such simple manipulations create such a cornucopia of delight. My late husband mauled my bosom, and I felt nothing then.

But now… now, Ambrose’s fingers are so clever, so devilish. He plucks at my nipples, playing with them in a way that feels like he’s playing with my entire body and setting light to the most divine, unknown sensations. I wriggle shamelessly, scissoring my thighs in a lewd and passionate frenzy, wanting more, more, more. Anything to assuage the rapidly gathering inner tingling.

“You see, Mrs. Harewood, you are a sensual woman!” Ambrose’s voice is both cajoling and triumphant, and yet an intimate whisper, right in my ear. While he still plays with my breasts, Clarence moves again, towards the foot of the chaise.

My eyes fly open.

Whatever are they planning now?

Discover more about A GENTLEWOMAN’S PREDICAMENT here:
And check out it’s sequel A GENTLEWOMAN’S RAVISHMENT here:
A Gentlewoman's Predicament by Portia Da Costa
Harlequin Spice Briefs ® 2010 ISBN TBA
© 2010 Portia Da Costa
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher

Portia Da Costa writes historical and contemporary erotic romance for Spice Briefs and has two titles scheduled with Samhain Publishing in 2011. Her Victorian set erotic romance IN THE FLESH will be published by Harlequin Spice in January 2012 and she’s also written for Black Lace and various other publishers.

http://www.portiadacosta.com

http://wendyportia.blogspot.com

Advent Calender Day 18: Meme

2010-12-18T20:27:00.000Z

Hopelessly cribbed from Cara McKenna's blog.

Favourite recent book: City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane.

All-time favourite book: Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien

Book that most changed your life: Lord Wraxall's Fancy by Anna Lieff Saxby. I started writing erotica after reading that book.

All-time favourite author: Probably Winston Graham

Favorite band or musical artist: There are too many. This really depends on my state of mind and mood. I'm still a huge fan of Gackt though. :)

Favourite recent movie: Defiance or Toy Story 3

All-time favourite movie: I can't possibly list only one. How about ten: Labyrinth, Amadeus, Dangerous Liaisons, Ashura, Infernal Affairs, Gothic, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Desperado, Velvet Goldmine, & Barbarella.

Favourite actor: Jonathan Rhys Meyers is always a fave. I'm also fond of Anthony Wong, Andy Lau, Julian Sands and Sean Bean.

Favourite actress: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!nope ain't got one.

Favourite recent (last five years) TV show: Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes.

All-time favorite TV show: Either Poldark or Sherlock Holmes or maybe Lexx. Must be one of them as they're the ones I own on DVD.

Favorite game (video-, board-, parlor-, drinking-, anything): Boardgame: Space Crusade (but only if I get to be the monsters) Actually, pretty much any game where I get to be EVIL!

Foxiest person alive: Gackt.

Coolest person alive: At this moment in time, probably the in-laws.

Funniest comedian, living or dead: Dylan Moran

Job you'd love to try for one day: Dragon Rider.

Play along in the comments... I'd love to learn about you.

Advent Calender Day 17: Agent Melissa Jeglinski and the Query Letter

2010-12-17T07:00:00.001Z

More work than fun today as I have my fabulous agent, Melissa Jeglinski of the Knight Agency, as a guest. Melissa has kindly agreed to share a few pointers on what she looks for in a query letter. I've also posted the snaggle-toothed beastie that I originally sent her and mustn't have been too bad as she took me on.

Welcome Melissa

Ah, the dreaded How to Write a Query Letter blog. I’m sure you’ve seen hundreds. And perhaps they all say the same thing; or perhaps they are giving out different information which leads to even more confusion. I hope this offers some helpful information.

As an agent I get numerous queries per day. I’m also the gatekeeper of The Knight Agency’s submissions box where we average three hundred queries per week.   So I’ve seen everything from the sublime to the ridiculous. True, your letter is one amidst hundreds. But to stand out in a crowd you do not need to query with a wickedly fun font or address me as Madame Guardian of the Dreaded Query Gate. Just tell me your story, but do so in a professional way.

I personally prefer the three paragraph method. Short and sweet (that’s me.) Here’s my recommendation on what to place in each section.

Paragraph One:

Let the introductions begin. State the title and word count of your finished project. Note the genre (paranormal romance, contemporary women’s fiction, historical young adult, middle grade, etc.) and a one sentence set up. I like when writers give a comparison such as: Jane Eyre meets CSI. Immediately I get the idea that this is a historical mystery with a possible medical twist. You can compare your work to a movie, other books, TV show, etc. It’s giving that point of reference that works for me. This is also where you note if it’s first person or in a different format (diary, email, etc.)or if it’s the first book in a projected series. Let me know what to expect.

Paragraph Two:

Show me the story. This is where you provide a brief synopsis. By brief, well, yes I do mean just one paragraph. It’s possible to collapse a 90,000 word novel into four sentences. It really is. And practicing such a thing can really fine tune your writing skills. Take out unnecessary adjectives and other descriptions and get to the heart of your story. Not every detail needs to be noted, just the set up and crux of the conflict. You want me wanting more. Remember, this is only to entice the reader to ask for more of your project. Later on, when you are asked to submit a full synopsis, that’s where all the adjectives and conflict resolutions belong.

Paragraph Three:

It’s all about you. Here is where you provide a short bio including writing credits, organizations you belong to and other relevant information. Remember to keep the query businesslike. Although you may have wonderful things to say about your family life, this is not the place to share them.   I find it odd when I receive glowing reviews about a person’s writing...from their aunt Dorothy. If you have a quote from a published author—one who writes in the same genre as the project you are currently querying—yes, by all means, include it. But do think about whether something is truly pertinent.

So, three paragraphs in total. Short and to the point. Use enticing language, really work on pinpointing the most exciting aspects of your book. Think of it as a movie trailer and you have sixty seconds to make me want to spend those twelve dollars to see more.

Should you be interested in querying myself or another agent at The Knight Agency, first take a look at our submission guidelines located on our website: www.knightagency.net. You’ll find lots of helpful hints there as well. Query letters should be sent only to submissions (at) knightagency (dot) net where they will be responded to within two weeks.

Madelynne's Original Query Letter:

Dear Ms Jeglinski:

Dutiful, dependable and desperate…

Fortuna Allenthorpe is so repulsed by the man to whom her parents have engaged her that she takes the only available way out, and flees into the night with notorious rakehell, Giles Dovecote. Giles is a vocal advocate of free love, and he and his debauched friends the Darleston twins, are soon vying for Fortuna’s attention while introducing her to all manner of sexual delights.

Convinced that her tattered reputation will prompt her fiancé to call off the engagement, Fortuna is troubled to learn that Sir Hector is still set upon their marriage. It seems he’s more interested in her impressive inheritance, a ruby necklace known as the Star of Fortune, than he is in her errant virtue. What’s more, he’s prepared to destroy her family to ensure he gets exactly what he wants.

Suddenly, Fortuna’s only means of escape is to make a more agreeable match. How difficult can that be, when she’s head over heels for Giles, and he’s already sworn to help her? There’s just one problem—Giles’s deep-rooted belief that marriage is nothing more than social slavery. Past mistakes weight heavily on his conscience, but can he really sit back and condemn the woman he loves to a hellish match?

Fortuna is a 90,000 word character-driven erotic romance, set in Georgian London. My five previous novels, two of which are also Georgian set and share characters in common with Fortuna, are currently available from Virgin, Black Lace. My short stories have featured in anthologies published by Virgin, Thunder’s Mouth Press, Seal Press and Cleis. I am a member of RWA special interest chapters Passionate Ink and the Beau Monde as well as being a regular contributor to the Lust Bites blog, and a long-time member of the Erotica Readers & Writers Association.

Should you be interested in reading Fortuna, I’d be happy to forward you sample chapters and a synopsis, or the completed manuscript.

Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

Madelynne Ellis

Advent Calender Day 16: The Bloody Book

2010-12-16T07:00:00.001Z

At the end of Broken Angel (in Possession) I really didn't want to say goodbye to Blaze and Asha. They'd had twenty-four hours of madness together and I wanted desperately to discover what happened next. The result is the Blood Book, actually titled Blood Moon.

Blood Moon picks up immediately after Broken Angel. Asha and Blaze are still on the run and Blaze at least, doesn't have a clue what's going on or who to trust. It takes him a good long while to figure it out-- nearly a whole book of gothic urban fantasy style excitement in fact.

Enjoy the excerpt.

Sneak Peak at Blood Moon
(Copyright 2010 Madelynne Ellis. All Rights Reserved)

Blaze leapt off the far end of the bridge. He didn’t look back but dived for cover amongst a pile of abandoned furniture stacked next to an overflowing bin. The stench of rotten fish assailed his nostrils; he turned his head away from the refuse and huddled behind an overturned sofa riddled with protruding springs.

There was no point in arguing with her. When it came to a fight, Asha was a veteran. He’d experienced the thrill of gang violence on numerous occasions, but mob dynamics and one on one with a flock of youkai were entirely different things. Asha didn’t feel remorse over every blow. When he’d skirmished, he’d bloodied a few noses. Asha generally lopped off the whole head.

