More on this issue...

Since my blog the other day I've had a number of people write privately about their own experiences in talking to others about what we write or even, whether or not it's important to be quiet about our work or come out of the closet. Someone mentioned how the word 'erotic' is viewed. It was a good point and it had started me thinking about this.

Honestly, it's terrible that we must worry about a level of shame involved with that single word. Most folks see 'erotic' as 'porn'. Now WE know the difference but most don't. I've always viewed the difference between "HOT" and "EROTIC" as simply our language is a little different, less purple-prosey terms for sex acts and body parts. Think about it. An erotic romance tells the same story as a hot mainstream romance, we are just more explicit. Nothing wrong with that. So it's the word EROTIC, right? Yes, there are other 'out there' fetish things in some works but the central themes are the same. Self discovery, falling in love, solving a dilemma etc. Why should our stories be perceived as different from hit television shows like True Blood? The show filled with adult language and situations, nudity, all the things we put out there in erotic romances. So the individuals who are glued to every episode of True Blood or other similar shows yet turn their noses up at erotic romances display hypocrosy, in my view. I just can't take people like that seriously.

Like the rest of you, I've worked hard to become a writer. I've studied and polished my craft. I am doing what I was meant to do. I refuse to hide my light under a basket out of fear. We teach our kids to take a stand on issues they care about. Why should we do any less?

Hunks!

It's cold and snowy...needed to warm up

So, I'm posting some cuties for today

I figure there's something here for everyone

What's your pleasure? I'm going with all of the above. lol

I have a new release!!!

I'm excited to say that my FIRST Kensington Aphrodisia book is now available for purchase!! Yay!

Take a walk on the wild side with these steamy stories of erotic ecstasy…

Some Like It Rough by Kate Pearce
Luke Warner wants to chill out when he cashes in his hectic life in Silicon Valley
and returns to his hometown. But things heat up when he reunites with his best
friends, Julia and Paul, and invites them both to share in a sexual adventure like
they’ve never had before…

Private Eyes by Susan Lyons
Assigned to work undercover as an exotic dancer, straight-laced Haley Croft
discovers the thrill of strutting her stuff. And when she catches sexy PI Ry
Montana checking out her moves, she can’t wait to give him his own private
show…

Cherry on Top by Anne Rainey
When massage therapist Cherry DuBois rubs her oil-slicked hands all over Dante
Ricci’s rock-hard body, red-hot desire courses through her. She longs to lose
control and give herself to the pleasures of sexual submission…

Holly at Romance Reviews Today gives it a "perfect 10" and says: "Each tale stands alone, but each one brings together some terrific writing from three outstanding authors. By the time I finished SOME LIKE IT ROUGH, I knew it richly deserved a Perfect 10 and would go on my keeper shelf. If you are looking for a sizzling read that is time well spent, then pick up SOME LIKE IT ROUGH."

BUY IT AT:

AMAZON

BORDERS

BOOKS A MILLION

BARNES & NOBLE

I write erotic....SO WHAT?

Yup. I'm a baaaad baaaaad girl. I write erotic romance. And if there's a 12-step program for that just keep it to yourself because I'm not interested. Writing erotic romance isn't something I set out to do. It just evolved. Yes, I've always written HOT but eventually I crossed over to the dark side and I've never looked back. Not only are erotic writers the most fun people to be found anywhere, they are kind, accepting, non-judgmental and possess a great sense of humor. Who wouldn't want to write in this genre and be around such cool people?

The other day an erotic romance writer was wondering how to respond to snarky comments from others about the kinds of books she writes. Being the generous women they are, a number of writers replied offering their experiences and some very cool responses. Many years ago, I was with a group of local women, only about five or six, and we all knew each other since our daughters were friends. At this time I wrote romance and hadn't yet begun my little voyage toward the naughtier stuff. Now, I live in a really bible-belty area in Texas. Very conservative. I seldom bring up the subject of my writing. Sometimes that is safer. Anyway, one of the ladies goes....hey, are you still writing? I smile and say...yes, I am. I'm having lots of fun with it. Nope, didn't make a big deal and that's my standard response to this stuff. Often the subject will drop right then and other times...no. This time however the questions came at me fast and furious. Surely I wrote childrens books or something, one said. I laughed and said, no, I write romances. One of the women who had been very quiet through the discourse kind of lifted her nose and smirked a little (I'll NEVER forget that smirk) and said....sometimes I like to read trash but not usually.

I swear.

A gasp went up among the other women and I honestly didn't know what to say. They quickly came to my defense saying things like...I loooooove romances. How fun! What a great thing to write! Blah blah. I swore then and there I would never be caught 'flat footed' again. I learned that day that I have a rebellious streak. It had been well hidden but she was born kicking and screaming that day. Now, when someone gives me this 'raised eyebrow' look, I am prepared.


My standard response (always delivered with a smile and using my sweetest voice)? Why yes, I DO write romances and not only that, but I write erotic romance. That usually shuts em up immediately. Sometimes they sniff and look like they've sucked on lemons and I'll laugh. Sometimes I'll laugh AND shake my head a little. That totally throws them off. Other times, I'm completely surprised by a reaction. I've been literally grabbed by the shoulders, shaken, and had someone yell in my face....OMG OMG, where can I get your books? Lately I've learned that erotic romance readers are EVERYWHERE. We have an active underground in these parts and that surprised me...pleasantly.

