The written word - Opening Doors

Romance and Erotic in written form have been around for centuries. The French and Orientals have been entertaining those who could read since the middle ages, much of it a great deal earlier. True, not everyone had access to books or could read way back then, but it was there. The doors had been opened if only to the rich and idle.

A sample from Stuart's Taste of the Orient

T'ung-sheng-ko

Let us now lock the double door with its golden lock,
And light the lamp to fill our room with its brilliance,
I shed my robes and remove my paint and powder,
And roll out the picture scroll by the side of the pillow,
The plain girl I shall take as my instructress,
So that we can practice all the variegated postures,
Those that an ordinary husband has but rarely seen,
Such as taught by T'ien-lao to the Yellow Emperor,
No joy shall equal the delights of this first night,
These shall never be forgotten, however old we may grow.

Chang Heng A.D. 78-139

But, when you look at attitudes of the readers, what's really changed? There are only so many ways tab A can fit into slot B, although we like to think we dream new ones up with each generation.

The internet has shown us new doors and new attitudes towards both readers and writers of erotica. It used to be men were the accepted authors of the Penthouse and Playboy stories. That seems to have changed and many men are now taking on female pen names in order to get their stories published. I don't know what the stats are on who's buying the books and stories, whether more men or women read the naughty stories you and I write, but I bet it's closer to even than ever. I could also be completely wrong here, but I just get the feeling I'm not.

What I feel needs to be addressed or at least thought of is the way the general public relate, or can't relate, to us, the authors, of the smut/romance/erotica they read.

Pen names give the author a cloak of secrecy. We hide behind it knowing, in many cases, that if our true names are found out, all H*ll would break loose, as I've seen with the outing of a couple of friends. Romance and erotic romance outsell every other genre according to stats I've seen. Yet, the authors of this sensually driven fantasies are badgered and bullied for creating the books readers all seem to crave.

For myself, those doors, the ones where readers can't understand that we are not what we write. Read that line again:

Writers are not what they write.

Stephan King did not go to cemeteries and dig up dead cats or loved ones. There were no aliens buried in the back yard, thinner wasn't real, honest!

It's not okay to email a romance author and suggest, blatantly, that if she only had a REAL man she wouldn't need to be a lesbian. OR! It's really not okay to send a complete stranger an email telling them their hot and you want to f**k them or have them do strange and wonderful things to you. This list could go on for pages. How many romance or erotica authors have taken pen names in order to protect themselves, not only from being discovered by their boss' or co-workers, but by strangers who seem to think the title author makes it okay to stock, harass or terrorize someone?

These are doors we've perhaps opened without realizing what could happen. The internet is an entirely new world, a new door, and it's just now becoming a place a great number of people use daily. The morals of a world wide society, that's what this door is and we're struggling to explain it, live within it and even define it. On one hand, we have the ultra conservative who wants all things personal kept away from adults and children alike. On the other hand we have those who feel to censor anything is wrong. Plus all the millions in between those two hands.

Maybe this door will force human kind to grow up. But, maybe we've opened a Pandora's box dooming us all. What do you think?

Another Deal, available NOW

 

ANOTHER DEAL

Book #2 in The Dealing Trilogy

By Jude Mason

Publisher: BWLPP Spice

Genre: m/f, vampires, fiction, erotica

BUY NOW

Sabrina and Matt have got to leave LA. There are too many opportunities for someone to recognize him. Neither seems to really care where they go until Sabrina has a dream/vision of her sire, Brand, being chased and brutalized by a mob. She recognized the place as Whitby England from the Abbey in the background. She also sees how her sire is murdered and the faces of those responsible.

The decision made, they pack up her casket and head for England. Once in Whitby, the pair shelter in the ruins of the Abbey while looking for the culprits. Will the vampire pair find the vengeance Sabrina so desperately seeks, or will the murder escape? Will their love hold them together in their hunt? 

Excerpt:

His eyes flew open. A scream, her scream woke him. She stared at him. Terror, pain, panic—all written on her face, blazed in her eyes—held her frozen in his arms.   

