If you're looking for an Austen sequel that combines the characters' original flaws of pride and prejudice I would highly recommend reading Pemberley Manor. Nelson spins a web of finely strung perceptions and choices. Darcy is one for angry words in the heat of the moment, swift regret, and fleet-footed in his escape to nurse his wounds. Elizabeth is also one for angry words and quick remorse. Darcy is only just learning how to express himself and gets it all wrong. Elizabeth is ready to find offense, certain he must in some way regret marrying her - after all hadn't he in his first proposal said how inferior she was to the task of being his wife?

Meanwhile an old friend has reappeared stirring up a whole mix of bad childhood memories for Darcy... and good ones, if Darcy were to be honest. He's worried about how his mother's influence on him might wreck the only happiness he's ever known and at the same time can't reconcile himself to his father's actions and behavior. Can the old friend and Elizabeth help Darcy unravel the past? Can Darcy let it go if they can't?

Through it all Caroline Bingley is plotting and spilling poison amongst Darcy's old colleagues. She wants Darcy for herself; he must surely regret by now his decision to marry that country bumpkin. Finding a co-conspirator in her older sister, Mrs. Hurst, Caroline hatches a few petty and mean spirited plans. How will they affect the Darcys?

If Caroline weren't enough the local gentry around Derbyshire are determined to snub Mrs. Darcy because of Darcy's previous bad and snobby behavior. Will Elizabeth's goodness and mirth capture their attentions long enough to change their mind about her or will their determination win out in the end?

Quite an excellent book! Very engrossing. The book is chaste; there is nothing overt in the bedroom.

Rating: 4 Stars

Buy: Pemberley Manor

Originally posted 2009-03-30 05:15:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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by Jeanne St. James, erotic romance writer.

I love the romance genre. I should. I write it. Well, to be more exact, I have published two erotic romances: Banged Up, a m/f erotic romance, with Liquid Silver Books, and Double Dare, a m/m/f interracial ménage, with Loose Id. In addition, I have published a gay erotic novella. I’ll repeat that again… an erotic novella. I did not mention romance.

When Phaze Books had a special call for submissions for their “rebel”-themed Heatsheets (short stories), the only requirement was that it be about a “rebel” and it be short. So I decided to write my first strictly gay novella and decided to keep it short by using one scene – one interaction between the two characters – for the story. So the story (one night in the two men’s lives) involves them going back to a school reunion and exploring (sexually) the secret crush they both had on each other back in high school.

Rip Cord’s Blurb:

Gil Davis hated high school. Ever the geek, he has no intention of attending his 10th year class reunion. The last thing he wants is to relive the taunting and teasing he received during his teenage years. However, there is one thing he missed from high school: the star Varsity football player. The one he had a crush on since the first day he laid his eyes on him.

The last thing he expects is the now pro football player to come back to their home town to attend a lame high school reunion. Known as the Bad Boy of the NFL, Ripley “Rip” Cord, not only shows up, but shows up without a date and an eye for Gil.

Since the novella is only about 12,000 words, I was limited on plot. I wanted to use an already established relationship – Gil and Rip being classmates – in which the two discover a hidden attraction – a secret crush. That allowed me to throw them into the story a lot quicker.

So, my point is… I’ve been getting mixed reviews on Rip Cord. People either love it (5 star) and want a sequel or say it’s so-so (2 star). Why? Well, I’m guessing it’s because someone is reading it thinking it’s an erotic romance. It’s not. The difference for me between erotica and erotic romance is the ending. The ending on Rip Cord is not HEA (Happily Ever After) like my erotic romances. This little story has a HFN ending (Happy For Now) that means things were left up in the air at the end. The men had plans to meet up again in the future, it’s just not known where or when. Of course, they are both “satisfied” sexually during the book but there isn’t a complete emotional connection. No “we’re getting married” or “we’re having a baby,” for example, like a typical romance.

Because of that, I do not consider Rip Cord an erotic romance. That’s why I label it erotica or an erotic novella. Two men thrown together having hot, steamy man love and then each go on their way -- at least at the end of THIS story. It doesn’t mean they won’t hook up again or eventually achieve that HEA.

Here’s a review in which the reviewer “got” what kind of story it was:

From Seriously Reviewed:

"Well, I sat down to read and burned dinner! I couldn’t stop reading. The story is fast. Gil attends his high school reunion. And we all remember how enjoyable that is…not. But with a hot jock like Rip, at least he’ll have someone to stare at during dinner. But wait. This is hot gay erotic romance. So when boy sees hot football star, boy lusts for football star, and holy shit, the football star has game of his own. The sex was raw and brazen, the dialog refreshingly natural and the ending pleasantly simple and satisfying."