Having caught his breath, Blaze drew the knife Asha had given him earlier that morning. Just holding it left him feeling cold. He’d driven a halberd into Talon’s chest in order to escape his clutches and had watched the life drain from his body, sensed the man’s heart stop. He carried that guilt with him, and yet Vervain said Talon still lived. That knowledge didn’t bring him any relief. It just made him wonder how he could have so comprehensively failed. But everything was crazy at the moment with the sounds and symbols of dead languages scarring the landscape.
A horrid screech tore through the sky. The sound reverberated off the side of the building making his ears ache. Blaze shrank back against the damp upholstery, his palm clasped to the demon mark on his chest. Through a tear in the sofa base he could see Asha. Safely off the bridge, she stood poised on the quayside, as lovely and coldly perfect, as she’d been when he’d awoken last night to find her tending his wounds. Although she’d abandoned her fellow demon-hunters to become his guardian, at this moment her Talon mask remained firmly in place.

With her stark alabaster-white skin, long raven tresses and her fanciful outfit of velvet and lace, she looked like the beloved concubine of some business magnate from the Heights—an expensive toy cast aside on the riverbank. While in truth, she was an angel of darkness: a passionate and lethal herald of all that had befallen him. Somehow since last night—and he didn’t pretend to understand it—their fates had become entwined. Without her, he didn’t doubt that he’d already be dead.

“Asha,” he whispered, but the encouragement was drowned out by a second unholy screech.

A triple shadow rose before her. It approached in a wedge of flesh, scales and fur.

Asha remained perfectly still. Not even the breeze stirred the fabric of her funereal garb. In the space of a blink, she moved. Blaze caught the flash of reflective steel as the first of the youkai lost an arm. It fell squalling to the ground as an amalgam of flesh and quills. Not quite youkai, not entirely human either. The second, she split across the middle, her sword swinging in a single vicious arc. Blood splashed her face and clothing. It soaked into her skirts. The vibrant red running into the weave and transforming the brocade: a new pattern to mark the passing of another foe.

Blaze winced at each gristly smack. His bare back itched as if the skin were about to split. He rubbed it uncomfortably up against the protruding sofa arm, only for the recently inked tattoo upon his stomach to glow bright green.

Frantically, he tried to hitch his leather trousers over the light, but his fingers locked into arthritic claws. “No,” he sobbed. Heat pulsed through his body, and he began to shake.

Another caw sounded over the canal, and Blaze screamed as the sigil tattooed upon his stomach countered his body’s urge to transform. His skin stretched, but it didn’t rip to enable feathery appendages to sprout from his back.

Damn. She hadn’t cured him. He was still polymorphic, just stuck in human form.

Through a veil of tears, as he lay stretched flat on his back against the dirty cobbles, Blaze watched Asha back towards him. She spun, whisper fast. Calm. Precise. Lethal. Her blade flashed, and left streamers of coppery dust behind in its wake.

The third demon gave a baleful squawk, and stretched his feathers. Tawny wings frantically flapped, each beat sending a tide of litter rustling towards him. The youkai tried to soar, seeking freedom amongst the clouds. Asha held it skewered upon the end of her sword, until it burst. Its final form dispersed as a shower of coppery dust.

Then calmly, she returned to the water’s edge and stabbed through the heart the first demon, who still lay hollering at the loss of its limb.

“It’s done,” she called to Blaze, her voice emotionless.

Still performing as one of Talon’s dolls, still a perfect demon-slaying marionette. He wondered how soon she’d realise the truth of him and drive her sword-tip through his heart.

He didn’t answer her call; just lay clutching his stomach staring dazedly at the sky. Slowly, the pain ebbed away. Blaze wiped the sweat from his face and cautiously pushed himself to his feet.

The remains of the youkai lay in two neat powdery piles on the ground. The essence of the third remained suspended in the air as a cloud of coppery particles. The dust would eventually fall, likely onto cotton sheets. The city’s alchemists always knew where to find Blood Rain.

“Are you all right?” Asha asked.

Blaze brushed a soggy piece of newspaper from his shoulder and nodded. He’d worry over his body’s reaction to the calls of the other youkai later. Maybe it was just coincidence the two events had happened together.

Asha gave a crisp nod, then gracefully dipped onto one knee and scooped up a handful of the demon dust. She let it slowly sift between her gloved fingers before running her tongue over what remained upon the middle digit.

“Should you be doing that?” Blaze asked. There was a reason the stuff was illegal. It was highly addictive. A teaspoon’s worth purportedly enough to make a love slave of anyone.

Asha’s eyebrows twitched and the tiniest hint of amusement lit up her face. She turned her wrist and offered up her remaining fingers for him to suck clean.

Blaze took a wary step back.

“What are you worried about? Do you think I’ll be so overcome with lust I’ll have to pin you to that sofa and tear your clothes off? Credit me with some resilience, Blaze.”

Still hesitant, Blaze folded his arms across his chest and hugged his biceps. If he’d had boots on, he’d have stomped the damn demon dust into the cracks between the cobblestones, so that it couldn’t hurt anyone. The only thing Blood Rain had ever done was turn sensible men into sex-craved lunatics. “Asha,” he pleaded. How could a demon hunter be so blasé about tasting the stuff?

And yes, that’s exactly what he feared. Wasn’t that how this trouble had started in the first place? She’d licked his wounds clean and got high on the taste.

With a terse smile, she blew the remainder of the dust from her palm. “They were foot soldiers, not out for us specifically, just looking for an easy meal.”

“You can tell all that from one taste?”

“Believe me, Talon made sure I was a connoisseur. The high ups taste different. They smell different too.” She leaned in close and sniffed him. “None of them smell or taste like you.”

Advent Calender Day 15: Janine Ashbless

2010-12-15T07:00:00.002Z

Please welcome the terrific queen of erotic horror, Janine Ashbless, who is sharing an excerpt from her current WIP with us.

Intro:

"The King's Viper is an erotic romance novella about two people who are not allowed to fall for each other but who do. It has a late-medievalish fantasy setting and, because it's my idea of romance, the characters
suffer horribly for their Happy Ever After. And if I could just stop being ambushed by new scenes that need to be included, it might be finished by Xmas."

Excerpt:

The touch jolted through her: suddenly she could move. She wrenched herself from his hands and toward the door, smacking her knuckles on the wood, stumbling out into the sunlight. Severin was out there, walking across the yard with a drift of other servants, and she felt a great flood of relief at the sight of him. As Heloise hit the bottom of the steps she was almost running; she threw herself against him and wrapped her arms tight about his torso, burying her face in his chest.

Severin went stock-still. “What’s wrong?” he asked softly.

She looked over her shoulder, and he followed her glance. Duggan was coming down the steps from the scullery. His loose peasant trousers were tented by the jut of his erection and he had a genial smirk on his face.

“What’s wrong?” repeated Severin, his voice going suddenly hard. He pulled her off him and dropped his rake on the flagstones with a clatter, his gaze fixed on Duggan. “What did he do to you?”

Duggan’s smile broadened. He was a head taller than Severin and saw nothing to worry about. “She just got a bit splashed, that’s all.”

“What,” said Severin, almost hissing the words, “did he do?” And he took the first steps toward the farmer. Heloise saw it even if Duggan didn’t: the shift in the way Severin moved - no longer the amble of a tired field-hand but the coiled, silky poise of something far more dangerous. His left hand slipped to the small of his back, up under his loose shirt.

To where the knife was concealed.

Fear spiked through Heloise. They were surrounded by witnesses, and this was Duggan’s farm. Everyone was stopping to watch. “Nothing!” she gasped. “He didn’t do anything!”

Duggan’s smirk became unbearable as he nodded at her in approval. Severin took another step.

“Sev! He did nothing!” she moaned, catching his arm. “Please!”

For a moment he seemed to take no notice of her. Then he uncoiled and turned and caught her arm. His face was a mask. He marched her out of the yard, past all the incoming fieldhands who stared and grinned. He took her round the corner and then when they were alone at last he pushed her against the wall, her back to the stones, and gripped her shoulders tight enough to make her squirm.

“What happened?” he demanded in a low voice, leaning in close. “Tell me.”

“Nothing!” Her hands made their own protest, catching the front of his shirt. “He didn’t have the chance – I walked out.” She could hardly believe, now, that it had happened: so quickly, so completely without reference to her will.

Severin’s jaw clenched and she saw the muscle jump in his cheek. “Ella,” he breathed. “You must never give any man even half an opportunity-”

“I didn’t!” Tears flooded, burning, to her eyes. Severin let go of her abruptly and put his hands on the wall instead. She was as cornered as she had been by Duggan.

“Shit,” he hissed to himself, fury dancing in his narrowed eyes. Then he blinked, shook himself and asked, his voice hoarse but much gentler, “Are you all right?”

She nodded, sniffing back the tears before they could fall. Her hands were still snagged in the front of his shirt.

“Are you sure?”

“Mm.” She stared up at him, breathing hard.

“Right then.” He covered her fingers with his dusty hand and detached her gently from his shirt. “Let me think this through, Ella. Go ... go finish your work. I’ll join you.” Then he turned away and walked off, head tilted like a man trying not to see what was before him.

Heloise didn’t understand why his thinking couldn’t be done in her presence. She didn’t want Severin to leave her on her own. She wanted him to stay, even if he was angry with her. Sagging against the wall, she shut her eyes in misery and then flashed them open. She was starting to shake. Nothing had happened – or almost nothing - and yet it had left her shocked and lost and filled with horrible guilt. She could still feel the pressure of Duggan’s fingers on her nipple, on her sex. She pressed her hands to herself and stifled a whimper. She could still feel the effect that Duggan had had on her betraying flesh – and yet when she shut her eyes it was Severin she saw in his place. Severin’s hand on her breast. Severin’s lips, parted and hungry. Severin’s fingers holding her nipple captive, and pushing between her thighs to take possession of her aching, eager body.

