This week, please welcome multi-talented, multi-genre author, Jude Mason!

 

A couple of topics that have been going around a few of the blogs and yahoo groups of late concerning genres— what authors like to write, what readers like to read, and what the market is for all these new multi-genre books coming out in e-book format. Well, of course I have an opinion and I’ll do my best to share it with you. And, I’ll get to plug a few of my own books in the process. Bonus!

 

As an author, I’ve been told to write what I know.  In my opinion, that doesn’t necessarily mean things I’ve actually done, but things I’ve become interested in for one reason or another as well as the empathy I feel for others. What does that have to do with genres you might ask, well here ya go.

 

The first book I had published kind of followed the rule. It was about a topic that interested me greatly, at the time. It was called Dance of Submission and was published in 1999 by a now defunct publishing house called Amatory Ink. The next book was a science fiction. I grew up on science fiction: Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov and Mr. Heinlein, to name a few, so I felt pretty good going into that area. After that, I went a little nuts and dove headlong into a BDSM, fetish novel that took me forever to write and involved a topic I had literally no idea about. Anyone ever heard of pony boys? The interest was there. Oh yeah, and I did tons of research, so the book wasn’t bad. Who Races-Who Wins has since been pulled from the cyber shelves and waits for a re-write and a new home. I’ll get there. You’ll love Slither and his lovely wife, Christine.

 

Since then, I’ve written in just about every genre you can think of that’s got either romance or erotica in there. At the moment, I have a variety of genres available to the readers. Roses Have Thorns is an erotic horror story that will curl your toes.

Jesse’s Homecoming is a lesbian western that begins with Jesse returning home from a weekend of wandering in the hills. She finds her lover, Meg, being brutally raped by an ex-husband she’d escaped from years ago. Jesse fires her gun, wounding the man. Battered and bruised, Meg is sure she’s unlovable. It’s up to Jesse to prove her wrong and to get the monster she’d married sent to prison. 

 

 

 

 

Yes, Ma’am, a print collection of BDSM novellas of fem-domme fiction at its finest! My publisher, Phaze, was proud to present the novellas of Jude Mason in print. An Acquired Taste, Pink Ribbon, Stage Fright, and Amber’s Toy, plus never before published extras!

 

 

Fertile Domain is a gay futuristic book that also includes fem-domme in all its glory. In a world where pollution and greed has pushed humanity to the brink of extinction, fertility is one of the priorities. Men must prove themselves to fertile fems. For those who are lacking, or who cease to please the women, harsh treatment follows. Two new men, Jax and Trev, vie for a place among the elite ‘studs’ of a beautiful fem. Will they succeed, will the love they feel for each other survive?

 

Then there’s Shoon Joining, a science fiction tale in the style of Spider Robinson, if I do say so myself. Coerced into negotiating with the alien race, the Shoon, Earthman Ambassador Trevor Sloan finds himself tossed into a scenario never before faced. Imprisoned by a corrupt bureaucracy, then rescued by his lover, they fight together, along with the Shoon, to end the ills of humanity.

 

Shifters and ghosts, mysteries and femdom, the more you mix it up, the more the readers seem to like it. Writing teams are popping up as well, there’s Stella and Audra Price, Alessia Brio and Will Belegon, and don’t forget Jude Mason and Jamie Hill. It seems two can come up with even more interesting genre mixes than a single author.

 

Check out our Untamed Heart Series, two of which are now available through Total E-Bound, one of the up and coming e-publishers who are putting out amazing products.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feral Heat, Book one in the series: The scent of a female is a powerful thing. Kai, leader of the cougar clan finds that out the hard way, much to his distress. Can he and his life mate, Aric, find the stolen talisman before it’s too late?

And Bear Combustion, Book two in the series: Fire rages, not only through the forest to threaten the lives of his clan, but in the hearts of Tarek, the leader as well as Inuka, his firey lover and Raven, the stoic companion who secretly adores him. Can the flames of their love survive?

 

Diversity seems to be the flavor of the day when it comes to e-publishing. Brick and mortar shops are closing because they can’t deal with the print on demand of e-publishers, but I wonder if they’ve really thought about the whys of it? The fan base is shifting. They want variety in their novels. They don’t only want novels either. They want shorter stories they can read in one sitting. When you buy an e-book the cost is less, so much less that readers can afford to try new authors and new genres. The e-publishing industry is growing by leaps and bounds, putting out a plethora of genre busting books to satisfy anyone’s need.

