8
| Mar 2011 |
I'm discussing the importance of reading contracts carefully and why I ended up declining a publisher's offer to publish Carnal Secrets on Zoe Winters' blog today. Please come check it out!
8
| Mar 2011 |
I'm discussing the importance of reading contracts carefully and why I ended up declining a publisher's offer to publish Carnal Secrets on Zoe Winters' blog today. Please come check it out!
5
| Mar 2011 |
I'm not sure how many of you saw Dear Author's post from yesterday regarding B&N PubIt stripping samples from erotic romances (the post also featured two of my books: erotic romance Destiny Entwined and contemporary romance Carnal Secrets). It appears as though PubIt started not allowing anybody to download samples of eroticas or erotic romances of indie authors, which resulted in a big loss of sales and so on for many indie authors.
Destiny Entwined was never allowed for sampling since it went on sale on February 14, and I just assumed that it was due to its length; it's a short story. Mind you, Amazon Kindle has always allowed people to sample stories regardless of length or genre. But I honestly had no reason to suspect that how I categorized Destiny Entwined had anything to do with Nook users' inability to read samples until I read DA's post.
Between the time DA's post went live and a few hours ago, PubIt allowed people to sample Destiny Entwined for the first time ever. I haven't changed anything on PubIt. The story still has the exact same description and genre category as before. So I have no idea what happened on PubIt's end. Maybe a little public pressure…?
Anyway, if you're a Nook owner, I hope you download the sample and hopefully enjoy it enough to buy a copy. :) If erotic shorts aren't your cup of tea, I also have a paranormal romance novella, A Happily Ever After of Her Own, and the aforementioned Carnal Secrets on sale as well.
And should any work of mine not have a sample on a particular bookseller's website, you can always come here. I have links to excerpts of all my stories on the Bookshelf page.
5
| Mar 2011 |
As many of you know, I don't normally host guests who solicit and/or advertise charities. There are just too many worthy causes, and I honestly don't want to turn my blog into a “donate, donate, donate” site.
But the lack of easy access to clean water is a real and serious problem in many developing countries. I saw a documentary on a Japanese TV show once that showed a small village in Africa that didn't have running water or a well nearby. So everyone had to walk an hour to a small river, then walk another hour back to the village with as much water as they could for the day.
The documentary didn't end on a bleak note, though. The Japanese TV station paid to have an expert well digger from Japan to go to the village and literally, manually, drill a hole into the ground. It took him and a team of villagers over a month, but they finally got their water. I'll never forget the joy on the people's faces as they realized what this meant for them. Their children no longer needed to spend a big chunk of their day hauling water. Instead they could attend school. Men could raise cattle and farm more easily, now that they didn't have to spend hours in transit to the river and back.
So when Kat approached me to publicize her Crits for Water effort, I wanted to help out. Here it is:
I don't know about you, but in University, I was pretty much broke on my ass. Fortunately, my family was “poor enough” and my head was “smart enough” to get some scholarships, “enough” to get me a BA at least, including a year of studying abroad in China.
I don't know about Nadia, but I'm a ginormous geek. Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Dungeons and Dragons, video games, computers and other techy shiny things, writing and reading fantasy/futuristic YA and romance…you name it — I've probably dabbled or been outright obsessed. I'm so lucky to be living the Geek Dream: the Japanese government is paying me to live in Japan. Genius!
So when I landed my job on a gorgeous, sub-tropical island in the Sea of Japan (with beaches), was I primed to give back. My life had become Total Awesome, and what better way to make it awesomer* than to help folks who don't have “enough”? Voila! Via sublime intervention (slash happenstance), I discovered charity: water.
A few things about charity: water struck me off the bat. They have a very sleek website, a great founding story, and, oh yeah, one hundred percent of public donations go directly to fund clean water projects, not staplers. But even better, a relatively small amount — US$20 — is all it takes to change a person's life. It provides them water for twenty years. Let me repeat that:
gives a person in a developing nation water for twenty freaking years.