Now, she considered this HFN ending satisfying. Someone looking for a HEA might not. So what makes a book a romance? My opinion (and this is only my opinion) is the HEA ending. But rest assured, both the HFN and HEA story can be a pleasurable read. What’s YOUR opinion?

EXCERPT FROM RIP CORD:

CHAPTER ONE

Gil Davis couldn’t believe it had been ten years since he’d last walked through these doors. Where had the time gone?

When the invitation to his class reunion had come, he almost tossed it out, just as he had with the notice of his fifth year reunion.

He was not into reliving his high school years.

No way, no how.

But something on the invitation had caught his eye… this time they were holding it at the school. So instead of immediately pitching it, he had thrown the invitation on his kitchen table. Unfortunately, Katie, his best friend and roommate, found it and hounded him relentlessly until he agreed to RSVP.

And, of course, Katie insisted on being his date.

Which thrilled him to no end… Not.

Now he wasn’t so sure if he wanted to go in.

He wasn’t sure he was ready for a night of teasing from his former schoolmates.

Yet, here he stood, just inside the double doors of his old high school staring at the registration table by the gymnasium doors.

Someone grabbed his elbow. Firmly.

“You’re not chickening out are you?”

Gil just shook his head and swallowed hard. “Did you find the restroom all right?”

“Fine,” Katie said in her little no-nonsense tone. “Let’s go.”

The harder she tugged on his arm, the more he dug in his heels. He didn’t want to leave his little corner of safety yet. “Hold on.”

“No, Gil. It’s not going to get any easier. You look fine. We’ve – okay, I’ve worked really hard to get you to this point.” She smoothed the hair back from his eyes. Gil was surprised she hadn’t spat on her fingers first like a hovering mother hen.

The problem was, he was still a nerd at heart.

“Now, get your shit together and let’s go!” She gave his arm one last hard yank and dragged him over to the table.

Sucking in a breath, he steeled himself for what was to come.

The two women sitting at the table wore big predatory smiles.

“Gilbert? Gilbert Davis is that you?” the toothy piranha on the right asked. “I swear I didn’t recognize you without your bottle-bottom glasses and pocket protector.”

Those glasses were long gone thanks to Katie dragging him years ago to the optometrist for contacts.

Gil leaned forward to read her name tag. Bonnie (Trusk) Smith.

Bonnie Trusk. He remembered her. She had been part of the Homecoming Court their senior year.

And had accidentally run over his foot one day in the parking lot with her Eddie Bauer Explorer. Why? Her excuse had been she hadn’t seen him. Yeah, he had been the invisible man, “invisible” to all of the popular kids.

“Just Gil,” he corrected her.

She laughed and waved a hand toward him, clearly dismissing him.

The other woman, Patti Petroski-Harrison, shoved a “Hello! My name is… Gilbert Davis” sticker at him. “And your hair! It looks…” Gil expected the next word out of her mouth to be “normal.” Her face showed her internal struggle. “Nice.”

He was a geek. He knew it. He had been one ever since he could remember. And his classmates had always teased him about it.

She sized up Katie. “Are you his wife?”

Katie laughed and patted Gil’s arm. “Oh, no.”

Gil gave her a quick warning look.

Katie just gave him a sugary smile and a noisy kiss on the cheek.

“Well then,” Patti said. “When you go through the doors, Gilbert, there will be a table with place settings. Find your name and that will tell you where you’re seated.”

“Just Gil,” he corrected again, but by then both women were flashing their beaming smiles at another couple who had come up behind them.

Katie tugged him to the side to avoid being crushed by the new arrivals’ hugging and squealing. Gil didn’t recognize the newcomers. But then they had probably been a part of the “in” group.

Gil had been a full-fledged member of the “out” group, but not the “out of the closet” group.

A woman’s shrill scream shot a bolt of pain through his head.

“Did you hear Rip Cord is going to be here? Can you believe it?” the one called Patti asked, her question ending in a squeal. She looked as if she would bust a vein.

Gil stumbled back a step from the table, barely avoiding Katie’s toes.

Holy hell, he never should have agreed to come to this thing. Especially if he’d known Rip would be here.

Gil had a crush on Rip since high school. Unfortunately, Rip was definitely of the heterosexual persuasion. Being captain of the football team, he’d had every girl in school chasing after him, one way or another.

So he’d admired the well-built, handsome jock from afar. Very afar.

Hearing Rip’s name brought all those old feelings back to the surface.

All the insecurities.

Gil certainly had never expected his secret crush to come back to town for a ten-year class reunion. Rip had become way too famous for that.

Gil grabbed Katie’s arm and, with her squeaky protest, dragged her through the double doors into the gym.

