Showing posts with label amber skyze. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amber skyze. Show all posts

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Welcome our Guest...Amber Skyze

For writer’s we need to not only write a great story we need to promote the book too. There’s Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Chat Loops, and Blog Tours just to get started. All these can be overwhelming for a writer. What happens when you’re spending all your time promoting and hanging out with other writers? The act of actual writing takes a back seat. I’m guilty of this – BIG TIME I tried to find a happy medium but it just doesn’t work. Once I get started making my rounds on the various blogs I follow I can’t stop. And I have to hope that the author doesn’t ask me to go visit another site, because of course I’ll get sucked in.

I could spend all day on chat loops taking about the craft of writing or the world news. These are all distractions. I’m not saying they’re not worth the time, just in moderation. How much is the right amount of time? I can’t answer that. The one thing I can say is don’t let it become your life, like I did. My problem used to be solved by writing in the wee hours of the morning – 4am. By the time I finished writing the regular workday started and I was free to hang out all I wanted, unless I had an article assignment. That’s changed recently and I’m sleeping until at least 6, sometimes later. My schedule is off and I’m readjusting. That shift in schedule means something had to go. I’m not on the loops as often and I visit blogs when I can. I feel terrible, but my writing has to come first. If there isn’t a book, there’s nothing to promote or talk about. Short of hiring someone to do all your promoting, how do you balance your writing and promoting?

Where to find Amber: 

http://www.amberskyze.com/ http://amberskyze.blogspot.com/
 
Buy it HERE!

Blurb:

Tired of their ho-hum sex life, Jack decides to spice things up by planning a surprise for his wife. After sending the children off for an overnight with their aunt, Jack handcuffs Beth to their bed. Beth awakes naked, blindfolded and at the mercy of her husband. The day starts off with being fed by Jack and quickly turns into hot and heavy sex. She soon learns that a slip of the tongue can lead to stinging ass cheeks. This rainy day will be spent pushing their sexual limits. Whether in bed or out, Jack will leave Beth begging for more—until she says something unforgiveable.


Adult Excerpt From:

JUST ANOTHER RAINY DAY

Copyright © AMBER SKYZE, 2011

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Chapter One

“Rise and shine, sleepyhead.”
Beth opened her eyes to total darkness. She attempted to move, but found her arms were pulled above her head. Around her wrists was soft fur. She tugged and the rattling sound of chains filled her ears. She was restrained. Fear spread throughout her body and into her throat.
“Why am I handcuffed?” As she tried to sit up she realized she was also blindfolded. Never in their fifteen years of marriage had she woken to find herself trussed like a slave or prisoner.
The smell of bacon wafted closer, assaulting her nostrils.
“I’m going to fuck that pussy all day long.”
Beth moved her head to the left where Jack’s voice echoed through the room. She shivered. The thought of him fucking her all day sent chills down her spine, until reality came crashing back.
“What about the kids? Surely they’ll want Mom to cook them breakfast and drive them all over God’s creation.”
“All taken care of. I just sent them packing with Auntie. They’ll be home tomorrow bright and early.”
How long had she’d slept? She knew she was exhausted when she fell into bed the night before, but to sleep through the kids waking and Jack shackling her to the bed wasn’t like her.
“Did you spike my drink last night, Jack?”
A full belly laugh filled the room. “I’d hardly do something so sinister.”
He had a point. In all their marriage he’d never even spoken an ill word against her. Why should she accuse him of something so hideous?
“How did you manage to handcuff me to the bed?”
“You were snoring peacefully. I moved your arms without getting a peep out of you. You barely stirred.”
Beth racked her brains trying to remember any feeling of being moved around, but nothing came to mind.
“Clever, Jack, now uncuff me please.”
“No can do.”
“Huh? Please, Jack. My arms can only take so much of being stretched like this. I’d like you to release me, now.”
“Remember your prisoner fantasy?”
How could she forget? She’d told him about the fantasy eons ago. They’d been enjoying a glass of white wine on a cold winter’s night. They’d nestled all cozy in front of the fireplace. As they gazed into the glowing embers, she had shared her deepest darkest desires. Beth had told him how she wanted to feel as if she’d been kidnapped, taken away and tortured in every delicious way imaginable. Jack had listened quietly and nodded at the appropriate times. She’d explained that she pictured herself in the shower after a long day. A stranger would appear and pull her soaking wet from the streaming water. He’d carry her to her bedroom where he’d take what he wanted. He’d ignore her pleas for him to stop. He’d fuck her until they were both sated.
She’d thought he’d forgotten by now. Obviously he had been biding his time.
“Is this what is happening today? You’re living out my fantasy?” A slight shiver passed through her body. Jack had listened. He’d taken her seriously and decided to give her what she needed.
“We are and I’m in control. You will do as I say or suffer the consequences.”
Beth shook as a chill of delight filled her. Jack’s voice was deep and demanding. He was using his dominant tone.
“Got it.” A secret smile filled her soul.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Give Em What They Want

Coming in on the back of Tess's amazing post from yesterday, I knew this would be a tough act to follow. As authors we want to know why a reader will choose to buy one book over another. Important stuff. Is it the way the author presents herself on a yahoo group? Is it the look of her cover? Name recognition? Do sales generate from a cover ads, contests, and excerpts? These are all great things to know and help authors immensely in marketing a book.