Do you have a standard response to genre snobbery? I'd love to hear it.

Acting Professionally

I'll be the first to admit that it's easy to forget that EVERYTHING we do online is seen by many. You get on your own little group or blog and think you can speak your mind and there won't be any backlash. That's not quite the way it works though.

When we come across someone doing or saying something unprofessional it makes us cringe, doesn't it? An author talking about another author on Twitter, an author bragging about how many books she has published on her group, an author spilling her guts about how much she hates the review she just received and she's telling ALL of Facebook.

For most of us it makes for a very uncomfortable feeling! Sort of like when you ask someone how their day is and they start telling you all about their cheating spouse, their drunken mother, and the fact they can't get rid of that horrible rash. Um, alrighty then! LOL

In my opinion--and that's all this is, one person's opinion--there is a time and place for these sorts of conversations. When you're upset it's so easy to forget that one very important rule. You need to let off some steam. That's natural! Maybe you're just really excited about a new contract and you can't wait to tell everyone your good news. There's nothing wrong with wanting others to celebrate with you. And there's not a single thing wrong with wanting a shoulder to cry on when you're pissed about a crappy rejection letter or some reader trashing your book on Amazon. But some things are better saved for your close circle of friends or you spouse or maybe your mom. When I have the need to vent I email a few of my writer buddies privately. They email me when they need to let off some steam as well. It's a good system. I can curse all I want and they get it. Best of all, the general public doesn't have to see me act like someone just ate my last square of chocolate. LOL

Why am I bringing this up today? Lots of reasons really. And I'd rather not get into all that here. The important thing to remember here is that every single time you blog, post a message to a group, update your status message on Facebook, join in with a famous blogger in trashing one of your fellow authors is that people ARE watching you. Agents. Editors. Publishers. Readers. Reviewers. Fellow authors. AND (shudder) your in-laws! ;-)

Ain't Nuthin' New

Read something the other day about a writer who'd posted an excerpt of one of her books and she got an email from some 'concerned person' that the names of her characters were the same as characters in a television show. The implication was that she had 'copied' those names and used them in her book. The male character (the hero) had an unusual name but it is 'out there' and has been for a very very long time. The woman's name? Ordinary in every way. We've all known someone by this name and have read it a gazillion times in a million books. AND she wasn't a central character in this author's story.

Let me just say this. There are no new plots or new names. Everything has been used before in some way, shape or form. What makes each story different is the individual author's voice. An author who uses the pen name Nora isn't guilty of stealing from the other very famous Nora. If you have a character named Mary are you 'stealing' from the other authors who have heroines named Mary? Get my drift? Yes, there are real issues involving plagarizm out there but this involves someone writing the exact thing with no variation of plot twists and lifting exact passages from another book. I'm not an expert on this issue by any means. I've never been accused of it nor known anyone who has but most authors read about this stuff.

We all want to be original, to write something different and unique but the simple fact is this, there will always be something in our story that has been done before. I honestly believe we must just relax, write the story of our heart in our own way and not worry about the rest. Make sense?

Books I've Ordered!

I'm a readaholic. LOL I've ordered a bunch of books and I can't wait for them to arrive. Of course, some of these won't come to next month and the month after that, but I figure I may as well do the ordering now!

I'm loving Sarah McCarty's Promises series. This is the only one I haven't read. I'm not really reading them in order, but I'm finding it's not that necessary.

Wyoming Territory 1870 Widowed and barren, Jenna sees the newborn left on her doorstep as a priceless gift worthy of any sacrifice. She knows she'll need a husband to keep the baby, but nothing prepares her for the man who offers. Big and dark, simmering with a deadly intensity, Clint McKinnely could put fear into the devil. He certainly strikes fear into her. But Jenna soon discovers that the man behind the reputation is the one man she longs to trust. A hard man burned out by the choices he's made, Clint is looking for a reason to go on. He finds one in Jenna Hennessy. Lushly plump, sweet and shy, she calls to him on every level. When it looks as though Jenna might lose the daughter she loves for lack of a husband, Clint steps forward. Having Jenna in his home brings Clint a peace he's never known, but even as he ferrets out the secrets that haunt Jenna's nightmares, Clint keeps his own close to his chest, knowing this marriage is temporary because there are some sins a man can't expect his wife to forgive.

I love Feehan's Leopard series. She's really one of my favorite authors and this is becoming my favorite series of hers!

Called on a dangerous assignment, leopard shifter Conner Vega returns to the Panama rainforest of his homeland, looking every bit the civilized male. But as a member of the most lethal of the shifter tribes, he doesn’t have a civilized bone in his body. He carries the scent of a wild animal in its prime, he bears the soul-crushing sins of past kills - and he’s branded by the scars of shame inflicted by the woman he betrayed.

