Madison Blake

Hello, world!

2011-07-04T03:01:00.000-04:00

After a long hiatus from writing, I'm back! To writing, to updating my home on the web, to giving contests, free reads, etc.

Wonderful, isn't it!

I've also decided to make my home here, just one place so you know where to find me. This will be a blog-cum-website. I'm still planning how to arrange things so that it'll be easy to find stuff here. I'll be making periodic updates, in case anyone's interested.

'Till then.

Holiday Greetings

2009-12-24T23:34:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

Follow me at the Six Sexy Sirens blog! I'm not the world's greatest blogger (haha), so once a week blogging at the Six Sexy Sirens is just right for me. Someday, I may come back to this blog and add it to the list of blogs I maintain, but at the moment, I'm afraid I have to take a long leave of absence. Just from this blog though. :)

Hope to see you at the Six Sexy Sirens where I blog every Friday or at the Goddesses of Storytelling where I blog on the 25th of each month. See you there!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!

Honoring the Goddess

2009-12-19T05:48:00.000-05:00

Ellora's Cave has a offered me a new contract! Such a wonderful Christmas present!

Pleasure Trap

2009-12-04T03:01:00.000-05:00

I'd like to share my sumptuous cover! In the meantime, I'm still doing edits.

Aren't men faithful anymore?

2009-12-02T21:01:00.000-05:00

When news of his accident shifted to allegations of infidelity, Tiger Woods admitted of his personal failings. So what else is new? I had almost expected that there was another woman involved, despite initial denials and silences.

Am I cynical or what?

I guess all these celebrities--sports, entertainment, politics--have temptation throw themselves in their faces everyday. However, there is such a thing as restraint and morals. If you're single, that's one thing. But if you're married and with kids...well!

MOVIE REVIEW: If Only (2004)

2009-11-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

Originally, I hadn't wanted to watch this movie. I thought it's something like Groundhog Day, a movie I watched in my youth, wherein the day keeps repeating itself until the hero get things right. He had to learn some things, you see.

Anyway, it's not like that at all. If Only stars Jennifer Love Hewitt (Samantha) and British actor (I suppose, from his accent) Paul Nichols (Ian) as lovers. Samantha was in London for music schooling for three years now and Ian is a successful executive. I'm not sure how long they've been together, but their relationship is at the stage wherein they know they love one another. (Okay, not exactly a good indicator as love happens in different ways and times to people.)

When the movie starts, Ian is inattentive to Sam and he doesn't value what she values, and so Sam's unhappy. Yet, he's confused as to why he can't make her happy. He then meets a cab driver who tells him to just love her and to appreciate her. However, they quarreled during the dinner after her graduation ceremony, and she rushes off to ride a cab, after which she met an accident and died. So he grieved.

And the next day, he woke up and Sam was still alive! That scene was laugh-out-loud funny! And Ian tries to change the day's events in a bid to cheat fate...

Okay, I can't discuss what I want to discuss if I don't write about the ending, so if you don't want to know, stop here, go watch the movie then come back to read. It won't do to skip to the end because I have a question that I'm interested to know the answer to, and from the question, you'd get a hint of what the ending was. So...you're duly warned.

I believe this movie is more about Ian than about Sam. It's about how his outlook on life changed when he tried to live the second day in a different way, and of course, that's also the time when he opened up to Sam and they connected in a way that I believe they hadn't connected before.

"It doesn't matter if you have five minutes or five years, as long as you lived life to the fullest." (sorry, not exact quote. If I watched it again before this entry goes live, I'll make the correction.)

"Love doesn't end with death."

I think even up to the point wherein they had dinner at another restaurant after the graduation, I was still hoping Sam would be saved. But death seems inevitable, because all the things that had happened the previous day also happened on the second day, just that the timing was different. There's a nice message here about not being able to cheat fate. Fate claimed one soul the other day, and it shall have it again the second day.

I had also expected this to be a chick lit romantic comedy, but it's not. It's so much more. And every time I thought about it, every time I think of the ending, I want to cry.

So, anyway, after dinner, it was raining, so Sam wanted to ride a cab home. After Ian tells her he loves her and how his entire life changed because of her, a cab came up, and Sam gets in. He's standing outside like he did the other time, and she asked him, "Are you coming?"

And in that moment, I think he knew. He made the decision. It was there in his face, and in his voice. If he got inside the cab, he would die. He'd take Sam's place and die in her stead so that she needn't have to die. And he answered, "Of course."

And all I could think was how much he must have loved Sam to be able to say those two words. Because he knew.

I cried buckets that night. Though it's a tragedy, I love that movie on so many levels, but mainly because of the love he exhibited toward Sam. And I think that ending has a greater impact on the audience than if Sam and Ian had a happy ending, and that's saying a lot for a woman who loves her HEA's.

So, what I wanted to ask, coz I'm just curious, do tragic romances work for you? As a reader, would you be willing to invest your time and money on romances (I'm talking about books, not film) that don't promise an HEA? For me, I think so, but I'll read it more for the journey of the characters' development and if it's a good story. Oh, and if it has the same life-defining moment as the ending in this film.

I believe I had also wanted to write a teary, heartwarming story once, but the heroine ended up blind or disabled in some way, and someone told me that's not HEA and just won't do for the romance genre. (Maybe it'll be ok for general fiction, sort of like Nicholas Sparks' A Walk to Remember?) Anyway, that story's shelved for now. So, authors, will you want to write one?

MOVIE REVIEW: This Is It

2009-11-16T11:00:00.001-05:00

I got to watch the Michael Jackson movie "This Is It" with some friends. I hadn't intended to watch, but my brother gushed about it, so I became intrigued and went.

Is it a waste of my money? No.

The movie is a collage of mini-interviews and rehearsal footages. I know most of the songs, which is a big factor in my enjoyment of the movie. And the dance moves! O.M.G. I'm amazed at their fluidity and grace. But what I like most is that the movie humanized Michael Jackson. I get to see a side of him that's never written about in the newspapers.

He's passionately dedicated. He gives his opinion on the music and the choreography, and he wants to make the entire concert the best that he can. They spared no expenses--the dancers are the best, and the production is grand scale.

He is, in essence, a very nice person. He could have sported a diva attitude, given his fame and status, but he's unfailingly polite and didn't lose his temper. (Of course, I don't know if they edited the bad parts out, but the people they interviewed at the start of the film, who are the dancers and the crew have nothing but nice things to say about him, and some were even crying.)

He's willing to share the limelight. Like one time, he tells the guitarist (sorry, don't know her name) to ramp up her playing (because she stopped when he stopped singing) because it's her moment to shine and he'll just be there beside her.

He's also an environmentalist. He's all about protecting Mother Earth, something to leave to our children. And the change should begin from each one of us.

So, yeah, it's sad that he's gone, but his legacy need not. I'm also an environmentalist, in small ways like using both sides of the paper, turning off the lights and water when not in use, or walking and taking the train instead of the car, recycling bags, bottles, etc. After all, this is our planet, our home, and if we don't take care of it, who will?

Passion - A Very Important Ingredient

2009-11-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

Blogging about passion over at Six Sexy Sirens blog!

Back Again!

2009-11-12T03:55:00.001-05:00

Wow, it's been a very long time since I've not blogged! Sorry about that, but I've been busy with the DJ. Cannot mess with the job that pays the bills.

Anyway, I'm happy to report that I've sent my cover art request for Pleasure Trap to my editor, and I can't wait to see what they come up with. I'm always amazed by artists, because I've no artistic bone in my body except for writing. I also suck at the piano, though my mom made me study it for about six years, which I did so half-heartedly. She should've sent my brother instead. He's got more musical bones in his body than me!

Now, am busy writing what was originally a contemporary but is now rapidly becoming a paranormal/fantasy. Hmmm, hope it doesn't morph again. I can't say anymore, because I'm weird that way. I don't even let anyone see my WIP until I'm done with the first draft. So, hope I'll have more news soon!

Time for Everything

2009-09-12T11:00:00.000-04:00

I realize I'm hard on myself.

After a tiring 5-day work week, the only reason I allowed myself to have a long dinner with family and friends last night is because I know I'm going to have a three-day weekend (I'm on leave on Monday) in which to devote to my writing.

My *real* life is pathetic. I wonder how my family can stand me.

I have to remind myself constantly that my family and friends are more important than anything else. When all else fails--being laid off from jobs, etc--they're the ones who are going to be there, standing by my side and supporting me. And, because they're important, I need to treasure every moment I can spend with them.

Work-wise, my time from 9am to 6pm is for the company that I worked at, but other than that, the time is mine to manage. Writing is good, because it brings in extra income that's so badly needed nowadays, but there's a time for everything. I need to learn to spend time wisely, because once gone, I can never get it back.

Okay, I'm off to spend the day with my family. :)

Series Writing

2009-09-09T03:01:00.000-04:00

Many a post has been devoted to this topic. This has made the rounds of authors' chat loop as well. As with any topic, there are various opinions, and here are my own.

As a rule, I have nothing against series, except that they drain my pockets. Yup, I'm one of those who can't resist reading the entire series. I also can't start in the middle. I *must* read the books in sequential order, except for the occasional series when I just can't find the first book or two, then I have no choice but to read what I have.

My love affair with series books go way back to when I was in the position to save money from my allowance. I now had the means to buy any book I want, instead of having to plead, beg, cry, grovel at my parents' feet. My first few series, if I remember right, are Anne McCaffrey's Pern books, Piers Anthony's Xanth books and the Delaney family books written by a collaboration of Iris Johansen, Fayrene Preston and Kay Hooper.

Except for the Delaney books, which consisted of 13 books in all (or maybe 14, including that Christmas anthology), I slogged on with Pern and Xanth, even when the books have lost their appeal until I finally gave up. Yes. I stopped reading. Why?

Because either the books have degenerated into silliness or I outgrew Xanth. With Pern, I gave it up when I realized it's the same storyline all over again, just that the characters' names were different.

So what kind of series would work for me?

I think it has to be both the plot and the characters. Engaging, unique characters who can lay claim to a fresh story, and not something that has been rehashed in previous books.

Hmmm.

Believe it or not, I've paused here awhile as I think of a series that has caught my attention throughout the several or so books, but I haven't been able to. Oh yes, there's Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series. Several of Judith McNaught's historical books, where the characters are found in the same setting.

