Wednesday 30 November 2016

Wednesday Snippet - THROWN TO THE WOLVES

So it's already getting hard to find snippets from Through Fire and Pale Queen that aren't spoilery. Luckily, I have a solution this week! I'm working through the first round edits for THROWN TO THE WOLVES, so this seems an ideal time to share a teaser from that. Here's the blurb in case you haven't seen it, and you can read on for a sneak peek!

Paige went to Romania looking for inspiration for a book. She found herself caught in a horror story. Attacked and left for dead by a vampire, Paige finds herself at the mercy of Kata, a beautiful, enigmatic werewolf. Their attraction is instant, but Paige's fate hangs in the balance. She may yet be turned into a vampire herself. Soon it's clear to Paige that the only way to save herself may be to return to the woman who attacked her...even if it means placing both herself and Kata in the greatest danger.




Monday 28 November 2016

Monday Check-In: The Final One

So after feeling like a slacker last week and posting a Friday blog about how slacky I was, I promptly sat down and added 2k to Pale Queen that night, thus feeling much less slacky. Huzzahs! Apart from that the weekend was writing-lite. I added another 600 words to Pale Queen yesterday evening, but lost most of Sunday to watching Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, and then ranting about how I would have improved Suicide Squad to Kyle for hours. I might blog about that. I've got a lot of Feelings, idk.

I can't even remember what I did on Saturday apart from prep and ship perfume orders, which worries me slightly.

Oh! I lie - I went to the theatre with my BFF to see Lady Chatterley's Lover! I don't know how I forgot that as there was a good meal involved, and also a hell of a lot of nudity (on the part of the actors).

Anyway! Plans for this week on the writing front: pick up the pace, basically. I'm happy with the progress I'm making on Pale Queen and Through Fire, but would really like to be further along with both before I go away next Wednesday. I'm also still waiting for edits on THROWN TO THE WOLVES, which, probably, will come through while I'm in Morocco knowing my luck. That doesn't matter, as there's a two-week turn around for first round edits with Evernight, but I always like to get them done well before the deadline if I can. In among all this, I have to prepare for going on holiday, by which I mean I have to prepare my boss for me going on holiday, because as of last week she'd forgotten I was going on holiday. When I got back from Iceland, I had many emails from her along the lines of "thank god you're back, I barely coped, also my luggage is in Atlanta." Hopefully this time while I'm away, she won't have that problem.

Anyway! That's pretty much that. See you Wednesday for a snippet!








Saturday 26 November 2016

Guest Blog - Lea Bronsen is bringing us hot models!

We've got Lea Bronsen with us today, bringing us a teaser from the last in her Hot Model Mine trilogy. Always sad to say goodbye to a great series, but it looks like Lea saved the best for last...

Hi and thank you so much for hosting the third and last book of the Hot Model Mine trilogy!  

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After sexy cover model Yushka proposed, life is more turbulent than ever for erotic romance author Andrea. He is expecting a baby with his ex-girlfriend, who says she doesn’t want to keep it. How will Andrea's sons take upcoming life changes? To make things more complicated, her ex goes to great lengths to coax her back, and one of her sons' girlfriend is a tad too interested in Andrea's young and very handsome fiancé...

On the writing front, Andrea anxiously awaits news on her latest manuscript submission, and she has to decide whether to accept her publisher's offer to model in a sexy photo shoot—the same kind she and Yushka did in Cannes—in the hopes of making a new "Cover Photo of the Year". Considering the erotic poses the previous photographer demanded, can Andrea model with another guy other than Yushka?  

Read on for an excerpt!


Friday 25 November 2016

Friday Check-In: The Underachieving Edition

So I have very little to report today, as I have written very little this week. I've added 1k to an Amber Morgan project, but nothing to either Pale Queen or Through Fire. Mostly this is because I've been exhausted in the evenings. Hopefully I can make up some ground over the weekend. I'm off to the theatre ~darlings~ tomorrow night, where my ex-housemate and I are hoping for a trashy and hammy performance of Lady Chatterley's Lover, but I think otherwise there's nothing on the agenda.

