Paying for Book Reviews

Dollars in the books, isolated on white background, business traAn online friend and I recently had a somewhat heated debate about paying for reviews. He told me about a website, where he had signed up, that has a requirement to provide gift cards in exchange for potential reviews. I said something like, “I’m unwilling to pay money to get reviews.” For him, since it wasn’t a direct exchange, money for a review, it was completely fine.

We all get to decide, thankfully, where our personal line of ethics lies.

I have been asked by other authors to “post a review” in exchange for a review of my book. I wouldn’t even have to read the novel and they would tell me what to write. Of course I declined. Is it wrong that I want to sink or swim on my own merit?

There are people on FB that offer reviews for a fee. I’m completely against this. My debate partner tried to equate giving my book away for free with paying for a review. I completely and vehemently disagreed. Yes, we can place a value on an eBook (although it costs me nothing to provide one) or even a paperback but I don’t feel like I’m BUYING a review by providing a reviewer with a free copy.

You can find plenty of websites where you can pay a rather steep fee to get to be reviewed on their site. To me a book is either good or not and there are so many different free sites to get your book noticed that I don’t want to pay my hard earned money to support an industry that exploits its writers.

I became rather irritated during the debate and I realized why it happened after the fact. I’m perfectly okay with having a difference of opinion with people and many people who read this post will probably think there is nothing wrong with paying money to get your book promoted any way they can. It’s a business, right? However, when someone argues with me as if their position is the only one that makes sense; I want to slap the imagined smirk off their face. Not truly, since I’m the non-violent creative type, but I think I’ve illustrated my point.

Where do you fall along the divide? Please share your thoughts with us.

Warm hugs to all my readers and a special hug to my debate partner,

Blakely

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What’s Trending Now

Edge-of-Love-1As an author who writes erotica, it is incumbent on me to stay abreast (no pun intended) of the latest trends in sexual behavior. While doing research, I have recently discovered a study about the rise in reporting of women on women sex both here in the US and in the UK. It is believed that the change is due to the shift in society in regards to same sex relationships, allowing women to more comfortably explore different sides of their sexuality. In addition, the advent of the internet has made finding potential partners easier. Continue reading

Blakely’s Friday Interview with MJ Nightingale

Please give a warm welcome to MJ Nightingale, author of Fire in His Eyes.

3D_promoTell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
I’ve just finished writing my debut novel, Fire in His Eyes, and I am working on promoting it and marketing it. I am learning all the technical aspects of the new digital publishing world, and want to get the word out about my book via facebook, Goodreads, and twitter. I am also writing a second novel inspired by one of the characters in my first book, Ana.

I have two other novels on the horizon, one with author Chelle Bliss. We are planning on writing alternating chapters in a different POV. Continue reading

Sneak Preview of Chapter One for Stuck In-Between

Below is the first chapter in Stuck In-Between, Copyright © 2014 by Blakely Bennett. (EROTIC CONTENT – please be at least 18 years of age) This is the first draft so it’s still a work in progress. I would love to know whether or not you feel compelled to read more. Please comment. Thanks!

stuck in between cover maybe

CHAPTER ONE

Help Me

by Joni Mitchell

My eyes swung to the left, and skimmed the rack to see if he had added any new devices for disciplining his wayward lovers. There, on the wall, hung a variety of whips, cuffs, and paddles. I had long ago vowed never to allow him to take such liberties with my body. At least I had upheld that promise to myself.amn, not again, I thought as I opened my eyes and scanned my surroundings. In one fell swoop, I had abandoned all my firmly held resolutions. I should have known better than to mix alcohol and my ex-boyfriend Bond.

As I sat up, I felt my head swim from the wine, the pot, and Bond. He was like a ticking time bomb, blowing my life to pieces each time I gave in to his gravitational pull. In my defense, he had that effect on all women, not just me. Unfortunately, I was the silly woman lying naked in his bed under the black-framed Octopussy movie poster he had hung above the headboard.

Bond leaned through the doorway wearing fitted white shorts and a short-sleeved shirt with a white collar and blue stripes. His long, brown hair appeared wet from the shower. Seeing him dressed like that reminded me he came from money. To me, he looked funny dressed like a man going to play tennis at the country club instead of the tattooed biker he liked to portray. Neither was really him in my opinion.

“Chop, chop,” he said.

“‘Chop, chop’? Have you turned into my mother all of a sudden?” I said, slowly pivoting my body to the side of the bed to stand.

“I have company arriving soon.”

The way he said company, it was clear it would be of the female persuasion.

“It’s not even 10 a.m.,” I almost whined but modulated my voice in time.

“They own a sailboat so we’re setting out early. Seriously, I need you to vacate.”

“Well, good morning and fuck you too.” I wanted to stick my tongue out, but instead behaved like an adult.

He moved toward me with that look on his face.

I held my palm out, to halt his progress. “Don’t,” I said.

“Look Jacqs, let’s talk later, okay? I don’t have to be at work until nine tonight. We can deal with this at Red’s before I head in.”