Isabeau Chandler’s a Borneo shifter who’s never forgiven Conner - or forgotten him. The mating urge is still with her, and when she crosses Connor’s path, passions run like wild fire. But as Connor’s mission draws Isabeau closer, another betrayal lies waiting in the shadows - and it’s the most perilous and intimate one of all.
Lora Leigh's Elite Ops are quite simply smokin' hot! I love her alpha heroes! Yum!

The Secret Service can’t control him. The British government can’t silence him. But renegade agent Travis Caine is one loose cannon you don’t want to mess with, so his commanders cut him a break—and cut him loose. His new HQ is America’s top intelligence force, Elite Ops. His new code name is “Black Jack.” And his new assignment is to die for.

She’s smart, sexy, scintillating—and one of Elite Ops’ savviest agents. Lillian Belle’s code name is “Night Hawk,” and Travis certainly wouldn’t mind flying a few midnight maneuvers with her. But when their mission turns into a red-hot game of danger, deceit, and double-crossed signals, Travis begins to wonder: Can he trust her? Can he resist her?

And the long awaited Jonas. I can't wait to see him fall. LOL It's going to be great watching him with his mate!

Bad boy Jonas Wyatt knows it is fate that Rachel becomes his mate. He can sense it. He can also sense her reluctance. But she has little power over the mating heat of the Breeds. It is Jonas's destiny to claim her. And nothing will stop him from having his way.

This is MCarty's Shadow Wrangler series. Jared is the second book. The series is sort of vampires and shapeshifters mixed.


Jared Johnson has always been a force to be reckoned with, first as an outlaw and now as a vampire. Caught in a war between immortals, he doesn't have time to waste, but when a female vampire is attacked, he can't just walk away. He expects a quick good­bye, but what he gets is a vulnerable woman who intrigues and seduces while giving away nothing of the secrets holding her hostage.

Raisa may not have extreme physical strength, but she's been able to survive as a vampire longer than most by keeping to herself. But that's about to change. Forced to accept Jared's protection, Raisa finds it increasingly hard to resist his forbidden allure while keeping the secret that could destroy them both.

So, what are you all looking forward to reading??

Eye Candy

It's been a CRAZY week for me. I'm feeling like this is a hottie kind of day. Enjoy!

Kinkless Stories

I'll be the first to admit I write a little bit of kink. Not a lot, mind you, but some. Most of my stories are m/f and yes, they are ultra hot but every now and then I throw in a menage story or two. Normally, I set my menage stories in the paranormal realm because it's just easier to build it into a world where the rules can be 'different'. As a writer you can create laws that 'justify' the menage relationship.

Lately, I've noticed that erotic romances are getting kinkier and kinkier. We have bdsm (bondage lite and not to lite), menage, menage plus, sex with demons, vamps, dragons...you get the drift. It is my understanding that menage and bdsm are the biggest sellers for most publishers. Don't have facts about that, just heresay.

I guess my big question for today is where does that leave the reader who just wants a satisfying, ultra hot erotic m/f romance without all the kink? I know there are some out there and probably more than we know. I remember signing books at EC's Romanticon last fall and one reader came up to ask me....do you have something that has no 'funny stuff'? At first I was puzzled. She went on to say she was tired of all the "weird" stories. She wanted something hot but something that she could relate to. I get that. Don't you? In the end, she headed off with an anthology of older women/younger man stories and she seemed happy with her selection.

Contemporary romances will always be around. You know how every few years some industry person says the historical is dead? Um. Never happens. I don't know if they are saying the same about the contemporary but I wouldn't doubt it. From what I hear, sales might be declining but will they ever go away? No. Never. I just wonder if a time will come when the readers will reach saturation point and begin to turn their noses up at all the kink and weirdness, the strange 'toys' and mystical creatures? I suspect we will always have fantasy lovers. I'll confess I love it too but these days, I'm finding straight m/f contemporaries very satisfying.

Maybe more of us need to go back to basics from time to time. I believe there is a market for it. Want some boiling vanilla? I, for one, kinda miss it.

Hardest Part of Writing?

Recently, I happened to discover the hardest part of writing, at least for me. You see, I'm struggling to finish a proposal for my next two full length books. The synopsis part is hard enough, but trying to figure out exactly what I want to say about this series, which I didn't know was going to even BE a series when I wrote the first story, has been like pulling teeth. Nothing puts you in a crappy mood quite like writing a word AN HOUR! Ugh!

Okay, it's not quite that bad. But I did figure out that thinking long and hard before I started writing it has proven more effective than sitting and staring at a blank document. Once I had a few ideas of what I wanted say about this series, the words came easier. Soon, I had something that I actually liked. There's still more to do before I can turn in the proposal, but at least the document isn't collecting dust anymore!

While I was working on this over the last few days it occurred to me that maybe I'm in the minority with writing outlines/synopses. Maybe other writers don't struggle through these things the way I do. So, it got me to thinking, what IS the hardest part of writing for you? What aspect of creating a story do you find the most difficult? And how do you get yourself through it?

For me, I finally had to bite the bullet and ask a few of my fellow authors for help. While I have created synopses before, working up a proposal for two books in a series is foreign territory for me. Much to my delight, several authors came to my rescue and offered up their thoughts, support, and their own outlines/synopses as a guide.

