The Good Old (Sexy) Days

Today I have the fantastically amazing Elizabeth Boyce, author of historical romance, here to share some very interesting things to make you go, “Hmm…”

Author Elizabeth Boyce

People (Usually old people [Who am I kidding? I’m an Old. 😦 {Get off my lawn, you little punks!}]) like to gripe about today’s youths being worthless degenerates, how civilization is sliding into moral decline, and how much better things were in The Good Old Days. You know The Good Old Days, don’t you? Silver-tinted and brimming with tall glasses of whole milk and paternal wisdom, The Good Old Days were a simpler time, when men were men and women were women and children respected their elders. Entertainment was wholesome in The Good Old Days. Authority figures like teachers and cops were respected in The Good Old Days. Women and minorities couldn’t vote and child labor laws didn’t exist in The Good Old… oh. Anywho, back in The Good Old Days, as society’s morality police would have you believe, people didn’t write or read filthy stories. Love was pure. Mr. Darcy didn’t sneak Lizzy Bennet into the hayloft for a tumble, did he? No! In The Good Old Days, people behaved decorously and had quiet, decorous orgasms only after they were married. Today’s historical romance novels, say the biddies, are full of dirty smutty smut that shouldn’t even be there.

No worries. They’re married.

To them I say, Pshaw! That’s right. I pshaw’d those historical smut naysayers. I’ll do it again: PSHAW! We authors of steamy, spicy, hot, and otherwise sexy historical romance stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our smutty sisters in other genres and proudly declare: Sex is awesome and you can’t make me feel shame for writing about it. We are not the first people to write about sex. Shoot, even cavemen depicted sex. 28,000 year old Aboriginal art discovered in Australia last year clearly illustrates couples copulating. Before written language existed, people were writing about sex. Ever since our primitive forebears committed to rock what was really on their minds, humans have written about sexual relationships. And why not? Sex is the sole biological imperative. All other instincts exist to make sure we survive long enough to reproduce. It’s kind of nature’s thing. I refuse to believe that people only admitted interest in reading about sex in the last fifty years. And I have centuries of good, clean smut backing me up.

Tell that sexy tale.

Take for instance The Canterbury Tales. You might remember from British Lit class that there was a good bit of ribaldry in the Tales, but do you recall just how graphic Chaucer got? “The Miller’s Tale” is about a carpenter’s wife who has an affair with one man, and is pursued by yet another. We’re presented with gems like these: “And privily he caught her by the queint” (That’s the, um, c-word in Middle English); “And helde her fast by the haunche bones;” and “But with his mouth he kiss’d her naked erse Full savourly.” Mmmm, savourly butt. And that’s just one tale! Shakespeare’s plays are notoriously peppered with innuendo and double entendres. A brief exchange from Romeo and Juliet:

MERCUTIO: Thy wit is a very bitter sweeting: it is a most sharp sauce. ROMEO: And is it not then well served into a sweet goose? MERCUTIO: O here’s a wit of cheverel, that stretches from an inch narrow to an ell broad!

Yeah, baby… serve that sauce in my sweet goose. Oh, yeah. Ooo, your wit is getting huge. It’s almost an ell [45 inches] long! Basically, if you’re reading Shakespeare and aren’t sure what he’s talking about, sex is a safe guess. And then there is John Donne, whose poems describe sexual longing tender and intense enough to make you weep, such as in these excerpts from “The Sun Rising”:

  Thy beams so reverend, and strong
Why shouldst thou think ?
I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink,
But that I would not lose her sight so long. 

…

She’s all states, and all princes I ;
Nothing else is ; 

…

 and since thy duties be
To warm the world, that’s done in warming us.
Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere ;
This bed thy center is, these walls thy sphere.

Suddenly, ruffs totally do it for me.

I die. I swoon straightaway. But then Donne gets funny on us, too, such as in “The Flea,” in which the narrator attempts to convince his love interest to give it up. Having both been bitten by the same bug:

And in this flea our two bloods mingled be;   

Thou know’st that this cannot be said

A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead

Later, the narrator’s lady squishes the flea. So much for reasoning his way into her bed. Today’s historical romance novels follow modern writing conventions. We go deep into our point of view characters and try to provide the reader with a full body, sensory experience. We tell you what characters taste and smell, what they feel, what they think. And yes, for many of us this includes writing about the sexual aspect of the developing romance. We walk a path well-trod by our literary forebears, who recognize sexuality as an integral aspect of the human experience. For me, emotional love is inseparable from the physical drive pulling two people together. Neglecting this key component of falling in love is only telling half the story.

