Big in Japan... sort of...

These arrived this morning!

They're my author copies of a Spice Briefs anthology that's been published in Japan. I don't know what the antho is actually called though. Maybe a Japanese speaker could help? But it includes my story Second Time Around, from my Risque Reunions trilogy. Other authors in the antho include Megan Hart and Jackie Barbosa...

I always get a kick from translations! Love to think of people reading my stories in lands so far away... :)

A Gentlewoman's Quartet - cover reveal

Isn't this pretty? The book, A GENTLEWOMAN'S QUARTET, is published by HQN as a digital only title, and will be available to buy on 15th March! 

It's an anthology of all four of my Ladies' Sewing Circle short novellas for Harlequin Spice Briefs. 

More info here.

Ecstasy in the White Room

ECSTASY IN THE WHITE ROOM - out today!

"This is a gorgeous room. So white and tranquil and glamorous, like something from a thirties movie set.

From his pocket, Simon retrieves a white plastic rectangle. It's an invitation to a very exclusive private function, extended only to certain guests. The white card was in our welcome basket, along with the sex toys, and neither of us was quite sure whether we'd accept tonight... until now."

Suzanne and Simon check in at a luxurious hotel which provides very special services and enjoy the unique facilities of The White Room.

The best suite in the hotel, it comes complete with discreet bondage accessories and the mirror on the ceiling is a particularly provocative feature... not to mention the complimentary casket of exclusive, high end sex toys.

BDSM pleasure makes for the experience of a lifetime...

Ecstasy in the White Room is #3 in the Three Colors Sexy trilogy and published by Harlequin Spice Briefs

Available from eHarlequin, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes and Noble, Nook UK, Diesel Ebooks and All Romance Ebooks.

NB. To get the most out of ECSTASY IN THE WHITE ROOM, you'll need to read DISCIPLINE OF THE BLUE BOOK first, and then RITUAL OF THE RED CHAIR! :)

Like a boss...

Miranda Austin is a boss, a female executive in a high powered job who has to be a demon in the board room and shoulder a heavy load of responsibility. She loves her work, but sometimes the pressure wears her down and she secretly yearns not to have to be 'in charge'.

Patrick Dove is Miranda's PA, and he's the perfect right hand man for an executive woman, efficient, discreet, intuitive... and drop dead gorgeous. What's more, he's always desired his beautiful boss, and behind his facade of quiet discretion, he's passionately in love with her! 

One day, after a successful but particularly gruelling meeting, Patrick decides it's time to take action and relieve Miranda's stress, and he knows exactly what to do to make her feel better. He'll be her boss for a change and show her the deliciously dominant side of him she's never seen before...

A VERY PERSONAL ASSISTANT is published today by Harlequin Spice Briefs, and you can find a sexy excerpt and links to buy here.

More covers!

This beauty is for the mainstream reprint of IN TOO DEEP. Yes, with any luck, Portia Da Costa will hit the supermarket shelves soon, hopefully some time after the 2nd of August!

IN TOO DEEP - excerpt

CHANCE OF A LIFETIME was first published back in 2008, and is now part of Mills & Boon's new 12 Shades of Surrender series, which has its début in July. More details to follow.

CHANCE OF A LIFETIME - excerpt

A new release from Saskia!

My buddy Saskia Walker has a new release today! It's FORBIDDEN RITUAL, a Spice Brief and it's now available direct from Harlequin for $2.39.

High-powered executive Imogen prides herself on being an independent woman who doesn't need a man. She only yields when she's with Giles, a younger colleague who shares her taste for domination and submission. He revels in watching her lose control, while she enjoys his powerful nature and an edge of pain to heighten her pleasure. 

Imogen is satisfied with their secret arrangement until Giles asks her try shibari, a form of rope bondage--the ultimate ritual in submission and display of trust. His request pushes Imogen beyond her comfort zone, forcing her to explore her boundaries and her relationship with Giles. He's already her master in the bedroom, when she allows it. But can she let herself take their bond to the next level?

