Welcome to Writing Tip Wednesday! Self-publishing offers writers another choice on the road to publication, whether they’re already traditionally published and/or e-press published, or unpublished. Although the author maintains control of the process, she also has a lot of hard work ahead of her. Education about self-publishing and the publishing industry is vital to a good product and creating a professional image.
No matter which publishing path an author chooses, Preparing the Finished Book for publication is the first step. It’s a big one too. Write the book, send the polished manuscript to an editor, critique partners, and beta-readers, write the tagline and blurbs, sign a contract for cover art, and purchase ISBNs. Front and Back Matter come next.
What is front and back matter?
Front and back matter are the pages before and after body of the book (the actual content or story).
Front matter consists of the title page, copyright page, dedication page, preface, and table of contents—the pages before the story. Not all items will be in all books. Inclusion of a table of contents will depend on the format (e-book or print), nonfiction or fiction, and author preference. Many print fiction books don’t include a TOC. E-books usually have bookmarked/hyperlinked TOCs so the reader can click on a chapter on the TOC page, and the link will take her directly to the first page of the corresponding chapter.
The title page is the first page of the book after the cover for both e-book and print formats. The title of the book and the author’s name should be large and easy to read. Depending on the length of the title, the lettering can be from 24- to 48-size text. Choose a font that matches the tone of the book and is readable. It can be the same as the cover font, but it doesn’t have to be. The author’s name should also be included on the title page. It can be larger, smaller, or the same size as the title. Center the title and author name on the page. Lots of white space ensures the reader isn’t distracted from the purpose of this page. The publisher’s logo is sometimes at the bottom of the title page.
The copyright page is next. Besides the title, author’s name with copyright year, publisher’s name, ISBN(s), and cover art designer copyright information, this page should also include reproduction and sharing statements.
**Here’s an example of copyright page content for an e-book:
Loved Served Hot
Copyright © 2013 Mellanie Szereto
Published by Amatoria Press
Cover art by Dragonfly Press Design
Word Count: 95,221
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author. To request permission to excerpt portions of this book, please contact the author at mellanieszereto@hotmail.com.
This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to real persons and/or events is coincidental.
This e-book is licensed for your personal use only and may not be re-sold or given away to people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please visit the e-book store of your choice and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
ISBN: 978-0-9911473-0-4
**Here’s an example for a print book:
Loved Served Hot
Copyright © 2013 Mellanie Szereto
Published by Amatoria Press
ISBN-13: 978-0-9911473-1-1
ISBN-10: 0991147316
Cover art by Dragonfly Press Design
Cover art and logos Copyright © 2013 Dragonfly Press Design
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author. To request permission to excerpt portions of this book, please contact the author at mellanieszereto@hotmail.com.
This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to real persons and/or events is coincidental.
**Note the addition of an e-book licensing and sharing statement in the first example. The print version doesn’t have digital content and doesn’t need this additional statement. Review several e-book and print book copyright pages for possible wording options. The order of content and the information contained in the examples isn’t required. Adjust to personal preference, making sure the page has a professional look. Use Insert->Symbol to add the copyright symbol.
The dedication page is optional, but it allows the author to recognize anyone who may have influenced her or the story. This is a great place to thank readers!
A preface is also optional and is often found in nonfiction books. It offers the author a place to tell how the project came about, the research methods used, specific ways to use and interpret the information in the book, etc.
The table of contents is useful in e-books, titled-rather-than-numbered-chapters print books, and in non-fiction print books. Print-book TOCs list the chapters and their corresponding page numbers. The TOC in an e-book should be bookmarked and hyperlinked so the reader can click on a chapter to go directly to its first page since page numbers can vary between devices and settings.
What is bookmarking and hyperlinking?
Bookmarks define a specific location within the document. Hyperlinks allow the author to link the bookmark to another location in the document—like the TOC—or a website. To create a bookmark, highlight the location where the bookmark is to be inserted, such as the heading Chapter 1 in the story. Use the Insert command to choose Bookmark. Give the bookmark a name like chapter1. Word for Mac 2011 doesn’t allow spaces and has a limited length for the bookmark name. Other versions of Word may differ. Click Add.
To create a hyperlink to the TOC, highlight the source (Chapter 1 in the TOC). Use the Insert command to choose Hyperlink. Choose Document, click inside the Anchor textbox, type in the bookmark name, and click Locate. A “Select Place in Document” pop-up box will appear. Be sure the correct bookmark is chosen and click OK. Chapter 1 in the TOC is now linked to the text Chapter 1 in the story. Again, these instructions are for Word for Mac 2011 and may differ slightly in other versions.
Repeat the bookmark and hyperlink process for all chapters. All bookmarks can be created before the hyperlinks are added, or complete one at a time. Be sure to Save after each addition and test the links! Links can be removed by highlighting the existing hyperlink source and selecting Insert->Hyperlink. Click the Remove Hyperlink button.
Don’t check off item #6 on the to-do list yet! Back Matter is on the agenda for next time!
The To-Do List
1) Finish the book.
2) Polish and edit the book.
3) Write taglines and blurbs.
4) Create or purchase cover art.
5) Purchase ISBNs, if using a single ISBN for all retailers using the same book format (print or e-book).
6) Create front and back matter.
7) Format for e-book and/or print.
8) Update website, blog, and social media.
9) Create metadata list.
10) Plan a marketing and promotion strategy.
11) Publish the book.
12) File copyright paperwork, if registering.
13) Add buy links to websites, blogs, and social media.
14) Implement marketing and promotion strategies.
15) Write the next book!
Be sure to check out the writing craft series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace, and the writing career series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Career Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
Author Spotlight + Giveaway--Grace Ryles
Welcome to Author Spotlights on Mondays! Grace Ryles is visiting this week and giving us a super-hot peek at Claiming Her Temporary Men, which release August 28. She's also sharing some insight into her writing and offering two copies of each of her Grand Oak Springs series books, Claiming Her Temporary Men and Second Chance at Love, to four lucky commenters, so show her lots of love!
Blurb:
It started with an arrangement, temporary no strings attached sex.
On a journey to find herself Emma Daniels never expected to fall into bed with two broody men for a little dominance play. Giving up her dreams of finding the one thing she has always wanted… a family, Emma decides to embark on a month long NSA sex with twins Ryder and Chase. Emma finds herself falling for the twin hotties and wanting more, but their scarred past hinders them from giving her what she wants.
Chase and Ryder Freeman have sworn off women, apart from for one singular exception, sex. Meeting Emma they never expected for her to stir those old emotions, the ones they kept buried deep inside. Determined not to give into those old feelings they propose a compromise, one month no strings attached.
Can these three finally overcome the hurt of their past or will they succumb to it?
Will Emma finally get what she always wanted by claiming her temporary men?
Adult Excerpt:
“Good girl, my sweet little sub.” Chase stroked a hand on the top of her head and she purred in delight. “Still, it won’t prevent you from being punished. We both need for you to remove your clothing and assume the correct position for a sub. Is that understood?” Her pussy gushed at his command and readied itself for his male intrusion. She didn’t know why but when they commanded her, her pussy creamed, dying for them to own her body.
“Yes, Chase. I understand.”
With that she stood and began to remove her clothing. Neither Ryder nor Chase said a word while she undressed. But their eyes spoke volumes. She could see their hungry expression and the pulsating veins of their cocks as they hardened further. Deep purple and red cock heads, glistened with pre-cum, making her mouth water. Taking her time to fold the clothes and gently lay them on the couch, Emma knelt and waited their instruction.
Ryder was so hard he almost said fuck it with the punishment and claimed the crap out of Emma the minute she undressed. He almost regretted the fact that he had to give her the punishing blows, but start as you mean to go was a motto he lived by. Chase didn’t say anything to contradict his edict and therefore it meant his brother was on the same page. Chase’s eyes met his and a silent conversation passed between them.
“Good girl.” Ryder took a seat in the center of the couch and patted his lap. “Come up here and lie across my thighs.” She readily followed his order and gently draped herself over his thighs, placing her ass in the position he needed. Her movements were fluid, her submission given so naturally. Tonight was new for them, they wanted to make it known that they wanted Emma and not just for fun, but for something more serious than they had contemplated in as many years. But even more so tonight was the night they would begin to train her to take his cock and Chase’s in her anus. “You look gorgeous knelt on the floor, waiting for my command,” he spoke as he caressed a hand down the length of her back towards her desirable ass. Emma arched into his touch and pushed her ass into his palm, as his hand passed over her voluptuous globes. His hands continued to skim around the soft flesh, warming it before the blows would start. “Do you remember me saying, one day soon I would take this ass?” He ended the question with a little pop to her right cheek. Emma squirmed. Before she could answer he continued. “Tonight, Chase is going to prepare you after you receive your punishment and if you’re a good girl and take what we give, maybe there will be a reward at the end.” He continued to warm up her skin with small little smacks to each of her cheeks. Just when she started pushing back into his hands, he changed the pressure and smacked down on her right cheek, hard.
“Oh God,” Emma called out.
The sensations of Ryder’s hands skimming and slapping at her bare ass felt wonderful. He never hit the same area twice and spread the warmth to each cheek. Just as soon as he settled on a rhythm, he changed the pressure and the blow landed hard across her cheek. He didn’t pause nor did he deviate, Ryder kept landing blow after blow to her poor backside. After about ten smacks, he paused briefly to gauge how she was feeling and to tell her that she was doing a good job, and that they were just about done. Emma could barely answer, the fire that encompassed her backside hurt, but not over much what she could take. Even though it was painful it didn’t stop Emma’s traitorous body from responding. Her body lay lazed over Ryder’s lap, legs opening slightly so that she was aware of how drenched she was. She reveled in the sensations, her body flying higher than ever before. Several more hits and then Ryder stopped. No longer were his hands delivering the painful blows but massaging in the heat. It gave her a calm sense of assurance. She floated away.
Buy Link: https://www.bookstrand.com/claiming-her-temporary-men
Interview:
Me: What inspired you to write your first book?
Grace: Writing to me was something that was second nature. I loved creating worlds and characters that would act out my wildest imaginations. Even from a young age, I wrote erotic content. Mostly it featured teenagers engaging the pleasures of sex, drugs and alcohol. But somewhere along the lines it changed and became something more. Romance became the forefront and instead of one man it became two men, sharing the one woman that was meant to be theirs. It wasn’t until my husband read some of my work, that I knew I found the change in career I had been looking for. My husband encouraged me to complete and publish my first book Second Chance at Love and continues to support me in my word creations.
Me: Do you see writing as a career?
Grace: Absolutely! Writing was something that I loved since I was a child. My life took me in a different direction and now that I finally found my way back to writing, I don’t think that will ever change.
Me: This book is the second in a series. Do you prefer to write single title or series? Why?
Grace: I enjoy writing both series and single titles for different reasons. My newest release it apart of a series, in which the characters came to me during my vacation in Arizona. During that trip is where the idea for the series was created. In addition to this series I have another series in the works and a few standalones. In writing series, I am able to expand on the world created and introduce readers to characters that normally wouldn’t have stories. Standalones for me only focus on the characters being told and don’t put emphasis on the other secondary characters. I enjoy writing these types of stories because the readers get an unhindered look at the main characters of the story.
Me: Is there a message in your novel you hope to convey to your readers?
Grace: Writing to me is about sending a message. It may not be a message that will profoundly change readers, but I hope that for some it provides a sort of escape. Our lives (mine included) go about a hundred miles a minute and what I want for my readers to be able to gain from my novel is to stop and take in the world around you. You never know what you may find, just outside your window. In addition to that message, what I hope that writers convey from my novel, is the message to never give up, regardless of obstacles that seek to destroy you, you can achieve so much if you never give up.
Me: I love a good conflict. What draws your main characters to each other and keeps them apart?
Grace: I also love a good conflict, just as long as it doesn’t take away from the center of the story which for me is the romance. Emma, Chase and Ryder are inexplicably drawn together. There’s a strong attraction that none of them can deny and their similar urges in the bedroom have them coming together for a month long fling. In this particular story the conflict is centered on several major conflicts, the first being a battle with inner demons and the second an outside evil that looks to destroy Emma’s life. Chase and Ryder have a sorted background, filled with betrayal. Because of this they have a hard time moving on and investing in a committed relationship. Emma had just escaped a terrible marriage and is looking for herself. She finds herself falling in love with her men but all of their demons fight to keep them apart.
Bio:
Grace Ryles currently lives in Orlando, Florida with her beloved husband. Originally from New York, Grace grew up fast and learned a lot of truths at a young age. Early on, she realized the escape that books could give her from a world that was less than understanding. As a teenager, Grace began writing stories inspired by her environment and her favorite authors. Though she never attempted to publish them, writing became a new escape, one where she could create the perfect ending for the underdog. Grace’s stories always had a common factor. The end result was always an HEA. Writing took a back burner as life intruded but reading always remained as a deep passion. It wasn’t until reading her first ménage, Divine Grace by Heather Rainier, that she discovered the love of polyamorous relationships. Her writing sprang back to life and that’s when Second Chance at Love was created, displaying her love for the polyamory lifestyle.
Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.gracerylesauthor.wordpress.com
Blog: http://www.gracerylesauthor.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.ryles.9
Twitter: https://twitter.com/graceryles
Google+: gracerylesauthor@gmail.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/graceryles
Email: graceryles@aol.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GraceRylesAuthor
Be sure to comment by midnight EDT on Wednesday, August 27, for a chance to win a copy of Second Chance at Love or Claiming Her Temporary Men!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Blurb:
On a journey to find herself Emma Daniels never expected to fall into bed with two broody men for a little dominance play. Giving up her dreams of finding the one thing she has always wanted… a family, Emma decides to embark on a month long NSA sex with twins Ryder and Chase. Emma finds herself falling for the twin hotties and wanting more, but their scarred past hinders them from giving her what she wants.
Chase and Ryder Freeman have sworn off women, apart from for one singular exception, sex. Meeting Emma they never expected for her to stir those old emotions, the ones they kept buried deep inside. Determined not to give into those old feelings they propose a compromise, one month no strings attached.
Can these three finally overcome the hurt of their past or will they succumb to it?
Will Emma finally get what she always wanted by claiming her temporary men?
Adult Excerpt:
“Good girl, my sweet little sub.” Chase stroked a hand on the top of her head and she purred in delight. “Still, it won’t prevent you from being punished. We both need for you to remove your clothing and assume the correct position for a sub. Is that understood?” Her pussy gushed at his command and readied itself for his male intrusion. She didn’t know why but when they commanded her, her pussy creamed, dying for them to own her body.
“Yes, Chase. I understand.”
With that she stood and began to remove her clothing. Neither Ryder nor Chase said a word while she undressed. But their eyes spoke volumes. She could see their hungry expression and the pulsating veins of their cocks as they hardened further. Deep purple and red cock heads, glistened with pre-cum, making her mouth water. Taking her time to fold the clothes and gently lay them on the couch, Emma knelt and waited their instruction.
Ryder was so hard he almost said fuck it with the punishment and claimed the crap out of Emma the minute she undressed. He almost regretted the fact that he had to give her the punishing blows, but start as you mean to go was a motto he lived by. Chase didn’t say anything to contradict his edict and therefore it meant his brother was on the same page. Chase’s eyes met his and a silent conversation passed between them.
“Good girl.” Ryder took a seat in the center of the couch and patted his lap. “Come up here and lie across my thighs.” She readily followed his order and gently draped herself over his thighs, placing her ass in the position he needed. Her movements were fluid, her submission given so naturally. Tonight was new for them, they wanted to make it known that they wanted Emma and not just for fun, but for something more serious than they had contemplated in as many years. But even more so tonight was the night they would begin to train her to take his cock and Chase’s in her anus. “You look gorgeous knelt on the floor, waiting for my command,” he spoke as he caressed a hand down the length of her back towards her desirable ass. Emma arched into his touch and pushed her ass into his palm, as his hand passed over her voluptuous globes. His hands continued to skim around the soft flesh, warming it before the blows would start. “Do you remember me saying, one day soon I would take this ass?” He ended the question with a little pop to her right cheek. Emma squirmed. Before she could answer he continued. “Tonight, Chase is going to prepare you after you receive your punishment and if you’re a good girl and take what we give, maybe there will be a reward at the end.” He continued to warm up her skin with small little smacks to each of her cheeks. Just when she started pushing back into his hands, he changed the pressure and smacked down on her right cheek, hard.
“Oh God,” Emma called out.
The sensations of Ryder’s hands skimming and slapping at her bare ass felt wonderful. He never hit the same area twice and spread the warmth to each cheek. Just as soon as he settled on a rhythm, he changed the pressure and the blow landed hard across her cheek. He didn’t pause nor did he deviate, Ryder kept landing blow after blow to her poor backside. After about ten smacks, he paused briefly to gauge how she was feeling and to tell her that she was doing a good job, and that they were just about done. Emma could barely answer, the fire that encompassed her backside hurt, but not over much what she could take. Even though it was painful it didn’t stop Emma’s traitorous body from responding. Her body lay lazed over Ryder’s lap, legs opening slightly so that she was aware of how drenched she was. She reveled in the sensations, her body flying higher than ever before. Several more hits and then Ryder stopped. No longer were his hands delivering the painful blows but massaging in the heat. It gave her a calm sense of assurance. She floated away.
Buy Link: https://www.bookstrand.com/claiming-her-temporary-men
Interview:
Me: What inspired you to write your first book?
Grace: Writing to me was something that was second nature. I loved creating worlds and characters that would act out my wildest imaginations. Even from a young age, I wrote erotic content. Mostly it featured teenagers engaging the pleasures of sex, drugs and alcohol. But somewhere along the lines it changed and became something more. Romance became the forefront and instead of one man it became two men, sharing the one woman that was meant to be theirs. It wasn’t until my husband read some of my work, that I knew I found the change in career I had been looking for. My husband encouraged me to complete and publish my first book Second Chance at Love and continues to support me in my word creations.
Me: Do you see writing as a career?
Grace: Absolutely! Writing was something that I loved since I was a child. My life took me in a different direction and now that I finally found my way back to writing, I don’t think that will ever change.
Me: This book is the second in a series. Do you prefer to write single title or series? Why?
Grace: I enjoy writing both series and single titles for different reasons. My newest release it apart of a series, in which the characters came to me during my vacation in Arizona. During that trip is where the idea for the series was created. In addition to this series I have another series in the works and a few standalones. In writing series, I am able to expand on the world created and introduce readers to characters that normally wouldn’t have stories. Standalones for me only focus on the characters being told and don’t put emphasis on the other secondary characters. I enjoy writing these types of stories because the readers get an unhindered look at the main characters of the story.
Me: Is there a message in your novel you hope to convey to your readers?
Grace: Writing to me is about sending a message. It may not be a message that will profoundly change readers, but I hope that for some it provides a sort of escape. Our lives (mine included) go about a hundred miles a minute and what I want for my readers to be able to gain from my novel is to stop and take in the world around you. You never know what you may find, just outside your window. In addition to that message, what I hope that writers convey from my novel, is the message to never give up, regardless of obstacles that seek to destroy you, you can achieve so much if you never give up.
Me: I love a good conflict. What draws your main characters to each other and keeps them apart?
Grace: I also love a good conflict, just as long as it doesn’t take away from the center of the story which for me is the romance. Emma, Chase and Ryder are inexplicably drawn together. There’s a strong attraction that none of them can deny and their similar urges in the bedroom have them coming together for a month long fling. In this particular story the conflict is centered on several major conflicts, the first being a battle with inner demons and the second an outside evil that looks to destroy Emma’s life. Chase and Ryder have a sorted background, filled with betrayal. Because of this they have a hard time moving on and investing in a committed relationship. Emma had just escaped a terrible marriage and is looking for herself. She finds herself falling in love with her men but all of their demons fight to keep them apart.
Bio:
Grace Ryles currently lives in Orlando, Florida with her beloved husband. Originally from New York, Grace grew up fast and learned a lot of truths at a young age. Early on, she realized the escape that books could give her from a world that was less than understanding. As a teenager, Grace began writing stories inspired by her environment and her favorite authors. Though she never attempted to publish them, writing became a new escape, one where she could create the perfect ending for the underdog. Grace’s stories always had a common factor. The end result was always an HEA. Writing took a back burner as life intruded but reading always remained as a deep passion. It wasn’t until reading her first ménage, Divine Grace by Heather Rainier, that she discovered the love of polyamorous relationships. Her writing sprang back to life and that’s when Second Chance at Love was created, displaying her love for the polyamory lifestyle.
Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.gracerylesauthor.wordpress.com
Blog: http://www.gracerylesauthor.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.ryles.9
Twitter: https://twitter.com/graceryles
Google+: gracerylesauthor@gmail.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/graceryles
Email: graceryles@aol.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GraceRylesAuthor
Be sure to comment by midnight EDT on Wednesday, August 27, for a chance to win a copy of Second Chance at Love or Claiming Her Temporary Men!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Writing Tip Wednesday--Preparing the Finished Book Part 3
Welcome to Writing Tip Wednesday! Self-publishing offers writers another choice on the road to publication, whether they’re already traditionally published and/or e-press published, or unpublished. Although the author maintains control of the process, she also has a lot of hard work ahead of her. Education about self-publishing and the publishing industry is vital to a good product and creating a professional image.
No matter which publishing path an author chooses, Preparing the Finished Book for publication is the first step. So, butt in chair and write. Once the book has been written, the polished manuscript sent out to an editor, critique partners, and beta-readers, the tagline and blurbs written and tweaked, and the cover is in progress, ISBNs are next.
ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Libraries, bookstores, online retailers, readers, and bestseller lists use these numbers to identify books—much like social security numbers for people.
A book without an ISBN has one less method of discovery and its sales can’t be tracked for the bestseller lists. They’re optional at some self-publishing retail outlets. Others will assign or offer a free/low cost ISBN specifically for use with that outlet only. While this is an option, having multiple ISBNs makes the book more difficult to find. They also prevent sales from being pooled into a single count for the lists.
ISBNs can be purchased individually or in bundles from Bowker, the U.S. ISBN agency. Buy one, ten, or a hundred. The price per ISBN is greatly reduced by purchasing more than one at a time. An author who plans to self-publish a series of five books may opt for the ten-pack bundle. More books means more ISBNs needed.
A couple important points to remember when figuring the number of ISBNs to purchase...
E-book and print versions of the same title must have different ISBNs. Boxed sets also must have different ISBNs. Example: Five books in a series will be available in digital and print formats. That requires ten ISBNs—five e-book and five print. The entire series will be released as an e-book boxed set. Add one more, for a total of eleven ISBNs.
Is self-publishing part of a long-term career plan? If an author intends to release many books over a long career path, a hundred-pack bundle could be much cheaper per book. Example (based on August 2014 prices): 1 ISBN=$125.00; 10 ISBNs=$295.00; 100 ISBNs=$575.00. Ignoring possible price increases, the cost for 100 ISBNs will be $12,500.00 if purchased singly, $2950.00 if purchased in ten bundles of ten, and $575.00 if purchased as a hundred-pack. Using only twenty of the hundred-pack is cheaper per ISBN than the per ISBN cost of two bundles of ten. $28.75 vs. $29.50. Use more than twenty of the hundred, and the price per ISBN drops even lower—as low as $5.75 each if all are used.
The ISBN should be included on the copyright page of both e-books and print. It should also be placed on the back cover of the print version.
Although ISBNs are available for low cost or no cost on most retailers’ self-publishing platforms, a universal ISBN connects the book on all outlets, making it easier for readers/buyers to find. It also adds to the professional image of the book and offers a chance at hitting a bestseller list.
While not all authors can afford to purchase ISBNs, self-publishing is a business and may require an initial financial investment. Editors, cover artists, and ISBNs cost money. Don’t approach the decision to self-publish lightly!
Check off item #5 on the to-do list! Only 10 more to go!!!
The To-Do List
1) Finish the book.
2) Polish and edit the book.
3) Write taglines and blurbs.
4) Create or purchase cover art.
5) Purchase ISBNs, if using a single ISBN for all retailers using the same book format (print or e-book).
6) Create front and back matter.
7) Format for e-book and/or print.
8) Update website, blog, and social media.
9) Create metadata list.
10) Plan a marketing and promotion strategy.
11) Publish the book.
12) File copyright paperwork, if registering.
13) Add buy links to websites, blogs, and social media.
14) Implement marketing and promotion strategies.
15) Write the next book!
Be sure to check out the writing craft series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace, and the writing career series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Career Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
No matter which publishing path an author chooses, Preparing the Finished Book for publication is the first step. So, butt in chair and write. Once the book has been written, the polished manuscript sent out to an editor, critique partners, and beta-readers, the tagline and blurbs written and tweaked, and the cover is in progress, ISBNs are next.
ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Libraries, bookstores, online retailers, readers, and bestseller lists use these numbers to identify books—much like social security numbers for people.
A book without an ISBN has one less method of discovery and its sales can’t be tracked for the bestseller lists. They’re optional at some self-publishing retail outlets. Others will assign or offer a free/low cost ISBN specifically for use with that outlet only. While this is an option, having multiple ISBNs makes the book more difficult to find. They also prevent sales from being pooled into a single count for the lists.
ISBNs can be purchased individually or in bundles from Bowker, the U.S. ISBN agency. Buy one, ten, or a hundred. The price per ISBN is greatly reduced by purchasing more than one at a time. An author who plans to self-publish a series of five books may opt for the ten-pack bundle. More books means more ISBNs needed.
