Come Play with SoloPlay & Win

Want to win a copy of SoloPlay by Miranda Baker? Sure you do! I promise, you won't regret it. Keep reading to find out how.

I don't think it's a secret anymore. I have a bit of a crush on Miranda Baker. She's soft, sensual, erotic and knows how to bake. Just the baking alone is what sold me on her.  But all that aside - this woman knows how to write. When I first read Bottoms Up, I knew I had an addiction. SoloPlay is just as good.

She had me right at the beginning. A woman (librarian) having lacklustre sex (yes, that's how it opens). We've all been there, done that and have all tried to burn the bra with it - right? The man blames her - of course...and then it hits you. You're hooked. You meet Crystal who blows your mind away and find yourself in a place where you ignore your husband, children and supper that is burning in the oven. The only thing that matters is that you find yourself wet and wanting. Wanting the kids to either be invited to a sleepover and go play over at someone's house so you can have time alone with your 'other' to try some of these moves Miranda mentions in SoloPlay.

Whether you are someone who likes to use toys or not, it won't matter. You'll either find yourself wishing you had some or googling the nearest toy store to buy some. This story is full of erotic whispers and longing. But more than that - it's a story that every single woman can see herself in - at one time or another. Doubt. Self exploration. Passion. Love. This has a HEA that will bring a smile to your face and a sigh to your heart.

You'll love it.

Wanna own it? You can. Here's how. You must be a follower and leave a comment. Simple as that. No hoops to jump through. Oh wait - it would be nice if you would share your favourite chocolate dessert. For my benefit - selfish I know ;)  I'll leave it up until Friday at midnight.

Get Them While They’re Hot!

Are you one of the lucky writers attending the RWA national conference in NYC next month? If not, you can still benefit from some awesome handouts now available online. One of my favorites is Character Mining. Judging from the handout, I can’t wait to attend the workshop.

Is anyone else going to be there?

What POV is it?

Have you ever read a scene where you were confused about whose POV you were in?

 

What about writing it? Especially during those "oh so naughty" body action scenes. Have you ever written the scene and realized that the male POV was perhaps too feminine or that the girl POV wasn't feminine enough?

 

I found a fun blog with a tool called the Gender Genie. Plug in a paragraph and it'll tell you whether the POV is male or female.

 

Try it! Let me know how it worked for you.

Page Turners in Romance

Why do readers of romance keeping turning the page instead of rushing off to clean the toilet? (I mean, other than the obvious reason) It’s because they want to know what happens between the hero and heroine.

But it’s not enough to give the two characters a happily-ever-after from page one (save that for the ending). You need to create tension and conflict between them, which is maintained throughout the story.

According to Leslie Waigner (Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies) this can be achieved by creating an emotional conflict (one that grows from the heart) between the two characters that has nothing to with the plot. After that, you can throw all kinds of complications at them.

However, don’t confuse emotional conflict with intellectual conflict. Intellectual conflict comes from the head, such as opinions.

Remember, at the end of the day, the reader cares more about what’s in the hero’s and heroine’s hearts than what’s in their heads. (Okay, you know what I mean.)

Is there anything in a romance that keeps you from turning the page?

Dirty Birds Inspiration

Did you hear?

 

I was over at the Dirty Birdies this Sunday to talk about inspiration.

What a fun group! If you haven't had the opportunity to visit these girls, you need to. Regardless if you are a writer or a reader of erotica, you will find this to be informative and tempting at the same time.

 

 

What inspires you? If you read my post over there, you know that real life inspires me. The chocolate strawberry my husband hands me, the child skipping down the street, the couple arguing at the bistro over steaming cups of coffee.

 

Now it's your turn. Tell me where you find your inspiration!

So let's talk inspiration.

The Big “O”

From the time we’re old enough to read the magazine covers lining the checkout counters, we know the big “O” is important (not that we know what it means). But I wonder how many people actually buy the magazines for the advice.

Okay, I’ll admit I have, but they don’t tell you anything you can’t learn from a steamy romance novel. And if your husband times it wisely (i.e. you’re reading one when he’s in the mood), you’re already in the mood before you’re IN THE MOOD, if you get what I mean.

So my questions are:

Do you buy magazines that promise to tell you the 75 Sex Moves Men Crave (don’t laugh, it was an interesting article), do you buy books on the subject, or do you learn your fancy moves from novels (or none of the above)?

And if you write steamy love scenes, where do you get your inspiration (knowledge) from?

Blogger & I had a Fight.

There's one thing you should all know about me.

I don't play fair.

I had the 'bestest' post for today. I wrote up my post early and have looked forward to your reactions today to it. How to write a shower scene from the POV of the woman and the man. There was nothing obscene or vile. Just funny.

But it wouldn't show up. Even my delicious chocolate refused to show.

So I took away the chocolate. None for blogger. All for me.