Go here to find out more and download the story


Why not race over there and check out this delicious goodie? Doesn't it sound absolutely divine? 

Looking for my books at Amazon?

It's come to my attention that it's not always possible to find all my books at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and other Amazon sites... even though the books are available to purchase there!

The problem occurs when someone tries to search for my titles via the Home page, using the 'All' tab in the search box. Using that method brings a nice list of Portia titles... but no Spice Briefs!!!! And some of my titles from Black Lace, Total-e-Bound don't show up either. :(

However, if you search for my titles with 'Books' selected in the search box tab, or you search from the Books page, it's a different story, and lo and behold there are my Spice Briefs titles and more of my Black Lace novels  etc too.

YES!

A search for Portia Da Costa "Books"

And if it's specifically ebooks that are your choice, try the 'Kindle' tab, or search from the Kindle page, and a full range of my digital titles springs into view.

YES!

A search for Portia Da Costa at "Kindle Store"

Happy hunting, guys! And if you ever have problems with availability of my titles, just drop me a line:

portiadacosta [at] gmail [dot]com

A Gentlewoman's Pleasure - out today!

My latest "Ladies' Sewing Circle" Spice Brief, A GENTLEWOMAN'S PLEASURE is out today at  Barnes and Noble Nook, eHarlequin, All Romance eBooks, and Diesel eBooks. Alas it's not yet available for Amazon Kindle, but it should be out there on 1st March.

Here's the blurb:

London, 1890

Miss Lucy Dawson always thought she was dull compared to the other women in the Ladies' Sewing Circle, who never hesitate to share stories of their naughty exploits and fantasies. As a plain, eccentric spinster with spectacles and a bicycle, Lucy hasn't enjoyed a man's touch for years—though she yearns to experience the full pleasure of lovemaking.

Then Lucy encounters Ethan Oakley, a tantalizing stranger who reawakens her desires. And the Ladies' Sewing Circle will never believe what happens next....

You can read a naughty excerpt here

 And if you're in the mood for more risqué Spice Briefs fun, why not also check out GABRIEL'S NAUGHTY GAME by my release day pal, Madelynne Ellis.

"I want to see you with another guy.".

When Gabriel tells me his fantasy, I want to laugh it off, pretend it's a joke. But I know it isn't--he's serious. I'm all for a little daring in the bedroom, but this is too risky. It gets even worse when Gabriel reveals who he wants me to sleep with: Nye, the only other man who's ever tempted me.

I soon realize there's more to Gabriel's game than simple voyeurism. But whatever Gabriel wants, Gabriel gets...

Find out more here

Purchase Links: eHarlequin | All Romance ebooks

A Gentlewoman's Dalliance - the cover

Here's my latest Spice Briefs cover. It's for the fourth - and sadly last - of my Ladies' Sewing Circle Briefs, A GENTLEWOMAN'S DALLIANCE.

Here's the blurb:

London, 1890

Mary Brigstock and her husband have no difficulty maintaining the passion in their marriage, but even the most ardent lovers crave new experiences. When Mary tells the Ladies’ Sewing Circle that she wants her husband to spank her, their worldly hostess arranges exactly what she desires: the services of an expert disciplinarian who can teach the Brigstocks how to make their wicked fantasy a reality….

Part of Portia Da Costa’s Ladies’ Sewing Circle series.

It's out in March 2012 and you can read a naughty excerpt here!

Ooh look, covers!

Isn't this gorgeous? It's my next Spice Brief, A GENTLEWOMAN'S PLEASURE, due out in February 2012, and the story of Lucy Dawson, bespectacled spinster, who has a delicious adventure when she falls off her bicycle. And almost straight into the arms of a hunky and mysterious woodsman called Ethan...

Read an excerpt here.