Today, I'm here to say that I love this business. Romance authors are some of the kindest people! It's so great to see that there are so many willing to help out. To take their time, even though they have deadlines of their own to deal with, makes me feel extremely appreciative!

So, I ask you...what part of this business do you hate the most?

Oh, and btw, chocolate and wine, not necessarily together, really does help! LOL

Love is in the Air

Those cupids are pesky little devils! They are flyin' around all over the place with Valentine's Day only a few day away. Admittedly, when I was much younger, I got all mooshy and gooey over this particular holiday but these days? Not so much. Maybe when you've been married 27 yrs. it all becomes rather 'old hat'. Or maybe it's just US. Ha. Who knows? Mr. Regina tends to be a practical, rather than romantic, guy. His idea of showing he loves me is to wash and wax my car,get it filled up and put 'shiny stuff' on the tires. Mr. Romance. Ah but you've gotta love that and, in a way, respect it. During the early years of our marriage he would call me up, sigh loudly and say...ooooookay what kind of perfume do you want? I've always laughed about stuff like that but, hey, that's probably why our marriage works.

I've come to realize over the years that some guys are talkers and some are doers. I'll take a doer over a talker any day. He is dependable, tough, and the guy everyone goes to in a crisis. A few days ago he called and said...damn, honey, those roses are getting more expensive every year. I'm thinkin'...hmmmm. He's thinking about Valentine's Day here and this is a verrrry broad hint. So I say...wellll, I don't think a guy HAS to go with roses, ya know. Those big, splashy gerber daisies are wonderful. He says...splashy huh? So I laugh. I say...yeah, SPLASHY. A few minutes later he calls to ask if our daughter's apartment office will call her to pick up flowers or will they just deliver them directly and then calls to for my mother's exact house number.

No wonder he didn't want to do roses. He's getting flowers for all of us! My daughter, my mom, his mom, and me. Now WHO SAYS he isn't just a little bit romantic and very thoughtful. I'm not all that worried about the surprise being blown to hell and back. After all, Mr. Regina is about as subtle as a Mack truck. Gotta love that.

I believe the best Valentine's Day thing he has EVER done was in 1986. I was eight months pregnant and feeling big as a damn cow or errrr....elephant. My Valentine was big, red, and featured a comical Elephant on it. After I laughed and smacked him with the card, he gave me a beautiful pair of pearl studs. An awwww moment. Gotta love that...laughter and a few happy tears.

So in honor of Valentine's Day, I hope cupid draws back his bow and his aim is good.

Snow Days!

So for the past three days my daughters have been out of school due to snow. Today we've finally decided we've had enough, we're getting OUT of this house and going shopping! They've had gift cards from Christmas that's been burning a hole in their pockets and today seems like as good a day as any to use them.

Here's a few pictures of our snow!

That's our dog Cinnamon in the backyard.

That's the trail leading into the woods. The girls use that hill to sled on sometimes.

Pretty huh? Well, to be honest, I'm soooo bloody sick of the snow and cold and ice and power outages...ugh! Am I the only one feeling this way? Cabin fever here, big time!!

Also, check out my website and tell me what you think of my NEW header, created by http://vivalook.com I'm thrilled with it!!

The world of promo

Just writing the word promotion some times makes me dizzy. There are so many ways to promote out there that it is easy to get lost along the way. You have your blogs, guest blogs, yahoo groups, chats, conventions, interviews, websites and on and on and on. LOL. Some of it I love. I'd go crazy without authors and readers to chat with on some of the loops or without my blog where I can say whatever I want, but what I really want to know is what works?

For those of you who don't know I write not only sexy romance under the name Kelley Nyrae, but also erotic romance under the name Madison Scott. My Madison books are fairly new and I'm really looking to get my name out there, but how? As a reader, how do you find new authors? If you're a writer, what have you found that really works for you?

It's so hard to divide your time between promoting and writing, but we have to do it. I DO enjoy it too. I love having chats. talking with other writers and readers, sharing excerpts and adding to my incredible to be bought list is the best, but what else is there out there?

Big Boys DO Cry

Like millions of others (a record number this year) I watched the Superbowl match up between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. Normally I'm more of a college football fan than a fan of pro football but I always get into it when playoffs roll around. This year I kept up with the success of the Saints, the team that only a few years ago was called The Ain'ts because they were plagued with one crappy season after another for pretty much all of their NFL history. But Sunday night they proved to everyone they can come back from their past and be victorious. It's hard not to cheer for the underdog. All those years of bad records and then there was Katrina which hit the entire state with devestating effect.

The game was good and honestly, I like both of these teams but I was thrilled to see the Saints win. I cheered hardest though at the end of the game when the Who Dat Nation began to celebrate. Drew Brees, Saints Quarterback and MVP of the game carried his baby boy in his arms and my heart melted. Maybe I'm a sap but the sight of this big, strong alpha guy kissing the fingers and cheeks of his baby, tears in his eyes was so moving to me.


I began to think about what we do to our alpha heroes when we write them. They are tough, often silent, take charge guys but how often do we see them moved to tears? Not many times, I figure. No, we really don't want to read about a hero who is continually weeping BUT can't he feel emotion? Can't he be moved to tears by the death of a loved one, a love lost or another catastrophic event from his past? I think it's way past time we give our heroes some more tender emotions, don't you?

