Friday, October 30, 2009

Release Day!

I normally love release day and while today is great in that aspect, I'm currently getting the hubby ready for a two-month trip overseas. We've been separated for longer stretches than that but this time kinda sucks because he'll be missing Thanksgiving and Christmas. I loooove this time of year so I'm sad he'll be missing most of it over here. We've still got some stuff to take care of before he flies off, but I'll be online sporadically today. There's a link to a contest at the bottom of this post and I believe she's Central time so the link probably won't be up for another hour or two but be sure to check it out for a chance to win a copy of Unleashed Temptation! Have a great weekend everyone!




Unleashed Temptation – Available Now from Ellora’s Cave

After finding out her boyfriend has been cheating on her with her boss, Carly decides her life needs a makeover. She trades in her winter coat for a bikini and heads south to Miami, Florida. Almost as soon as she arrives, she falls in lust with the sexiest man she’s ever laid eyes on. Too bad he’s her new boss.

Alpha werewolf Nick gave up hope of finding his mate a century ago. When sexy redhead Carly comes to work for him, she disrupts his entire world. Although he desperately wants to come clean about what he is, he keeps running into problems. Like the fact that an ancient enemy has set his sights on Carly. Nick discovers he’ll go to any lengths to keep her safe. Even if it means losing her in the process.


Read excerpt here.

Purchase digital version here.

For more titles from Savannah Stuart, click here.

For a chance to win a copy of Unleashed Temptation, visit Sarai J’s Blog here.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

I'm in the mood for...


Well, isn't that just a wicked opening thought? ;-)

I'm headed over to the very beautiful and exotic Royal Palms Resort tomorrow, but wanted to offer our bloggers a fun contest while I slave away at a political summit this week. (Sympathy vote, anyone?? LOL)

I have a very simple question to ask you. The season has changed. We're heading into a lot of fabulous holidays. The weather is chilling up. (Which inspires all sorts of erotic possibilities!)

Tell me what you're "in the mood for" (keep it fairly clean on the blog! LOL) and I'll choose a random winner who will receive the first free copy of my latest Red Sage release, Simply Decadent!

I'll go first... I spent this past weekend in Albuquerque with my high school BFF and yes, we partied like it was, um, 1999. (Little shout-out to Mike, her hubby, for putting up with us drunk girls for three days!)

One of our sober outings involved taking the tram up to the top of the Sandia Mountains. SO BEAUTIFUL!! (I'd post a pic, but I never seem to remember my camera. Something you'll learn about me. ;-))

Anyway, it was frigid as all get out, but still so crisp and invigorating! I loved the change in color of the trees, the smooth boulders, the snow in the crevices, the reflection of the plane wreckage when the sun hit it just right... Oh, wait. That's a "Debbie Downer" moment. Sorry. I digress.

What I was really trying to get at was that all the beauty and fresh air and crisp weather (which I haven't experienced in oh, say, six months) put me in the mood for... sipping hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps in front of an outdoor firepit where I'm snuggled up close to someone hot and hunky! We're wrapped in a furry blanket, contemplating long, slow, wet kisses. The fire is crackling and so is the air between us! ;-)

'Scuse me while I go light the fireplace and pour some hot cocoa. ;-)

Leave a comment. Enter to win. Have fun!

Here's and AWESOME review of Simply Decadent, which received a rating of 4.5 from The Romance Reader's Connection:

"Looking for a scrumptious short story? Look no further, Calista Fox’s SIMPLY DECADENT is a great book to give you a quick reading boost. The heroine and hero, Cass and Seth burn the pages. In a growing relationship, work and real life have intruded. Seth has found that after a year of dating, he has fallen in love with Cass and does not want to lose her to her work. Kidnapping her and forcing her to face their relationship can have dire consequences, but he is willing to take the risk.

Where can I get my own Seth? What a fabulous character, every woman’s perfect dream man. Cass is a great foil for him, and their problems are real and the decisions they have to make: work vs. relationships, are painfully real too. Good sex is important, and these two have a chemistry to die for, but sex is not everything.

