Tuesday 11 September 2012

We heaved and pushed and made it over the finish line

When I first heard of the words "blog tour" I didn't know what they meant. How was I going to tour around with people who live millions of miles from me? Then I was added to the secret group and besides feeling specially selected, I was bewildered. But Tasha, helpful as she always is, answered all the questions through her posts and clarified all my confusion. Now I was excited. Sure, I had a blog, actually I had two, but I didn’t know what to post about half of the time, and the other half I was rambling stupidly.
Now, a participant in a real live blog tour, I was posting on a weekly basis and writing too. Tasha provided the topics or sent us in search of them and I will admit there were several times that I was going to quit; hand in my honorary blog tour badge and sit with my lip hanging- defeated. But, I didn’t, I made it through 16, yes SIXTEEN weeks of a blog tour, writing a post for every one of those 16 weeks. Sure, they were not always on time, because I don't do PC time on the weekends, my glorious little angel demands my attention on Saturdays and the hubby on Sundays and when I am not showering them with attention I am busy in my little business. But I would still hurry into my office on a Monday morning and tap at the keys trying to bleed some words out for my guest post.
Of course the journey was not without its bumps. I have, in my eleven years of being employed, worked with all sorts of people and so I wasn't surprised to meet some on this tour who didn't keep up their end of the bargain. I do understand that all sorts of things arise in our lives to keep us from keeping deadlines, but if you can update your facebook status every ten minutes you can quickly leave a message in the TTC-VBT group informing the organisers that you won't be making this week's post. However, I know it didn't affect me half as much as it affected Tasha, who is a real trooper for having such patience with all the participants.
I, on the other hand, peeped out of my shell and trotted along the path, week by week, bringing myself out a little more every week until I slowly made it, at my own pace, over the finish line. I am a very shy and introverted person, who would not approach another person about guest posts, but after this blog tour you can bet I will be doing that now. The tour taught me how to seek out people who write in my genres and how to trade with them, a post for a post. I made a lot of new friends too. I also learnt how to post regularly by doing flash fiction and getting my readers involved in my WIP, also a way to promote it before it is released.
I wasn’t like the legend Usain Bolt, instead I stumbled down the path like an awkward child, falling down every now and again, to have Tasha pick me up brush me off and send me on my way again. But I was glad that along the way I got to meet a lot of wonderful people, like Tara Chevrestt; who I am in awe of because of her ambition to write and release romance novels, I think I kind of stalk her now on her progress and I tell myself, get going on your work, look how many books Tara has coming out. She has become somewhat of a role model for me.
I already knew that Ellie Mack was a straight talker and an avid blogger and was pleased to host one of those very "kick in the butt" posts.
I was inspired by Linda Bolton's blog and how she keeps all her posts about romance in keeping with her genre.
Bruce Blake and Doug Simpson got me interested in their novels and after acquiring On Faithful Wings in a free giveaway, I am now reading it and quite intrigued to see where the story is going.
Nikki Noffsinger taught me about vanity presses and I was very grateful for that lesson.
I learnt how to create author interview questions, and how to write author spotlights, things I knew nothing about before this tour.
I made it to the end because I didn’t want to be one of the persons who disappointed Tasha. Every time I thought of dropping out I thought about the fact that I wasn’t doing so because my schedule was packed, or I had more pressing and important things to do, but was doing so because I didn’t believe I could do it, and then I would go read the posts in the group and there was always an encouraging word from Tasha; offering tips on how to do the post, where we can inspiration from, inviting persons who were encountering problems to share the problems so she could work with them and so much more. I made it to the end of this tour without missing a post because of Tasha Turner’s encouragement, leadership and support. She is not only a brilliant and magnificent individual; she is also a great leader, guide and friend.
So now I congratulate myself for making it here and I hope I can continue to post at least weekly, using the knowledge I have acquired from the blog tour and keep all you new supporters on my blog entertained.
Thanks for the experience Tasha and all those who participated.

Thursday 6 September 2012

Kiss of the Dragon - a tantalizing excerpt by Ellie Mack

Now isnt this my lucky week; two guest posts in one week and by two very talented authors. You should know todays guest from Storytimetrsyts and her wonderful titlating writing. Today she offers a brush on the lips from her WIP.

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Kiss of the Dragon by Ellie Mack

Ever had the feeling that you just didn't fit in or that you didn't know who you really were? Isabelle Lennox is about to find out the hard way about her true self as she is thrust into a world of magic and dragons. True love has never been this dangerous. Kiss of the Dragon takes you beyond time to a fated love that's out of this world in this paranormal romance.

