Tell me what you're up to, Jacob Louder!

Just before I post today's interview I want to note that author interviews aren't posted immediately, so it looks like the freebie mentioned in this one is no longer available for free (but you can certainly buy a copy--looks like a bargain).


Now, tell me what you're up to, Jacob Louder!

Jacob Louder:
So, I'm kind of stoked because my tiny erotic novella First is available as a free download on Amazon until Thursday. I tried to make this thing as queer and as dark and as Dennis Cooper-inspired as possible. I really fucking hope I succeeded.

Got a new book out? What's it called?

Jacob Louder:
First

Tell me about it.

Jacob Louder:
Okay, well, here's the blurb courtesy of Go Deeper Press:
For Nico, queer is everything. He comes from queer, he lives as queer, and now he’s having queer sex and, to his surprise, with many willing parties—his closest friend, his punk rock crush, his clique’s worst enemy, and the female-identified Robbie, who’s coming out in ways that are leaving friends and family in dismay. But Nico, who has no shame about sex, operates in “life queer” ways, taking what he needs for the people who need it and spying in on situations that most would have him think unnatural. The safety of having sex without judgment is compelling and exhilarating for Nico, but what will he do when his loved ones are threatened by a world that denounces his life choices?

Where can readers find you?

Jacob Louder:
http://www.jtlouder.com

Tell me what you're up to, TK Hansen!

TK Hansen
Writing. Always writing . . .
Got the book published on Smashwords. Amazon refused it because of the adult content. Their guidelines appear to have changed considering what they have sold in the past! Can't please everyone I suppose, ho hum.

Giselle
Amazon's picky about stupid stuff--I had a book blocked because the word "virgin" appeared in the blurb. Not that they'll ever tell you exactly what the trigger was. Usually it isn't the content that'll get your book banned, but rather the blurb containing some word they've red-flagged or the cover being too explicit. Tricky stuff.
Anyway, got a new book out?

TK Hansen
Final Night

Giselle
Tell me about it.

TK Hansen
A transgender crime story. Very adult content.
Sandra Kirk is trying to come to terms with a violent sexual assault. She is part way along the difficult road to gender reassignment, still in the merry-go-round of psychological assessment.
Fortunately, she has supportive friends, although they are troubled that she must resort to selling herself for sex in order to raise the necessary capital to complete the gender transformation in Thailand. The end - as Sandra is fond of saying, perhaps to convince herself - justifies the means.
Then her boyfriend takes her on a business trip to the Isle of Wight where, to her horror, she encounters the two people who assaulted and raped her.
From the depths of her anguish she evolves a plan to pay them back for the pain and humiliation they have caused her ...

Giselle
Wow, that sounds kick-ass! Where can readers buy it?

TK Hansen
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/520318

Giselle
Where can readers find you?

TK Hansen
My own website: http://bit.ly/1A8rgze
Free short stories on there too. Generous or what :)

Giselle
Thanks so much for telling us about your book!

Tell Me What You're Up To, Kate Karrington

Hey everybody! Sorry I missed last Tell Me What You're Up To Tuesday. Believe it or not, I got a REAL JOB.

Don't worry. It's over now. And let us never speak of these dark days again.

So, on with the show. This is it.


Tell Me What You're Up To, Kate Karrington!

Kate Karrington: Well, my partner does all the cooking so I have an easy life... sort of.

Right now what I'm up to is trying to put my 2nd book down onto paper — well, down onto the screen :) which is hard because I don't have any reviews yet on my first erotic fiction title: The Fourth Floor, so it's difficult to know if I did it right... or wrong. If readers like it, I'll do some more. If they don't, I'll try something different. I'm a bit of an erotica virgin but I'm more than willing to learn!

What else I'm up to: walking my dog in the rain, so he can come back in and shake all over the cat. Naughty boy! He's big and black and beautiful and gentle and I love him. The cat, however, could take him or leave him...

Thank for the opportunity to share this with you!

Got a new book out? What's it called?

Kate Karrington: The Fourth Floor by Kate Karrington

Tell me about it.

Kate Karrington: WHEN SCHOOL TURNS SINISTER
Girl-on-girl, groups, exhibitionism, blindfolds and bondage… Journalist Sophie finds even her sexual appetite is pushed to the limit at the elite and mysterious School, where every kind of sex is on the curriculum. Sophie’s assignment with Sam — sexy, smouldering Sam — means going under cover with him to investigate a missing girl.

Soon Sophie is in dangerous territory, in every way: falling in love with Sam, delving into her own boundless sexuality and discovering more pleasure than she thought possible. She also discovers the fourth floor of The School hides a dark and terrifying secret. When things turn sinister, Sophie finds she is the hunted and not the hunter. Different Game. Higher stakes. Can she survive to tell the story?

Warning: This title contains explicit sex scenes: f/f sex, group sex, some anal and some bondage.

All reviews appreciated. Thanks for your time!

Where can readers buy it?

Kate Karrington: http://www.excessica.com/books/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=751

Where can readers find you?

Kate Karrington: Still working on a blog. Watch this space! But I can be contacted at karringtonkate@ymail.com

Or, of course, the Excessica site, if you fancy leaving a review: http://www.excessica.com/books/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=751

Tell me what you're up to, Tonya Kinzer!

Hello, my friends! Just a heads-up before we begin today's interview: I won't be around much this week, so if you don't see me tweeting as much as usual, there's nothing to worry about.