I have always found Calista Fox’s books to be exciting, hot, well written, and enjoyable to read. SIMPLY DECADENT falls right into all of the above categories. As a short story, I have never gotten over how much passion, understanding, and depth she can pack in it. I have found few authors who can do it well, and Ms. Fox does it well consistently. I guess when it “ain’t broke, don’t fix it” but I would love to see a full length book written by this author."

Reviewed by Sarah Silversmith



Best,

Calista

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Home alone with your man this Halloween? Bewitching Tips for his Trick or Treat bag

by Jina Bacarr

In the days before social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter became the place to meet friends, Halloween was a night for romance. Young women looked forward to the harvest with corn-husking parties and bobbing for apples with the eligible men. It was a night when flirting was not frowned upon but encouraged.

Women today carry on that tradition, planning Halloween parties and "home alones" for their favorite man.

In my Halloween video podcast, I've put together a trick or treat bag sure to bewitch any man. I give you tips on what to pack in his treat or treat bag, including my favorite treat, a romance novel.

Why read him romance? Nearly 75 million Americans read at least one romance novel in 2008, the latest year statistics are available from the Romance Writers of America. Romance novels are a $1.2 billion industry with 7,311 new romance titles released last year.

So what are you waiting for? Give your man a special treat this Halloween. Don't feed him candy. You're all the sugar he needs. Read your favorite erotic scene to him.

Men are visual creatures, but don't underestimate the power of the written word, especially when you combine that with your low sexy voice and a slow striptease.

What happens next is up to you.

It sure beats bobbing for apples.





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Feb 2010

The Blonde Samurai:

"She embraced the way of the warrior. Two swords. Two loves.”

Monday, October 26, 2009

The Halloween Mystique



I'm so excited that it's almost Halloween, my very favorite holiday. No - I'm not some devil worshiping nut, I just love all the costumes and the fantasies come to life. I suspect many people live out their fantasies by being something, wearing something or acting a way they'd never have the nerve to on any other day. What costume one chooses reveals a lot about them. This particularly holds true for women. When the librarian or the secretary dresses up as a dominatrix or the scantily clad French maid, maybe they are giving us a glimpse into their fantasies.
For many readers, erotic romance fills a similar need. It allows the reader to "become" that daring heroine. Through a book, she can do all sorts of wild things she's only dreamed of. She can become the everyday woman who is taken to be a Prince's courtesan as my heroine was in Captured. She can be the woman in danger, protected by a man who will lay down his life for her. She can be an heiress cloistered by a bodyguard who wants no one but her or the Geisha every man desires. She can pick up a book and become her heart's desire.
So romance books and Halloween really have a lot in common. And now I want to know. What costume would you choose if you could be anything?

Friday, October 23, 2009

Happy Friday

Only recently have I gotten into reading series books. For the most part I've always been more of a single-title, stand-alone kind of reader. Thanks to Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters and Roxanne St. Claire's Bullet Catchers, I now sing a different tune. I think the reason I like their books so much (apart from the amazing writing of course) is that I don't have to read the books in order. With SK's books, sometimes I feel like I might be missing something, but the way she world-builds is practically seamless so I never feel lost. I love it when characters from other books make brief appearances. It's like visiting an old friend :)

Why am I bringing this up? Next week my first paranormal will be released from Ellora's Cave (Unleashed Temptation) and I'm currently working on the next book in what I hope will be a series. When I first wrote Unleashed Temptation, I didn't plan to write it this way, but Nick (the hero in UT), has a brother who decided he wanted his own story. I now have a new respect for authors who write connected books. Once I finally mapped out all the characters and their connections, it was much easier, but drawing out an entire family tree along with developing character sketches for each member was quite time consuming. I think it's going to be worth it though because I've already got two more story sketches ready to go.

Since this post is short, I've included some man candy for your viewing :) As a reader, what do you think of series books? What are your favorite series (if you like them)?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

And the Winner of UNTIL JAKE is...


