Craving Erotic Romance...

is a group blog from several sassy erotic romance authors!

Find out about our latest releases, read scintillating interviews on Mondays, beat mid-week blahs with Hump Day Help Wednesdays, and see hot hunks on Fridays. Saturdays are "Open Mike" and full of surprises! And then, there's always our guests...!



Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Victoria, Your Twenty Minutes Start...NOW! - Flash Fiction

Flash Fiction time at Sultry Scribes!

Our task? Close our eyes and pick two words from the dictionary. Three people, six words. Include three of those words in a story.
Our words were: defeat, nemesis, perk, contortionist, clutch, stodgy
And here’s my story:


It hovered like a sickening cloud, waiting, wanting to strike me down.

My nemesis smiled at me with mocking pity. She could see my defeat. Smell it.  She’d been waiting a long time for this moment. Her pale blue eyes shone with malice.

My heart thudded in my chest. My stomach knotted. Only my pride kept me still.

Wiping my sweating hands down my sides, I took a deep breath. Then flung back my shoulders. The crowd hushed and waited.

With clenched fists, I faced her. I would not bow my head to this woman. She would not be my master.
And so, with a smile every bit as taunting as her own, I returned her venom. I enjoyed her frown.

Those who thought to judge me stared. Doubt flooded their faces. So it should. They were wrong.

They tried again. Their heads leaned in, touched, whispered, nodded. Then he stood, the main one. Fixed me with his steely grey eyes. My enemy shuffled closer, to be included in his gaze. Her eyes flicked to mine. Ah. Not so confidant now?

“The vote is unanimous,” he said. “My apologies, Mrs Perkins.” He smiled at me. “What you have given us is perfect, not stodgy in any way.”

The crowd drew in a collective breath. Her shoulders slumped.

“I declare your entry to be Best Cake of the Show.”


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Monday, October 28, 2013

A Scintiallating Interview with Raven McAllan


 

Welcome to Craving Erotic Romance Blogspot.

 

Today we’re presenting Author: Raven McAllan

                                               

1) Have you always wanted to be an author? 

On and off I reckon. I've always loved to write, but it took a long while to find my voice. I used to write as I thought I should, not as I could. It wasn't good. I did win a 'where does chocolate come' from competition two years running when I was about 8 or 9 though.

2) What genre(s) do you write?

Romance. Regency, WW2, contemporary, erotic, paranormal, whichever shouts at me loudest at the time. Oh and YA as J. Lilley. Different hats and all that.

3)  Have you ever self published?

Along with several other friends, (we're all in the same crit group) Wine and Nine came about when we all got together, and sat around my kitchen table with wine. We'd been to the local pub and set a series of hot short stories about it. Every hero had to wear a kilt!

4) Who or what inspired you to write your first book?

The first one, was when we got a computer. (All those little discs in and out ARGH)  It was rubbish, but as I'd been saying if only etc etc, I felt I had to try. The first one I had published, Wallflowers Don't Wilt, was written on a dare by my Crit group UCW. I'd said I thought I write a Regency about two women and a man, and they said go on then. We dare you. So I did. They helped me tidy it, and send it off. I got the yes email at 3am. I'd got up for water, checked my emails and woke DH up shouting oh my goodness ohh yes, oh look. Poor soul, he gave me a kiss said '"Well done" and then asked if he could go back to sleep.

5) How many hours in a day might you write? 

At least an hour a day. Usually 4-5. ( I use the term write loosely. That includes blogs, and research. (Oh, okay then, procrastination)If I'm on holiday I often get up early to slot it in. I try not to write when DH is around. That's our time.

6) Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Pantster every time. The only time I've plotted it was rubbish.

7) Do you ever find yourself slipping away and becoming so immersed in your  story it affects how you relate to others? 

I've always been able to immerse myself in a story, whether reading or writing. When I write I'm oblivious to anything, I have to set the alarm to remind me to check what's in the Aga, and to do a quick tidy round before DH get's home. He reckons he could ask me for anything, say "okay, then, I'll take that as a yes", and I'd be non the wiser.

8) Are you in any of your books? 

No, I write them not star in them. Well I guess my snarky attitude might come across, and my love of chocolate, but me? Nah.

9) What do your friends and family have to say about you writing?  

Anything from I'm really proud of you, congratulations, go you, woo hoo, to don't tell people what you write, they're disgusting, is it all from experience etc etc…

10) Please share an excerpt from one of your books that totally spoke to you when you put the words down on paper…

 

This is from The Girl on the Bus. Tay is in the process of changing his life, when A glimpse of a girl on a bus, reminds him of something that happened years ago. This is the start of the book, which is set in Glasgow. It so shouts that city to me, and so got me into Tay's head…
 
 
 

 

Tay Mackinnon drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, unconsciously mimicking the beat of a popular TV motor racing program blasting out from the I Player. He loved hot hard and heavy music interspersed with softer gentler tunes. He admitted to being difficult to pigeonhole, and was unrepentantly pleased about the fact.