"Brand!" she sobbed. Matt pulled her close; gasped in shocked confusion at the horrible vision that filled his mind. She clung to him desperately. He'd do anything to protect her from whatever had robbed her of her peace, but he was still partially lost in his own nightmare. She trembled in his arms. Tears wetted his chest as she gazed off into some distant memory he couldn't see, and from the look of horror on her face, he was glad he couldn't.

"Sabrina, what is it?" He managed to ask; his voice was still rough from slumber and his own mysterious visions of death and hate. He wrapped his arms around her and soothed her, tenderly stroking her hair. He pulled her against him, molding her body to his in an attempt to take her obvious pain into himself and away from her.

"My sire," she whispered.

Matt didn't understand. Sire—what an odd thing to call a father. "Your sire? What do you mean? Your father? What about him?" He urged, confused but needing to know what had frightened her so badly that she lay trembling in his arms.

Sabrina pulled away from him, just enough so she could look up into his eyes. Sadness, deeper than any he'd ever seen before, darkened hers. "He's gone. Dead. Not my father, he died hundreds of years ago. My sire, the man who created me as I am now—he's been killed this night." She shuddered and again leaned against him, as if taking strength from him. "We're going to England." There was no question in her tone; she would allow no argument on this it seemed. They would go to England.

BUY NOW

- - -

*Jude Mason – Readers needed: Come, explore with me…if you dare*

Website: http://www.my-haven2001.com
Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jude_Masons_Newsletter/

To join my mailing list, go HERE

Welcome Tim Smith

It's Wednesday and I know how everyone feels about the middle of the week. I thought I'd liven things up a little with an interview, and a naughty excerpt from this author's brand new book. Here's the mysterious Tim Smith a fellow author for eXtasy Books:

1. How long have you been writing? What inspired you to pick the pen up one day and create characters that capture the imagination?

I’ve been writing since high school but didn’t become published until nine years ago. What inspired me to pen my first novel was a personal challenge. I’d had this story idea bouncing around in my head for years and one day I challenged myself to either write it or stop talking about it.

2.  What influenced you to get published? How long did it take? Can you tell us the name of your first published work?

My first published work was a romantic thriller, “Memories Die Last.” At first I wasn’t going to pursue publication, but after a few friends and family read it, they encouraged me to try.  It took me about six months to get published, because I didn’t want to self publish. I think self-publishing is a great outlet and I know many authors who have become successful that way, but I was fortunate enough to find a traditional publisher who wanted to take a chance on me.

3. What genre would you like to try that you haven’t yet?

I think I’d like to try my hand at a true crime story. All of my adventure mystery novels have current events at their core, but like most TV shows, the names are changed to protect the guilty. I also include a lot of real life events in my romance novels, and most of my characters are based on people I know – just don’t tell them!

4.  Most people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. What’s your take on this? Can you tell us something unglamorous you did within the last week or so?

It cracks me up whenever someone assumes I’m going to quit my day job or that I have a villa in Jamaica. Most writers work for a living! It takes a lot of time and effort to grab a share of the market. There are some glamorous moments, like doing personal appearances and interviews, but I don’t think anyone gets into this business for the glory. I suppose the most unglamorous thing I did over the past week was fixing a slow drain in my kitchen. Do you think Stephen King unclogs his own drains? 

5. Plotter or pantzer?

Since I’m not sure what a “pantzer” is I’ll go with plotter. Coming up with a plot that hasn’t been overdone is the real challenge. There are only a handful of original ideas out there and the trick is to put a unique spin on your story.

6.  What do you do when you’re suffering writers block?

When I hit a brick wall I’ll stay away from the story for a few days. Since I usually have two or three projects in the works at one time, those brick walls don’t come along very often.

7.  What would you like to share with new writers? Any suggestions or advice?

If you have a story to tell that you really believe in, discipline yourself to finish it and if you want to be published, don’t stop trying until you get there. I’d advise anyone who wants to get into this crazy racket to hang out on book chat boards and see what everyone’s talking about. I’d also suggest getting your feet wet by writing some online product reviews and contributing to an author’s blog.   