©Janine Ashbless 2010
All rights reserved.

About Janine

"Janine Ashbless is a troll-like creature who lives under a bridge in Darkest Yorkshire, England. She likes to write erotica and romance that is simultaneously hot and scary, and has had 5 books published by Black Lace. She eats lickle children and will turn to stone if she goes out in daylight."
www.janineashbless.blogspot.com

Advent Calender Day 14: Eye Candy Day

2010-12-14T07:00:00.003Z

Advent Calender Day 13: Christmas Marzipan Pigs

2010-12-13T07:00:00.001Z

Because I want to wish you all good luck for the coming year, here's a simple way to make your own lucky christmas pig.

Ingredients
Marzipan (or royal icing if you prefer)
Red food colouring,
Chocolate Digestive biscuits
Dessicated Coconut
Chocolate

How to

1. Split the block of marzipan into two larger balls and one smaller ball.

2. Take the two large balls of marzipan and make a well in the top of each. Add a few drops of red food colouring. Then knead the marzipan until the colour is uniform throughout and hopefully pink.

3. Use one of the larger balls as the pigs body.

4. Roll the other larger ball into a long sausage shape. Cut into six pieces (4 legs and 1 snout, plus one spare)

5. Stick legs and snout onto the body.

6. Use the fifth piece to form 2 triangular ears, eyes and a tail.

7. Divide the remaining ball of marzipan into thirds. Keep one third white(ish). Using the method in step 1 turn the remaining two thirds red using food colouring.

8. Form the red part into a cone shaped santa hat.

9. Use the white(ish) part to make a trim around the base of the hat and a pom pom on the tip.

10. Using a cocktail stick or fork put two indents in the nose to form nostrils and add indents to the eyes.

11. Place the hat on the pigs head.

12. Melt some chocolate.

13. Spread chocolate on a chocolate digestive biscuit (okay so it doesn't have to be a chocolate digestive but more chocolate is good right). Stick pig to the biscuit, then sprinkle dessicated coconut over the chocolate before it sets.

Voila. Your own Christmas Piggy standing in a snow covered muddy field. (Should you want a spring piggy instead, use green food colouring to dye the coconut before applying to the chocolate biscuit.)

Advent Calender Day 12: Charlotte Stein

2010-12-12T07:00:00.001Z

Today's guest post comes from the wonderfully magnificent and stupendously funny, Charlotte Stein.

Things I Would Like To Get For Christmas

1. The A-Team. No, I don’t mean the DVDs of the movie version, or the TV version, or maybe one of those little toy vans with doors that really open. I mean the ACTUAL 2010 A-Team. I’ll even take that extreme fighter who played BA in the new one. I want them all, like collectable action figures with eyes that I can move on the backs of their heads, only instead of their eyes, I move their…you get the picture. I’m a pervert who wants a voodoo A-Team.

2. I was going to say a Kindle here, but I won’t, because it’s useless to waste Christmas wishes on things you know you’re already getting. I’m getting a Kindle, okay? I’ve seen it. I ordered it myself on Amazon. All the mystique and wonder has gone out of Christmas because of this present I ordered myself. So instead, I’ll say I’d like to get the Holodeck, from Star Trek. Suck on that, Santa.

3. I think I’d really like to suck on Santa. You know– maybe like the Tim Allen version? I mean, he’s jolly, he’s got a sexy beard, he gives presents, he’s got a good grasp on naughty and nice. What’s not to love?

4. Again, I want to say chocolate, here. But I know I’m already getting chocolate. I picked it out myself from Hotel Chocolate, because if I leave it up to the hubster he’ll get me lemon curd wrapped in dark flakes. Which as everyone knows, is the most evol of all chocolates. It’s a cheating chocolate, a chocolate that punishes rather than rewards. It tastes like eating Fairy Liquid, and who wants that? No-one, that’s who. But anyway, instead of wishing for the chocolate I’m already getting, I’m going to wish for Sharlto Copley, covered in praline soup. Yeah. That sounds suitably insane and impossible to get. I mean, I’m not even sure if praline soup exists.

5. A seven book deal with the Guaranteed Billionaire Publishing Company. And don’t try to fake me out, Santa, by making the Guaranteed Billionaire Publishing Company some kind of bogus nonsense with typos on their website outfit. They have to live up to their name. And not because I really want a billion dollars, but because I figure if I do everyone will buy my books anyway just to find out how I made a billion dollars.
See. I’ve thought this thing through. I really have.

P.S. I have a Christmas novella out, soon! Closer is out from Ellora’s Cave on December 7th, and you can find lots of sexy details about it right here:

P.P.S Thanks Madelynne, for letting me ramble on your blog!

P.P.P.S Thank you Charlotte, for rambling. (Not that you were rambling.)

Advent Calender Day 11: 11 Places I've Co-opted for Stories.

2010-12-11T07:00:00.001Z

1. Stokesay Castle, Shropshire (became Pennerley, in Phantasmagoria)


2. The Stiper Stones, Shropshire (appear in a as yet unfinished short story about a faerie)

3. The Gothic Temple, Stowe (the folly in which Alastair and Jude spend the night in Pure Folly)

4. Carn Euny, Cornwall (setting for Carn Euny in Dirty Girls)

5. Djoser's Pyramid, Saqqara (location of Saddler's party in Passion of Isis)

6. Kabukicho, Tokyo (location for Woe in Kabukicho)

7. Shugborough Hall, Staffordshire (Gardens feature in current WIP)

8. The White House, Aston Munslow (from my current WIP)

9. Castle of Park, Glenluce, Scotland (the castle from Dark Designs)

10. Beaudesert Hall, Cannock Chase (Lauwine Hall in A Gentleman's Wager)

11. Keele Hall Amphitheatre (site of a boxing match in my current WIP)

Advent Calender Day 10: Emily Ryan Davis

2010-12-10T07:00:00.001Z

Christmas is Sweet

It's now fifteen days until Christmas. I've re-memorized every holiday song, Christian, Jewish and non-religious (Jewish holiday songs are my favorite). I've wrapped almost all my gifts. The tree is decorated, the Thanksgiving pounds have melted away, and all I have left is anticipation. And holiday baking.

This weekend, I'm attending a cookie exchange party hosted by the lovely and talented Stephanie Draven. I'm sure I'll bring something fabulous home with me but I'm even more sure everybody else will take something beyond fabulous home with them.

That something? My peanut butter cookies. Soon, I'll tell you all about them. First, though, I want to share a very different kind of Christmas cookie with you. That delectable treat is named Aya and he is the very best of everything gingerbread. (You should know in advance that Aya is not meant to be shared with the under-18 set and he does not leave crumbs in bed.)

From MORE THAN A MAN
(excerpt copyright 2010)

Except face to face was really face to chest. Her face, his lovely chest. Because she liked tall men, and she'd specified he should be tall. And oh. His chest. Noelle swallowed. She could clearly see the ridges beneath his shirt, spaced evenly apart. Piercings. Heat rushed to her cheeks. She raised her eyes to meet his, which were green and serious and, oh, Deity, intense as he watched her examine him.

Stupidly, grateful she managed to make her tongue work at all, she said, "I didn't know you were coming."

"I asked them not to notify you." His mouth tilted at one corner. He straightened and glanced past her into the house. "If you're not ready, I can go back and wait."

He could go back. She could shove all her haphazardly-strewn Christmas decorations into a closet and dial up cleaning service to scour the corners of the house and change the linens on her bed to something less feminine and frilly. Something that would match him. She could fix her hair and change into the leg-baring sheath she'd bought to wear January 6. But that would involve letting him out of her sight. Chest tight, Noelle shook her head once and stumbled back, making room for him.

She slapped the security panel and the door closed behind him. Spicy, fragrant heat enveloped her immediately, cinnamon and ginger and brown sugar. Something sharp beneath that, tickling her nose. Her stomach rumbled low, a murmur of approval and hunger. He heard it. One of his dark eyebrows arched and his half-smile teased into a full grin.

"Sounds like you're...hungry." He dropped his bag in the foyer. In the soft imitation natural light she preferred for her indoor fixtures, his complexion wasn't as dark as it had appeared when he stood outside. Instead, his skin was a rich ginger tan, sun-baked despite the weak sun this time of year.

Noelle kept walking backward, not quite sure what she should do or say. She'd done this twice before, but she had received advance warning. She'd had time to prepare. She'd known their names, for Deity's sake. Giving herself a mental shake, she planted her feet and met his eyes. "I don't know your name."

*****

But you know his name. :)

Sadly, I am allergic to ginger so I can only enjoy the gingerbread from afar. I'll be nibbling the following Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever during my holiday reading. If your preferences run to peanut butter, too, you will need:

Tools & Ingredients

1 mini-muffin tin (like a regular muffin tin, only with 24 mini cups instead of 12 full-size cups)

1 bag of Reese's Miniatures (freeze these before you bake; if you're not in the United States, find chocolate-covered peanut butter cups)

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I always increase by 50%...I love a very peanut-buttery peanut butter cookie)

1 stick butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I sometimes use whole wheat)

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Combine butter, peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and peanut butter in one bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mix to the peanut butter mix and stir to combine (a mixer works great, and I have been known to use a potato masher in the absence of any other tools).

Drop by tablespoons into your ungreased muffin tin and pop them in the oven, 8-10 minutes.

While cookies are baking, unwrap 24 frozen Reese's miniatures.

After you pull the cookies out of the oven, press a miniature down into the center of each cookie. The hot cookie dough should form a cup around the chocolate candy.

