finally done...

Some time ago I posted, groaning about the story that would not die. It had started out to be a short story for Phaze. Then before I knew it, it was a very long short story, and in the end, decided it was going to be a novella. Well, it's finished! Yay, and hallelujah!  40,670 words that I hope readers will read and thoroughly enjoy.  It's entitled An Appetite for Seduction, and as the title might suggest, involves a food critic and a chef--and some really hot sex. LOL I'm quite happy with it, and hope the acquisitions editor is too. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

In the meantime, you can head over to www.paigebennett.homestead.com and check out my already available works from both Phaze and Cambridge Press US. I've been working on updating my website and have excerpts and reviews posted. I'm thrilled so far with the bulk of the reviews I've had for my stories. It's always great when something you've worked so hard on gets praised.

What I'd like to see more of is feedback from you, my dear readers. You can leave a message in my guestbook on my website, or you can email me at authorpaigebennett@gmail.com .  I love hearing from readers, and do listen carefully to what you have to say to me.

 

Just a reminder, that my latest two releases were: To Sir With Lust, published by Phaze, and The Hottest Heat, published by Cambridge Press US.

I hope you'll consider checking them out.

And so, with Appetite finished, I now head back to my notebook (a writer's work is never done), and begin work on my next short collection for Cambridge Press US, Volume 2 of the Hottest Heat.

Until next time,

Paige

Cambridge Press US has released by first Temperature Rising Collection of Adult Stories. The collection consists of three erotic shorts: The Gift, Rebound and Perfect Stranger.

The Gift, written in first person, takes the reader on a voyeuristic ride through a very unusual birthday celebration.

Just as the title suggests, Rebound explores a womans rediscovery of her sexuality after a particularly ugly breakup.

Perfect Stranger incorporates a hot sunny day, a boat on a lake, and a smoking hot encounter with a 'perfect stranger'. Watch for a sequel to this story in Volume 2 sometime later this year or early 2013.

Up to this point, the erotica I've written has been more of the erotic romance variety, therefore a certain amount of formula is inherent. With The Hottest Heat, I was able to step outside the boundaries of e-rom and that was a lot of fun for me.

Writing the Gift in first person, for example, made it very personal for me. It's been one of my favourite stories to write so far. And Perfect Stranger has an open ending. No 'happily ever afters' found here. I think the language is a tad more graphic than some of my other work, and the sex scenes hotter. I strive to live up to my moniker as 'The Mistress of Titilation'.

It is my hope, dear readers, that you'll be intrigued enough to buy The Hottest Heat. If you do, let me know what you think at authorpaigebennett at gmail dot com. Or leave me a note in my guestbook at www.paigebennett.homestead.com  You can even come back and comment here on my blog.

Look for The Hottest Heat at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Fictionwise.

New book releases

Yesterday, my latest interracial erotic romance was released from Phaze. Here's the cover blurb:

When Ray Simmons first notices sultry Kendra Phelps in his class, he is torn between his professional ethics about dating a student and his overwhelming attraction to the sexy coed.

Kendra, on the other hand, has no such dilemma. She's hot for the handsome professor and is determined to seduce him.

When libido triumphs over conscience, the resulting encounter brings on a chemical explosion that changes both their lives forever.

I liked the idea of the 'forbidden' romance...teacher and student. Mind you, my heroine is a twenty-one year old college student, so technically an adult and therefore of legal age, but the hero is a good fifteen years older than her and in a position of authority over her.
It was fun to explore their growing attraction, and to see how they overcame the obstacles in their way.

Some of you may object to the nature of the relationship (he being her teacher). Some will object to the age difference. Some might even object that it is Kendra who is the aggressor in the relationship. I do hope it's a story that generate some discussion.

I, personally, have come to the conclusion that age is just a number. Some twenty-one year olds are very mature and responsible. Some thirty-five year olds are immature and irresponsible. It is the character of the person that counts, and the chemistry that exists between the two consenting adults.  What do you think?

September is a good month for me. I have another release coming up mid-month, this one from Cambridge Press US.

The Hottest Heat is a CRP 'Hot Shorts' EBook anthology for those who want to get off sizzling quick. Volume 1 features stories from the mistress of titilation, Paige Bennet, 'The Gift', 'Rebound', and 'The Perfect Stranger'.

