Another contract...whoo hoo

I just signed a contract with Cambridge Press US for my short story, Aural Sex. Yes, I spelled it correctly. It's my attempt at a clever little play on words. The story revolves around a couple on opposite work shifts, who spice up their intimate life with some imaginative phone sex.

This story is the first of three that will comprise my next Hottest Heat volume. I already have a cover for it, and I haven't even finished writing the last story yet! (Truth be told, I haven't started writing the third story. Shhh, don't tell my boss.)
I did finish story number two today...the first draft, at least. Entitled, What Are Friends For?, it is a sequel to the story Perfect Stranger that appeared in Volume One. Each story stands alone, but it's more fun to read Perfect Stranger first and understand the relationships between characters. WAFF? contains the first ever threesome scene I've written. It was great fun to write, although technically challenging...all those extra limbs and orifices to deal with, and still keep in the correct POV. Quite the challenge. I hope I did a creditable job.

In other writing news, I have made some headway on my non-NaNo project (see previous posts on the subject) I've managed to add about 8000 words to the manuscript, but still have a long way to go to be finished...at least another 30-40,000 words. It's exhausting just thinking about it. And I got sidetracked back to my Hottest Heat stories, especially when my publisher sent my cover proof. Nothing like a little pressure to fire up the writer. I'll get back to the novel again, and I will finish it before year's end. I have too many planned projects for next year, I don't need any of this year's carrying over.

Oh, and a little reminder, my paranormal interracial story, Obsession, comes out Nov. 27th. If you happen to read it, I'd love for you to stop back here at my blog and post a comment.

Well, back to the salt mines, kids! LOL 
Till next time...Paige.

Now for something completely different...

Well, we're halfway through National Novel Writing Month. I've been chipping away at my romance novel. I admit, it's been hit or miss (more miss than hit, I'm afraid). I have added 7500 words, which isn't too shabby, but not near what I'd set out to accomplish. Life, as they say, happens. I'll keep plugging away.

On a happier note, the 27th of this month, my short story Obsession is being released through Phaze Books. This has been a long time coming.

This story is a departure from my usual contemporary romances. I actually wrote it several years ago, and had it sitting under contract with Mundania for a single story downloads project they'd considered at the time. Their direction changed and my story languished.

Jump forward to a couple of months ago. In discussion with my editor, it was decided that with a revision, Obsession would fit nicely at Phaze. It had the interracial romance angle, after all, which my readers at Phaze expect now.  So we made the decision to move it over to Phaze.

And now it's all ready to be released. Here's a little blurb:

It is New Orleans, 1850, and Blanche Paradis, a free woman of color has carved out a good life, including a job she enjoys, and a man she loves, gambler Bart Donovan. One small blemish mars her happiness, the obsessive interest of a mysterious aristocrat, Lucien St.Clair. 

In a moment of weakness, Blanche falls into Lucien’s bed, sealing her fate and that of her lover. For Lucien is much more than he seems, and his lust for the beautiful Blanche knows no bounds.

I really love this story, probably because it's so different from my usual stories. I wrote it in first person. I set it in New Orleans, a city for which I have long held a huge fascination. It is my first paranormal story. And it deals with obsession, betrayal and revenge, all themes I like to explore in my work.

I hope you check it out:  www.phaze.com, Nov.27, 2012.

~Paige

To NaNo or not to NaNo...

NaNoWriMo is upon us. For the handful of you who may not know what NaNo is, it's National Novel Writing Month, where writers all over the world with a shared level of insanity, pledge to write 50,000 words of a new WIP in thirty days. Like I said, insane!  I've taken part (or rather, my alter self romance writer did) five years running...only managed to reach the goal twice. It's exhausting, but when you succeed, exhilarating. And of those two finished pieces, I went on to get them both published...so, yay me.

This year, I decided I couldn't do the whole commitment thing...too much real life stuff to deal with at the moment. But I do have (or rather my alter self has) a half finished book that has been languishing for a couple of years. I'd like to finish it. So I thought NaNo would maybe give me the kick to get it done. I decided to enter 'informally'. In other words, I didn't sign up, I don't participate in the forums and I won't have a chance at the nice certificate at the end. What I'm doing is writing like mad on the days I can, and posting my progress via Twitter. So far, five days in, I've written almost 5000 words. Not earth-shaking, but 5000 more than I had Nov. 1st.  So, wish me luck, kids. I'm going to need it.

In other news, I have been offered a contract for the first story for my next Hottest Heat collection for Cambridge Press. It's entitled Aural Sex, and explores the naughty fun of phone sex. Oh, the memories...but I digress. I have the second story partially written, and an idea for the third story. 

Also, Phaze Books has accepted my novella, An Appetite for Seduction. And here I have some great news that makes me giddy when I think of it. I've been told that it will be coming out in print as well as ebook. The print version will also include my currently available short stories, making it a collection of my work to date. This is huge!! I'm so thrilled.

On a side note, I hope that the east coast is recovering from the onslaught of Sandy. My thoughts and prayers have been with you. Take care.

soggy weather

Well, thanks to the "Frankenstorm" that is bombarding the east coast, the area where I live is being deluged with rain...buckets of it. And it's cold and dreary and makes me want to just stay curled up under the covers of my nice comfortable bed with a  good naughty book and my vibrator...*giggle*

 I really shouldn't complain. At least I'm safely away from the worst of the storm. I have no fear of flooding (despite the buckets of rain), nor losing my roof, nor any of a hundred other horrible things that befall people caught in a hurricane. The worst that can happen is that if I go outside I get soaked before I can reach my car in the parking lot. And this rain is sucking the ambition right out of me.