Okay, interview time! On with the show!


Giselle: Tell me what you're up to, Tonya Kinzer!

Tonya Kinzer: Doing promo for my latest release on Jan 23, Dreams Do Come True, bk 1 in the lesbian romance series, Through His Lens about a photographer and the models in his circle.

Giselle: Got a new book out? What's it called?

Tonya Kinzer: Dreams Do Come True

Giselle: Tell me about it.

Tonya Kinzer: Sandi’s career has taken off as a model and she loves her photographer…just not the way he wished she did. The men of her past abused her one too many times and the one woman in her life is being treated the same way. Can she get Kiera away from her abusive relationship and show her what true love really is? The two of them have been roommates for two years where Sandi has been forced to comfort her each time she’s been abused. Determined to put a stop to the abuse, Sandi has to show Kiera a new relationship already exists for her and that love can be better in HER arms.

Giselle: Where can readers buy it?

Tonya Kinzer: http://www.tonyakinzer.com/dreamsdocometrue

Giselle: Where can readers find you?

Tonya Kinzer: http://www.tonyakinzer.com/mybooks.htm

Tell me what you're up to, Kenn Dahll

Kenn Dahll! Long time, no talk. Tell me what you're up to!

Kenn Dahll: Getting used to semi-retirement. Writing as much as I can but getting discouraged by poor sales. looking at publishers other than Excessica that have calls out for anthology submissions. The reimbursement is poor but there are no cover costs. WIP is a BDSM story.

I hear that. I got an royalty statement that came in at 7 cents today, so... I understand discouraging. That was on a royalty-paying anthology. Anyhoo, got a new book out? What's it called?

Kenn Dahll: Spanish Seductions: Raul

Tell me about it.

Kenn Dahll: It's the fifth and final story in the series about Raul's adventures as a bastard son of a nobleman in 16th century Spain. Lots of sex, some BDSM, and a violence in the series; but hey, it's the time of the Inquisition!

Oh my gawwwd, that sounds mouthwatering. Where can readers buy it?

Kenn Dahll: http://www.excessica.com/books/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13&products_id=813&zenid=8d6c84201e6e1519824e1e062c98f5e4

Where can readers find you?

Kenn Dahll: kdahll69@hotmail.com

Thanks so much!

Tell Me What You're Up To, Lilith Lo!

It's "Tell Me What You're Up To Tuesday." Sorry I missed last week, by the way. I was out of town and thought I'd post when I got home at 4 in the afternoon. Walked through my door, cleaned out the litter boxes, crashed on the couch. That was it. I was out for the night.

Anyhoo, today's guest is Lilith Lo!

Giselle: Tell Me What You're Up To, Lilith Lo!

Lilith Lo: Morning Giselle :) I can feel the heat from Canada all the way down here! Fabulous work.

On the stove - is a mess I need to clean up from when I made coffee this morning and spilled the sugar. :)

On the books - I'm writing two series. One has become known as Thor Porn. The official series title is Gods of Lust. Book 1, Rapture, will be released in late March. I grew a bit weary of Thor being delivered sans erotica time and again.

The second series is Vespa's Sapiens. Book 1 is available now. A sci-fi series that puts the Sexy in World Domination.

On the Roundabout - I have a list of things to do that's a mile long. Every day I work morning to night and somehow I've only managed to slip further behind!

Giselle: Got a new book out? What's it called?

Lilith Lo: Relax

Giselle: Done. Now tell me about this book LOL

Lilith Lo: A couple trapped in a sexually repressed marriage sought out sex therapy - and then discovers a new passion while putting their counselor's suggestions into practice.

Giselle: I love couples trapped in sexually repressed marriages! Where can readers buy it?

Lilith Lo: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TCIFP5Q?tag=dondes-20

Giselle: Where can readers find you?

Lilith Lo: Website: www.lilithlo.weebly.com
Twitter: @lilithsirinlo

Tell me what you're up to, Lisabet Sarai

Tell me what you're up to, Lisabet Sarai!


Lisabet Sarai: Book 2 of my DS Duos series came out the first week in February. I'm trying to find time to promo, but my "real" job is sucking up an awful lot of time.

My biggest news is that I just got two contracts from LadyLit Publishing for lesbian fiction. This will be my first standalone F/F books and I'm pretty excited. One book is a collection of short stories called HER OWN DEVICES. The other is a brand new paranormal fantasy entitled THE WITCHES OF GLOUCESTER.

Got a new book out? What's it called?

Lisabet Sarai: DS Duos Book 2

Tell me about it.

Lisabet Sarai: DS Duos Book 2 continues Lisabet Sarai's incendiary series with two more intense BDSM short stories. In "Never Too Late", a middle-aged wife and mother encounters the Master of whom she's secretly dreamed all her life. In "Just a Spanking", a dominant provides an answer to the question he's asked his long-time submissive: could you come from just a spanking? Also includes a spicy F/F BDSM excerpt from Lisabet's erotic thriller EXPOSURE.

Where can readers buy it?

Lisabet Sarai: http://www.amazon.com/D-S-Duos-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00T8G2IMU?tag=dondes-20

Where can readers find you?

Lisabet Sarai:

http://www.lisabetsarai.com
http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83387.Lisabet_Sarai
https://www.amazon.com/author/lisabetsarai

Thanks, Giselle!