So there is plenty of time for tea-fueled writing yet! Hopefully when I come back on Monday for the last week of Anti-Nano (well, the last days, I guess), I'll have plenty of stuff to update you on that doesn't revolve around Westworld, Masterchef, or Lucha Undergroud (the other reasons I've not been getting anything done this week. I don't normally watch a lot of TV, but at the moment there's just a ton of good stuff going on).

Anyway! That's my boring check-in. Have a good weekend, everyone!

Wednesday 23 November 2016

Wednesday Snippet - Define weird

Another snippet from Pale Queen today, since that's where most of my focus was over the weekend. Dawn's solo adventure is coming along nicely!




Monday 21 November 2016

Monday Check-In: Shameless Self-Promotion Edition

Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend? Mine was good. I didn't hit the 10k I was aiming for...In fact, I ended up with around 4k between Through Fire and Pale Queen, which is obviously quite a shortfall. On the plus side, I got 4k written, guested on the Rambling Vapers podcast (the episode isn't live yet, but check them out anyway if you like gaming, films, wrestling, politics and general blather), had my heart broken by Tye Dillenger at NXT TakeOver Toronto, and ate steak tacos. So that all happened.

Meanwhile, I also discovered I've been nominated for a total of three Evernight Readers' Choice awards this year! Two as Naomi Clark and one as Amber Morgan. I am humbled and surprised and truly grateful for everyone that voted for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Honestly, I never expect to be nominated in these things because I think I fly under the radar a lot, so when I do it's genuinely shocking and heartwarming for me.

Exactly as heartwarming as this.

Anyway! Now the nominations are in, it's time to vote for the winners. Evernight have a $50 giftcard up for grabs, just to sweeten the deal, and you can vote for your favourite books here.

In case you'd like to vote for me, I have the following books up for awards:

Finalist - best lesbian

Finalist - best suspense

I'm not kidding when I say it's an honour just to be nominated, but...you know...it would be even more of an honour to win something ;)

Saturday 19 November 2016

Guest Blog - Hot shifter action with Tamsin Baker and Khloe Wren

It's time once again to turn the blog over to some of my fellow authors so I can catch up on Masterchef and/or drink gallons of tea and/or eat way too many chocolate-covered cranberries. Most likely "and" if we're honest. Anyway! Here's Tamsin Baker and Khloe Wren with their shapeshifter romance, MIRROR IMAGE SEDUCTION! Who wants cheetah shifters?



Dylan and Ryan are cheetah shapeshifter twins. They never expected to be the first of their siblings to find their mate. So they weren’t looking when they scented her at their local pub, but they knew instantly that Lacey was destined to be theirs. Unfortunately, she’s a reporter chasing the story behind a mysterious rescue of a young boy by ‘big spotty cats’. 

Lacey is a debut journalist working her first big story. Getting to the bottom of this ‘wild cats in the Grampians’ story could be the big break she’s been waiting for. The story leads her to a set of gorgeous twins that make her heart race. Their electric chemistry pulls her in, and by the time she learns they're shapeshifters and the cats responsible for the rescue, she’s torn on how to report it. 

But her story isn’t the only thing she has to worry about. Lacey’s ex isn’t ready to let her go, and when he sees her with her new men, he takes drastic measures to get her back.


Read on for an excerpt!

Friday 18 November 2016

Friday Check-In: The Ambitious Edition

Ambitious because I'm gunning to write 10k this weekend. I did it the weekend before I went away to Iceland, so I know I can do it. The issue is always whether I will. We have a builder and our landlady coming round at some point because there's a hole in the living room ceiling, but aside from that, I don't have anything else on the agenda. So writing should happen! How much writing is yet to be determined, but if I can get 80-10k down on either/or Through Fire and Pale Queen, I will be pretty happy.