We know men are wired differently from women. We women are often motivated by emotion while the guys hold it back, shove it aside and only until it's impossible to contain it, cry. I'm all for big, tough, badasses but, damn, I want to see a sensitive side too.

The Guilt! The Guilt!

Sometimes as writers we just have to slip into our little writing cave and for me it means housework doesn't get done...or at least very well and clothing and makeup becomes a secondary concern. Yeah, it's bad. When those days arrive, I can be found in my jammies with nary a drop of makeup. That's pretty much the way it is for me. I'm trying to get a story finished by the end of February and carving out time is just a MUST at the moment but I'm managing.

This weekend my daughter is in from college though and for me that means FAMILY FIRST. Naturally, by necessity I'll be dividing my time and dealing with the 'guilts'. Umm...bet you understand the concept. If I spend too much time with her, doing nothing and lazing around, I'll feel guilty that I'm not getting at least SOMETHING down on the story. If I work on the story, I'll feel guilty for not spending time with her.

Do you ever get the feeling you just can't win? The way I see it, she will be leaving on Sunday so I'll be back to the cave 24/7 and I plan to have some fun with her because I'm not sure when she'll be coming back. Probably not for another few weeks to a month.

So here's the plan.

She is a girl who likes a little 'down time'. She'll want to play some computer games or read a book so I'll write while she plays. Actually I'll be playing too, the way I figure it. When she wants 'mom time', hey, I'm there! I think it'll work out with a minimum of guilt and hopefully I'll just inch that much closer to writing THE END on my manuscript. Think it'll work? I kind of do. In the end, I'll hopefully avoid 'the guilts' and can do BOTH fun things.

Now that it's the weekend and time for a little hot, steamy reading, you might want to head over to Ellora's Cave for these two smokin' hot offerings.

Buy Here!

Blurb:

For Sonia, winning the Valentine’s Singles Cruise is an opportunity to escape her fantasies about Chase and find a real man to fulfill them. Evan brings her screaming orgasms, inventive sex and a new appreciation of every erotic zone in her body. After just two nights with him, there isn’t a part of her he hasn’t licked, penetrated or tormented to fulfillment.

As the relationship builds and the sex grows hotter, she finds herself pushing away memories of Chase. But on the third night of the cruise, the night of Valentine’s Day, Evan has a major surprise for Sonia—and her life is about to turn upside down.

Buy Here!

Blurb:

Immortal Cravings, Book Two


Bored with her life in Chicago, vampire Dani DuBois heads to Las Vegas for a little fun. Then she meets demons Kaz Elgin and Ty Cole, and things start to get really interesting. Torn between the attraction she feels for each of them, Dani at first has no idea that the two men know each other. When she runs across the two of them having an argument, she can’t believe they’re both being such men, but they’re both so incredibly hot. After they take care of their rogue demon problem, they decide to take care of Dani—together. Through a dungeon sex club and bondage games in a private room, they set out to discover just how much fun three immortals can have in Sin City.


Note: While part of a series, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

Talking w/ Lucy Monroe

Hi Lucy!

Thanks for coming to Three Wicked Writers! I wanted to start by letting you know that I LOVED “Moon Awakening”—the first book in your Children of the Moon series. I’ve patiently (or not so patiently, lol) waited for the second book in the series, “Moon Craving”, which I’ve already pre-ordered! :)

Q: Can you briefly describe your shifters for us?

A: The Children of the Moon are another race really, not another species because they are compatible with humanity for sex and certain medical practices. :) That sounds so clinical, but it’s important readers understand that while the Children of the Moon can shift into other shapes, they are essentially human with all the emotions, desires and needs that humankind experiences, only it’s magnified in them by their animal natures. They can be the best of humanity, or the worst. They mate for life, they feel deeply, their sex drives are strong and so is their need to protect not only their own people, but those they claim for their own.
To read more about their origins and culture, please visit my Children of the Moon website at http://lucymonroecotm.com/ .

Q: You’ve always written contemporary or historical romance books, most of which I’ve read and loved. What made you decide to write a shifter series set in medieval Scotland?

A: Actually, I’ve published four other historicals (set in the Regency era). I always wrote both historical and contemporary, only my historical took longer to sell to a publisher. :) As for the shapechangers? I started reading Lorie O’Clare’s werewolves when she first started writing them. They got me hooked and I glommed every shapechangers book I could find, finally deciding I needed to bring the characters in my head to paper.

Q: How many books do you have planned for this series?

A: I see this series much as Christine Feehan’s Carpathians...well not as wildly successful as yet, if ever ::wink::...but in the same vein of ongoing into perpetuity. I just have so many stories to tell and yes, some are in the contemporary world. I won’t be writing those until I have much better handle on my writing schedule though. LOL

Q: Can you give the readers any information about the third book in the series?

A: It’s going to be released (I’m pretty sure) in Feb 2011 and it will be Barr’s story. He’s been sent to another clan to take over as temporary laird while the heir is growing up and finishing his training. That’s all I will say for now. :)

Q: I’ve been checking your Children of the Moon website: http://www.lucymonroecotm.com/ and didn’t see a complete list of characters. Are you going to be adding more information about your shifters as the series unfolds?