Stuck behind the double-decker bus disgorging its passengers in the middle of the road rather than at the bus stop he refused to lose his temper. A man in a white van parked in the bus bay shrugged as he received the rough edge of the bus driver’s tongue. Even through they were several yards away, Tay got the gist of the conversation. Tay grinned. He was in no hurry to get to his destination. With great music and bright sunshine, he could afford the time.

Though the roof of his sports car was down, he ignored the fumes and noises of the city. He remained as happy with that as the scents and sounds of the Scottish countryside where he lived whenever possible. Comfortable in his skin and his life, he refused to get upright because some ignoramus couldn't be bothered to read the road signs. An approaching traffic warden would sort him out.

The bus moved off slowly. Tay let the clutch out and followed. The vehicle turned a corner, and Tay continued straight ahead until a profile of woman on the upper deck made him change his mind. He swapped lanes. The blaring horns were well deserved, but for once Tay couldn't give a monkeys.

That profile ... oh, that profile. Silver. It couldn't be, surely he kidded himself? One night five years ago. How on earth would he know for sure? But the hair, like silver silk shot with diamonds glittering and sparkling in the light. It was her hair, her profile ... wasn't it?

Get a grip, man. That was the other side of the country.

However, Tay was as certain as he could be. He'd been looking unconsciously for her all that time. So often he'd almost walked up to someone and called out her name, only to stop at the last moment before some unknown woman thought him a crazy stalker. Once, he'd almost lost his balls when a guy objected to Tay calling a woman that name. A woman Tay hadn't even realized accompanied the guy. He'd made his apologies and retreated as the smug bastard bragged about how big and tough he was, and that no one messed with him ever. The guy hadn’t even been a Dom, just a half pissed Glasgow Ned. Tay had been sorry, but no way could he give much credulence to a guy with a tattoo of Hello Kitty on his neck. In full color at that. Even so, Tay was a lot more wary of approaching anyone now. A writhing, crying, so-called macho man wouldn't go down well. He imagined the headlines.

 

11) Which actor/character(s) would play the starring role in that book? 

  Robert Downey Junior. One of my mates said he was so Tay

 

Raven lives in Scotland, along with her husband and their two cats—their children having flown the nest—surrounded by beautiful scenery, which inspires a lot of the settings in her books.

She is used to sharing her life with the occasional deer, red squirrel, and lost tourist, to say nothing of the scourge of Scotland—the midge.

A lover of reading, she appreciates the history inside a book, and the chance to peek into the lives of those from years ago. Raven admits that she enjoys the research for her books almost as much as the writing; so much so, that sometimes she realizes she's strayed way past the information she needs to know, and not a paragraph has been added to her WIP.

Her lovely long-suffering husband is learning to love the dust bunnies, work the Aga, and be on stand-by with a glass of wine.
 
Thanks so much for interviewing here, Raven. Best of luck with your books!


You can find out more about Raven here… 
 




https://www.facebook.com/ravenmcallan       (author page)

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Snippets from Victoria


HeavenlyRevenge_SM

It’s time for another installment from Chapter One, Heavenly Revenge

His last cruel words echoed in her head. Josh didn’t understand. She wore those sloppy clothes like armor, to prove to the whole world she didn’t care what they thought of her. Rose gave a short, bitter laugh. The only one she hadn’t fooled was herself. All she’d ever wanted was to be accepted and loved.
She’d been right all along. You couldn’t trust people. Even her parents had abandoned her. No grandparents, no brothers or sisters, no aunts or uncles. They’d left her alone to face so many sets of foster parents, so many new schools, at least one a year. There’d been one horror year when she’d changed schools four times. She’d had to act tough. The bullies ignored her if they thought they couldn’t get to her.
There was only one person she could trust—herself. She’d known that, for goodness sake. And that’s where she’d made her mistake with Josh. She’d let him in, let herself love him. She’d let him make her weak.
A pain, worse than all the others, had hit her, and she’d slipped into darkness.
Rose glanced at Wilma and Lily and frowned. “Why did I die? I mean, what did I die of? I’m only twenty-three.”
“You had rheumatic fever when you were young, and unfortunately, the set of foster parents looking after you at the time didn’t bother taking you to a doctor,” said Wilma. “Then there was that very bad bout of flu recently that weakened your heart even more. I’m afraid the shock of seeing Josh…”

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Friday's Hunk DENZEL WASHINGTON

 
Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, film director, and film producer. He has received much critical acclaim for his work in film since the 1990s, including for his portrayals of real-life figures such as Steve Biko, Malcolm X, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, Melvin B. Tolson, Frank Lucas and Herman Boone. Washington is a featured actor in the films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and was a frequent collaborator of the late director Tony Scott.