“Jesus, Gil. What’s going on?” she asked as he pushed her against the wall just inside the doors.

“Did you hear that?” He struggled not to hyperventilate.

“What?” Katie peeled the backing off of Gil’s name tag and slapped it onto his chest. Not so gently either.

“Rip is going to be here.”

“Rip?” She wrinkled her nose. “What the hell is rip?”
“Not what. Who!” Gil swallowed hard and blew out a long breath. He realized then he was squeezing her upper arms. Way too hard. He relaxed his fingers.

“Okay, okay. Calm down. And let up a little more please.”

He released her and wiped his sweaty palms along his slacks. He never should have worn slacks. Slacks were nerd-wear.

Why didn’t Katie talk him out of wearing them? He should have worn torn jeans or leather pants or --

“So is Rip a band? I would’ve thought they just would’ve hired a DJ. It’s cheaper.”

“Wait. What?” Gil shook his head. “First of all, why would they need music?”

Katie pointed a finger upwards. “Hear that, nerd-o? Music. You know, it creates atmosphere and gives you something to dance to.”

“Dance?” Gil swallowed hard. He cocked his head. He did hear music. He hadn’t noticed it because he’d been too panicked about Rip being there. “Okay, just don’t ask me to dance.”

“No can do, Gilly. We will be dancing. I didn’t come along to be a wallflower.”

“Katie, you know I can’t dance,” he hissed inches from her face.

She had the nerve to laugh. As if his lack of rhythm was something to laugh about. His coordination left something to be desired. Gil considered it a handicap – maybe not one recognized by the government. But no one should make fun of the handicapped!

Gil frowned. “I didn’t see anything on the invitation about dancing.”

Katie sighed. “Gilly, don’t worry, we’ll fake it.”

“Don’t call me Gilly here. It’s bad enough people will be calling me Gilbert.”

“Okay, Gil. So if Rip isn’t a band then who or what is it?”

A low murmur throughout the room behind him caused Gil to look up. Coming through the doors…

Gil pressed a hand to the wall to steady himself. His legs had suddenly lost all strength.

Coming through the doors was…

“Him,” was all Gil could get past the lump in his throat.

Buy link: http://tinyurl.com/phaze-ripcord

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by Kathryn Nelson, guest blogger and author of Pemberley Manor.

Of all of the dozens of sequels to and adaptations of Jane Austen's work, none, including mine, claim to approach her extraordinary style and ability to delight and endure, but I see my book as an entertaining adjunct to her work.  The reader is quickly drawn into a maze of confusions and missteps which leads them, Jane Austen style, to a happy ending - or does it?

From a review by Laura Boyle in the Jane Austen Regency World Online Magazine:

Scenes of marital felicity between Darcy and Elizabeth abound and are explored in a delicate and tasteful way. Sometimes heartbreaking and often humorous, the story will keep readers intrigued to the last... "

I recently heard a writer interviewed who said he doesn't like to read, and doesn't have time for it anyway. I can't wrap my mind around either of those thoughts, and when the two are put together, I'm lost. If I didn't read, I don't think I would write. My writing is the product of being poked and prodded by things I've read or heard into a new direction of thought. Every answer creates a question for me.

I have to admit that writing a sequel to someone else's story is taking that concept a bit further than I ever imagined. The writing of Pemberley Manor was an obsession that took hold of me after watching the BBC/A&E production of Pride and Prejudice in 1995. Jane Austen's works seem to call out for sequels unlike any other author I know. The works of other great authors often call for adaptations, interpretations, modernizations. Austen has garnered more than her share of those too, but no other author living or dead has, to my knowledge, inspired as many direct sequels - continuations of the lives of her characters - as she has.

I have at times wondered if Jane herself is channeling, stirring the pot to see what people make of her couples. Surely she knew that their lives after marriage would be a different story, and if it wasn't her story to tell, it doesn't necessarily follow that she wouldn't have found it interesting to contemplate.

For me, the struggles and disastrous misunderstandings, the unfolding of a deeper understanding between two people, can't really happen until the happily ever after is well on its way. And Jane Austen gives us scant help in judging how this marriage will work. One day, well into the ramble that eventually became Pemberley Manor I actually spent a day copying out the words of Fitzwilliam Darcy to try to make out his character, following Elizabeth 's example when she danced with him at the Netherfield Ball. Taken altogether, Darcy's words in Pride and Prejudice amount to a very few pages, including one disastrous monologue meant to serve as a marriage proposal and one terribly long letter, only marginally better.

In both cases, Darcy admits unapologetically that he persuaded his friend Bingley to stop romancing Elizabeth 's beloved sister Jane. Did he think that would endear him to her? Did she forget that small detail when she visited his estate in Derbyshire and blushed at the thought of being Mistress of Pemberley?