What other series can you recommend? What series has you hooked from book 1 to the last? I'm interested to know, as I would like to beef up by TBR pile. *wink*

Movie Review: The Proposal

2009-09-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

I love love love Sandra Bullock. Some people hate her, some don't care at all, but ever since she charmed me in While You Were Sleeping, I'm a Sandra Bullock fan. Both her and Bill Pullman, actually.

So it was that I went to watch The Proposal. Aside from which, I love the premise of a boss and secretary/assistant match up.

If you like romantic comedy, don't miss this one. The movie was very funny. I couldn't stop laughing in so many places. It's totally worth the money I forked out for it.

However, I believe (and friends agree) the romance angle was lacking in development. Though it was believable for me that Margaret (Sandra Bullock) would eventually have feelings for her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), it didn't seem so the other way around. There was one point wherein Andrew told Margaret, "You're a very beautiful woman". So is that supposed to signify that Andrew was finally seeing Margaret as a woman and not a boss?

The idea tickled me though. I think it would be fun to write about an older woman younger man match up. Let me just put the brain in gear...

Should Some Words Be Banished?

2009-09-04T04:00:00.000-04:00

Check out my post at the Six Sexy Sirens Blog.

New Contract

2009-09-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

Yippee! My editor at Ellora's Cave offered me the contract for Pleasure Trap.

*commence dancing and jumping for joy*

Here's a snippet of the story: Raisa Sheldon is down on her luck, when she was transported to a scintillating palace which housed two hunky men the likes of which she has never seen on Earth. Adamas and Damaon are immortals who need her healing touch, and in return, they will give her pleasure beyond imagination.

Crayola Up With the Times

2009-08-29T21:00:00.000-04:00

I remember when I was a kid. I had these nifty boxes of crayons, and the only difference between one and the other was that one was 24 colors and the other was a humongous box of 64 colors! And it came with its own sharpener at the back, too! I wallowed in the exotic names I've never heard of--cornflower blue, periwinkle, lavender, etc.

A few days ago, I entered a kid's shop. No, not shopping for my own kid but for my upcoming nephew who'll make his entrance in November. Aside from the usual coloring books, tumblers, kids' shirts, etc were tons and tons and tons of types of crayons. There was the Twistable Crayons, something like our twistable eyeliner, which don't need to be sharpened. Then there's the crayons that come in a mix of three colors per stick, ensuring a child's interest with the kaleidoscope of colors. There's the Triangular Crayola for better grip, Washable Crayola that comes off your skin and child's clothing, and there are the crayons where you can either blend or mix the colors. When you choose blend, two colors become one, i.e. red and white becomes pink. When you mix, the two colors are still two, but when you draw, you're holding just one stick/marker.

All right, I have to stop or this post is going to be very long. No, I'm not a Crayola agent, but when I was in that shop this afternoon, I was transported back to a magical world wherein I was a child again and I have all these wonderful "pens" to unleash my creativity. I was tempted to buy them for myself, actually, but I was able to walk out of the shop without purchasing anything, as they aren't suitable for my nephew yet. However, I may go back one day, and who knows? I may come out with a Crayola pack. :)

Back Again

2009-08-27T11:00:00.000-04:00

Hey, everyone, after a long hiatus, I'm back! How are you all doing? Did anyone miss me at all? I'm here, ready to give my blog a go again.

Actually, I've been in a writing slump, mainly caused by job pressures and the addiction of WOW. Have any of you played World of Warcraft? If you haven't, don't. Unless you want to devote big chunks of your time to leveling up your character, having adventures, doing quests, gathering herbs, learning a trade or two, and hoarding gold. So, for about four months, I'd rush home from work, turn on my laptop and play. I'm worse than a kid. But fortunately, it's over. I can now control my playing time, which I've turned into a reward for having finished writing xxx amount of words or completing my edits/synopsis, etc.

I'm currently in the midst of writing a new story that I'm excited about, so I hope I'll have some good news in a few months. I've received some nice reviews for my books as well, and I'll post them in a few days. Okay, back to writing.

WINNERS!!!

2009-08-03T12:11:00.000-04:00

The winner of Can You Guess the Legend Contests:

Winner No. 1: nicolejane77@...

Winner No. 2: BIRDSOOONG@...

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thank you everyone for your participation in the contest!

Winners, please send me the name of the book of your choice from my backlist and the format (pdf, html, etc) to madison@thelovechronicle.com

Birdsooong got the correct answer as to which Arthurian legend I've referenced in my latest release At Long Last, Love. However, for the sake of those who haven't yet read the book, I'm sorry but I've decided not to post the answer here. If you wish to know the answer, send me an email to madison@thelovechronicle.com and I'll give you the answer.

On E-Publishing

2009-07-14T08:22:00.000-04:00

This week, my blogmates over at the Six Sexy Sirens and I are going to take turns writing about how and why we went into e-publishing. So head on over now for helpful insights and tips. Authors, do join us and provide us with your comments. Let's all learn from one another!

Note: This is part of Lynn Viehl's Left Behind & Loving It Workshop 2009, as those who couldn't make it to RWA gather together and have some fun anyway. :D

An Incurable Disease

2009-07-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

Undoubtedly.

Currently, I'm reading two books concurrently, and I have another one on standby. Then, when I went to the library yesterday, I not only picked up the two books I've reserved, I borrowed another three books I hadn't planned on getting. I think if I could carry more, I would've brought more books home.

I love books, can you tell? I love going to the bookstore more than shopping. There's something about the smell of new books, the crispness of the pages that I can't resist. Add to that the convenience and "instantness" of ebooks and I'm done for.

Books bring me great pleasure, yet, they're also my greatest weakness.

And that's why I've not been writing much lately. *moan*

AT LONG LAST, LOVE: Available Now

2009-07-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

This book was originally entitled "My Heart's Desire", pertaining to the hero, Tyler Morrison, being the heroine's heart's desire. Anyway, the new title is pretty descriptive as well, which you'll realize once you've read the book.

I believe it's the most romantic book I've ever written. Actually, the idea for the story came to me when I was toying with one of the Arthurian legends in my mind. Then, the characters and the story formed soon thereafter.

Sorry to disappoint fans of King Arthur and the knights of the round table, because At Long Last, Love is set in modern times, albeit with a hint of magic, and with only the barest reference (and a little twisted at that) to one of the Arthurian legends. As I write this blog though, I was excited by a thought: Would the readers know which Arthurian legend I had in mind?

So, a contest! Well, two actually, coz I'm feeling generous.

First contest: For everyone

Join my newsletter (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thelovechronicle/) and you're automatically entered in the drawing for one free download of At Long Last, Love or any of my backlist in whatever format you desire. If you're already a member, then you are already in the running.

Easy, right?

Second contest: For those who've bought (no pirates allowed!) and read At Long Last, Love

Answer this question: Which Arthurian legend inspired this story?

Email your answer to madison@thelovechronicle.com . Sorry, I won't be offering any more hints, so don't email asking me for hints or asking if your answer is correct.

Anyone who emails me and has the correct answer will be entered into a drawing for a free download of any book in my backlist (coz you already own [through legal means] a copy of At Long Last, Love and have read it, so I don't think you'd want another copy) in whatever format you desire.

CONTEST RULES:

1. Even if you're in the running for the first contest, you are still eligible to enter the second one.
2. If no one gets the correct answer for the second contest, I may pick one whose answer is the nearest. If none, then I may just have a random drawing from all those who have emailed me an answer.
3. Whatever happens, there will be *two* winners. So, even if you entered the two contests, you are eligible to win only one. Fair, right? But entering both contests gives you one chance more to win!

Contest ends on July 31, 2009. Winners will be announced here on this blog on August 3, 2009. Coincidentally, that's my dad's birthday!

Good Luck!

At Long Last, Love is available at Ellora's Cave or at the new site, Jasmine Jade.

A Legendary Icon Has Passed

2009-06-26T21:54:00.000-04:00

When I first saw the news that Michael Jackson had passed away, I was shocked. I couldn't get my mind wrapped around the news. I mean, there we were, just a few weeks ago, talking with friends and family about his upcoming concerts. How? Why?

It seemed those questions have to be put on hold at the moment, as more investigations are ongoing as to the cause of his death.

Anyway, this even has such an impact on me because I grew up with his music. "Thriller", "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Black or White"... You name it, I knew it. Not all the lyrics, perhaps (I never memorize songs!) but the music and the chorus, definitely! His music could even make me dance, and this is saying a lot, because I'm not a dance type of person.

It's sad that the world has lost him, but he had shaped the world and given enjoyment us all with his music while he was alive, and that is all any artist could want.

Alternative Read Recommended!

2009-06-20T11:07:00.000-04:00

It must be my month for reviews! Here's another one for Love in Mysterious Ways.

"I liked the fact that this one is full of twists, honesty between partners, some exceptionally hot sex laced through with humor in one of the most realistic manners I've seen written. Thoroughly recommend this one."

Thanks, WitchGiggles! Glad you enjoyed it.

Stephanie Julian Talks about Seduced by Two

2009-06-18T12:01:00.000-04:00

Today we welcome our guest blogger, Stephanie Julian, a fellow EC author.

Hi Stephanie! What do you love about Erotic Romance?

Stephanie Julian: There are Five Things I love about Erotic Romance:

5. Reading it. Reading is a necessity for me, rather than a luxury. I began reading romance as a preteen. Harlequins, of course. But I very quickly graduated to Kathleen Woodiwiss and Bertrice Small and fell in love with the fascinating world of sex in romance. No more closed doors for me. I loved the fact that these writers weren’t afraid to show their love scenes. The heroes were dark and tortured and the heroines were young and flighty. But the power of sex is a great leveler. It makes grown men beg and young women powerful. What’s not to like about that?

4. Writing it. I love the freedom inherent in erotic romance. By its very nature, erotic romance is all about being able to enjoy yourself, giving yourself permission to enjoy something out of your reality comfort zone.

3. Heroines who know how to live and what they want from life. Romances didn’t always have strong women but in erotic romance, sex is the part of the journey. Sexual freedom gives her strength through the sheer nature of empowerment.

2. Alpha heroes. Come on, who doesn’t love an Alpha? Strong, quiet, dark, tortured, willing to do anything for his heroine. He’s bad and he knows it. He’s willing to use his fists on the bad guys but more than gentle with his woman, even if he’s tying her to the bed.