8. Looking over the past year, what has been the best moment for you in your writing career?

I think the best moment was when I appeared at a book festival and someone told me they’d read all of my books and couldn’t wait to read my newest one. It doesn’t get much better than that.  

9. What do you enjoy doing with your spare time, your non-writing time? 

I’m a freelance photographer so I’m always shooting pictures. I’m also doing some home improvement projects. When I’m not doing those things I enjoy watching classic movies, especially film noir capers.

10.  If you could invite any famous person, dead or alive, for dinner, who would it be and what would you eat?

I’d invite Frank Sinatra for steaks on the grill and some Jack Daniels. Over dinner I’d ask him how he did what he did so well for so many years.

11.  What are you working on now? Can you tell us a little about it?

I’m revising my first novel, “Memories Die Last” in preparation for submitting it to my current publisher, Extasy Books. I’m also working on a follow-up to my most recent release, “The Bundle,” featuring the same lead character, Vic Fallon.

12. What kind of comfort food do you like best?

Homemade fried chicken with real mashed potatoes and gravy. If there any biscuits handy, bring them along.

13. What do you hope to achieve in life and when will you know that you have been a success?

  I hope to one day be a full time writer. I’ll know it’s happened when I see my book on a bestsellers list.  Maybe then I can get that villa in Jamaica, quit my day job and get someone else to unclog my drains.

Tim has offered up a tasty tease of The Bundle, his latest release with eXtasy:

“The Bundle” 

by Tim Smith

ISBN: 978-1-55487-827-7
Series: # Vic Fallon Mystery in series: 1
Cover Artist: Angela Waters
Heat Level:   
Number of Pages: 167
Categories: Contemporary, Suspense, Adventure, Romance

BUY HERE

Blurb:

Vic Fallon had little use for the rich and famous when he was a cop, and his attitude hasn’t changed since he was forced to turn in his badge. When pop singer Kimberly Daniels returns to her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to promote her latest album, Vic reluctantly agrees to be her bodyguard as a favor for a friend. He isn’t told that she has a death threat hanging over her head, with no shortage of suspects. The set-up takes a bizarre twist when her stalker shows up and Vic uncovers a family secret Kimberly would like to keep hidden. Things get more complex when they develop a strong attraction for each other, in spite of their different lifestyles. Can Vic ensure Kimberly’s safety until she returns to L.A., or will she decide to ditch her glitzy celebrity life and stay with the rugged ex-cop she’s fallen for?

Excerpt:

Vic took off his coat, tossed it on the bed in his assigned bedroom of the hotel suite then loosened his collar, removed his tie and contemptuously flung it onto the dresser. He slipped off his shoulder holster, hung it on the back of the chair at the desk and checked the safety on the Smith & Wesson .45. He took out the bottle of Passport scotch he’d brought with him, pouring some into a glass, followed by two ice cubes from the bucket. He eased himself into the padded club chair at the small cocktail table, stretched his legs in front of him and exhaled a deep breath. A day of mingling with the Tinseltown set left him wishing the job was over so he could return to his comfort zone.

He became aware of a presence and looked at the open doorway. Kimberly stood there, dressed in a pink velour jogging suit with her initials embroidered in red sequins on the left breast. She wore no shoes or socks. Her hair carelessly outlined her face, adding a degree of sexiness. Vic noted that the zipper on her top was halfway down, and she wasn’t wearing a bra. She offered a tentative smile that still retained a hint of shyness. 

“Do you always drink alone or would you mind some company?” she asked in a soft, husky voice.

Vic set another glass on the table and pushed the bottle toward her. She settled into the chair across from him, poured some Scotch into her glass and added ice. She took a long swallow then set the glass on the table.

“Won’t Pasta object to you drinking with the hired help?” Vic asked.

“Right about now, Pasta’s cruising the bars, looking for a cock to wrap his lips around.  Won’t see him until morning.”

Vic laughed softly. “That answers one question I had.”