Be sure to check out Elizabeth’s work; you won’t be disappointed! Once a Duchess and Once an Heiress are available now. Worry not–you won’t have to wait long for Once an Innocent, coming July 8th. To learn more about her and to get info on her books and more, visit her site by clicking here! In the meantime, get a gander at one of the most beauty-full covers you’ll ever see and check out the blurb for the upcoming romance…

Freakin’ amazeballs, right?!

Jordan Atherton, Viscount Freese, returned from the Peninsular War scarred and ready to live as a dissolute bachelor. Society knows nothing of his secret occupation or of the obligation binding him to Lintern Abbey, the estate he loathes. When his Foreign Office superiors discover a network of French agents near his country home, Jordan quickly devises a house party scheme to cover the influx of his men hunting the enemy. With no time to lose and political stability hanging in the balance, Jordan turns to his friend, the Duke of Monthwaite, for help. Would the duke be so kind as to loan Jordan some ladies to populate his party?

Lady Naomi Lockwood, Monthwaite’s younger sister, is snatched from her warm, secure world when she’s suddenly forced to go to Lintern Abbey, despite her pleas to stay home. Stunned by her family’s abandonment, Naomi and her aunt travel to the Yorkshire home of the handsome and enigmatic Jordan Atherton.

There Naomi soon realizes this house party is not all it seems. The estate is neglected by its master, as is Jordan’s ward, a mysterious Spanish orphan. When Naomi demands answers, Jordan distracts her by indulging their mutual attraction. With danger drawing closer and her family far away, Naomi must stand on her own to uncover the truth and protect the home and people she’s coming to love—including the maddening Lord Freese.

A Seductive Excerpt…

I’m so happy to have fellow Crimson Romance author, K.M. Jackson, visiting with me today. She’s kind enough to give us a peek into the wonderfully seductive Seduction’s Canvas, which (might I add) has a totally smoking hot cover. Whew! Read on to be drawn into temptation… Take it away, Kwana!

 

 

 

Hi Vristen,

 

Thanks so much for having me on your blog. It’s a real honor to be here and giving a peek into Mark and Samara’s world. First here’s a bit about SEDUCTION’S CANVAS:

SEDUCTION’S CANVAS:

“I want to paint you” Artist Samara Leighton had wanted to say those words to the sexy motorcycle rider ever since she first laid eyes on him nearly a year ago.

“Honey, you don’t have enough paint to cover me.” Security specialist Mark Thorn didn’t mean to come off hard. As a matter of fact, he wanted nothing more than to let the tempting artist do whatever she wanted to him and then some.

Samara knew this was her only chance to live out her long-standing fantasy and she wasn’t going to let it slip through her fingers. She had little time before her show was done and the pressure of her family legacy meant finally living out life under the umbrella of the Leighton name and its responsibilities.

There would be no more lazy museum afternoons or evenings spent lost in the magic of color and her canvases. And definitely no time spent holding tight to the muscular form of her dark rider while the horrors of her past and her cares drifted further away with each mile of road they covered.

 

Excerpt:

Six thirty-five and once again he was kissing her. But they were just talking. Having coffee. Really, she did only invite him up for coffee and talk and now he was kissing her. Shit, Gabby would swear this was planned.

Samara fought to keep the words running through her head and to bring some sort of balance to her brain. She knew she had to put a stop to this, but it was hard. Oh so hard, as Mark’s lips were melding into hers and she was now leaning in toward him like some sort of inflatable man shaped life raft tossed off the deck of a passing ship.

She sighed into his warm breath. Why fight it? Thinking was overrated anyway when you had a man this delicious and your chest was pushed up against his chest and his chest was so wonderfully rock hard that it could be sculpted from marble and your lips were perfectly melding with his lips. His lips that were soft and kissable, but just firm enough to send fizzures and sizzles to every erogenous zone that you ever knew about and three others you didn’t.

