Woot! Another review!

Four out of five at Romancing the Book - check it out: http://romancing-the-book.com/2012/07/review-the-hand-he-dealt-by-tanith-davenport.html#more-10644

Kharisma's Birthday Blog Hop - and why I'm ruined for toys

Happy birthday Kharisma Rayne and welcome to her Birthday Blog Hop!

http://www.kharismarhayne.com/2010/01/birthday-blog-hop.html?zx=98ae8c649f9ca780

I'm giving away one eBook copy of "The Hand He Dealt" to a lucky winner who leaves a comment on today's post (and your email please)!

***

Every few days I get emails from various sex toy websites giving details of their new sale. Often it’s money off, but sometimes it’s new stuff, which is always a good thing – except for something I’ve recently discovered.

I’m ruined for toys.

For over a year I haven’t seen a damn thing that seems new to me. Vibrators that wave, throb, thrust or, well, vibrate, with rabbit ears and rotating beads and seven different speeds… I’ve seen them all. G-spot vibes that you can rock onto? Yup, been there. Licky tongue things? Yes, even the one that runs like a water wheel. And I’ve no desire to hide a vibrator in my handbag, even if it is very quiet and shaped like a lipstick.

And, to be honest, I find myself complaining about the ones I own. This one has a good action on the shaft but the bunny ears are crap. This one has good ears but the shaft sounds like a pneumatic drill. That one makes me feel like I’ve given birth after it’s been going five minutes.

Dildos? Uh-huh. Adding sparkly bits does not a new dildo make, in my view. Glass ones do nothing for me, sadly. Everywhere seems to be streamlining the designs without actually doing anything new. I really don’t care if something looks a bit curvier if it doesn’t do anything entertaining.

So I find myself moving on to things like love eggs, pumps and the For Him range in the hope of finding something interesting. I haven’t had much luck with For Him to be frank. I’m reliably informed that the Monkey Spanker would serve equally well as a cheap circumcision. And despite what we all hear about the wonder of the prostate, not every man gets off on having things stuck up his bottom.

I give up. I’m obviously so erotically experienced that I’m utterly jaded. I’ll just sit here and wait until someone invents something that can hit all the best spots and give me a foot massage at the same time. Now that’d be worth the money… if it was on sale.

Clandestine Classics

My publisher Total-e-Bound has just released a new line called Clandestine Classics which is getting a hell of a lot of publicity - but not as much as it deserves!

Have a look at the articles below, see what you think, and then go right ahead and buy them... please?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4432778/Sherlock-and-Watson-have-gay-affair-in-shock-new-novel.html


http://www.thebookseller.com/news/erotica-continues-surge-acquisitions.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/Erotic-makeover-for-Pride-and-Prejudice-other-classics/articleshow/15016248.cms


 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2174576/Classics-given-50-Shades-Grey-makeover-make-Jane-Austen-blush.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/17/classic-books-added-sex-scenes_n_1678522.html

Guest Post by Ann Montclair

Today I'm hosting Ann Montclair and her new romance "One Wet Summer".

E-Publishing by Choice

Many writers self-publish to great benefit.  They build audiences, sell books, become better writers, and share none of the income with agents, editors, or publishers.  When I began my journey to become a writer, I did it the old-fashioned way.  I got a degree in writing, wrote a book then began querying agents.  I had a few request manuscripts and then came rejections.  A normal course of action for many beginning authors, right?

I kept writing, and by the time I finished a third novel, I decided to try querying directly to an electronic publisher. I had quick luck.  My third romance novel was snapped up by Soul Mate Publishing and became The Billionaire’s Bauble.  

I kept writing and found a home for my second romance with Musa Publishing.  One Wet Summer was released May 25th. Musa has also contracted my next two books, Good Things Come in Tall Packages (which features two of the characters from One Wet Summer).  Good Things… will be published August 18th, and Lady in Deed, my Tudor historical romance, will be out around Christmas time.

It happened fast, and I have loved every thrilling minute of it.  

I’m glad to be working with a publishing company.  I have more faith in the product and growing confidence in my abilities as a writer.  My books receive general editing, line editing, and final editing.  I work on cover art and marketing with professionals in their fields. My critique partners help as I craft, but once I get a complete draft, the editors step in and lend a hand.  I find their suggestions invaluable in making my stories better. From coaching me how to write taglines and blurbs, to fine tuning my sentences, they stand behind me and beside me as I revise and make ready my novels.

I know I probably won’t get rich writing, and each penny I have to share means less for me.  But in the end, I think the input my publishers provide is well worth every cent. 

If you’ve done it all on your own, I commend you.  For me, I couldn’t be where I am without Soul Mate Publishing and Musa Publishing.  They believe in my sensual, emotional, character driven stories, and I hope they will earn what I owe them for their commitment to my success.

Here’s the blurb for my newest contemporary romance novel:

One Wet Summer…

Questioning her life plans and risking her heart to the hotelier and his motherless daughter weren’t on the vacationing teacher’s to do list—funny how things can change in a heartbeat.

Maura Fields loves her uncomplicated, independent, single life, but things quickly change when a summer vacation opens the door to an unexpected world of passion and desire. Wealthy Savannah hotelier Ben Driscoll had his playboy lifestyle upended when his ex-wife died, entrusting him to care for their daughter—a child he sequesters and vows to protect from future heartache and disappointment. Can the wall Ben has built around his heart withstand the assault from the intriguing, beguiling Maura, or will it crumble, leaving him vulnerable to the undeniable attraction and unbridled need to make her his own?