“Deal with what exactly?” I turned my back to him and threw on my dress from the previous night. My torn panties were nowhere to be found.

“Well, you know, last night.”

Last night, I sighed.

 

It was actually 3:30 a.m. when I had heard the first text chime, and I didn’t have to look to see who it might be. I ignored the sound, rolled over and started drifting back to sleep. Bond, however, proved relentless and texted me seven more times. After the first five texts, I started to worry. I had considered turning off the sound on my cell phone overnight since knowing Bond, but I feared my sister wouldn’t be able to reach me in an emergency. She frequently called at off hours, but found texting too much of a bother so, at least, I knew I wouldn’t be dealing with her latest drama.

I finally gave in, snatched my phone away from its charging cord, and headed into the bathroom. I scrolled through my newly received texts:

 

Bond: Jacqs, are you up?

Bond: Come on, sleepyhead, I need you!

Bond: My father threatened to cut off my money again.

Bond: He and I really had it out this time. I don’t think he plans to speak to me again.

Bond: I just need you to come by and bring me a bottle of wine. That will calm me down so I can sleep. Please!

Bond: Now I know you’re just being stubborn. Are you lying in bed trying to get back to sleep?

Bond: It’s not going to work. I need you, and you know you are my only real friend. Pretty please?

Bond: Baby, I promise to behave, okay? I’m asking you over as my friend only.

 

“Yeah, right,” I said to the bathroom door. I gave in and typed:

 

Me: What kind?

Bond: Merlot and thank you, thank you, thank you, you’re a godsend.

Me: You owe me.

 

Bond and I had been friends for over eight years, and he had always been there for me. I knew a lot about his family dynamic and what it cost him on an ongoing basis. I would always respond to him, even though I fought it.

I stood in front of my closet, looking for something half-decent to wear. After putting on a light sundress, I grabbed my purple hoodie. Winter weather in Hollywood, Florida, could be unpredictable. After freshening up in the bathroom, I stared in the mirror. You’d better behave yourself tonight, I said to my body and then rolled my eyes at myself.

As I pulled my messy, long, wavy brown hair back into a ponytail, I thought of putting on some makeup but nixed the idea. My eyes, green around my pupil and blue filling the rest of the iris, were red-rimmed from lack of sleep, and makeup couldn’t fix that.

On my way to Bond’s apartment, the only movement on the street was a stray cat and a section of a newspaper blowing in the wind. It was warm enough outside to let me crack the driver’s side window. I drew in a deep breath of ocean air coming from a few blocks away. The surrounding silence made the volume on the stereo seem louder, so I turned it down. After pulling into Bond’s parking spot, I bumbled up to his place toting the bottle of merlot.

“Here you go,” I said, after unlocking the door with my own key and handing him the wine that I kept for such occasions. “Do you ever plan to get your own car?”

“No,” he said, taking the bottle into the kitchen.

“Are you ready yet to tell me why?” I asked as I followed him.

“No,” he repeated, uncorking the bottle.

Even with his body angled away from me, I felt the ungodly pull on my being. It had been months since I’d sex and far longer since I had received a really amazing orgasm at the hands of another. Simply, I was crazy horny, and hanging out with a past lover, specifically the one with the most magnificent cock I ever had the pleasure of experiencing, did not help matters.

My nipples tightened as Bond glanced over at me. He seemed very tall at five feet ten, but then again, at merely five feet two, almost everyone dwarfed me. He was a decent-looking man, with masculine arms and legs, who, against convention, wore his glossy, brown hair long. His face would qualify as above average, I suppose, but he wouldn’t be considered exceptionally attractive. His light brown eyes, however, seemed to mesmerize us simple mortals. I had never given much thought to pheromones before I met him, but he had them in abundance. His unique scent melted the defenses of women in his presence, which, trust me, can be quite intimidating when you are the one dating him.

His low-slung, black jeans, black T-shirt and black boots made him look as dangerous as he truly was.

“Do you want a glass?” he asked.

“Sure, why not,” I replied. I leaned against the counter, took the goblet from his hand, and asked, “What happened this time?”

“Honestly, the usual argument. They want me at their next event so I can play the black sheep and make them feel superior. I told my father I can’t get time off, which is partly true.”

“Is there some big event at the CroBar club? Do you have to be at work that night?”

“Yeah, but there are plenty of newbies who could fill in for me.”

“How much longer does your father have control over your inheritance?”

“At forty, I’ll get the money my grandparents left for me. Five very long years. It wouldn’t be such a big deal, but you know me, I love to party and those monthly trust payments help.”

I knew his emceeing job kept him busy, but it certainly didn’t keep him out of trouble. He was like a spider sitting in the middle of his web, ready to capture his latest prey.

“Help pay for dates, right?” I hadn’t forgotten how he liked to wine and dine. “You can’t mean you spend it on living here,” I said, glancing around the apartment.