Using a spoon, gently lift each cookie from the muffin cups and place them on a wire rack to cool.

Repeat until you're out of cookie dough (or only have enough dough left to eat with a spoon, since there's no point in putting an entire muffin tin in the oven with only a quarter of the cups filled).

And that's it! You have the power to make the Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever.

I hope you'll think of me when you're enjoying these, not when you're suffering a cookie-binge hangover the next day! (Feel free to join me in a January 1 commitment to diet off the holiday cookie pounds.)

Emily Ryan-Davis writes books the same way she bakes cookies - without a great deal of forethought to whether she has the correct ingredients on hand. A lot of improvisation happens in her kitchen and at her keyboard. Read more about her books at Scorched Sheets, the site she shares with MORE THAN A MAN co-author Elise Logan.

MORE THAN A MAN is available at Amazon Kindle and Smashwords.

Advent Calendar Day 9: We Were Lovers Once

2010-12-09T07:00:00.002Z

This is something of a favourite among the short stories I've written, probably because it's so damn melancholy. This unfortunately means it's not an obvious hot candidate for inclusion in an erotic romance anthology. It starts at a funeral for heavens sake. This story languished a fair old while waiting for the right opportunity to come along. I guess the waiting paid off, as it eventually found a home in the Mammoth Book of Hot Romance. Yeah, to Maxim Jakubowski for loving it too.

Excerpt from "We Were Lovers Once"
which appears in The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance, published July 2011. (Copyright 2010 Madelynne Ellis)

I’m going back. My God, I’m going back.

The last time I saw Ray, he threw me from this place in little more than a gymslip and a camisole, my shoes rolling down the stairs behind me. I’d fallen from grace, and had been summarily banished. As if I gave a damn what he thought, or so I told myself and anyone else who would listen. I’d already made other arrangement, was headed for a life with someone who appreciated me, who offered marriage and stability, not an on and off relationship built upon torment and ego stroking.

Slanted light from the skylight shows up the butterfly dance of the dust motes as Gabriel prowls across the pitted wooden boards of the garret studio. There’s a certain familiar swagger to his gait as he grasps a large frame propped against the back wall and swings it around. I stare at the colors in disbelief, dazzled by their vibrancy, splashes of orange and violet, and a broad rainbow of creamy pearlescent flesh.

Twenty-five years ago I stood here and posed in that dress. I run my hands over my body recalling how the vivid violet fabric fanned out from my hips, and how I was so in love with the orange blooms dotted across the front.

“My Sophia”, the painting is called, which depicts me rudely displaying my bottom in order to show the criss-crossed red welts left behind by his belt. I had no idea that he’d finished it. In truth I thought he’d probably dowsed it in alcohol and set it alight the night I left.

“You haven’t changed,” Gabriel remarks.

“Oh, but I have.” Although, perhaps I’ve weathered a little better than most.

Gabriel lets the painting fall. When I jump, he grabs me, and his tongue, hot and invasive fills my mouth.

“Get off!” Shocked by his actions, I tear at his jacket lapels, but he only kisses me harder, until I feel it, a tiny long dead spark of arousal, which flickers into life and grows brighter, until instead of resisting, I’m responding.

Gabriel’s gloved hands slide down my back. “I’ve wanted to see this image made flesh ever since I was old enough to understand its significance. What did Ray use to stripe you with?”

“His belt.” I bite my lip until it hurts, and my first visit here flares like a beacon in my brain. Ray—with his artist’s palette and brush—naked from the waist up, his feet bare, the toenails so shiny I’d swear they were lacquered, striding across the splintered boards to daub a cross upon my arse.

“There,” he yelled. “Keep your fucking hand there, and don’t move until I tell you to. I didn’t hire you to preen.” This from the man who’d taken forty minutes the previous night to fasten his bowtie. “I hired you to keep your damned arse still.”

Hired! Oh, yes, Ray paid me both in cash and kind, but what exactly was my role, model or apprentice, girlfriend or whore?

Advent Calendar Day 8: Justine Elyot

2010-12-08T07:00:00.010Z

Please welcome my fantastically wonderful guest for today, Justine Elyot. Hi Justine, thanks for providing a sneak look at your new release and a heads up on the world of Smashwords.

Christmas Time, Mistletoe and Kink...

Is that not what Cliff said? Ah, my mistake. But it's what you might find in my brand new festive tale, Reindeer In Training, which is up at Smashwords now.

Yes, Smashwords! I have been bitten by the self-pub bug (a big leech-like thing that sucks the formatting out of you). At first I was afraid, I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never do the paragraph breaks the way it said in the style guide. But then I spent so many nights working under the tyranny of this symbol that I grew strong. And then I uploaded it.

Actually, self-publishing via Smashwords turned out to be much easier than I expected. They have an exhaustive style guide which is clear and takes everything step by step. My chapter headings are still all to cock, but I think I'll be able to sort that out once they have reviewed the story for Premium Listing approval (this enables it to be sold through Apple, Sony, Barnes & Noble etc.). Though of course, they may not approve it. They may, in fact, disapprove.

The most terrifying aspect of the whole rigmarole was designing a cover. As you can see, I still have rather a lot to learn when it comes to the visual arts. But hey, it's an experiment. Sophisticated artwork can come later. Probably much later.

In the meantime, here is a festive extract:

“So then.” Reuben turned around from the kitchen cupboard, having placed the last piece of breakfast crockery in its allotted space. “Training.”

Liv, a little nervous, wrapped her silk robe closer around her and contemplated biting a nail until she remembered that nailbiting was punishable by the painting of bitter aloe and two strokes of the strap on the palm of her hand.

“What do I have to do? Have a very shiny nose?”

“Shiny things are involved, Liv, but your nose isn’t one of them. The first thing we must do is visit a specialist shop. Get dressed into…hmm…no underwear, pleated kilt, loose blouse, I think. And those socks that go up to the middle of your thighs. I do like those.”

“Hair?”

“Up.”

“Make-up?”

“Not required. Up to you.”

Liv loved how dressing for the day had become a sexy adventure since getting together with Reuben. What had once been a case of crawling sleepily over to her wardrobe and finding the least-creased, least-stained collection of garments was now an exotic activity, akin to getting oiled and perfumed ready for the Sultan’s pleasure. Like a harem girl, Liv sometimes wore chains of tiny silver bells between nipple clips, but today was not one of those days. Today was a no-underwear-in-public kind of day, and those were always the best. Liv slathered cocoa butter all over her body, knowing Reuben’s weakness for the rich, chocolatey scent and the softness it conferred to her skin. Then she pulled on the brief red and black plaid skirt, fastened it with the big silver safety pin and teamed it with a crisp white shirt, the cool cotton rubbing against her nipples and bringing them to hardened life. She left the top button undone, revealing the wide strip of black leather with its silver dog-tag that she had to wear around her neck at all times. The black stretch-wool socks, clinging to her thighs and leaving that tantalising band of pale flesh between them and the hem of her short skirt completed her adult-schoolgirl look to perfection. She posed in front of the full-length mirror, twirling her hair and pouting, then looking over her shoulder and flipping the skirt up to reveal her naked bottom, still marked from yesterday’s paddling. She piled and clipped her hair into the messy bedhead up do that made her feel like a sixties sex kitten, slicked on some lip gloss and clear mascara and presented herself to her masterful lover, ready for whatever his plans required.

“You look edible,” he told her, pulling her in to him and kissing her forehead before heading out to the hallway and grabbing his long wool coat. “Mary Janes and your blazer,” he ordered, and Liv scurried to the shoe rack, dressing the part, missing only the straw boater and satchel for the full St Trinians Miss outfit. Well, and the navy blue gym knickers.

The rest of the story can be found at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/31718

Thank you, Madelynne, for including me in your brilliant Advent Calendar of Pleasures. It's a privilege to be one of the treats behind the doors.

And thank you, Justine, for joining us.

Advent Calendar Day 7: Indiscretions

2010-12-07T07:00:00.003Z

For today I've given Indiscretions, which has previously been available on my website, a bit of a spruce up. Meaning that I've rewritten it a bit and turned it into a pdf. The new version is available below for the duration of the advent calendar ie 19 days.

Indiscretions is a little vignette about Vaughan, Bella and Lucerne and the state of their relationship. Sequentially, it comes between A Gentleman's Wager and Phantasmagoria.

Happy reading.

Madelynne

Advent Calendar Day 6: Xmas Cookies

2010-12-06T06:55:00.000Z

Recipe by Christine Price as cooked by Matt and Brennan in the Usual Apocalypse.

Advent Calendar Day 5: Sedonia Guillone

2010-12-05T07:00:00.039Z

Please welcome guest blogger Sedonia Guillone, who is sharing a sneak peak of her current WIP - Delicious Love Triangle, her first MMF menage. In her previous menage stories there has been no sexual relationship between the two men. I know we're going to be in for a treat.

Delicious Love Triangle

No sex between roommates! This is the rule that Hana and her two best friends, Hiko and Shinji live by. So, Hana decides, it's not really breaking the rule to ask her two handsome buddies to pose in erotic positions for her while she sketches what she hopes to be the manlove graphic novel that will launch her career as a manga artist. After all, Hiko and Shinji are both straight. Even better, they're both agreeable to the plan. It's the perfect arrangement until...

Seeing Hiko and Shinji together arouses Hana to no end. How will she be able to control herself watching their naked bodies entwined, watching them engage in acts that are the stuff of her wildest fantasies? What's more, bit by bit, the three of them are starting to break their most important rule.

