Things I've learned by the pool in Vegas this week!

Yes, if you missed it, I'm in Vegas this week. I'm trying to relax as much as possible and that means I'm making like I'm comatose by the pool as much as possible LOL. Thought I'd share some thoughts and observations (deep and meaningful of course) I've had this week:

1. If you're lobster red and still baking yourself, you're most likely British.
2. There's no bod good enough for speedos. Sorry. There's just not!
3. It's 90 degrees out but that still doesn't stop people dressing in head to toe black. I bet they're from NY.
4. I don't care. You might be on vacation and this is Vegas but I still think 9:30 am is too early for Tequila shots. Seriously.
5. If your butt is more than half the width of a pool lounger, chances are it's too big for a Brazilian cut bikini bottom. Just sayin.
6. Yes, there is some ink on guys that just looks weird and wrong.
7. I'm still not convinced bikinis and stilettos go together.
8. Everyone has cellulite. Well, except for that b*tch 3 chairs down from me today. Why can't she sit on the other side of the pool?

The Ramblings of a Writer's Mind: Grapes! - with Wendy S. Marcus

Please welcome Wendy S. Marcus to my blog today. Wendy begins her journey as a published Harlequin author this month. What an exciting time!

Hi Kaily! Thank you so much for having me to your blog today! I know I should be talking about my book or my journey to publication. But, odd as it may seem, I’ve chosen grapes as my topic for this blog post. Read on to see how this ties into writing.

You're welcome but...grapes? Grapes!? Okay, this has got to be good!

 A few weeks ago I volunteered to prepare and serve lunch at a local shelter. My food donation was 25 servings of fruit. I chose to bring grapes, which are not as easy as bananas or oranges because grapes need to be washed, cut into portions, and placed in single serving baggies.

During the washing process, after dumping a large package of grapes into the colander, I found a poker chip. Yes. I said poker chip. Now most people would have tossed that chip into the trash and got back to work. Not me. I’m a writer and my mind tends to wander.

I examined the chip. Dark blue with white lettering. Along the outer rim were pictures of hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs. In the center the number 25 next to a C with two short lines running horizontally through the middle.

Where had this chip come from and why was it in my bag of grapes? I wondered. My writer’s mind went to work. Maybe there was something hidden in the bag of grapes and the chip was to help someone locate it. Maybe a drug dealer. I sniffed my grapes, like I had any idea what the heck I was sniffing for, but certainly if there were drugs I’d smell them. Right? I inspected the grapes for white powder. Hey, I watch television.

Nothing.

So I carefully washed the grapes, palpating each for anything abnormal.

Nothing.

So I ate a few. I can’t very well serve them to strangers if I wasn’t willing to eat them myself.

Nothing.

Okay. The chip was probably not drug related. So I continued on with my task. But couldn’t get past the question: How did that poker chip wind up in my grapes?

What if it’d been in the pocket of some poor migrant worker, his last thing of value in the world? What if he’d meant to cash it in before work so he could feed his seven children? And now I had it and his children were going hungry. Because of me. I felt horrible.

I called my daughter, the movie fanatic, to share my concerns. She suggested maybe the poker chip was a tracking device. For what? Drugs! I actually imagined two burly men with Uzis tracking a red flashing dot that led to my kitchen. “But I didn’t find any drugs,” I said to my daughter actually starting to feel a bit nervous. “Oh no,” I cried out. “Maybe the poker chip is the drugs.” After all it was very light weight.

I picked up the poker chip like it would explode if mishandled. I ran my fingers over the edges. Solid. I tried to bend it. Solid. I threw it on the floor. Solid. All while my daughter laughed hysterically on the phone.

I am an absolute lunatic. Which, it turns out, is the right frame of mind for a writer. I don’t take things at face value. I question. I wonder why and what if. I imagine the possibilities.

I see a happy couple at the library and I wonder why they’re so happy. What were they doing fifteen minutes ago to make them all smiley and touchy-feely? And what if the librarian is the girl’s mother and she knows what they’ve been doing and she’s fuming? Does she make a scene? Maybe lay into her daughter or fling a thick autobiography at the boys head? Or does she maintain the strict librarian code of conduct…while she places a call to her husband…who grabs his shotgun and jumps into the family Ford?

It is exhausting being me.

But entertaining.

So, the reason I’m actually here is to tell you about my debut Harlequin Medical Romance, When One Night Isn’t Enough now available to any UK visitors on the Mills and Boon website here. Kaily has graciously invited me back for another chat on July 11th, my release day in the U.S. and Australia. I hope you’ll all stop by for another visit!

As part of my debut release celebration I’m running two contests with Amazon gift cards as prizes. Please check out my website for details on how to enter. And while you’re there check out the excerpts for When One Night Isn’t Enough and its sequel Once a Good Girl.

Now for my questions: Have you ever read a Harlequin Medical Romance? If yes, what did you think? If no, why not? And are you willing to make mine your first? Also, do you have a writer’s rambling mind? Give me some examples. Or tell me this, what do you think is the story behind my poker chip? One lucky commenter will win a copy of the 2in1 UK version of my book which includes a second complete novel by Author Janice Lynn.