Kimberly gave him a look of surprise. “You thought Pasta and I were…?”

“Uh-huh.”

She laughed at the notion. “I wouldn’t pass the physical, but you’d better be careful.”

“I’ll sleep with my gun under my pillow.”

Kimberly took another sip and looked at Vic with a sultry glow. “You’re not what I expected. When Evan said he retained an ex-cop to look after me I thought you’d be older, with a pot belly and no hair.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

“I’m not disappointed.” She took a small sip. “So what’s my celebrity ass worth these days, bodyguard-wise?”

Vic eyed her for a moment. “Does it really matter?”

She shrugged. “Guess not, as long as you’re not complaining.”

“If I have any complaints I’ll let you know.”

BUY HERE

Bio:

Tim Smith is the author of seven novels, from thrillers to contemporary erotic romance. Two of his books have won awards and he’s an award-winning freelance photographer. He works as a case manager in the human services field, serving adults with disabilities. When he isn’t writing he can be found in The Florida Keys, indulging in his passion for para-sailing while doing research and seeking out the perfect Pina Colada. 

Tim's Website:  http://www.timsmithauthor.com/ 

Another Deal, available April 27th!!!

 

ANOTHER DEAL

Book #2 in The Dealing Trilogy

By Jude Mason

Publisher: BWLPP Spice

Genre: m/f, vampires, fiction, erotica

Release date: April 27.2011

Sabrina and Matt have got to leave LA. There are too many opportunities for someone to recognize him. Neither seems to really care where they go until Sabrina has a dream/vision of her sire, Brand, being chased and brutalized by a mob. She recognized the place as Whitby England from the Abbey in the background. She also sees how her sire is murdered and the faces of those responsible.

The decision made, they pack up her casket and head for England. Once in Whitby, the pair shelter in the ruins of the Abbey while looking for the culprits. Will the vampire pair find the vengeance Sabrina so desperately seeks, or will the murder escape? Will their love hold them together in their hunt? 

Excerpt:

His eyes flew open. A scream, her scream woke him. She stared at him. Terror, pain, panic—all written on her face, blazed in her eyes—held her frozen in his arms.   

"Brand!" she sobbed. Matt pulled her close; gasped in shocked confusion at the horrible vision that filled his mind. She clung to him desperately. He'd do anything to protect her from whatever had robbed her of her peace, but he was still partially lost in his own nightmare. She trembled in his arms. Tears wetted his chest as she gazed off into some distant memory he couldn't see, and from the look of horror on her face, he was glad he couldn't.

"Sabrina, what is it?" He managed to ask; his voice was still rough from slumber and his own mysterious visions of death and hate. He wrapped his arms around her and soothed her, tenderly stroking her hair. He pulled her against him, molding her body to his in an attempt to take her obvious pain into himself and away from her.

"My sire," she whispered.

Matt didn't understand. Sire—what an odd thing to call a father. "Your sire? What do you mean? Your father? What about him?" He urged, confused but needing to know what had frightened her so badly that she lay trembling in his arms.

Sabrina pulled away from him, just enough so she could look up into his eyes. Sadness, deeper than any he'd ever seen before, darkened hers. "He's gone. Dead. Not my father, he died hundreds of years ago. My sire, the man who created me as I am now—he's been killed this night." She shuddered and again leaned against him, as if taking strength from him. "We're going to England." There was no question in her tone; she would allow no argument on this it seemed. They would go to England.

- - -

*Jude Mason – Readers needed: Come, explore with me…if you dare*

Website: http://www.my-haven2001.com
Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jude_Masons_Newsletter/

To join my mailing list, go HERE

BWLPP is having a Spicy Mother's Day Contest!

Mother's Day Spa Contest

Treat your mother (or yourself!) to the best.
A Sensual Spa Basket or a Virtual Spice Basket of books from BWLPP Spice.

1rst prize:

2nd prize:

A Virtual Spice Basket with three ebooks from BWLPP Spice.