1. It’s the Ultimate Fantasy. Those sexual scenarios that tie your brain in knots when presented with reality are the perfect way to spend a few hours wrapped in a book. And a ménage is one of those ultimate fantasies.

When I conceived of my Magical Seduction series, I wanted to explore as many erotic situations as possible. My first six stories are straight male/female, the bread and butter of romance.

But for the seventh, I wanted that ultimate sexual fantasy. A ménage. I love the fantasy presented by ménage. Two (or more) hot guys dedicated to the pleasure of one woman, how could that be bad?

In SEDUCED BY TWO, Nica Donato meets Tanner and Jensen Miller and, though she doesn’t realize at first what’s in store for her, she embraces the adventure. And the brothers.

As a strega, an Etruscan witch, Nica is a descendent of the once-mighty Etruscan magical civilization. She controls a powerful magic that must be kept hidden from the non-magical world. She’s also about to take her mother’s place in their boschetta (coven) and give up all notion of a normal life.

When she walks into that bar, she’s looking for a release, an escape. And finds the ultimate pleasure and the ultimate romance with two men.

That meant two hot heroes for me to create. Two strong men with very different personalities, both of whom need compelling reasons to share the same woman.

For me, a ménage is like a teeter-totter, with a man on either side and a woman balancing in the middle. It’s quite a ride when you get all the logistics worked out. And an ultimate fantasy.

So tell me why you read erotic romance?

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Stephanie Julian is the author of the Magical Seduction series, beginning with SEDUCED BY MAGIC and continuing with SEDUCED BY TWO, releasing June 26 from Ellora’s Cave. She’s a writer with a reading problem, though some days, it’s the other way around. Her series has gotten great reviews, which you can see on her website at www.stephaniejulian.com.

Joyfully Recommended!

2009-06-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

I'm Joyfully Recommended!!! Rather, my latest release Psychic Heat is. Woo hoo!

"When a book keeps me thinking about the characters well after I have finished it, I know that it is one that I must Joyfully Recommend. Psychic Heat is one of those books."

Thanks Jo! Glad you enjoyed it.

Read the entire review.

Still on reviews, I've also received one for Sex Symphony.

"Sex Symphony is sizzling times three...With a paranormal twist I was unprepared for, Sex Symphony really delivered a powerful and enigmatic ménage of love and the means we use to find out perfect love. Madison Blake deserves well earned kudos for this blistering love story."

Thanks, Talia!

Read the entire review.

There's Writing, and then There's Writing

2009-06-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

I read a lot in my spare time (meaning when I'm not working at the DJ, writing or playing World of Warcraft--yes, I'll talk about this some other time), and I enjoy a variety of genres. Recently, I've been reading some erotic romances from the smaller e-pubs (won't name them, sorry, and not the books either), and speaking solely from the perspective of a reader, I realize the title of my post today: there's writing, and then there's writing.

It's so easy to write. Just string a few words together and you've got a sentence. Several sentences and you've got a paragraph. Several paragraphs, and voila! a chapter. Several chapters and you've got a novel.

That's how I would describe some of the recent works I've read. Just enough words strung together to make up the word count. Not that there's no story. There is! But some of the characters' thoughts are repetitious, to the point that I want to shout, "Yes, I know they're already attracted and have the hots for each other. Enough already! Stop beating me over the head about it, and get to the action!"

And then there's writing. The kind of writing where words are used for maximum effect. Where scenes are built one on top of another to create a growing tension, to heighten the suspense before ending in a climax that releases all the pressure that the previous chapters have created. Where the reader closed the book at the end and wished for more. That's the kind of writing every author should achieve to.

Well, I also learned another lesson. I'm not wasting my time (and money) anymore. This time, I'm sticking to well-known e-pubs for my erotic romance fix.

The Waiting Game & Free Read

2009-06-05T23:34:00.000-04:00

I've never been a patient person, and I hate waiting. I remember when my previous workplace was near my brother's and I decided to hitch a ride home. The agreement was that when I arrived at his work building, I'd ring his phone to tell him I'm there, but he'd delete the call to signify he knew and would be down soon. Soon stretched to ten minutes, twenty, even half an hour! I didn't know if it reached one hour or not, but I remember being fuming mad at being kept waiting.

Well, I've sent something to my editor for her to consider and I'm still waiting. I'm learning to be more patient, but it's very hard, I gotta tell you. I had to distract myself with things or I'll go mad. I've neglected my blog tremendously while I busy myself with reading some nifty paranormal romance. Speaking of reading, I have to read up on craft books as well. Maybe now's the time to do that. Or, I could work on my next project...

In the meantime, I've also written the first installment for a free read series that caught my mind. It's about this woman who works for a bank in the thirty-second storey of the building, and the things she had to do when she was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Now about that next project, maybe I'll start plotting and writing, and hope the weeks pass by without me noticing it. Or, I could write the second installment of that series...

My Run-In with Lip Allergy

2009-05-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

The day I discovered I had lip allergy, I was shocked. How? Why? I hadn't changed my lipstick, and I have been using the same lip moisturizer ever since! I also don't have any food allergy that I know of...so what had happened?

The mystery couldn't be solved, but I dutifully applied my lips with the cream the doctor gave me and in time, my lips went back to normal. They were swollen before, enough that people who were standing/sitting near me noticed, and they were very itchy. The lips, not the people. (Heh. Just sayin') Just in case, I changed to a brand-new lipstick and moisturizer (same brand, but new ones).

I thought that would be the end of it, but about three months later, my lips started to itch again! I quickly applied the same cream to my lips, hoping to head off the swollen-allergy state of my lips. This happened in November 2008.

So I started thinking. Could it be the lip moisturizer? After all, that's the first layer I applied before I put on the lipstick, and I seem to remember a time (long ago) when I didn't use a moisturizer and my lips didn't have this particular problem. I decided to do a little experiment. I threw away the moisturizer and just used the lipstick.

Now, about six months later, my lips are still allergy-free.

And I therefore conclude that the moisturizer is the culprit of my previous woes. I thought allergies always show up at once, or at least a few hours or a day later, after one has imbibed food or put on products that caused the allergy. Apparently, not so.

Based on my experience, the virus/bacteria/allergen/whatever could lie there like a ticking time bomb, only you never know when it will explode. When it did, you don't know where it came from.

Luckily for me, I know I don't have any food allergy and I only ever put two things on my lips. Hence, it was easy for me to pinpoint the cause.

So take care!

My WIP and Writing

2009-05-26T11:00:00.000-04:00

I know I haven't been posting for some time. I've been busy on my current WIP, hoping to finish it by the end of the month, but I soon realized the futility of it. I'm not going to finish it in time with the work that still needed to be done. I just don't have the time. I hardly get the chance to write in the evenings these days, as the dinner-after recently would usually include watching some DVD. (How the hell did we evolve to such a practice?) Yes, I need to relax too, sometimes, but how can I relax when my mind is itching to go back to my story? When I just had a lightning-flash of an idea that needed to be examined and developed and written down?

My parents would always say, "Don't work too hard. Why do you write when you have a day job anyway? It's not as if your writing brings you more income than the DJ."

Ouch! The DJ, I do because I have to. It pays the bills. The writing, I do because I love to. It's not work because I want to do it.

Sigh. They'll never get it. I don't know how many times I've said the same words over and over. These days, I just let their words go in one ear and out the other. For those who think I'm being disrespectful, I'm not. If I repeated my point and argue with them, that would be bad, because it would escalate into a shouting match with hurt feelings on both sides. But if I don't say anything to oppose their words and just continue writing anyway, they're happy and I'm also happy. Win-win.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Call for Submission: Logical Lust Publishing

2009-05-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

Logical Lust Publishing has issued a Call for Submissions for The Cougar Book, a collection of erotic short stories featuring women over 40 in relationships with younger men. Stories should be 3000 to 5000 words. Payment is $50.

Find complete guidelines at http://www.logical-lust.com/cougar.html

* Exerpted from Cindi Myers' newsletter. To join, send a blank email to CynthiaSterling- subscribe@ yahoogroups. com

Divinity Warriors 2: Fighting Lady Jayne by Michelle Pillow

2009-05-20T11:41:00.000-04:00

Released on May 15, 2009!

Divinity Warriors 2: Fighting Lady Jayne
By Michelle Pillow
All Rights Reserved

Blurb:

Jayne Hart has earned her independence by becoming Divinity Corporation’s inter-dimensional boxing champion. Life is great, until a dirty fighter knocks her unconscious. Now, abandoned by the corporation in a parallel world, Jayne will use every weapon she has to be free once more. Even if it means running from her sexy new “husband” and spending the rest of her life in a primitive forest.

Ronen of Firewall longs for a woman to warm his bed and his home, but he had no intention of choosing a bride. In an unprecedented move, one chooses him. Never in the history of the breeding ceremony has a woman dared to lay claim. How can he resist the alluring Lady Jayne? She’s confident and sure in her decision to be with him—until their wedding night when she’s nowhere to be found. But, Ronen is not one to shy from a battle. He will find Jayne and, when he does, he has one particular “weapon” in mind for taming his seductive, wayward wife.

Purchase now!

Read Excerpt.

The H1N1 Virus (the dreaded and renamed swine flu)

2009-05-19T13:00:00.000-04:00

I went in to work after a week's holiday of rest, and who greeted me but my colleague who's down with the flu. Not the H1N1 virus, she assures me, just the normal flu.

Still!

I mean, hey, come on, if you're sick, do everyone a favor and stay at home. Stop spreading the virus. Come to work only when you're well and are not contagious anymore. I've got a pregnant sister-in-law back home (we live near each other), and if I got your flu, and I pass it on to her, think how miserable we'd both be (my SIL and me)!

Now I need to observe myself and stay away from them (both my colleague, in case she's thoughtless enough to come to work again before she's well, and my SIL to make sure I don't pass anything to her). I'm also dousing myself with Vitamin C and hope I've got enough immunity against the virus.

Call for Submission: New Concord Press

2009-05-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

SunDrop, a new fiction imprint of New Concord Press (EGPG) is preparing to publish two anthologies: in fall 2009 and early winter 2010. These themed anthologies will contain 6 stories each, and be published in trade paperback, e-book, and Kindle formats.