 

From the readers I’ve spoken to, I get the distinct impression they’re fed up with single genre books. They want variety. They want us to surprise and shock them. As long as there’s a happy ending, or in some cases a happy for now ending, they want it. The more twisted and turned the plots, the more outrageous the genre mix, the better. How to market all these multi-genre books? In the local book store, I have no idea and that’s a large part of their problem. In my opinion, they’re going to have to find a way, or they’re business’ is going to simply go further downhill.

 

Jon, thanks so much for having me here and letting me spout off to your readers.

 

- – -

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

 

 

Links

 

Phaze

http://www.phaze.com/

 

Total E-Bound

http://www.total-e-bound.com/

 

Roses Have Thorns

http://www.loveyoudivine.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=22_23_5&products_id=100

 

Jesse’s Homecoming

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Jesse%27s+Homecoming+by+Jude+Mason

 

Yes, Ma’am

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Yes,+Ma%27am+by+Jude+Mason

 

Fertile Domain

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Fertile+Domain/exact_match=exact

 

Shoon Joining

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Shoon+Joining/exact_match=exact

 

Feral Heat

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=o3f2w6558676&strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=362

 

Bear Combustion

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=423

 

 Where you can find Jude:

 

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

Jude’s Blog: http://jude-mason.blogspot.com/

Jude at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jude_mason

Custom Erotica Fantasies: http://customeroticafantasies.blogspot.com/   
To join my mailing list, email me: jude.mason@yahoo.ca  

This week I welcome multi-published author, Amanda Young, as Guest Blogger!

 

 

 

One of my favorite things about writing M/M romance is the ability to write outside the box. The characters don’t have to be the typical alpha male found in other genres. 

 

In my opinion, the idea of physical beauty in this day and age is a little skewed. Instead of smooth, flawless skin and gym-toned bodies, I’ve always been drawn to a different sort of man. The kind of man who’s built like a brick sh*thouse and covered in hair. That’s right—Bears. There’s nothing sexier to me than a hairy chest and a solid masculine body. Michael Angelo’s David be damned, I want to explore the allure of brawny men who can bench-press their own weight plus that of their partner.

 

For my next series, I’m planning to focus on big strapping men with even bigger hearts. There will be Bears, and Otters, and Wolves—oh my. For those of you who don’t know the terminology, I thought I would share some definitions (as I understand them) with you.

 

• Admirer – a term that refers to someone who is sexually or romantically attracted to Bears (this term is often used in various communities to describe an outsider who has sexual attraction to people within that community). Also often referred to as a Chaser. Admirers/Chasers can be of any weight, hairy or hairless and any age.
• Bear – a hairy man with a stocky or heavyset build and facial hair. Can be clean shaven and of any age.
• Bear run – a gathering or circuit party for Bear/Cub types and their Admirers.
• Cub – a younger (or younger looking) version of a Bear, typically but not always with a smaller frame. The term is sometimes used to imply the passive partner in a relationship.^[10] Can be hairy or hairless.
• Gobi – A male, often heterosexual, who is often in the company of bears. Likened to a Goldilocks.
• Daddy bear – is an older guy sometimes looking for a daddy/son relationship with either a younger Bear, Cub, Otter, Wolf or Chaser.
• Goldilocks – A female, often heterosexual, who is often in the company of bears (a bear’s fag hag).
• Leatherbear – A bear with a leather fetish.
• Muscle bear – a muscular version of a Bear. A muscle cub is a younger or smaller, yet muscular, version. Can be hairy or hairless and of any age.
• Otter – a man who is hairy, but is not large or stocky – typically thinner, or with lean muscle. Slimmer version of a Bear with little pockets of fat like love handles or a tiny gut, but not as lean as a Wolf.
• Panda bear – a bear of Asian ethnicity. A panda cub is younger version. Usually hairless.
• Pocket bear – A short Bear.
• Polar bear – a silver- or white-haired Bear.
• Wolf – A lean, masculine gay man who is attracted to bears and involved in the bear scene.
• Woof – A greeting often used when a Bear spots another Bear in public and wants to express physical attraction. He might make a growling noise (“Grrr!”) or say “Woof!”

 

 

What would you, the reader, like to see more of in erotic M/M romance? Maybe more overweight characters, or “Average Joe” type heroes. How about little known fetishes, like sploshing or water sports? For every kink you can dream up, there’s someone out there who’s interested. I’d love to hear what readers would like to see more of.