Visit each of the six Spice authors on the BWLPP Spice website and note which romance graphic they have on their page. Complete the form on the contest page with your name, email address and answers (six author names and six graphic types) by May 2, 2011. Winners will be announced May 3 and prizes sent out in time for Mother's Day!

 Have Fun and Good Luck!    

 

Happy Easter!

Signs the Easter Bunny is Nuts

10. Neighbors describing him as "a quiet loner."
9. Removed from a department store last December after screaming at Santa, "You're going to die up there, fat man!"
8. Can't stop washing his paws.
7. Colorful eggs now filled with Prozac.
6. Apartment walls covered with photos of Sharon Stone.
5. Met with Dr. Kevorkian about the possibility of a "suicide egg."
4. Rotting corpse of Energizer bunny recently discovered in his crawl space.
3. Won't come out of his compound in Waco, Texas.
2. He's hippity-hopped up on crack.
1. Keeps rubbing himself for good luck.

 Have an awesome weekend everyone and good luck on finding all those Easter Eggs!

Hugs

Amber's Toy, is available now from eXtasy

Amber's Toy  Publisher: eXtasy Books ISBN: 978-1-55487-847-5 Genre: m/f, femdom, BDSM There’s a saying about a woman being scorned, a saying Amber is about to explore in great detail with Tony Jeffers. To read an excerpt and buy, go HERE

Overweight and unattractive, Amber thought she'd finally found love only to have her heart broken by hunky Tony Jeffers. When he humiliates her, she decides to devote her life to helping others, and forsake ever finding a man. A tragic plane crash proves to be her salvation. After a stint with a jungle tribe, and with the help of the wise woman of that tribe, Amber finds the means to avenge herself, and keep Mr. Hunk from hurting anyone else. To top it all off, when the bad boy realizes who it is and what she's doing, it's a huge turn on for him. Can the two find love after all?

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Come on, ya sissy, down it. All of it,” slurred Amber. She sprawled across the bar, one arm extended along it to keep her from falling face first onto the lap of the drunk in front of her. Her skirt was too tight, her blouse too revealing, but to her, success was more important than decency at that moment. She knew he wouldn't recognize her. He couldn't and still be with her. Over the past few months, she'd lost a good deal of weight, and her hair was now its natural black where it had been nearly blonde. Her nose was smaller and her eyes were now blue whereas before her extended travels they'd been brown. No, he'd never recognize her. Besides, he'd never really looked at his many conquests; he just used them before moving on to the next.

She eyed the man, silently urging him to down the amber drink in his highball glass. The dull gray parasite curled around the single ice cube, waiting to warm up and do its job. Tony Jeffers peered at her, his handsome face flushed, his deep brown eyes unfocused. He smiled a lopsided grin that brought back a flood of memories of that night and made her stomach lurch.

He'd spilled half of his last bourbon down the front of his shirt. It pooled in the crotch of his jeans. In the dim lighting of the bar, she could barely see the dark patch. A well-liquored stick, she giggled and raised her own half-empty glass before downing it.

Come on, you bastard, she thought and slumped towards him, her hand inadvertently landing on his damp crotch. She wanted to tighten her fingers, to see if she could make him scream, but she held off. He'd pay soon enough.

To read an excerpt and buy, go HERE

April's Newsletter, available now!

Author Jude Mason's April 2011 Edition

 

What Jude's Been up to:

 

Spring is nearly here! Whoo hooo! It's warmer, the threat of snow is pretty much history and I can get back to walking regularly. Yes! Life is indeed good. Well, mostly. LOL

I'm slowly getting my Phaze stories/books out again. There was a call out with TEB and I was asked if I'd like to send something in for it. I wimped and moaned, explaining I was struggling and trying to find homes for my poor orphaned works. Seems Sammy might have a new home. Enter Janice, with her few suggestions and I'm doing a complete re-write. The woman is crazy! But, I love her and think Sammy will read much better when he's worked on. I'm actually writing the first sex scene right now and OMG it's hot! You're going to love it.

