THE RETREAT available at Fictionwise

Wahey, my short BDSM erotic romance novella THE RETREAT is now available at Fictionwise!

Here's the blurb:

Ben Chambers is the perfect boyfriend, the perfect lover, the perfect man. Sarah adores him, but she knows that despite the deliciousness of their lovemaking, their shared interests, and the fun they have together, there's a certain special something missing in their relationship. And then, arriving for a hedonistic weekend of luxury at an English country house hotel, something happens that changes everything between them. A momentary, inconsequential pat on the bottom opens the door to a breathtaking world of daring and transgressive sexual pleasure...and forges a bond that's both profoundly physical and a melding of their souls.

Available at Fictionwise in a variety of file formats.

ps. if you fancy Edward Norton in The Illusionist, you'll like Ben... ;)

It's nearly that time again...

SEVENTY DAYS OF SWEAT starts again on 10th November, and here's my new coach, joining the ever growing cast of motivating blokes necessary to keep me from slacking and frittering all my time away!

Why not zip over to the SWEAT70 SIGN UP PAGE and get ready to join the torture... sorry, fun!

moody guy

Gosh, he looks a moody guy, doesn't he? My Jay... This is a hero with some heavy issues, but I think in my first draft of the first 17K or so of Kiss It Better, he was a bit too downbeat and angsty... In my reworking of this first portion of the book, I've lightened him up just a little bit, and made him a tad more philosophical and positive. Yeah, there's stuff he's got to deal with, but he's more of a survivor now and someone who looks for a bit of life affirming fun along the way. And meeting Sandy, even though there are major complications to their relationship, is a key to his new outlook...

I have so much work to do at the moment! This novel to progress with, a longish short story to do before the 8th Sept, an author spotlight thingoid to sort out, promo to begin for IN TOO DEEP, which is out in the UK on 4th Sept... boy, how that one snuck up on me! Have little features and excerpts to get ready and review copies to send out... eek, agh! I'd also like to work out some other ideas... and I have web design things to do too. Am feeling slightly in danger of drowning in it all, but I'm managing to stay positive and plod on. :)

What's on your to-do lists, guys?

more gratuitous Ed... and thoughts

Here's another choice and moody piccie of Edward Norton in American History X... aka Jay Bentley in my WIP, KISS IT BETTER. Have just been watching the movie and discovering scenes I hadn't expected to see... very, very powerful stuff, and definitely disturbing.

Have been thinking me some about KIB. It's going to be romantic, but I'm definitely determined not to sell it short in terms of hot sensual action too. There's got to be a good mix, a good balance of the two aspects of my writing... strong eroticism melded with a real, believable, perhaps even slightly prickly love story.

I think I can do it. I believe I can do it. It'll be a fun challenge. :)

On the 'recovery' front, I'm still battling with a degree of fatigue. Was quite strong yesterday, and did 1.3K words on KIB, but today, I'm flagging again. The trip to San Francisco really took a bite out of me, I've got to admit. I think it's my age, and a few bits and pieces of health issues that I have... I'm okay, basically, but I do have stamina issues sometimes and RWA demanded a *lot* of stamina, even for the young and sprightly!

But having said all that, it's the brilliant, lovely, fun parts of the trip that I remember. The very, very positive stuff. And no amount of jet lag and weariness can deter me from wanting to repeat the experience!

Gratuitous Ed Norton pic

As Walter Fane in The Painted Veil, which I'm currently watching...

I probably like this guy for the same reasons I like Vincent D'Onofrio. He's a quirky, detailed, supremely talented actor... and he looks hot in a non stereotypical way. :)

I'm getting an Edward Norton kind of vibe...

for my next book.

I think it's now safe to say that I've got another Black Lace novel in the pipeline. Haven't actually laid my sticky mitts on the contract, but it's in the works. The book's called KISS IT BETTER, and while I haven't got an actual publication date, I reckon it'll be around June time next year when it's out. Have to deliver by 1st December.

I believe I talked about this book a bit on the blog some time ago, when it had a working title of Smalltown. It's about a couple who've met before, fleetingly and in stressful circumstances, who get together many years later, in circumstances that are also somewhat angsty, at least on the hero's part. Won't go into details, but he's a guy with major issues and secrets, but a profoundly romantic heart and sensibility.

When I originally conceived a prototype of this idea, quite a few years ago, it was a straight romance, and the hero template was James Marsters, but time passes, and me being a floozy, I move on to new passions. I still like James a lot, but he's not right for this hero any more. Neither is my beloved Vincenzo and neither is the delightful Professor Hottie. They've both had their books and stories, and no doubt all these simmering, sexy guys will appear in future yarns of mine, but for this hero, the man whose image calls to me, who feels right for Jay, is Edward Norton... I started to fancy him in a major way when I saw The Illusionist, and that spurred me to write The Retreat, for the Bound Brits collection... so he was a natural for this new story. He seems quirky and deep to me, just as Jay is... and I might even let him have a sexy little goatee beard again too! ;)

Hubba hubba, eh, Sarah? ;)

ps. nip over to my pal Saskia Walker's blog for some awesomely exciting news from her too!