Wander Lust: Erotic Romance in All the Best Places (a SunDrop Scorcher)

Nothing loosens the inhibitions like a trip to a far-away romantic spot. Dig into your deepest, wildest dreams and give us the best and sexiest fantasy trip ever! Any era, any place, anything goes, just be sure to carefully read the submission guidelines.

Visit http://www.newconcordpress.com/, then scroll down to SunDrop.

* Excerpted from Cindi Myers' newsletter. To join, send a blank email to CynthiaSterling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

My Next WIP

2009-05-15T21:50:00.000-04:00

I wrote about 1,300 words today on this next story I'm working on, and we'll see how it goes. I've written some chapters on it before and I wasn't satisfied with how the story went, so I stopped and plotted a number of possible storylines for it. Finally, after about several months of hiatus, I came back to it, and voila! The original storyline went quite well. Something must have blinded me to the fact months ago, or else, I've grown up and had my perspective changed in the intervening months. Anyway, I'm now quite excited by it and hope to finish writing it by month end.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

to all you great women out there! I can't include myself, since I'm not yet a mom, but still, I'm celebrating this day. With my mother, of course. :)

Dinner and some shopping to buy her some stuff, but I guess the main point is being with her on this special day, to spend time with her. Then, we're going on a road trip to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon with her for four days! Hope she likes it, as she's never been there before.

How did you spend today?

Lost Sales

2009-05-09T11:00:00.000-04:00

In case you're interested to know, I lost 179 sales from the Demonoid link. That's how many times Psychic Heat was downloaded before the link was taken down (at my and my publisher's request). Makes one want to SCREAM!

A Sexier You: How to Attract Your Potential Mate

2009-05-08T11:00:00.000-04:00

Am blogging about this over at Six Sexy Sirens blog. Check it out!

Miscellany

2009-05-08T00:43:00.000-04:00

I have been neglecting my blog of late, I know. Why? Aside from being depressed about the cancelled trip, I decided to take my vacation leave anyway (yes, I DO have a day job which pays the bills, so it's pretty important to me) and spend the past days in a writing frenzy. I think you'll be glad to know I finished one story, and after I let it rest for a week and self-edit it, I'll be sending it on to my editor. Hope she'll buy it, since after my next book comes out in July (At Long Last, Love), I've no more books contracted. All are in submissions and though I've done this a number of times, the waiting still doesn't come easy.

So, I occupy myself with writing yet another story. A writer's head is always full of ideas zipping around, so we need to catch one and develop it. Sometimes, the idea is pretty stubborn and will resist the process, so I would lay it aside and let it percolate in my subconscious, hoping it'll be ready sometime in the future.Sometimes, an idea is just NOT ready, as I'm sure other authors could attest. So it helps to have lots of ideas waiting in the wings.

In other news, The Romance Studio interviewed me about Psychic Heat. Catch it here.

Oh yes, my latest newsletter is up for public viewing, one month after it's been released to the members of my yahoogroup. In case you want to have updated news on my books, as well as that of my co-authors Kai Andersen and Afton Locke, join us!

Call for Submission: Sapphire Blue Publishing

2009-05-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

Judging by the first sales column in the Romance Writers Report, Sapphire Blue Publishing (http://www.sapphire bluepublishing.com) is buying a number of new authors. This e-book publisher is particularly interested in erotica or erotic romance 10,000 - 25,000 words. The books must have "an engaging story line that happens in the now." They are also interested in all sub-genres of romance, including multi-cultural stories, and all types of paranormal romance, of all lengths. The editors are also interested in young adult books, mystery and suspense, fantasy, and even non-fiction. Royalty rates begin at 45%. All submission information is available at http://www.sapphire bluepublishing.com/info/index.php?id=5

* Excerpted from Cindi Myers' newsletter. To subscribe, send a blank email to CynthiaSterling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Swine Flu Disruption

2009-05-01T11:00:00.000-04:00

Supposed to be in San Francisco right now and watching Wicked tonight. But an unexpected swine flu threw all our plans out of whack. *sigh*

Still, better to be safe and minimize the risk of exposure to the swine flu. In today's world where travel is very convenient and accessible, you just don't know who you'll meet who could've been exposed to the virus. The person you meet may not have come from Mexico, but maybe he had talked to someone who came from there, who was carrying the virus.

So, our trip can keep, until the world is a safer place. Another reason is I don't want to risk exposing the rest of my family members when I come home. Until then, I'm staying in my safe little corner, going about my daily life and writing. Oh, definitely writing. :)

Demonoid Again!

2009-04-29T08:51:00.000-04:00

My latest release, Psychic Heat, has been requested in Demonoid. Sometimes, I don't know what to feel--if I should be flattered that readers are asking for my books or angry that they want it but not enough to pay for it.

In this particular request, I counted 9 people who thanked the uploader. That's 9 lost sales! Not to count those who had downloaded but not left a note. *sigh*

The Other Side of Things...

2009-04-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

I absolutely have to share these two precious little gems with you!

If you believe that the quickest way to a man's heart is the stomach...
know that you are aiming a little too high!

Women are like swimming pools: they cost a great deal of money to maintain,
considering the time that you spend inside.

I got them from an email from my brother. Non-naughty gems as follows:

Children in the front seat of a car can cause accidents.
Accidents in the back seat of a car can cause children.

Some bosses are like clouds:
The moment they disappear, the day suddenly gets brighter!

To err is human.
To blame someone else for your problem is strategic!

Your future depends on your dreams.
Don't waste any time. Go to bed. NOW!

Hope this brightens your day, as it did mine. :)

Call for Submission: Juno Books

2009-04-26T11:00:00.000-04:00

Juno Books (http://www.juno-books.com/) an imprint of Pocket Books that publishes "Fantasy with a focus on female" has updated its writer's guidelines at http://www.juno- books.com/guidelines. html

To quote from those guidelines: "We are interested in fantasy featuring a strong female protagonist set in a contemporary (or a very few years in the future) world quite like ours except for the intersection/ transgression of the numinous (that which is "wholly other") with/upon the mundane. This world can be open ("magic", the "supernatural" is known to exist) or closed (where "otherness" is concealed from common knowledge). This type of "urban fantasy" (sometimes called "paranormal/ urban fantasy") is typically crossed with mystery, action/adventure and horror featuring a woman with supernatural power (or some paranormal connection). Romance/relationship is usually an element in this mix as is humor." They are not interested in paranormal romance, historical fantasy, or sword and sorcery.

Manuscripts should be between 80,000 and 100,000 words. They accept submissions via email, as detailed in their guidelines.

* Excerpted from Cindi Myers' newsletter. To subscribe, send a blank email to CynthiaSterling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

MB: Seems like urban fantasy is the rage nowadays. Have to go and read some.

The Science of Kissing

2009-04-25T11:00:00.002-04:00

Today, I'm blogging over at the Goddesses of Storytelling on the Science of Kissing.

A Sexier You: Aphrodisiac

2009-04-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

I'm blogging today over at the Six Sexy Sirens blog on unleashing the sexier you. *wink*

I've Been Demonoid!

2009-04-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

Don't you just hate pirates?

Last week, when I googled my name, I found someone had requested two of my books on Demonoid . com two weeks before, and the "order" has been filled. (No, I'm not gonna link to them.) I immediately wrote an email to the Demonoid administrator to take down the page, AND to EC's pirate buster to do whatever legal stuff that needed to be done.

Anything to stop those %$#@^& pirates.

I'm being robbed, darn it!

This is my first time to have my books pirated, and I'M MAD--HOPPING MAD.

How dare they steal from me!

I've always reported pirate links, whenever I come upon them in other loops or in my own google searches. So, go and google your name. You never know what you might find. You might have suddenly become "famous", and not in a good way.

On the other hand, sign up for google alerts. Google will do the job for you and let you know what it has found by sending you the links. (This tip courtesy of my fellow EC authors.)

To everyone who reads this, help us in our fight against piracy!

Call for Submission: Black Lace Books

2009-04-19T11:00:00.000-04:00

On Sundays, I've decided to post publisher's calls for submission. I hope this would be of use to those of you who are looking for homes for your stories. I'll try not to limit my posts to calls for erotic romance, though those would be the majority.

Black Lace Books (http://www.blacklace.co.uk/) will be releasing five new erotic short story anthologies in 2010 and are open to submissions for these books now. They're looking for the following themes:

Threesome: When One Lover Is Not Enough
Theme: threesomes to group sex
Deadline: July 1st 2009
Publication Feb 2010

Kinky Girls: A Black Lace Collection of Women on the Wild Side
Themes: role-play, bondage/restraint, domination and submission, spanking, kink
Deadline: September 1st 2009
Publication May 2010

Sexy Little Numbers Vol 2
To feature the best in new erotica writing by female authors, covering a wide range of sexual fantasy from vanilla to kink.
Deadline: December 1st 2009
Publication August 2010

Sex at Work: A Black Lace Collection of Inappropriate Behaviour on the Job
Deadline: January 1st 2010
Publication September 2010

Indecent proposals: A Black Lace Collection of Sexy Propositions
Theme: swapping, sharing, escorting, and other curious offers
Deadline: March 1st 2010
Publication November 2010

E-mail completed stories as attachments to anevill@virgin-books.co.uk with the title of the collection in the subject line of your e-mail.

Payment is 75 pounds for stories between 3000 and 6000 words and 150 pounds for stories over 6000 words. Be sure to check the guidelines at the websites for specifics about what the editors are looking for in a Black Lace story.

* Excerpted from Cindi Myers' newsletter. If you want to subscribe to her newsletter, send a blank email to CynthiaSterling- subscribe@ yahoogroups. com.

PSYCHIC HEAT: Available Now

2009-04-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

Yay! After a long, long wait, the day has finally arrived!

I reread this story during my edits, and not to blow my own horn, but I was astounded at the ideas I had come up with for my worldbuilding. Go read and see if you don't agree. You're always welcome to give me pointers to improve my worldbuilding. ;p

Psychic Heat
By Madison Blake
All Rights Reserved

Telepath journeywoman Rhiane loves her job as a translator at the Federation of Intergalactic Commerce. When she starts to experience frequent blackouts, she’s terrified that her psychic powers are fading. She seeks the help of Master Healer Morgan, only to realize that he and his lover Jaden were the men with whom she had a magnificent, unforgettable one-night stand six months ago.