A couple important points to remember when figuring the number of ISBNs to purchase...
E-book and print versions of the same title must have different ISBNs. Boxed sets also must have different ISBNs. Example: Five books in a series will be available in digital and print formats. That requires ten ISBNs—five e-book and five print. The entire series will be released as an e-book boxed set. Add one more, for a total of eleven ISBNs.
Is self-publishing part of a long-term career plan? If an author intends to release many books over a long career path, a hundred-pack bundle could be much cheaper per book. Example (based on August 2014 prices): 1 ISBN=$125.00; 10 ISBNs=$295.00; 100 ISBNs=$575.00. Ignoring possible price increases, the cost for 100 ISBNs will be $12,500.00 if purchased singly, $2950.00 if purchased in ten bundles of ten, and $575.00 if purchased as a hundred-pack. Using only twenty of the hundred-pack is cheaper per ISBN than the per ISBN cost of two bundles of ten. $28.75 vs. $29.50. Use more than twenty of the hundred, and the price per ISBN drops even lower—as low as $5.75 each if all are used.
The ISBN should be included on the copyright page of both e-books and print. It should also be placed on the back cover of the print version.
Although ISBNs are available for low cost or no cost on most retailers’ self-publishing platforms, a universal ISBN connects the book on all outlets, making it easier for readers/buyers to find. It also adds to the professional image of the book and offers a chance at hitting a bestseller list.
While not all authors can afford to purchase ISBNs, self-publishing is a business and may require an initial financial investment. Editors, cover artists, and ISBNs cost money. Don’t approach the decision to self-publish lightly!
Check off item #5 on the to-do list! Only 10 more to go!!!
The To-Do List
1) Finish the book.
2) Polish and edit the book.
3) Write taglines and blurbs.
4) Create or purchase cover art.
5) Purchase ISBNs, if using a single ISBN for all retailers using the same book format (print or e-book).
6) Create front and back matter.
7) Format for e-book and/or print.
8) Update website, blog, and social media.
9) Create metadata list.
10) Plan a marketing and promotion strategy.
11) Publish the book.
12) File copyright paperwork, if registering.
13) Add buy links to websites, blogs, and social media.
14) Implement marketing and promotion strategies.
15) Write the next book!
Be sure to check out the writing craft series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace, and the writing career series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Career Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Monday, August 18, 2014
Author Spotlight + Giveaway--Rhiannon Ayers
Welcome to Author Spotlights on Mondays! Rhiannon Ayers is my guest this week, and she's sharing a peek at her BDSM MMF Menage Angel Without and some insight into her writing. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Angel Without, book 2 of the For Love of Authority series!
Blurb:
When Amber Whitman’s fiance suddenly turns violent, she flees back home—only to be told she has no choice but to marry the bastard. Refusing to live her life as an abused woman, Amber takes off in the dead of night. But now she’s out of money, out of options, and out of ideas. She has no place to turn…or does she?
All these years, Amber thought her beloved adopted brother, Allen, was dead. When she discovers he’s not only alive, but living in the same city, she runs to him for help. Fortunately, Allen and his lovers have a plan to keep Amber safe. Allen brings his little sister to stay with Maddox Henley, a Dom with a dark past, and Riley Jones, an ex-soldier with a dark secret. Together, these two strapping construction workers have the balls and ability to keep a young woman safe from all outside threats.
But can they keep her safe from the threat they pose to her heart?
Excerpt:
“Maddox?”
He ran his palm down her hair, cupping the back of her head as he looked down into those impossibly blue eyes. “Angel?”
“Are you…upset with me?”
“Upset? Of course not! Why on earth would you think that?”
She bit her lip, looking away. “You’re shaking. And you haven’t spoken since…since I said…”
“Oh, angel,” Maddox said with a tired sigh. He cupped her face, kissed her gently. “I’m not upset with you. I promise. I’m just overwhelmed, okay? I’m honored that you’ve chosen to trust me with your secrets tonight. I’m humbled that you would want to get to know me, despite being afraid of me. And I’m nervous, because I don’t want to fuck this up. I don’t want to betray your trust or cause you one millisecond of pain. And I’m terrified that I’ll do or say something wrong, and I’ll lose my chance to be with the most mesmerizing, awe-inspiring, breathtaking woman I’ve ever met in my life.”
Her jaw dropped. “You…you think all that? Ab–b–bout me?”
Maddox nodded, expression solemn. “Yes, I do. You don’t even know how strong you are, do you? You amaze me, Amber. You’ve been through so much. Other people would have been broken by what you’ve gone through. But you’re still this wonderful, sweet, loving young woman who makes me want to shield you from the rest of the world for the rest of my life. I can’t even begin to express how much tonight means to me.”
Two tears spilled over her cheeks. Maddox leaned down, kissed both of them away tenderly. “I don’t want to mess this up. I don’t ever want you to think I’m just in this for a wild night between the sheets. Nothing could be further from the truth. I will still teach you about the D/s lifestyle if that is your wish, but I won’t do it as your Dom.” He paused significantly.
“I want to do it as your boyfriend. If you’ll have me. If you’ll let me court you, let me show you what a true D/s relationship looks like, inside and outside the bedroom. I want you, Amber. You. Not just the submissive. All of you.”
Amber’s mouth worked, but no sound came out at first. After a few tries, she managed to gasp out, “I…I don’t know what to say.”
He gave her a soft smile, caressed her cheek. “You don’t have to say anything, angel. Not one thing. I’m here for you, now and forever, for as long as you want me to be a part of your life. Your decision. Your choice. Just know I’ll be here for you, no matter what.”
Amber sat staring at him in utter silence for a long, tense moment. Then she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. Maddox wrapped her up as tightly as he dared, noting how she still tensed whenever she felt his strength surrounding her. Christ, she was going to kill him with her fear. He wanted her to feel sheltered by his strength, not frightened by it. He had to convince her that he would never use his size against her, never overpower her in the name of getting what he wanted. She needed to know, to understand down to the marrow of her bones, that everything he did, everything he was, was meant to keep her safe.
But the only sure way to do that was to let her see how he used his strength on another sub, so she could witness for herself the way Maddox handled one. And that meant he needed Riley, ready, willing, and eager to join both of them in bed.
Maddox suppressed a shiver and glanced out the patio doors—and there, on the far side of the yard, watching them with so much hunger in his eyes Maddox could feel it like a gnawing in his own gut, stood Riley.
Perfect timing.
Smiling, Maddox leaned down and whispered next to her ear. “Don’t look, don’t be alarmed. We have an audience. Riley is watching us.”
She tensed, but otherwise made no move. “Is he…is he mad?”
Maddox laughed. “Mad? Why on earth would he be mad?”
Amber looked up at him through her lashes, concern evident in her small frown. “Won’t he be jealous? I mean, if he wants you for himself…”
“Envious, angel. Not jealous. I have no doubt he wants you, too. Seeing both of us together…well, let’s just say that’s a fantasy come to life for guys like me and him. Right now, he’s thinking about the possibilities, trust me. Wondering if he can bring himself to be with a man as well as a woman.
“That is, if he truly does want me.” Maddox tried to look pensive, his intent to make her jump to his defense. “I don’t really know how he feels. I certainly want him. But he’s straight, Amber. Straight men do not, as a rule, want other men. I could be projecting my desire onto him, seeing something I want to see instead of what is truly there.”
“That’s not what you said earlier,” she accused, eyes sparkling. “Why don’t you go after him? What are you waiting for?”
He caressed her jaw, letting just a little of the lust he was feeling overwhelm his expression. “You think I should? Is that what you want? To see me and Riley together?”
Amber let out a sexy little groan, her pupils dilating as she licked her lips. “Oh, fuck, yes. Are you kidding me? I’m getting hot just thinking about it.”
He chuckled. “Are you, now? Hmm, I’ll have to think about this for a moment.” Inwardly, he was doing a victory dance, hearing the way her self-consciousness melted the moment she realized Maddox’s focus was on Riley instead of her. In that instant, she became a passionate, eager young woman, determined to help him fulfill his fantasy.
Christ God in heaven, he wanted to see her react that way when it came to her own sexual gratification. All in good time—if he could pull this first step off, that is.
Buy Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/angel-without
Interview:
Me: Give us some insight into your main character. What makes him/her special?
Rhiannon: Angel Without is an MMF menage story. Amber, Maddox, and Riley are my MC’s, and each one is very dear to my heart.
Amber is a tiny thing, all blonde hair and big blue eyes. She’s always seen herself as this meek little mouse, hating herself for always giving in to the men in her life. She’s never realized exactly how strong she really is, despite having survived constant emotional abuse from her father and her ex boyfriends. By the time she meets Maddox and Riley, she’s on the cusp of coming into her own. She’s also a sexual submissive, but after being abused by her first Dom, she’s convinced herself she’ll never be happy in a D/s relationship.
Maddox is the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome, with gray eyes that turn silver when he’s aroused and a Dominant nature. He has always been bisexual, but a terrible mistake with a female sub led him to swear off all women. He has a major crush on Riley, but up until Amber comes into their lives, he’s never had the courage to act on it. When his instincts scream for him to claim Amber, he realizes it’s also time to claim Riley as his sub, too.
Smart-ass Riley Jones is probably one of my very favorite characters I’ve ever written. He’s built like a football player with a clear Alpha set to his shoulders, but inside he’s so much dandelion fluff. Riley is just twenty-three, having moved to Houston from his home town in central Texas because there were no jobs for veterans there. That’s the excuse he gave Maddox when Maddox hired him as his foreman, anyway. The truth is something far, far different. After getting kicked out of the Army, Riley is truly convinced no one is safe around him. So, you can imagine his angst when he’s tasked with helping Maddox keep Amber safe.
Me: Is there a message in your novel you hope to convey to your readers?
Rhiannon: D/s isn’t always about pain. There are many, many different kinds of dynamics. Some people just like dressing up in fetish clothing. Others like the full hardcore masochistic side. My books cover the psychologically based D/s, where the predominant motivation is the power exchange between individuals. You’ll never see whips, chains, or dungeons in any of my books.
Me: I love a good conflict. What draws your main characters to each other and keeps them apart?
Rhiannon: Maddox and Riley are charged with protecting Amber from an abusive ex. Maddox and Riley have known each other for a year, but misconceptions about the other’s sexuality has kept them from expressing their attraction for one another. When Amber falls into their lives, they both suddenly realize that there’s room for a woman in their relationship—when and if they can get up the courage to accept their attraction for one another. Unfortunately, Amber is convinced all Dominant men are going to be out to hurt her, and Riley has some serious self-esteem issues stemming from family tragedies. Maddox is the only Dominant, and he himself has a dark past. The three of them must overcome their personal demons in order to be together and accept their triad relationship.
Me: How did you come up with the title?
Rhiannon: In the first book of the series, the main character, Allen, says the phrase “Angel Without. Demons Within.” Since Amber was an angel who had suffered without hope, love, acceptance, or friendship her entire life, Angel Without just felt appropriate.
Me: What’s your favorite sub-genre (contemporary, sci-fi, etc.) to write? To read?
Rhiannon: Contemporary MMF, which is weird, considering I’m a fantasy junkie. But somehow it is easier to accept a love story that takes place in the modern world. I love all the trappings of sci fi and fantasy, but find romantic stories that are set in the present are more relatable. That goes for both reading and writing, though I am working on a new series that is paranormal. Still MMF, though. Menage is the ultimate love for me. No barriers, no self-denial, just real love and sexual indulgence. Mmmmm…lol
Me: I usually get plot ideas in the shower and while driving. When/where does inspiration strike you?
Rhiannon: When I’m walking my dog, believe it or not. My dog, Max, is known as Intrepid Explorer Max Puppy, and he has made it his mission to track down every single frog living on the property of my apartment complex. So, every time we go for a walk, it turns into a long, winding affair where he has to sniff every crack and crevice in search of frogs. This, obviously, leaves me with a lot of time to think. I usually come back from walking him and have to make notes of all the scenes that popped into my head while he was hunting frogs. Kind of ironic, really. His never-ending search for frogs lets me talk to my characters, figure out what they need, and envision the next scenes that I need to write. Win-win, even though it is exhausting to have to make ten circuits of the complex in 104 degree heat! lol
Me: What new stories are you working on?
Rhiannon: I’m currently working on book 3 of the For Love of Authority series, which is titled Saints United. It follows some old college friends of the characters in my first book, and details their journey toward forming a lasting triad. This book is taking it out of me, though. There are some extremely emotional and tragic events that occur, which are personally heartbreaking for me. This one might take me a bit longer to write than my readers would prefer, but in the end I hope they will forgive me for the delay!
I’m also working on that paranormal series I mentioned. But, don’t expect werewolves and vampires from me. For more information, you’ll just have to wait for the book to come out!