I'm by myself right now too. Hubby got called in for a job, three hours drive from here. He's gone for ten days. Just long enough for me to get used to the house being so quiet. We do talk. Thank heaven for messenger!! He's fine. Been very wet where he is, but the work isn't too bad, he says. Meanwhile, on the home front, poor daughter broke her toe. Okay, so I laughed, just a little bit. We seem to be a family who do this kind of thing occasionally. Hubby's done it four times, I think. Me, once, so far. Hehehe! Just call us the Clutz family.

Oh, a heads up to any of you who would like to spend some time chatting with myself, and other authors who are published by both Total E-Bound and eXtasy. Okay, what I'm rattling on about here is, both publishing houses have yahoo groups where readers are most welcome to come and hassle us, chat with us, complain about what we write, rave about the books you love, or simply pass along a great recipe idea.

Litergasm (Total E-Bound's chat group)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/literagasm/join

eX_Factor (eXtasy's chat group)
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/eX_Factor_News/join

I, along with the other authors, are there, every day, chatting when we can and we'd love to have company. So, if you have a little spare time, or need to escape from the rat race, the boredom of being home alone...whatever, come and join us. We'll be there and waiting to hear from you.

On to my animal friends. With spring coming, the deer are beginning to look pretty scraggly. They're getting their new summer coats and the old fur is coming off in chunks. They all look like they need a good bath and a brushing. Any volunteers? They're all doing well, though. Even limpy is fairing well. He's still not walking properly, I'm not sure he ever will. But, he's strong and comes every evening for his dinner.

* * * *

If you want more, things like Jude's new releases, what she has coming soon, review snippets, or how you can enter her contests, you might want to sign up to her mailing list HERE

Or, join her yahoo group where you can not only get the news, but you can chat with her too. The link for that is HERE

If you'd like a little more of this newsletter, check it out on her website, HERE 

Have an awesome weekend! 

What makes Jude tick?

I thought I'd share an article I wrote some time ago. It still has a great deal of meaning for me and might give you a little insight into what makes Jude Mason tick.

When did I decide to pursue erotic romance writing? That was the question posed to me first and the answer is so simple, and so complicated, I’ve decided to try to explain it.

The very simplest and straightforward answer is, I didn’t. Not a lot of help, I know. But, it’s like asking someone when they decided to take up breathing. Or, what made you choose blue eyes rather than brown ones? Writing about the joys of sexuality came as naturally to me as breathing and having brown eyes.

When I was very young, I had terribly bad eyes, so reading was next to impossible, but I still told stories. I remember creating little screenplays and making all my friends take part in putting them on for the neighbourhood moms. Lord, they must have hated me sometimes, all of them, kids and moms. The stories were there though and had to be told. There was never any question of whether to listen to those characters or ignore them, I simply did what seemed natural.

The erotica came a little later, but not that much. I was in my early/mid teens and rushing hormones abounded. Boys were amazing, and what was that amazing feeling ‘down there’? Why did my heart race? Why was I feeling so at odds with everything? The stories came then, in the form of poetry that royally sucked, but it had to come out somehow and that seemed the wisest. It didn’t stop the partying or exploring, but it kept me sane.

Marriage and child rearing happened next and my time became incredibly limited forcing me to write late at night when the house was quiet. All those years I think I dreamed of being published but couldn’t even let myself thing about it. The stories, books of them, were simply stuffed in the back of my closet and destroyed when there just got to be too many. I mean, I was just a housewife, a mom, not an author. I live in small town nowhere and teach hunting skills for crying out loud.

Yet, those stories kept coming and I continued writing.

It wasn’t until about 1998, when my darling husband of 25 plus years, decided we should join the multitude of people who owned computers, that I really new, deep in my psyche, that something was going to change. Not only change, but from some tiny spot inside me, publishing came to mind.

Now, the actual genres, romance and erotica, I didn’t even consider. I just wrote stories, badly, but I wrote ‘em. I had no idea about epublishing, groups to join that would help me find out what I needed to know, nothing. I was the dumbest of the dumb, and shy to boot.

You might ask, ‘How in heck could someone like this get published?’