Attraction flares anew, and this time, Morgan and Jaden are not taking the chance for her to disappear from their lives once again, no matter the cost, no matter how hard she resists. However, dread chills their spines when they discover that Rhiane’s blackouts may not simply be due to work-related stress, but that someone may have a sinister motive for deliberately tampering with her mind…

The Importance of Buy Links and Contact Info

2009-04-15T10:30:00.000-04:00

As authors, we should realize the importance of having our books' buy links and contact info (usually email address) visible on our website or blog or somewhere so that it'll be easy for people to buy our books and so that we can be contacted easily.

Why do I say this?

I have a friend who's a book addict like me. She has heard from blogs of this particular author's fabulous books. She went to read the author's website, and yes, those books are right up my friend's alley! She wants them! Get this, that's 3 books she's looking to buy. Unfortunately, they aren't available in her neighborhood bookstore. The paperback costs too much to be shipped, but hey! She can always get them in e-format! (Yay for ebooks!)

But where to get them? She found the third book in Fictionwise, but not the first and the second. Well then, the author's website should contain the buy links.

Oh no, it didn't! There's the release date and the ISBN, but no buy link!

Hmmm...the author should know where my friend can get the books, shouldn't she? Well then, email the author.

Guess what? My friend searched high and low on the website, even the blog, but no contact email address.

Finally she gave up. There are other books out there.

Sad that this author lost 3 sales (and who knows how many more), and it doesn't take much time to add in the buy links and her email address on her website.

Elevator Pitch: Book in a Nutshell

2009-04-14T11:00:00.000-04:00

It's not too late! Authors, get those thinking caps on and your brains into gear.

The Knight Agency is holding a Book in a Nutshell Contest.

Submit three compelling sentences (150 words max) about your completed, unpublished manuscript to submissions@knightagency.net . Write BOOK IN A NUTSHELL in the subject line or it will not be deemed eligible. One submission per project, please. Twenty of the best submissions will be chosen and requested by various agents who will then give feedback on your work...and it may even lead to possible representation.

The deadline is April 20, 2009. Winners will be notified by May 1, 2009.

* Excerpted from Cindi Myers' newsletter. To join, send a blank email to CynthiaSterling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T11:00:00.001-04:00

to everyone!

Genre-Specific or Not?

2009-04-08T21:46:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, in one of the blogs that I frequented (sorry, I forgot which one), the blogger posted that one thing she expects from an author is that she should write more books in the same genre as the book that the blogger had read, instead of jumping to a totally different genre. For example, if the blogger had been impressed thus far with this author's historical romance books, then the author should write more historical romances instead of venturing into, say, urban fantasy.

My first thought was, "How restrictive!" My muse certainly doesn't work that way. It goes where it will, which is why I have stories in fantasy, contemporary and paranormal. I may have books in other genres in the future as well. Maybe. I find I like the freedom to explore genres that interest me, to spin my own take on things.

But then, I thought back to some of the authors I loved, most notably, Judith McNaught. I first read her historicals and loved them, so that she became an auto-buy for me. When she released her contemporaries--Paradise and Perfect, I loved them as well. But then, she dabbled into romantic suspense--Night Whispers, Someone To Watch Over Me, Every Breath You Take, and well, the books fell flat for me. I stopped buying her books, because there are better books out there. And I'll take a minute here to wish she'd go back to writing historicals, like Something Wonderful, Once and Always, and Almost Heaven, or contemporaries like Paradise. I'd buy them again in a heartbeat.

So maybe this blogger has a point. Judith McNaught should have stuck to what she knew best. I have all her historicals on my shelf (the ones I mentioned above are keepers), but after buying and reading Night Whispers and being disappointed, I wised up. I borrowed (instead of bought) Someone To Watch Over Me from the library and I didn't like it much either. I don't even anticipate her new books anymore, though I kept hoping she'd write the historicals I love. Nobody writes historicals quite like her. Sadly, Every Breath You Take (borrowed from the library too) was a disppointment as well.

Then again, we have Iris Johansen, another well loved author of mine. I followed her from Loveswept (I have her first ever book--Stormy Vows and I loved it. I certainly reread it a lot of times.) to her single romance titles (The Golden Barbarian, the Wind Dancer series, etc) to her present romantic suspense books (Firestorm, Fatal Tide, the Eve Duncan series, etc). Wow, that's a lot of books, and though I can't say I've read every book she has published (I know I missed some of her Loveswept titles), I've read many of them. The difference between her and Judith McNaught is that Iris Johansen's romantic suspense books are gripping. I could finish one book in one sitting, and I have. In this case, I don't think an author has to be limited by the genre that she writes in, if she can deliver the same powerful writing in all the books that she writes. Readers, like me, will still follow her and read her books, though I can't help wishing she'd write something like the Wind Dancer trilogy. Now those books are keepers!

That said, I tend to reread stories with strong romantic content, so maybe my opinions on what are keeper books for me are biased toward that aspect.

Anyway, the question here is: Should authors write only in the genres in which they excel in?

Readers, authors, share your thoughts! I'm interested to know.

You may or may not agree with my thoughts on the post above, but I'm not here to get into a word war with you on that matter. Take note that I love both authors' works (some of them anyway) and wouldn't hesitate to buy their books should I find any that resonated with me.

A Sexier You: Aphrodisiac (Scent)

2009-04-05T09:15:00.000-04:00

In my last post, we've established how having sex (more, please!) could lead to better health, not that we need any reason to have sex or... Okay, moving on.

I thought we'd discuss aphrodisiacs today.

What's an aphrodisiac? It's a substance that is believed to increase sexual desire. The word obviously has its origins in Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Love potion, anyone? Or should it be sex potion?

Anyway, have you watched the cartoon Ratatouille? Remember how, toward the end, Remy the rat served ratatouille to the food critic, evoking in him thoughts of home and hearth? In the same way, have you ever smelled something and associate it with something else? Like smelling food would rouse physical hunger, even though you probably weren’t hungry before the delicious aroma drifted to your nose.

This is where perfume as an aphrodisiac comes in.I’ve previously read an article about how men are said to be aroused by what they smell (aside from what they see, of course). This is why there are so many brands selling perfumes for women. If you think about it, the perfumes are sold to women, to be worn by women, but they are actually meant for the men. (So, does this mean we should buy a fragrance our men like, instead of what we like? But think of the benefits!)

That said, not all perfumes are equal. I’ve found that perfumes that may smell good on me don’t react favorably with some of my friends and vice-versa. It’s always good to test a perfume first before you buy them.

Read about Julia Barrett's experience with this perfume--ROUGE by Christian Lacroix. After reading her blog entry, I knew I should get one too! Be sure to read her post. You'll be glad you did!

Don’t have extra cash to fork out for the perfume? Never fear. Here’s a DIY perfume that you can make. However, I have to put in a disclaimer that I haven’t tested any of them yet. If you decide to make one, come here and let us know how it turns out! Or share with us aphrodisiac that you know about and/or use.

~ * ~ * ~

Reposted from the Six Sexy Sirens Blog.

Word of the Day: Viridian

2009-04-03T02:21:00.001-04:00

My word for the day:

Viridian - a long-lasting, bluish-green pigment, consisting of a hydrated oxide of chromium

* The word is courtesy of Greg Keyes, from his novel The Briar King, which I'm currently reading.
* The dictionary meaning is from http://www.dictionary.com/

Reflections on Earth Hour

2009-04-02T01:44:00.001-04:00

Did you do your part last March 28? I did, rather, we did it as a family. My brother's family came over to have dinner with us, so all the lights in their house were turned off, and in our place, we only turned on the dining room light.

But this got me thinking. Earth Hour was only a symbol, a sign for those who have pledged that we're willing to do our part to save the Earth. It's a marketing device to raise environmental awareness. However, it shouldn't stop there. It should be a personal commitment from each of us to continue doing so in our daily living.

Doing our bit for the environment is not so hard, and in the end, nobody benefits but us. Nobody's telling us to deprive ourselves or to curtail our activities. We don't even have to donate money for the sharks and the pandas, if we don't care one whiff about them. But if we close the lights or turn off the air con when no one's in the room, no one's being inconvenienced and we lower the power bill. If we switch off the faucet in a proper way, we save water and reduce our water bill. If we use both sides of the paper or go paperless with our bills and books (go ebooks!), we save trees, increase the oxygen in the air and lower our supplies and entertainment expense.

Please share things that you do that helps both the environment and us! I'm interested to know, especially in these times when saving even one cent count! One cent may not seem like much, but if in ten things, you're able to save one cent each, that's ten cents!

No Internet: Good or Bad?

2009-03-30T10:38:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, my Internet connection became real slow. Yahoo mail took ages to load, I can't download anything at all (which sent me into a panic as I had some edits to do!) and after being given lots of erroneous advice by technicians we consulted, finally, last weekend, we sent in our modem for repair.

My experience has made me realize just how reliant I've become on the Internet. I panicked when I couldn't check my email, certain that my editor has sent me some wonderful news but which I couldn't receive because of my faulty modem. (It turned out she hadn't sent me any mail.) I couldn't do research for my blog or for hotels to accommodate relatives who'll be visiting us soon. I couldn't log in to play online World of Warcraft, my current addiction. I couldn't do lots of things I was able to do before...and there's this feeling as though my right arm had been cut off.

Still, there are advantages. I had more time to connect with my family and friends. I was able to write more (but I'm still behind deadline). I was able to indulge in cooking, for once, instead of opting to cook the simplest meal I know to save time to play more WOW.

There are two sides to every coin, just as there advantages and disadvantages to having no internet. My experience has opened my eyes, however, to the important things in life. So, I'm going to learn to balance my time between my family and writing, between health and play. Oh, did I mention I have plans to go to the gym? *g* Hope I can maintain the momentum, and become this Sexier You that I've been writing about. *g*

Release Date: At Long Last, Love

2009-03-26T11:23:00.000-04:00

I've finally got the release date for At Long Last, Love. It's on July 3, 2009! I'll blow my own horn this time, coz it's a great story. I totally love it. You'll know how much I love it coz I revised it again and again just to have it published.

So, I'm very pleased to be able to share this story with you. Here's the teaser blurb:

At Long Last, Love
By Madison Blake
All Rights Reserved

Journeying to the back of beyond to claim the inheritance left by his great-aunt, Tyler Morrison never expects to find hot, sizzling passion with a woman whose touch scorches him, who makes him ache like no one has before.