Evening, all! Sorry to be late to the party...darn that day job!

Actually, I had wanted to debut some news today, but I'm still keeping it under my hat for the moment. LOTS going on on the writing front and I can't wait to share it all with you!

In the meantime, I randomly picked a winner of Until Jake in ebook format from my debut NAC blog. And the winner is... BRENDA!!

Congrats, girlfriend! Email me at calistafox13@yahoo.com and I'll get your book to you!

I'm keeping this one short and sweet today. But stop by next week for a chance to win a copy of my latest Red Sage release, Simply Decadent, on sale now!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Cleopatra's Perfume goes on sale today in Poland as "Perfumy Kleopatry"

by Jina Bacarr

My Harlequin Spice Novel, Cleopatra's Perfume, goes on sale today in Poland as "Perfumy Kleopatry." (Harlequin MIRA Stars)

The story takes place in 1939 in exotic places--Cairo, London, Berlin--when the world was teetering on the brink of war. It's the story of Lady Eve Marlowe "who has everything she needs to lead the most decadent of lives: money, nobility, nerve…and an insatiable appetite for sexual adventure…

"She also has a singular treasure: a fragrance of ancient origin said to have been prepared for the Queen of Kings herself. Seductive, irresistible, even mystical—it is the scent of pure sensuality."

Poland figures into the story, as evidenced by this short excerpt from Cleopatra's Perfume:

I had been in Cairo for weeks, doing my best to avoid the realization the world was on the verge of total war. I had not believed everything would explode on a late August night in 1939, but I knew a change was coming…an unexpected change. What had begun as a wild adventure of scent, pleasure and submission was about to turn into something more salacious, more deadly and I couldn't stop it, as I couldn't stop Hitler from racing toward his mad scheme of world domination.

His target was Poland. Mine was Ramzi.

The Fuehrer was only hours away from raping and pillaging the defenseless country. I was minutes away from executing a night of scandal, whispered renditions of which would be told over and over again on the back streets of Cairo, in the bazaar, hotel bars, anywhere people leaned forward with curiosity to hear about the night Cleopatra danced nude.


Here is the gorgeous graphic on the Harlequin MIRA Stars page with a translation of the Polish text:


War, sex, espionage, honor…

This novel has everything you need


A fast read



Exotic places, exceptional heroes

And a large dose of erotic humor


What is your favorite perfume?

What sensual memories does it evoke in you when you smell it?



Feb 2010
The Blonde Samurai: "She embraced the way of the warrior. Two swords. Two loves.”



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Monday, October 19, 2009

Bad Boys, Bad Boys


I watched Pulp Fiction a couple days ago (for the fifth or sixth time). I do love me some Tarantino! But the movie got me thinking about characters, specifically the bad boy character. Bruce Willis plays one bad boy and his girlfriend is crazy about him. Uma Thurman's character, Mia, is not only married to one of the baddest boys in the movie, but she's attracted to John Travolta, whom she knows is a hit man. This attraction to trouble is a strong theme in many romance novels.
In The Kitten Club, my first release, young waitress/college student, Brooke, is drawn to Josh, a drug-addicted charmer who always promises more than he can deliver. Yet she can't seem to find the strength to stay away. Of all my novels and novellas, The Kitten Club is still the one I get the most mail about. So many women relate to Brooke's plight.
And this trend reaches far beyond romance novels. I've had many friends over the years who fall for the wrong guy -- the bad news guy. He's the one they can't get off their mind. He's the one they refuse to walk away from. Are these women trapped in some twisted fantasy about being THE ONE who changes him? Or is it something else?
What about you? Do you like those bad boys in real life? How about in books?