This week I've concentrated on Pale Queen and ideally I'll spend one day on that and the other on Through Fire, but as always I try to be flexible with myself. If one story is really coming out easily and smoothly, it's counter-productive to stop and work on the other.

It's only three weeks now (less, in fact!) until Kyle and I jet off to Morocco for his birthday, and part of my desire to nail 10k this weekend is to get as much writing in as possible before we go. I'm expecting edits for THROWN TO THE WOLVES either this month or in December, too, and it would be nice to focus on those without mentally panicking that I'm not on track with my works in progress. So we'll see! I hope everyone has a great weekend whatever you're up to! See you on the other side!

Wednesday 16 November 2016

Wednesday Snippet - Something was wrong...

So! Another Wednesday is upon us, and as promised earlier in the week, I've got a snippet from Pale Queen for you. There are rats, so if you're funny about rats, probably not the snippet for you. So...here it is. Enjoy! Or not, if you don't like rats!




Monday 14 November 2016

Monday Check-In: The Pale Queen edition

So the weekend was a big ball of housework and Sunday roasts with the family, and somewhere in the middle I added 1200 words or so to Through Fire, which was less than I hoped for but more than I thought I'd manage. So it's a win? I also received an exceptionally well-decorated cake from my two-year-old niece, which made up for the lack of hardcore writing:


Look at that! It was delicious. Today I finally figured out where to start Pale Queen (which you may or may not remember is going to be the companion novella to Through Fire, written from Dawn's POV), so I churned out 1300-odd words on that. I'm a bit wary of switching back and forth between the two too much, as that generally leads to me getting nothing done, but so help me, I do like starting new books. And I like what I got down today for Pale Queen, so look out for a snippet on Wednesday!

Where that leaves me for the week, I'm not sure. Lola's story is rolling along nicely and remains my main focus, but if Dawn's story is front and centre in my brain all week, I'll go with it. Either way, I'm aiming for 1k a day still, and hopefully more at the weekend. No cake or Sunday roast scheduled this weekend, sadly :( But on the plus side, that does mean a lot more writing time!

Friday 11 November 2016

Friday Check-In: The Be A Nice Human edition

So yes, it's Friday and yes, I wrote this week. Not much, because Real Life conspired against me, but eh. I wrote. It counts.

There. Now let's talk about the shit-storm that is western politics this week.

After Brexit, I have to admit, I was holding out hope that America wouldn't also do a stupid thing and elect Trump, but I underestimated a lot of factors. How low voter turnout would be. How distrusted Clinton is. How deeply Trump was able to tap into certain disenfranchised and bigoted segments of the population. And yes, sorry, it is bigoted. He is bigoted. His words and actions leave no room for doubt. And, as with the post-Brexit rise in hate crimes here, I predict Americans are going to experience a similar huge spike, as all those racists, bigots, and fascists over there feel their private attitudes have now been validated by their president-elect. Economically and in terms of scientific research, Trump is equally terrifying. Again, parallels with Brexit.

As with Brexit, I'm scared for people. It's easy to say that it's only four years before the next election, how much damage can he do, he will be tempered, etc. But whilst the political fallout might be tempered, the psychological fallout that this right-wing surge we're seeing across America and Europe isn't going to die down in a set time period. People aren't that simple, and people vote and act with their emotions, and sometimes their emotions are dark and nasty,

So what do we do? I'm torn. I believe in being kind and compassionate. That quote up above is one I have on a pendant which I wear often, when my mood sinks or the world looks bleak or people are cruel, because I honestly do believe in empathy and kindness. But I do not believe we have to tolerate intolerance. I do not believe that vile behaviour should go unchallenged in the name of being kind. Sometimes we have to push back, because there are people who need pushing.

And you can do this in good, positive ways.

Give blood. Please give blood. In the UK, we need over 6000 blood donations a day, especially from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities, to treat patients. We need more young donors, too. For years I didn't think I was able to give blood, but it turns out I can, so if you're unsure, please check. It's important, it's always needed, and it costs you nothing but your time. And your blood. Your precious, delicious blood.