Today I want to know what readers are looking for in their reading material. That's a tough nut to crack, folks, because let's face it, we are all individuals with individual tastes. However, authors and publishers watch trends. Romantic reading covers all the bases from inspiration to erotic. There is sweet, spicy, sensual (I've always wondered what the difference is between 'spicy' and 'sensual'...does anyone know?) and the hot hot stuff that is labeled either erotic or erotic romance. As to erotic and erotic romance there are so many sub-genres it makes the head spin. We have heterosexual along with male/male, female/female, bdsm, menage, cougar, paranormal, contemporary, historical, etc. The list seems to go on endlessly. The authors here at Three Wicked Writers plus Two write erotic romances...erotic but with strong romantic elements and most usually containing a happy-ever-after ending. siiiiigh. Who DOESN'T like a happy ending?

I'll start here by stating my preferrences. I'm an author but also a reader. I love contemporary, erotic historicals, and paranormals. In my paranormal reading I love shifters and I'm DONE with vamps...sick of them. Vamps exploded onto the scene years ago and before long it seems every new title out there featured the sexy blood-suckers. Don't get me wrong...I liked them but now they are kind of 'been there, done that' for me. I like reading menage, especially if it's set in the paranormal realm and the menage is built into the mythos of the storyline. I enjoy a lot of humor and my personal reading material isn't always erotic romance. Sometimes HOT does it for me. Longer or shorter books? Depends on how much time I have. Novella length is usually a good choice for my busy lifestyle and provides a more meaty story than what a 'quickie' will do. If I have a long, slow weekend with no pressing things to deal with, give me a full length novel that I can curl up with.

During Ellora's Cave's Romanticon convention in October, authors Fran Lee and Amber Skyze presented an informative reader-track forum where readers (not authors) told us their likes and dislikes. I'll try to summarize here but it might be more helpful to check out EC's Redlines and Deadlines blog post about it. Readers loved novella length and contemporaries were as popular as paranormals. Readers identified five key elements they look for in a story.

•HEA
•Hot, delicious sex
•Strong romance
•Believable plot/conflict
•Strong, engaging (and enjoyable) characters

Sex for the sake of sex wasn't necessarily a good thing for these readers. So all you authors out there? Ramp up the sexual tension and keep it appropriate to the story. Yes, they want it hot and they want it often but make it true to the characters. Readers emphasized they wanted a strong emotional impact. Make them LOVE your hero and heroine.

So here are my questions to you 'readers' out there.
1. What is your favorite genre
2. What is your least favorite genre
3. What settings are your faves? Urban? Fantansy/Sci Fi? Small town or country?
4. What types of heroes and heroines make you keep reading?
5. What is your preferred book length?

Tell us what you think. Authors are always interested in giving readers what they want more of. Cowboys? Cops? Bad-boys? Friends to lovers? You name it and I promise you, we'll try our best to provide it.

Friday, April 23, 2010

General Weirdness



Personally, I don't think I want to know anyone who doesn't have a little quirk or two. After all those are the things that make us 'different' and yeah, maybe a little weird...but in a totally good way. These little eccentricities stamp us as unique individuals, don't they? I certainly have a quirk or ten and my family knows them well.

I have a funny thing about my dishwasher. When my kids were little, their job was to clear off the table and do dishes. I didn't have a problem with anything they did until it came to loading the dishwasher. I ALWAYS rearranged things after they'd left the kitchen. Don't know what it is but I like certain things in certain places in the dishwasher and it drives me nuts if they aren't loaded JUST RIGHT.

I also have a thing about shoes. They need to be lined up in a certain way in my closet and in the right order. By that I mean the left shoe should never be on the right side. Make sense? It makes perfect sense to me. Everyone in my family shakes their head at me when they grocery shop with me. I buy two of almost everything. I never buy only one box of cereal. I always buy two. Two tomatoes. Two cucumbers. Two heads of lettuce. Two cans of green beans. The only exception is with meats, milk, and other things that already come in very large sizes anyway. Need some potato chips? That's fine. I have two bags.

Do you have quirks that drive your friends and family crazy? Come on and share them.

In other news:
Author Amber Skyze, a great author and very good friend has a new release today at Ellora's Cave. The weekend is heavy duty reading time for most of us so head over to EC today and pick this one up! This one sounds YUMMY!


Buy it HERE!

Blurb:

After threatening divorce, Paige gives up her fantasy of hot sex with two men, especially when Tommy, the other man she wants to have sex with, is the reason for her divorce threats. When Paige confesses she’s considering leaving Jed to her best friend and owner of Freedom Fantasies sex club, life takes an unexpected turn. Paige finds herself pretending she’s having a hot, sordid affair.

Paige appreciates all the pleasures she’s unable to find at home. Being spanked in the corner, tied to the bed or getting it on in the shower, Paige experiences more orgasms than she thought possible. To heighten the excitement, her pretend lover brings in a friend…