Friday, October 16, 2009

Romance Tropes I Love (and hate)

I love all the emerging genres in romance, especially anything paranormal. The more plot twists and the darker the hero, the better. However, there are certain romance tropes that no matter the genre, I'm picking up. In theory, I know some of them are cheesy, I just don't care. Here's a list of my favorites:
  • Friends to lovers (love this, especially in erotic romance)
  • Enemies to Lovers
  • Don't judge me, but I LOVE amnesia stories!
  • Forbidden love with dead best friend's (or brother's) widow
  • Wrongly accused hero (or heroine)
  • I'm actually judging myself for this one, but I love virgin widow stories (hanging my head in shame right now)
Now, onto tropes I hate (or dislike very much):
  • The Big Misunderstanding (my all time pet peeve)
  • Marriage of Convenience (except in some historicals)
  • Anytime a hero blackmails a heroine, yet they're still having sex
  • Greek billionaires with virgin mistresses *g*
  • Secret babies (UNLESS it's impossible for the heroine to tell the hero for whatever reason)
I'm sure I've forgotten some so tell me what you would add to your list! If I can admit to loving virgin widow stories, I want the truth :)

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Warming Up the Fall Nights!


Hi, all! Calista here with a new release. And let's just say, it's one of those books that can help heat up the chilly Autumn nights! Nothing like a little cherry-flavored edible paint, champagne and red silk ties to liven up the weekend, right? :-) Here's a little about SIMPLY DECADENT, my latest Red Sage release:

SIMPLY DECADENT • CALISTA FOX

Too busy for romance? Every woman has been there and knows what that's like. But for workaholic Cassandra Valentine, this has become an almost permanent state. She loves her job to the point that she has forgotten about other kinds of love.

Seth Bryant is about to remind her that some things are worth a little extra time. After whisking her away to a romantic weekend retreat, he'll use every available trick -- and toy -- to win her attention for good.

Because when life gets too complicated, sometimes the only cure is simple decadence.

EXCERPT:

The stroke of the paintbrush was slow and languid, as though he had all the time in the world to drag the soft, crimson-colored bristles along her skin. The sensuous touch of the wet brush and the coolness of the creamy, cherry-scented body paint on her warm flesh made her tingle from head to toe.

As the long, continuous stroke slid down her neck, pausing to fill the hollow of her throat, Cassandra Valentine’s eyelids fluttered closed.

She knew the trail Seth intended to blaze with his edible paint. Knew it would be a scorcher.

“You’re enjoying this.” His deep, intimate tone sent a ripple of excitement through her.

“I’ll allow you to gloat,” she whispered, her voice sounding sultry even to her own ears. Her eyes remained closed, but she could picture hunky Seth in her mind. Tall, tanned and muscular, dressed in nothing but a pair of faded Levi’s. Dark-as-night hair. Dazzling ocean blue eyes. A face and body that could have been sculpted by an artist.

Seth was easily the most gorgeous man she’d ever known—or slept with.

He had a dark, edgy look that drove her wild. He was damn sexy. Sensuous. Sizzling.

No word seemed quite hot enough to describe Seth Bryant.

“I’m not gloating,” he told her. “In fact, I’m not even going to belabor that little meltdown you had in the car. I know you hate to leave town in case someone needs to reach you. But it’s a holiday weekend, babe. No one’s doing business.”

“I know. I just—”

“Shh,” he said. “No thinking or worrying about work. For the next two days, you’re all mine. I plan to worship every inch of this gorgeous body. And I just might break the record for most orgasms delivered in a forty-eight-hour period.”

A shiver of exhilaration chased up her spine. The thought of being Seth’s “sex toy”—the recipient of all his erotic attention—made her wet.

And she was already proving to herself, and to him, that she could banish thoughts of work and give herself over to every tantalizing sensation he evoked. Rather than reaching for her Blackberry the moment they’d entered the cottage, Cass had agreed to strip down and lay on the bed, allowing Seth to play out whatever wicked game popped into his head.

Admittedly, it wasn’t so difficult to savor the tingling of her skin and the prickly feeling between her legs. She was enjoying the attention Seth paid her body.

She could do this.

Propped on the edge of the king-size bed, which felt more heavenly than any Heavenly Bed® she’d slept in, Seth leaned over her as he oh-so-slowly spread the paint across her collarbone before the brush inched downward, gliding over her skin in a fluid motion. It dipped lower still, until she felt the soft bristles tickle the inner swell of her left breast.