His place was above the club where he worked, and it could get loud in the little abode, so I didn’t imagine he paid much rent. He did have expensive tastes though. The kitchen was completely outfitted, although I’d never known him to cook. The black leather couch with plush matching recliners sat atop an oriental rug. I knew he spent some of his funds on those ridiculous toys hanging on the wall in his bedroom. His king-sized bed filled most of the space, and he used the wall of closets for his clothes and a collection of leather jackets and boots.

“Is your family thing another one of those company functions?” I asked.

“My family is a company function.”

“The one you dragged me to was dreadful. For Democrats, they surely looked, acted, and talked like their Republican brethren. I’m pretty sure I was the only woman or man there not wearing a business suit.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he said and shrugged his shoulders.

“What does Lily say about it?”

Bond took a big gulp of wine. “Lily wants me to come because she hasn’t seen me in ages, and she says she doesn’t have any fun without me. They’re making my brother Donny a partner, so it’s going to be black tie.”

“So what are you planning to do?”

“Talk you into going with me, of course,” he said with a cheeky smile.

“Oh, hell no. You have years of experience dealing with hundreds of people looking down on you and asking awkward questions. I, for one, don’t have the stomach for it. Plus, do you really want to encourage Lily’s idea that we’re the perfect match?”

“Aren’t we?”

I decided not to dignify his question with a response. His need for multiple women, domination, and his general fucked up nature didn’t suit me well at all. And yet, he was my best friend. My body would staunchly argue he was entirely and exactly what she needed, including the length of his cock and his aggressive sex. Fortunately for me, at least most of the time, my mind ruled my collective being.

“You didn’t answer,” Bond said as he led me into the front room.

“You noticed that all by yourself?” I sat down on the soft leather sofa, leaving some distance between us and took a sip of wine.

“Am I going to have to spank you, Jacqs?” He held out his big hand, and my heart beat a little faster. “Because you know, not much else would give me as much pleasure as putting you into your rightful place, over my knee.”

“So what do you plan to do?” I said out loud, while my body flamed in silence over his suggestion. I could already feel my pussy throbbing, and he had yet to touch me. I swallowed a larger gulp of wine, trying to distract myself.

“I already told you,” he said as he refilled his glass and topped mine off. “But since you are so inclined to change the subject, how’s your sister doing?”

“Samantha is a train wreck, although—and it seems wrong as hell—she is as gorgeous as ever.”

“And the baby?”

“My mother is taking care of Sarah, who is a love. I just don’t understand why Samantha wouldn’t give her up for adoption when she seems to have no interest in raising her.”

“Where is she staying these days? Is she still seeing the same therapist?” He shifted closer to me, nonchalantly laying his hand on my thigh.

I stared at his fingers, feeling the energy radiating from his palm. His touch caused wetness to gather in my panties. “Uh ummm,” I said, abruptly pushing his hand off me. “She’s living in an apartment with her latest criminal boyfriend. As horrible as it sounds, I’m just grateful she’s not at my place. And no, she stopped seeing the therapist when he insisted she needed to grieve our father’s death. She ranted on about it to me. She said, ‘I’m twenty-fucking-five years old, and they want me to grieve something that happened when I was nine.’ She told him to get a life and to fuck off. She never went back.”

“Sorry, babe. She’s a good kid, deep down,” he said, shaking his head.

“Let’s hope it surfaces soon … for her sake and Sarah’s.”

“What about your boss? Is work any better?”

“He’s still a huge asshole. I long for the days when he was still on his best behavior. Now he’s just a bull in a china shop, running over everyone. But really, I’d rather not talk about work on my day off.”

He threw his arm around my shoulders and said, “I’ve got some great dope. Want a hit?”

“I’m exhausted because some crazy man got me out of bed at three thirty in the morning.”

“This stuff will perk you up.”

I finished off the glass of wine and said, “Oh? Well, can I crash on your couch tonight?”

“Bed and of course.” He winked.

“Couch! And stop winking at me.”

“I guess we shall see?” His relentless stare penetrated my blue-green eyes.

“What about your promise to behave?”

“I’m incapable of behaving when I’m alone with you.”

With sheer will I pulled away from his gaze. I wanted to swipe that confident smile off his face. It had been six months and three days since I had succumbed to his charms, and like an addict attending AA, I had no intention of starting back on day one.

Lainie, my closest friend other than Bond, remind me often, most especially when I complained about Bond to her, how ill-conceived it was to be friends with an old lover. According to her, I’d never gotten over him.

Bond handed me the pipe, and I took a hit. I held in the smoke for a bit, and when I breathed out, I, at once, felt more relaxed and energized. It didn’t lessen the tug on my libido though.

“It’s been awhile since you and I spent any time alone together,” Bond said, pulling me back against him.

I sighed, feeling like I’d come home again. “Mmmhmm,” I muttered.

He took advantage of my relaxation and drew me in for a kiss.

“Wait!” I said, trying to hold him off.

“Don’t play games with me, Jacqs. I can already smell your cunt, and it’s driving me insane.” When his mouth descended on mine, my mind lost the fight, and my body started making all the decisions.

