Snippet Sunday: The Pleasure Device: Julius

Oh, how I love my villain in The Pleasure Device, Dr. Julius Christopher.

But is he really a villain? He’s sexually aggressive, a little kinky, and far too ambitious, but deep down inside there’s a little spark of humanity. I’ll be exploring that little spark in Book 3 of The Harwell Heirs. But for now, with Book 1, The Pleasure Device, you get to see his villainous side. Continue reading

Snippet Sunday: The Pleasure Device: Helena

Another snippet from my most recent release, The Pleasure Device, book 1 in my Harwell Heirs series. Last week our heroine Helena had her first glimpse of the hero Nicholas (who looks a lot like Ioan Gruffudd. Lucky girl.) at her first ball during the London Season of 1879. This week our hero has his first glimpse of Helena across the room at the very same ball. Continue reading

Snippet Sunday: The Pleasure Device: Nicholas

Another snippet from my most recent release, The Pleasure Device, book 1 in my Harwell Heirs series. At the point in the story where this snippet takes place, the reader has already met our hero Dr. Nicholas Ramsay (in all his orgiastic glory), but our heroine Helena has not. So, really the title of this blog post should more correctly be “Nicholas from Helena’s point of view”. Continue reading

Snippet Sunday: The Pleasure Device: Opening

I’m back for Snippet Sunday* after a hiatus. During said hiatus I published The Pleasure Device, book 1 in my Victorian-era Harwell Heirs series, and turned in book 2 (title reveal! You saw it here first!: working title Lord Petersham’s Contract now called Disobedience By Design), to my publisher, Ellora’s Cave. So, of course I’m going to promote The Pleasure Device! Continue reading

Character-Driven Sex

Whew! I just finished Book 2 of my Harwell Heirs series on Friday December 13th and sent it to my editor at Ellora’s Cave. While I was editing and polishing that manuscript (working title: Lord Petersham’s Contract), I wrote 50,000 words of Book 3 in the series (working title: Miss Danby’s Condition) for November’s National Novel Writing Month. This intensive period of writing solidified a belief I’ve had about writing erotica from day one: sex is driven by the characters and not by the author. Continue reading

NaNoWriMo: Winner!

Today I gave myself a pat on the back for “winning” National Novel Writing Month with my book Miss Danby’s Condition (book three in the Harwell Heirs series). Continue reading

New Releases: Victorian Pleasures

I’ve mentioned my 2011 National Novel Writing Month novel, Dr. Christopher’s Device, a few times. I’m totally excited that it will be released on November 27, 2013, by Ellora’s Cave as The Pleasure Device. In October, one of my short stories (actually a short, short work of flash fiction), “The Demonstration”, was released as part of Go Deeper Press’s Dirty Little Numbers anthology.

What I’ve not told anyone yet is how the two stories are related. Continue reading

NaNoWriMo: Pep Talk

I confess I am fanatical about National Novel Writing Month. The crazy idea thought up by Chris Baty way back in 1999 literally changed my life in 2006. The year before I had undergone a couple of life-altering events, so perhaps I was simply open to new experiences. I don’t know. Whatever psychological process was at play, I ended up catching the writing bug and have been an advocate for the November challenge ever since.

My friends are by now, after eight years, used to my prodding and encouraging them — my pep talks, as it were — to do NaNoWriMo, and I’ve been successful in getting several to attempt—and win!—the challenge. Everyone I’ve encouraged has been gracious or curious or thrilled.

Except one person. Continue reading

NaNoWriMo Prep: Plotting

National Novel Writing Month begins in 12 days – but who’s counting?

This will be my eighth year doing NaNoWriMo, and my seventh book. Continue reading

Works in Progress: SOLD! and more updates

The Pleasure Device: Sold!

I can finally announce that Dr. Christopher’s Device has been picked up and sold to the publisher Ellora’s Cave! Continue reading