Isabelle attends a Renaissance Fair in a real Scottish castle with her friend to help get her cheating ex-husband out of her system. When a "black hole" headache strikes, everything changes. Set on the coast of Scotland and spanning thousands of years, Isabelle is about to embark on an adventure like none she's ever heard of before. A mystical land of dragons, mages, and treasures surround her as she discovers a truth long hidden from the human world.

While Laird Zane is discovering the truth about his heritage, Isabelle is discovering a world she never knew existed. The truth lies somewhere between the prophecy and fate, and only time will tell.

Excerpt from Kiss of the Dragon

*The following excerpt is Zane and Izzy's first kiss upon the battlements of Zane's castle walls. *

He laughed. Not just a slight laugh, but a full belly laugh. He reached for her hand. “You must have been a handful.” He pulled her closer, moving the wine bottle out of the way. His breathing no longer calm, but jagged. His gaze held hers captive. Tension built and coiled within her while she waited for what she knew was coming.

“I know this is very forward. Please don’t think me a rogue, but I’ve been sitting here listening to you, trying to focus on your words whilst imagining what it would be like to kiss you.”

Isabelle felt the heat snaking up her arm from his touch. She felt the heat within herself stirring. Hadn’t she wanted him to kiss her?

He brushed an errant strand of hair from her face and traced her jaw line with his finger. Leaning in, his mouth so close she felt the puff of breath on her own lips. “Just one taste.”

He pressed against her gently. A quick dart of his tongue against her lips beckoning them to part. She was helpless to do anything else. Her lips parted, allowing him to sweep her teeth with his tongue. A thrill rippled through her at his kiss. He lingered, daring to entice her to more. Isabelle brought her hand up to his chest, touching him, yet not pushing him away. She wanted more. He pulled back slightly, their lips a hair breadth apart.

Isabelle exhaled with a slight catch in her breath. His lips were on hers again, his tongue probing inside her parted lips. She was lost in the sensations. How long had it been since she’d let a man get this close? She’d forgotten how good it felt to be touched, to be kissed. On the other hand, it had never been even close to this.

A heat like a flickering flame warmed her. It started where his lips met hers and continued down, all the way down. Wanting. Needing. Raw. Hungry, oh so very hungry for his touch. Flames of her own passion began to build. She had her hand at the back of his head before realizing what she was doing.

Zane rolled towards her, still supporting his weight on his elbow. He eased Isabelle to the ground smoothly. Sliding his free hand from her face, trailing down her neck, and brushing against her breast. Hardened buds formed as the back of his hand brushed against them. Zane’s hand continued down to her waist, then reached around and pulled himself against her. A low growl escaped Zane’s throat a second before he covered her mouth again. It started gentle then grew more insistent, stirring feelings that quickly turned to raw desire. A slow sweep of his tongue in her mouth sent her closer to that ragged edge.

She could feel his hardness against her hip. Every cell of her being had been awakened with his kiss. Her mind raced with images of passion igniting between them. The desire he stirred just with his kiss was overwhelming. She moved her hand down his back, resting it at the small curve there. He smelled like strong spice and leather. She could taste the wine on his lips mixed with a stronger, fiery something. The vaguest hint of it touched her taste buds when his tongue tangled with hers. He tasted like heaven or decadent sinful desire, her every fantasy in the flesh.

She had to have more! Isabelle kissed him back enthusiastically, as each slight movement of his tongue stoked her own fire. She didn’t know if it was his amazing kissing or the spicy taste, but she had to have more.

Suddenly he pulled back. She missed the separation immediately. Her eyes flew open, locking with his, questioning.

“I should see you to your room.” There was a feral, barely restrained look in his. She heard his words, yet he made no effort to move. His breathing was ragged, catching on the exhale. “Else I won’t be able to stop.”

“I, I didn’t say you had to stop.” Her eyes pleaded with his. Her voice came out in breathy whispers.

A slight twitch at his jaws, his gaze never left hers. He contemplated briefly. He released his hold on her and got to his feet. Clenching and unclenching his hands, he stared out over the sea below. He turned and helped her to her feet, then silently gathered the items in the cloth. He grasped her hand in his and took off with a long stride. Isabelle shuffled her feet, nearly at a jog to keep up with him.

He walked her around the wall to the main house entering the doorway there. A guard stood just inside the door, he dropped his eyes, not meeting hers. Down the corridor he strode at nearly a race. What had she done to infuriate him? When they had reached her chamber door, he pressed her against the wall, lifted her face to his and kissed her firmly. He was pressing the length of his body against hers. His mouth claimed hers, demanding this time. Demanding her response, demanding she open to him. He moved over to the soft spot of her neck, just below her ear and nuzzling his chin upwards, grazing her jaw line with his teeth.