Author Bio:
Rhiannon Ayers has lived in many cities over the years, having grown up the daughter of parents who suffered from wanderlust. Currently, she and her husband reside near the Gulf of Mexico with their children, both the two- and four-legged variety. An artist to the bone, Rhiannon spends her days dreaming up snappy headlines and creating eye-catching artwork for clients all over the world, though telling stories has always been her first love. After writing her first epic adventure series at the tender age of eight, she went on to garner several creative writing awards, including the prestigious Vanderbilt Award for Excellence in Creative Writing. Becoming a published author is her single greatest achievement to date.
Rhiannon loves getting feedback from readers. Please email her at rhiannon.ayers@yahoo.com.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.rhiannonayers.com
Blog: www.rhiannonayers.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005716777543
Twitter: @RAyersAuthor
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00LH6CAP4
Be sure to comment by midnight EDT on Wednesday, August 20, for a chance to win a copy of Angel Without!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Blurb:
All these years, Amber thought her beloved adopted brother, Allen, was dead. When she discovers he’s not only alive, but living in the same city, she runs to him for help. Fortunately, Allen and his lovers have a plan to keep Amber safe. Allen brings his little sister to stay with Maddox Henley, a Dom with a dark past, and Riley Jones, an ex-soldier with a dark secret. Together, these two strapping construction workers have the balls and ability to keep a young woman safe from all outside threats.
But can they keep her safe from the threat they pose to her heart?
Excerpt:
“Maddox?”
He ran his palm down her hair, cupping the back of her head as he looked down into those impossibly blue eyes. “Angel?”
“Are you…upset with me?”
“Upset? Of course not! Why on earth would you think that?”
She bit her lip, looking away. “You’re shaking. And you haven’t spoken since…since I said…”
“Oh, angel,” Maddox said with a tired sigh. He cupped her face, kissed her gently. “I’m not upset with you. I promise. I’m just overwhelmed, okay? I’m honored that you’ve chosen to trust me with your secrets tonight. I’m humbled that you would want to get to know me, despite being afraid of me. And I’m nervous, because I don’t want to fuck this up. I don’t want to betray your trust or cause you one millisecond of pain. And I’m terrified that I’ll do or say something wrong, and I’ll lose my chance to be with the most mesmerizing, awe-inspiring, breathtaking woman I’ve ever met in my life.”
Her jaw dropped. “You…you think all that? Ab–b–bout me?”
Maddox nodded, expression solemn. “Yes, I do. You don’t even know how strong you are, do you? You amaze me, Amber. You’ve been through so much. Other people would have been broken by what you’ve gone through. But you’re still this wonderful, sweet, loving young woman who makes me want to shield you from the rest of the world for the rest of my life. I can’t even begin to express how much tonight means to me.”
Two tears spilled over her cheeks. Maddox leaned down, kissed both of them away tenderly. “I don’t want to mess this up. I don’t ever want you to think I’m just in this for a wild night between the sheets. Nothing could be further from the truth. I will still teach you about the D/s lifestyle if that is your wish, but I won’t do it as your Dom.” He paused significantly.
“I want to do it as your boyfriend. If you’ll have me. If you’ll let me court you, let me show you what a true D/s relationship looks like, inside and outside the bedroom. I want you, Amber. You. Not just the submissive. All of you.”
Amber’s mouth worked, but no sound came out at first. After a few tries, she managed to gasp out, “I…I don’t know what to say.”
He gave her a soft smile, caressed her cheek. “You don’t have to say anything, angel. Not one thing. I’m here for you, now and forever, for as long as you want me to be a part of your life. Your decision. Your choice. Just know I’ll be here for you, no matter what.”
Amber sat staring at him in utter silence for a long, tense moment. Then she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. Maddox wrapped her up as tightly as he dared, noting how she still tensed whenever she felt his strength surrounding her. Christ, she was going to kill him with her fear. He wanted her to feel sheltered by his strength, not frightened by it. He had to convince her that he would never use his size against her, never overpower her in the name of getting what he wanted. She needed to know, to understand down to the marrow of her bones, that everything he did, everything he was, was meant to keep her safe.
But the only sure way to do that was to let her see how he used his strength on another sub, so she could witness for herself the way Maddox handled one. And that meant he needed Riley, ready, willing, and eager to join both of them in bed.
Maddox suppressed a shiver and glanced out the patio doors—and there, on the far side of the yard, watching them with so much hunger in his eyes Maddox could feel it like a gnawing in his own gut, stood Riley.
Perfect timing.
Smiling, Maddox leaned down and whispered next to her ear. “Don’t look, don’t be alarmed. We have an audience. Riley is watching us.”
She tensed, but otherwise made no move. “Is he…is he mad?”
Maddox laughed. “Mad? Why on earth would he be mad?”
Amber looked up at him through her lashes, concern evident in her small frown. “Won’t he be jealous? I mean, if he wants you for himself…”
“Envious, angel. Not jealous. I have no doubt he wants you, too. Seeing both of us together…well, let’s just say that’s a fantasy come to life for guys like me and him. Right now, he’s thinking about the possibilities, trust me. Wondering if he can bring himself to be with a man as well as a woman.
“That is, if he truly does want me.” Maddox tried to look pensive, his intent to make her jump to his defense. “I don’t really know how he feels. I certainly want him. But he’s straight, Amber. Straight men do not, as a rule, want other men. I could be projecting my desire onto him, seeing something I want to see instead of what is truly there.”
“That’s not what you said earlier,” she accused, eyes sparkling. “Why don’t you go after him? What are you waiting for?”
He caressed her jaw, letting just a little of the lust he was feeling overwhelm his expression. “You think I should? Is that what you want? To see me and Riley together?”
Amber let out a sexy little groan, her pupils dilating as she licked her lips. “Oh, fuck, yes. Are you kidding me? I’m getting hot just thinking about it.”
He chuckled. “Are you, now? Hmm, I’ll have to think about this for a moment.” Inwardly, he was doing a victory dance, hearing the way her self-consciousness melted the moment she realized Maddox’s focus was on Riley instead of her. In that instant, she became a passionate, eager young woman, determined to help him fulfill his fantasy.
Christ God in heaven, he wanted to see her react that way when it came to her own sexual gratification. All in good time—if he could pull this first step off, that is.
Buy Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/angel-without
Interview:
Me: Give us some insight into your main character. What makes him/her special?
Rhiannon: Angel Without is an MMF menage story. Amber, Maddox, and Riley are my MC’s, and each one is very dear to my heart.
Amber is a tiny thing, all blonde hair and big blue eyes. She’s always seen herself as this meek little mouse, hating herself for always giving in to the men in her life. She’s never realized exactly how strong she really is, despite having survived constant emotional abuse from her father and her ex boyfriends. By the time she meets Maddox and Riley, she’s on the cusp of coming into her own. She’s also a sexual submissive, but after being abused by her first Dom, she’s convinced herself she’ll never be happy in a D/s relationship.
Maddox is the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome, with gray eyes that turn silver when he’s aroused and a Dominant nature. He has always been bisexual, but a terrible mistake with a female sub led him to swear off all women. He has a major crush on Riley, but up until Amber comes into their lives, he’s never had the courage to act on it. When his instincts scream for him to claim Amber, he realizes it’s also time to claim Riley as his sub, too.
Smart-ass Riley Jones is probably one of my very favorite characters I’ve ever written. He’s built like a football player with a clear Alpha set to his shoulders, but inside he’s so much dandelion fluff. Riley is just twenty-three, having moved to Houston from his home town in central Texas because there were no jobs for veterans there. That’s the excuse he gave Maddox when Maddox hired him as his foreman, anyway. The truth is something far, far different. After getting kicked out of the Army, Riley is truly convinced no one is safe around him. So, you can imagine his angst when he’s tasked with helping Maddox keep Amber safe.
Me: Is there a message in your novel you hope to convey to your readers?
Rhiannon: D/s isn’t always about pain. There are many, many different kinds of dynamics. Some people just like dressing up in fetish clothing. Others like the full hardcore masochistic side. My books cover the psychologically based D/s, where the predominant motivation is the power exchange between individuals. You’ll never see whips, chains, or dungeons in any of my books.
Me: I love a good conflict. What draws your main characters to each other and keeps them apart?
Rhiannon: Maddox and Riley are charged with protecting Amber from an abusive ex. Maddox and Riley have known each other for a year, but misconceptions about the other’s sexuality has kept them from expressing their attraction for one another. When Amber falls into their lives, they both suddenly realize that there’s room for a woman in their relationship—when and if they can get up the courage to accept their attraction for one another. Unfortunately, Amber is convinced all Dominant men are going to be out to hurt her, and Riley has some serious self-esteem issues stemming from family tragedies. Maddox is the only Dominant, and he himself has a dark past. The three of them must overcome their personal demons in order to be together and accept their triad relationship.
Me: How did you come up with the title?
Rhiannon: In the first book of the series, the main character, Allen, says the phrase “Angel Without. Demons Within.” Since Amber was an angel who had suffered without hope, love, acceptance, or friendship her entire life, Angel Without just felt appropriate.
Me: What’s your favorite sub-genre (contemporary, sci-fi, etc.) to write? To read?
Rhiannon: Contemporary MMF, which is weird, considering I’m a fantasy junkie. But somehow it is easier to accept a love story that takes place in the modern world. I love all the trappings of sci fi and fantasy, but find romantic stories that are set in the present are more relatable. That goes for both reading and writing, though I am working on a new series that is paranormal. Still MMF, though. Menage is the ultimate love for me. No barriers, no self-denial, just real love and sexual indulgence. Mmmmm…lol
Me: I usually get plot ideas in the shower and while driving. When/where does inspiration strike you?
Rhiannon: When I’m walking my dog, believe it or not. My dog, Max, is known as Intrepid Explorer Max Puppy, and he has made it his mission to track down every single frog living on the property of my apartment complex. So, every time we go for a walk, it turns into a long, winding affair where he has to sniff every crack and crevice in search of frogs. This, obviously, leaves me with a lot of time to think. I usually come back from walking him and have to make notes of all the scenes that popped into my head while he was hunting frogs. Kind of ironic, really. His never-ending search for frogs lets me talk to my characters, figure out what they need, and envision the next scenes that I need to write. Win-win, even though it is exhausting to have to make ten circuits of the complex in 104 degree heat! lol
Me: What new stories are you working on?
Rhiannon: I’m currently working on book 3 of the For Love of Authority series, which is titled Saints United. It follows some old college friends of the characters in my first book, and details their journey toward forming a lasting triad. This book is taking it out of me, though. There are some extremely emotional and tragic events that occur, which are personally heartbreaking for me. This one might take me a bit longer to write than my readers would prefer, but in the end I hope they will forgive me for the delay!
I’m also working on that paranormal series I mentioned. But, don’t expect werewolves and vampires from me. For more information, you’ll just have to wait for the book to come out!
Author Bio:
Rhiannon Ayers has lived in many cities over the years, having grown up the daughter of parents who suffered from wanderlust. Currently, she and her husband reside near the Gulf of Mexico with their children, both the two- and four-legged variety. An artist to the bone, Rhiannon spends her days dreaming up snappy headlines and creating eye-catching artwork for clients all over the world, though telling stories has always been her first love. After writing her first epic adventure series at the tender age of eight, she went on to garner several creative writing awards, including the prestigious Vanderbilt Award for Excellence in Creative Writing. Becoming a published author is her single greatest achievement to date.
Rhiannon loves getting feedback from readers. Please email her at rhiannon.ayers@yahoo.com.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.rhiannonayers.com
Blog: www.rhiannonayers.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005716777543
Twitter: @RAyersAuthor
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00LH6CAP4
Be sure to comment by midnight EDT on Wednesday, August 20, for a chance to win a copy of Angel Without!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Writing Tip Wednesday: Preparing the Finished Book Part 2
Welcome to Writing Tip Wednesday! Self-publishing offers writers another choice on the road to publication, whether they’re already traditionally published and/or e-press published, or unpublished. Although the author maintains control of the process, she also has a lot of hard work ahead of her. Education about self-publishing and the publishing industry is vital to a good product and creating a professional image.
No matter which publishing path an author chooses, Preparing the Finished Book for publication is the first step. So, butt in chair and write. Once the book has been written, the polished manuscript sent out to an editor, critique partners, and beta-readers, and the tagline and blurbs written and tweaked, the story needs a Cover.
Research cover artists before the time comes to hire one. Ask for referrals and recommendations from other authors. Attend trade shows and check out each company’s/individual’s work. Search online for both original and stock covers.
Cover artists sometimes have a particular style that shows in every cover they create. Does the style fit the story/series? Will the same style carry through to each cover in the series?