I was sold. And my dedication solidified in 2009 when, during my first mycharitywater campaign, an atomic bomb victim donated because he remembered the horror of searching for water in the days and weeks after the bomb dropped. And he didn't want others to experience anything like that. Ever.**
THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS that I live in Japan, and my life is fantabulous. I'm also a writer. The online writing community is even more fantabulous. I love supporting charity: water. And three great things together = MY BEST IDEA OF ALL TIME.
Crits for Water
So! Starting on my birthday, March 31, and until June 30, me, other amazing authors, Super Agents, and wonderful editors will be offering Crits for Water. That is, we will critique your manuscripts, queries, and/or synopses in return for you giving someone (or many someones) clean water. IT IS A WIN-WIN. You get your stuff looked at by skilled industry eyes while improving lives. (Or you could just donate to donate, because you are incredible that way.)
My goal is to raise US$5,000. That is enough to give an entire village water for twenty years. WE CAN DO THIS, DUDES.
When the campaign opens, donations will be made directly to charity: water through a mycharitywater page. I can't create the URL for the campaign until I'm ready to start fundraising, but on March 31, you should be able to go and donate. (http://mycharitywater.org/critsforwater —> will NOT WORK until March 31.)
Until then, check out the information page on my blog or follow me on twitter to keep updated on the campaign and the authors, agents, and editors critiquing.
*awesomer is totally a word. Er, beginning today.
**Yeah, I still get awed chills thinking about this man's epic selflessness.
3
| Mar 2011 |
First, I want to thank all of you who made the soft launch of Carnal Secrets such a success. I hadn't expected it to do as well as it did in February, given that I only announced the release on my personal social media sites. So thank you, thank you, thank you!
Second, thank you so much for making the launch of Magic and Mayhem Writers so fun and rewarding! You guys are awesome.
It's getting warmer in Japan, though figuring out what to wear every day can be a bit tricky. Sometimes it's warm, and sometimes it's very cold. But soon cherry blossoms will bloom, and it's going to be gorgeous!
Hero Material and I learned that our first baby is going to be a boy. We're thrilled. Yes, we're still debating the name. Maybe we should give the Boy multiple names to appease both of us. But then he might get upset when he has to learn how to spell all of them. Dilemma, dilemma!
This month, I'm doing five guest-blog posts relating to Carnal Secrets with some lovely and uber-talented ladies I was fortunate enough to meet via Twitter. (Social media rocks!) Each topic touches upon a step of my self-publication journey with Carnal Secrets.
I hope you stop by. :)
Finally — I'm making some changes to Facebook. I had a personal profile there, and due to some situations (involving minors in my extended family, etc.), I've decided to create a page instead to communicate with my readers and writing friends. It has photos, events, discussion boards, and many more.
So, please “like” my profile by going to the new page.
Also I've created a Facebook profile page for each of my books, again with events, discussion boards, etc. They're really for you to use in any way you see fit, and I'll stop by to answer any questions if any and post news updates, etc. You can “like” them by going to the following pages:
Hope you have a wonderful March. Talk to you soon!
21
| Feb 2011 |
I sometimes read Tim Ferriss's blog because I found his Four Hour Workweek very thought-provoking, and he usually has interesting things to say on various topics.
His latest book is The Four Hour Body, which focuses on relatively small things you can do to improve your fitness, health, sex life and so on. I read only a few pages because it's been hard for me to focus on any topic that requires me to concentrate for a long time, and anything biology or medical-related requires a lot of focus on my part. (I blame my Zompyre Baby for my inability to focus.) But somebody forwarded me an interesting article by Mike Geary that referenced Tim's work. (BTW — Mike is also into fitness and health, and he's been putting out good information for about half a decade now.)
The article (thankfully short and easy to understand! :) ) was quite intriguing. I've been reading and hearing for years that cellphones can damage your brains or whatever. But I've never thought much of it because I don't usually talk on cellphones and I'm too lazy to carry mine around. But then as I was reading the article, it hit me that men don't just keep their cellphones in purses (like women do). They keep their gadgets in their pants pockets!