Elise longs for love, and she believes she has found it in Tyler, who delights in bringing her to the heights and soaring with her. Night after night, in the darkness where magic has the most potency, they indulge their insatiable appetites and satisfy their lusts. Yet, Elise harbors a deep secret, a secret that has the power to destroy the very thing she has ever wanted…

A Sexier You: Sex and Health

2009-03-20T11:39:00.000-04:00

The following post was first posted on the Six Sexy Sirens blog by yours truly. Five other authors also blog there. Check it out!

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Hi, and welcome to the Six Sexy Sirens blog! I'm sexy siren Madison Blake...nah...too formal. Sexy siren Madison. There. That sounds better. :)

Among other things, I aim to explore sex and health in my posts, in the interrelationship between the two, the fun facts and ways how you can unleash the sexy woman inside so you can become A Sexier You. I'm not an expert on this, however, so I'll be researching my information on the net and in books. I will list my references at the end of my posts, so you can go and read the article or book for yourself, if you're so inclined.

Okay, enough chit chat.

Where does sex fit with health?

1. Exercise. It's the best exercise thus far. Fun too! Normally, I hate to make a move away from the chair (in front of the computer), but there's nothing like a suggested romp in bed to... (uh, you get the picture) Making love three times a week burns around 7,500 calories in a year -- the equivalent of jogging 75 miles. A half hour of sex can help you burn about 150 calories. But the amount of calories burned depends, of course, on how vigorous the activity is, as we well know.

2. Heavy Breathing. This will raise the amount of oxygen in our cells. More oxygen, the better for all our organs to function at their best. Blood also flows faster to our heart and brain, resulting in better performance. Hmm...sometimes I was scolded for doing some stupid things. I wonder...

3. Cures headaches. The best reason thus far! At least for me. I can just imagine saying, "Honey, let's go to bed. You can help me cure my migraine." LOL Apparently, it acts as a pain reliever as it secretes a certain hormone, which releases the endorphins.

4. Stress Reliever. Don't you all feel relaxed afterwards? So nice and languid, with nary a worry in your head? Isn't it nice to cuddle and nap a little?

5. Increase Estrogen level and protect your heart. Lowers cholesterol.

6. Boost of immune system with every orgasm achieved (due to the hormone DHEA).

For your man: Leads to stronger bones and muscles, and protects his heart and prostate.

Bet you didn't know sex could have so many health benefits, do you? I certainly didn't! But now I do and...

References:

1. http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/nmomcare/0,,446m,00.html
2. http://love.ivillage.com/lnssex/0,,askmen_bgswkm45-3,00.html
3. http://slideshow.ivillage.com/health/more_sex_for_better_health/post_301.html

Erotic Emerald (Perhaps Love) - Out in Print

2009-03-19T08:26:00.000-04:00

I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from EC stating that my story "Perhaps Love" is now out in print together with all the other emerald stories! Needless to say, I ran over to the Jasmine-Jade website immediately to take a look, and there it is. Wow. I was speechless with awe and wonder. My first print book with EC. I never thought... Guess some things went over my head in the heady flush of being pubbed.

Erotic Emerald - an anthology of all the emerald stories published by EC.

I'm going to get my author copies right away!

Dealing with Frustration

2009-03-17T23:31:00.001-04:00

There's a lot to be frustrated about lately--the worsening economy, cheaters and deceivers, people getting funds they don't deserve, etc etc. My family life hasn't been peachy lately either, with so-called friends taking advantage of our hospitality last weekend (my family was left bewildered. Is this how guests are behaving these days?) and meeting rude people with absolutely no freaking manners to speak of.

Anyway, today, I came across a post made by Nathan Bransford on the frustration of the publishing business, which is one of the things that's been bothering me lately. Maybe because, as he said, I'm becoming fixated on the business, I'm placing higher-than-should-be expectations on it than is healthy, and I'm letting all these surround me and fill my head until I'm worried and anxious.

And maybe, it's time to stop awhile, smell the roses, and bond with the family. Relax, read a book and play World of Warcraft online. Celebrate a birthday, celebrate life.

Choked Up

2009-03-16T22:43:00.001-04:00

I really can't believe the nerve of these people. Even if the bonuses were promised before the company teetered on the brink of collapse, or before the bailout was approved, given the present circumstances, and especially as the bailout was given to help the company stay afloat, the bonuses should have been rescinded. Bonuses are given as reward for good performance, and I certainly don't see any reason for a bonus in this instance. Like President Obama, I'm "choked up with anger".

Secrets Unveiled: Michelle Pillow

2009-03-12T10:05:00.000-04:00

Hi Michelle, welcome to my blog! Michelle Pillow is a multi-published, award winning author writing in many romance fiction genres including futuristic, paranormal, historical, contemporary, fantasy and dark paranormal. She was the winner of the 2006 RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, nominated for the 2007 RT Award, a Brava Novella Contest Finalist and a PAN member of RWA.

Madison: Michelle, thank you for this short interview. Tell us please, what is one of your guilty pleasures, preferably non-food?

Michelle: Horror Movies. Right now I'm on a zombie kick. I love the genre.

Madison: What is one personal wish that you are still working toward, preferably non-writing related?

Michelle: That's hard because I want to do so much. I'd love to publish a photography book, photograph the Suicide Girls, be in a Zombie movie as a Zombie or another horror movie as the screaming chick who doesn't make it past the credits, touch a real castle, travel to each and every state/country...

Madison: Wow, that's a lot. Good luck. I hope you realize each one of them. What is one interesting tidbit about Realm Immortal that you can share with us?

Michelle: When the movie Labyrinth came out (spoilers coming), I had no idea who David Bowie was--only that I loved his eye makeup, lol. Yeah, I was that much of a music moron. Anyway, the movie was great but at the end, after he begs her to stay (sure it wasn't the best of offers) and begs her to love him, she left. I was irritated. Years later, I watched it again and was still irritated. So, thinking of this character and his "darkness", I slowly came up with the idea for Realm Immortal. I didn't rewrite the movie by any means, it was just the jumping off point for the idea---how someone living in "darkness" could possible hope to have anything more when it was clear he'd never truly leave the darkness. It's funny where ideas start and come from. It can be a mis-dialed number getting a cranky old lady or something as simple as a bug walking across the sidewalk.

Madison: Wow, I love that movie too! That's where I first knew David Bowie, and I love him there. I remember it was shown on TV on a weeknight, so I did my homework in a hurry so that I could watch. LOL Those were the days. Anyway, this means I definitely have to get this series!

Michelle's Realm Immortal Series was released from Samhain Publishing on March 6, 2009. The first book is King of the Unblessed, followed by Faery Queen, and the third book is Stone Queen.

Check out Michelle's website.

As a foretaste, here's a little something about King of the Unblessed.

King of the Unblessed

by Michelle Pillow

Blurb:

Merrick, dark elfin King of Valdis, had once been heir to all that was good—happiness and pleasure his domain. Now, trapped as the ruler of mischief, king of necessary evil, he stands on a precipice of choice. On one side, his estranged brother, now ruler of what should have been Merrick’s and, on the other, King Lucien of the Damned. Both would sway him. Damnation is winning.

Lady Juliana of Bellemare is from a human family, protected by the Blessed, coveted by the Damned. Betrothed to an old friend of her father’s, Juliana is resigned to living out her days close to her childhood home, longing for an adventure, never dreaming she’d get what she wished for. When her fiancé is murdered and the children of Bellemare are stolen, Juliana is sent on a quest in a strange realm where appearances are deceiving.

Merrick brings more adventure and passion than any woman could want. Can she withstand the temptations of the Unblessed king? The spell she weaves over him is more than he can resist and, desperate to be the one to rule her, Merrick offers her a choice; either come with him until he tires of her…or die.

Excerpt:

“You tricked me into giving my word. You manipulated me, Merrick.”

Merrick sighed, looking at Juliana’s back. She lay on his bed. The room was his, but he’d been letting her sleep there. Now that she had pledged her body, he would not be staying away. He’d been up most of the night with Lord Kalen and his men. After the guests had left, they sat around talking, strategizing. The bonfire was abandoned. It was just a simple warning that Ean’s men had been there.

“You look uncomfortable.” Merrick motioned his hand, giving her a nightdress. Her gown changed to a loose-fitting silk chemise with sheer sleeves. She’d already taken off the jewels and he saw them on the table next to her toiletries.

She tensed, pushing up from the bed. “I’m tired of you doing that. I want to dress myself. I want to pick my own clothes. I’m tired of looking like a…” Juliana’s mouth worked as if she tripped over the words. “Like a woman of low morals.”

“I dress you in the materials of an elfin queen,” Merrick stated. As he lay down, his clothing disappeared, leaving him naked. His crown faded into nothingness. He rested on his back, folding his hands behind his head. “Whores have no need of clothing.”

Juliana’s mouth worked, as she eyed his naked body. He winked at her, smiling. Fighting the urge to laugh, she asked, “Are you…saying you’re a…?”

“Man of low morals?” he prompted. “Most definitely. It comes with the crown.”

Juliana giggled, covering her mouth. She hit him lightly on the arm. “I’m angry with you. Stop making me laugh.”

“What is it I have done now?” Merrick sighed. Would she never be pleased?

“That old woman tonight, the one with the missing eye. She said that you kidnapped me to start a war.”

He said nothing.

“So it is true?” she said.

Merrick reached for her. She was always so quick to think the worst in him. But could he blame her? Everyone expected the worst out of him. He’d long ago stopped explaining himself, knowing it would do no good. For some reason, even as he resolved to let her think what she would of him, he found himself saying, “A war has started because I’ve taken you. I did not take you to start a war.”

“Then why did you take me?” She moved closer to him. Her hair spilled over her shoulders in a messy array of curls. She’d taken it down on her own, but he found he liked the messy imperfection and did not change it.

“Kiss me,” he said instead of answering. He expected her to refuse, but she didn’t. Crawling over to him, she lightly brushed her lips onto his, making a soft noise as they touched.

“I shouldn’t want you,” she said. “I don’t want to want you.”

“I know.”

“You killed my intended.” Juliana didn’t open her eyes. Her hair spilled along his face. “You’ve tricked me and manipulated me.”

