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Between the Red-Hot Covers by Jina Bacarr

June 11, 2013 by in category Archives tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

We’ve seen it all over the years in book covers.

Cute cartoon covers, clinch covers, and the recent addition of “elegant bling” covers. Masks, cufflinks, a man’s tie–you know what I mean.

Now I’m excited about a new trend: Temp covers!

For the first time since I’ve published, Harlequin has put up “temp” covers for the Cosmo Red-Hot Reads.

Each of the books that I’ve found on Amazon by Lauren Dane, Tawny Weber, and Helen Kay Dimon all show the same wildly sexy, raspberry-red covers with the Cosmo logo.

Here’s the RED-HOT Temp Cover for my Cosmo Red Hot-Read: NAKED SUSHI!!

Temp Cover for "Naked Sushi"

Temp Cover for “Naked Sushi”

Amateur spy PEPPER O’MALLEY gets more than she bargained for when she discovers her sleazy boss is hiding corporate secrets. 

She gets fired.

Was it her fault she got caught in the copy room with her pants down with a hunky thief? 
The only way Pepper can get her job back is to become a naked sushi model and spy on her ex-boss.

She’s thrown into a world of corporate espionage she never imagined…

What do you think of the idea of Temp Covers? It’s definitely branding the books in a unique and exciting way. I can only imagine the sexy cover Harlequin has up their sleeve for Naked Sushi…

Naked Sushi is now available for pre-order at Amazon.

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An Up Close and Personal Interview of Kitty Bucholtz

June 9, 2013 by in category Archives tagged as , , , ,

Kitty Bucholtz  is the author of the romantic comedy Little Miss Lovesick and the light urban fantasy Unexpected Superhero. Though she grew up in Northern Michigan, the setting for many of her stories, she followed her husband to Australia twice. While he made a penguin named Mumble dance, she earned her MA in Creative Writing in Sydney. When she’s not unpacking or repacking, she’s working on her next book or chatting with readers on Facebook.

Kitty was interview by long time OCC/RWA member Marianne H. Donley.


Marianne: First question, do you find yourself returning to certain themes in your stories? What? Why?

Kitty: It’s funny you should ask because I discovered one theme a couple years ago, but I discovered a secondary theme while writing my book, Unexpected Superhero. After several years of writing, I finally realized that I write about women who are finding out that they have more “power” than they think they have. Mostly, it comes down to personal strength, inner resolve, and the character to think through how to change a situation they’re not happy with, though in Unexpected Superhero, she literally discovers a power she didn’t know she had. That theme comes directly from me and my life experience. I’ve never wanted to just accept a bad situation; I’m always trying to make things better.

But writing this new book, I realized that several of my stories have a “protecting children in danger” element. It’s a little weird to me because I don’t have children. Where did this theme come from? I could guess, but I don’t really know. The fun part about not knowing is that I get to find out more about it as I write!


Marianne: What’s the best writing advice you ever received? What’s the worst?

Kitty: The best advice I’ve gotten is “trust yourself.” It takes a lot of writing for that advice to be useful, but there’s a point at which trusting yourself is the best thing you can do.

The worst advice I’ve gotten is “real writers write every day.” That doesn’t work for me. I work best in bursts. That may mean writing 5-8 hours a day for weeks to finish a book, then 10-14 hours a day doing what I call the book build, creating the files that will become the ebook and print book. Then I may read all day every day for a week, and half a day every day for another couple weeks, researching and ingesting material that will eventually find its way into another book. The only way I overcame the worst advice for me was by taking the best advice for me – I trusted that I had figured out how I worked best.

Marianne: Do you ever run out of ideas? If so, how do you get past that?

Kitty: I’m laughing! Run out of ideas? No! I get tangled up in my ideas and get stuck when I don’t realize I’ve got two or more ideas working against each other. That’s been happening a bit with my next release, Love at the Fluff and Fold. But that’s been untangling more as I finish the current book and spend more time on the new book.