Support charities. If you're not certain that a charity is using its donations ethically and well, check GiveWell. There are countless causes that need and deserve our support, and anything you can give makes a difference. You can also support retailers that donate proceeds to charity. Olivia R Burton has some cool ideas here. Whatever it is you're passionate about, find a charity that feels equally passionate about it and get involved however you can.

Be a good ally. Speak up when you see hate, stand besides those at risk. Listen. Support. It's scary, but it matters. Whether that means reporting and blocking abusive Twitter users or lending your support to someone being verbally abused on the bus, please do what you can.

Stay motivated. It's easy to forget how angry you feel right now, in the wake of these political earthquakes, because life does go on. You still have to pay your bills, do your job, deal with family emergencies, whatever. But change starts from the ground up. Vote in local elections, and for the love of Cthulhu, vote for people whose ideologies and values match yours. Don't vote for fucking dead gorillas. Remember that in four or five years time, all the shit you're angry and scared about now will still matter.

Keep fighting. You don't have to stop talking about how upset you are that your side lost. You don't have to tolerate hatred. If someone tells you (as they probably will) that "this is democracy, get over it," tell them that one of the four key elements of democracy is protection of the human rights of all citizens. They probably won't listen or care if they're already the kind of people who hate immigrants and think the Gay Agenda is coming for their kids, but don't let yourself forget it. You matter and you are worth fighting for.

Don't be in a bubble. I'm not saying "expose yourself to danger," but let's face it - by and large we choose to associate with people who share our views, and thus it's easy to believe that X will never happen, because everyone you know is too smart/progressive/liberal to allow it. Just...be aware that not everyone is capable of being kind or empathetic, and that's why it's more important than ever that we are.

This is how we push back. Not by being weak, but by being kind. By working to change the world for the better in whatever way we can. Big acts, small acts, they count either way. Be a nice human. Fight for other nice humans.






Wednesday 9 November 2016

Wednesday Snippet - Who knew what the magical penalties might be?

Here we are! The inaugural Wednesday snippet of Anti-Nano, which follows on pretty closely from the last one I posted. That's largely because I haven't done an awful lot of work on Through Fire since before I went to Iceland, because I've been busy with Common Brimstone. As Common Brimstone is now closed for the winter, I intend to get pretty damn hardcore on the writing front for the next few months. Hopefully I'll be able to make a start on Pale Queen soon. I kind of need to decide where exactly that story will start first. Quite an important decision...

In the meantime, here's your snippet!


Monday 7 November 2016

Monday Check-In: the evening edition

So it's the second week of November, but really the first week of Anti-Nano, since, as I predicted, I had pretty much no writing time last week. Well, sort of. I did sort of write 4k on an Amber Morgan project at work. And by "sort of," I mean "I totally did that." I don't know, I was reading a book that really irritated me and it sparked a story. That is firmly on the back-burner, however! Honest.

I wrote 2300 words on Through Fire over the weekend, which isn't as much as I'd like, but I'm not unhappy with it either. I would love to get 1k a day in going forward, more at the weekends. This does mean getting my arse in gear a bit, not just at writing, but on wrapping up my last perfume orders of the year. It's doable! Everything is doable!

One of the reasons I didn't get as much done this weekend as I hoped was that I really had to stop and think about a new character I'd introduced, and what they want. I've known for months who and what this character would be, and what role they'd play in Lola's new adventure, but I hadn't thought about their motives, and whilst writing on Saturday, I realised I couldn't just wing it, because I'd end up with a cliche. So I needed to stop and figure him out a bit. I suppose I still could end up with a cliche, but that's what the second draft is for, right? Right! Anyway, a break from the scene I was working on to dig a bit deeper into the new guy was definitely the right choice. I got the bulk of those 2300 words written on Sunday after I'd decided which way to go with Lola's new friend. You'll get to meet him on Wednesday, so tune in then!