Thank you too!

Tell Me What You're Up To, Barrie Abalard

Hi, Barrie! Tell me what you're up to.

Barrie Abalard:

Hi Giselle! :)

We finally got rid of our home in the Northeast USA and now live in a small ranch in the Appalachian foothills, far from the city. We're better off financially, have better weather and better views (LOL), are closer to family, and are part of a wonderful college town. Just a better life, although I miss a lot of people. The last few years held so much stress and health challenges that I was unable to write at all. But I'm eager to get back to it.

Giselle: Okay--I'm jealous that you have a ranch. I'm just going to come right out and say it. Good to hear you're getting back to writing, too. Got a new book out?

Barrie Abalard:

I'm planning to re-release a whole lot of old books, as well as some new material later in 2015. Most of the old material is spanking stories--some short stories, some novels, all of it some flavor of romance. I need to revise, recompile, make new covers, and so on. I'll get there. Titles include Just Spank It, Poker Brat, Licked, and my Alaska (Emily and Bear) series.

The new stuff I'm writing is S&M ish, more out there, more pain slut oriented. I've already started working on the unfinished novel.

Giselle Renarde: OMG "pain slut"... I want it now! NOW! It's just cruel, making me wait like this. *sigh* Okay, so where can we find you?

Barrie Abalard:

www.barrieabalard.com, though the site's pretty outdated. Books that I currently have available will be there with links. I'm an excessica author: http://www.excessica.com/books/. Or, you can search for me on Amazon.

Thank you, Giselle. Mwah!

Giselle: Thank YOU for stopping by, Barrie. I don't think we've had any back-and-forth in like... three or four years? Or longer? Probably around the same time I updated my Wix site, LOL. Glad I'm not the only one.

Tell me what you're up to, Abi Aiken!

Giselle: Hi Abi! Tell me what you're up to... (What's cooking? Personally, professionally, on the stove, whatever)

Abi Aiken: I've been keep so busy lately co-writing with my friend in the US, Rozlyn Sparks! We're writing erotic romance stories, focussing at the moment on MFM ménage. We might just have a little bit of MFF coming up as well, but you didn't hear it from me!

Co-writing with Rozlyn is so awesome,too! The girl is seriously naughty, which helps because I am so sweet and innocent and don't know anything about anything at all. *Pouty pouty, blinky blinky*

Giselle: You and me both. heh. Got a new book out? What's it called?

Abi Aiken: Indulgence: A Valentine's Day Romance

Giselle: Never too late for V-Day. Tell me about it.

Abi Aiken: Psychology student Graciela believes she has everything a girl could ask for, including the love of the caring and thoughtful Jamie. But way down deep, she has a secret desire. One she can’t tell Jamie about. One she can barely admit to having.

Graciela fantasizes about dirty anonymous sex with more than one man. And with her healthy dose of Catholic guilt, the dream plays havoc with her mind.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, her boyfriend Jamie has organized the ultimate gift for his gorgeous exotic lady...and it won’t be flowers or chocolate.

It starts with a silk blindfold. And it ends with four strong hands, two hot mouths, and one very lucky woman.

Giselle: Where can readers buy it?

Abi Aiken: http://tinyurl.com/pvzoxc8

Giselle: Where can readers find you?

Abi Aiken:

https://www.facebook.com/abi.aiken
https://www.facebook.com/abiaikenauthor
https://twitter.com/AbiAiken

Tell Me What You're Up To Tuesday with Kay Brandt

Tell me what you're up to... (What's cooking? Personally, professionally, on the stove, whatever)

Kay Brandt: I have nothing in my 'frig so I'm making fluffy, buttery scrambled eggs for dinner tonight. Something so satisfying about that to me. Beyond the kitchen I have a new book coming out on Friday the 13th--an erotic farce featuring an all-female cast of horny lesbian lawyers wanting to feast upon the naked flesh of their innocent intern girls. It's based on an erotic film series I wrote/directed from 2009-2010 for Girlfriends Films called Lesbian Legal. If you like steamy romance set to comedy, this should satisfy.

Got a new book out? What's it called?

Kay Brandt: Lusty Lawyers and their Innocent Interns, Vol. 1: Spanked by the Boss

Tell me about it.

Kay Brandt: I think I just did :) Older, sexy lesbians desiring younger, beautiful lesbians, or girls, anyway, within a high profile law firm. They spank relentlessly as a sexual power trip to teach order and discipline to their staff. It's not simply a romp, though. There is a story :)

Where can readers buy it?

http://www.excessica.com/books/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=130

Where can readers find you?

Facebook: Kay Brandt/ Jewelbox films

Twitter: @jewelboxfilms

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7979109.Kay_Brandt

Meet Me At Beth's Place

Just a quickie post to let you know I'll be chatting with Elizabeth Black at Beth Wylde's Yahoo group on June 4th 2013 between noon and 6pm.  It's Pride Month and there's lots going on at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/ so do stop by her group throughout the month... especially on Tuesday June 4th when I'll be there to chat with you!

New Option for Authors: Advertise with Donuts and Desires

I've been toying with the idea of offering ad space here at Donuts and Desires for years, and every time I've thought about it I've ended up talking myself out of it. Why? Well, when I was a "young" author ("new" author might be a better way of putting it) I was always on the lookout for free promotional opportunities. Heck, I still am. That's why I've been committed to providing free promo ops to other authors for as long as I've had this blog.