As I shifted my legs across his lap, I threw my arms around his neck, and took in his naturally appealing fragrance. I wanted more; I needed to be closer. My rational mind made one last attempt, trying to persuade me how much I would regret my decision to have sex with him. I mentally kicked her away, deciding to suffer the consequences later.

Bond groaned into my mouth as he schooled me with his tongue. No one had ever tasted so good; I just wanted to eat him alive. He shifted my body around so I straddled his lap, and I felt his profound interest. The forcefulness of his continued kiss compelled my submission. In those moments when my body ruled, the desire to give myself over to him resurfaced.

He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back. “You have the most gorgeous eyes I’ve ever seen,” he said, as he had before.

I figured he said similar things to his other women, but I didn’t care in the least. All I wanted was for him to take me roughly, so the rest of my world would fall away.

He lifted the hem of my dress off my thighs revealing my white bikini panties. He rubbed my pussy through the thin cloth.

“Jesus, Jacqs, already so wet for me? You’re good for my ego.” He continued circling the way he knew I liked.

“Your ego … oh … doesn’t need … any help!”

“Shh,” he said.

I almost lost control when he slipped the material to the side and plunged his middle finger into my wetness. “Ohhh,” I moaned.

Scooping up my juices, he lathered my bulging clit. “Look how hard and swollen you are already. You haven’t been using this enough,” he whispered into my ear as he lightly pinched my bud between his fingers. Then he laid his hand flat and made big circles, alternating between soft and slow and a hard frantic rhythm. He propelled me higher and higher.

“Stand,” he ordered as I hovered at the edge of a powerful orgasm.

I quickly obeyed.

He tore off my panties and let them fall to the floor. Repositioning me on his lap, he resumed his play and placed a finger from his free hand into my mouth. “Make it good and wet.”

Holding me right at the edge of release, he softened the pressure on my clit and inserted his saliva-wetted finger into my ass. As soon as he penetrated my anal opening, which had to have been his wicked intention, I screamed out my climax, “Oh, oh, oh, yes, oh Bond, you make me … ohhh!” I breathed erratically as my heart tried to beat its way out of my ribcage.

He held me tight against his chest as I recovered, slowly floating back down to earth. “I’ve missed you,” he muttered into my hair.

That lone comment began to thaw my heart and melt my resistance. I won’t make this into more than it is, I promised myself.

“A lot,” he continued, “and seeing your face as you come, there’s nothing else like it.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” I said, but could feel my mind shaking her finger at me.

“Please undress me,” he said in a domineering yet quiet voice.

I tilted upright and pulled up his shirt, revealing his smooth chest, taut stomach, and small silver nipple rings. He lifted up slightly so I could yank the top out from around him. On his right shoulder was an intricate Celtic knot surrounded by the flames of the sun, which covered an earlier tattoo I had once seen before he had it reworked. The underlying faded blue tat had one Celtic knot intertwined with a heart, and flames crowning the top. It was much smaller and poorly done, but I still wondered what it meant. Bond never liked talking about it.

My eyes shifted away from the tattoo and moved down his chest, following the trail of hair leading into his pants. Shifting my butt back towards his knees, I unzipped his jeans. I stepped down from his lap to sit at his feet in order to remove each black boot. I had to tug to get them free. I then slipped the denim down his legs easily.

He wore no underwear, leaving his magnificent cock standing at attention.

“Kneel,” he said, although he needn’t bother. The pearl of precum had already garnered my attention.

Obliging him, I settled between his knees and lifted his hard erection to my lips. He let me play for a few minutes, but it would be short lived. Before he took control of my mouth and his blowjob, I had time to take in his masculine scent of warm skin and sandalwood, and the musky taste of his cock, which had long been embedded in my psyche. I could have knelt there forever worshipping his phallus, but Bond didn’t have the patience for that. I knew where he planned to send his first ejaculation.

Once I had worked his cock halfway into my mouth, he tilted my head up and forced the rest of his engorged dick into my throat. My eyes watered as I struggled to maintain eye contact, wanting to see him as he took from me what he needed. He shifted himself to the edge of the couch and slowly pulled himself out of my mouth, allowing me to swallow and take a breath.

“I love that mouth of yours, Jacqs. My cock belongs there. It’s been way too long, don’t you think?”

Before I had a chance to respond, he soused past my lips, forcing himself in until I felt his balls on my chin. Back and forth he moved, never breaking eye contact and our connection. His cock swelled even more as his orgasm hovered close.

The last time he pulled out he said, “Take a deep breath for me honey.”

I nodded and did as he asked.

He immersed his shaft back into my throat and held it there as he bellowed his release. “Fuck Jacqs! Just as I remembered, oh fuuuck.”

My eyes continued to tear as I watched his climax through a blur. I felt both powerful—that I could give Bond such an intense orgasm when he could have anyone—and in awe of his sexuality and the spell he cast over me.

“Jesus,” he said, as he finally withdrew his cock.

I licked my lips and made a popping sound.

He chuckled as he reclined against the couch and closed his eyes.

Resting against his left leg, I snuggled close. I lifted his semi-hard cock and licked off the come oozing out of the tip.