An example to show you why the question made me laugh – when I was hired at E! Entertainment, the cable TV network, I had to sign a standard contract. In it was a clause that any creative ideas I came up with, at work or away from work, while employed there would be the property of E! Entertainment. I made a polite but assertive fuss about it and wouldn’t sign the contract. The network attorney finally said that I should provide a list of all the titles of projects I’d already thought of and those would be exempt. My agent suggested I write down everything I’d ever thought of, ever. I took her advice and the addendum was two pages long, single-spaced. I think there were fifty or more ideas listed!

Marianne: What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Kitty: I get really excited about people discussing ideas with passion. Once at a party, I got all fired up talking to a friend’s uncle about economics because he was passionate and I knew a bit about the subject and was really interested in what he had to say. I love talking about God and how everything works together, from personal situations to the fact that we are on the only planet in the known universe that provides the exact mix of elements for us to live freely. I cry over commercials and TV shows, even though I know it’s pretend, because I’m thinking, “Somewhere, there’s a real person this is happening to, and I feel for them.” There’s just something about passion and energy coming together in the form of ideas that makes me crazy excited!

Marianne: What are you dying to try next?

Kitty: Ooo, good one! Well, it’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time, but it’s going to require a ton of research and I’m inherently lazy, so… LOL! During a class in my master’s degree program, we had to write one scene in each of eight different categories from romance to detective to thriller, etc. One assignment was to write a scene with “magic” in it. That led to my master’s degree final project – a spiritual warfare, angels vs. demons story set in modern New York City with a teenage girl as the main player for both sides. Kind of a Joan of Arcadia meets Supernatural story laced with the kinds of humor that are in both of those TV shows.

This is kind of a “book of my heart” story, inasmuch as I have some really strong spiritual beliefs that I want to use without disrespecting them. I need to research what we think we know about angels and demons, what we think we know about what is happening outside of our five senses, and I need to research New York, its tunnel systems, the political climate, the financial district, and more. Yikes! So I’m slightly terrified! But I’m hoping to have at least a strong first draft done in the next 12-15 months.

Marianne: Okay, last question. What would you like to hear God say when you arrive?

Kitty: I’m really glad I made you, Kitty. You really crack me up!

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Back to OCC

June 6, 2013 by in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as , , ,

I’m back! Or, rather, I’ll be back at OCC this Saturday after a two-month absence. Both of those were the result of family, or at least partially so. I had a visit from family in April, and then was in the east in May both for some writing events and to visit family.

 I will be running the PAW meeting on Saturday, delighted to do so although it will also feel bittersweet. Despite being listed on the OCC website as a co-liaison at PAW, I’m more of an assistant this year. But I previously served as a co-liaison with Charlotte Lobb. As you probably know by now, Charlotte has passed away. She was always funny and charming while running PAW meetings, as she was even when not running a meeting, and I know she will be missed by all of us at PAW as well as everywhere else. Charlotte was excellent at all she did, including promotion, and that’s a segue into our PAW topic this month: promotion tips. I’ll be eager to hear everyone’s ideas, since I’m always looking for more to try.

I’ll also be looking for published author volunteers to help out by hearing pitches and staffing tables at our July meeting to discuss writing issues. See you on Saturday!

Linda O. Johnston
http://www.lindaojohnston.com/
http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com/

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Summer Sinsperation!

May 31, 2013 by in category Archives tagged as , , , , ,

OCC/RWA’s own Nikki Prince heads up her first anthology, Sinsperationally Yours with Hot Ink Press. It’s been a few months since this column has run – blame it on my new additional duties as president – but with summer’s arrival, and all that “free” time (cough: wait for my president’s message in a few days), I wanted to bring out some calls. If you’re short on time, maybe you should consider working on a short story!
Sinsperationally Yours: Erotic Tales from the Dark Side of Love
Genres: Erotic Romance: Horror, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Historical
Theme: General
Pairings: Any

Ghosts and Vampires and Werebears oh my!