I find Darcy impenetrable, just as Elizabeth did initially. She, in the meantime, uses her arsenal of alternately witty and angry retorts to hide her own feelings, which she surely must have noticed some time before she saw the extent of his property. Right up until the wedding brings everything around right, Jane takes her characters only a small step toward mutual understanding, from shredding one another to a gentle teasing. Their only serious conversation happens during his second proposal, and once Darcy has laid his soul bare, Elizabeth jumps into the breach and begins to joke again.

I'm banking on a difficult marriage here. Nick and Nora Charles meet Catherine and Heathcliff. Take the wedding night, for instance. Darcy behaves in a most ungentleman-like manner, not for the first time, and Elizabeth throws in the towel, leaping to a conclusion in her usual style:

"Mr Darcy, pray allow me to suggest a remedy for your most evident distress. Since our marriage has not yet been consummated, I believe you would find little difficulty in securing the offices of a good clergyman in the neighbourhood to perform an annulment immediately. It can serve neither of us to continue as man and wife when there are so little grounds to suppose we could offer one another any reasonable hope of future happiness. Indeed, it seems certain that our expectations of one another are wholly irreconcilable."

She was not prepared for the anguish that met her eyes when he raised his head.

"Is that your wish, madam?" he asked hoarsely.

Well, of course that's not her wish, or Pemberley Manor would have been a very short novel. I hope I'll be forgiven for treading on sacred ground. The truth is, I just couldn't stop myself. Thanks for allowing me on board. I'd welcome feedback from your readers on the subject of sequels: are they flattering or flagrant abuse of an author's property?

As a special treat Kathryn Nelson is giving away one copy of Pemberley Manor to one lucky person. Enter by answering her question above or asking her one of your own. This giveaway is open to US and Canada readers only. Winner will be announced April 2, 2009.

Originally posted 2009-04-01 05:54:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Keira: Which is your favorite Jane Austen novel and why?

Jane: Persuasion is my favourite Austen novel. There are lots of reasons why I love it – the characters are fabulous, the theme of love being lost and found is timeless, and Jane Austen’s writing is at her best, I think.

Keira: How do you get your Jane Austen fix?

Jane:  I immerse myself in the books, but I also enjoy some of the adaptations. I read Jane’s books several times a year.

Keira: Most Jane Austen sequels focus on the relationship between Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice; what inspired you to try your hand at Colonel William Brandon and Marianne Dashwood?

Jane: I wanted to know more about their relationship, as there are few clues at the end of Sense and Sensibility. How did Marianne come to love a man she considered to be too old and staid? I thought it would be exciting to explore how the effects of their former relationships might impact on their life together.

Keira: What do you feel is the hardest aspect of writing a Jane Austen sequel? Is it the research, the writing, the dialogue, or other?

Jane: I want to do justice to the original book and try my hardest to keep the same themes, tone and flavour. Because I am writing for a modern audience, it is sometimes challenging to keep the balance right between writing for them and yet staying true to style.

Keira: Marianne is torn between Brandon and Willoughby in Willoughby’s Return. Why is the decision a difficult one and what qualities does each man have in his favor?

Jane: Marianne is still quite immature at the start of Willoughby’s Return. She is ruled by her emotions and Willoughby comes back into her life at a point when she is questioning Colonel Brandon’s love and affection for her and when she is at her most vulnerable. Willoughby reminds her of a time when she had few responsibilities and for a moment she is swept along by her feelings. I don’t think Marianne sees each man in terms of what they have going for them, she reacts to circumstances and their behaviour towards her.

Keira: If you had to choose, what scene in Willoughby’s Return is your absolute favorite—one you would not allow to be edited out of the novel?

Jane: I think the winter scene where Marianne and Margaret go skating on the frozen Serpentine Lake. Without giving too much away this is a dramatic scene which ends at a critical point. I love writing descriptions and thoroughly enjoyed doing the research about frost fair activities held at the time.

She (Margaret) had heard of famous frost fairs in London when the great River Thames had frozen over but nothing had prepared her for the sight of the Serpentine Lake fringed with glowing lanterns in the dim afternoon light, the branches of trees dipping their lacy fingers into the polished, black ice. Crossing and re-crossing the vast expanse skated a myriad of figures in a stately ballet, silhouetted against ribbon streams of sunshine in tints of rosy pink to gild the clouds. There were icemen sweeping and burnishing the lagoon to a gleaming finish, hiring out skates for those intrepid enough to try them. Several booths had been set up from which hot ginger wine, ale, or brandy could be purloined. The costermongers were setting up shop by selling fruit, their wives tempting weary skaters with oysters and hot meat pies. The noise of people shouting, cheering, and laughing echoed in the still air to the accompaniment of cracking ice, loud as a firing musket.