Mark’s tongue snaked out and intertwined with hers at the same time his hand came around the back of her neck, pulling her deeper into him, forcing her head back. Her eyes fluttered and she looked up, surprised to see his own briefly flutter open too and gaze at her with open admiration. Something snapped. A flash of desire, mixed with anxiety, mixed with a sense of déjà vu that she didn’t understand. Sam jolted as if shocked and Mark stilled, instantly releasing her.

“I’m sorry,” he said. She watched as he wiped his palms on his jeans. Now that was a first.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for. It’s fine. Um, the coffee is probably now cold. Would you like me to make you another one? You know, I was thinking that sketching you could be fun. You have the most interesting planes in your face. But first, um, let me get that coffee.” Damn, she was rambling. She didn’t ramble. Sam turned away, already heading toward the kitchen when Mark reached out his hand to stop her.

That wasn’t a charge of electricity she felt and even if it was, she sure as hell wasn’t acknowledging it. Her chin lifted, and her eyes met his.

Mark let her go. “No. I get it.” He nodded. “A sketch, huh?”

She smiled. “Well, I’d rather paint you. All in due time, of course.”

He smirked, flashing those devilish teeth. “As if you have enough paint to cover me.”

Sam couldn’t help but laugh. “How about you let me worry about what I can cover.”

 

 

SEDUCTION’S CANVAS can be ordered at AMAZON here: http://amzn.to/10tDzAb

Thank you so much for having me here. I can be found on my website at:

www.kwana.com

or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/KmJacksonAuthor

And on Twitter : https://twitter.com/kwanawrites

 

Author K.M. Jackson

 

About K.M. Jackson

A native New Yorker, K.M. Jackson had two dreams for what she wanted to be when she “grew up”: 1. a fashion designer and 2. a writer.

After graduating from high school, she pursued her first dream and studied fashion design at New York’s FIT. She then spent ten years designing for various New York houses. But after years of juggling the oh-so-glam world of mid-market fashion along with being a mother of twins, K.M. took the leap of faith and decided to pursue her other long-held dream of being a writer.

She currently lives in a suburb of New York with her husband, teen twins, and her precocious terrier named Jack who keeps her on her toes. You can find her most days on her blog at www.kwana.com

 

Interview with Christy Gissendaner!

I’m so happy to have a chance to interview my very first “publishing buddy”, Christy Gissendaner! She held my hand through my very first publishing experience, walking me through things like the gem she is. I’m fortunate to know her. Without her knowledgeable presence, my first journey would have been a far bumpier one! Read on to find out more about this author whose books are filled with romance, heat, and humor…

Author Christy Gissendaner

You’ve written an awesome historical series for Liquid Silver Books (The Princes). Do you see yourself writing more series? What’s the best thing about writing a series? The worst?

Why thank ya, V! Actually I keep swearing I’m never going to write a series again, but then I find myself starting new ones. The best thing is that the “world” is already there for me to use. The characters, back stories, etc are already outlined so writing the next book is a breeze. The worst is keeping everyone and everything straight in my head. Can’t tell you how many times I have to go back to my older books in the series to see how I described a particular situation!

Book 5 of that series, “The Princes Wanted”, is the end. What’s that like, letting go of an entire world you’ve created and saying goodbye to the characters with whom you’ve spent so much time?

Actually, The Princes Wanted is book 4 in the series. The last book will be The Princes Needed whenever I get around to finish writing it. I’m sure once I’ve written Wilhem’s story, I will sad and relieved at the same time. It’s exciting to be able to start something new. (V: Oops, she has so many stories going on, I can never keep them all straight, lol!)

You’ve recently gone out of your comfort zone a bit by penning the delicious, “Having Cake”. What made you decide to up the heat factor in such a way? You know I’m a ménage fan, so any ménage-type story does my heart proud!

I was being experimental…pretty much like Meg, the heroine of Having Cake! I typically write only M/F romances, but sometimes love just doesn’t work that way. One wild night leads to love for Meg in Having Cake even though she does venture away into a slight three-way. Despite the ménage aspect, it truly is a M/F romance. I wanted to do something that’s not quite so black and white.

You’re so not a plotter—a woman after my own heart, hehe. What’s your writing process like? Does an overall story idea just come to you and then you just let it flow from there?