I have so many writing projects on the go or waiting to get started, and I'm accomplishing nada. I know, I know. Like any good little writer, I should just stick my ass in my chair and get to it. But it's hard to push through the lethargy and make words. It's like my muse has been tranquilized. But write, I must, so somehow I will find the spark.

NaNo starts on Thursday, and I've decided to "informally" participate. I want to finish a book that's been languishing for a year or more now. Another 30,000 words should do it. And I have two short stories I need to fast track and get done, which should come to another 20,000, making the 50,000 total that NaNo requires. I plan, at this point, to post my word count via Twitter each day, to make myself accountable publicly. We'll see how this works out.

My wishes for a safe passage through the storm to the east coasters.
Paige

judging the book by its cover

I just got the cover art for my inter-racial vampire short story, Obsession, and have got to say, I love it.

See what I mean?  Sexy, evocative, captures the mood of my story perfectly.

It is New Orleans, 1850, and Blanche Paradis, a free woman of color has carved out a good life, including a job she enjoys, and a man she loves, gambler Bart Donovan. One small blemish mars her happiness, the obsessive interest of a mysterious aristocrat, Lucien St.Clair. 

In a moment of weakness, Blanche falls into Lucien’s bed, sealing her fate and that of her lover. For Lucien is much more than he seems, and his lust for the beautiful Blanche knows no bounds.

                                     

As you know, if you're a regular reader of my books, I generally write contemporary erotic romance. So, Obsession is a real step outside of my usual fare. I had a blast writing it--first historical, first vampire tale. I wrote the first draft in one afternoon sitting out on the deck of my family's cabin on a perfect July day. Blanche just talked to me and told  her story. I merely recorded it.

I've taken a stab at writing a book length story with these characters, set in modern times, to see what happened after the events in Obsession, but I haven't been happy with the results so far. So, for now, it's a shelved project. But if response to Obsession is positive and there's a demand for more stories about Blanche, then of course, I'll put some thought into providing them.

I have a real affinity for revenge stories, a descriptor that really suits Obsession. Don't know if I want to know what that says about my character...lol.

I don't have a release date as yet, but suspect it might be November or December. I'll keep you posted in the weeks ahead.

too many projects, too little time

Here I am, late again. Sigh. It's starting to become a pattern. I do try to post every Friday...really I do...but then one thing or another pops along and throws me off schedule, and I end up having to apologize again. Oh well, I'm hoping my followers are a forgiving bunch and will cut me a break. I promise to keep writing hot, hot, HOT stories to entertain you. Does that help?

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I finally finished 'the book that would not die', and got it submitted. Still haven't heard word on it yet, but will soon, I'm sure. Like any good writer, once I send a book baby out there, I forget about it and get on with the next project. For me, that's three new short stories for Cambridge Press US for my next Hottest Heat collection. I've finished and submitted the first story, and am waiting to hear back on whether it's being accepted or not. And I'm halfway through writing the second story. This one is extra fun for me, as it's a sequel to a story in Volume one, entitled Perfect Stranger. It just felt to me (and to my editor) that there was more of this story to be told. We were right, so if I do it well, it will be in Volume two.

I'm hoping to have these stories finished by November, because November means NaNo. For those of you who might not know, NaNo is National Novel Writing Month, where totally insane writers all over the world pledge to write 50,000 words in a month. Like I said...insane. Twice over the years, I've managed to complete the challenge, and both books got contracted (after much polishing...NaNo books are rough first drafts...notoriously bad at first blush). This year, I thought it might be nice if I used the month to finish one of my mainstream romance novels (remember...in my other life I'm a romance author) The book has  been languishing half done for about a year and a half now, so time to kick it's pretty little heinie and get it to the finish line.

And then, if I accomplish that, I start to gear up to 2013 and the bazillion projects I have planned for the year...including but not restricted to, a series of three interrelated interracial erotic romance novellas, another Hottest Heat volume of shorts, another romance novel...okay, I'm pooped already!

Yep...so many stories, so little time. And all for you, my dear readers.

turkey overdose

I missed posting my blog on Friday due to a holiday weekend up here in Canada (Yep, I'm a Canuck). It was Thanksgiving this past weekend. I am ever puzzled by why we choose to hold it a full six weeks before the American Thanksgiving weekend. It only lends itself to confusion. Perhaps its our way of appearing as if we're not copying our US neighbours on yet another thing. *shrugs*

Whenever it's held, it's always a wonderful family time, and this year was no exception. Too much turkey and stuffing, way too much pumpkin pie (or lemon meringue...or, oh no...pumpkin for sure...oh, all right, a slice of both...with extra whip cream please...sigh), the horrendous cleanup after the manic day or two of cooking, the over distended belly that aches even as you reach for just one more nibble of dark meat...one more scoop of mash potatoes smothered in gravy. Argh. My stomach aches just thinking about it. And we have a month and a half to recover before doing it all over again for Christmas.

Speaking of which, I'm starting to panic that Christmas is only a couple months away. I haven't even thought about gifts for this year, let alone where I'm going to get the outrageous sum of money to pay for them all. Hey, it'd be great if some of you decided to buy some of my books. I promise to spend all royalites on gifts for others...really. (actually, just half kidding here...the buying my books part, not the spending on others part)

And speaking of my writing work, I've contracted another short story with Phaze. This one is called Obsession, and is my first foray into the paranormal. It's a very dark vampire tale of revenge--something quite different from my usual erom fare.  And I sent them my 'story that would not die' novella, An Appetite for Seduction, but haven't heard yet if they want it. Keeping my fingers crossed. I'm now working on a new series of three shorts for another Hottest Heat collection for Cambridge Press US. Fun, fun, fun!

A happy belated Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers. And a happy Columbus day to my American ones. I hope you all had terrific weekends.