Here's the thing: I've been listening in on a lot of back room chats among authors like myself, and what I've gleaned in recent months is that authors are looking for affordable ad space at blogs readers AND other authors frequent (like this one).

Promo opportunities, like my Quick Six interviews, my holiday "Festive Frenzy" and the various LGBTQ-oriented promotional possibilities I make available throughout the year are fun, BUT... authors want more--banner ads, static cover ads, image-oriented advertising that stays up on a blog for months at a time.

So this time when I rolled the idea of offering ad space at Donuts and Desires around in my brain, I decided not to talk myself out of it.

That's right, starting now I'm opening up AFFORDABLE ad space at Donuts and Desires.

What's available?

At the moment, we've got 3 options:

Cover Ads

Your cover ad will appear on the sidebar at Donuts and Desires--ABOVE my own book covers on the first row and ABOVE my antho covers on the second! (You're just that special!) The ad will consist of your book cover linked to a destination url of your choice as well as the title spelled out above and a descriptor of 8 words or fewer below, if desired.

Cover Ads Pricing:

One Month: $5 US or Canadian Currency or £3.25 GBP (yes, I can accept payment in 3 currencies--awesome, right?)

Six Months: $25 US or Canadian Currency or £16 GBP

Bottom Banner Ads

Look down... look waaaaay down! Donuts and Desires now offers the option of placing your banner, whether it be for your book, your website, your blog, your llama farm (actually, let's just stick to books and related services LOL) at the base of all site pages. You can send me the html or the image with a destination url--whatever works for you.

Banner Ads Pricing:

Twelve Months (a.k.a One Year): $25 US or Canadian Currency or £16 GBP (That's an amazing deal!)

Ad placements may be limited and prices are subject to change, so act fast to secure your spot. Payments can be accepted via PayPal only.

Quick Six Interviews

You know I've got to offer up a freebie, right? Quick Six interviews are featured on Mondays at D&D. Just answer six of the following questions (I repeat, SIX, not five, not ten, but SIX) and send 'em IN THE BODY OF YOUR EMAIL to the address below. At the bottom of the post I will also feature your author blurb and websites--so you'll have to send those along as well. No attachments, please.

It's free, so take advantage!

Quick Six PRO

Interview with _______________

Q: What's hot on the market these days?

Q: What's the most time-consuming part of a writer's life?

Q: On the topic of ebook piracy, hunter or head in the sand?

Q: What should a writer's priority be?

Q: How do you handle a bad review?

Q: Have you ever encountered any unprofessional behaviours from editors,

publishers or other writers, that they might not even realize are damaging?

Q: What advice do you give aspiring authors?

Q: What do you look for in a publisher?

Q: What makes an editor great or...not so great?

Q: Do you have a preference for short stories of longer works?

Q: If you've ventured into self-publishing, what are the pros and cons?

Q: Do you find yourself writing for the market and not for YOU, or self-censoring in any way?

Q: How have the people in your life reacted to your career as a writer?

Q: Any promo tips for fellow authors?

Contact Info

Questions? Want to book ad space? Cool! Email me at:

DonutsandDesires@gmail.com

(please use only the above address for inquiries~thanks)

Ok, that's it for now. If I've left out any pertinent information please let me know.

Hugs,

Giselle

--

Giselle Renarde

Canada just got hotter!

Visit me online

http://donutsdesires.blogspot.com

http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/erotica

http://twitter.com/GiselleRenarde

Quick Six PRO with Sable Jordan

With the final Quick Six of 2011, here's Sable Jordan!

Quick Six PRO


Interview with Sable Jordan

Q: What's the most time-consuming part of a writer's life?


Sable: Hands down marketing. Just like there’s no “I” in “team”, there’s no “market” in “writer”. ;) If you don’t have a strategy and set a time limit, you’ll find yourself running in circles trying to get your book “out there”, and that’ll eat away at your writing time. Or worse, you’ll write around your marketing time, which means your priorities have shifted.

Q: What should a writer's priority be?


Sable: Writing, writing, and writing, and doing all three well. Develop your craft. There’s always something you can do to make your writing better, so take a little time each month to see where you can improve and expand your skill set. But don't. Stop. WRITING!

Q: How do you handle a bad review?



Sable: I get chocolate wasted! I’m kidding—getting chocolate wasted doesn't require prompting. Everyone’s not going to like my writing; I get that. Like I always say, you’re entitled to your opinion, even if it’s wrong! LOL! I read a bad review and move on.

Q: What advice do you give aspiring authors?



Sable: Small bites. Whatever it is you’re working on—outlining, character development, marketing—break it down into manageable pieces and you’ll find you’re more productive than if you try to tackle it all at once. Also, be patient, especially when it comes to sales. It takes a while to build a fan base, so just keep working your craft until the world finally recognizes your genius! :)

Q: What makes an editor great or...not so great?



Sable: A great editor will tell you when you’re writing crap. Don’t take it personally, we all write crap sometimes. Crap happens. And after working on a book for months, we authors are imaginative enough to convince ourselves that we haven’t written crap at all. Smell? What smell? Enter your great editor, who takes that crap-bespeckled 300 pages of blood, sweat and tears and helps you make it a rose-scented diamond. And they’ll do it by telling you specifically what they like and don’t like, where your POV has changed, if you’ve got tense issues...etc.