My editors probably wish I would plot, but I just don’t like to tie myself down. I want the ending to surprise everyone, even myself! So I let the story goes where it wants to. It seems to work as most of my reviews praise my “storytelling” skills. Usually I have a general story idea, or even a book title, and I just start pecking away at my keyboard. Speaking of which…I’ve got an awesome idea on how to revamp an old WIP of mine! ; )

You’re talented enough to be a pro at different genres. How do you keep up with writing contemporaries, historicals, and paranormals? Do you have “genre moods” that strike? Kind of like a, “Hmm… I may be getting burnt out on this genre; time to switch it up” type of thing?

Despite my seeming randomness, there is a method to my madness. I write one Robin book (historical or paranormal) and then one Christy book (contemporary or paranormal). Lately I’ve been on a fantasy/paranormal kick for both pen names. It truly is my comfort zone even if it’s very very light paranormal/fantasy. The easiest genre for me to write is historical, of course, since that’s my first love.

Do you typically envision plot first or characters?

A general idea of the plot. The characters come about as I start typing the first scene they appear in. With The Princes, I had the hero/heroine of book 1 and the hero of book 2 thought out ahead of time. But everyone else came to me on the fly.

Many authors have a story that’s near and dear to their hearts for whatever reason—what’s yours and why?

At the moment, it’s The Princes Knighted. I absolutely loved writing book 3 in the series. The revelation of the rebel leader is quite a shocker, if I do say so myself. Hugh, the hero, is my favorite character I’ve ever created. I put the poor boy through hell, but he’s such a fierce, loyal soldier. I couldn’t help but love him.

Which character that you’ve created is your absolute favorite, if you could choose just one?

Oh my goodness…I answered this early!

Which couple?

Hugh and Sara are so sweet together in The Princes Knighted. But for pure “spark”, wait until you meet Hal and Macy in Some Kind of Trouble, coming in June from Liquid Silver Books. The ex-lovers turned co-workers are brilliant together.

Finally, tell us what you’ve got coming up. I swear, you’re one of the busiest authors I know! Which releases can we look forward to next?

Some Kind of Trouble, which I just mentioned, is coming June 17. I’ll also have a contemporary paranormal coming to Entangled sometime in the fall hopefully. As Robin, I’ll be finishing up the Princes series. I’m also thinking of revamping my Vampyre Scrolls series. Pardon the pun!

Find out more about this author at:

http://christygissendaner.webs.com

and

http://robindanner.webs.com

Thanks so much for letting me interview you, Christy! Everyone, be sure to check out her books. Whether you’re a fan of historical romance, contemporary romance, or paranormal romance, this lady has something for you!

Update: Christy’s contemporary/paranormal release from Entangled will be making its way to readers this summer rather than the fall!

Blog Fun in June!

Ready for some serious blog action, y’all? Contemporary action? Historical action? Paranormal action? Ooh…erotic action? Come on–you know you want it all! Plus, with me you always get a dose of the cray-cray, so there’s that.

Recently, I made the decision to stop procrastinating about breathing some life back into my blog. Let’s just call it a really, really late New Year’s resolution or something. Or, um, really early. However you want to look at it. In any case, some fabulous author pals have graciously agreed to drop by to bring super fun stuff to The Piercing Miss V’s chill spot for the month of June. We have interviews, guest posts, excerpts, and other thrilling things heading your way. Starting June 3rd, the posts will be featured every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout the month. It will be a great way to learn more about some awesome authors and the equally awesome stories they bring to life.

Let’s get this party started! And then let’s keep it going–July, I’m looking at you.

Vristen

Interview with Shoshanna Evers!

It’s been a while since I updated the blog and what better way than doing a mini-interview with the wonderful, talented Shoshanna Evers? Kick back, relax, and learn more about this amazing author with a knack for the super hot.

 

What gave you the idea for the Enslaved trilogy?

 

Shoshanna Evers:

The Enslaved Trilogy came about because my publisher, Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Star, asked me to write a “BDSM billionaire erotic romance trilogy” before they put my dystopian post-apocalyptic erotic romance Pulse Trilogy out. They felt that since I’m known for writing BDSM erotic romance, and I do love my rich heroes (like in Snowed in With the Tycoon), that my readers would prefer to see something I’m more known for before taking a chance on something I’ve never published before like the Pulse Trilogy.