“Don’t look to the past. It will never bring you peace.” Merrick closed his eyes. His body was aroused, but that was nothing new. He was always aroused by her. Her smell surrounded him, so sweet, so soft. She was so beautiful, the one thing he enjoyed looking at in his world of goblins and trolls. “Touch me, Juliana. I want you to make love to me.”

Merrick wanted her to get used to him, wanted her to touch him when she had the urge to do so, to not hold back. Juliana feared her feelings for him. Humans were strange creatures when it came to passion. They treated it like a curse. How could something that felt so wonderful, so completing, be a curse?

© copyright Michelle M. Pillow, October 2004

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Secrets Unveiled: Taylor Tryst on Body Candy

2009-03-08T03:48:00.000-04:00

Today, we have Taylor Tryst guesting here at my blog. Taylor is a well-known author with lots of masterpieces under her belt, and her recent offering is entitled Body Candy, which is part of the Sweet Candy theme from Elllora's Cave.

Madison: Taylor, to start off this very short interview, give us one of your guilty pleasures. Non-food, please.

Taylor: Reading, sometimes I can't focus on my work and I lose myself in a great book. I love bubble baths as well, and sometimes I live on the edge and read while taking a bubble bath, but I don't get that crazy that often. :}

Madison: What is one personal wish that you are still working toward, preferably non-writing related?

Taylor: I guess if I really break it down and was honest about it, my personal wish is writing related, but it's my one major goal for 2009 and it's important to me. I want to face a personal trauma that happened three years ago and write about it. I not only want to do this because I hope it's a cathartic experience, but to help anyone else who might endure the same tragedy and to maybe help prevent it from occurring in the future, though I realize that I can't do that single-handedly.

Madison: Last question. I did say this is going to be a very short interview. *grin* Give us one interesting tidbit about Body Candy.

Taylor: The one thing that stands out in my mind is that the hero, Brody Burkett's last name is actually the middle name of a very dear friend of mine. He is named after his grandfather Burkett, and I just loved the name because it's such a tough guy name. Totally Alpha male.

Thanks for interviewing me and allowing me to have a guest spot on your blog, Madison.

For more of Taylor Tryst, check out her website and her blog.

Body Candy
by Taylor Tryst
All Rights Reserved

Sophia Maddox is not only living her dream, but her fantasies, creating edible Body Candy to aid in sexual fulfillment. Until a sexy detective knocks on her door and threatens to expose her secrets. Little does he know, Sophie will do anything to protect those secrets, even using him as a sexual guinea pig for her newest candy creation.

Though not what he seems, Brody Burkett must investigate a murder, save his silent partner, and prevent his death. But add Sophie to the mix and his sweet tooth—and desire for her—can’t be satiated, even with both of their lives in danger.

Excerpt:

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Sophie demanded after watching him snoop for a moment before she could react to his obnoxious behavior.

The nerve of this guy.

Cocky, arrogant…SOB.

“Do you mind?” Sophie asked.

“Do you?” the detective retorted, shooting her a sideways glance.

Sophie grabbed her address book from the detective and popped it closed. Not deterred, he pulled open her desk drawer and riffled through a stack of paperwork.

“Pens, paper clips, pink Post-Its.” Trevor picked up a stack of notes and flipped through them like a deck of cards. “Little anal?”

“Is that a double entendre, Detective?”

“It wouldn’t be little,” Trevor said, giving her a flash of perfect teeth and a killer grin.

His smile, Sophie thought, was brilliant and beautiful, dangerous.

No other word for it really. That grin, the way it softened his face, the way it carried to those golden-green eyes, made her belly flip-flop.

The way it put her back up and made chills dance over her flesh, made her breath catch in her throat. Yeah, this guy was dangerous.

“Get out,” Sophie demanded. She glared at him with her eyes squinted together in suspicion. Anger drew a line between her brows, though she knew it wasn’t a good look for her. No, that was her sister Brenna’s department.

Being angry all the time.

“Something to hide, Sophie?” Trevor asked, not so much as budging when she glared and tried to step between him and her desk.

Trevor gave her a half-assed grin and depressed the button to power up her laptop. “Because it seems, from my point of view, like you have something to hide.”

“Get out.”

Trevor ignored her demand and opened the file cabinet drawer while waiting for the computer to do its thing. “Tax returns,” he noted. “Which might come in handy. Receipts and bank statements.” He fumbled through the drawer, frowning. “No names, no addresses or phone numbers of business associates?”

“That’s none of your damned business.” Sophie plucked the power cord from her laptop. She reached out to swipe the actual computer away from him but he was too fast.

“I’ll just be a second,” Trevor said. He snatched the Compaq up and crowded her. He turned his back and used the size of his body to block her from retrieving it, reminding her of a grade school bully.

“That’s it. I’m calling the police.” Sophie grabbed at the phone on her desk. “I’ll have you fired for this. You don’t even have a warrant. You have no right to be here, no right to harass me like this.”

“I’d notify Zeb first if I were you, Sophie. He has one dead partner, one missing and he’s next.” Trevor sighed when the screen on the laptop indicated that he needed a password and turned those dangerously perceptive eyes upon her. “Shot six times. I’d say somebody’s not happy with their business practices.”

Sophie tried to hide her surprise, her fear but she knew he’d caught both flash across her face.

Apprehensively, she eyed the man she’d let into her home.

He wasn’t a cop. Couldn’t be a cop, she thought, realizing he was all but ransacking her office space.

Sophie took a step back, through the double doors, realizing what she’d done. She’d let a complete stranger into her house in the middle of the afternoon, with no neighbors nearby to hear her scream.

Banker Distributed $60million

2009-02-26T01:46:00.001-05:00

Did you hear the story about how banker Leonard Abess took $60million out of his own pocket and distributed it to his former and current employees as a one-time bonus?

I find his story both inspiring and heartwarming, full of humanity. Where bosses talk about valuing their employees, here is a concrete example that I wish more employers would follow. Words are good, but hard cash is more appreciated in this day and times.

Health: On Aging

2009-02-25T10:59:00.000-05:00

I've never really given much thought to this before. Normally, I just ignore it, preferring to live my life blithely through and thinking to cross that bridge when I get there.

But.

I am aging everyday, slowly, minute by minute, cell by cell. It's an inescapable fact of life. However, if we take care of our health, through the right diet, exercise, etc, we can delay this process. We can then enjoy a higher quality of life.

We have to start building our defenses now. Now. No more procrastination. No more tomorrows or laters. Now. The buzzword is NOW.

There's a website wherein you can test your real age, based on your age, lifestyle, genetics, etc. http://www.realage.com/ I've just taken the test and I'm older than my biological age. :( Time to take the vitamin supplements and hit the gym. Well, maybe not the gym. Maybe I'll go brisk walking instead everyday. Wonder if that's enough.

Right now, I'm reading this fabulously wonderful book called "You: Staying Young (The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty)" by Mehmet C. Oz, MD and Michael F. Roizen, MD. I'll share important points that I glean from this book, but there's no beating getting this book yourself and reading it. There's lots of important info that I've never known before and tips and exercise suggestions to improve our health and delay the rate of aging.

And no, I don't get any commission or whatever from recommending this book. :)

More next Wednesday.

Men Are Like...

2009-02-23T09:10:00.000-05:00

My male cousin sent me this, and I thought I'd share. Not the whole thing, but just the ones that made me laugh out loud.

For all those men who say, Why buy a cow when you can get milk for free? Here's an update for you: Nowadays, 80% of women are against marriage. WHY? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage.

Men are like Chocolate Bars ... Sweet, smooth, &they usually head right for your hips.

Men are like Snowstorms ... You never know when they're coming, how many inches you'll get or how long it will last.

No offense meant to the men in our lives. We know there are plenty of jokes out there aimed at women too. Anyway, just a little something to brighten your day. :)

Sex Symphony

2009-02-18T08:33:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love love love The Lord of the Rings. I've watched the three movies countless times, and no, it's not just Legolas or Aragorn who are drawing me to watch. *grin* I guess my attraction to it is a combination of many factors, but mainly, it's the fantasy and the magic that drew me again and again to Middle Earth. The concept of the one ring that bound them all, in one way or another, caught my mind. Hence was born the one violin that ruled the characters all in lust.

Sex Symphony
By Madison Blake
All Rights Reserved
Get it here.

Blurb:

Book 1 of Musical Aphrodisiac

A magic violin that rules them all in lust…

Chelsea is enthralled by the magnetic violinist Kyle Montgomery, and at the first pure notes that trilled into the night, she is bombarded by a lust so powerful she lost her breath. She loses control of her body, and she hungers constantly for the hardness of a man's arms around her. To confound her further, she finds herself attracted to the equally compelling brilliant composer Grant Thornton...who dislikes her.

Bound by the magic that flows from the violin, the three are inexorably drawn to one another to assuage their deepest needs. But when the notes fade away, who will be left to play the symphony?

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes with same-gender sex.

Excerpt (Adult):

“But…but…” Grant sputtered, seemingly unable to find the words he wanted. “I thought we agreed last night’s performance would be the last time.”

Kyle’s warm, gray orbs rested on her face, caressing and it seemed they were the only two people in the world. “I spoke too soon. I think we might yet find what we’re looking for.”

“Here?” As though from a far distance, she heard Grant’s voice filled with dismay, then he muttered, “Fine but we’re going upstairs immediately after you come down off the stage.”

Chelsea caught her breath as Kyle reached out a hand and gently brushed his thumb over her cheek. “You know what to do, Grant.”

A moment’s silence full of rich meaning she couldn’t comprehend, then Grant’s voice, thick with disbelief. “You think it’s her?”

Kyle hesitated. “Maybe. Watch over her.” Then he whirled around and strode up onto the stage.

Chelsea collapsed back against her seat, drained. What was that all about? The conversation between the men confused her but more bewildering was the effect Kyle had on her. Every time she looked at him, especially when he was looking back or like right now, when he touched her, the focus of her world appeared to narrow to just him and her. There was only one time when her whole being had been consumed totally by one man and when he had left this world five years ago, she’d never thought she’d feel anything remotely like it ever again.
But it seemed she had.

What did that mean?

She shivered and the shiver intensified when her ears caught the first, pure note that trilled from the direction of the stage. She glanced up and she was caught much the same way as she had been a week ago at the concert.