Bring us your immortal heroes and/or heroines who strike fear in those they meet but also ignite passion and lust.

We want your tales of lust flavored with a happily ever after for—Sinsperationally Yours. This anthology is all about the world of immortals and nocturnal creatures of the night. We want the creatures that can incite our fear and our lust. Bring us those magical creatures we all love to read about. It can be the usual mainstays vampires and werewolves or something newly created. Whatever worlds you build make it believable. We’re looking for stories filled with lore and eroticism but most of all they are stories that must have a happy ending.

For this anthology, at least one of the main characters must be a supernatural or immortal creature (werewolf, werecats, werebears, vampire, gargoyle, fairy…well you get our drift). The setting can be historical, contemporary horror/paranormal or urban fantasy. We are looking for dark stories but ultimately your story must give the reader an ending that will satisfy their need for a HEA.

Guidelines:
  • Word count from 6-15k
  • Please edit your work and make sure it is as clean as possible. It will be edited but we want your best work not your first draft.
  • Plot required. Don’t just give us sex. Give us characters we believe in and a premise that flows from one chapter to the next.
  • No previously published work, we want new stories.
  • We aren’t accepting poems, this anthology calls for fiction stories.
  • Submissions must be sent in Word doc or docx, 12 pt Times New Roman with 1.5 line spacing, aligned right with 0.5 indents on the first line of each new paragraph (Don’t use the tab), no extra spacing between paragraphs and no headers/footers/page numbers, on space after end of sentence- not two.
  • Send us a query, with a simple synopsis, your author bio max 100 words in the third person with your finished manuscript that has been edited.
  • Heat level: Hot to scorching (this is after all an erotic romance anthology).
  • Submission deadline: August 8, 2013 for a September/October publication.

 Please send your questions and submissions to Nikki@hotinkbooks.com

One Night In …
Imagine the scenario.  One night of passion in an exotic locale, a quick read with a lasting romance, and the promise of a happily ever after.  Could there be anything better?

We don’t think so.  One Night In… is a new line of stories with Entangled Publishing that will take readers on a romantic journey.   Read on for details!

Have a great idea for short, sexy romance on the road?  Entangled Novellas wants to see it! Whether one or both characters have embarked on a road trip, business trip, foreign port visit, planned vacay, spontaneous getaway, or any other short jaunt, characters should step outside of their comfortable worlds and into a fling or one night stand that changes everything. Whether Stateside or foreign, they are two modern adults who won’t back down from a hook up…and won’t want to let go when it’s time to go home.