That's me...the Mistress of Titilation!! How cool is that?

it's been a while

It feels like forever since I wrote my last post. In cyber-time, I suppose it has been. My absence has been for a good reason.

For the past four summers, a group of female friends and I have headed up north to my family's holiday cabin for a week of rest and relaxation. It started when one of my friends went through a particularly nasty divorce, and the rest of us felt she needed some serious love and support from her girlfriends. We flew or drove in from our various corners of the country and had a grand time. Lots of good food, energetic talk, laughter and yummy cocktails. The first year was so good, we decided a second was in order. Then the third. And now we've just enjoyed our fourth. And yes, we have our fifth planned for next year, with an interim visit around Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. We had great weather until the last couple of days, during which multiple cocktails numbed our disappointment at being unable to swim or sun. We ate FAR too much rich food (oh, those brownies. I dream of those brownies!) and stayed up way too late. It was great.

When I got home (and I'm surprised I could make it, I was sooooo exhausted) I spent a few days just sleeping and convincing my body that I did not hate it, and would not abuse it so badly until next year.(I am not a spring chicken anymore!) Then began the daunting task of catching up on everything I'd put on hold. (300 emails anyone?) And finally I got down the to-do list to 'write blog entry'. Ta dah! Done.

September is going to be a busy month. Phaze will be releasing my short story 'To Sir, With Lust'. I'm still waiting for cover art for this story. Also Cambridge Press US will be releasing my first ebook mini-collection 'The Hottest Heat'.

I've been busy with edits and the business end that comes from upcoming releases. You can find out more about each at www.paigebennett.homestead.com

The story that will not die...

Sometimes as a writer, you run into that story that just will not finish. I have run into just such a beast.

For the past year, I have been writing short stories for Phaze and for Cambridge Press, works between 5,000-15,000 words. Nice easy to handle lengths. I have managed to get six stories published in the last ten months or so, and a couple more due later this year. It's been a nice rhythm to maintain. And then THE STORY happened.

I had this idea for a story revolving around a chef and a food critic. I had a great opening hook and a cute scene where she gets mad and....well, I don't want to reveal too much just yet, but suffice to say, mayhem ensues. In short order I was up to about 5000 words, and I hadn't gotten to the first love scene yet. Hm. I didn't let myself get too concerned just then, but when 10,000 came and went and still I hadn't reached the getting naked part, I began to fret. Had I misjudged my WIP? Was it not a short, but instead a novella?

Well, okay, I could handle that. Actually a novella would be a good thing. It could be priced higher, so I'd get a larger royalty from sales. Yes, I quite liked the sound of that. So I continued. Well, today I reached the lower end of novella length at  20,000 words, and after chapters and chapters of build up and flirting, I'm on the verge finally of the first toe curling love scene. Um, really?? 

It appears I have taken on the story that will not die. It seems it wants to be a novel. I didn't want to write a novel. I don't have time to write a novel. I have two or three novel WIPs already waiting to be finished. Why would I ignore them to write a new one?  But it seems that the choice is not mine. My characters have spoken. I am just their reluctant servant. Le sigh...

release date change

I was just informed that Focused Desire's release is delayed by two weeks due to some cover art issues (my artist had some trouble finding the exactly right image for my heroine). So, that makes the new release date July 17, I believe. I've seen a mock up of the cover and love it, so imagine that the issues have now been solved and we can move on to typesetting etc.

I admire the artists (and particularly my artist at Phaze) who take my vision and create the covers for my books. Such talen!  Considering that the cover is the book's 'first impression' out in the world, the artist's job is so important, and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know that an artist is willing to go to great lengths to ensure that my vision...my characters...my make-believe world...is realized.

To cover artists everywhere, I bow to your talent and genius.

stressful times

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted here. My elderly mother got very ill, very quickly, and was hospitalized. Hence, everything else in my life went on hold. I live an hour away from the hospital, and I have mobility issues of my own, so trekking to the hospital every other day took a toll on me. Thankfully, she's rallied and is improving daily, so the bulk of the stress is behind me, but I'm still dealing with the effect on my poor, beleaguered body. Time and rest will set me right, and then it will be business as usual.

Just a reminder that July 3, my story Focused Desire is released from Phaze. http://www.phaze.com/ As usual, it's a sizzler of a tale, set in the world of high fashion photography. I hope you'll check it out. You can read an excerpt at http://www.paigebennett.homestead.com/