Hiko and Shinji have both been in love with Hana for a long time and out of their love for her, they've respected her stupid rule about no sex. But when Hana asks them to pose for her, they see their perfect chance to do away with regulation and get the woman they love into a position of their own.

Content warning: Contains male/male sexual acts, voyeurism, exhibitionism and multiple partner sex.

Excerpt:

Ohhh. Hana covered her mouth to stifle her cry. Then she blinked. Was this possible? Keeping her hand firmly over her mouth she sank to her knees in the hallways and leaned forward as much as she dared. Her heart leaped into her throat. Had Hiko really just rolled on top of Shinji? Were they really naked in the bed together, their mouths locked together in a deep hot kiss?

The soji was slid back the few inches she'd left it when she'd gone back to her room to draw, fully expecting that Shinji would leave after her to go to his room. How absolutely wrong she'd been.

Her heart pounded, sending heated blood down every vein in her body. She could just feel it, like darts of fire. The searing warmth concentrated at the apex of her thighs, which pulsed now, and her breasts felt suddenly full and heavy, her nipples grazing her camisole.

Like lovers, her two friends undulated in the bed, their bodies entwined. Hana blinked again, still thinking the vision would dispel. But it didn't. Hiko's muscular body and pale skin contrasted with the tan hue of Shinji's slim, leanly muscled frame. Shinji's legs were locked around Hiko's hips, the soles of his feet resting on the backs of Hiko's sloping thighs. Like every yaoi manga she'd ever read, the two men sighed and moaned, and
emanated passion.

Guilt assailed her. She was violating their privacy, spying on them like this. But then, they shouldn't have left the door slid back, right? She started to turn, pulled back by another masculine moan. Her gaze whipped up to the bed. Hiko had pulled from Shinji's kiss and now nibbled at the other man's collarbone. One of Hiko's large hands spanned Shinji's hip.

The throbbing in Hana's pussy intensified. She sat, frozen, staring at them, feeling her eyes stretched open as wide as they'd go. Hiko's tongue came out and licked across Shinji's dark nipple. Shinji arched his back, as if to push his flesh deeper into Hiko's mouth. Hana stifled another moan, lest her friends catch her spying. Her cheeks burned mercilessly, both with excitement and guilt, yet she couldn't have moved even if
someone had set her on fire.

Gleaming ribbons of cum still streaked the two men's muscles. Hana realized Shinji had climaxed all over Hiko when she'd passed by the door on her way to the kitchen for a drink of water. Hiko skimmed thick fingertips over Shinji's stomach, gathering the milky fluid. Lifting his mouth from Shinji's chest, he leaned back. Hana's mouth gaped open. In all the years she'd known Hiko and Shinji, she'd never seen either of them naked. Hiko's erection pointed upward with the angle of his body. Thick and veined, it jutting from a nest of inky black pubic hair that fanned around it and funneled into a thin trail up to his navel.

She gulped, her eyes feeling as if they were bulging from her head. She shifted her a few inches and felt then how swollen and moist her pussy was. Her gaze locked onto Hiko's movements. He was smoothing the cum up and down the shaft of his cock. He gathered more cum and reached down, between Shinji's legs. Ohhh. His thick fingertips worked over Shinji's hole while Shinji groaned and arched his back. Shinji was a natural uke, the way he submitted to the man who was preparing to take him.

Behind the book:

In Delicious Love Triangle, Hana is a clothing designer. She is a popular designer of of looks for the fashion tribes of Tokyo and works for one particular shop that features her work. The fashion tribes are a phenomena in Tokyo. The various styles originate spontaneously and are a vibrant part of the culture of young people in that city, changing every few weeks, literally. The looks there differ from anything we're used to seeing in fashion - they're fun, whimsical and very visually alive, incorporating so many different elements into one outfit. My favorite name of one of the types of fashion is Gothic Lolita. You can imagine. When I did my research for this story in order to portray the heroine, Hana, I went to http://www.style-arena.jp/en/ . However, the story opens with Hana being laid off from the store where she works because the owner's new wife wants her position. Well, as the story unfolds, Hana finds a new, much, much better position!

In addition to be a clothes designer, Hana is a talented mangaka (Japanese for graphic novel artist). This is an example of one of her sketches.

Thanks for reading.

Author Biography: Owner of erotic romance publishing imprint Ai Press, Sedonia Guillone is a multi-published, award nominated author of both m/f and m/m erotic romance. The man in her life is her inspiration and provides all the hands-on research she needs. When she's not writing, she's cuddling, watching samurai flicks and thinking about the next naughty, delicious tale she wants to write.

Advent Calendar Day 4: Merry Puzzlement

2010-12-04T07:00:00.025Z

Phew, day 4 already! We're having a break from easy reading today and I'm posing a few fiendish questions instead. Answers in the comments please. I'll draw a random winner to receive an ebook copy of Pure Folly.

Fair warning, it'll help to have some knowledge of my books.

Q1: Dark Designs

Painting: THREE GORGONS, Gustav Klimt

The set of triplets in Dark Designs are referred to as the Gorgons. Can you work out which of the Gorgons is which from their statements? Bear in mind that while Eloise is always truthful, Severina occasionally tells a porker, and Lucretia’s reality is never to be trusted.

From left to right.

A: “The sister standing next to me is Eloise.”

B: “I’m Sev. Mind the fangs.”

C: The sister next to me? She’s Lucretia.”

Q2: E is for Enticement

Two of our players shared a secret kiss underneath the mistletoe, but can you work out who they were based on what you know of Lillianna’s character from Enticement? (To clarify, four of her statements are true and two are false.)

A Lillianna says “Ross is totally a 10 on the Hot List. I’d so do him now.”

B Lillianna says “Those two have been shagging forever.”

C Lillianna says “Ross isn’t wearing Evie’s lipstick.”

D Lillianna says “I definitely snogged Kit.”

E Lillianna says “No, Evie and Kit aren’t the couple.”

F Lillianna says “I don’t do girls. Ewww!”

Q3: A Gentleman's Wager

The moonlight barely penetrated the dark avenues. Bella used the cool brush of waxy leaves against her open palms to guide her as she walked blindly into the unknown. The darkness felt limitless after the closeness of the house. After several turns, the crunch of gravel beneath her feet stopped abruptly and the high hedges gave way to enough moonlight to reveal a small paved courtyard surrounded by tall pines on three sides, and on the fourth by a brick folly.

Help Bella find her way from the folly at the centre of the maze back to Lauwine Hall.

Krazydad.com

Q4. Phantasmagoria/Fortuna

Can you place Fortuna and her 8 siblings in age order from oldest to youngest based on the clues below?

Names: Fortuna, Katherine, Sarah, Mercy, Mae, Gabriel, Sophia, Patience, & Alicia.

Year of Birth: 1774, 1776, 1778, 1779, 1781, 1783, 1786, 1789.

Clues:

1. Alicia is not the oldest child, nor the sixth.

2. Mae is younger than the twins, who were born in 1779.

3. Gabriel, the only boy, is neither the oldest or youngest child.

4. Fortuna was born in a year ending in a 6. She is older than both Alicia and Mae.

5. Sarah married in 1800, aged 26.

6. One twins name begins with an M, the other with a P.

7. Kitty came next after Mae.

8. The youngest child bears a name beginning with S.

9. Gabriel comes between the two girls whose names begin with M.

Remember to post your answers in the comments.

Advent Calendar Day 3: Christine Price

2010-12-03T07:00:00.050Z

Please welcome my very first advent calendar guest Christine Price, who also happens to be my utterly fab crit partner.

Christine's first book In Darkness Bound was published by Carina Press earlier this year. She's currently hard at work completing the next two books in the series The Usual Apocalypse and Promise of Ice, both of which I've had the pleasure of reading. Today she's sharing some background to her world in the form of the Society Orientation Booklet. Click on the cover image below to open the pdf, and discover if you're ready to take on a career as a Society operative.

A bit about Christine:

Christine Price lives with her husband, two psychotic cats and a dumb Anatolian shepherd in Edmonton, AB. Her fascination with the written word began at a young age with a one-page story titled "My Mother is a Werewolf" and took off from there. In her spare time, she enjoys reading good books, drinking good wine and fine-tuning her mental filters.

www.christinepricewrites.com
www.twitter.com/CPriceIsWrite

Advent Calendar Day 2: Labyrinth

2010-12-02T07:00:00.002Z

The method by which ideas come together and form a whole remains a mystery to me. I'm not a plotter. I don't sit and painstakingly plan out every scene. I don't create character profiles. I don't conduct interviews. Nope, I start with a name and a few images and set to. So what's this got to do with Labyrinth? Well, I thought I'd attempt to show you a wee fraction of the jumbled mess inside my head by sharing a few tasters from some of my favourite films. Films that have certainly inspired a character defect or two and a whole heap of visuals.

Brace yourselves folks. (Okay, not that much!) Although I maybe should point out that Bizarre magazine many, many moons ago once published a top 10 of weird films and I ranked over half of them high up in my all time faves list. You'll be pleased to know I'm not including them all here today. Meanwhile, we're also having a little bit of a musical theme.

Don't worry, I'll break you in gently. I'll also leave you to decide what exactly inspired which bits of which books, if indeed such a thing can be deciphered. Consider it a sort of quiz.

1. Labyrinth:

2. Ashura

3. Desperado

4. Gothic

5. Velvet Goldmine

6. Amadeus

7. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

8.