A: Yes, it’s a matter of finding another artist who can bring them to life for me and the time to put the character profiles together in a meaningful format for readers. Translating from my brain to paper is always time consuming.

Q: When I read “Moon Awakening” the scenes absolutely came alive before my eyes. What sort of research was involved when creating the Chrechte race?

A: I did a ton of research on the Picts, a race of people who simply disappeared from history. They have always intrigued me and I asked myself what if over and over again until I came up with the Chrechte background. I also read something like three dozen nonfiction books on that era of the Middle Ages, researched dozens of sites online and interviewed an expert in Medieval weaponry, attended a couple of jousts and watched video of horse training for jousting. I take my research seriously and any mistakes are honest ones, not made for lack of true effort to avoid them. One great thing about writing an alternate universe is that things don’t have to completely reflect the era of the time because we are dealing with a subculture that has its own norms as well. Hope that makes sense!

Q: Okay, onto your other books. LOL! I see you have four new releases planned this year. How do you find the time to write so many books, promote, go to book signings and conventions, and still have a life?!

A: Ask me when I figure that out. Right now I feel extremely behind in all ways, but I’m seeking balance again and hope this is the year I will achieve it. :)

Q: As an author myself, I have a pretty set routine. What’s a typical day like for you?

A: I work a lot of hours, well more than full time, but it’s not all writing, the business and promotion side of writing sucks up time, even though I have a part-time PA & Promotions Coordinator. With my health being as challenging as it has been, my typical day isn’t right now, but again I’m finding balance in all aspects of my life. Ask me again in a year, if you like. LOL

Q : And because I love your Harlequin Presents stories I felt compelled to ask this next question. Do you have any plans of moving away from the Hq Presents line in the near future?

A: Absolutely not! I plan to write two books a year for HP for the foreseeable future. I love my Presents as much as any of my other books and as small as they are, they carry a big punch to my bank account too. ::wink::

Q: This writing business is tough. What advice would you give an author attempting to break into New York?

A: Don’t give up! Sounds so lame, but seriously? I wrote for 9 years before I sold my first book (which happened to be my 13th completed manuscript). I think breaking into the small press market and building a readership is an option that wasn’t really viable for my type of stories (sales were way too small) when I first sold 7 years ago. There are also more publisher sponsored contests out there, which give aspiring authors a chance to bypass the need for agent and the slush pile. If you want to be published, only you can make that happen and you can’t let a bucketload of rejections stop you loving the craft or pursuing your dreams. The only guarantee you can have is that if you quit, you will fail. End of story. And not an HEA either.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers? (contests, links, news, etc.)

A: As a special thank you to readers, I'm giving away a prize pack of pamper yourself products and paranormal romance. All you have to do to enter is send an email with Moon Craving Contest in the subject line to moon_craving at yahoo dot com before February 28th, 2010. The drawing will be held March 1st and the winner will be announced on my blog. I have weekly prize drawings on my blog and host a monthly contest on my own website and at Fresh Fiction.

Please visit me at any of my links:
http://lucymonroe.com/
http://lucymonroecotm.com/
http://www.lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com/

You can find links to my Facebook and MySpace on the drop down menu on my personal website under “Contact Me”.

TWW: Thanks for letting me pump you for information, Lucy! I can’t wait to read, “Moon Craving”! :)

Thank you, Anne! I’m so sincerely pleased you asked me to be here. You’ve always been a true supporter and are a lovely person inside and out! I’m really happy to call you friend! :)

Where does the time go?

Six years ago today I was in the hospital holding my very first baby. She was gorgeous and after a really hard labor, emergency c-section and a few complications, we finally had her. A little girl with a head full of black hair, dark eyes, and the most beautiful, little rosebud lips.

This morning she climbed into bed with me to inform me she was finally six and she'd been, "waiting her whole life for this birthday" LOL. It's amazing and scary at the same time how fast they grow. She's already talking about turning 16 to get her drivers license and how she wants to be a firefighting, veterinarian when she grows up :).

She's just like me. She's cautious, a worrier, a bit shy to people she doesn't know. She thinks everything through, measures all the what ifs and loves to read. In fact, she's above her reading level. It amazes me the stuff she's reading in kindergarten.

I will never have to worry about someone taking advantage of her. She's got such a strong, little personality. She's very particular about who she lets in and she will be the first one to tell you honestly how she feels about something.

She's a special little girl and I just can't believe how fast she's growing up! Time flies, doesn't it? Seems like she was just learning to talk and walk and now she's asking me if I will babysit her kids when she's all grown up and at work. LOL.

I'm realizing how important it is to treasure ALL these moments, every day. Before we know it, they're gone.

Happy birthday, baby!

Epiphany

I've been having a really hard time with this story. Okay...when am I NOT having a problem with a story? *shrugs* It happens when you write for a living. It's typical because there is always some plot point to figure out or life gets in the way...something.

Anyway I've been struggling with this story that is due at the end the month. I was feeling pretty good because I had a few chapters done and felt I might be on a roll but it just wasn't happening. Seriously stalled here. I piddled with this for about a week and nothing. More time was spent writing emails and playing on the internet than anything else and guilt was killin' me here.