Her bare nipples tightened in anticipation of his touch. A breeze blowing off the bay and in through the opened patio doors swept over her dewy skin, heightening her arousal. The soft rustle of the sheer curtains billowing inward, gently flapping on the humid, salty air, was the only sound Cass heard.

Other than her erratically pounding heart and the soft sigh that escaped her parted lips.

As her excitement escalated, her fingers plowed through Seth’s thick hair. She tried to coax his head to her breasts, longing for the feel of his lips and tongue on every inch of her. Particularly the sensitive parts.

“Uh-uh,” he whispered. “Not yet.”

At the very least, she wanted him to finally, finally, let the bristles sweep over her aching nipple. But Seth obviously intended to take his time pleasuring her.

As he leaned over her, Cass felt the heat he emitted. His free hand was planted next to her hip as the other hand continued to guide the brush in its sensual teasing of her flesh. When the soft bristles drew up over her breast, Cass caught her trembling bottom lip between her teeth.

He was so close!

Instinctively, she arched her back, pushing her body closer to Seth.

He chuckled. “Greedy girl.” When his head dipped, his warm breath caressed her skin, setting her insides on fire. “I’m almost there.”

“Hurry,” Cass whispered, desire and need wrapped around that one word. She could hardly wait for Seth to reach his destination. Just an inch further and he’d swipe the paint over her nipple, which now, she was certain, was tighter than it had ever been before.

“You have beautiful breasts.” His voice rumbled in his chest and reverberated deep within her.

“That are dying for your touch,” she said in a strained voice. “Seth... Please…”

“I like it when you beg, baby.” His tone was pure sin. “Turns me on.”

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

"Memoirs of a Geisha" Film Audio Podcast Review




I loved the Memoirs of a Geisha book and the film by Arthur Golden.

Here I am standing in front of the Memoirs of a Geisha film poster at the Film Locations Show (film commissions) in Santa Monica, CA (part of the film was shot in California).

Click here to listen to my audio podcast review of the film...you'll be surprised what you'll learn about geisha!!

Enjoy...


Monday, October 12, 2009

Too Sexy for His Hair




Since I've been writing erotica, I've tried to tap into female fantasies of what makes a man sexy. Thing is, there are so many facets to sexy. Even limiting myself to physical attributes, the possibilities are endless. One thing many women have definite preferences about is hair. Dark hair, light hair, curly, straight, long, short. Some women even prefer their men completely bald.

In writing erotica, details like body hair are more important than they would be in less explicit romance genres. I always write my heroes as having a hairless or nearly hairless chest. I didn't set out to purposely do this, it just happened. Yet my heroes' other qualities are all over the chart. My current manuscript features a man from Trinidad with long braids. The last one had a cop type with a military style buzz (who bore an uncanny resemblance to DH).

I remember reading a book recently where the hero had lots of chest hair, yet the author had made him sexy enough in other ways that I didn't mind. As long as he's not so hairy that if he took his shirt off, someone from PETA would spray him with paint! Furry=unsexy. For me, body hair is rather important in the sexy-o-meter. What about you? What physical characteristic calls to you?
Congratulations to Deidre Durance, who won a download of Captured for commenting on my last post. Please email me at ddedmon88 @ yahoo.com.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Romance Covers

I just got my cover for Unleashed Temptation and I must say, I'm very happy with it. My heroine isn't a blonde (she's a redhead) but the artist captured everything else I asked for. I feel pretty lucky because that's usually not the case when putting in cover requests. In a way, I believe that covers can make or break book sales. Maybe not so much in epublishing, if readers are buying from a certain house because of what specific genre they offer that other houses don't, but as a rule, I definitely think covers matter.


The first thing I notice on a book is the cover (unless your name is Linda Howard or Nora Roberts, then I notice your name first). A cover automatically draws me in, and the title is a close second. If it's a catchy title like Dead Girls Are Easy (this is the title of a book by Terri Geary), then I'm almost guaranteed to pick it up. Of course, it's ultimately the back cover blurb combined with the excerpt that make me agree to the final purchase. Still, something has gotta reel me in first!