Available now at Musa Publishing: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=285

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/One-Wet-Summer-ebook/dp/B008600R6S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337956948&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-wet-summer-ann-montclair/1111101446?ean=2940014389808

All Romance ebooks:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-onewetsummer-796361-149.html

Learn more about Ann Montclair and her books at http://www.annmontclair.com

Check out Ann on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AnnMontclairFanPage

and Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/AnnMontclair too.

It’s Publisher Appreciation Week!

Today I’m blogging about my two wonderful publishers, Total-e-Bound and Naughty Nights Press.

I’ve been with Total-e-Bound for just over a year. I can still remember the day I got the email accepting “The Hand He Dealt” for publication; showing my husband the message on my phone as we went out for dinner and then sitting with a goofy grin at the table in the restaurant clutching a champagne cocktail.

In the weeks that followed I was invited to join forums and write peer reviews, had a cover made by Posh Gosh which was stunning, and with the help of my brilliant editor Rebecca Hill put together the final copy of my very first novel.

I can’t thank them enough. Rebecca has since left, but my new editor Sue will be working with me on my new piece “I Heard Your Voice”, and I look forward to that immensely.

I first became aware of Naughty Nights Press when Gina Kincade contacted me and invited me to submit to her (OK, that sounded a lot sexier than it was – sorry, I’m not naturally submissive J). Shortly afterwards I submitted “Assume the Position”, which was accepted, and without a moment’s hesitation I was invited to join NNP’s Facebook group, where I was welcomed into the fold.

So I’d like to offer up a big thank you to all at Total-e-Bound and Naughty Nights Press – I couldn’t do without you, and I hope to work with you for a very long time!

Publicity!

As part of the publicity drive for the Joan Hessayon Award, I'm being interviewed by the Romantic Novelists' Association: http://romanticnovelistsassociationblog.blogspot.co.uk/

I'm also in the Members' News section of Writing magazine.

Fingers crossed!

Scarborough, UK to Host Saucy Seaside Smut Convention

 

Convention for erotica readers and writers to be held in the

seaside town of Scarborough on June 22^nd, 2013.

Do you like to be beside the seaside? Or more specifically, do you like to be smutty beside the seaside? If so, then the Smut by the Sea Convention and Erotic Marketplace is for you!

The brainchild of Victoria Blisse and Kevin Mitnik, with help from their glamorous assistant, Lucy Felthouse, Smut by the Sea promises to be a smut-filled extravaganza in the beautiful seaside setting of Victorian Scarborough. The town's library will be hosting the event.

Forget fish and chips, candy floss and ice cream – visit the dedicated Erotic Marketplace, including exhibitors Xcite Books and House of Erotica, with many more yet to be confirmed. Buy toys and books and all manner of saucy things. And don't forget to get those books signed by the authors in attendance!

You'll be wriggling in your seat when you attend a range of sexy readings from erotic authors including Victoria Blisse, Lucy Felthouse, K D Grace and Lexie Bay.

Or perhaps you'd like to attend informative panels on getting published, marketing your work and other smut related activities? It's all covered, so you can check out whatever tickles your fancy!

It's certainly going to be a fun-filled day – but it doesn't stop there! In the evening will be the official launch of the Smut by the Sea anthology (calls for submissions available at http://smutbythesea.co.uk/call-for-submissions/, closing date 1^st June 2012 – edited by Victoria Blisse and Lucy Felthouse), with readings from the authors, and some seriously saucy swag bags with gifts from sponsors Sh! Women's Erotic Emporium, Total-E-Bound and Lovehoney, to name but a few.

Just as you're settling down from hearing all those fabulously naughty stories, your heart rate will be rising once more as the result of an intermission with burlesque dancers!

Finally, there will be a Q&A panel with a range of authors, book signings and some good old fashioned networking and socialising.

It's still early days so there will be lots more authors, sponsors, exhibitors and attendees coming on board as the conference draws closer, but hopefully this has given you an idea of what to expect from Smut by the Sea.

So, what are you waiting for? Mark your diaries for Smut by the Sea, 22^nd June 2013. Early Bird tickets have been released, and there are less than 200 available at this bargain price, so make sure to grab yours quick, before it's too late! http://smutbythesea.eventbrite.co.uk/ 

Keep your eyes on the following links for further information on sponsors, attending authors, exhibitors and more:

Website: http://smutbythesea.co.uk

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/smutbythesea

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/smutbythesea

Also, just for a bit of fun, you can share your seaside themed photos on the Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/mitnik/smut-by-the-sea/

The event is still taking on more exhibitors, sponsors, speakers and readers, so if you'd like to get involved, please http://smutbythesea.co.uk/contact-us/

*****

About Smut by the Sea

The brainchild of Victoria Blisse and Kevin Mitnik, the Smut by the Sea Erotic Readers & Authors Convention & Erotic Marketplace takes place in Scarborough in June 2013. It will be a smut filled extravaganza with readings, burlesque, panels, Q&As, workshops, erotica and more. See http://smutbythesea.co.uk for more details.

About Blisse UK

Blisse UK is the team of Victoria Blisse and Kevin Mitnik. Specialising in bespoke creations, working together they strive to bring originality and excellence into all that they do. Victoria is an award-winning author & Kevin is a twice Webbie winning web designer. They have over 15 years experience of creating successful websites with a portfolio of recent works available on http://blisseuk.com. Smut by the Sea is a new venture as they combine their love of the seaside with a love of erotica.