Keira: Tell us a little about Margaret and her quest for a love match.

Jane: Margaret has reached the age for falling in love, but has not met anyone who has yet stolen her heart. I wanted her to be bowled over and fall head over heels despite her initial resistance to the idea. I loved writing the twists and turns on her journey to forming a lasting relationship.

Keira: Which character did you have the most fun writing?

Jane: Mrs Jennings – she is an interfering busybody with a good heart, and I enjoyed writing her character very much.

Keira: How do you define love?

Jane: Love can be defined in so many ways – of romantic love with a partner, I’d say it involves caring for that person with unconditional affection, putting their wants and needs before your own, sharing their triumphs and disasters – being with them!

Keira: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Jane:  Jane Austen’s characters are never caricatures. It was important to me to explore how Marianne and Margaret, not to mention Willoughby and the Colonel would react in certain situations, and to be honest about how they would behave bearing in mind the constraints of the time. There are many unspoken thoughts, conversations and misunderstandings, which change the course of the plot or move it forward. I’ve always enjoyed the fact that Austen employed these devices in her books – it is largely a modern concept that we share our feelings and discuss them openly. In Willoughby’s Return, I try to show how a relationship might unravel if communication between a married couple might break down, but in the best Austen tradition I guarantee a happy ending for all concerned! Thank you very much for the interview Keira.

Buy: Willoughby's Return

About the Author

Jane Odiwe is an artist and author. She is an avid fan of all things Austen and is the author and illustrator of Effusions of Fancy, annotated sketches from the life of Jane Austen, as well as Lydia Bennet's Story. She lives with her husband and three children in North London. For more information please visit Jane’s website, and on Twitter.

Giveaway: One lucky commenter will win 1 copy of Willoughby's Return. Open to US and Canadian readers only. Enter by asking Jane Odiwe a question. One entry per comment; multiple entries allowed. Ends: November 18, 2009. Increase your chances by reading Jane's guest blog Some Sights and Sounds of Regency Britain and answering her question about Austen fantasies.

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In the fashion that orange is the new pink, is Edward Cullen to be touted as the ideal man for future generations in the same manner Mr. Darcy has been glorified? I’m not saying that Edward Cullen is a Darcy Double or Darcy Reincarnated or even a Darcy Sequel. Edward Cullen is as far from Darcy as a literary romantic hero can be – he’s the undead after all.

Women of all ages and ethnicities have fallen at the feet of the passionate and feral Edward Cullen. He is as impossible a character as Mr. Darcy with his moodiness, aloofness, and let’s face it overbearing behavior. Elizabeth Bennet would not have stood for it, but Bella is enchanted by it. What Edward Cullen can get away with on paper no man in his right mind would try in real life. It is one thing to love Edward’s protective stalker tendencies and quite another to experience it first hand. I’ll be the first to admit I love every aspect of Edward Cullen’s character, so by pointing out the obvious I’m not dismissing his infinite appeal.

Edward Cullen watches over Bella Swan in a similar manner that Angel watched over Buffy in season one. Of course when Angel loses his soul in season two and hovers over Buffy while she sleeps it’s seen as creepy and more than slightly unnerving. Naturally, there is a dramatic difference between being watched over by a protective presence than a sinister one. I’m quite sure Buffy would not have minded Angel watching her; it was Angelus that was the demonic and unwanted presence. Edward does not behave like Angelus and of course Bella wants him around. She thrives off his very presence and noticeably misses his absence awake or asleep. It also helps that as the reader we are enlightened to Edward’s true motivations and can be sure of him. Edward is seen as a guardian angel… and who would tell a guardian angel to go away? That would indeed be madness.

Speaking of madness, this brings me to the next point; to be desired as Bella or Elizabeth is every woman’s secret fantasy. Darcy loved Elizabeth ardently; Edward loved Bella fiercely. It is a heady thing to be wanted so much that to be parted from you is sheer agony of spirit and body. Darcy would do anything for Elizabeth, including reunite her sister with the man she loved or patch up one seriously incriminating scandal; Edward would kill for Bella… he would even leave her if he thought it best… and he did. Both. Edward even tolerated the presence of his competition, Jacob, because to do otherwise caused Bella great distress.

Darcy and Edward share many characteristics, being men born to a similar time. They are strong-willed, powerful, imposing and dependable. Despite their good qualities, both literary heroes exhibit some very negative qualities that at the whim of one stroke of a pen or tap of the keyboard could easily have alienated them permanently from their loves. Including a severe lack of the society grace for small talking, Darcy showed the character flaws of pride and prejudice. Also suffering under a lack of social graces, Edward’s more serious flaws are arrogance and a stubborn certainty that he is always right. He is so determined to protect Bella from himself he fails to admit her feelings or opinions have merit. This grossly unacceptable behavior throws the star-crossed lovers into intensely charged conversations and months of grief stricken paralysis, where both are unable to function because of their emotional wounds.