As far as covers in erotic romance, I love entangled body parts and smoking embraces, but I don't love a lot of nudity. I also have a secret addiction to Harlequin Intrigue covers. I love the dark-haired heroes carrying guns or wearing cowboy hats. If a guy on the cover is wearing a cowboy hat, that's almost guaranteed to make me pick up the book.


What about y'all? What do you like to see on romance covers?


Congrats to Naima Simone for winning last week's contest. (I love your name by the way. I feel like you should be a character in a Linda Howard novel. Love it!) Please email me @ savannahstuart (@) hotmail . com (no spaces). Thanks everyone for dropping by today and hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Sex and the Younger Man


I was going to blog about a different topic today, but following last night's "Cougar Town," and the popularity of the "cougar" concept, I decided to blog about a new release, an Ellora's Cave trade paperback anthology called Better with Age. The book features my novella, Until Jake, which recently won Best Book of 2008 for it's category from Romance Reviews Today. As the antho title suggests, Until Jake is an older woman/younger man story...with some very unexpected twists!

To be honest, I've always preferred older men. They have experience, and ambition and wisdom and maturity. They don't need to be "molded." (I mean, who has the time for that? LOL) But as I wrote the story, I had fun with it because the hero--though only 25--is incredibly mature, alpha and deliciously hot! My heroine, though she thinks she's the one in charge of the seduction, has honest insecurities about sex with a younger man and the role he might play in her life.

I'm including a little bit about Until Jake below, along with an excerpt. And, since this is my debut blog at NAC, I'm giving away a copy of Until Jake in ebook format to a random commentor. Leave a quick note or vote in my poll: "Older with Wisdom" or "Younger with Stamina"?

See you next week! Calista


Until Jake by Calista Fox, featured in the Better with Age anthology--available at bookstores and online.

Just about every woman has been propositioned by a construction worker. Kate Hampton is about to turn the tables on a hot, hunky one named Jake…

Kate's dry spell, following a humiliating breakup, is about to end when she sets her sights on a hottie who's suddenly in her line of vision every morning. The hunky, much younger man is exactly what she needs to boost her damaged ego and she's certain the age difference and his occupation will keep her from losing her heart to the gorgeous stud. But Kate quickly discovers there's more to Jake Mosley than meets the eye and his steamy brand of loving has her rethinking all of her convictions.

If Kate can find the courage to let go of past pains and let a younger man work his magic on her, she just might end up with all she's ever dreamed of…

Excerpt:

“Well, hell-o there,” Kate Hampton all but purred as the very tall, very sexy construction worker she’d been eyeing all week came into view.

“For the love of God,” Maggi Silver whispered as she also stared out the office window, looking over Kate’s shoulder. “Would you look at that?”

“I’ve barely taken my eyes off him in five days.” During which time Kate’s irritation over losing her ocean view from within San Diego’s newly developed Liberty Station commercial and residential area had diminished considerably. All because of the blond Adonis she’d recently discovered.

“Now that’s what I call a primo vista,” Maggi cooed.

“You said it, sister.”

The new building being constructed was little more than a stone’s throw away, with a small courtyard separating it from the building that housed Kate’s office.

Which gave Kate a very up-close-and-personal view of Mr. Hardbody.

“So this is why you’ve started eating lunch at your desk.”

“Blame me?”

“I don’t know, Kate,” her boss said in a tentative voice. “This is so…un-PC. I mean, really. Ogling a construction worker all day? And one who looks to be a good ten years younger than you. He’s a baby, for Christ’s sake.”

Kate tore her gaze from the object of her immediate desire and said, “When have you ever known me to be PC? And what does age have to do it? I don’t want to marry the guy. I want to fuck him.”

Maggi’s jaw fell slack. Kate laughed. “Oh come on! What’s wrong with being honest about it? I haven’t had sex in nearly three years.” Not during—sadly—her engagement to Ken or after—sadder yet—their breakup.