Compare prices and what the price includes. Does the quoted price include a maximum number of changes to the proposed artwork? The author should have the final okay. Will the artist create multiple sizes of the cover for all the publishing platforms? What about print covers?
Check turnaround times. Can the cover be ready by the author’s planned reveal and release dates? Some artists are in high demand and may need to complete other projects first.
Does the contractor offer services like creating promotional artwork for bookmarks, post cards, magnets, etc. that complements the cover? Will she design a logo to fit the author’s publishing company name? Think author and book branding!
Always get a signed contract with an itemized list of all services and charges. It should also include a release statement on how the artwork may be used, like promotion and advertising in addition to book cover. Read and understand the contract BEFORE signing!
What makes an effective cover?
The text should be legible in thumbnail size. A reader’s first look at the cover is often a small size on the retailer’s site, whether in a bestsellers list, search list, or recommended buys list.
The cover should fit the story. An erotic romance shouldn’t have a cover that suggests inspirational or young adult romance. Young adult and inspirational books with erotic covers attract the wrong target audience as well. Be aware of retailers’ rules about adult content. Erotic romance covers with partial and full nudity are often flagged as not suitable for general searches, making the book more difficult for readers to find.
Use eye-friendly colors. Readers are usually drawn to covers with pleasing colors. Be sure the colors work well with the tone of the story.
Avoid using too many elements. An overly busy cover turns off readers instead of drawing their attention. Keep simplicity in mind when making suggestions to the artist.
The author’s name is as important as the title. Many readers make purchases based on the author of the book rather than the title. Choose a font and size that will work well on the entire series, and consider using the same font and size on all self-published books for a more recognizable name. Buyers can and do remember authors by the way their names look on covers.
Good covers help sell books. A poorly designed cover translates into a poorly written book to most readers—whether conscious or not—and a lost sale. Unless the author has exceptional artistic talent, is very skilled in Photoshop, and is knowledgeable about the retailers’ required formats and sizes, her best option is to leave the cover to a professional.
Check off the next item on the to-do list! Only 11 more to go!!!
The To-Do List
1) Finish the book.
2) Polish and edit the book.
3) Write taglines and blurbs.
4) Create or purchase cover art.
5) Purchase ISBNs, if using a single ISBN for all retailers using the same book format (print or e-book).
6) Create front and back matter.
7) Format for e-book and/or print.
8) Update website, blog, and social media.
9) Create metadata list.
10) Plan a marketing and promotion strategy.
11) Publish the book.
12) File copyright paperwork, if registering.
13) Add buy links to websites, blogs, and social media.
14) Implement marketing and promotion strategies.
15) Write the next book!
Be sure to check out the writing craft series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace, and the writing career series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Career Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
No matter which publishing path an author chooses, Preparing the Finished Book for publication is the first step. So, butt in chair and write. Once the book has been written, the polished manuscript sent out to an editor, critique partners, and beta-readers, and the tagline and blurbs written and tweaked, the story needs a Cover.
Research cover artists before the time comes to hire one. Ask for referrals and recommendations from other authors. Attend trade shows and check out each company’s/individual’s work. Search online for both original and stock covers.
Cover artists sometimes have a particular style that shows in every cover they create. Does the style fit the story/series? Will the same style carry through to each cover in the series?
Compare prices and what the price includes. Does the quoted price include a maximum number of changes to the proposed artwork? The author should have the final okay. Will the artist create multiple sizes of the cover for all the publishing platforms? What about print covers?
Check turnaround times. Can the cover be ready by the author’s planned reveal and release dates? Some artists are in high demand and may need to complete other projects first.
Does the contractor offer services like creating promotional artwork for bookmarks, post cards, magnets, etc. that complements the cover? Will she design a logo to fit the author’s publishing company name? Think author and book branding!
Always get a signed contract with an itemized list of all services and charges. It should also include a release statement on how the artwork may be used, like promotion and advertising in addition to book cover. Read and understand the contract BEFORE signing!
What makes an effective cover?
The text should be legible in thumbnail size. A reader’s first look at the cover is often a small size on the retailer’s site, whether in a bestsellers list, search list, or recommended buys list.
The cover should fit the story. An erotic romance shouldn’t have a cover that suggests inspirational or young adult romance. Young adult and inspirational books with erotic covers attract the wrong target audience as well. Be aware of retailers’ rules about adult content. Erotic romance covers with partial and full nudity are often flagged as not suitable for general searches, making the book more difficult for readers to find.
Use eye-friendly colors. Readers are usually drawn to covers with pleasing colors. Be sure the colors work well with the tone of the story.
Avoid using too many elements. An overly busy cover turns off readers instead of drawing their attention. Keep simplicity in mind when making suggestions to the artist.
The author’s name is as important as the title. Many readers make purchases based on the author of the book rather than the title. Choose a font and size that will work well on the entire series, and consider using the same font and size on all self-published books for a more recognizable name. Buyers can and do remember authors by the way their names look on covers.
Good covers help sell books. A poorly designed cover translates into a poorly written book to most readers—whether conscious or not—and a lost sale. Unless the author has exceptional artistic talent, is very skilled in Photoshop, and is knowledgeable about the retailers’ required formats and sizes, her best option is to leave the cover to a professional.
Check off the next item on the to-do list! Only 11 more to go!!!
The To-Do List
1) Finish the book.
2) Polish and edit the book.
3) Write taglines and blurbs.
4) Create or purchase cover art.
5) Purchase ISBNs, if using a single ISBN for all retailers using the same book format (print or e-book).
6) Create front and back matter.
7) Format for e-book and/or print.
8) Update website, blog, and social media.
9) Create metadata list.
10) Plan a marketing and promotion strategy.
11) Publish the book.
12) File copyright paperwork, if registering.
13) Add buy links to websites, blogs, and social media.
14) Implement marketing and promotion strategies.
15) Write the next book!
Be sure to check out the writing craft series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace, and the writing career series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Career Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Monday, August 11, 2014
Author Spotlight + Giveaway--Julie Shelton
Welcome to Author Spotlights on Mondays! Julie Shelton is back for another visit with her BDSM book Keeping Sarah. Check out the super hot excerpt and a character interview with one of her heroes! Be sure to comment for a chance to win a copy of Keeping Sarah!
Blurb:
Honeymooning in England, Jesse Colter, Adam Sinclair and their beloved wife, Sarah, are heading for their friend Thorne Cahill’s BDSM club for dinner when another car deliberately tries to run them off the road. Thanks to their own driver’s skills, the other car is destroyed, the two unknown occupants killed.
Through Thorne, they discover that they’re the targets of a “blood feud”, instigated by Konstandin Sokolov, son of Viktor Sokolov, the Albanian mobster who had unwisely kidnapped Sarah a few months back, and paid for it with his life. They also discover that Thorne’s guests, ruthless human traffickers, have gathered at the club for a slave auction being held the following night. Konstandin Sokolov happens to be one of the buyers.
Fraught with treachery, betrayal, and deadly danger, Keeping Sarah keeps the reader on a knife’s edge of tension, while simultaneously exploring the deepening emotional and physical commitment between Jesse and Adam. They already trust each other with their lives. Now they must learn how to trust each other with their love.
Adult excerpt:
Then Jesse turned to Sarah. Bending down, he put his hands beneath her arms and lifted her up off the floor. Turning her in his arms, he unhooked the garters, then unlaced the corset, letting it fall to the silk carpet. As soon as the beautiful, but restrictive garment fell away from her, Sarah took the first deep breath she’d had in hours. “Step out of your shoes, baby,” he crooned, rolling down her stockings and removing them one foot at a time. “Now bend over and grab your ankles. I owe you a spanking.”
With a whimper, she assumed the undignified position, her second of the night, wrapping her fingers around her ankles while he got on his knees behind her to remove the vibrators from her pussy and ass. Dropping the toys on top of the crumpled corset, he palmed her ass cheeks, his flexing fingers making deep indentations in her sweet flesh. “Spread your legs, baby, or you’re gonna fall over.” A smile curved his lips upward as she slid her feet outward. God, I love this ass! He slapped her sharply, the sound and her subsequent cry loud in the quiet room. “Count,” was all he said, transfixed by the erotic sight of his handprint blooming on her skin, first white, then red.
“Y-yes, Master. O-one.”
“How many have you earned tonight, slave?”
“Ten, Master.” Her voice was barely audible, muffled by her position.
“There will be no warm-up, so I’ll make them quick. Count them all.” In rapid succession, he delivered ten blistering swats to her backside and by the time she counted the last one, her ass was fiery red and she was sobbing in pain.
Crap, that hurt! And yet, it felt so good. So damn good. The heat from her ass seemed to be having an effect on her clit, as if the two were connected by wires pulsing and crackling with electricity. Her sobs turned into moans as he stroked and kneaded the heat more deeply into her flesh, sending it straight to her pussy until her clit felt like it was on fire.
Still gripping her ass cheeks, he lowered his head, slanting it sideways to flick the tip of his tongue across her throbbing little nub. She jerked and cried out as pleasure consumed her. Then he straightened, pulling her up after him, and steered her toward the bed. If Adam was in sub-space, then Sarah was right there with him, lost and drifting and needing Jesse’s loving care. It was now his duty and responsibility to love them and keep them safe and give them the pleasure they had both earned and richly deserved.
“Climb up, baby,” he said, assisting her up onto the bed. “On your hands and knees above Adam, pussy over his face, head over his cock.” As he was talking, he, too, was getting on the bed, crawling across its enormous expanse toward Adam’s feet. “Legs apart,” he ordered and Adam slid his feet across the silky sheets. “Prepare Sarah.”
At the quiet command, Sarah’s core convulsed again, sending out another gush of fresh cream. God, she was so ready to come! She had been so highly aroused for so long, now that it was finally going to happen, it was all she could focus on. Without warning, Adam reached up and stroked his fingers through her slit, from front to back before thrusting two fingers deep inside her sheath hovering so tantalizingly above his head. He pressed his thumb against her puckered anal opening, pushing insistently, until the muscle relaxed and sucked it in. Sarah stopped breathing. With wicked skill, he thrust in and out of both her anus and vagina, pinching the membrane between his thumb and fingers as he stroked, quickly re-stoking the fires of need in her sex, burning just beneath the surface. A thin, high wail escaped her lips as pleasure devoured her.
“Christ, Jess,” Adam muttered over the wet, sucking noises his fingers were making as he pumped them in and out of Sarah’s sheath, “you should see what I’m seeing. Our little slave has the most succulent pussy in the world. And it’s dripping all over the place.”
“Sarah,” Jesse ordered, “Take Adam into your mouth.”
Buy link: www.bookstrand.com/keeping-sarah
Character interview with Jesse Colter:
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you come to your author’s attention? Occupation?
My name is Jesse Colter. I’m 32, a former SEAL, now Chief of Police of Marshall’s Creek, Virginia, the small, sleepy town I grew up in. My childhood basically sucked—my father was a drunk and a bully who used me for his punchin’ bag—until I was fourteen and bigger than he was, so he pretty much steered clear of me after that. I never knew my Native American mother. She disappeared before I was outta diapers. My father always claimed she ran away with another man, but I’ve always suspected he killed her one night in a drunken rage and disposed of her body. I came to my author’s attention the day I rescued her heroine, Sarah Marshall, from fallin’ out of a tree. Actually, that’s not quite true. I came to her attention long before that. She just had to think about me for a while and get to know me before she decided to let it be me who rescued Sarah. She wanted us to have a happy ending, even though she kept us apart for eight years before givin’ it to us. (Lol)
What or who is the greatest love of your life? Why? What drew you to them?
Sarah Marshall is the only woman I have ever loved, the only woman I ever will love. I met her the summer she was 13. I was workin’ as an assistant gardener at Marshall’s Hill, the ante-bellum estate where she grew up. I heard this blood-curdlin’ shriek and when I ran to find out where it was comin’ from, there she was, danglin’ upside down from a broken tree limb 30 feet above the ground. Scared the livin’ sh-daylights outta me! I was nineteen and full of my own teen-age crap, but Sarah, oh, my God…[shakes his head]…she just fascinated me. She was this amazin’ combination of child and adult. She grew up rich, but her childhood sucked as much as mine did, except she wasn’t beaten. Just ignored. Her father was a judge, a self-important, self-righteous little prick who had no time for his only child, so she was pretty much raised by tutors and nannies. She was the first person who treated me like I really mattered, you know? The first person who ever really listened to me. She actually valued my opinion! She bullied me into readin’ all her favorite books just so she could have someone to discuss them with. She turned me into an avid reader, for which I’ll always be grateful.