 

My editor at the time, Kate Dresser, helped me craft a synopsis of the three books in the Enslaved Trilogy. We sat on the phone for well over an hour going over ideas. And that’s how the Enslaved Trilogy began! After the first two books were written (Enslaved and Enamored), Kate left Simon & Schuster to go to Harlequin’s HQN. I was (and am!) so excited and happy for her, but a little part of me was worried about my trilogy.

 

As it turns out, there was nothing to worry about! Adam Wilson at Pocket became my new editor, and he and Julia Fincher edited the final book in the trilogy, Enraptured. I’m really thrilled that the trilogy is coming out with each book one after the other – April 8th, May 13th, and June 10th, 2013.

 

 

What’s your writing process like–plotter or pantser?

 

Shoshanna Evers:

I’m a pantser who pretends to be a plotter to sell books. Just kidding! Not really. I need to give my agent and editors a synopsis/outline of what’s going to happen in each book, but by the time I start writing, the only thing that remains the same is the hero & heroine’s name.

 

What exciting things do you have coming up next for your readers?

 

Shoshanna Evers:

The rest of the Enslaved Trilogy! And then The Pulse Trilogy. At some point, I have a book coming out from Entangled Publishing titled The Tycoon’s Convenient Bride…and Baby.

There are several anthologies releasing this year that I’ll have stories in as well.

 

Oh, and I have a contest going on! Just go to http://shoshannaevers.com/contests/ for a chance to win an autographed paperback edition of The Man Who Holds the Whip, a sexy BDSM erotic romance like Enslaved! 🙂

 

Thanks for having me!

 

Blurb for Enslaved, Book One in the Enslaved Trilogy

from Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Star:

From a red-hot erotica writer comes an original eBook—a sensual romp across the playgrounds of the unbelievably rich and extremely sexy.

Elisabeth Anderson has seen Trevor and his friends at the infamous Manhattan BDSM club WhipperSnapper, where everyone calls them the BAD Boys, for “Billionaire Arrogant Doms.” The BAD Boys—Trevor Brooks, Marc Wilde, and Roman Chase—are aptly named; they’ve made money hand over fist due to their aggressive investing at the Brooks Wilde Chase Fund. These guys are so rich they can get away with anything, or so the rumors go.

Trevor gives Elisabeth full reign of his estate in Westchester, letting her do as she pleases. He has only two rules. Rule One: she must obey and submit to him while she is living in his house. Rule Two: always answer the blue cell phone. She’s happy to oblige, because being with Trevor makes her want to obey, to love him the way he seems to be falling for her. But Elisabeth’s never been good at being the quiet sub; she’s feisty and gets off on the punishments more than she does by pleasing Trevor.

Elizabeth can’t submit to Trevor the way he needs her to, so his friend and business partner (and fellow BAD Boy) Roman takes her in hand. But love triangles can have sharp edges…and somebody’s bound to get hurt.

Amazon, Barnes & Noble

About Shoshanna Evers:

Critically-acclaimed author Shoshanna Evers has written dozens of sexy stories including Amazon Erotica Bestseller Overheated. Her work has been featured in Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and Best Bondage Erotica 2013, the Penguin/Berkley Heat anthology Agony/Ecstasy, and numerous erotic BDSM novellas including Chastity Belt and Punishing the Art Thief from Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

The non-fiction anthology Shoshanna Evers edited and contributed to, How To Write Hot Sex: Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors, is a #1 Bestseller in the Authorship, Erotica Writing Reference, and Romance Writing categories.

Her BDSM erotic romance The Enslaved Trilogy releases April, May, and June 2013 from Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Star imprint.

Shoshanna is a New York native who now lives with her family and two big dogs in Los Angeles, California. She welcomes emails from readers and writers, and loves to interact on Twitter and Facebook.

Sign up for her mailing list to get an email when new books release! http://shoshannaevers.com/blog/

Sexily *Evers* After… www.ShoshannaEvers.com

Email: shoshanna.evers @ yahoo. com (no spaces)
Blog for writers: www.TheWritersChallenge.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoshannaEvers
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoshanna.evers

 

Vristen: Thanks so much, Shoshanna! It’s an honor to have you give me the scoop! Everyone, be sure to check out the first book in her trilogy. Clicking the cover above will take you to the purchase page. And after that, the reading doesn’t have to stop–check out as much of her work as you can!