Washington has received two Golden Globe awards awards and a Tony Award and two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Glory (1989) and Best Actor for Training Day (2001).





Man on Fire, The Book of Eli and Out of Time are all very different films and I believe they showcased this illustrious actor’s incredible talent. No stereotyping for Mr. Washington. He’s also incredibly easy on the eyes.
 
 


 

 

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Snippets from Victoria

Snippets
Continuing on from my last post – another small snippet from my erotic romance, Heavenly Revenge:

HeavenlyRevenge_SM
Lily glanced reproachfully at her friend. “Please excuse my friend’s bluntness, dear. Wilma and I are angels, and it’s our job to organize people…or should I say spirits? Although I know you think you feel the same as ever, and it can be so confusing, and—”
“I’m dead?” Rose stared at the two old ladies. “And…I’m sorry. Did you say you were angels?” She narrowed her eyes and glanced from the tiny, tubby Lily to the tall, angular Wilma. Even though there were two of them, they were old. She could defend herself if they turned violent and could certainly outrun them. But run where? “Look, please, I want to go home. Where am I really?”
Lily gazed anxiously into Rose’s eyes. “You…you do remember that pain in your chest, don’t you, pet?”
She did recall something about a terrible ache.
“And…er…Joshua?” prompted Lily again, still with that worried frown.
Rose stared at the two women without seeing them. She remembered. Josh. She’d loved him so much.
He’d been late for rehearsal, so she’d gone down to his dressing room to find him. And had stood, frozen, as she watched him plunging into the lead violinist. They lay naked, coupling on the couch, the violinist’s long, thin legs wrapped around Josh’s waist. His white backside flexed as he thrust. Maybe she’d made a noise, for a shocking pain had clutched her heart, and she’d been unable to breathe. Josh had stilled, glanced behind him, and withdrawn so quickly from the girl that he’d almost pulled the condom off his erection. His rapidly shrinking erection.
“Yes,” whispered Rose, “I remember.”
But her misery hadn’t ended there.
The girl had scurried away, clasping her bundle of clothes to her naked chest, leaving Rose to face Josh alone. Even now, looking back, Rose was amazed at her own calmness. Usually, her temper more than matched her red hair, as Josh had discovered to his cost in the past. But those had been silly arguments. Not this.
While he’d dressed, Josh’s eyes had roved over her, narrowing in contempt. “You know, if you tried a bit harder with your appearance, maybe I wouldn’t be interested in fucking other girls.”
You can purchase Heavenly Revenge from Secret Cravings, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookstrand and ARe.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

What gets you over the hump to finish the week?


 

I’ve been polling people over the past while—friends, family and total strangers who looked at me funny but obligingly answered. Here’s a sample:

 

A long, hot soak in a tub full of silky fragrance and a good book. (I didn’t ask what kind of book, although to each her own. And I know for a fact she doesn’t limit this kind of self care to Wednesdays, clever woman.)

 

A glass of red wine, or two, maybe three, and some chocolate. (My kind of woman. I know we’re related.)

 

Scheduled sex. (That too was a family member and I decided I didn’t want to know any more, although now every time I look at her and her partner…but maybe it’s not such a bad idea when we get so busy and spontaneity is sadly lacking. I think I’ll ask if they plan the before too. Maybe do an experiment at home and let you know.)

 

An extra hour of sleep. (Makes sense to me, although getting that young man out of bed in the mornings requires some interesting approaches.)

 

Nothing. One day is the same as the next, although Friday can’t come soon enough. (I suggested a little something different on hump Wednesdays might break up the week and he smiled a little. Not at me, unfortunately. Although he was a stranger in the ice cream section of the grocery store.)

 

A night out with friends. (Not sure if it’s a scheduled event or his quick answer, but he gave me one of those looks and I figured I had the best answer he’d give.)

 

Nothing. Just a sigh of relief the weekend isn’t as far away. (I wanted to introduce her to the other nothing guy.)

 

Is there some kind of rule that says we should be doing something on hump Wednesday? (I clearly asked a paranoid type and reassured him the gov’t had nothing in mind. I hope.)

 

And finally, The local pub has appetizers on half price so we go there and hoist a few and don’t worry about making dinner. (I’m joining them next week if they’ll have me. Hadn’t thought about getting out of making dinner. They’ll probably say- that’s the strange woman who used hump and Wednesday in the same sentence.)
 