Per Tim's research, a man carrying a cell phone around in his pocket might be doing himself some permanent damage…damage of a kind that most men really do not want to have happen, if you catch my drift. But it's not just that. It may possibly create problems if he wishes to conceive a child. (Which is a big deal to some women who may want to have babies.) And women themselves may have some problems as well.
Anyway, it's a timely and possibly very serious issue, so I'm linking it here for reference. Take a look if you like.
20
| Feb 2011 |
M contemporary romance novel Carnal Secrets is on sale at:
Unless a retailer applies DRM without my knowledge — and I don't believe any of them does — Carnal Secrets is a DRM-free, non-geo-restricted ebook. If you live outside the US and UK, you may want to visit All Romance eBooks or Smashwords to get your copy. Though I always mark my stories for international distribution, I've heard that Nook does not sell to non-US residents.
After a rapid change in management, Natalie Hall is surprised to find that she's being promoted so quickly. But when it becomes obvious that the new CEO is interested in her on a more personal level, she pushes him away — she doesn't want to repeat her past mistake of giving her heart to the wrong man.
A self-made billionaire, Alex Damon has his own reasons for pursuing Natalie. Her adoptive father, a powerful U.S. senator, is using his political clout to protect his friends the Rodales, who Alex intends to destroy for ripping his own family apart when he was a child. Furthermore, he suspects that Natalie is spying for the Rodales.
What he hasn't planned on is her unflinching sense of loyalty and integrity, the sizzling attraction between them that threatens to turn into something much more, and the dark secrets that can destroy them both.
Excerpt:
Natalie shook her umbrella, sprinkling cool water droplets everywhere, as she entered Damon Defense Engineering headquarters in Tysons. She hurried across the lobby toward the elevator, her high heels ringing against the sparkling marble floor. It was only Monday morning, but if this was how her week was going to go, she didn't want to see Tuesday.
She jabbed the elevator button and waited, impatience mounting. There had been three accidents on I-66, turning the Virginia/DC interstate into a parking lot. When a family van driver using a cell phone had rear-ended her on the Beltway with less than one exit left to her office, she'd almost screamed. Almost. Some people might recognize her, and she had to maintain her dignity at all times, especially this year.
Louise wouldn't have it any other way. Think of your father's career.
How many times had she heard that over the years?
The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, and Natalie walked inside, glancing at her watch. 10:30 a.m. Fantastic — half an hour late to a meeting she'd called last week. She would've let her colleagues know, but her cell phone was lying on the breakfast table where she'd forgotten it that morning.
She checked her appearance in the mirrored walls and smoothed her hands down her black skirt suit, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Calm down. Getting frustrated wouldn't salvage the situation.
When the elevator stopped at the fifteenth floor, she stepped out onto the muted beige carpet. Normally the sunlight gave the office a hazy radiance through frosted glass walls. But not today. Everything looked drab and gray.
Her assistant, Danielle Hartman, charged toward her. She was young, only twenty-two, but totally out of shape. Her dirty dishwater-colored pantsuit did nothing for her eyes, hidden behind a pair of thick glasses, or her limp brown hair. Most high school outcasts grew out of their social awkwardness and improved their sense of fashion by the time they finished college. Danielle hadn't. Which was unfortunate, because she had great skin and a nice smile.
“Thank God you're here.” Danielle panted.
“What's wrong?”
“Ralph and Vivien just got fired.”
It took all of Natalie's self-control to keep her voice down. “What?” Ralph was — had been — the director of DDE. Vivien had been Ralph's right hand and Natalie's direct boss.
“This morning…Alex Damon himself walked in. Half an hour later, Ralph and Vivien left with a couple of security guards. And their stuff. In boxes.” The corners of Danielle's mouth turned downward. “Mr. Damon said he wanted to see you as soon as you got in. He's in Ralph's office. His former office, I mean.”
So much for the meeting.
It wasn't difficult to figure out what everyone was thinking as she walked through the maze of cubicles. People looked at her over the partitions with pity and apprehension — pity she was getting canned and apprehension they might be next.