And my answer to you all is, ‘Dumb luck.” LOL

In that first year of being online I fumbled my way into chat room and found a couple of boards catering to the wanna be writer. Some helped, some did just the opposite, but I did learn and I met some amazing people. There was a woman who went by the nickname of Aphrodite. She’d been published, once or twice, and took me under her wing. At least that’s what she thought she was doing. It turned out she had family issues and I wound up taking over the group she’d created. It was there I met my first publisher, Roy Larkin, of the now defunct Amatory Ink.

It took me a couple of months to actually send him an email asking how I should/could proceed to be one of his authors. I had no idea about guidelines or submissions. I just knew he was a way in. You talk about terrified. I had dry mouth and jitters for days before I sent the email and afterwards waiting for a reply. I just knew he was going to think I was insane.

Roy got back to me fairly quickly, actually, and told me to read the guidelines. He explained where they were was even kind enough to do an edit for me on a piece I’d thought of submitting. I worked my butt off for months. I finally did submit something to him, and it was accepted in 1999. Dance of Submission was the first book I had published, and it was horrible. I still have the original version and, man oh man, was it bad.

I was with Amatory until he closed his doors. That was huge for me. Insecure about my skills and knowing I had tons yet to learn, I wasn’t sure what to do or where to go. I tried a few publishing houses, all online, and when I got it through my head that you had to tailor the work to the publisher, things improved tremendously.

I joined a writing community called The Erotica Readers and Writers Association and was amazed at how much I didn’t know. More frustration and learning, and pulling my hair out. Oh and the hair, it’s gone from raven to gray, but the stories still come, still drive me to tell them.

I no longer teach and my kids are grown and gone now. They’ve found their own lives and the best news is, they know what I do, and they’re tremendously supportive. I’ve been through several publishers, some worked well for me, some not so much. My husband, the most wonderful man in the world, is such a dream. He cheers for me when I succeed. He holds me when I fail or get a rejection. 

It’s been an amazing journey, and one I hope to continue for some time. Yet that question still makes me smile. When did I choose to become a romance/erotica writer? I never did, but it defines me in so many ways. Erotica, sensuality, romance, sex, we all live it, whether we think so or not. I simply try to create stories to explore the dimensions of it. The older I get, the more I feel I can truly get under the skin of some very interesting characters. I like to thing that I’ve lived enough life to understand them, kinks and all.

Writers: What got you started? Got a story to tell?

Readers: What do you think? Do you have something you'd like to share?

Hugs
Jude

Newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jude_Masons_Newsletter/
To join my mailing list, go HERE

Edits!!

Hey gang,

Ya know, I'm normally extremely happy to see edits arrive in my inbox. The last couple have been a little more challenging, though. Not in a bad way, don't get me wrong. I adore my editors. Their job is to help me polish my work and they do an excellent job of it.

Let's start with Sammy. I adore Sammy and when TEB showed an interest in republishing it, I was truly excited at the prospect. When my editor sent me her suggestions, I wasn't so sure. LOL She suggested the book needed to begin at a completely different place and also, the first sex scene I'd done was too long. TOO LONG! Sheesh! Okay, after picking myself up off the floor, I took a good look at my Sammy and thought...She's right. Sigh! (Don't you just hate it when you have to admit you're wrong?)

So, it took me a couple of weeks of hair pulling and miles of walking around grumbling, but I did it. I'm not sure it's right, but it's done, and I've sent the re-write to my editor. She's wonderful, she really is. She even said to send it back so it would be out of my hair. Yay!!

On to the next edit. That would be for Fertile Domain, which will be re-released with eXtasy. I had a different editor this time and I'm not sure we're a good fit. We'll see how it goes. I do adore Jay. She's incredible!  Fertile Domain needed very little fixes, so it wasn't as huge as Sammy, but it was as important. Having a book come out well polished is incredibly important to me. A publishing house that agrees with that is where I want to be.

I'm off to welcome my hubby home now. He's been away for over a week and I'm sooo looking forward to this weekend. Wink, wink!!

Have an amazing weekend yourself!