“Do you know what will happen if you continue doing that?” he asked.

“Mmmhmm,” I muttered.

After he had recovered, he reached down and pulled me back into his lap. I couldn’t help but swivel my butt, making Bond laugh.

“You sure are a horny girl, Jacqs. I think you should visit me more often.”

“You have plenty of women to provide services for you.”

“First off, none are like you. And secondly, I was talking about you.”

“Let’s not talk,” I said. I would berate myself the next day for my current indiscretions, but I had no plans on stopping at one orgasm.

“As you wish. Let’s move this to the bedroom.”

He stood up with me in his arms, and I wrapped my legs around his fit waist. In quick, confident strides, he entered the bedroom and placed me down at the edge of the high mattress.

“I’m always amazed at how quickly I recover for you,” he said, staring down at me.

With my legs hanging off the end of the bed I leaned back on my hands and said, “Shall I believe it takes longer with the rest of your harem?”

“Believe what you want.” He folded his arms across his chest.

“Don’t get snarky, Bond.”

“You’re right, let’s not talk.”

Our brief conversation hadn’t dissuaded his cock. Clutching my thighs, he pulled my ass just over the edge of the bed and lowered himself, propping his upper body over mine. I held my knees back, opening myself to him. His hard-on penetrated my enflamed pussy, and after two strokes, he was fully immersed.

He groaned in ecstasy and I moaned in unison, making us both smile. Bond filled me in a way no other man had, and I enjoyed every second of it.

Our pace became frantic as we slammed our bodies together, and I could feel our perspiration building.

Bond slowed his thrusts and said, “Play with your clit, Jacqs. I want to feel you come with me.”

I hesitated, still feeling the discomfort that came along with touching myself around other people. Even with my history with Bond, I still felt self-conscious.

“Do you need some motivation?” he said, glancing at the rack that held his instruments of torture.

“No,” I said, letting go of my right knee and circling my clit. I placed my other hand down on the bed to propel myself against Bond’s delicious assault.

“Jacqs!” he grunted, and I knew what he meant. I had let my eyes drift shut, and he demanded eye contact during sex at all times.

“Yes sir!” I practically spat out.

“Good girl.”

I circled my nub in time with his lunges and grunted each time he crashed against me. It didn’t take long to get right to the very edge, sparking small orgasms leading up to the big one.

“Bond, I’m close.”

“So am I love. Take me over the brink with you.”

“Okay … okay … oh lord, oh yes, here we go! Ohhh.”

My pussy clutched and convulsed around Bond’s cock, causing his orgasm to fire along with mine. A roll of thunder that seemed to start in his chest escaped his mouth in a roar that deafened us both. His explosion filled me with his energy and come.

He collapsed on top of me, shifting slightly to the side. I just lay there, dead to the world, floating in the afterglow.

“Jesus, Jacqs. Do you have special powers in that pussy of yours?”

“Very funny,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“I think I have sex amnesia with you.”

“Sex amnesia? That’s a new one. Do tell.” I wondered where he came up with his bullshit.

“Well, if I remembered how great sex was with you, I’d be following you around all the time.”

I laughed at him. “Uh huh,” I said, scooting over to get around him.

“Where are you going?” He grabbed my waist to keep me in place.

“To clean up,” I said, gesturing to my saturated labia, “and to brush my teeth.”

“Okay, hurry back.”

Once I had finished up in the bathroom, I climbed into bed, and we got into our usual sleeping configuration. My right cheek lay on his left shoulder, and my left leg crossed over his stomach. His left arm cuddled me in close, and we both started drifting off. I would berate myself in the morning, most especially when Bond morphed back to his usual self, but in that moment, before sleep overtook me, I felt blissful.

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“Last night was a mistake and shouldn’t have happened. Next time call Red.”

“Come on, Jacqs, don’t pull away from me.”

“You’re kidding, right?” I said, throwing my hands out in front of me.

“I’m not.”

“Bond, I love you, but you’re delusional. You are kicking me out of your apartment so you can yacht with some rich chicks Red has drummed up, and yet, you’re acting like I’m shunning you after you have awakened me with kisses and a warm breakfast. Really, dude?”

“Oh, no,” Red said as he strolled into the apartment, “she’s calling you dude. That can’t be good.”

“Fuck off Red. I’m not in the mood,” I said, spinning around with my hands on my hips.

“Are you ever? I mean other than last night, obviously. And I had actually started growing some respect for you but now…” He swept his hand around as if the gesture said everything.

“You and the Neanderthal deserve each other,” I spewed at Bond.

I punched the big brute in the stomach, and he just laughed.

At six feet two, Red towered over me by a foot. Everything about him was big. He had a large head and huge hands, and even as much as I hated him, I wondered just how big his cock might be. He had small gauges in both earlobes and full lips. He kept his beard and hair shortly cropped, which highlighted the sharp planes of his face. Bond had dubbed him “Red” when they first met at their private high school. His hair fit the name; even the hair under his arms and on his chest was red.