Luckily for both men they get out of their own way and win against all odds love, happiness, and peace. Nothing could be sweeter to readers or more potent. As I’ve demonstrated, Edward while similar to Darcy is distinctly set apart and it’s not just because he’s immortal. His very presence has rocked the foundations of the great romantic literary heroes and they have shifted aside to give him space. It’s yet to be seen if Edward will match Darcy’s fame in the generations to come or perhaps to even eclipse the brooding figure all together.

For those who have read both love stories what are your thoughts on the subject? If you haven't you need to read them right away!

Buy: Pride and Prejudice Novel, Pride and Prejudice Movie.

Buy: The Twilight Saga Collection, Twilight Movie.

Originally posted 2009-03-14 05:17:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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This is the sequel to part one. We will discuss two more tips to help with creating a smashing sex scene. It doesn't end here though. There are hundreds of tips for writing sex, and writing for that matter. If you have one leave a comment or submit it as an article.

3. Dialogue.

Talking is foreplay. This goes back to the five senses bit in tip two. Keep the dialogue in the first half of the sex scene and gradually weed it out to focus on sensations of touching and feeling.

You can still focus on sound, but you'll be writing about it differently. Sighs and whispers will become more prominent. Just keep the manly husky groans and feminine sobs of delight to a minimum otherwise they'll sound like barn animals.

When you write dialogue for your sex scene keep the leads in character. How would they approach sex? Think about it? Talk about it? Not sure?

I bet they don't speak in pornographic phrases like, "Oh baby, suck it, suck it deep....urrgnnnga." Of course they might, but you wouldn't find that turn of phrase in a historical. Speaking of which, unless you're writing a historical romance I'm also sure the heroine won't exclaim in maidenly fright that the size of his manroot will split her in two or not fit.

Conclusion: Approach dialogue with a little common sense and you'll end up with great authenticity.

4. Foreplay and Gratification.

Foreplay is an absolute must in any sex scene. Very few women are ready for sex the minute the man releases his raging tumescence. I think the only character I can name that's ready for hardcore sex at a moment's notice is Anita Blake... and she has some metaphysical sexual power that makes it possible by preparing her body.

Foreplay is important for first times and one-hundredth times. Many romance novels focus on the first time between couples. It is all about desire and exploration. Tease readers with the reveal. Think of this part of the sex scene as a striptease. We know the eventual conclusion but how you do it can be very unique and exciting.

The gratification part of the encounter is from the point the hero first enters the heroine to the end when they climax. Oh pardon, too clinical, how about to when they explode past the point of decency and land in the stars above... no wait that sounds silly. For all the thrusting, plunging, rutting, and pumping going on remember that describing the release of your characters should be gratifying. He brought her to orgasm is okay, but you can do better.

Conclusion: Build the tension and then let loose, just like you would in real life.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2009-02-25 11:52:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Pirates, good/evil twins, bride stealing, quasi-spinster/virgin widow, quest for justice, nursing wounded hero, and fights to the death. There's not much missing from this set of romantic plot elements. I was left unimpressed. There was too much to juggle and for me to believe without a large suspension of belief. (I know you're thinking it's romance there is always a suspension of belief, but this was a little much.) Only with Your Love is a sequel to When Strangers Marry. We get to see Max and Lysette again this time with kids of their own. As it usually happens with sequels that feature somebody or somebodies from other books, I tend to find more negative in the sequel. It's because I develop preconceived ideas about the original secondary characters [in this case the twins] and I just don't like giving them up or letting them get their own story. Still, the story was well-written, the sex scenes diverting, and the ending neatly wrapped up. If you don't have my hangups about sequels you're sure to find this a wonderful read.

Celia Vallerand is an ex-spinster but still virgin wife of Philippe Vallerand. They are currently headed towards New Orleans from France. Celia speaks little English and is fluent in French. She's also the daughter of a doctor, the perfect companion for the charming Dr. Vallerand. Her delicate beauty and shy nature attracted Philippe from the first. She is well bred and refined, sure to fit in amongst the old blood Creole crowd. Until now he's been happy to accommodate her desire to wait on lovemaking, but he is tired of waiting... unfortunately pirates besiege the ship. Philippe is killed and Celia captured.