The door to Ralph's old corner office was open, but his name plaque was gone. Years of wear and tear had left the ivory walls slightly dingy, except for a couple of pristine squares where he'd hung framed Picasso prints. The office looked barren without Ralph's clutter — mostly family pictures and souvenirs he'd collected over the years.
Someone with cropped black hair sat in an executive leather chair, facing the windows. Torrents of rain blurred the view of gray roads and red brake lights. A large, tanned hand held a cell phone to an ear, but the voice was too low for her to eavesdrop. Natalie took a long breath and counted to ten, welcoming the respite before she had to face Alex Damon, the chairman and CEO of DDE's holding company, Global Strategies Corporation. She'd never seen him in real life, although there were plenty of pictures in glossy gossip magazines. Being one of the planet's most eligible bachelors and a self-made billionaire tended to make one's face well-known.
Finally he snapped the phone shut and swiveled around to face her.
“Yes?” His voice was a steely baritone that demanded an immediate answer with just that one syllable.
His entire body emanated authority and raw sexuality. The dark, tailored suit he was wearing tried to throw a veneer of civilization over him but failed. He would've been frightening if it weren't for the iron control in the winter gray eyes that said he ruled, not his primal instinct. She shivered as his gaze brushed over her, head to toe and then back up to her face. She had the most absurd feeling that he was undressing her with his eyes.
Nonsense. He was probably trying to decide if she would cry at bad news and whether he should delegate the distasteful task to someone else.
“I'm Natalie Hall. My assistant said you wanted to see me.” She noted with relief that her voice didn't betray her nervousness.
He frowned slightly, his gaze darting to her barren ring finger, then back to her face. Most people didn't expect an Asian when they heard the name Hall. For some reason, it pleased her that she'd managed to surprise him.
He rose from his seat to his full height, which was impressive. He walked around the desk and extended a hand. “Alex Damon. Nice to meet you.” This time the baritone was more modulated. It slithered over her like strands of supple leather.
“Nice to meet you too.” Natalie shook his hand. It was slightly calloused and infused her cool skin with warmth.
He shut the door and gestured at a chair. “Please have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
She sat, putting her laptop bag and purse discreetly beside the chair and crossing her legs. She had the odd feeling that Alex was staring at them, but when she glanced up, he was busy pulling another chair from the other side of the office. God, she was ridiculous. Of course he wasn't looking at her legs. They were her best asset, but he'd dated models with legs up to their armpits.
When he sat across from her, barely enough personal space remained to be polite. She could feel a delicious heat coming off his body, smell a whiff of spicy cologne. Something stirred in her, sexual and dangerous. She stomped on it. This wasn't the time, this wasn't the place, and he definitely wasn't the right man to be attracted to. Business and pleasure never mixed well.
“Your assistant told me you had a doctor's appointment,” Alex said, breaking her train of thought. “I hope you aren't coming down with something. You look a little flushed.”
She suppressed a surge of mortification. She was usually better at maintaining a professional façade.
“I'm fine,” she said, flashing him a quick smile. Danielle must have tried to cover for her, but Natalie could see that lying to this man would be a mistake. “There's been some miscommunication, and I apologize. I was in a fender bender this morning.” She quickly added, “Nothing major, but you know how it is on the Beltway.”
He nodded, and she relaxed a little until he stretched his legs out. The fabric of his pants spread tautly over lean muscles, and his calves almost touched hers. The heat coming off him was like a furnace. She wanted to sink into it.
“Well, down to business. As I'm sure you've heard, there have been some changes here since I arrived this morning.”
It was her turn to nod. What was he trying to say?
“Ralph is no longer in charge of the operation. His replacement will come from Caissa Enterprises, one of Global Strategies' European subsidiaries.”
An executive from Europe. She didn't know what to make of that. There were undoubtedly people at DDE who were qualified to take over. But then, this wasn't her company, and her opinion probably mattered very little to Alex.
“Since Vivien left with him, I have no choice but to rely on you. I believe you were her second-in-command?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Alex smiled. “Ralph's replacement is expected later this week. Once he's here, I hope you can help him with the transition.”
“Sure. No problem.” She suppressed a sigh of relief. So she wasn't going to be let go.