When I hired on the next summer, she had entered puberty and had filled out. Boy, had she filled out! God, she was so gorgeous and I knew I was in trouble. When I was at work, I couldn’t stop lookin’ at her and when I was anywhere else, I couldn’t stop thinkin’ about her. But I was bad news. Six years older than her, a biker, and a Dom. And even though I suspected she was a natural submissive, she was still just a kid, and I knew if I claimed her, I would ruin her life. After all, she was rich, the daughter of a judge, the descendant of English aristocrats, while I was the bastard son of a Native American prostitute and the town drunk. At that point, my life was a steamin’ pile of crap. What kind of a future could I possibly give her?
I didn’t show up the next summer, but still saw her every night in my dreams. I tried to stay away from her, but kept seein’ her around town, even rescued her from gettin’ into a truck and goin’ off with three guys who were even worse than me. Boy, were they pissed! Then, three years later, my cousin overheard a couple of those guys laughin’ and gigglin’ about raidin’ Sarah’s eighteenth birthday party and havin’ some “fun.” The minute he told me I hopped on my bike and rode out to her place to try and stop ’em. I managed to keep the one guy from rapin’ Sarah, but I had wanted her so badly for so long that when she threw herself at me and begged me to make love to her…I very nearly did. I left town that night. Just sneaked out without sayin’ good-bye to the only person who’d ever really mattered to me. I hitched a ride to Norfolk where I found myself the next mornin’ standin’ in a seedy, rundown strip mall, starin’ at the Navy recruitment office. I enlisted that day. I’ll never regret joinin’ the Navy, but I will regret to my dyin’ day the decision to leave Sarah the way I did, with no word of explanation, no good-bye, no word at all for eight long years. It was a crappy thing to do because it wound up nearly destroyin’ both of us. Believe me, I will spend the rest of my life makin’ it up to her. Because now that I have her, I can’t imagine ever livin’ without her.
What’s your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is losin’ Sarah. I already lost her once, that night I left town. It took me eight year to admit how much I needed her, and how wrong I’d been to leave her. I nearly lost her again when I introduced her to my best friend, Adam Sinclair, and we told her we wanted to share her in a D/s menage relationship. Adam was already in love with her just from hearin’ me talk about her while we were servin’ with the SEALs over in Afghanistan. But I needn’t have worried. As soon as they met each other, the attraction was instantaneous. It was like…completin’ the circle. Then I almost lost her when her ex-fiance tried to kidnap her in order to get hold of her money. Fortunately we got to her in time. But the absolute worst was a few months ago, when that SOB who’d nearly raped her got out of prison. He kidnapped her and sold her to Viktor Sokolov, an international slave trafficker. They nearly got away with it, too. Adam and I were terrified we wouldn’t get to her in time to stop Sokolov from flyin’ her out of the country and beyond our reach. In our latest adventure, Keeping Sarah, we are surrounded by danger.
What’s your motto in life?
No secrets. There must be open, honest communication at all times about everything. It’s the only way a D/s relationship, especially a menage, can survive and flourish.
How do the other characters in your book view you?
My best friend and brother-in-arms, Adam, knows me as a dom, a fellow SEAL, and a man of principle and integrity. We love and admire each other as friends, brothers, and finally, in Keeping Sarah, as lovers. It’s a development I’m not sure I’m ready for, even though I know the feelin’s between us have been developin’ for a long time. But Adam can be very persuasive, and knows exactly which buttons to push, although he and Sarah practically have to stage an intervention to get me over the final hurdle. Sarah, the love of my life, sees me as macho, bossy, domineering, chauvinistic, over-bearing, and annoying. Oops, I forgot sexy (lol). She also sees me as one of the two men who love her to the bottom of our souls and who would give our lives to protect her from harm. The bad guys view me as their worst nightmare.
What is it about you that is going to draw us readers in?
I’m sexy as hell (lol). No, really. I am. I love fiercely and forever, and will fight to the death to protect those I cherish. I don’t suffer fools lightly and I abhor bullies and abusers of women—any women. Women are to be loved, revered, protected and treasured. With a few spankings, a little harmless torture and lots of orgasms thrown in just to spice things up a bit. I am, after all, a Dom. [Grins]
What was your happiest moment?
The first time I had Sarah tied to my bed and she looked up at me, beggin’ me to let her come…I knew I had found my joy. I knew I would spend the rest of my life wantin’ to make her scream with pleasure.
What trait in others do you find most deplorable?
Dishonesty and lack of respect.
What is your favorite time of day?
First thing in the mornin’, when Adam and I wake up with Sarah between us all soft and warm and smellin’ delicious. We wake her by makin’ slow, sweet love to her, startin’ her day with the gift of pleasure, lettin’ her know just how much we adore her.
Bio:
Julie has always loved stories, both reading and writing them, ever since she was old enough to hold a book in her hands. One of her favorite childhood activities was smuggling books under the covers to read by flashlight after she was supposed to be asleep.
A career as a children’s librarian eventually led to her dream career as a freelance storyteller and puppeteer, a business she operated successfully for twenty-five years. During that time she created and wrote all the original material for Kidstuff, a monthly language arts newsletter full of poems, songs, puppet and flannel-board stories, finger plays, and other resource material for early childhood educators. For that endeavor she won the prestigious EDPRESS Award for the best educational newsletter of 1982. Her 288-page book, Puppets, Poems and Songs was a major resource. She has also written other resource materials for librarians and preschool and early elementary teachers.
Julie lives in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. Now widowed and retired, she once again has time to devote to her two favorite things—reading and writing—especially her new love, erotic romances with strong heroines, hunky alpha-male heroes, and lots of smokin’ hot sex.
Links:
Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/IEAADL
Website: http://bit.ly/Nn2gPE
Facebook author page: http://on.fb.me/19nGsh2
LinkedIn Profile: http://linkd.in/1gYBG9p
Remember to comment by midnight EDT on Thursday, August 14, for a chance to win a copy of Keeping Sarah!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Blurb:
Through Thorne, they discover that they’re the targets of a “blood feud”, instigated by Konstandin Sokolov, son of Viktor Sokolov, the Albanian mobster who had unwisely kidnapped Sarah a few months back, and paid for it with his life. They also discover that Thorne’s guests, ruthless human traffickers, have gathered at the club for a slave auction being held the following night. Konstandin Sokolov happens to be one of the buyers.
Fraught with treachery, betrayal, and deadly danger, Keeping Sarah keeps the reader on a knife’s edge of tension, while simultaneously exploring the deepening emotional and physical commitment between Jesse and Adam. They already trust each other with their lives. Now they must learn how to trust each other with their love.
Adult excerpt:
Then Jesse turned to Sarah. Bending down, he put his hands beneath her arms and lifted her up off the floor. Turning her in his arms, he unhooked the garters, then unlaced the corset, letting it fall to the silk carpet. As soon as the beautiful, but restrictive garment fell away from her, Sarah took the first deep breath she’d had in hours. “Step out of your shoes, baby,” he crooned, rolling down her stockings and removing them one foot at a time. “Now bend over and grab your ankles. I owe you a spanking.”
With a whimper, she assumed the undignified position, her second of the night, wrapping her fingers around her ankles while he got on his knees behind her to remove the vibrators from her pussy and ass. Dropping the toys on top of the crumpled corset, he palmed her ass cheeks, his flexing fingers making deep indentations in her sweet flesh. “Spread your legs, baby, or you’re gonna fall over.” A smile curved his lips upward as she slid her feet outward. God, I love this ass! He slapped her sharply, the sound and her subsequent cry loud in the quiet room. “Count,” was all he said, transfixed by the erotic sight of his handprint blooming on her skin, first white, then red.
“Y-yes, Master. O-one.”
“How many have you earned tonight, slave?”
“Ten, Master.” Her voice was barely audible, muffled by her position.
“There will be no warm-up, so I’ll make them quick. Count them all.” In rapid succession, he delivered ten blistering swats to her backside and by the time she counted the last one, her ass was fiery red and she was sobbing in pain.
Crap, that hurt! And yet, it felt so good. So damn good. The heat from her ass seemed to be having an effect on her clit, as if the two were connected by wires pulsing and crackling with electricity. Her sobs turned into moans as he stroked and kneaded the heat more deeply into her flesh, sending it straight to her pussy until her clit felt like it was on fire.
Still gripping her ass cheeks, he lowered his head, slanting it sideways to flick the tip of his tongue across her throbbing little nub. She jerked and cried out as pleasure consumed her. Then he straightened, pulling her up after him, and steered her toward the bed. If Adam was in sub-space, then Sarah was right there with him, lost and drifting and needing Jesse’s loving care. It was now his duty and responsibility to love them and keep them safe and give them the pleasure they had both earned and richly deserved.
“Climb up, baby,” he said, assisting her up onto the bed. “On your hands and knees above Adam, pussy over his face, head over his cock.” As he was talking, he, too, was getting on the bed, crawling across its enormous expanse toward Adam’s feet. “Legs apart,” he ordered and Adam slid his feet across the silky sheets. “Prepare Sarah.”
At the quiet command, Sarah’s core convulsed again, sending out another gush of fresh cream. God, she was so ready to come! She had been so highly aroused for so long, now that it was finally going to happen, it was all she could focus on. Without warning, Adam reached up and stroked his fingers through her slit, from front to back before thrusting two fingers deep inside her sheath hovering so tantalizingly above his head. He pressed his thumb against her puckered anal opening, pushing insistently, until the muscle relaxed and sucked it in. Sarah stopped breathing. With wicked skill, he thrust in and out of both her anus and vagina, pinching the membrane between his thumb and fingers as he stroked, quickly re-stoking the fires of need in her sex, burning just beneath the surface. A thin, high wail escaped her lips as pleasure devoured her.
“Christ, Jess,” Adam muttered over the wet, sucking noises his fingers were making as he pumped them in and out of Sarah’s sheath, “you should see what I’m seeing. Our little slave has the most succulent pussy in the world. And it’s dripping all over the place.”
“Sarah,” Jesse ordered, “Take Adam into your mouth.”
Buy link: www.bookstrand.com/keeping-sarah
Character interview with Jesse Colter:
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you come to your author’s attention? Occupation?
My name is Jesse Colter. I’m 32, a former SEAL, now Chief of Police of Marshall’s Creek, Virginia, the small, sleepy town I grew up in. My childhood basically sucked—my father was a drunk and a bully who used me for his punchin’ bag—until I was fourteen and bigger than he was, so he pretty much steered clear of me after that. I never knew my Native American mother. She disappeared before I was outta diapers. My father always claimed she ran away with another man, but I’ve always suspected he killed her one night in a drunken rage and disposed of her body. I came to my author’s attention the day I rescued her heroine, Sarah Marshall, from fallin’ out of a tree. Actually, that’s not quite true. I came to her attention long before that. She just had to think about me for a while and get to know me before she decided to let it be me who rescued Sarah. She wanted us to have a happy ending, even though she kept us apart for eight years before givin’ it to us. (Lol)
What or who is the greatest love of your life? Why? What drew you to them?
Sarah Marshall is the only woman I have ever loved, the only woman I ever will love. I met her the summer she was 13. I was workin’ as an assistant gardener at Marshall’s Hill, the ante-bellum estate where she grew up. I heard this blood-curdlin’ shriek and when I ran to find out where it was comin’ from, there she was, danglin’ upside down from a broken tree limb 30 feet above the ground. Scared the livin’ sh-daylights outta me! I was nineteen and full of my own teen-age crap, but Sarah, oh, my God…[shakes his head]…she just fascinated me. She was this amazin’ combination of child and adult. She grew up rich, but her childhood sucked as much as mine did, except she wasn’t beaten. Just ignored. Her father was a judge, a self-important, self-righteous little prick who had no time for his only child, so she was pretty much raised by tutors and nannies. She was the first person who treated me like I really mattered, you know? The first person who ever really listened to me. She actually valued my opinion! She bullied me into readin’ all her favorite books just so she could have someone to discuss them with. She turned me into an avid reader, for which I’ll always be grateful.
When I hired on the next summer, she had entered puberty and had filled out. Boy, had she filled out! God, she was so gorgeous and I knew I was in trouble. When I was at work, I couldn’t stop lookin’ at her and when I was anywhere else, I couldn’t stop thinkin’ about her. But I was bad news. Six years older than her, a biker, and a Dom. And even though I suspected she was a natural submissive, she was still just a kid, and I knew if I claimed her, I would ruin her life. After all, she was rich, the daughter of a judge, the descendant of English aristocrats, while I was the bastard son of a Native American prostitute and the town drunk. At that point, my life was a steamin’ pile of crap. What kind of a future could I possibly give her?
