Saturday, April 28, 2012

The continuing saga of "Joe" and other works in progress

So, I saw Joe again. Sigh. Considering my reservations about getting involved, I'm really enjoying myself. It seems parts of me have been asleep for a good long while, and it feels good to have them awakened...in very yummy ways. I'm still not sure where it's all headed, but am working hard against my usually impatient, self doubting nature, to just go with the flow.

And along with my promising love life, comes a renewed furvor to my writing. I'm inspired. No, I won't write the juicy details of my own pursuits, but instead will dig deep into that naughty side of my nature that I tend to keep in tight check in my everyday life, and see what deliciousness emerges.

At the moment I have a few works in progress:
*a May/Dec pairing of coed and professor where the coed is clearly the aggressor (the sex is HOT)
*a short novella around the food services industry...(hm...the food scene in the film 91/2 Weeks comes to mind...or the one in the classic, Tom Jones)
*a sequel to a story I have contracted with Cambridge Press in which I'm planning my first threesome scene
*and the nigglings of an idea revolving around a female long distance trucker
And there's a notebook full of other ideas and notions.

It's almost May, and May 22 brings the release of my inter-racial short story Cheek to Cheek from Phaze. Here's the blurb:
Little does Jared Whitman know, when his sister signs him up for dance classes in preparation for her wedding, that he will meet the sexy Diandra Davis and have his whole world turned upside down. But an early miscommunication and some erronious assumptions threaten to end their relationship before it truly starts. Can the pair trust their obvious attraction and the growing heat between them, enough to cast their doubts aside?

Friday, April 20, 2012

Everybody's twitterpated in the spring...

Last post, I wrote about finally meeting Joe. Well, my blogger friends, it's been great so far. He's sweet and funny, charming and sexy, respectful but with just the right amount of naughty...sigh. I'm so glad I decided to take the plunge and ignore the age difference. I sense that my life is about to become a tad more interesting.

And that brings me to today's post. What is it that makes the men in our lives the heroes of our own romance novels? For some it might be great abs and a killer smile. For other's it might be the teddy bear cuddliness of their fella. Perhaps tall, dark and brooding is your perference. Or short, balding and submissive. It doesn't much matter, if that man is the one that makes your motor hum and your girlie parts get all tingly.

In looking over the smut I've produced so far, I'm seeing a pattern in my fictional heroes. They're generally tall, well built, ruggedly manly (strong jaws, muscled arms and shoulders....think, Marlboro Man), alpha in their work lives, but gentle and sweet with their ladies, generously endowed and wickedly talented in the sack. I compare these paragons with the men I've dated and, not once, have I ever dated anyone remotely like these guys.

Instead, I find it's the inner qualities that attract me to a guy. Intelligence ranks high. I'm turned on by smart men.  And funny. A sense of humour is a must. Men who pursue me (but not in a crazy stalkery way)  Thoughtfulness is a must. Oh, and looking at me as if I'm the exotic dessert from a gourmet feast.

I'd be interested to hear what you think makes for the ideal hero in your life. Maybe you're one of the lucky ones who actually found your Mr.Right. Tell us about it.

Till next week, then...

Friday, April 13, 2012

Friday the 13th

I know today is supposed to be about bad luck superstitions and all that, but for me, I think it might just have become my new favourite day. You see, today I finally met HIM.

Several years ago, on a whim, I posted a profile on a dating site. And over the years I was approached by a lot of guys, only a few to which I responded. Of those few, only one or two went on to become relationships, albeit shortlived ones. A couple of years ago, HE (and from now on I'll call him JOE) contacted me. He was quite a bit younger than me, so initially I decided I wouldn't respond, but he was so cute and his profile really spoke to me. He professed to like 'more mature' women, so one day I worked up the courage to send him an email.

Well, that led to a flurry of IMs back and forth, then we upgraded to phone calls. Joe was so charming and funny with just a touch of naughty boy to make things exciting. But I hesitated to meet face to face. We talked about it a LOT. He pushed hard for a meeting, a LOT. And still I hesitated. I think part of me...a large part...was afraid of somehow disappointing him with the silver in my hair, and the lines on my face and the work that gravity has done to my figure. Stupid, now that I look back on it.

I give him high marks for perseverence, because I must have been the very definition of frustrating for him. But every few weeks he'd call...sometimes I was there to get the calls, often I just got messages. But they kept him in the forefront of my thoughts as I tried to work through my insecurities and take a chance.

Well today, he was working in my area, not ten minutes from my home. He called. I answered for once. And after the usual pleasantries he suggested getting together for coffee. So there it was...the moment of truth. Would I finally just close my eyes and jump in the deep end, or would I find some flimsy excuse to put it off and perhaps finally slam that door shut.  Well, I jumped. And I'm ever so glad I did.

Joe is charming, and handsome...yes, and younger than me (by more than a decade)...but it doesn't seem to matter. The sparks are there on both sides. He thinks I'm sexy. Well, hot damn, I am!! I'd just forgotten for a while. And he's definitely a ten on the hot-o-meter. Life sure just got that much more interesting--and not a black cat in sight.

Friday, April 6, 2012

And the winner is...

Yesterday, I learned of a new writing competition, The Swirl Awards, that pays homage to multi-cultural and interracial romance and erotic romance. It seems strange to me that a competition like this hasn't existed before now, but I'm glad to see it's arrival. I entered my short novella, Lust and Found, which was published August 2011.

From a promotional point of view, I'd love to win. That winner's banner would look so fine on my website...lol. But I expect the competition will be fierce because there are so many great writers of multicultural books, so I'd be happy to final. That in itself would be an honour. I know my book has been well received and garnered good reviews, so I'm hopeful.

I believe judging happens in June, so I've a long wait ahead, and I'm not the most patient of women.  I imagine I'll be driving myself a little crazy. The key to survival is to get busy on new work. So I'm well into a new story for Phaze, have another partially written that I needed to take a break from to mull over a bit, and I have an outline for a new story for Cambridge Press. So I have no excuses for sitting around biting my fingernails (a nasty habit I just can't seem to break.)

So, dear readers, wish me luck if you don't mind. I'd appreciate the support. And if you're curious about just what it is I do write, you can go to http://www.phaze.com/ and find my stories: The Awakening of Alyce, Lust and Found, and Beautiful Music. And if you want to read excerpts, you can find them at my website:
http://www.paigebennett.homestead.com/  

'Till next time!