Kyle looked magnificently…male, even cradling the violin as he did. Sinfully seductive. Blatantly sensual. He looked straight at her as he played and across the short distance, she imagined his gaze blazing with lust and need. The same desires that were running through her veins at this moment, making her wet and throbbing. Her nipples hardened and pushed against the soft cloth of her dress, the tight buds sensitive and aching horribly. The ache intensified with each note that poured from Kyle’s skillful hands and lust and yearning crashed within her in violent waves. She shook from the maelstrom raging within, her pussy pulsing with urgency and she had the insane urge to rush the stage, tear his clothes from him, impale herself upon him and ride him until this crazy longing was satisfied. She had the nasty feeling that in another few moments she wouldn’t be able to control her actions.

What was happening to her? Through the lust-soaked haze enveloping her, she realized that whatever she was experiencing now felt vaguely familiar…

Someone touched her arm and she cried out, her skin so sensitized lust rippled through her at the contact. Grant was staring at her, his eyes wild, his nostrils flaring and a deep flush staining his cheeks. “You feel it too?”

She didn’t pretend to misunderstood what he was asking. “Yes.”

“My God,” he breathed, his blue eyes glittering. “It’s really you.”

“Wha—” She cried out as another swell of desire rose up in her.

“Listen to me. Make some excuse—ladies’ room or whatever—and wait for me outside the door—”

“No—” Even with the lust interfering with her senses, she still remembered he disliked her without reason and because of that, she didn’t like him either. She certainly wasn’t going anywhere with him—

“It’s for your own good,” he rasped urgently as he leaned close to her. “For all our sakes.”

“Doesn’t everybody—”

“No— Yes, some—” He broke off. “I’ll explain later. Now go.”

“I don’t—” She stopped in mid-sentence as lust hit her hard, causing her to jerk slightly in her seat. At the back of her mind, she noted that it coincided with the crescendo in Kyle’s music.

“Look,” Grant said in a rough whisper. “This thing that’s pulsing in you? There’s only one way to make it go away and you won’t get it by masturbating the whole night long or having sex with countless men. It’ll come back to haunt you again and again, each time more intense, until you won’t care where you are, who you’re doing it with, how you’re doing it, as long as you can scratch the itch.”

~* ~ * ~ *~

Want to read more? Get it here.

Visit my website. For updated news and releases of my books, join my low-volume yahoogroup for quarterly newsletters. Follow me on my blog. As always, I love to hear from you (madison@thelovechronicle.com)!

Happy Valentine's Day...

2009-02-14T09:45:00.000-05:00

to everyone! What are you doing on this day of hearts? This day is not just for couples, but for singles as well. Take a moment to wind down from your busy schedule and indulge yourself with a long, hot soak then curl up with a good book to read.

And I'm suggesting my very own Playing For Real which garnered a Reviewer Top Pick rating. Yay! Heather judged it a keeper (4.5 rating out of 5.0)! Whoo hoo!

Here is what Heather said, "Ms. Blake pens a passionate story with entertaining and intriguing characters and steamy romance. She has created believable, fleshed out characters that seems to jump of the page and an imaginative plot that reaches out and hold your attention... This is a page-turner that I didn’t want to put down and a fabulous addition to my keeper collection. I definitely recommend this book and can’t wait to read it again."

Wow. Thanks, Heather!

So, here's Playing For Real.

Shelli can never have foreseen how one revised board game is going to change her life forever.

It all begins when she prepares to attend her company’s annual dinner and dance party with her best friends, Adrian and Ethan, but she gets more than she bargains for when lust hits her right between the eyes the moment she catches them in flagrante delicto. She is so shocked she denies the attraction and thinks herself a voyeur, then is totally thrown out of her depth when she is tormented by fantasies of threesomes. But how can she risk their long-time friendship for sex?

Adrian and Ethan are happy as a couple, but they want Shelli too. After several failed seduction maneuvers, they decide to give it one last try by seducing her with an erotic board game especially designed to set them all afire.

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes with same-gender sex.

Read an Excerpt.

Get it here.

Backache

2009-02-05T08:48:00.000-05:00

Recently, a certain spot in the middle of my back started aching. It's a little off to the right of my spine. At first, I thought it was my spine, but upon closer examination, it wasn't. Thank goodness! I was thinking it might be due to some unhealthy positions I've adopted, which must have wrenched my back muscles somehow.

Or is old age creeping up on me?

Persistence

2009-02-05T00:49:00.001-05:00

Writing is a solitary journey. Oh, we do alleviate it by having critique groups, brainstorming sessions, beta readers and such, but in essence, no one sits with us in front of the computers and cheer us on while we write. Or hold our hands, for that matter.

That's why, it's so easy to get discouraged sometimes, when sales are low, when our characters are not behaving as they should and mess up the plot, when we get stuck in a scene because our muse deserts us.

And I take heart from this story of an elderly woman who just wouldn't give up. She's taken and failed her driver's license exam for 771 times, and yet, she's going for the 772nd time!

It makes me think about going for my own drivers' license exam again...

Psychic Heat Release Date

2009-02-04T08:09:00.000-05:00

This just in! Yay!

Psychic Heat will be released on April 17, 2009!

Featured Author at TRS Blue

2009-01-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all,

I'm a featured author at TRS Blue! Check me out:

http://theromancestudio.com/blue/who15.php

Psychic Heat

2009-01-10T04:36:00.001-05:00

Yay! Just finished the edits for Psychic Heat! It's hot, it's sizzling, it's set in outer space, and the main characters have psychic talents!

Here's something to whet your appetite:

Telepath journeywoman Rhiane loves her job as a translator at the Federation of Intergalactic Commerce. When she starts to experience frequent blackouts, she’s terrified that her psychic powers are fading. She seeks the help of Master Healer Morgan, only to realize that he and his lover Jaden were the men with whom she had a magnificent, unforgettable one-night stand six months ago...a night she couldn't forget, but never wanted to remember...

Attraction flares anew, and this time, Morgan and Jaden are not taking the chance that she would disappear from their lives once again, no matter the cost, no matter how hard she resists. However, dread chills their spines when they discover that Rhiane’s blackouts may not simply be due to work-related stress, but that someone may have a sinister motive for deliberately tampering with her mind…

And this book contains hawt man-love!

Playing For Real

2009-01-06T09:28:00.000-05:00

I just received a new review for Playing For Real from Literary Nymphs.

Scandalous Minx enjoyed the story. Hey, she gave me a 3.5!

"Playing For Real will stir your sex drive into overtime while delivering a happily-ever-after moment capable of leaving a smile on your face."

Read more about it here.

$1 ebooks!

2009-01-05T21:04:00.001-05:00

I got the above post from Angela James' blog.

Orbit is offering one book for a $1 download each month. So, if you love fantasy/sci fi books, head on over there now! I checked it out, and the first book on offer is The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks, of which I had heard so much about. Best of all, you can buy it from a number of retailers, including Amazon, BooksOnBoard, Diesel eBooks, eReader, Mobipocket, Sony, Fictionwise and Stanza.

Sex Symphony Release Date

2009-01-04T23:15:00.000-05:00

Woo hoo!

Sex Symphony will be released in time for Valentine's Day, on February 18, 2009!

One and a half more months to go...

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T23:04:00.000-05:00

Peace and prosperity to all!

I spent the eve of New Year slogging in my day job, which turned into an all-nighter for that particular day. I got home at 3am and missed the new year celebration and fireworks. I slept until 10am, then went over to my friends' house and was inducted into the online World of Warcraft.

Fun! Now, I'm thinking whether I should join or not. If I do, it's going to be addicting and I'm sure it would take much time away from writing. If I don't, um... I'm going to miss out on a lot of fun. I guess if I could control myself, it'll be okay to join. However, there's a monthly fee to pay, and human nature--or my character--dictates that I should get the most out of it, meaning, spend as much time online as possible, which would take time away from writing and editing and updating my website and newsletter and blogging.

Hmmm....tough decision. I'm leaving it for another day.

New Year's Resolution

2008-12-24T00:16:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again—the making of New Year Resolutions.

I've thought about it—whether I should make one or not. For the past several years, I've been making a list of resolutions for the coming year, and I'd keep them faithfully for the first few days…then struggling for next weeks…then forgetting about them totally by the time the end of February rolled around.

So, I debated with myself. Should I make one this year?

I decided.

Yes, I will.

The New Year signifies a new beginning, a time wherein past failures are wiped away, and one is given a second chance to do better. I am given a second chance to keep to my weight-loss program (all fingers and toes crossed), to attend the gym faithfully (though I may cancel my membership in light of recent economic upheavals), to learn to bake cakes (finally! been breaking that resolution for two years now) and not to jump to the ending when reading a book halfway (I still couldn't resist).

I want to develop my patience, to be more thoughtful and kind and caring, not that I'm not, but I want to be more. I guess what I want is to develop my character, and I know I need to be more concrete on how I'm going to do that, but examples escape me at the moment, except for the patience thing, wherein I can practice that by not reading the end of the book first. So authors, could you help me out by not making your books so exciting?

But more than that, I want to count the blessings that I've received this year. Some things which we take for granted, but which are actually gifts--great gifts--that we never realized until they are taken away from us, and for me, those are my family and my health. Also, in this recent economic upheavals, I thank God that I still have my day job to pay the bills and support my writing.

What else? Hmmm...I think that's enough for now. I already have my hands full for the next year.

Happy holidays to everyone!

2008-12-22T11:06:00.000-05:00

And peace and prosperity and health in the coming new year!

Sex Symphony

2008-12-21T00:17:00.000-05:00

Here's my fabulous (bigger) cover art:

Book 1 of Musical Aphrodisiac

A magic violin that rules them all in lust…

Chelsea is enthralled by the magnetic violinist Kyle Montgomery, and at the first pure notes that trilled into the night, she is bombarded by a lust so powerful she lost her breath. She loses control of her body, and she hungers constantly for the hardness of a man's arms around her. To confound her further, she finds herself attracted to the equally compelling brilliant composer Grant Thornton...who dislikes her.

Bound by the magic that flows from the violin, the three are inexorably drawn to one another to assuage their deepest needs. But when the notes fade away, who will be left to hold the violin and play the symphony?

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes with same-gender sex.

Updates:

Edits done and sent over to my editor.

My First Post

2008-12-20T01:17:00.000-05:00

I've been bitten by the blogging bug, and I've finally set up a blog of my own!