Stories should be contemporary romances with a moderate to high heat level, 10k-40k words, focused on a one night stand or fling with a ticking clock (e.g. a non-refundable plane ticket home) and complicated by a fun, light-hearted romance trope (e.g. fake marriage, enemies to lovers, boardroom romance) that pulls the characters into bed even as it threatens to tear them apart. Stories should end positively with at least the promise of a HFN or a HEA obvious on the distant horizon. Submit stories at http://entangledpublishing.submittable.com, attention ONE NIGHT IN. If you would prefer to work with a particular editor, address your query letter to that person. Stories of 10k-15k words should be submitted as Flirts, and stories of 20k-40k should be submitted as Ever Afters. We’re open to characters of any ethnicity, race, or nationality and to stories with multi-cultural pairings and f/f, m/m, or m/f pairings.
Blissemass Tales – Sexy Seasonal Stories
SexyReads is looking for sexy seasonal stories to spice up the festive season.
Blissemas tales must have a Christmas, holidays or wintery theme, feel free to use all three. We encourage people to think outside the chocolate box and attempt something different. Maybe you could try Christmas in hot places or sexy encounters on snow-capped mountains. Presents for Scrooges, trimming the tree and getting distracted or racing away from loved ones on Christmas Eve.
We want all heat levels from sweetly sexy to log fire and snow meltingly hot. Word count 10,000 to 15,000 words. Submission deadline: Oct. 1, 2013.
UBUNTU-STORIES OF AFRICAN ROMANCE
Africa… Land of the Serengeti, of wide savannas, where exotic wild animals like giraffes stroll through your backyard— *sound of a screeching turn-disk*
If this is your idea of modern Africa, you’d be way off the mark! Ubuntu (“I am what I am because of who we all are.”) embraces the notion of community, of roots, of spreading your arms open in welcome. Our stories from the Ubuntu line will reflect this philosophy, and take you to Africa to meet the people from that far-away, unknown-to-many land.
Take a peek at modern Africa. This is a world where, on the backdrop of the famine crisis in Darfur and Somalia, of political unrest in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Egypt, millions step into the global village and embrace the fast-paced life offered by technology and the Internet. Multinational companies have offices in many African capitals, opening the way for a slew of expatriates to settle in those countries, where the world’s biggest brand names like Hugo Boss and Lacoste are opening outlets.
Don’t also forget that Africa is not only the black continent – a handful of islands make up the African territory, as well. From minerals-rich Madagascar (and the land of Black Magic, still practiced to this day!) to tourist hot-spots like Mauritius, the Seychelles, and the Maldives – islander culture opens up another world to exploit in your writing. And in the top, northern parts of Africa, meet the Arab world in the countries of the Maghreb (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, among others).
With its rich history, Africa has native African clans and tribes, colonist white populations – British, French, and Afrikaners –Indian-origin people who emigrated as traders and/or indentured labor, Chinese people who came in as traders.
We want to see your stories set in any of these locations. Whether your characters are expats, foreigners on a visit, native Africans (of black, white, Indian, Chinese, Arab, etc, descent!), show us the true face of Africa as people experience it every day. Think The Joy Luck Club meets Out Of Africa – the former a story of generational conflict between immigrant mothers and their daughters brought up in their adopted country’s culture; the latter a sweeping saga on the backdrop of the African landscape, setting, and context. Give us both; give us either or; but give us something in and/or from Africa.
LENGTH: 7-50k
HEAT LEVEL: 1-5
SUB-GENRES ACCEPTED: Interracial, contemporary, multicultural, sweet romance, suspense, LGBT, ménage
TO SUBMIT: Email submissions@decadentpublishing.comto request a submissions form. Please note that it is for the UBUNTU line when submitting.

Compiled by Louisa Bacio

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OCCRWA June Online Class

May 27, 2013 by in category Archives

OCCRWA Proudly Presents: header
June 10 – July 7, 2013

FEARLESS PITCHING

with Laura Drake

About the Class:
Pitching, it has the power to strike fear in the heart of the most intrepid writer. It also has the power to launch your career, whether you’re pitching on paper, or in person.  This workshop will give you the tools you need to feel confident, and present yourself and your writing in a professional manner. We will cover:
  • Pitching on paper
  • Creating a logline for your novel
  • The all important query – and how to use it as a building block for your pitch
  • Researching agents/editors
  • Etiquette and procedures
  • Pitching in person
  • Different types of pitches, and how to prepare for each
  • Attitude is everything – how to make it work for you
  • Tips and tricks, how to be memorable in a good way
  • Make the most of your opportunities
  • How to manage your fear
Debra HollandAbout the Instructor:
Laura Drake decided to write a novel.  Three years later she completed it, and decided what she really wanted was to hold a book in her hand with her name on the cover. 500 queries, three novels, and ten years later, Laura achieved her dream, signing a three book deal with Grand Central for her romances, set in the world of professional bull riding. The Sweet Spot, released in May of 2013. She also sold her ‘Biker-chick’ romance to Harlequin’s Superromance line.
She’s a member of the Orange County Chapter, as well as a former President of RWA’s Women’s Fiction Chapter.

http://LauraDrakeBooks.com
http://WritersintheStorm@Wordpress.com
Twitter: @PBRWriter

Please click here for enrollment information.


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