Hope one of these ideas appeals.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Snippets from Victoria

I’ve been busy finalising my latest novella, probably to be called “Emerald Revenge”, so I’ve been distinctly uncreative in my flash fiction lately. So here’s the start of a few snippets from “Heavenly Revenge”:
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Chapter One
“The poor, wee girl. Rose, Rose, can you hear me, love?”
Rose’s eyelids fluttered. A stark, white light stabbed into her eyes and she shut them again. But in that brief glimpse, she’d seen the blurry faces of two women peering down at her.
“Rose, are you with us, pet? Open your eyes, there’s a good girl. You don’t have much time.”
“Rose!” The other woman spoke this time, sharper in tone. Rose opened her eyes and studied the faces bent over her. Both were older women, about seventy perhaps, with fly-away white hair and white flowing gowns. As Rose struggled to her feet, they broke out in relieved smiles.
“Good girl. Och, Wilma, she looks so pale, the poor lassie.”
Everyone who comes here is pale, Lily. I wish you would strive to be less foolish.”
“All I said—”
During this exchange, Rose glanced around at her surroundings, and recognized nothing. Flat, barren land, seared in that glaring white light, stretched to every mist shrouded horizon. Not another living thing in sight. She breathed in the cool, pure air, and frowned at the strange, spongy surface beneath her.
“Where the hell am I?”
Both ladies regarded her with shocked expressions, and the one whose name seemed to be Wilma said, “Now, now, Rose. This isn’t the best place to be using bad language.”
Rose blinked. “I’m sorry. I meant—where am I? And who are you? How do you know my name?”
“My name is Wilma and this is Lily,” the taller woman answered. Lily beamed, her pale blue eyes warm and welcoming behind her glasses. Rose found herself smiling in return. Wilma continued. “You’re dead. You’re outside the gates of Heaven, but you aren’t allowed to go in.”
You can purchase Heavenly Revenge from Secret Cravings, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookstrand and ARe.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

LUBRICANT


Another author and I recently had a discussion about lubricant. It actually started when I wrote a scene where the heroine hurled a bottle at her lover’s truck and it covered the windshield. Of course, even though he knew better, he turned on the wipers and…well, you know. We can all identify with doing something we absolutely know is the wrong thing to do, but we do it anyway. My author friend did a test on her kitchen window so see how difficult it would be to clean it up. Warning: Do not try that at home, lol.

 

In any event, we then shared some personal stories about lubricant and it got me thinking about the stuff. I mean, I go to the store, find the product I presently use and buy it. Simple. But maybe there’s more to lubricant…so I researched it.            

 

LUBRICANT: A lubricant is a substance introduced to reduce friction between moving surfaces. It may also have the function of transporting foreign particles. The property of reducing friction is known as lubricity. (slipperiness)

A good lubricant possesses the following characteristics:

  • High boiling point
  • Low freezing point
  • High viscosity index
  • Thermal stability
  • Hydraulic Stability
  • Demulsibility
  • Corrosion prevention
  • High resistance to oxidation

Relax. The product described above is industrial lubricant, although it appears to do the same job as personal lubricant. Just keep it away from me.

Personal lubricants (colloquially termed lube) are specialized and used during human sexual activity to reduce friction between body parts, or between body parts and other objects. They are used during sexual acts such as intercourse and masturbation, to reduce friction to or between the penis and vagina, anus, or other body parts, or applied to sex toys to reduce friction or ease in penetration. Surgical or medical or gels, which are similar but not usually referred to or labelled as "personal" lubricants, may be used for medical purposes such as speculum insertion or introduction of a catheter.

Well, the last use took the edge off.

There are several different types of lubricant, and aside from the obvious value of them, it’s worth your while to research them all. Seriously. Eye opening and might be important for your health.

Water based (soluable) have surprising drawbacks, as do oil based lubricants.

Fertility lubricants are highly specialized, as they should be so as not to interfere with conception.

Silicone based lubricants make for interesting reading-sex toys beware.

Anal specific lubricants are quite different and I confess I learned something new—numbing qualities.

Having purchased specialty lubricants at those naughty parties your mother warned you about—or accompanied you to—aren’t always edible!

And of course there’s the household lube—vegetable shortening, cooking oil, butter and the like. I suppose in a pinch…or if you’re in the kitchen…just remember certain tissues are very sensitive and condoms don’t stand up well to certain substances.

My initial source was Wikipedia and then I read the information on several different brands of each type of lubricant. I also checked out the studies cited on some different sites. I’ll be spending more time in the family planning aisle—such a misnomer—the next time around, and making some different choices! Lubricant really is an individualized product.