Maybe I just needed to relax my mind and get away from the computer for a bit because Saturday night Mr. Regina and I went out to dinner, did some shopping, and basically relaxed together. Hung out. Got away. Don't know what happened but as we were driving home feeling relaxed and happy, I got an epiphany! Suddenly I just KNEW what was wrong with my story and why I was stalling out. It was the most WONDERFUL feeling. It was like...BAM...here ya go, story laid out and all that's needed is to get the wordage down. Yes, it involved completely erasing the few chapters I'd written. Hate doing that. You think of the hours you spent, the phrases you liked, and wanna cringe. But I did it. Started the book over from scratch and actually made progress yesterday. A very nice way to start out the week.

So here's what I'm thinking...maybe sometimes we just have to force ourselves away from the computer but more than that, maybe we should just completely leave the house and do something else for awhile. This definitely worked for me.

In other news, Mia Watts has a new release today at Resplendence Publishing. I love her work. It's fresh, fun, saucy, and ooooh so hot. This one is a menage plus and I highly recommend. Please pick up your copy today at Resplendence Publishing and type Mia20 into the coupon box at checkout for 20 percent off the regular purchase price. A great deal!

Buy It Here!

Blurb:

When a screw-up by the Fullerton University Housing Office leaves Parker Galloway shacked up with four sexy men, Parker thinks four just might be her lucky number... as long as she can get Kei Yamamoto to join in the fun.

But will taking advantage of FU's mistake end up getting all five roomies kicked off campus, or will it be the closest thing to heaven Parker has ever experienced?


Excerpt:

Parker Galloway rubbed soapy hands over her breasts, cupped them and fondled the peaks into tight points. The warm spray shot fingers of water straight to her scalp. Parker hummed with pleasure as shampoo bubbles slid over her body. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back to catch the spray higher on her hairline while she soaped up the rest of her body and rinsed off.

She listened for a minute, head tipped away from the fall of water to see if one of her roommates had come back from class. A computer booted up with a jingle. Whoever it was had entered alone.

Otherwise clean, she eased her fingers down between her legs, thinking that if she weren’t so sleep deprived, she might enjoy a little self-play but jet-lag numbness had claimed most of her senses. Instead, she cleaned up and turned off the spigot. It would make for an awkward first meeting if she’d moaned her way through a shower as a first introduction.

A smile tugged inevitably at her lips.

Parker wrapped a towel around her body.

Her roommate approached and she plastered a friendly smile on her face.

“Dan! You broke my disc. I told you—what the fuck!” He blinked owlishly at her from the room. A blush heated his cheeks and his mouth dropped open. “Sorry!” The man spun, abruptly. “I didn’t see anything. I swear. I think you have the wrong room. Leo’s room is down the hall.”

Her smile faded. She clutched the towel tighter. “I think you have the wrong room. Get the fuck out of here!”

“This is my room,” he countered.

“I know you probably sleep here enough to think so. I heard you bumping around this morning. My roommates and I are going to have a little talk about the number of overnight male guests. Don’t get too comfortable.” Parker stormed by him, bumping him out of the way as she went for the dresser.

“Hey!”

She pulled open the top drawer and retrieved a pair of underwear. Finding room to unpack her clothes had been a challenge coming into the semester a week late. Parker saw him watching her in the mirror, dumbfounded. “Turn, the fuck, around! Better yet, leave.”

“Sorry!” he said again, doing another juvenile spin. “This is my room. I’m not leaving.”

Parker gave a long-suffering sigh. She wiggled into her panties. Then realizing her shirts were in the closet, she walked that way, shooting him a glare when he peeked at her.

He blushed, looked away. “Your clothes are here,” he said, sounding confused.

“Yeah. Did you miss the part where I said I live here?”

“You can’t live here. It’s a male only dorm.”

“That’s not possible. I signed the paperwork and faxed it in,” she argued, suddenly feeling a little uneasy. Her unusual first name had confused things before. It wouldn’t be the first time. But she’d already signed the agreement and the notice that changes after the school year would be on a first-come, first-served, basis.

Her t-shirt in place, Parker loosened her towel and trekked to the bathroom to hang it. For the first time, she noticed her red towel seemed out of place with the darker guy tones. She stepped into the room with new eyes. Suddenly, the chaos and lack of homey decorations made sense.

University Housing had royally fucked up.

Her roommate ogled her bare legs. He still blushed, and as his gaze traveled upward, it snagged on the hem of her shirt, which barely covered her panties. With dawning horror, something else hit her—he wasn’t the only one. She had three other roommates, and given this one’s reaction, none of them were female, either.

“Oh, shit,” she said. Four male roommates in an all male dorm. “Oh, holy mother of God, this isn’t good. This so isn’t good.”

Her roommate stared. He’d acted as if he’d never been this close to a half-naked woman before. He jerked his gaze to hers and quickly pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“Are you okay?” she asked, taking a concerned step toward him.

He hurriedly stepped back. “Fine.”

“You don’t look fine,” she said.

“You do,” a man affirmed from behind her.