He, like Bond, had one tattoo. His was much larger due to the sheer scale of his size and its location; the tattoo spread out across the top of his back between his shoulder blades. It was a green Celtic tree created by a complex series of knots that illustrated the trunk, roots, and branches.

I never understood the friendship between them, but they seemed to have a history that kept them close. Where Bond had flitted between different jobs and apartments over the years, Red seemed far more stable, owning a house and a successful investment firm.

“You’re still coming over to Red’s later, right?” Bond asked. “We can talk then.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. And when are you going to start hanging out somewhere else? Don’t you realize that your guard dog doesn’t like me?”

“How wrong you are about that, Jacqs,” Bond said.

I stared at both of them, absolutely sure they were just fucking with me, but I could have sworn Red’s ears went crimson.

“It’s time for you to leave, Little One,” Red said.

I hated when he called me that, but Neanderthal and Little One had become our snarky nicknames for each other.

“I’m going,” I said, grabbing my keys and purple hoodie off the entrance table on my way out.

Finding a Great Editor

http://www.thewriteconnection.net/

http://www.thewriteconnection.net/

When venturing into self-publishing, the most important area to spend your hard-earned money on is an editor. No one, in my opinion, should be their own editor or let their friends or family have a go at it for them.

Fortunately, finding an editor has been relatively easy for us. All editors, of any value that is, will offer to do a sample of your novel for you. This way, you can see what they have to offer and compare their sample with others. Continue reading

True Connection

www.redefiningthefaceofbeauty.com

www.redefiningthefaceofbeauty.com

I had an interesting conversation with a friend about disciplining children. I have always contended that violence to a child is completely unnecessary. In fact, I believe it sends the wrong message. However, I could see her point that growing up on a farm and all the dangers present there created a culture of expedient punishment.

I shared an example from a time where our daughter went through a violent stage. It makes completely no sense to me that I would hit her because she hit or bit me. What the hell would that teach? Because I’m bigger and in charge, it’s okay for me to use violence? Instead—and believe me, she gave us a run for our money between 2 ½ and 4—what I said was that she needed to learn to use her words to communicate how she was feeling and not her hands, feet or teeth (yes, she was a bitter.) I also said, “Do I hit you when I’m angry or upset?” She said, “No.” “Do I hit Daddy when I’m upset?” She said, “No.” I believe modeling is the most effective way to teach children. The motto, “Do what I say, not what I do,” is utter bullshit. We, as humans, learn by example. Fortunately for us, the violent stage past quickly.

I believe if you are connected with your children, it’s far easier to use other methods of discipline that do not include violence, because the child actually cares what you feel, and in turn you care what they feel. Continue reading

Does Love Affect Your Sense of Smell?

SmellAs writer of erotica and romance, I work hard to include all the senses in the act of making love throughout my novels. Lying in bed this morning, snuggling with my husband, I pondered if loving someone amplifies the pleasure that comes from smelling their natural fragrance. I love my husband’s smell and prefer it over colognes, soaps and the over use of laundry soap fragrance. Go unscented! I could rant a whole blog on the over use of fake fragrances, but let’s not. 🙂

It could just be me, because I’m very olfactory sensitive, but I do think love changes how someone smells to you. Back in my twenties I remember how my ex-boyfriend’s smell altered as soon as we broke up. And in all honesty, I’ve wondered over the years how some of the people put up with their spouse’s breath and body odor.

There have been a few colognes that I’ve been fond of, but never more than my lover’s natural aroma. Most perfume (which I do not wear) and aftershaves make me sneeze so I tend to stay away from the stuff.

I do believe that as we’ve evolved, us humans, we have learned to rely less on our sense of smell. I think that’s a huge mistake. I can tell if my husband, or our cat for the matter, is stressed out based on their scent. Maybe we would make better love matches for ourselves if we didn’t douse ourselves with so many different fragrances. I’m not above it but I do keep it to a minimum. I use scented shampoo and condition and a mild smelling soap, but my deodorant and detergent are scent free.

I have known people who practically bath in perfume and their smell wafts toward you ten feet before they approach. To me it’s more like a shield than offering allure.

I, for one, could not have a lover whose aroma I didn’t enjoy. Sex for me definitely includes my olfactory system. My husband may say this is TMI, but I love the smell of sex. Such a turn on!

So back to the art of writing which is how I started this blog. When crafting a sex scene it’s important to make it very visual and easy for the reader to follow. For me it’s also important to include sound, touch, and smell which gives the setting dimension. At least for me as a reader, I have to get lost in the scene to get turned on and the more realism we can write in, the more easily accomplished.

So I’m very curious who else might have this experience with smell. Do you love your partner’s natural scent? Has that changed over the years? Do you like making love straight out of the shower or more like me, prefer it after the smell of soap has worn away?

I smell a story coming on. 😉 Please share your thoughts.

Warm hugs,

Blakely

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Blakely’s interview with Jane from the My Body Trilogy

MyBodyTrilogyThis week I’m sharing a blog post from my previous blog tour.  It’s one of my favorites. Check out my interview with Jane.