Musical Synopsis Part 1-ish

According to the fascinating author Elizabeth Boyce, I, too, am fascinating. (And usually right–oh, how I love that woman!) Her thought-provoking tweet started the squeaky wheels in my fascinating head turning. As someone who loves music, this seems like a perfect subject for me to ramble a bit about as my first post of 2013. Woot!

For the purpose of this post, I’ll focus on my first Crimson Romance novel, The Scheme of Things. Let’s give my hero, Eric, a chance to share a bit of what would be on the mixtape he’d make for Cassie. I could totally do another one of these suckers from Cassie’s point of view, but I’m a commitment-phobe so let’s just leave that as a “mm-hmm, someday, yep” instead of a definite thang, shall we?

Warning: This music shares no common thread and shall be, much like myself, all over the damn place. It’s also a bit soundtrackish due to my view of books as “interactive movies”. Think of it as kind of a mixtape/musical synopsis. If only I could give musical synopses to editors and agents! Who’s with me?! *crickets* No one? My bad. I’m special. Here we go…

Eric loves him some Cassie, but it wasn’t always so. She exasperated the shit out of him at first. Okay, well, that never really changes, but in honor of their awkward, slightly bumpy start:

She Drives Me Crazy – Fine Young Cannibals

It doesn’t take long for the wacky brunette to work her way under his skin. Soon, he’s a little conflicted. He’s starting to…care too damn much. Uh-oh. He’s doomed to ask that age old question:

Is This Love – Whitesnake

As Eric’s pondering that question, he decides it would be a good idea to ask his Cass out on a real date. He’s not getting his hopes up, but she surprises him.

Glad You Came – The Wanted

Ooh, so Eric and Cassie get physical and it’s sweet. Very sweet, because there’s lots of cake and icing involved. Naturally, RiRi has something that fits the theme:

Birthday Cake – Rihanna

Damn it, Eric’s glad she came, all right. Woot! He realizes he’s in much deeper than he thought. And worse, he believes he’s suffering from that horrible affliction called “unrequited love”. Aw, snap.

Strange and Beautiful – Aqualung

Thinking their fake romance is destined to remain that way, Eric’s determined to see the week through. No matter how much it’ll hurt to walk away.

Tomorrow – Chris Young

But Cassie has to throw him a curveball and then her ex helps throw him for another loop immediately after. Eric’s more than a little pissed, yo.

Stricken – Disturbed

Of course, it’s a romance; I can’t exactly keep Eric and Cassie apart. They’re oddly matched, yet meant to be. Aww…

Love Will Come Through – Travis

Eric gets his adorkable Cass. Aaaand, naturally, you know it won’t be long until he’s back to…

And, really, a part of me thinks Cassie will have that effect on him forever.

The Beta Hero

It’s been a while since I rambled here at the ol’ blog and I thought this was a good time since my book is coming out tomorrow and I’d previously mentioned that I’d talk a bit about my one (as of right now) beta hero.

As someone who’s used to those brash alpha males in romance novels and loves them, I think there’s something to be said for the betas. As an alpha lover, I never set out to write a beta, but as I trucked along on my story, Dropping the Ball, I had to face facts: My hero, Dillon Avery, was steadfastly refusing to be an alpha. He’s a sweetheart of a man–still sexy as all hell, but…nice. He’s not arrogant, abrasive, or a playboy. Those traits (and then some) are left to his brothers. No, Dillon’s a compassionate soul who is loyal beyond belief.

That’s not to say he doesn’t have a backbone. I think betas can sometimes mistakenly be labeled as wimps, all because they may not be as impulsive, lustful, or “in your face” as an alpha. Dillon’s not angsty; he’s not a brooding loner. He’s just an all-around good guy who’s not into playing the field. For that reason, it makes sense to me that Dillon would suddenly find himself seeing his best friend, Heather, in a whole new light. I think it’s natural that he would develop feelings for a woman he’s known for most of his life rather than throw himself into the dating scene as he searches for “the one”.