LOL. Wendy, what a great story. Yeah, it's a chore being a writer sometimes! Thank you so much for stopping by. Much congratulations and best wishes for your book and I look forward to delving further into your journey to publication as part of Just Published in July!

WIP it Wednesday

I'm feverishly trying to get this book done. Feverishly! As usually happens, I'm so far into Lexi's head and totally ga-ga in love with Nash, that it's hard to let go. Soon... Until then, ENJOY the below snippet :):


     “Lexi, about last night…”
     She looked around at the milling people and felt the heat in her face, not to mention the wash of heat that hit her square in the stomach and arced down right between her legs to flesh still tender, swollen. He’d been utterly focused on her, demanding, relentless and God help her she’d loved every frenzied minute of it.
     “It’s okay,” she choked.
     “I got…kind of rough.” He looked away from her. “I—”
     “It’s okay and I—yeah, anyway…” She coughed. “I liked it. A lot.”

What promo stuff do you like??

Does anybody see May? I've searched everywhere. Did anybody see where it went? I can't believe half the month is already gone which means I need to get my act together and figure out what promo items I'll be offering at RWA Nationals in NY at the end of June. Honestly, this is a stressful decision. I want something to showcase myself well, but for it to be an item that's useful and wanted. Needless to say, I want to make sure my investment in this is a wise one. I don't think it translates to sales, but it is a way for an author to get their name in front of potential readers and industry professionals. It needs to be interesting and eye catching, something useful and something that's not too expensive.

So...what things do you like to pick up at events/conferences? What catches your eye? What do you wish authors would offer more of? What things do you actually keep and use? What things do you hate? Yeah...I need some HELP!

Blogger has been having some issues lately so I haven't posted over the last week. I THINK it's all better so we'll be getting back to the regularly scheduled programming now!

Is that...? *squints* No, it couldn't be...

H A P P Y   M O T H E R ' S   D A Y !

If you're a Mom I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful day and get adequately spoiled. If not, well I know you've got a Mom, so have a great day regardless of how you decide to spend it. I saw this and had to share LOL. Look closely :). Is that...? No, it couldn't be. Could it? ENJOY!!

Best Book of the Week?

WOW. PLAY ME is up for best book of the week over at Whipped Cream Reviews!! There are some fantastic books up there. I know because I've read some of them. Voting is now open so, you know...if you're so inclined :).

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/index.htm

BDSM? Fetish? REALLY?

I got a wonderful review the other day from Whipped Cream for PLAY ME. Anemone says...

With white hot chemistry between Lily and Gabe, the sex scenes were explosive.

and

With yet another sinfully hot book, this author has become an instant buy for me. I highly recommend it.

The review was great and I loved the comments, but...the way it was classified made me raise my eyebrows a little. BDSM? Fetish? Voyeurism? Toys? Okay, the toys part was obvious and I can see the voyeurism angle (although it was all fantasy) but I had no idea the book had BSDM or fetish elements or that anyone would perceive it this way. Who knew LOL? Thank you, Anemone for a wonderful review!

You can check out the full review here.

I was really shocked...

Last week I was shocked when, on a loop for published and aspiring authors, I noticed that there were some that didn't understand the difference between erotica and erotic romance. Not only that, thoughts were expressed that clearly showed many thought they were the same thing. OMG, NO!! I know there's not really an industry standard when it comes to a definition of these areas but I wanted to clarify at least here (and in my opinion) what those differences are. Because I think it's important. The below comes from the Passionate Ink website actually and I think provide very concise differentiators:

Erotica: stories written about the sexual journey of the characters and how this impacts them as individuals. Emotion and character growth are important facets of a true erotic story. However, erotica is NOT designed to show the development of a romantic relationship, although it’s not prohibited if the author chooses to explore romance. Happily Ever Afters are NOT an intrinsic part of erotica, though they can be included.

Erotic Romance: stories written about the development of a romantic relationship through sexual interaction. The sex is an inherent part of the story, character growth, and relationship development, and couldn’t be removed without damaging the storyline. Happily Ever After is a REQUIREMENT to be an erotic romance.

I really hate all the labels, but writing and books have to be categorized so that readers know what to expect. It's hard enough dealing with the preconceived ideas and notions of the 'general population' about what romance, erotic romance and erotica is I guess that I was just so blown away that there were authors out there within the genre who hadn't grasped these nuances.

So...I write romance first and foremost. There's no question of that. I write about the relationship between two people (M/F) who either have a HEA or a HFN. And yeah, it's hot and steamy, but it's an important element of that developing relationship. Could I write erotica? Sure I could, but I don't really want to. Could I write menages? Maybe, although there would have to be circumstances that would warrant that situation in my mind so that it would still be a 'romance'. Could I write M/M? I don't think so. I don't really 'feel' these relationships and I don't think I would do justice to them.

I've read some really great erotica, but for me as a writer I'm too interested in the dynamics and complexities and in exploring the M/F interaction. I love to get into the depths of the alpha male psyche, a guy who's finally found the one woman to crack that tough exterior and do things he wouldn't have ever imagined doing. That's what I absolutely love to write. It's romance or erotic romance, but not erotica!

Okay, I was kind of on my soapbox a tiny bit LOL. I'll climb down now. Carry on!!