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Amanda Young writes in multiple subgenres, including M/F, M/M, and paranormal romance. The only thing she guarantees is hot ride and a happy ending. To learn more about Amanda’s books, please visit her website: www.AmandaYoung.org

 

Featured this week is another author of the recently released GREMLINS print anthology, released Halloween day from loveyoudivine.com.  Please join me in welcoming erotic romance author, Cerise Amour.

 

 

WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD GREMLIN, I bet sexy isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, right?  Well, not to me either.  Though, after I thought about the criteria for our Gremlins stories, I knew what I wanted to do, with some help from other media and influences.  I had a snippet of a story involving a princess having a psychic connection to a murderer and that’s as far as it went.  My gremlins came from the idea that people have companions, but not like your typical cat or dog.  I thought, what about a soul bound companion?  Something connected deep to you that they could read your thoughts and you theirs.  What if they felt what you felt?   Then, I saw the movie The Golden Compass.  I’d read the book and well, my gremlins were born. They are called “soul beings.”   

 

I know, you’re still wondering what makes that sensual or sexy.  Well, that in itself doesn’t.  The fact that the princess is in trouble from this killer who is connected to her and that the captain of the guard has been ordered by her father to find the killer, brings them and their gremlins together.  The gremlins are attracted to one another.  Their feelings, in turn, flow to the captain and the princess.  Adventure ensues and the passion grows. 

 

Check out the reviews for Fire For Ice:

 

http://coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Fireforice.html

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/justeroticromancereviewsnewsletter/message/381

 

 

Ebook ISBN 978-1-60054-231-2
Length: 15,250 words

Genre: Erotic

Category: Dark Fantasy

Rating: Shooting Star

Price: $3.00

 

Available at www.loveyoudivine.com

 

 

Though Fire For Ice is my first published work, I’m looking forward to publishing more.  I have a vampire tale in the works.  Hopefully it will be part of a vampire anthology at loveyoudivine.  It’s not the only story I’ve been working on.  I have a contemporary tale about a female bodyguard and her boss that I hope to have polished and submitted by the first of the year. 

 

Other things I’m working on include a two-book story about dragon shifters.  I’m also trying my hand at two different westerns tales.  One set in modern day and that other back in the late 1800’s, sometime after the civil war.  Many others I’ve started and working on in spurts. 

 

And, thanks to one of my lovely reviewers, I am working on a new tale with Callista, Tamir, Torch and Glaze. 

 

Thank you for reading and thank you, Jon, for having me here this week!

 

Blessings,

 

Cerise Amour

Continuing with my Halloween guests dropping in the to sit a spell, please welcome author, S.D. Grady – whose current release, The Silver Scream, also appears in the dark fantasy – print anthology Gremlins – from loveyoudivine. 

Looking for Gremlins with S.D. Grady
 
Most of the time I’m a pretty romantic creature.  I love a good fairy tale.  My stories are often filled with silk gowns, glittering chandeliers and true love found.
 
So then, where did such a tale as “The Silver Scream” come from?
 
Well, one of my favorite TV shows as a kid was Alfred Hitchcock.  You never knew what kind of tale might come from the darkness.  It might be funny, frightening and even contain a bit of a fairy tale.  But I knew each week I would be watching and experiencing that familiar flutter of the stomach…the bit of suspense…the need to see beyond the black corner and face the monster.       

I am fortunate in that I live in New England.  Halloween is decorated by Mother Nature each and every year.  The yards and streets are carpeting in a blanket of dead leaves.  They crunch under your feet, sending that crisp, unmistakable scent into the air.  The historic graveyards enjoy the autumn sun, only to descend into creepy shadows once the moon rises.  If you ever needed inspiration for a setting for a scary story, New England is the place to come.
 
Every town center is graced by a white, steepled church several hundred years old…perhaps, the pointed steeples mean to chase those things that linger on the edge of our imaginations back to where they belong.
 
And then there are the business sections of town.  Often they are the direct descendents of the Industrial Revolution.  Brick buildings line the street, empty shop windows next to newer ones.  You look up and see the love and care the artisans of the 19th Century took in placing each brick.  Arched windows, granite lintels over each portal, elaborate decorations…often crumbling with neglect.  You add the bitter wind of late autumn, the sound of leaves scurrying in the alley after dark and a desire to see your town come alive in a different time and…
 
The Gremlin in The Silver Scream came to life.
 