On the pirate island, Captain Griffin [Justin Vallerand], watches in disgust as a finely portioned, well bred miss is brought by Dominic Legare to his spoiled sexually perverted brother. She would be dead by morning or broken beyond fixing. Nobody, well bred miss or whore, should have to suffer at that man's hands. When the little miss manages to escape Andres clutches and runs into him, she begs him for help. He would give it of course... but everything changes when she says she's Philippe Vallerand's widowed wife.

Rating: 3 Stars

Originally posted 2009-02-26 15:19:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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By Fantasy Author Sandy Lender, guest blogger

http://www.authorsandylender.com

When you write a single novel, you’ve got to keep track of characters’ descriptions and “trademark gestures,” settings, special décor, funny quirks in neighborhoods or families, and the list goes on. If you write fantasy as I do, you suddenly have extraordinary quirks and “rules” to pay attention to. If you state in chapter seven that a creature summoned by a wizard for a training exercise in a special training arena must remain within the confines of that training arena, then you better present a good reason for a summoned creature stepping outside of that arena’s circle in chapter fifteen. Readers are going to notice if you break your own rules. They’re going to be confused if the matriarch of your family has green eyes throughout the first two-thirds of the novel, only to suddenly look at something with her blue eyes sparkling like an ocean’s surface on page 400+.

You get the idea.

Now imagine all these details multiplied by three for a trilogy. Or multiplied by four for a trilogy with a prequel (yes, that’s in the works for me). Or multiplied by five for a trilogy with a prequel and a sequel being written by one of the main characters. Criminy!

As an author with all that to keep track of, I keep files on the computer, but I don’t rely on them. I live a pretty paranoid life, so I consider the computer a fallible device. Corrupt files and crashes occur. Backing things up happens when I remember to do it because I haven’t been able to afford fancy dancy software to make backup instantaneous for a while. My systems seem almost archaic to me.

Instead, I keep folders and spiral notebooks where I’ve written out full of character sketches. My host enjoys the tactile sensation. I have a recipe box full of vocabulary words for my Ungol race and for place names in my fantasy world. I have print-outs of short stories and legends so I don’t have to hunt & peck on the computer to find them amid all the files of stories and novellas that are ongoing for the world of Onweald.

Then there are my visual aids. I have a large desk calendar covered with post-it notes and scribbles, white-out smears and taped-on notecards that lays out the events as they occur for the main story of the CHOICES series. It would probably be a mess for anyone to walk in and stare at, but I can turn to “our” September and pinpoint the days when both moons in Onweald are waning and tell you what the Arcanan Army is doing that evening. I also have that gorgeous map that the award-winning Southwest Florida artist Megan Kissinger made for me. She took a scribbly sketch of nothingness that I’d “drawn” and turned it into the world of Onweald. It now appears at the front of CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS, WHAT CHOICES WE MADE, and CHOICES MEANT FOR KINGS. You can see a full-color version of it on the “Worlds” page at my new Web site http://www.authorsandylender.com. And I can see a poster-size color version of it whenever I need direction because I’ve got it rolled up in a safe spot on my bookshelf in the writing den.

That’s how I keep track of details. Tons of notes, notebooks, notecards, visual aids, a few computer files…these are vital for consistency and speed when working. They’ll make the editing process go more smoothly as well!

“Some days, you just want the dragon to win.”

A Tense Little Excerpt From Choices Meant for Kings
By Fantasy Author Sandy Lender
*You won’t find this excerpt anywhere except Sandy’s current online book tour…

As the soldier stepped toward him, Nigel reached out his arm and caught him by the neck. He slammed the captain against the far wall. He pinned him there with his body, leaning against the man as if he could crush the wind from him with his presence.

He brought his face close to the soldier’s ear and spoke lowly, fiercely, so that no one could have overheard him. The menace and intent behind the words was as surprising to the captain as the words themselves.

“I asked you to accompany [Chariss] on this journey tomorrow because I have faith in your sword, and until this moment I trusted you to keep your distance from her. Now, I find her down here at your side with a look upon your face that suggests more than you realize. So help me, Naegling, the only thing that stays my hand is how displeased she would be if she learned that I sliced you open.”

“The look you see is merely my concern for her honor. Nothing more.”

“I’m not a fool. And I’ll use every last piece of Arcana’s treasury to pay the prophets to justify my reasons for marrying that woman, so you can unconcern yourself with her honor.”

Hrazon stepped off the staircase then and saw Nigel pressed against his guard.

“I still believe you’re one of the best soldiers Arcana’s ever seen,” Nigel continued, “and I want you at her side for this journey, but, so help me, Naegling, she comes back alive and well and not confused in the least about her affections for me, or I will string you up from a tree in the orchard and attach your intestines to your horse’s saddle before I send it—”

Hrazon cleared his throat. “Excuse me. Is there an issue here I should address?”