Blakely: I’m very excited to interview you, Jane. It’s like a wonderful visit with an old friend.

Jane: Yes, we have been joined at the hip for quite a while now. 😉

Blakely: Without giving too much away (we wouldn’t want to spoil it for our readers) how are you doing these days?

Jane: Life is truly wonderful. I no longer look upon my past with shame and regret. I thankfully survived it all and came out stronger, happier and healthier on the other side. Nothing can compete with good love.

Blakely: Are you ready to dive into the interview?

Jane: Sure.

Blakely: Many of our readers and fans have a hard time understanding why you stayed so long with Luke. Can you explain it to them?

Jane: Luke provided an intense passion and connection that I never experienced before and when he was “good Luke” nothing in the world could touch the elation I felt from his touch and attention. Just his mere kiss caused me to melt. Unfortunately, there were two definite sides to him and he could be very cold and cruel. Like many woman who stay in unhealthy relationships, I thought if I could just do things “right”, I would live in bliss with him. Eventually my whole world was wrapped around Luke , his life; and it seemed like dying to be apart from him. We ultimately weren’t good for each other and I can see the part I played in our crazy dance. Looking back, I believe my poor relationships with my parents might have driven my desperation to make it work. I have wondered that if my father had been there for me the day that I called, would I have gone back to Luke? There’s no way to know now but it surely didn’t help my state of mind at the time.

Blakely: With the benefit of hindsight now, do you think your relationship with Luke was abusive as opposed to an alternative lifestyle? If so, at what point was that line crossed for you?

Jane: I think there were abusive moments through the course of the relationship but there were also large segments of time where his harsher tendencies took a back seat. This is a tricky question for me. I don’t have a vast amount of experience in the lifestyle but Marcello was pretty clear that Luke screwed things up in regards to me and my first forays into a Dom/sub relationship. The crossing the line bit is even harder to answer because that invisible line kept being pushed further and farther away from who I knew myself to be. The hardest crossing was when Luke sent me to Marcello’s which I adamantly fought against.

Blakely: Do you think Luke did the BDSM relationship the right way? Many of our readers were upset about how he used the so-called “safe words”.

Jane: I am positive that there are many different ways to have a Dom/sub relationship. Just through my talks with Janice and her experience, all of her BDSM relationships were different. I don’t think there is only one right way to go about it. However, the safe words with Luke were nothing of the kind and he should have called them something else.

Blakely: Do you feel that you really are a submissive or just masqueraded as one to please Luke?

Jane: This question made me laugh! My body unquestionably loves the submission. I wouldn’t say I was masquerading to please Luke but I did lose myself along the way trying to please him. I’m definitely NOT a natural submissive but sexually, it surely causes the most intense orgasms. 😉

Blakely: Do you think monogamy or children will be important to you at some point?

Jane: Absolutely to both.

Blakely: Do you foresee a positive relationship with either of your parents or has that ship sailed as far as you’re concerned?

Jane: My mother goes through a metamorphosis in My Body-Mine so read to find out about that.

Blakely: How did you feel being the object of desire for two men and a woman?

Jane: It completely changed the concept I held of myself. When you have two parents who don’t seem to like you very much, it definitely shapes your outlook on yourself. They (Luke, Janice, and Marcello) helped me to feel more desirable and Marcello encouraged me to feel more deserving of love.

Blakely: Who has been your most incredible lover?

Jane: Blakely, don’t you think that’s giving a bit too much away? They still need to read My Body-Mine!

Blakely: Yes, I guess you’re right. One last question then?

Jane: Yes, because you-know-who is waiting for me. 😉

Blakely: I’ll be quick. Do you think you will share your story with our readers about you-know-who and your future?

Jane: The trilogy is complete but I’ve heard rumors that you might right a prequel, Blakely, about Janice and Luke.

Blakely: Anything is possible but we shall see. Thank you, Jane, for your honest and open answers. I’m sure our readers appreciated your time.

The Best Advice I Never Took … Until Now

image.axdIf you’re like me, you’ve probably read books on writing and listened to the advice from long time authors. If so, then you also know that the prevailing wisdom is to let your baby go and write another book. Even after finishing the last book in the My Body Trilogy, My Body-Mine, I couldn’t let my three book baby go.

To really release your baby, you must start another project and I recently have. It has worked wonders for my psyche. Since starting my latest story, I no longer worry about the reviews for the trilogy or stress over the sales (all which have been going remarkable well). As soon as I adopted my new baby called Stuck In-Between, the first novel in the Bound by Your Love Series, I have a new love … a new obsession. Damn is it freeing!

Juggling the promoting of the trilogy blog tour, writing for my blog, editing, hosting author interviews (please email me if you’re interested) and keeping up with the demands of social media, I became a marketeer and lost touch with the joyful parts of being an author. For me that’s getting lost in a new story that literally flows through me to the computer page.

I had an epiphany that if I’m not creating, or balancing all that needs to be done with the parts of being a writer that I love, then I could be back in corporate American because the stress was feeling eerily familiar.