She turned to find a blond man assessing her, his lips pursed as he nodded his head with frank appreciation.

“Very fine,” another man echoed. His appreciative smile flashed white against dark skin.

Parker groaned. She returned to the closet and pulled down a pair of jeans. As she reached up, the hemline of her shirt rose and she heard a strangled gargle from the first guy.

The blond was grinning with evident amusement when she turned around.

She looked at her first roommate curiously as she pulled on her jeans, realizing too late that they were big. They sagged at her hips.

“Hey look, Henry, a girl is actually trying to get in your pants. Your virgin days are numbered!” the blond said.

The cute geek ducked his head. Henry looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole.

Instinctively, she wanted to protect him from the sharp-edged teasing. “You’re Henry?” she asked him, smiling.

Henry nodded.

Still smiling, she re-hung his pants and took her own pair. Her shirt hitched upward. She tugged her hem and sent Henry another smile. His eyes widened and he grabbed his cock as he raced for the bathroom, kicking the door shut on the way.

“O-kay,” she said, trying to fill the awkward silence. “Who are you two?”

“Dan,” the blond said, his gaze slowly sweeping her from top to bottom.

Henry came back, nervously adjusting the front of his pants.

The third man’s cocoa skin glowed with good humor. “Jaxon. Who are you?”

“Looks like I’m your fifth roommate. My name’s Parker.”

“You’re Parker?” Henry asked. His Adam’s apple bobbed nervously when his voice squeaked.

“Yep. Housing must have screwed up and forgot to check the gender box.” She shrugged. “It’s going to be an interesting semester if I can’t get this fixed.”

Dan’s lascivious look was accompanied by a deep chuckle.

Parker’s didn’t like the frank sexual appraisal. She wasn’t simply a piece of ass, and Housing mix up or no, she wouldn’t be ogled like one.

“What?” Dan asked, seeming to sense her growing ire.

“If you keep staring at my boobs, you’re going to need a special padded box to keep your balls in.”

“They’re great tits,” he said, holding his hands out in front of him as though he was squeezing her breasts.

“You’re assuming they’re great, and that’s the last time you get to call them tits.”

Jaxon swatted the back of Dan’s head. “Moron, have some respect.”

“What are we respecting?” a fourth roommate asked, shutting the dorm room door with a perfunctory thud.

They all looked at her. Parker tried to keep her nerves in check. So far, she’d figured out that she had a geeky virgin, a jock womanizer, a really hot bald African-American dude, and one hell of a sexy Asian man as roomies.

When the last one joined the group, she’d nearly creamed her panties. Her brain went soft and she wanted nothing more than to grab fistfuls of his long black hair, climb his stocky, chiseled body and beg him to fuck her Fuji-style. If that position existed. Hell, she’d invent it if it didn’t.

“Hi,” she said, instantly hating the breathiness in her greeting.

Roommate four barely looked at her. “For fuck’s sake, Dan, you let her shower here? I’ll be pulling blonde hair out of the drain for a week.”

“She lives here,” Jaxon corrected.

“The fuck she does. You can bring them home, Dan, but make ’em leave the next morning. We talked about that.”

“She’s not mine,” Dan said. A wicked smile curved his lips as his gaze slowly studied her body. “Yet.”

Oddly, she kind of liked the husky way Dan thought he could lay claim to her. It also kind of pissed her off for liking it.

“Whatever. Just don’t feed her. She might stay,” the fourth guy snapped.

Okay, hot he might be, but roomie four was starting to piss her off. Though admittedly, he had reason to think she didn’t belong. She had every intention of telling the housing department to fix their fuck up. The last thing she wanted was to finish her undergrad degree with four sexually charged men sleeping a foot from her in every direction. Or for that matter, for her to get horny and decide bed hopping sounded like a sane idea.

unmotivated

That's me. Well, not me, but that's pretty much exactly how I feel today. I have a stack of things that need to be done TODAY and I'm just so unmotivated it's not even funny. I think it has to do with lack of self-confidence. I just don't have any today. It's like the well ran dry. I keep asking myself that horrible question 'what if this thing just sucks?'

What do you do when you have things that have to be done, but you don't feel like you have what it takes to do them? I've been sitting her wondering 'why am I in this business?'

It's probably a lot of things that actually brought me to this point. The WIP I'm working on has taken me forever to finish, personal problems kept cropping up and I kept having to put my writing aside to deal with them. Also, working on full length stories can really suck the life right out of you. It's like there's no light at the end of the tunnel or something. If I'd been able to slip a short story in on the side I think it would've helped. Then there's these bitter cold winter months. I look out the window and see white and gray. I'm so done with winter I can't even tell you!

So, what's the solution? I have none. The work on my desk still needs to be finished, winter is still going to be sticking around and I'm still going to wish I could just stay in bed. My only ray of sunshine right now is knowing how close I am to finishing this WIP. When it's done I really want to take a break. A few days to unwind. But then I have a proposal to finish. Does it ever end?? Well, no. I was saying the other day that back when this writing gig was still just a hobby it was way more fun. Now it's a job. The fun has been sucked out of it. LOL

Tell me something to cheer me up! Anything!

Two guys walk into a bar...