A not so great editor is a “yes”-person. Hand them a check for their services and your manuscript—be honest, it’s crapaliscious in places—and they’ll tell you “It’s amazing! Don’t change a thing! If you look up fabulous in the dictionary, your story would be the definition!” If you want your ego stroked while you throw around money, I suggest a stripper...or a Doxy. Shameless plug :) Make it rain!

Q: If you've ventured into self-publishing, what are the pros and cons?



Sable: I just started my company, Fresh Whet INK, and so far the biggest pro is controlling it all. Setting up my own release schedule means my work hits the stores when I want and I can track sales instantly. It also justifies my increased wine and chocolate consumption. Brain food's a tax write-off, right? Cons: controlling it all. LOL! It’s a lot of work, especially marketing and promo. Just means being more disciplined and making better use of my time. No more playing Diner Dash. *sigh*

The Doxy's Daybook: A Friday in Two Acts

Blurb: Call her Roz. All of her fans do.... Follow along with Rosalyn Hayes, a professional doxy. She's more than an actress, she's "a permanent affair." Every day, this southern-born beauty stars in a play she's also written and produced for an audience that doubles as co-star. It's a performance showing on a stage way off Broadway, the grandest stage of all—the hustle and bustle of life in New York. Told in 1st person, from the time the curtains go up until they go down you'll find yourself mesmerized by each deliciously naughty act.

Warning: 18+ Only! This title contains erotic scenes, graphic language, anal sex, M/M sex, M/F/M sex, Cowboy sex, F/F sex, (sheesh, there's a lot of sex) umm...sex on a desk, sex toys, some light bondage, interracial/international sex, and a doxy with a smart mouth. Yep, that should cover it.

Buy link: http://amzn.to/nk27qW

Sable Jordan
Stories so Whet, you'll want to lick my INK!

www.SableJordan.com

www.sablejordan.blogspot.com

Facebook

Twitter

Quick Six PRO with Rob Preece

And now for something completely different...

Today we're interviewing publisher Rob Preece of Books for a Buck. Sit up straight, eyes forward, because it's time for this week's insightful Quick Six PRO!

Quick Six PRO Interview with Rob Preece

Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com

Q: What's hot on the market these days?
Rob Preece: Vampires and futuristic stories are always hot. Mysteries have been slow for me for a long time but seem to be picking up.

Q: What's the most time-consuming part of a writer's life?
Rob Preece: Writing. Writers write. It's easy to get obsessed with marketing, with research, with social networking. To a certain extent, all of these are valid and even essential. Ultimately, however, writers have to write. If you don't write the best book you can, with a message that's essential to you, you're wasting your time and the readers' time.

Q: On the topic of ebook piracy, hunter or head in the sand?
Rob Preece: This is a tough one. Spending a lot of time hunting for pirates has minimal payoff. On the other hand, those who argue that pirates aren't a problem or, worse, claim that pirates are doing us a favor by giving our books "exposure" are deluding themselves or worse. I think setting up a google alert for your book titles and watching this is essential. Getting more active is great, but there are fast-diminishing returns for your effort.

Q: What should a writer's priority be?
Rob Preece: Learning to become a better writer. Writing is hard. Too many writers think that they're perfect and that their errors are simply their "style." Sure, James Joyce wrote everlasting sentences and mangled English, but he's James Joyce and the number of people sitting down to read Finigan's Wake for beach reading is pretty small.

Q: How do you handle a bad review?
Rob Preece: Look at a bad review as an opportunity to improve your writing. Did they spot things you'd considered rewriting but decided it wasn't worth it? Then put it behind you--everyone is entitled to an opinion but if you're writing the best book you can, you're doing your job.

Q: Have you ever encountered any unprofessional behaviours from editors, publishers or other writers, that they might not even realize are damaging?
Rob Preece: I'm okay with multiple submissions but I feel cheated when I read an author's complete manuscript, only to learn that he/she contracted with another publisher. If you sell elsewhere, withdraw your submission.

Q: What do you look for in a publisher?
Rob Preece: One critical thing is to find a publisher who loves what you're doing. Being at the bottom of a major publisher's list is worse than being near the top of a much smaller publisher's. Obviously, look for reasonable contract terms, a clear way of reclaiming rights, royalty payments on a good schedule, and access to various channels.

Q: What makes an editor great or...not so great?
Rob Preece: A great editor takes your book and makes it more your book. He/she will find those passages you decided were good enough and ask you to fix them. He'll challenge your character motivation and make you clarify your character arcs. She'll spot those words you fall in love with and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. He'll help you cut the fluff so what's left is the polished diamond.

Q: Do you have a preference for short stories of longer works?
Rob Preece: I prefer novel-length fiction. I rarely purchase novel-length collections of related stories.

Q: If you've ventured into self-publishing, what are the pros and cons?
Rob Preece: Self-publishing offers a shortcut to publishing and lets the self-publisher have control over everything. Unfortunately, many self-published works lack professional editing--which is critical to making your book excellent.

Q: Do you find yourself writing for the market and not for YOU, or self-censoring in any way?
Rob Preece: This is one of the biggest mistakes an author can make. Even if you sell a book that you wrote 'to market,' you won't love it and you'll feel yourself trapped in writing more. Obviously, some restraint is appropriate (if you're writing inspirational fiction, for example, cursing is frowned on and few publishers are looking for illegal sexual activities), but you've got to love your basic theme or you're wasting your life.