It’d been a huge blow to her ego—not to mention her libido—when she’d discovered her extremely successful fiancé was only interested in her as leverage. An asset to his on-fire career, particularly when they attended high-profile social events. She’d basically been an escort. Arm candy. And nothing more.

Because, as it turned out, Ken Stoddard already had a lover.

An equally successful, equally male lover, to be exact.

Following that debacle, Kate had decided to rule out marriage altogether. Who needed the bullshit? The heartache? The drama?

She was thirty-six years old with a great career. She owned her house and BMW, had a handyman on speed dial, girlfriends to have dinner with and could buy her owned damned Tiffany jewelry, thank you very much. There really was no need for a man in her life.

Except for that wee little problem that had cropped up lately.

Kate desperately needed to get laid. And no, the battery-operated device in her nightstand didn’t count. Unfortunately for her, those little bunny ears were no longer getting the job done. Kate needed hard male muscle and hot flesh pressed against her naked body. She needed the weight of a man on her, settled between her legs. Or stretched out beneath her. It really didn’t matter as long as he knew how to use the equipment God had given him...

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Blonde Geisha tells all

by Jina Bacarr

My love affair with Japan began with a red kimono.

When I slipped on the silky robe, my bare skin tingled as if the gold and silver threads woven through the sumptuous fabric were spun with magic. I imagined I was a geisha with her tantalizing walk and elegant mannerisms. Her long, silky black hair sliding over my bare shoulder like cool ice. Dark, smoldering eyes hot with desire. Soul-melty lips glistening with the taste of passion. I so envied the seductive powers of this enchantress, but who would believe a blonde geisha?

I am no stranger to Japan. It all started years ago when I studied the art of kimono with a sensei, teacher, at a school that makes kimono in Kyoto. She told me the story about the ghost of a beautiful geisha who haunted the kimono shop, once a wooden tea house. She had died in a fire many years ago, her journey forgotten and covered by the mists of time until her diary was discovered in a small work-box called a haribako containing her geisha makeup. According to the story, her diary was written on long, narrow sheets of soft rice paper, pierced with a silken string and alive with the strangeness and sensuality of the floating world of the geisha.

I never forgot her story.

Over the years I've worked for several Japanese companies--writing cartoon scripts, acting in tofu and cola commercials for the Japan market, being a hostess for Japanese businessmen--and immersed myself in the Japanese trends and traditions. I published books about Japanese business and culture (including The Japanese Art of Sex: How to tease, seduce and pleasure the samurai in your bedroom, which was featured on Playboy TV), but I couldn't forget the red kimono. I wanted to write a story where the reader could experience firsthand what it was like to become a geisha. Living the fairy tale, if you will.

Then it hit me. What if the geisha was a Westerner? And what if she lived at the end of the nineteenth century when Japan embraced everything Western?

What if?...and you have The Blonde Geisha.

It wasn't until Harlequin started their Spice line that The Blonde Geisha found a home and the rest is--

On video!

"And then Jina Bacarr's Blonde Geisha crossed my desk," senior editor Susan Swinwood (née Pezzack) told the attendees during the Erotica Panel at the 2006 RWA Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, "…and that rule just flew out the window."

The rule Susan referred to was not to include historicals in their erotic fiction program. I'll never forget that day. I was sitting in the audience, fumbling with my new digital camera, working the zoom, checking the sound, trying to get the darn thing to work, when I heard Susan mention The Blonde Geisha (set in 1895 Japan). Her mention of my book was less than a minute, but it meant the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance.

I'm happy to say I got my camera working in time to record Susan talking about The Blonde Geisha along with highlights of her talk at the Atlanta 2006 RWA conference. Here is that video.



What's up next for the blonde geisha?

The Blonde Samurai (February 2010) takes place in 1874 Japan and is the erotic story of an American heiress who flees an abusive British husband when she falls in love with a rebellious samurai who teaches her the "way of the warrior."

Best,
Jina

The Blonde Samurai: "She embraced the way of the warrior. Two swords. Two loves.”