Advent Calendar Day 1: Menage After Midnight

2010-12-01T07:00:00.007Z

Behind the door today is a sneak peak at an offering from yours truly. Menage After Midnight, is a m/m/f historical erotic romance. It's part of series of eight stories set at the same country house party and while each story features a different couple or threesome, reoccurring characters appear throughout.

Blurb:

Affection for a price—Paris Ashcroft supports himself by offering discreet sexual liaisons to women whose husbands neglect their duties. However, when the one woman he’s lost his heart to asks for his attention he doesn’t suspect she’ll ask him to enjoy her husbands dark desires as well.

Excerpt:

Was he following? Dear Lord, yes. Yes, he was. Just exactly as she’d prayed.

Sophia slowed her pace as she neared the top of the grand stairs. She didn’t want to lose him in the web of corridors that comprised Rievaulx House’s upper floor, but neither did she want to draw attention to their arrangement. The fact she’d been assured of Paris Ashcroft’s discretion was the predominant factor in her choice. There were plenty of young men she could have enticed to her bed tonight; one or two had even made gloriously lewd proposals, but no other that she could trust to keep silent over the tryst. Paris kept himself to himself. He was no greenhorn youth set upon fashioning a tawdry reputation. Rather he was a man and one with magic fingers and heavenly lips if the tales that were told were at all true.

She closed her eyes on his approach, and remained steadfastly faced in the opposite direction. First his scent—woody with a hint of juniper—then his presence washed over her, awakening the first stirrings of lust deep in her womb.

He drew level with her upon the landing, falling neatly into step beside her.

This was it, the moment in which she had to cling on to her conviction and settle all the worms of doubt burrowing in her stomach.

“May I offer you my arm, Mrs Lovich?”

She turned her head to look at him. He was sparsely built, wiry and tall, with a profile that might very well have graced his ancient namesake, for he wore his hair short, embellished with neither powder, wig nor queue, but curled softly about his ears. “Why yes, that would be most kind.”

Hark at them, and the ruse of decorum. Would the deception fool anyone? Perhaps it was well there was no one around to see.

Steady, strong muscles ran beneath her fingertips when she rested her arm along his. She sensed vitality and excitement, the later giving her cause to smile. In all of her planning, she’d never anticipated anything beyond a remote sort of detachment from him. After all, this was not for his pleasure, but hers and he must have conducted such business with many, many women.

Her smile stretched a little further. No—tonight was not quite the same. None of those other women had been entirely like her. None of them had possessed husbands quite so tolerant or devoted, with whom they shared secrets and desires. Not that he granted all of her wishes, but on this occasion… well, they’d discovered a passion they truly shared.

The thought of what they had planned raised another set of flutters in her belly. She risked a quick glance at her companion, and found he was looking at her with his soft dove-grey eyes. She’s never known a man with such appealing jet-black eyelashes or with lips so sensual that even when they were thinned and stern they still invited kisses.

Dear Lord, was it even fair to treat him like this. Oughtn’t she to lay it all out before him now, and explain just exactly what it was she wanted? Except, what would she say? Paris, you must know that it is the anniversary of my marriage tonight, and because Alexander and I wanted to make it something special we’ve invited you to our bed?

No—he might not take kindly to that at all. Would likely think he was being played, or would object outright to the notion of Alexander’s presence. If they’d been closer then it might have been easier. Then Alexander might have approached him, said; “Mr Ashcroft, I’d like to invite you to share my wife.” Except that in itself would have been somewhat misleading. Really he would have to have said, “Mr Ashcroft my wife and I would dearly like to share you, if you don’t find that very notion abhorrent.”

“This one is yours, I think.” Paris stopped her directly before her bedchamber door. “Are you all right, Mrs Lovich? You seem troubled.”

Sophia summoned a smile. “I’m fine, quite fine. I thank you.” She reached out and released the latch, paused on the threshold to look back at him over her shoulder. Those dark eyes of his fascinated; captivated her so that she remained frozen.

“You do understand what happens if you invite me in?”

“Yes.” She did. But do you.

She ought really to enlighten him.

Copyright 2010 Madelynne Ellis. All Rights Reserved. Not to be reproduced.

Busy Plotting Insanity

2010-11-28T00:15:00.001Z

Although not a book, I might add. Nope, I've spent the day putting together bits and pieces for my Advent Calendar, which you might have noticed the tab for a little way above this post. Probably because I haven't spend loads of time blogging for some time now, I'd forgotten just how much of a pain Blogger can be when it comes to lining up pictures. Grr, curse thee Blogger. However, I battled it out and hopefully have prevailed. I guess we'll find out when the first scheduled post pops into life on Wednesday.

In the meantime I thought I might offer a bit of temptation with regards to what's coming...

a bit of this...

and a touch of this...

along with a plethora of excerpts, guest posts, puzzles, prizes and hopefully (assuming I actually knuckle down and write it) a brand new short story or two featuring a few favourite characters.

Ten Excuses

2010-11-25T11:33:00.000Z

I've been in a bit of a writing slump recently. Last Saturday's outing to Manchester to meet Janine Ashbless and Charlotte Stein helped a lot with that. I always come back from meetings with other writers feeling far more positive. Maybe it's the realisation that we're all in the same boat. It's also fun to sit around chatting about projects and publishers all day without your companions wondering what the devil you're warbling on about.

All that said, I'm still not making much headway, so I thought I'd take stock and look at why that is. Here goes with the excuses...

1) I spend half of my time in hospital appointments! For example I've attended 2 so far this week (bear in mind that one of those lasted from 8.30am - 5.00pm, then add 1-2 hours travel time on top.)I have another to attend tomorrow, then a 3 day long appointment next week.

2) If I'm not in a hospital appointment, there's a good chance I'm at the hotel next door to the hospital sharing a room (and computer) with a six year old.

3)It's very hard to write erotica/erotic romance with a six year old trying to look over your shoulder. Attempting to write urban fantasy doesn't improve the situation much.

4)If I'm not busy with 1-3, I'm probably cleaning, because I'm TRYING to sell my house.

5)I'm also learning to drive. Driving lessons eat money and time.

6) I still do all the other normal things that every other parent is expected to do.

7) Apparently it's nearly Christmas!

8) If I don't buy a new calendar soon, my head with probably explode from the pressure of trying to keep track of the six zillion appointments I have to remember.

9) I have no faith in my writing (except for the days when I think I rock).

10) I need a minimum of six and a half hours sleep each night or my brain stops working. Really, I can't cut it down to any less than that.

So yeah, that's my excuses for why I've only written 162,500 words so far this year rather than the 240,000 words I'd like to have written.

Ai Press 3 for 2 offer.

2010-11-22T00:16:00.001Z

Ai Press is having a Buy 2 Get One Sale! Good for e-books bought directly
from Ai Press. Offer not valid at reseller sites. Once you've purchased
two titles, you'll receive an e-mail asking you for your third title of choice
(equal or lesser value) and it'll be sent directly. Offer good from
now until Thanksgiving. Here's the address: www.ai-press.net

Thirteen Facts about Enticement

2010-11-11T10:18:00.006Z

1. I've sold this book twice. Once to Black Lace (who then closed before it released) and then to Samhain.
2. I had two offers on this book within a hour of each other!
3. Kit also appears in Woe in Kabukicho, available from Ai Press.
4. Evie's real name is Evangeline.
5. Kinky neighbours Jason and Saul appear in their very own short story (as yet unreleased)
6. They were originally called Jason and Issac until I realised that probably wasn't a good idea.
7. Kirkley is a fictional village but is situated in approximately the same area as the actual village of Kirklington.
8. Kit earned a very comfortable living as a host.
9. I converted the text to US spelling when I sold to Samhain only to then have to change them back to UK spellings.
10. Kit never wears denim.
11. Ross's partner in the veterinary practice is called Harvey.
12. The book appears with the second version of the cover on the front. I wasn't keen on the Ross and Evie figures in the first version.
13. I can't wait for the print version next year.

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Release Day

2010-11-04T11:14:00.001Z

Okay, so it's a teeny bit late, since the release was actually on November 2nd, but sometimes life likes to throw the odd spanner in the works.

However, there are no spanners in my new release. Nope, Enticement is a nice bit of saucy fun set in a Yorkshire village, featuring in order of appearance. Evie- who is definitely looking for domestic bliss, and not at all keen on adopting the village strays. Kit - a bad boy with a taste for skimpy shorts and kinky shenanigans. And Ross, who is just a tiny bit obsessed with thunderstorms.

Buy Linky bit: Enticement is available now from Samhain.

And for Kindle here.

The official blurb:

Once trouble moves in, it can throw a kink in your plans.

Evie’s future finally looks as tidy as the Yorkshire house she shares with Ross, her serious boyfriend. Until she comes home and sneaks into his after-work shower—and discovers she’s just jumped a naked stranger with mysterious, deep-running ties to Ross’s past.

Fresh from a bartending stint in Japan, Kit plans to move into his newly inherited house as soon as it gets a roof. Meanwhile, his old friend Ross has offered him a spare room. How better entertain himself than by pushing Evie’s buttons…and her boundaries?

Risk isn’t Ross’s style—at least, not anymore—but then again, he was never able to say no to Kit. Memories of their wild adventures still spice his sexual fantasies. Fantasies that could cost him Evie’s love, if she knew.

Captured by Kit’s bad-boy charm, Evie finds her vision of domestic bliss rapidly fading in the growing intensity of Kit’s dark sexuality. Kit knows he’s playing fast and loose with Ross and Evie’s relationship, but he’s certain he can win them over and have what he’s always wanted. A three-way romance.