Buy: CHOICES MEANT FOR KINGS

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Loving Mr. Darcy is the second novel in a trilogy by Sharon Lathan detailing the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy after their marriage vows. As such, I recommend reading the first novel Two Shall Become One before entering into this novel as it follows directly on its heels.

What I liked:

• Sharon really knows how to make Regency come alive. Her descriptions of people, places, and things suck you in and refuse to let you go.
• I loved her Georgiana, Mary Bennet, and Catherine de Bourgh. Their voices were perfect, and Catherine’s futile anger was fun to read.
• Darcy’s 23 gifts to Elizabeth for her birthday. I want a birthday like that.
• Pemberley Summer Festival. I'd spoil a little here but Sharon's done an excellent job teasing about clowns.

What I disliked:

• The over the top cutesy “Do you know how much I really, really, really love you?” dialogues Darcy and Elizabeth entered into at least once every chapter. It is extremely sickly sweet. I liked it in the first novel, but it was excessive in the sequel. Well at least for me anyways.
• If I had a dollar for how many times Darcy asked Elizabeth “Are you well?” or a similar variation of the phrase, I’d be a wealthy woman. Elizabeth’s pregnant, not an invalid! Trust me Darcy; you’ll know when she’s not doing well.
• There was no real direction for a good chunk of the story at the beginning of the novel. I wanted more conflict...

Like the first novel, this novel unfolds slowly taking it’s time to depict their daily lives. For those who've ever wondered how it would look, Lathan's trilogy is definitely something you want to pick up and devour. In this second novel, Elizabeth is pregnant and recovering from her episode in the last book which has the direct result in making Darcy crazy overprotective and hovering.

In the end I think this was the right novel, but wrong time for me to read it as Lathan's writing is very much a leisure read to be done while relaxing in a bubble bath for hours not while getting small patches of time here and there.

Rating: 2.5-3 Stars

Buy: Loving Mr. Darcy: Journeys Beyond Pemberley

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Going Down Hard is the sequel to Coming on Strong and follows Belle’s best friend and Mitch’s cousin as they stumble into love. Half suspense – half sexy as sin, Tawny Weber puts out another top notch romance. Weber spins words like a top notch DJ spins tunes. She has a delightfully witty tone that is sassy and spunky; just like the heroine.

Sierra is receiving doctored photographs in the mail. Sexual in nature, they were at first funny because they were so terrible, but then the pervert got good at it. The creepiness just gets creepier as Sierra’s head gets attached to more and more degrading photos. The cops can’t do anything at the moment and with Sierra’s background they’re not likely too. Now the stalker is even threatening to ruin Eventually Yours, the business Sierra and Belle started, by sending pictures to their newest client Family.

That’s when Belle and Sierra decide it’s time to call in the big guns. Reece is an ex-military Kentucky cowboy with his own business in security. He takes the case for many reasons, one of them being Sierra herself. Their last encounter (in Coming on Strong) has left his head spinning and he wants more. Sparks fly, but Reece is persistent in getting behind that tough as nails exterior Sierra exudes to find the real woman.

Despite the heavy topic, I was amused and laughing all the way through. Here’s an example of some of the dialogue and admittedly my favorite piece:

“What reason? What proof?" She would have poked him again except he still held her hand captive.
When he didn't immediately reply, she accused, "You had nothing. Admit it. Your jealousy meter dinged and you pulled on the Macho Man cape and set out to prove you could be a total idiot."

Weber’s writing is sure to rile you up and make you gasp…

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Buy: Going Down Hard

Buy on eHarlequin: Going Down Hard

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The winner of yesterday's Pemberley Manor Giveaway is:

Lucky #6 corresponds with Puzzled Princess who wrote:

I think sequels are a pleasant addition to any beloved series! One of the saddest moments for me as a reader is when I get to the last page of a particularly stimulating series. Hopefully, the ending will have left me feeling fulfilled, but even if I am lucky enough to have my desired happy or not ending, the fact of the matter is, it’s over. I find that when I am reading the last book in a series, I slow down and keep putting it off or I try to read just a little bit when I do pick it up to prolong the experience for as long as possible whereas in earlier books, I plow through them wanting to find out the ending of every cliffhanger and the fate of the characters to whom I have grown the closest.

I recognize that on occasion, some sequels are just bad or are interpretations of the characters’ futures which seem blasphemous to “true” fans, but truth be told, everyone probably has a slightly different idea of the characters’ happily ever after so what’s to stop an author for sharing their version with the world?

So thank you, sequel-authors out there, for giving us one more taste of our favorites.

Congratulations Puzzled Princess! I will be emailing you shortly for your mailing address. If for some reason you don't get it please email me at reviewromancenovel@yahoo.com

Check back soon for more great giveaways and contests!

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