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Monday, October 5, 2009

Inspirations


How much of what I write is based on my own personal experiences? You wouldn’t believe how often I am asked that question – by interviewers, friends, acquaintances and others. Considering that a lot of what I write is erotica, this is an incredibly personal question. But readers want to know and I get that. For me, it depends on what type of scene or character I am writing. Nearly all of my supporting characters are loosely based on friends, relatives and the like. Why? Frankly, it’s easier that way! And it makes the characters more believable.

My heroes and heroines are different, though. These characters evolve as I flesh out the story and although I may take a trait here or there from people in my lives, the character as a whole is totally fictional. The most important question I ask myself about a particular person is what makes them tick and why?

One thing I’ll never divulge is where I get the sexual scenes. If I told you, I’d have to kill you;-) Seriously though, learning to write a compelling sex scene that accomplishes everything it needs to was one of the most challenging things I’ve had to tackle in my journey as an author.

The build-up toward the scene is crucial. The tension must ratchet higher and higher so the payoff will be explosive. Not only must it be sexy and evocative, but it must convey hero’s and heroine’s strengths and weaknesses, hopes and fears. It has to move the plot along and uncover deeper pieces of the character’s emotions. Yet it also should be choreographed, much the same as a fight scene. After all, you don’t want bodies moving in impossible ways.

A character’s thoughts during sex must be believable. Women seem to think things to death at this time while men – well, they think mostly with the little brain. If a man has long, rambling thoughts during sex, what’s going on is less than exciting for him! Men are way too single-minded for too much thought at that time.

It’s truly an art to create a scene that excites and titillates, yet accomplishes all those necessary tasks as well. But next time you pick up a sexy book, don’t think about all that goes into that scene. Just enjoy the delicious tension, soak up the colorful descriptions and enjoy.

I’m so excited to be sharing this Blog with ladies who pen such captivating heat. To celebrate, I will give away a download of my first Red Sage novella, Captured. Just leave a comment here and I will draw a winner. And don’t forget to keep checking back. All the Naughty Chicks welcome you!

Friday, October 2, 2009

I Need a Hero

Since this is the first blog here at Naughty Author Chicks, I thought I’d talk about what I love most in romance. Heroes. When I read romance, I read for the couple, the journey that gets them to their Happily Ever After, and the hot smexin, but for all that to happen, I need a hot hero. I have a few deal breakers in romance, and a crappy hero is in my top three. If the man is a jerk or if he’s wimpy and whiny, the book quickly becomes a DNF! (even if I love the heroine)


As a rule, I love my men to be alpha. Sometimes alpha males get a bad rap, but that's because they're so often labeled as assholes. There is a huge difference between alpha and jerk. A man can be demanding, protective, and sometimes pig headed, but he can still be respectful of the heroine at the same time. Once the respect goes out the window, so does my interest in the hero and so does his so-called alpha label. And a man who's willing to die for his woman? There's not much hotter than that! I like my men tall, dark, and dangerous and one of my favorite heroes is Fang Kattalakis of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Bad Moon Rising. He fits the bill for my three 'requirements'. He's dangerous with a capital 'D' and alpha with a capital 'A' but when he falls for his woman, he literally sells his soul to save her.


Despite what I said above, a hero doesn't actually have to be tall (or wealthy), but as long as he puts the heroine above all others, even if the book is only so-so, I'm definitely finishing it to see how it ends. I'll even admit that there are a couple of authors I read solely for their hottie heroes (Linda Howard and Lisa Marie Rice come to mind). I love it when a strong alpha male falls for someone and his entire world turns upside down as he tries to figure out what the hell is happening to him.


What about you? What do you look for in a hero?


In honor of our first blog here at Naughty Author Chicks, I'm offering a free download of Adrianna's Cowboy, my latest release from Ellora's Cave. Just leave a comment and the winner will be announced here next Friday so be sure to check back! And be sure to check back over the next week to see what Jina Bacarr, Dara Edmondson, and Calista Fox have in store!