So now I bow to the wisdom of the sages in our industry and make sure to be working my art at least as much as promoting.

There is still so much knowledge to be absorbed, like the most effective way to use twitter and other social media outlets. I want the time spent to really count, but that means making time to read and investigate. Fortunately, my husband has been reading through the Naked Truth (about self-publishing) and reading lots of it out loud to me, which is expanding my thinking about how to approach being in business for myself.

Other advice I have read is that an author must also be an avid reader. You hone your craft by being inspired by other great writers. I’ve been making more time to read as well as write. I’m still old school and love to hold the book in my hands. Maybe someday I will graduate to the eBook world of reading but so far, let me hear the rustling of the pages.

It’s not quite ten months since I’ve been able to call myself a published author. It’s been a whirlwind when I look back on it. My Body-His came out November 15, 2012, My Body-His (Marcello) came out March 15, 2013 and My Body-Mine, July 15, 2013. Every day the dream comes more into focus and I’m learning so much in the process.

I was chatting with a new friend on Facebook and I shared my own sage advice. You are never too old to chase your dream. I’m sure glad I never gave up on mine.

Have you moved on? Are you working your new project right now? Share your realizations with us. That’s the support and the wisdom all writers cherish.

Warm hugs,

Blakely

Please feel free to friend me on Facebook.
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Blakely’s Friday Interview with Celeste Carrara

Please give a warm welcome to Celeste Carrara, author of Give Me Pleasure.

CelesteCarraraAuthorAvatar copyTell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
I am a stay at home mom to 2 awesome kids. Now that they are older (10 & 15), it’s my time to chase my dream. My husband and my children have been hugely supportive as I do that. What’s my dream? Honestly, I don’t have that dream of becoming rich off of my books. I don’t even need to see my books on a bookshelf to feel like I’ve made it. You know what I want? I want people to love my stories. I want fans that can’t wait for the next book to be released. I want people to relate to and fall in love with my characters. When I read a review that says all of that, that’s what makes me happy. That’s what reinforces that I am on the right path, chasing the right dream.

I’m currently promoting my book Give Me Pleasure. It is the 4th book in my Paranormal City series. Feel free to read them out of order or even pick one that looks interesting to you. Yes, it does help to read them all in order, but you don’t have to!

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
My books are erotic paranormal romances, but I will be releasing an erotic romance in the coming months. No matter what I write, there always has to be explicit sex and romance! I can’t help it 😉

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? If self-published, do you use a professional editor? If traditionally published, who is your publisher?
I am self-published and I use a professional editor. Her name is Lindsay and she completes me lol. I don’t know what I would do without her. My stories would be one giant run on sentence if it wasn’t for her!

Do you use test readers? If so, how many?
Yes I do. I have 2 test (or beta) readers that I use. They are wonderful ladies who take time out of their busy schedules to read my work and do it all for nothing in return. Well, I do give them shout outs at the beginning of my books as payment lol.

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
My advice to writers just starting out would be to write what you want to write. Don’t let genre rules dictate how your story goes.

What project are you currently working on?
Currently I am working on Give Me Your Love. It will be the 5th book in my Paranormal City series. This one is tough to write and has been kicking my butt, but it’s going to be a great book. The characters are some of my favorite supporting characters from my other books in the series.

Do you base your characters on people you know?
Yes I do! That’s bad, no? I can’t help it. I know some pretty interesting people in real life and their personality traits show themselves in my characters. I have talked about this in my blog, but in book 1 of my series, Give Me Forever, my main character Serena’s father Sebastian is my father. His personality and the relationship between the two are very similar to my relationship with my father. It was actually therapeutic to write their scenes.

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
Oh yes there is! Even though I write about vampires and witches, my characters go through real life struggles. At the core, my books are about relationships. The struggles one goes through when they have a difficult relationship with a parent. We can all relate to trying to find our own way in life, finding our own voice and place in this world. Everyone has their cross to bear in their lives. We love, we fight, we live, we die, we party, we cry, you get the point lol. My characters go through their share of strife, but in the end, they persevere. Just like we all do.

Who or what inspires you?
Music is my biggest inspiration. It has always been a huge part of my life, but when I started writing, I thought it would be a distraction. I was wrong! I almost always have music playing while I’m writing. I even created a playlist for each book and have it on my website! As for who inspires me? I would have to say, my husband and our children. They are my life and they inspire me everyday to be the best I can be.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing I’m promoting myself. I’m all over social media! When I’m not doing that I am doing all the normal things moms do. Oh, I can’t forget that on my down time, or “me time” I like to plan our family vacations. Every year we go to Disney World because it is my happy place and I love it. 🙂

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming.  Please share three writers that you recommend for us to check out.

  1. M. C. Lavocat
  2. Robert Bevan
  3. Rebecca McKeown

You can find Celeste on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, KoboAllRomanceEbooks, and Goodreads.

Click on the cover below to buy Give Me Pleasure:

ALLROMANCEGiveMePleasureBookCover