Since alphas are my “thang”, I tried at times to sneak a few of those traits into Dillon’s personality. I failed pretty much every single time. What this writing experience taught me is that it pays to have an open mind. I never would have pegged myself as a woman who could, or would, be fascinated by a beta hero, but I was so wrong and am so grateful for that sheer wrongness. It makes me want to read about some sexy betas other writers have created! As for Dillon… His story is releasing tomorrow (yay!) and I’m happy to make a contribution to romances that feature a beta hero.

I do hope that betas start getting their fair share of love out there in the romance world, if only to show that good guys don’t have to finish last. If not, then I really do think we’ll all be missing out on a great opportunity to meet some fantastic men. Or, in other words, we just might be Dropping the Ball.

 

–Vristen

Reading in a Romance Wonderland…

The best part about fiction, in any medium, is the escape it provides from real life—whether it’s through a television show, a movie, or a book. I’m not the biggest television watcher and I’m far from being a movie buff, but I do love me some books. There’s just something so wonderfully interactive about them. You take what the author provides, but then the rest is up to you. The characters are described, maybe in great detail, maybe not…but how do they really look? It’s pretty much a guarantee that the way you “see” them won’t be the way the author “sees” them. When I read a book, I’m directing a movie. I’ve always seen it that way; I’ve always thought that connection came naturally. Strange…or not?

When I write a story, I still “see” it as I go along. I can’t help but think, “If this were a movie, what would the next scene be? Would it flow with the one before or would it be jarring?” Sometimes, I may want the transition to be jarring. It’s all about effect. Well, effect while still making sense! It’s a blast coming up with a world you hope readers can escape to, if only for a limited time. Most of my stories take place in a connected world of sorts…a shared universe, if you will. What exists in one (e.g. stores, restaurants, offices, agencies) exists in others is basically what I’m sayin’. Why? My mind just works that way I suppose.

One of my favorite things about creating a world in which readers can escape is bringing the characters to life. They’re real enough in my head, but there’s something really cool about putting them on paper—or, um, on the computer screen anyway. Since there seems to be an unwritten rule out there somewhere that says I’m not allowed to outline, like, ever, the characters and the things they do come as a nice surprise to me. In that way, writing and reading provide me with the same exhilaration of the unknown. What’s going to happen next? When reading, I don’t know. When writing… Hell, I still don’t know. There’s beauty in that there symmetry if you ask me. Now, on to what is probably my favorite thing about reading and writing fiction: Dialogue. I’m crazy in love with the stuff. I’m an insanely auditory person so the words the characters speak have to feel right; they have to sound right in my head. And I definitely hear them in my head. Always and without fail. Weird…or not?

Romance is an escape. Real life romance, fictional romance… It’s a thing of wonder, of magic. I try to do my part in providing a little bit on the fictional end. The world needs more love! And what’s cooler than love you read about, but can still see play out in your head? When I write, I’m providing a lot of what my “movie” needs. When you read, you’re doing the rest. You’re directing, you’re casting, you’re doing a bang up job as cinematographer—you’re just awesome basically. My “movies” would never be truly complete without readers.

Comment on this blog and others for a chance at some amazing prizes–a $100 Amazon or B&N gift certificate and two $50 ones! You can find the other participating authors on the list below.

Have a happy blog hop, y’all, and good luck!

1.	Sharon Clare	2.	K.M. Jackson
3.	Lynn Cahoon	4.	Tessa Berkley
5.	Black Creek Burning	6.	Erin Richards
7.	Shay Lacy	8.	M. J. Schiller
9.	Terri Herman-Ponce	10.	Sylvie Fox
11.	Ashlyn Mathews	12.	NLSScribe/Scribbles
13.	Carol Ritten Smith	14.	Beth Yarnall
15.	Peggy Bird	16.	Rowena May O’Sullivan
17.	Suzi Love	18.	nora snowdon
19.	Tara Mills Romance	20.	Vristen Pierce
21.	Embrace the Shadows	22.	Alicia Dean
23.	Heather Thurmeier	24.	Rena’s Ramblings
25.	Dare to Read	26.	Denyse Cohen
27.	Pam B. Morris Blog	28.	Becky Lower Author
29.	Nikkie Locke	30.	Nicole Flockton
31.	Rionna Morgan	32.	Elizabeth Boyce
33.	Amanda L. V. Shalaby	34.	Meline Nadeau
35.	Kate Fellowes	36.	Lola Karns
37.	D’Ann Lindun	38.	Jerri Drennen
39.	Kristina Knight Romance Author	40.	Morgan O’Neill
41.	Shelley Wall Blog	42.	Holley Trent
43.	Karen Sue Burns	44.	Patti Shenberger
45.	Tamara Gill

Crimson Romance Blog Hop!