Saturday 5 November 2016

Guest Blog - Three authors for the price of one!

Well, you can't say no to a bargain like that! Today I'm welcoming Elena Kincaid, Maia Dylan, and Sarah Marsh with the second in their paranormal menage series, DECIDING HER FAETE. In the mood for romance and shifters? Take a look Beyond the Veil!

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Deciding Her Faete

Beyond the Veil, Book 2

By Elena Kincaid, Maia Dylan, and Sarah Marsh
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Release Date: Aug 26, 2016
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Genre: MFM paranormal romance

Thanks so much for hosting us on your blog today for the release of Deciding Her Faete, book number two in our ménage paranormal romance series. The Beyond The Veil series started out as a fun exercise in our Sinfully More Erotic Street Team group and we’ve had such a great time writing them! So far, we have 5 books planned in the series, but I wouldn't be surprised if more sprout up along the way. All three of us fell in love with this mysterious world Beyond The Veil as well as our very overprotective Shifters on this side of the Veil.


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April always knew that she was a little different. She spent most of her life trying to forget that fact, but when her instincts tell her to pack up everything and move to an entirely different country, she can’t help but listen … and then a handsome stranger comes to her rescue one night. The force of her connection with Jason and then later, his brother Donovan, pierces her soul. When she and Jason are abducted by a crazed maniac, claiming that she isn’t human, she doesn’t know what to believe in anymore. Jason and Donovan had taken a huge risk when they left their pack in the hopes of finding their mate. April is everything the brothers had ever dreamt about, but she’s even more special than they know. The battle between their enemies on the other side of The Veil comes crashing into their lives at the worst possible time, just when Jason and Donovan now have something precious to lose. Will April be able to accept the truth of her real heritage and embrace it in time to find her happy ending?  

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Available now from:



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Read on for an excerpt!

Tuesday 1 November 2016

Anti-Nano Rides again


Happy November! Good luck to everyone doing Nanowrimo this year. May the words come fast and often. As usual, I will not be doing Nanowrimo but, as is now tradition, I will be joining in spirit with Anti-Nano.

For newcomers, Anti-Nano is my way of tapping into all that gooey writerly energy and enthusiasm in November without over-taxing my knackered wrists, arms, and (currently possibly cracked) finger bones. My rotator cuff problems mean I can't really commit to a daily writing schedule, especially in the colder months when the weather aggravates the various joint/muscle complaints I have. But I do set myself a personal goal every November and I try to check in here on Mondays and Fridays, with snippets as per usual on Wednesdays, to keep myself accountable and hopefully give you guys something to read.

So! The goal this year is sort of nebulous. I want to write 1k a day on Through Fire, which is pretty doable...starting next week. This first week of November, I'm running a sale over at Common Brimstone before closing for a couple of months. So I'm currently swamped with perfume orders and foresee spending pretty much every evening this week and all weekend working on those so I can close the shop next week and focus 100% on writing for a few months. So whilst I'd like to get some words down this week, I'm not going to stress too much if I don't.

I'd also like to start on Pale Queen, the companion novella to Through Fire. I'd also also like to start redrafting In Cold Blood, and I'd also also also like to start prepping AFTERLIFE and DEMONIZED for self-publishing. I think the best plan is aim for 1k a day on Through Fire in the week, then allow myself the weekend to work on other projects. I also have an Amber Morgan story on the go, but that's fairly low down the priority list right now. Oh, and I'll probably also have edits for THROWN TO THE WOLVES at some point this month.

So yeah, Nebulous, in that I have a ton of stuff I want to work on (as usual) and only the vaguest idea of how I'll manage it all. I think as long as I make steady progress on Through Fire, I'll be happy. I haven't done any writing since before going to Iceland, so Anti-Nano should be a good way to get back into the rhythm of it. Beyond that, we'll see. Wish me luck!