Q: How have the people in your life reacted to your career as a writer?
Rob Preece: Writers need support groups. I'm lucky enough to be married to another writer, which means she understands my struggles. I doubt I would have been able to stay the course in my writing career without being involved with writer groups, attending occasional writer conferences, and hearing from fans who love what I do.

Q: Any promo tips for fellow authors?
Rob Preece: Write the best book you can. Ask your author friends who'd be willing to review it. Support other authors if you expect them to support you. Mix your promotion with information (e.g., review other books, give writing tips, give back) if you want people to subscribe to your twitter or facebook pages.

Rob Preece
Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com

Quick Six PRO with Cain Berlinger

Monday, Monday... Quick Six PRO day! And today we've got a fellow loveyoudivine author, Cain Berlinger, in the hot seat. (That's a lie--it's quite cushiony, the seat.)

Quick Six PRO with Cain Berlinger

Q: What's the most time-consuming part of a writer's life?

Cain Berlinger: The most time consuming thing for a writer is almost everything that comes after the piece is finished. The PR, the rewrites, even second guessing yourself in some cases.

Q: What should a writer's priority be?

Cain Berlinger: A writer's priority is to touch the readers' emotions, intellectually and sexually.

Q: What advice do you give aspiring authors?

Cain Berlinger: For an aspiring author: they should write, write, and write some more. You DO improve with practice.

Q: What makes an editor great or...not so great?

Cain Berlinger: A great editor is an editor where the writer says 'you're right' more often that they say "you're wrong"

Q: If you've ventured into self-publishing, what are the pros and cons?

Cain Berlinger: Self publishing gives you total control and all the monies. You never really feel validated though as an author until someone else wants to read your stuff.

Q: Do you have a preference for short stories of longer works?

Cain Berlinger: I prefer short stories, it's a personal choice; it reflects my own attention span.

Cain Berlinger is author of: Morphine
You can buy from here
http://www.loveyoudivine.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=76&products_id=850&zenid=2510ae6c346408c8d3346a6ccaedbc66
His website is www.cainberlingerbooks.com

Quick Six PRO with Elizabeth Coldwell

I am so pleased to have Elizabeth Coldwell here at Donuts & Desires for this week's Quick Six!

Quick Six PRO

Interview with Elizabeth Coldwell

Q: What should a writer's priority be?
Elizabeth Coldwell: Writing. Obviously, marketing is important, but you can’t market something you haven’t written.

Q: How do you handle a bad review?
Elizabeth Coldwell: Don’t let it get to you, and don’t try and point out to the reviewer why they “just didn’t get it”. Usually, for everyone who hates your book, there’ll be someone who really loves it. I’ve been lucky in that the good reviews have very much outweighed the bad ones.

Q: What advice do you give aspiring authors?
Elizabeth Coldwell: Don’t ignore publishers’ guidelines – they’re there for a reason. Publishers know a lot more about what works for their imprint than you do. And don’t give up at the first rejection. Everyone gets their stories turned down at some point, and it could be that what wasn’t right for one publisher will be perfect for another.

Q: What do you look for in a publisher?
Elizabeth Coldwell: Someone who knows their market, and gives the air of being professional. In my case, a lot of them are companies or people I dealt with in my life as a full-time magazine editor, so I already knew the standard of the books they were producing. The design of their website and book jackets are important, too, particularly with publishers who primarily produce e-books – some just give the impression they’re putting out books for the sake of it.

Q: How have the people in your life reacted to your career as a writer?
Elizabeth Coldwell: They’ve generally been very positive, although I did manage to disconcert one friend by telling him I’d had a story in an anthology called 'I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus'! He did later provide the inspiration for a story about a man getting his garage remodelled, though, so he was quite proud about that…

Q: Any promo tips for fellow authors?
Elizabeth Coldwell: Avoid drive-by promos. If you’re on a Yahoo group or similar, go in, chat and respond to what other people have to say on non-promo days. And don’t repeat the same blurb day after day, or blanket a site with promos of every book you have out at the moment. There are some authors whose promos I just skip over because I’m so bored of seeing them.

Elizabeth Coldwell is author of:

Stranded In Paradise: M/M novella with subthemes of bdsm, older man/younger man and multicultural (American/English)
by Elizabeth Coldwell.

Alfie Crane accepts a lift from Boston to San Francisco from fellow college student Brad as he's too broke to take the bus. When they argue, he finds himself being thrown out of the car with only his wallet and the clothes he stands up in. After walking for miles, he reaches the tiny town of Paradise, Nebraska. He is desperate for help, and is taken in by diner owner Ray Rendell, who's looking for a new bus boy. Ray has always hidden his true sexuality, afraid of the reaction of family and townsfolk alike, but he's strongly attracted to the cute young Englishman.
Romance begins to blossom between the two as Alfie settles in to the slow, easy pace of small-town life. When Ray is threatened in a hold-up, Alfie realises just how much the older man means to him. But can they really find paradise together?

Buy link: http://www.erotica-romance-ebooks.com/stranded-in-paradise.html

Relief for Writers: Words of Liberation from Salman Rushdie

A while back I watched Allan Gregg In Conversation with Salman Rushdie, and they hit on a topic that struck me deeply: being disliked as a writer. Of course, we all know that in our heads, but does it ever filter down to our hearts? It hurts to be disliked. That's how our hearts react--they hurt.