I admit to being one of the last ones to rake my leaves in the fall.  Every day when I walk out to my car, I stop and stomp through the thick blanket of russet, flaming orange, bright yellow and dessicated brown leaves.  Often I hear something rustling…out of sight.  Probably a squirrel.  But honestly, isn’t it much more fun when you think it might be a creature from another place?
 
I dare you!  Explore the darkness!  Read “Gremlins: An Anthology” today…and find that wide-eyed horror of youth all over again.
 
Visit my website!  http://sonyadgrady.com
Be my friend!  http://www.myspace.com/sdgrady_author
 
“The Silver Scream” by S.D. Grady 
Once of seven tales within “Gremlins”
 
Film school student, Gilda Albright, has taken a job in the newly refurbished Orpheum Theatre as a movie projectionist. The gem from another era prompts her imagination to take flight, and she invites her boyfriend Seth to a private screening. Looking like a movie star from the 50′s, she strips in the spotlight, ensnaring Seth’s lust and drawing the eager eyes of another to her buxom figure. The building takes on a life of its own—fear invades Gilda’s workdays. Will the unseen gremlin let her go or fulfill its erotic obsession with a vision from the past?
 
Buy your copy of “Gremlins: An Anthology” today!  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600542301

Love, Sonya

Want to know more about author S. D. Grady? She’s featured author of the month at The Romance Studio:

http://theromancestudio.com/who8.php

http://sonyadgrady.com

I have a very special Halloween treat for you, starting this week with multi-published, author, graphic design artist, editor, Anastasia Rabiyah…

 

 

 

 

Gremlins in my Laptop

 

Thanks for having me on your blog, Jon! Hi to all the readers out there. I’m Anastasia Rabiyah and I write dark fantasy and erotic romance in many cross genres. I’m going to focus on the big October release for all my gremlin authors and me. Most everyone knows what a gremlin is. That nasty little bugger that sneaks into our laptops, our emails, our car engines, and anything else we don’t want to take the blame for, and chews up the wiring and the magic things that make our mechanical doodads work. Some people think of them as cute and fuzzy, or maybe green with sharp teeth and fangs. No matter what, they cause trouble!

 

Gremlins are all trapped inside this new print anthology cleverly titled: Gremlins An Anthology which comes out this Halloween from www.loveyoudivine.com. Seven stories by seven talented authors of dark fantasy that will change the way you envision these nasty little critters—or maybe not. There are some cute ones, some that need to be shot, and some that will lure you into a dark place to have their way with you—okay, that would be mine. She’s quite the seductress.

 

When author S.D. Grady first suggested this rather unusual idea to write erotic romance themed with gremlins, I was intrigued. I love paranormal baddies and anything mythical or fantastic in nature, so I jumped on the project. Being a recovering gamer—yes, it’s an addiction—I used my fascination with golems to weave a tale of coming of age and dark secrets for my gremlin tale, Hiram’s Secret. What gremlin wouldn’t want to tear apart a mechanical golem and destroy it? In my story, Hiram, an ambitious young man, runs away from his village, hoping to start a new life, find a beautiful bride, and make something of himself other than a poor pig farmer. Hiram crosses the forbidden boundary into another plane where everything is not all it seems to be. Soon enslaved by the grim Lord Beorolf, Hiram finds his hopes dashed…until he sees a mysterious pair of eyes watching him from the cell across the way.  

 

Several authors stepped up to the plate to add to the gremlin magic. Dawné Dominique’s tale, Bonamy & Clyde, takes a cold, strong willed woman and turns her world upside down with a little help from a gremlin all in the name of love. Bret Jordan spins some medieval magic when a forest witch weaves a seductive spell over a hunter, luring him away from his beloved bride. When he resists, the witch enlists the aid of vile, little gremlin. Cerise Amour’s gremlins are companions to their humans, but their mischief brings hero and heroine close together in a heated moment of passion which gets them both into trouble. Dahlia Rose’s gremlins are a large scale infestation that needs to be eradicated by a New York cop and a band of paranormal hunters. Crymsyn Hart’s gremlin is a cursed creature with many faces in need of a woman who can free him. And S.D. Grady weaves a tale of horror and glamour in her seductive theatre show gone wrong.

 

I’ve always had a fascination with fantasy. As a child I brought home critters of all kinds from toads to lizards. I guess the way I see it, the gnarly looking creatures are just misunderstood. They need love too. Readers will find a new twist in every gremlin included in this beautiful book. It is my hope too that Gremlins An Anthology will be a cherished keepsake with its unique interior flourishes and decorations. Adult fantasy lovers will fall hard for this creative work packed with darkness, whimsy, and sexual tension enough to make a laptop overheat.