Even if his last attempt ended in a disaster that comes back to haunt them all…

Fab review & an update

2010-10-31T08:22:00.000Z

I'm busy leaping about in glee (or I would be if my knee wasn't so dodgy and there weren't carpet fitters about) because Coffee Time Romance have given Woe in Kabukicho a top score. Here's a snippet of what they had to say...

Madelynne Ellis used an amazing strategy when writing Woe in Kabukicko... I recommend every woman and man pick up Woe In Kabukicko and walk for a moment in another person’s shoes; a journey no one should miss.

You can read the full review here.

Meanwhile work is slow going on Darleston's story due to the half-term holidays and my continuing quest to move house. The word count is pitifully poor, but at least I like where it's all going.

Woke up a few mornings back thinking I really ought to take another look at the Whore. It's been idling for so long now I should be able to look at it critically enough to decide what to do, namely decide whether it's erotica or women's fiction.

Fried Brain Friday

2010-10-08T12:09:00.001+01:00

Darleston isn't co-operating and I have a stupid idea in my head about writing something with an Edwardian setting. I'm pretending it's not a real idea in the hope that it might go away, but I'm not sure it's going to. Plus, I secretly think it might even be a good idea... seriously... it could work...it could be huge! Waahhh! But I know next to nothing about the period, and I don't have a plot, just an inkling. Please someone tell me to bury it below the patio. (Not that I have a patio.)

Okay, back to work now...

Oops! Nearly forgotten to mention my lovely profile being displayed over at Lucy Felthouse's new site Erotica For All. Go check out the site. It has reviews, new releases, free stuff and forums. Yeah, and also that bit about me.

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Currently reading: City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane
Recently Watched: Shrek 2

New things

2010-10-03T08:41:00.002+01:00

Revisions on the Bloody Book are finally done and it's currently sitting on a certain editor's desk, hopefully making a good impression. Naturally, I already miss it. I'd grown to love those characters and the crazy high jinks they get up to in the process of trying to do things right. The other thing is that I think writing UF is where my voice really comes through, more so than when writing historical settings. That said, I'm now making a long intended return to my historical projects.

I have this crazy idea about writing Darleston's book (HHL) concurrently with AGW3 (TSK). I've no idea if this will actually work long term, but it might get me the proposals done.

Other plans for the future now include,
* a sequel to the Bloody Book.
* finishing the Whore
* a preposterous idea for an Edwardian-set paranormal (sort of)
* and another m/m novella.

I think I need to and another contemporary on to that lot somehow.

I know I moan outrageously while I'm writing contemporaries, but having just gone through the final line edits for Enticement, I don't think I do too bad a job :)

I think I may need a rotating system, UF, historical, contemp, UF etc... Oh, hang on, that's essentially what I have been doing. Guess it must be working.

Of course, I won't be making any great progress on anything if the house sale goes ahead. Too much to do re: packing and decorating. Fingers crossed.
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Recently watched: Shrek 2
Currently listening to: Re:born by Gackt
Currently reading: Unholy Magic by Stacia Kane

When it pours...

2010-09-26T22:14:00.003+01:00

Holy moly, major revisions ahoy! It's been a week of frantic activity. Monday I'd decided that I'd need another three weeks to finish off the changes I had planned for the Bloody book. Some of the anticipated tweaks involved the writing of major new scenes. Tuesday word came back from my agent that they were required sooner, only I was too busy taking my driving theory test to worry about it right then.

Um, I passed BTW.

So, several days of frantic revisions later. I've been averaging over 6,000 words a day (why can't I do that normally?) and I have a far more polished book and a stronger ending, and less of a saggy middle (okay so my actual middle is pretty saggy due to being glued to a chair).

In amongst all this we've finally seen some movement on the house front, and the kiddies have decided to learn guitar.

Enticement Cover

2010-09-19T00:03:00.000+01:00

... in all it's glory. I'm rather pleased with this. I like the dark moody colour scheme. It suits the location. Plus I like the feeling of motion with the shirt.

Happy Release Day to Me

2010-09-17T15:20:00.000+01:00

WOE IN KABUKICHO is out today! I'm so happy. It's already available at the Amazon Kindle store, and over on the Ai Press site. I know it's just down below, but here's the blurb again just as a reminder.

She never sought a connection… but a chance encounter with a beautiful stranger in Tokyo’s pleasure ward grants her one heartfelt desire.

A visit to a host bar in Kabukicho while on a business trip to Japan results in a chance encounter with Sky, an incredibly sexy man whose job it is to entertain lonely women. Mutual attraction leads to an immediate connection forming between them. When Sky then offers to take things way beyond the pouring of cocktails, she finds it impossible to refuse his illicit offer and they embark upon a night of erotic adventure together. However, what she gains is so much more than a fleeting sexual high—but the realisation of her heart’s desire.

Now that I've done the pitch bit, I thought I'd inflict my inspiration/research material on you, which naturally starts with a picture of Gackt. Yup, this one below. This is how I imagine Kit.

Ahem! Then the research. a) You know Google Earth is really good fun and useful, especially when you can't just nip over to Japan to check out Kabukicho street life and how close the nearest park happens to be. b) This film, Gigolo Wannabe, is illogical and extremely silly, yet still quite fun. I seriously doubt it bares much resemblance to what it's like in a real host bar, but it was one angle. And c) Highly recommended is the BBC series Japanorama, particularly the episode titled Ai & Koi.

Hope you enjoy the story.

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Recently watched: Lots of Hazard Perception Test clips.
Currently listening to: Re:born by Gackt
Currently reading: Rough Cut by Mari Carr

Sneak Peak at Kabukicho

2010-09-10T13:16:00.000+01:00

I'm never quite sure how much attention people pay to the sidebars, but perhaps one or two might have noticed the new additions over to the left. Yup, Enticement is out on 2nd November, but before that I have a short story coming out with Ai Press, about which I'm especially thrilled. Woe in Kabukicho is about one woman's trip to a Japanese Host Bar.

I'm particularly fond of this story. The ending gets me every time. More importantly I couldn't let go of the hero after writing it, and hence... Yup, he demanded a whole novel... erm... Enticement. That's right, my two forthcoming releases are linked by the hero, and give two different insights into the same character.

Here's the Woe in Kabukicho blurb:

She never sought a connection… but a chance -and deliciously erotic – encounter with a beautiful stranger in Tokyo’s pleasure ward grants her one heartfelt desire…

A visit to a host bar in Kabukicho while on a business trip to Japan results in a chance erotic and passionate encounter with Sky, an incredibly sexy man whose job it is to entertain lonely women. Mutual attraction leads to an immediate connection forming between them. When Sky then offers to take things way beyond the pouring of cocktails, she finds it impossible to refuse his illicit offer and they embark upon a night of erotic adventure together. However, what she gains is so much more than a fleeting sexual high—but the realisation of her heart’s desire.

And what the heck, a teeny sneak peek.

“What is this place?” I ask.

“A host bar. Go on. Choose. But not that one.” They rush past one glossy snap of a man with a beard. “That’s a woman. Definitely not your thing.”

My gaze blurs as my tender Western sensibilities struggle with the concept of picking a companion from a book, and my seemingly old-fashioned notions of gender. Where do onabe—women with beards fit in?
This all seems hideously taboo.

“It’s okay.” Taiko places a gentle hand upon my arm. “He’ll just talk and pour your drinks for you. It’s nothing illicit. It’s not crude.” She smiles, a coy girlish smile with her eyes lowered. Her dark hair frames her face. “They are not gigolos. There’s no exchange of money involved. We simply pay for the drinks.”
Her words reassure me a little, but there is still a part of me that fears what the evening ahead will bring. I’ve flown halfway around the world seeking space, not companionship. Ideally I think I’d like to drink alone. But my companions won’t hear of it. “Unwind. Live a little,” they insist. “Come on, choose.” Their girlish voices twitter around me offering insights into the men’s conversational skills and general cuteness as I flick through the pages. The images are mostly of young Japanese, boys in suits with a few rebels thrown in for variety. They are styled and perfect, all dark eyed and sultry.

The man I settle upon is called Sky. Taiko shakes her head, but my other companions delight in my choice almost as much as in their own. That is until the men arrive. Then their attention is drawn away by the litany of compliments. Drinks are poured and light-hearted conversations about clothes, shopping and films ensue.
Unlike the other hosts, Sky takes his time to appear. He’s different than they; I sense it as he slopes through the crowd with long easy strides. He bows before me, and I wave him into the seat at my side. I find that I like him sitting there. The grayscale picture doesn’t do him justice. He is graceful and tall. Far taller than most of the men I’ve seen today, and an outcast among them, but not due to his height. I don’t think he’s pure blooded Japanese, but rather of mixed heritage. There’s something about the shape of his eyes and angles of his jaw—heavier, sharper.

His hair is dark, ebony shot with glints of red, and when he smiles, his eyes light with a similar mahogany tone.

Enticement in the works

2010-09-08T16:18:00.000+01:00

Yay! I'm excited. Okay, so I'm still finishing line edits on this beastie, but ENTICEMENT is now in the coming soon section of the Samhain website. No cover to share yet, but hopefully soon. Well, it'll have to be soon, since it's out on November 2nd.

Link is here, but if you'd rather not do the clicky thing. Here's the official blurb.

Once trouble moves in, it can throw a kink in your plans.