I didn’t show up the next summer, but still saw her every night in my dreams. I tried to stay away from her, but kept seein’ her around town, even rescued her from gettin’ into a truck and goin’ off with three guys who were even worse than me. Boy, were they pissed! Then, three years later, my cousin overheard a couple of those guys laughin’ and gigglin’ about raidin’ Sarah’s eighteenth birthday party and havin’ some “fun.” The minute he told me I hopped on my bike and rode out to her place to try and stop ’em. I managed to keep the one guy from rapin’ Sarah, but I had wanted her so badly for so long that when she threw herself at me and begged me to make love to her…I very nearly did. I left town that night. Just sneaked out without sayin’ good-bye to the only person who’d ever really mattered to me. I hitched a ride to Norfolk where I found myself the next mornin’ standin’ in a seedy, rundown strip mall, starin’ at the Navy recruitment office. I enlisted that day. I’ll never regret joinin’ the Navy, but I will regret to my dyin’ day the decision to leave Sarah the way I did, with no word of explanation, no good-bye, no word at all for eight long years. It was a crappy thing to do because it wound up nearly destroyin’ both of us. Believe me, I will spend the rest of my life makin’ it up to her. Because now that I have her, I can’t imagine ever livin’ without her.
What’s your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is losin’ Sarah. I already lost her once, that night I left town. It took me eight year to admit how much I needed her, and how wrong I’d been to leave her. I nearly lost her again when I introduced her to my best friend, Adam Sinclair, and we told her we wanted to share her in a D/s menage relationship. Adam was already in love with her just from hearin’ me talk about her while we were servin’ with the SEALs over in Afghanistan. But I needn’t have worried. As soon as they met each other, the attraction was instantaneous. It was like…completin’ the circle. Then I almost lost her when her ex-fiance tried to kidnap her in order to get hold of her money. Fortunately we got to her in time. But the absolute worst was a few months ago, when that SOB who’d nearly raped her got out of prison. He kidnapped her and sold her to Viktor Sokolov, an international slave trafficker. They nearly got away with it, too. Adam and I were terrified we wouldn’t get to her in time to stop Sokolov from flyin’ her out of the country and beyond our reach. In our latest adventure, Keeping Sarah, we are surrounded by danger.
What’s your motto in life?
No secrets. There must be open, honest communication at all times about everything. It’s the only way a D/s relationship, especially a menage, can survive and flourish.
How do the other characters in your book view you?
My best friend and brother-in-arms, Adam, knows me as a dom, a fellow SEAL, and a man of principle and integrity. We love and admire each other as friends, brothers, and finally, in Keeping Sarah, as lovers. It’s a development I’m not sure I’m ready for, even though I know the feelin’s between us have been developin’ for a long time. But Adam can be very persuasive, and knows exactly which buttons to push, although he and Sarah practically have to stage an intervention to get me over the final hurdle. Sarah, the love of my life, sees me as macho, bossy, domineering, chauvinistic, over-bearing, and annoying. Oops, I forgot sexy (lol). She also sees me as one of the two men who love her to the bottom of our souls and who would give our lives to protect her from harm. The bad guys view me as their worst nightmare.
What is it about you that is going to draw us readers in?
I’m sexy as hell (lol). No, really. I am. I love fiercely and forever, and will fight to the death to protect those I cherish. I don’t suffer fools lightly and I abhor bullies and abusers of women—any women. Women are to be loved, revered, protected and treasured. With a few spankings, a little harmless torture and lots of orgasms thrown in just to spice things up a bit. I am, after all, a Dom. [Grins]
What was your happiest moment?
The first time I had Sarah tied to my bed and she looked up at me, beggin’ me to let her come…I knew I had found my joy. I knew I would spend the rest of my life wantin’ to make her scream with pleasure.
What trait in others do you find most deplorable?
Dishonesty and lack of respect.
What is your favorite time of day?
First thing in the mornin’, when Adam and I wake up with Sarah between us all soft and warm and smellin’ delicious. We wake her by makin’ slow, sweet love to her, startin’ her day with the gift of pleasure, lettin’ her know just how much we adore her.
Bio:
A career as a children’s librarian eventually led to her dream career as a freelance storyteller and puppeteer, a business she operated successfully for twenty-five years. During that time she created and wrote all the original material for Kidstuff, a monthly language arts newsletter full of poems, songs, puppet and flannel-board stories, finger plays, and other resource material for early childhood educators. For that endeavor she won the prestigious EDPRESS Award for the best educational newsletter of 1982. Her 288-page book, Puppets, Poems and Songs was a major resource. She has also written other resource materials for librarians and preschool and early elementary teachers.
Julie lives in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. Now widowed and retired, she once again has time to devote to her two favorite things—reading and writing—especially her new love, erotic romances with strong heroines, hunky alpha-male heroes, and lots of smokin’ hot sex.
Links:
Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/IEAADL
Website: http://bit.ly/Nn2gPE
Facebook author page: http://on.fb.me/19nGsh2
LinkedIn Profile: http://linkd.in/1gYBG9p
Remember to comment by midnight EDT on Thursday, August 14, for a chance to win a copy of Keeping Sarah!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Writing Tip Wednesday: Preparing the Finished Book Part 1
Welcome to Writing Tip Wednesday! Self-publishing offers writers another choice on the road to publication, whether they’re already traditionally published and/or e-press published, or unpublished. Although the author maintains control of the process, she also has a lot of hard work ahead of her. Education about self-publishing and the publishing industry is vital to a good product and creating a professional image.
No matter which publishing path an author chooses, Preparing the Finished Book for publication is the first step. So, butt in chair and write. Once the book has been written, it needs to go through multiple rounds of self-editing, editing, critiquing, and/or beta-reading. This process shouldn’t be rushed.
Self-editing is often easier if the story isn’t fresh in the author’s mind. By setting aside the manuscript for several days to several months, typos and missed words are more noticeable. Pacing issues are more obvious and timeline problems come to the forefront. Repetitive sentence structure, repeat words, and awkward wording stand out. Keep a style guide, like Chicago Manual of Style, handy if grammar and punctuation are weak areas. Refer to craft-specific resources, such as Deb Dixon’s book about GMC, to review writing craft topics during self-editing. Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook offers suggestions on how to effectively self-edit and formulate a method that works best for the individual.
Once the story has been thoroughly edited, it’s ready for critique partners, beta-readers, and/or a professional editor. Get feedback from people with many different strengths—one who’s great at catching comma errors, another who notices logic lapses or poor characterization, someone else who sees POV issues. Using their strengths helps the author compensate for her weaknesses.
Good feedback is constructive and clear, with examples of how to correct problems, not only a this-is-wrong approach. It also provides positive comments on great dialogue, effective plot twists, etc. Trust is a very important element in this step. Critique partners, beta-readers, and editors should not rewrite parts of the story without permission. The author has the final say and doesn’t have to make all the recommended changes. It’s her book.
A few words on hiring freelance developmental, copy, and line editors...
Always check the person’s list of qualifications. Anyone can claim to be an editor. Ask for references or ask a fellow author for a referral if she has an amazing editor. Compare prices and turnaround times. Plan ahead. Most good editors are busy! Be sure a signed contract is part of the editor’s standard operating procedure before work is begun.
While the story is off with the editing team and the plot is still clear, the author can create blurbs and a tagline for use in promotion and retail book information. Taglines are short, usually less than 10 words. Think of it as a way to catch the attention of the reader and brand the book. Blurbs are longer, from 25 to 150 words, and tell just enough about the plot and characters to hook the reader. They take tweaking to make them precise and attention grabbing. Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook has tips for creating effective blurbs and taglines. Get feedback on those as well.
Check off the first 3 items on the to-do list! Only 12 more to go!!!
The To-Do List
1) Finish the book.
2) Polish and edit the book.
3) Write taglines and blurbs.
4) Create or purchase cover art.
5) Purchase ISBNs, if using a single ISBN for all retailers using the same book format (print or e-book).
6) Create front and back matter.
7) Format for e-book and/or print.
8) Update website, blog, and social media.
9) Create metadata list.
10) Plan a marketing and promotion strategy.
11) Publish the book.
12) File copyright paperwork, if registering.
13) Add buy links to websites, blogs, and social media.
14) Implement marketing and promotion strategies.
15) Write the next book!
Be sure to check out the writing craft series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace, and the writing career series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Career Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
No matter which publishing path an author chooses, Preparing the Finished Book for publication is the first step. So, butt in chair and write. Once the book has been written, it needs to go through multiple rounds of self-editing, editing, critiquing, and/or beta-reading. This process shouldn’t be rushed.
Self-editing is often easier if the story isn’t fresh in the author’s mind. By setting aside the manuscript for several days to several months, typos and missed words are more noticeable. Pacing issues are more obvious and timeline problems come to the forefront. Repetitive sentence structure, repeat words, and awkward wording stand out. Keep a style guide, like Chicago Manual of Style, handy if grammar and punctuation are weak areas. Refer to craft-specific resources, such as Deb Dixon’s book about GMC, to review writing craft topics during self-editing. Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook offers suggestions on how to effectively self-edit and formulate a method that works best for the individual.
Once the story has been thoroughly edited, it’s ready for critique partners, beta-readers, and/or a professional editor. Get feedback from people with many different strengths—one who’s great at catching comma errors, another who notices logic lapses or poor characterization, someone else who sees POV issues. Using their strengths helps the author compensate for her weaknesses.
Good feedback is constructive and clear, with examples of how to correct problems, not only a this-is-wrong approach. It also provides positive comments on great dialogue, effective plot twists, etc. Trust is a very important element in this step. Critique partners, beta-readers, and editors should not rewrite parts of the story without permission. The author has the final say and doesn’t have to make all the recommended changes. It’s her book.
A few words on hiring freelance developmental, copy, and line editors...
Always check the person’s list of qualifications. Anyone can claim to be an editor. Ask for references or ask a fellow author for a referral if she has an amazing editor. Compare prices and turnaround times. Plan ahead. Most good editors are busy! Be sure a signed contract is part of the editor’s standard operating procedure before work is begun.
While the story is off with the editing team and the plot is still clear, the author can create blurbs and a tagline for use in promotion and retail book information. Taglines are short, usually less than 10 words. Think of it as a way to catch the attention of the reader and brand the book. Blurbs are longer, from 25 to 150 words, and tell just enough about the plot and characters to hook the reader. They take tweaking to make them precise and attention grabbing. Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook has tips for creating effective blurbs and taglines. Get feedback on those as well.
Check off the first 3 items on the to-do list! Only 12 more to go!!!
The To-Do List
1) Finish the book.
2) Polish and edit the book.
3) Write taglines and blurbs.
4) Create or purchase cover art.
5) Purchase ISBNs, if using a single ISBN for all retailers using the same book format (print or e-book).
6) Create front and back matter.
7) Format for e-book and/or print.
8) Update website, blog, and social media.
9) Create metadata list.
10) Plan a marketing and promotion strategy.
11) Publish the book.
12) File copyright paperwork, if registering.
13) Add buy links to websites, blogs, and social media.
14) Implement marketing and promotion strategies.
15) Write the next book!
Be sure to check out the writing craft series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Craft Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace, and the writing career series, Writing Tip Wednesday: The Writing Career Handbook, in e-book at Amazon and B&N and in print at Amazon and CreateSpace.
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Monday, August 4, 2014
Author Spotlight + Giveaway--Mardi Maxwell
Welcome to Author Spotlights on Mondays! This week, Mardi Maxwell is back for another visit, sharing a peek at Book 4 in The Doms of Club Mystique series, Zane's Choice. Check out the excerpt, read about Mardi's writing process, and comment for a chance to win a copy of her August 5th release!
Blurb:
Beautiful, curvy, Ravyn Templeton saw Zane Ramsey in a BDSM club in Houston three years ago. He’s haunted her dreams ever since.
Zane is an Assistant District Attorney and co-owner of Club Mystique, the BDSM club he and his brothers built on their Texas ranch. When Ravyn’s ex-husband is arrested for trying to have her killed the case is assigned to Zane.
The moment Zane meets Ravyn he wants her and even though he knows having an affair with her will jeopardize his career he can’t resist her. When Ravyn’s ex-husband accuses her of laundering money for a drug cartel, and she refuses to answer Zane’s questions he leaves her.
Fate steps in and brings them together again. Zane has the power to save Ravyn but only if he loves her enough to fight for her.
Excerpt:
Zane cursed, then stalked toward her. He clenched his fist in the hair at her nape then curved her into him until their noses were almost touching.
Ravyn looked into his angry eyes and shivered. “Let go, Zane.”
“You need to leave, Ravyn. Now.”
“No. I’m hiding from the press and everyone else who wants to put me behind bars—people like you.”
“Dammit, Ravyn. I told you I would protect you.”
“No you didn’t. You said you would get me the best deal you could if I would turn state’s evidence.” She tried to move away from him and he tightened his hand and pulled her head farther back while curving her pelvis against his. His erection pressed into her belly and she breathed a swift sigh of relief at the proof that he still wanted her.
“I told you from the beginning if you were guilty I wouldn’t lie for you,” Zane said, the words gritted out between clenched teeth.
“Then you shouldn’t have fucked me.” Ravyn reached up and tried to pry his fingers from her hair. “Let go, Zane.”