So when Salman Rushdie described the realization that there will always be people who don't like your work as a "liberation," I actually felt a bit of the pressure of life as a writer lift.

I rewatched the episode and typed out the relevant bit (I'm sure there must have been an easier way, but oh well) and here is the part that impacted me most deeply:

One of the things you learn as a writer—and, in my case, rather more so—is that you don’t please everyone. No matter how hard you try to do the best you can, no matter how many fans or people who like what you do there may be, there will be people who don’t like it, full stop, and that’s true not just of me because of what happened with The Satanic Verses, that’s true of all writers everywhere.

…

There’s a certain point where you see that as a liberation. Once you give up the idea of everybody loving you, you realize you’re going to have people who like what you do, you’re going to have people who dislike what you do, and that’s okay.

~Salman Rushdie on Allan Gregg In Conversation

If you'd like to watch the full conversation it is available here (hopefully worldwide, but since it was aired on TVOntario there might be restrictions):

http://ww3.tvo.org/video/163633/salman-rushdie-luca-fire-life-full

--
Giselle Renarde

Canada just got hotter!

Visit me online
http://donutsdesires.blogspot.com
http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/erotica
http://twitter.com/GiselleRenarde

Quick Six PRO with Jena Galifany (Part 2)

Remember how I said we'd be back next week with part two? Well, it's next week and...

Quick Six PRO

Interview with Jena Galifany

Part 2

Q: What do you look for in a publisher?

Jena Galifany: Co-operation with their authors, and easy access. I like to know if I have a need, my publisher will be there to listen and to advise. I've found that in both of my publishers.

Q: What makes an editor great or...not so great?

Jena Galifany: If the editor does not see what I am trying to say with a particular phrase, I have an opportunity to discuss it with them. I've had this situation a time or two and both editors have worked with me, and not attempted to over shadow what I was trying to convey. An editor should be open to working with the author in certain situations.

Q: Do you have a preference for short stories or longer works?

Jena Galifany: I'd love to write short stories but I always end up with too much to say. I'll keep trying though. I have written a couple of flash fictions but only one has been published in an ezine.

Q: If you've ventured into self-publishing, what are the pros and cons?

Jena Galifany: I've not tried this so can offer no comment.

Q: Do you find yourself writing for the market and not for YOU, or self-censoring in any way?

Jena Galifany: I tend to write for myself which is why I have several pieces that have not see the light of day as yet. When they seem to be acceptable, I will do more with them.

Q: How have the people in your life reacted to your career as a writer?

Jena Galifany: Most have been very supportive. I would never have been published if Joyce and Brandi had not shoved me into it. I will be eternally grateful to them both. My husband has his moments. He loves when I have a new book out but has mixed emotions about the time it takes me to write it. My youngest daughter has already written several books herself and is only 19. She has yet to venture into the publishing arena. My older two children are a bit proud of Mom and that makes me feel great!

Q: Any promo tips for fellow authors?

Jena Galifany: Do interviews and chats. Don't be afraid to give something away once in a while and make it something clever. I have the ShadowsForge series about an 80's rock band and I've given away a tour shirt signed by all five members of ShadowsForge and myself, and dog tags engraved with the band, tour and bass player, Ty Synclair's name. Three members of the band have their own email addys and they attend chats, too. I make video trailers for all of my books and post them online where I can.

The ShadowsForge series can be found at Whiskey Creek Press.com:

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=58

Quick Six PRO with Jena Galifany (Part 1)

Here's another interview where I'm going to tell you NOT to count... because if you do, you'll find there are more than 6 questions and answers here. Actually, forget I said anything. There are 6. All is well. Tune in for more next week, same bat-time, same bat-channel.

Quick Six PRO

Interview with Jena Galifany

Q: What's hot on the market these days?

It seems to be vampires and paranormal, but I've not really ventured there much. In Her Perfect Man, the main character can see things before they happen. I have a vampire idea but it is still in the development stage.

Q: What's the most time-consuming part of a writer's life?

The marketing of the book once it's been released. An author needs to keep their name in the public arena as much as possible. That's why little interviews like this one are so wonderful and appreciated.

Q: On the topic of ebook piracy, hunter or head in the sand?

My first book, Three Times a Hero, was pirated by a rude little man in the Philippines that told me when confronted that I was a rich American and could afford for him to make money on my book. As if! I responded by closing down his site and his Paypal account along with his partner's site as well. I'm always on the look out for pirates, not only of my work, but of the work of my fellow authors.

Q: What should a writer's priority be?

To entertain the reader by stirring some emotion, be it anger, love, joy, hope, what ever. If the reader felt nothing, the writer did not do their job.

Q: How do you handle a bad review?

A review is one person's opinion. If it is a bad one, I try to see what they saw and learn from it. I don't fuss about it. I use it to my advantage to become a better writer.

Q: Have you ever encountered any unprofessional behaviors from editors, publishers or other writers, that they might not even realize are damaging?

I've worked with so many wonderful people in the writing industry and have been blessed with only professional behavior. I did see the one writer that threw such a fit about a less than wonderful review that she effectively destroyed her own career as a writer. That was sad to see.

Q: What advice do you give aspiring authors?

You never know it all. Keep working at your craft and learn from those who have gone before you. Never stop writing. If one project doesn't work out as you'd like, begin the next one. Learn from rejections and keep at it.