Evie’s future finally looks as tidy as the Yorkshire house she shares with Ross, her serious boyfriend. Until she comes home and sneaks into his after-work shower—and discovers she’s just jumped a naked stranger with mysterious, deep-running ties to Ross’s past.

Fresh from a bartending stint in Japan, Kit plans to move into his newly inherited house as soon as it gets a roof. Meanwhile, his old friend Ross has offered him a spare room. How better entertain himself than by pushing Evie’s buttons…and her boundaries?

Risk isn’t Ross’s style—at least, not anymore—but then again, he was never able to say no to Kit. Memories of their wild adventures still spice his sexual fantasies. Fantasies that could cost him Evie’s love, if she knew.

Captured by Kit’s bad-boy charm, Evie finds her vision of domestic bliss rapidly fading in the growing intensity of Kit’s dark sexuality. Kit knows he’s playing fast and loose with Ross and Evie’s relationship, but he’s certain he can win them over and have what he’s always wanted. A three-way romance.

Even if his last attempt ended in a disaster that comes back to haunt them all…

Flying Visit.

2010-09-01T22:02:00.000+01:00

It all happens at once. I've two lots of edits sitting awaiting my attention, plus another book I'm halfway through rewrites on. Thank heavens the kids go back to school next week.

The Ellis Report

2010-08-21T08:58:00.000+01:00

Lots happening on the writing front over the last few days as I've been finishing off several novellas ready to send to my agent. I know I haven't really mentioned them, but they have appeared in the sidebar if anyone has being paying attention to that.

Let see, there's the Crazy Stuffz novella, which is really an erotic contemporary about a couple who invite another man into their relationship because the man wants to watch his partner with another man.

Then there's two Georgian-set stories both set at the same House party. I'm really excited about these as they'll hopefully be the first two parts of a series of eight, each about a different couple, but with characters that crop up throughout. And of course they're historical.

I've also been working with some new crit partners, and attempting to figure out Goodreads.

Next task is to give the Bloody book a once over, and then I'm gearing myself up to writing Darleston's book possibly concurrently with AGW3. No one hold me to that though, I could change my mind.

Oh, and all this is happening around my continued quest for a new house and learning to drive! Lots of fun!

***
Recently watched: True Blood Season 2
Currently listening to: Re:born by Gackt
Currently reading: Just finished Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane. Just starting Gabriel's Woman by Robin Schone.

Sweet Surprises.

2010-08-10T08:15:00.000+01:00

I went on a visit to Shugborough Hall last Wednesday. I wasn't expecting much. The last time I was there, twelve years ago, I found it so-so. Let's just say that this time I came away cursing at my lack of a camera and zilch battery life left on my phone.

They have an entire collection of carriages! Seriously, a whole room full of them, all nicely labelled so you can see which one is a barouche and what's a phaeton etc I'm going to have to go back just for the carriages. Rest of the place was pretty fun too. I managed to find some Sasparilla Tablets (yay!) haven't had them in years and normally sweet shop owners look at me slightly cross eyed when I ask for them, but Shugborough had them. Very, very happy about that. Just a shame I didn't have much money on me, so could only have a small bag. Actually, maybe that's a good thing, I don't really need a whole jar of them.

Back home now having been camping and the novellas are shaping up. I've another 3K to go on the second Georgian romp and then it's synopsis time and onto revisions on the Bloody Book before starting something new.

Upping Sticks

2010-07-20T14:07:00.000+01:00

We're attempting to sell our house. It's a nightmare of extraordinary proportions. When you elect to become a writer one of the first things you shave time off from to over to writing is the housework. Things sometimes get a bit dusty, stuff isn't always where it's supposed to be. Washing the windows is a chore reserved for the week you're supposed to summarize a 100,000 word book down to a 1000 words, but still somehow retain a sense of your own unique voice. In short, and doubly so if you have kids, you no longer live in a nice ordered show home.

But this is no good, when you are trying to sell your house.

It has to be tidy and neat.

Buyers don't want to see your research books piled upon the floor. They don't want to look at the post-it-notes you leave all over the desk detailing vitally important plot points. They get shirty about pics of naked blokes. Instead, they want plump cushions and swept floors and everything to be all gleaming white.

Very little in my house is white.

And suddenly cleaning is taking precedence over writing... I really don't like that. What's more my birthday is just around the corner, and what do you know... yep, that's the one day this week someone wants to come and take a look. So, no longer do I have a nice lie in bed to look forward to. Bye bye goes the prospect of stumbling around in my dressing gown eating chocolate. Nope, instead I'll be up mopping the kitchen floor and having stern words with the pet rabbit about not nibbling potential buyers feet.

I have to ask myself, is the promise of an office really worth all of this?

Somebody, please... just buy the darned house.

WIP update

2010-07-18T09:26:00.000+01:00

I'm back to the historicals at the moment, working on a new series of short novellas set in the 1790's at a house party. The first one is written, bar a bit of a clean up and the second is in progress. I'm planning for there to be eight in total (don't know if they'll all be the same length at this point), but I'm not anticipating writing them all at once. I'm aiming for batches of three...hmm, that doesn't quite work out but, anyway... I'm having fun with them, and they're providing a nice break from the Bloody Books. August is gearing up to be revision month on that one, assuming I manage to accomplish anything during the school holidays.

Following that, I'm looking at Darleston and Vaughan Bk 3 for September. Not sure which of them will win out yet. I could end up swapping between them, assuming something else doesn't crop up in he meantime.

Pure Folly on Kindle

2010-07-18T09:08:00.000+01:00

Yay! Pure Folly is now available for download on Kindle. Get it here.

B-I-G Knight Agency Contest

2010-07-09T22:27:00.001+01:00

Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open because next week The Knight Agency is sponsoring a contest to celebrate the release of THE BODYGUARD by Gena Showalter, as well as Cherry Adair and Lorie O'Clare. The Grand Prize is winner's choice of a first chapter critique by a top TKA agent (hint: the very top) OR 25+ assorted books. Stay tuned to this blog and our Twitter account (@knightagency) for details on how to enter. Details will be avaialble first thing Monday morning. You must have your own Twitter account to participate, so sign up now!

Putting Gabriel to bed.

2010-06-24T13:40:00.001+01:00

Yay! The Crazy Stuffz novella is done. Told you it'd be over quickly. Seems like a miracle to complete something so quickly. Well, it does to me as one of the slowest writers in the world. Of course, it's a completely OTT sex romp with a such a micro thin plot you'd be forgiven for thinking there wasn't one. Then again, it's not meant to be anything but a piece of fun about a guy and a gal and another guy. Yep, fun threeway shenanigans.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Heaven, my sweet—as if you didn’t already know that.”

Despite all his good humour, I’m shocked when he presses up tight to my back. The elevator is empty save for us and mirrored on all three sides. Gabriel’s cock brands me with its heat through several layers of clothing. He’s hard, standing firm and he rubs himself against the crease of my bottom not so much as if he needs the friction, but because he likes the flush his antics bring to my cheeks.

“One day I’m going to take you like this,” his voice is a soft lullaby in my ear. “Out in the open where anyone can see. I’ll just raise your skirt.”

His hands settle over my hips and bunch up an inch or so of fabric. It’s not hard to imagine him tugging up the rest, then releasing his fly and dipping his cock into my slick wet heat. “

*****
Recently watched: What is this TV thing of which you speak?
Currently listening to: Noisy washing machine, which is drowning out the Disney princess songs. Huzzah!
Currently reading: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris.

...and yet more sex.

2010-06-21T16:43:00.002+01:00

So, the Bloody book is still stewing. It's out with a few readers, and once I have some feedback from them I'll make another sweep on it. Meanwhile, I've dived into a short erotic novella-- in first person present tense! Don't ask me why because I haven't the foggiest. Normally, I run away from using first person for anything longer than a short story. Okay, so this started out as a short story and just kept on growing. Must try and keep it below 15K, I really must. But returning to the point, for all that it's first person I'm rather enjoying it. Part of that enjoyment stems from this being a really short project. The Bloody book took months after all, and this will probably take me a fortnight start to finish. Secondly, it's pretty much wall to wall sex. Not sure what that says, maybe it's a reaction to having been stuck in urban fantasy land, where the sex is far more controlled for the last however long it was. Then again, maybe it's because there's not enough plot and I feel obliged to make up for it with gratuitous smexing. Either way, it's fun.

*****
Recently watched: I Am Legend
Currently listening to: A really annoying bluebottle.
Currently reading: Lover Mine by JR Ward.

Hot Romance

2010-06-11T00:16:00.001+01:00

I made a sale today, which was a reason for much yaying and wiggly bum dancing. Seriously, I'm really hyped about this one, far more than I normally am about short story sales. Let me back track a moment, seem to have missed the important bit.

"We Were Lovers Once" is going to appear in the Mammoth Book of Hot Romance, which is out Spring 2011. More info as I get it.

Anyway, yeah... I'm stoked over this one. Let me see, it's great to have anything accepted, and it's really cool to work with a new editor, but mostly I'm chuffed over this one because of the story, and it means that a hunch paid off. Thing is--and the title is probably a give away-- this isn't a typical love and roses sort of romance. It's melancholy. It starts at a funeral (the clues are in the title folks), and it's about love, and loss, and desire, passion, sacrifices and regrets, and all the things we do that we wish we could do differently. Which is why I love it to bits so much.

I'm so excited now... Had to read it through again just to make sure I still loved it. Result: I got dragged in and made myself cry. (Honestly, I know, it's sad that I cry at my own stories.)

But, hurray, someone (an editor) liked my story. Happy day.