A quick gasp of pleasure escaped her. He tensed, and pulled back. “ I will say good evening to you Lady Isabelle.” He turned, and at the same pace barreled off down the corridor. She still stood, pressed against the wall when Merryk came around the corner to assume his post.

A knowing grin crossed his face as he came closer. “Perhaps milady, you should go inside your chamber. Do you require assistance?”

Her lips still tingled where Zane’s had been mere moments before. Dazed, and highly aroused she ducked under his arm to enter the chamber. Isabelle sat on the edge of the bed, staring at nothing, memorizing every touch, every taste. She had never been so turned on in her entire life. With Jake, she had never reached an orgasm. Not once. Not even when he went down on her. Jake apparently had no problem so it had to have been her. That was part of his reasoning of why he cheated.

Right, he was a no good cheating snake because she was the ice queen. She had come to believe it for a long while. But tonight. . . Tonight she was nearly there when Zane merely kissed her. She lay back on the bed imagining if things had progressed further with Zane.

It was a long while later before she regained her composure. In some measure she wasn’t sure she would ever completely recover after that kiss.
~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II~II
Ellie Mack lives in a small town near St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a BS in geography/cartography. She has worked for Department of Defense, county government, as a substitute teacher, and various other jobs.  Her hobbies include reading, bicycling, playing Tombraider, and Dance games such as Dance Dance Revolution, and Zumba. Between being a mother to two teenage girls, a wife, homemaker, and a mortgage loan officer, Ellie writes paranormal romances.
Ellie’s first erotica piece is appearing on
http://storytimetrysts.blogspot.com/
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Well that was an emotional ride. The way Ellie describes the kiss and paints a very clear picture of exactly what is going on and how they both feel put me there in that scene and I felt as though I was Isabelle. The part with the tongue against teeth, took away a little from the mood that Ellie set for the scene, but not enough for me to loose it altogether. I was there with Isabelle feeling Zane kiss her below the ears, and feeling the heat build up in her and was just as forlon when he left.

That is my view of the excerpt, what is yours?
 

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Why subtract when you can add...more hot scenes

For those of you following the blog tour you may be reading this and wondering; "Why the same theme in two consecutive weeks?" Well things happen, bumps arise in the road and we must
maneuver over them and carry on, and in that spirit I am proud to host this wonderful romance erotica author as she shares with us why she doesnt delete scenes.

Enjoy!
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Hello! This week on the TTC/MasterKoda Virtual Blog Tour we are discussing and sharing deleted scenes.

First I’d like to be a gracious guest and say thank you to Anjie for hosting me this week! I enjoy visiting and guest posting on other blog’s, and this blog is no different.

 

I would love to share a deleted scene with you, really I would. But the truth of the matter is - I don’t have one. “How can that be?” you might ask.   

Well, I am the type of writer who doesn’t include enough in my stories. I was once told by an editor that I had too much going on, and that I had things in there that took away from the plot. So now I try to stick to the basics, but that doesn’t always work out either, because then I have to go back and add to my manuscripts from holding back too much.

I think I like the idea of adding better than deleting. I mean, how would you determine what to take out? As a writer, I fall in love (or at least in like) with my work, so I would imagine cutting some of it would be painful. There have been some sentences or small paragraphs I’ve had to remove, usually due to being too wordy, or from being repetitive, and even then it can be difficult to let it go.

The idea of adding instead of deleting suits me just fine! When I need to build on the story the only problem I might have is where to place it, but then it works out in the end.

What is it I usually have to add?

Back story. So I plan to keep that mind as I write, and still remember not to go overboard, or to get sidetracked.

Easier said than done!

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Laci Paige is the author of the erotic novella, Let’s Keep On Truckin’. She lives in Hampton Roads, VA with her family and enjoys photography. She also enjoys interacting with fans on social media.

Blurb from “Let’s Keep On Truckin’” (By Laci Paige and Decadent Publishing, heat level 4).

Lily loves traveling on her job since no one can do it better than her. Being out on the open road gives her plenty of time to reflect and avoid unwanted attention, but somehow it always finds her....

When she comes across Ryder, first at a grocery store, then at a rest stop, sexual desire sparks and she knew she had to have him. If only her ex hadn't shown up, igniting a fantasy she never thought possible.

Seeing Alex in a whole new light, Lily realizes second chances are in order, but will she have to choose between the two men? Or could she be happy with both?