The ShadowsForge series can be found at Whiskey Creek Press.com:

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=58

Quick Six PRO with Kiki Howell

This Halloween, I'm delighted to have one of the greats of the paranormal erotic romance genre here at Donuts & Desires. We're talking shop with Quick Six, these days--all about the business of writing.

Quick Six PRO

Interview with Kiki Howell

Q: What's hot on the market these days?

Kiki Howell: From my perspective it would be paranormal and urban fantasies, which are heavy on the suspense and even crime, especially when paired with the erotic genre. Want to get even hotter? Throw in some M/M and M/F/M pairings. But again, I see things from my “world” - the authors and publishers I am around. So, as far as numbers go, I could be totally off here ;)

Q: What's the most time-consuming part of a writer's life?

Kiki Howell: I think the writing and promo come in about even if the work is novel length. Shorter works, an author will spend much more time in promoting the work than they did writing it. Promo is never ending. And why, yes, a new book releases and you promote it heavier than the others for awhile, you are always promoting your backlist.


Q: What should a writer's priority be?

Kiki Howell: To be honest, to be fully involved and motivated in every step of the process whether they like that step or not. You have to give 110 % of yourself from the research to the writing to the contracts and forms to the editing to the promo to playing nice with others if you want to be successful in this business. No, it isn’t easy, but if one part lacks, and the whole becomes scarred, slightly or heavily.

Q: How do you handle a bad review?

Kiki Howell: I try to remind myself of personal opinion, of the books that have left me wanting or that were just excruciating to get through, that many others whether friends or Goodreads or Amazon ratings have said were great. So much of reading is personal opinion, it has to be or there would not be so many genres. The only things that really get to me about a bad review, my personal list that have happened to me: reviewers says they didn’t finish the book - then they don’t really have enough info to form a review per say other than saying they didn’t like it enough to finish it; when the reviewer gets plot points wrong - so they must have skimmed through or actually not finished it – so again they shouldn’t have reviewed it; when they start the review with ‘I don’t like this genre’ – then again they shouldn’t have agreed to review it.


Q: What makes an editor great or...not so great?

Kiki Howell: I have worked with many great editors who have made my work fantastic, beyond what I could do with it. All I ask for is mutual respect when editing. I had an editor once, from a publishing house I am no longer with, who made mean comments all through the manuscript rather than just asking me to change something. For example, this one sticks out to me, rather than just asking me to change a word, the editor said, ‘Are you serious? So you really think a reader of erotica is going to know what this word means?’ Yeah, not sure who should be more offended there. But, a simple find new word, this one doesn’t really work for me, would have sufficed.

Q: Do you have a preference for short stories or longer works?

Kiki Howell: I go back and forth in my reading and my writing. I like to really put myself into a novel, having a good several months to really crank it out, totally immerse myself into the research and the writing. But when I am done with it, I need to write a few shorter works to give my brain a break from the long twisted braids of the longer plot. Then I am back and ready to get into another long one. I tend to do this in cycles too along with my families schedule. Summer when I have everyone home (teacher husband too), that is a time for shorter works! LOL I do the same with reading, devouring a series, then a few shorter ebooks after that. I think it is really about time before satisfaction too.

Kiki Howell is author of A Questionable Hero, a novella

Blurb:

Born of a mortal woman but raised in Hell by the demon that sired him, Abdamas is a Halfling—proof incarnate of the war between good and evil that exists in each of us. Shaebiel is an angel warrior earning her ultimate salvation in Heaven by fighting demons like Abdamas who are in search of human souls on Earth.

In the heat of a raging battle , Abdamas sees Shaebiel and wants her. When the blade of another demon aims for her, Abdamas is injured himself trying to save her. Shaebiel can’t believe a demon has rescued her from certain death and takes her questionable hero home with her to heal him.

As they both fight and surrender to their desires, the conflict around them continues, and there is Heaven and Hell to pay for their actions. Through divine intervention they are offered a gift. But Hell is nowhere near finished with either of them, and the stakes are getting higher and higher.

Can a questionable hero sacrifice enough to redeem himself in the eyes of Heaven so that he may claim the love of an angel?

"Not a stranger to Kiki Howell's work I was once again impressed with her ability to create a tale like no other. My experiences have always been more around magic, spells and witchcraft with her work. But in this one she really goes in a different direction. The result is a passionate, suspenseful and thrilling novella that leaves the reader breathless and wanting more." ~Bri at Romancing the Book

"I recently finished up the wonderful paranormal romance "A Questionable Hero" By Kiki Howell. Once I started reading this love story I had a difficult time getting my nose out of my Nook and back into reality since it was action packed from start to finish with very little breathing room in between the pages!” ~Punky’s Book Raves

“A Questionable Hero kept me pulled into the storyline from page one and I read it in one sitting. You realize quickly that the battle between good and evil aren’t black and white, there are shades of gray. If you like a fast hot read, with a touch of paranormal, and good versus evil thrown into the mix, then I would recommend this book.” ~Gracen Miller, Author of Pandora’s Box

Genres: Urban Fantasy (Angels and Demons), Erotic Romance

Adult Content Warnings: Explicit Graphic Language and Violence

from kNight Romance Publishing

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE KINDLE EDITION FROM AMAZON
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE NOOKBOOK FROM BARNES & NOBLE