“This time you’ve gone too far. Be still or I’ll beat your ass.”
“You can’t. You’re the one who set the limits of our relationship.” She gave up trying to pry his hand loose. “You said fucking only. Nothing else.”
“Tell me the truth then—tell me what you know.”
“Nothing. I don’t know anything.”
“You lie to me and then you question why I won’t—” He pulled her head back until the tendons in her neck stood out. “Just don’t lie to me again. It really pisses me off.”
Ravyn used her peripheral vision to look to her right. Everyone’s attention was focused on them. “Zane, let go. Everyone’s watching.”
“Don’t mind us,” Cade said. “You’d be surprised how often something like this happens around here lately.”
Zane shot a dirty look toward the room’s occupants then focused on her again. “Everyone out.”
A moment later Cade picked Addison up then settled in the chair behind his desk and smiled. Addison grinned at Zane then snuggled into Cade, letting him know they were staying.
“We may have some information you might be interested in knowing, little brother,” Cade said as he smoothed his hand down the long length of Addison’s braid.
Ravyn glanced at the wall behind Cade’s desk and saw a large portrait of him and Addison. In it Addison was over Cade’s shoulder. One of her hands grasped the waistband of his leather pants as she looked down at the camera with a huge smile on her beautiful face. Cade’s large hand nearly covered her entire bottom as he held her in place and looked over his shoulder at someone below them. The dark look of passion on their faces was mesmerizing.
That was the way she wanted to be loved. Passionately, as if her death would totally destroy the man who loved her. The sound of Thor’s voice drew her attention away from the portrait and back to the present. He pointed at a chair.
“Better get comfortable, Ravyn. This is going to take a while,” Thor said.
A soft growl of anger emanated from Zane as he released her hair. She smiled and heard him growl again. Knowing he was pissed off made her feel better about their situation.
Ravyn slid into the chair Thor had vacated then crossed her long, slender legs. The skirt of her wrap dress slid apart and she saw Zane’s eyes trace up her legs to her crotch before he shrugged out of his suit jacket then loosened his tie and jerked it away. He dropped his clothing on her lap then settled onto the arm of her chair and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his white dress shirt. She saw him give her crotch one last glance so she wiggled and felt the dress move farther apart. He glanced at her before he turned back to Thor and Cade.
“Okay, let’s hear it,” Zane said.
Ravyn rolled his tie into a tight coil then folded his jacket. She tucked the tie into a pocket then smoothed her hand over the expensive fabric.
Zane’s hand fell onto her shoulder and squeezed. “Are you with us here, princess, or are you off in your rich little world where everything is sunshine and roses?”
Buy Link: www.bookstrand.com/mardi-maxwell
Interview:
Me: What inspired you to write your first book?
Mardi: A photo I saw in a magazine. The model was really yummy. I’ve always had an active imagination so of course I started daydreaming about him and before I knew it I’d created the five Ramsey brothers and Rendezvous TX.
Me: Do you see writing as a career?
Mardi: Yes. I’ve actually retired from a career and now I’m writing full time. I love it and wouldn’t want to do anything else.
Me: This book is the fourth in a series. Do you prefer to write single title or series? Why?
Mardi: So far this is my first series. I started out to write a series of books about five brothers who were Doms and owned a BDSM club. I ended up writing four erotic suspense books. I guess that’s what the Ramsey’s wanted as that’s the direction they took me in and there was no saying no to them. lol
Me: Give us some insight into your main character. What makes him/her special?
Mardi: Zane Ramsey has watched his brothers handle their women, or rather be handled by their women, and he’s sworn to himself that his woman will behave. All that changes when he meets Ravyn Templeton and realizes that he’s going to have his hands full with her. He finds her irresistible even though he knows he should keep his distance. The fact that he’s the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the case against Ravyn’s ex-husband complicates things especially when her ex starts accusing her of the crimes he’s committed and she refuses to answer Zane’s questions.
Me: How did you come up with the title?
Mardi: Zane Ramsey has to choose between the career he loves and believes in and the woman he loves and has the power to save. So, Zane’s Choice.
Me: What’s your favorite sub-genre (contemporary, sci-fi, etc.) to write? To read?
Mardi: I love writing contemporary erotic romance. My next series is contemporary erotic romance, The Doms of the Larkin Agency, starting with Thor Larkin. I have three books planned for that series and then I’m branching off into a new and exciting series with Clint McCabe and his brothers. It will be something different but still erotic romance. As far as reading goes, I love to read erotic romance but I also love zombie and end of world novels.
Me: I usually get plot ideas in the shower and while driving. When/where does inspiration strike you?
Mardi: Anywhere. I can be driving or sitting in a restaurant or reading a book. The muse strikes at any time.
Author Bio:
I was born in Utah but I’ve traveled throughout America and lived in sunny California, hot and dry west Texas, and the mountains of Colorado. I wrote my first erotic romance in the summer of 2013. It was accepted and published that same year. Since then I’ve written three more books in The Doms of Club Mystique series. At this time I’m busy writing the fifth and final book in the series. My heroes are tough cowboys with military backgrounds and my heroines are strong, sassy and submissive. I like my readers to laugh, and cry, so I put a lot of emotion in my books as well as suspense and happy endings.
Other than writing, I love to read, travel, garden, swim with my family, and go to the local drive-in movie with a carload of friends and a huge container of home-made cheese popcorn.
Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.mardimaxwell.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MardiMaxwellRomance
Twitter: www.twitter.com/MardiMaxwellRom
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Mardi-Maxwell/e/B00HUWU9FM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7790271.Mardi_Maxwell
Remember to comment by midnight EDT on Wednesday, August 6, for a chance to win a copy of Zane's Choice!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
Beautiful, curvy, Ravyn Templeton saw Zane Ramsey in a BDSM club in Houston three years ago. He’s haunted her dreams ever since.
Zane is an Assistant District Attorney and co-owner of Club Mystique, the BDSM club he and his brothers built on their Texas ranch. When Ravyn’s ex-husband is arrested for trying to have her killed the case is assigned to Zane.
The moment Zane meets Ravyn he wants her and even though he knows having an affair with her will jeopardize his career he can’t resist her. When Ravyn’s ex-husband accuses her of laundering money for a drug cartel, and she refuses to answer Zane’s questions he leaves her.
Fate steps in and brings them together again. Zane has the power to save Ravyn but only if he loves her enough to fight for her.
Excerpt:
Zane cursed, then stalked toward her. He clenched his fist in the hair at her nape then curved her into him until their noses were almost touching.
Ravyn looked into his angry eyes and shivered. “Let go, Zane.”
“You need to leave, Ravyn. Now.”
“No. I’m hiding from the press and everyone else who wants to put me behind bars—people like you.”
“Dammit, Ravyn. I told you I would protect you.”
“No you didn’t. You said you would get me the best deal you could if I would turn state’s evidence.” She tried to move away from him and he tightened his hand and pulled her head farther back while curving her pelvis against his. His erection pressed into her belly and she breathed a swift sigh of relief at the proof that he still wanted her.
“I told you from the beginning if you were guilty I wouldn’t lie for you,” Zane said, the words gritted out between clenched teeth.
“Then you shouldn’t have fucked me.” Ravyn reached up and tried to pry his fingers from her hair. “Let go, Zane.”
“This time you’ve gone too far. Be still or I’ll beat your ass.”
“You can’t. You’re the one who set the limits of our relationship.” She gave up trying to pry his hand loose. “You said fucking only. Nothing else.”
“Tell me the truth then—tell me what you know.”
“Nothing. I don’t know anything.”
“You lie to me and then you question why I won’t—” He pulled her head back until the tendons in her neck stood out. “Just don’t lie to me again. It really pisses me off.”
Ravyn used her peripheral vision to look to her right. Everyone’s attention was focused on them. “Zane, let go. Everyone’s watching.”
“Don’t mind us,” Cade said. “You’d be surprised how often something like this happens around here lately.”
Zane shot a dirty look toward the room’s occupants then focused on her again. “Everyone out.”
A moment later Cade picked Addison up then settled in the chair behind his desk and smiled. Addison grinned at Zane then snuggled into Cade, letting him know they were staying.
“We may have some information you might be interested in knowing, little brother,” Cade said as he smoothed his hand down the long length of Addison’s braid.
Ravyn glanced at the wall behind Cade’s desk and saw a large portrait of him and Addison. In it Addison was over Cade’s shoulder. One of her hands grasped the waistband of his leather pants as she looked down at the camera with a huge smile on her beautiful face. Cade’s large hand nearly covered her entire bottom as he held her in place and looked over his shoulder at someone below them. The dark look of passion on their faces was mesmerizing.
That was the way she wanted to be loved. Passionately, as if her death would totally destroy the man who loved her. The sound of Thor’s voice drew her attention away from the portrait and back to the present. He pointed at a chair.
“Better get comfortable, Ravyn. This is going to take a while,” Thor said.
A soft growl of anger emanated from Zane as he released her hair. She smiled and heard him growl again. Knowing he was pissed off made her feel better about their situation.
Ravyn slid into the chair Thor had vacated then crossed her long, slender legs. The skirt of her wrap dress slid apart and she saw Zane’s eyes trace up her legs to her crotch before he shrugged out of his suit jacket then loosened his tie and jerked it away. He dropped his clothing on her lap then settled onto the arm of her chair and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his white dress shirt. She saw him give her crotch one last glance so she wiggled and felt the dress move farther apart. He glanced at her before he turned back to Thor and Cade.
“Okay, let’s hear it,” Zane said.
Ravyn rolled his tie into a tight coil then folded his jacket. She tucked the tie into a pocket then smoothed her hand over the expensive fabric.
Zane’s hand fell onto her shoulder and squeezed. “Are you with us here, princess, or are you off in your rich little world where everything is sunshine and roses?”
Buy Link: www.bookstrand.com/mardi-maxwell
Interview:
Me: What inspired you to write your first book?
Mardi: A photo I saw in a magazine. The model was really yummy. I’ve always had an active imagination so of course I started daydreaming about him and before I knew it I’d created the five Ramsey brothers and Rendezvous TX.
Me: Do you see writing as a career?
Mardi: Yes. I’ve actually retired from a career and now I’m writing full time. I love it and wouldn’t want to do anything else.
Me: This book is the fourth in a series. Do you prefer to write single title or series? Why?
Mardi: So far this is my first series. I started out to write a series of books about five brothers who were Doms and owned a BDSM club. I ended up writing four erotic suspense books. I guess that’s what the Ramsey’s wanted as that’s the direction they took me in and there was no saying no to them. lol
Me: Give us some insight into your main character. What makes him/her special?
Mardi: Zane Ramsey has watched his brothers handle their women, or rather be handled by their women, and he’s sworn to himself that his woman will behave. All that changes when he meets Ravyn Templeton and realizes that he’s going to have his hands full with her. He finds her irresistible even though he knows he should keep his distance. The fact that he’s the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the case against Ravyn’s ex-husband complicates things especially when her ex starts accusing her of the crimes he’s committed and she refuses to answer Zane’s questions.
Me: How did you come up with the title?
Mardi: Zane Ramsey has to choose between the career he loves and believes in and the woman he loves and has the power to save. So, Zane’s Choice.
Me: What’s your favorite sub-genre (contemporary, sci-fi, etc.) to write? To read?
Mardi: I love writing contemporary erotic romance. My next series is contemporary erotic romance, The Doms of the Larkin Agency, starting with Thor Larkin. I have three books planned for that series and then I’m branching off into a new and exciting series with Clint McCabe and his brothers. It will be something different but still erotic romance. As far as reading goes, I love to read erotic romance but I also love zombie and end of world novels.
Me: I usually get plot ideas in the shower and while driving. When/where does inspiration strike you?
Mardi: Anywhere. I can be driving or sitting in a restaurant or reading a book. The muse strikes at any time.
Author Bio:
I was born in Utah but I’ve traveled throughout America and lived in sunny California, hot and dry west Texas, and the mountains of Colorado. I wrote my first erotic romance in the summer of 2013. It was accepted and published that same year. Since then I’ve written three more books in The Doms of Club Mystique series. At this time I’m busy writing the fifth and final book in the series. My heroes are tough cowboys with military backgrounds and my heroines are strong, sassy and submissive. I like my readers to laugh, and cry, so I put a lot of emotion in my books as well as suspense and happy endings.
Other than writing, I love to read, travel, garden, swim with my family, and go to the local drive-in movie with a carload of friends and a huge container of home-made cheese popcorn.
Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.mardimaxwell.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MardiMaxwellRomance
Twitter: www.twitter.com/MardiMaxwellRom
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Mardi-Maxwell/e/B00HUWU9FM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7790271.Mardi_Maxwell
Remember to comment by midnight EDT on Wednesday, August 6, for a chance to win a copy of Zane's Choice!
Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!
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