 

If you can’t wait to get your hands on our gremlins, the book is available for pre-order at 20% off the publisher’s retail price. Click over to www.loveyoudivine.com to reserve yours now. Gremlins is also available from Amazon.com and any major bookstore. If you’d like to taste-test it before you buy, check out the free mini read available at the publisher’s website and see if you’re brave enough to step into the darkness.

 

Readers who want to find out more about me can stop by my website at www.RabiyahBooks.com where I have lots of pages of interesting goodies, from e-books to free online jigsaw puzzles.

 

Much love to all,

Anastasia Rabiyah

FOR THE LOVE OF MEN – Interview By A.J. Llewellyn

Monday, September 8th, 2008

Hey, ya’ll!

Yep, I hail from the southeastern portion of the USA; born and raised in the state of Georgia.  I thought my first post should be a little about me to provide some insight for those who might not have met me or read some of my writing – and I’d like to hear about you too!  So, feel free to reach out, give me a shout; ask just about anything.  I’ll post a regular message on the 8^th of each month, and perhaps intermittently throughout the month – so, check back often!

How long have I been writing? 

Let’s see, as long as I can remember actually.  Is that an answer?  To put an age to my response, I’d say since I was about ten years old.  I used to create characters and make-up simple story lines, often playing out scenes in my head – or acting them out for my family.  Didn’t we all do this at some point?  My family said I had “an active imagination.”  I probably have every scrap of paper, poem, blurb, idea, character, storyline or novel I’ve ever written, piled in boxes in the attic and basement.  Ironically, I didn’t get serious about publishing until last year.  Growing up, school, career – life kept getting in the way, I guess.  I’m a new author at Loveyoudivine His & His Kisses and very happy to be among some of the most talented, creative authors I’ve come across in a long while; imaginative, witty, creative and pushing the barriers.  My recently released story, VOYEUR, deals with the obsessive depths of voyeurism and what happens when a few innocent glances can spiral into obsession that changes the protagonist’s life forever. Voyeur released Friday, June 13^th this year and will also appear in Loveyoudivine’s His & His first print anthology titled, MEN, set for release August 1^st, 2008.

What genre do I prefer to write the most?

 
I write about ideas and stories that press forward in my mind, whatever I’m feeling, what moves me, perhaps has even touched my life at some point.  I’ll be driving along or waiting in line at the grocery store when a story idea or character surfaces in my thoughts.  If it stays with me long enough, I’ll typically get my thoughts down on paper, or via in the computer – even recorded on a micro-cassette recorder I keep in the car.  I have a boxful of scraps of paper, notes, scenes, characters – you name it.  I’ll cull from this stash now and again when needing inspiration or the right look or feeling for a character.  I enjoy jotting notes of description about “real people” and what it is about them that captured my attention; often guessing what may be going on in their lives at that moment by just studying a face, a body, a walk – even the clothes worn.  I write gay-themed suspense/thrillers and mystery stories, often with erotic and romantic undertones.
 
Current work-in-progress?

I have hundreds!  I always have “something” in progress.  Currently, I’m writing a murder-suspense novel titled “Pretty Boy Dead”.  The story focuses on a closeted Atlanta homicide detective who – upon returning to the job following a “forced” six-week sabbatical – catches a high profile case involving a young man’s suspicious death.  Discovered in a popular Midtown park, the victim’s brutal murder ensnares the large metropolis and threatens to consume the embattled homicide detective, Sgt. Kendall Parker, a man of many secrets who’s battling his own inner demons.  While investigating the death of the popular nude dancer, Parker must deal with an apathetic department and judging public while forced to confront her own inner demons of acceptance.

Authors that have influenced my writing…

There are many, from the time I was an impressionable teenager and discovered my love for curling up with a good book.  The first author that comes to mind is S.E. Hinton (Outsiders, Rumble Fish) and Ray Bradbury.  The novel I credit with pointing me toward a path to writing my own stores is Patricia Nell Warren’s, The Front Runner, to this day, one of my favorite all time authors.  I’m also very fond of James Kirkwood’s, Good Times/Bad Times, John Grisham’s, A Time To Kill/The Firm, Felice Picano’s, Like People In History, and anything written by Michael Nava.

. 
You can contact me/find me on the web here:
http://www.jonmichaelsen.net

Michaelsen.jon@gmail.com