Where do you like to escape to when you read romance? Do you like the cozy feel of a small town or do you like the hustle and bustle of a huge city?

Starting Nov. 17th and lasting through Nov. 21st, I’ll be joining some fabulous Crimson Romance authors for a fun blog hop. It’s all about the escape that romance offers, no matter the sub-genre. Please stop by, make those wonderful comments you make so well, and enter to win some amazing prizes–an Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift certificate for $100 and two gift certificates for $50 each, to be exact! Check out the lovely Sharon Clare’s site here for a list of participating authors.

It’s going to be a blast so I hope you’ll join us. And good luck to all who enter!

*This is NOT the blog hop post; it’s just a post about the blog hop. Commenting on this post does not enter you for the blog hop prizes. Thank you!

The Alpha Male (Blog Hop Finished)

ETA:

Congratulations to commenter liese2, the winner of my gift card giveaway!

What makes the alpha man so irresistible to so many romance writers and readers? For me, it’s the sheer confidence that borders on cockiness. He may be wealthy or he can be a total blue-collar babe, but he always exudes power. No one’s getting the best of this man–until  a certain lady comes along to bring him to his knees, of course. And, really, that’s the best part anyway, isn’t it? Watching a big, strong man crumble like a cookie when faced with the power of love is satisfying. It shows that, more than anything else, love holds the real power. I believe there are a lot of different types out there, almost a sliding scale of alpha-ness, if you will. My characters have been across the board, but the men tend to be the sexy, dynamic, assertive, and charming.

In my book, The Scheme of Things, the hero, Eric, is an alpha, but not overbearing about it. I’d almost say he could have been a beta, he’s so nonchalant and laid-back, but he’s a smart ass and has a slightly arrogant part of his personality that refused to go away. Plus, the man doesn’t have a shy, unassuming bone in his body. Alpha, it is. In my novella, Awful Good Girl, the hero, Elijah, almost straddles the line between alpha and beta, but he leans toward the alpha side just a bit. He just tries to keep the more intense parts of his personality tempered a bit for the sake of the heroine. He doesn’t want to scare her off when she’s already clearly hesitant to make any type of commitments, after all. But he wants her and won’t stop until he has his way.

In my upcoming book, Dropping the Ball, out December 17th from Crimson Romance, my hero, Dillon, absolutely refused to be an alpha. Flat out–he wouldn’t even hear of it. He’s a total beta; he’s my first and, as of yet, only. Say it with me: Awww. So, ah, yeah…let’s just skip right over Dillon until a later post. He really is a sweetheart, though! In the book I’m working on right now–a steamy, contemporary Valentine’s Day tale–the hero, Chance is a total alpha male for sure. Super wealthy, slightly arrogant, disgustingly charming, and yummy as hell, Chance is a playboy who’s not into the relationship thing. I love the guy, which is why I’m having a blast making him fall in love. It’s always fun when the alpha man succumbs to the inevitable. And Chance…oh, Chance…he’s really in for it. After all, he’s destined to end up with none other than an alpha woman who calls him on his shit and takes none from anyone.

What makes an alpha man hit or miss for you? The power? The confidence? The intensity? Or is it just the raw, animalistic sexuality that seems to ooze out of every pore on his chiseled, amazing body?

Comment on this post for a chance to win these amazing grand prizes:

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

Make sure to include your email address in your comment in order to enter for the grand prizes! Everything but the swag prize is open to international entrants. Commenting also enters you for a chance to win a $10 gift card from yours truly.

Be sure to check out the other Alpha Male posts that are listed here and comment on the blog posts for your opportunity to win even more awesome prizes!

Have a happy blog hop, y’all!

Find more blogs to visit at:

Carrie Ann’s Blog Hops