Heat levels vs. erotic romance (and erotica)

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In one of my writers’ groups the subject of heat levels in romance came up, and how to describe romance novel sexy times (or lack thereof) on some sort of scale.

You probably think this is an easy discussion, right? Ha!

There is literally no industry standard for heat levels, and yet romance readers constantly want to know what to expect sexiness-wise between the covers.

Having no industry standard means everyone has their own opinion including one particular retailer which randomly puts romance books into their “Erotica Dungeon” even if said romance book is not erotica (plus erotica is not a heat level — more on that below). Continue reading →

Getting to know me: Gemma Snow’s Interview 2017

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This re-post of an interview I did with erotic romance author Gemma Snow is the third in a series of blog interviews I’ve done over the years. The first post explains my purpose.

Gemma Snow’s Interview

Today’s post is from a 2017 interview I did for Gemma Snow’s blog to promote The Westerman Affair when it was originally published by Loose Id. I met Gemma Snow virtually as a fellow Loose Id author. Loose Id is a now-defunct publisher, and both Gemma and I have republished our books.

The Interview

I got to sit down with Regina Kammer to talk writing, inspiration and her new book, The Westerman Affair! Continue reading →

San Juan Islands Stories re-release! Pre-order now!

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My three stories that comprise the Stories from the San Juan Islands have finally been repackaged and re-released. Plus, all three stories are together for the first time in the Stories from the San Juan Islands Collection! Two shorts and the collection are now available for pre-order!

Yes, Undamaged and “Orcas” have been available all along. But “Orcas” is now available as an ebook single (not just in an anthology). I am most excited about re-releasing Disputed Boundaries. This historical male-male novelette has not been available in ebook format for a couple of years.

The new covers are gorgeous and include images from the San Juan Islands taken by me.

Without further ado, the new re-releases and pre-order details are below. Including some special pre-order deals! [Sorry! All deals have ended!] Release day is officially Tuesday, January 26, 2021. Continue reading →

NaNoPrep2020: Pantsing Adam and Lydia’s story

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Welp, it’s October 2020 and time for NaNoPrep2020, otherwise known as Preptober. Also, it’s the absolute end of October and I really just started prepping my NaNoWriMo novel this week. Ugh, sigh.

But, I have a premise, I have the fake NaNo cover, and I think farming is over for right now. (Okay, well, farming never ends, but it sometimes takes a seasonal break. By the way, did you know I was a gentlefolk farmer?)

This year I’m totally pantsing it. I have a vague premise of a story involving Lydia and Adam from The Vicereine, the sex club in my Art & Discipline series. The title is tentatively A Model Alliance.

Who are Lydia and Adam, you might ask?
Continue reading →

Getting to know me: Cameron Allie’s Author Spotlight 2016

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This is the second in a series of posts re-posting blog interviews I’ve done over the years. The first post explains my purpose.

Cameron Allie’s Author Spotlight

Today’s post is from a 2016 interview I did to promote my novella Undamaged way back when it was part of Paige Tyler’s Dallas Fire & Rescue Kindle World (I have since re-released it). I met Cameron virtually in the Romance Writers of America (RWA) erotic romance chapter Passionate Ink. She graciously offered to host me on her blog. Continue reading →

Pre-order The Invitation: An Art & Discipline Short!

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I have finally re-released “The Invitation”, an erotic short story set in my Victorian Art & Discipline world.

In Victorian London, a lovelorn fifty-three-year-old widow discovers she is the muse for a young artist. Continue reading →

Getting to know me: Francesca’s Mindstream 2014

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I’ve done a lot of blog interviews over the years, each time offering a little view into my writing process or my personal history. I just assumed the interviews would be up forever, because the internet is forever, right? Well, sort of. Blogs go cold or end entirely, which means one wouldn’t get a chance to read the interview ever again!

This post is the first of a series where I re-post my old interviews from other people’s blogs. I thought it might be fun for my readers to get to know more about me, and for me to see how far I’ve grown and changed as a writer. Most interviews are done as part of book promotion, so I’ll note which book I was promoting at the time. Continue reading →

Love in the Time of COVID-19

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The world is currently a very stressful place with the COVID-19 pandemic. In the United States, and elsewhere, we are being asked to self-isolate which means hunkering down at home. For introverts, which many romance readers are, finding an activity to pass the time while being at home is not difficult. Romance readers will be reading romance, attacking their To Be Read piles with a vengeance.

But small brick-and-mortar businesses and people whose livelihoods depend on in-person interaction are already, and will continue to be, greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Brick-and-mortar businesses, such as your local bookstore, rely on foot traffic and in-person purchases. No customers means no sales. Many people forced to stay home cannot work remotely and will lose income. No income means no book purchases.

How can romance come to the rescue? Continue reading →

NaNoPrep2019: Victorian erotic romance! Plus NaNoTips!

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It’s preparation time for NaNoWriMo, an event also known as NaNoPrep. So, what do I have for NaNoPrep2019?

Another Victorian art world erotic romance with seasoned characters! Yay!

I have a rough outline (yes, I am somewhere in between a plotter and a pantser. So, like, a plotser.). I’ve made a fake cover. I have a working title.

Introducing my 2019 NaNoWriMo novel: An Improper Association (Art & Discipline Book 3) (and check out my fake NaNoWriMo cover!). Continue reading →

Preorder Ancient Shorts! 5 hot stories for chilly weather!

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Ancient Shorts: An Ancient World Romance Collection is now available for pre-order! This collection features all five of my Ancient World erotic romance short stories, tales of discovering love in times long ago in Imperial Rome, Parthian Ctesiphon, and Byzantine Constantinople.

Pre-order now for only 99¢!

Then, on release day October 29th, as autumn descends, bringing with it cool and chilly weather, curl up with your ereader and warm up with these hot stories! Continue reading →