“You also need to brief me on some of the major projects. I plan to be more actively involved for a while, until I'm satisfied with the operational efficiency here.”
She blinked. Yesterday's edition of the Wall Street Journal had reported that he was returning to Shanghai to oversee several sweeping projects in the burgeoning Chinese market that could be very lucrative for Global Strategies. Although DDE was a profitable subsidiary, it was still only one of many midsized ones, not something that should consume much of his attention.
He shifted slightly in his seat, looking at her intently, and his legs brushed hers. She held her breath.
“Do you have any plans tonight?” he said.
She shook her head automatically.
Since her latest breakup six months ago, she'd devoted all her attention to work. Work didn't disillusion her like Marcus had. She still couldn't believe he'd proposed to another woman less than a month after they'd split up.
“Excellent.” A charming smile appeared on Alex's lips. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”
She shot him a sharp look. She didn't indulge in interoffice dating, no matter how delicious the man in the question was. It was the stupidest CLM — career limiting move — she could think of.
“I'd like to talk more about DDE, but my calendar's full at the moment. We can discuss it over dinner. I hate to make you extend your workday, but unfortunately that's the only time I'm available.”
Despite his smooth tone, she couldn't shake off the feeling that he was amused by her silent response. Was he laughing at her for thinking he might have romantic interests in her?
She straightened. “It won't be a problem.” I hope you won't be a problem.
“Eleanor — my assistant — will send you an email this afternoon. How's seven for you?”
“Fine.” She rose and shook his hand briskly, purposefully maintaining eye contact even as she felt her hand almost completely engulfed by his much larger and stronger one. Then she gathered her things and left.
*** *** ***
Alex watched Natalie walk out. When the door had closed behind her, he inhaled deeply. A subtle floral scent lingered in the room. It was quite lovely. His investigators' report on her hadn't included any pictures, and a composed young Asian woman with a sleek chignon wasn't what he'd been expecting. Not at all the type who usually graced Charlie Rodale's arm.
The black skirt suit had flattered her lithe figure, although she'd done her best to appear serious and aggressive — a corporate Amazon look he found distasteful in general but singularly sexy on her. And those stilettos had done amazing things to her legs. Long, shapely, and deliciously erotic. A legman's fantasy come to life.
A woman who wore shoes like those had a streak of sensuality in her. He pictured her briefly in the shoes and a pair of thigh-highs and felt himself stir.
Alex shook his head sharply and walked back behind his desk. Now was not the time to indulge in fantasy. He'd been upset when Ralph hadn't been able to follow simple instructions… Did Natalie have something to do with Ralph's incompetence? She was, after all, the adopted daughter of Brian Hall, a powerful senator with a lot of connections and one of the reasons why it was proving so difficult to take over Rodale International. Or ruin it outright.
And Natalie was Emily Rodale's goddaughter.
His hands tightened at the thought of the woman he'd hated for so long, the one responsible for destroying his family and ultimately killing his father. Now Emily Rodale had family of her own — a son — and a company that allowed her an undeservedly wealthy lifestyle.
He wondered briefly if there was something going on between Brian and Emily. It would be just like that bitch to sell herself to a powerful protector.
But none of that mattered anymore. All the pieces were lined up. His position was fully developed, his strategy superior. After years of preparation and maneuvering, he was ready for the endgame.
He would take everything away from Emily Rodale. Everything.
And he would start with Natalie.
Buy: All Romance EBooks :: Kindle US :: Kindle UK :: Nook :: Smashwords
FYI — to talk about how Carnal Secrets came about, I'll be doing some guest blogging in early to mid-March.
The first two topics are going to be a little bit more business-oriented based on my experience with publishing Carnal Secrets. A fairly big epublisher offered for the story, but I ended up walking away after over two months of negotiation when we couldn't agree on terms. Though it was very difficult, I felt that turning down the offer was the best thing for me on many levels.
However, the rest of the posts are a bit more fun and relevant to readers who aren't interested in the business side of things. I hope you stop by and share your thoughts. I'll also announce my guest blog appearances next month. :)