It's here: Dylan's Dilemma by Jude Mason and Jenna Byrnes

Hi everyone!

Yes, it's finally here. The fifth book in the Kindred Spirits Series and it's one hot story. If you like your men hot, and liking each other, you'll love this one. If you add a ghostly mystery, it can only be more fun...right?

Dylan's Dilemma Book 5 in the Kindred Spirits Series Jude Mason and Jenna Byrnes ISBN:978-0-85715-510-8 Genre: Paranormal/ Gay/ M,M Publisher: Total E-Bound BUY NOW A handsome hunk, sceptical of ghosts, and the bad boy ex-con who's stolen his heart, have a rousing good time at Whiskers' Seaside Inn.

Dylan Wyatt doesn't believe in ghosts. That's what he keeps telling himself, night after night, when noises and unusual happenings at Whiskers' Seaside Inn wake him. He's there for two weeks running the place while his brother Cade and groom Ethan are away on their honeymoon. His first assignment is to oversee the removal of the wedding tent, tables and chairs. Dylan decides he's more interested in watching one of the workmen, handsome, hunky Scott.

Besides having a tiger tattoo running from his neck to his wrist, Scott's got a waist-length braid and has done prison time. He's not Dylan's usual type, but that might be part of the attraction. Dylan hires the handyman to do some work at Whiskers', and winds up getting a lot more than he bargained for.

Like it or not, Dylan's forced to figure out what's going on if things at Whiskers' are ever going to return to normal. If there is a Whiskers' normal?

BUY NOW

Take care and have an amazing week!

Hugs
Jude

The Zagzagel Diaries Ends This Week

Forwarded with permission:

It is with very mixed emotions that I'm announcing that the final diary entry in Bryl R. Tyne's worldwide hit series The Zagzagel Diaries will be published this coming week. The final entry is titled Loved, which I think is extremely appropriate considering how the series has been received.

When Bryl brought the series to me in the early part of 2010, I knew we had really discovered something incredible. As the series built, the reaction from readers around the world has just been astounding. This is a series that seems to have resonated with everyone. I think it's strong gay/lesbian/bisexual/straight ideas were all things people could relate to, regardless of sexual identity.

I know that the series has been just as emotionally draining for Bryl to write as it's been for many people to read. I know that there will be a certain sense of closure and relief for Bryl, but I'm also sure there will be a little bit of a hole there that Zaggy (as we call him behind-the-scenes) and his tales used to fill.

In honor of the end of one of the first series to ever appear at Untreed Reads, and one that we think really helped define who we are, we are declaring April The Zagzagel Diaries Month. We'll be offering the first short in the series for free and discounts on the rest of the entries and Bryl's other title, The Secret Ingredient.

We'd like to encourage readers everywhere who have been touched by the series to send us their thoughts about what the series meant to them, and we'll be sharing those throughout the month at UntreedReads.com in our blog. If you'd like to share your feelings, thoughts, ideas, artwork etc., please send them to zaggy@untreedreads.com . We'll make sure that all emails are shared with Bryl.

Please do repost this anywhere and everywhere.

As an editor, you dream of having a series that's both brilliantly written and beloved by people all over. Bryl R. Tyne is one of the most magnificent authors I've ever had the good fortune to work with, and publishing The Zagzagel Diaries has been an incredible pleasure. We'd like to thank Bryl for allowing us to be a part of the world of this uncommon angel, and we will always remain a fan of the series and of Bryl.

Visit Bryl's page on Untreed Reads HERE

Best,
Jay Hartman
Editor-In-Chief
Untreed Reads Publishing

A new author at Total E-Bound

I just wanted to give a bit of a heads up about a new author who's become a new friend. Sam Crescent, who's first book Office Hours will be coming out soon. Seems this is a dream come true for Sammy and I'm thrilled for her.

If you'd like to learn a little more about her, check out her very first blog post at the TEB blog. She's nervous, excited and all those good things. Here's Sam Crescent

And, she talks to her characters, even argues with them... have you ever heard of anything so crazy?

Okay, I'm ducking and hiding now.