This one's my own creation, the cover for my soon to be released Christmas/Winter story, FIRE AND ICE. It's a self published version of a story that was previously in an anthology, and it's all about super efficient P.A. Cally, who's head over heels in love with her gorgeous boss, Innes. Christmas, a dose of 48 hour flu, and a broken central heating system all conspire to bring the two of them together... and their working relationship will never be the same again!

Read an excerpt here.

Neither of these two choice items are available quite yet, but check back here for the latest news, or follow me on Twitter for updates.

ANOTHER CHANCE - available at Amazon Kindle

Wahey, my latest Spice Brief is now available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk so you can now enjoy this naughty BDSM tale on your Kindle... maybe perhaps your new Kindle Fire when you get it? ;)

ANOTHER CHANCE is the sequel to my first ever Brief, CHANCE OF A LIFETIME, and Rose and the Marquis appear again as supporting characters -- although now lucky Rose has won her man and become his Marchioness. The titled twosome are still as daring as ever though, and inadvertently put on a sexy show for Maud and William, the protagonists in ANOTHER CHANCE.

Here's the blurb:

The Chance of a Lifetime… Again.

It’s been a long time since Maud Piper has had a lover, particularly one who can give her what she really wants: the masterful hand of a strong, powerful man. The sting of pain that turns into pleasure.

Only Maud’s late fiancé had been able to satisfy her. Not even watching her employers at Blaystock Manor, the Marquis and Marchioness, in their own rough love play brings her the release she longs for—until she is caught in the act by William Graves, the estate’s ruggedly handsome steward. Can he give Maud another chance to experience the pleasure she craves?

Here's a sexy excerpt

And here are the Amazon links:

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

ANOTHER CHANCE - official publication day

It's the official release day for my newest Spice Brief - ANOTHER CHANCE. 

Another Chance is the sequel to my first ever Spice Brief CHANCE OF A LIFETIME, so fans of Rose and the Marquis will get the opportunity to see them again in the course of Maud and William's story. 

Official Blurb

The Chance of a Lifetime… Again.

It’s been a long time since Maud Piper has had a lover, particularly one who can give her what she really wants: the masterful hand of a strong, powerful man. The sting of pain that turns into pleasure.

Only Maud’s late fiancé had been able to satisfy her. Not even watching her employers at Blaystock Manor, the Marquis and Marchioness, in their own rough love play, brings her the release she longs for—until she is caught in the act by William Graves, the estate’s ruggedly handsome steward. Can he give Maud another chance to experience the pleasure she craves?

The highly anticipated sequel to Portia Da Costa’s Chance of a Lifetime.

Read an excerpt here

Available from:

eHarlequin [epub]
Diesel Ebooks [mobi/not UK]
Amazon.co.uk [kindle/UK only]
Mills & Boon [epub]
All Romance Ebooks [epub]
Barnes & Noble [nook]

Another frisky, but gorgeous cover!

Here's the deliciously risque cover for my next Spice Brief, ANOTHER CHANCE, which comes out in September. It's linked to an earlier story CHANCE OF A LIFETIME. It's set at Blaystock Manor again and has the same BDSM theme, but a different couple.

Check out an excerpt here.

A most auspicious day today!

Wahey, it's a big publishing day for me today. Not only do I have a new book out myself - FAR FROM PERFECT, my first ever release with a new-for-me publisher Samhain Publishing - but my fabulous writing buddy and critique partner, SASKIA WALKER, also has a new title published today. So you might say that Tuesday, 1st March 2011 is a bit of a Yorkshire double, as we both live in the same region, not ten miles apart. Saskia is on holiday at the moment, taking a well earned break, so we won't be able to lunch out to celebrate our new books, but I'm sure when she's home again we'll soon be hitting our favourite cafe to mark this occasion.

Anyway, first, my offering:

FAR FROM PERFECT is the first out and out romance I've had published in a while. As readers will know, I'm mostly known for writing women's erotica and erotic romance, but I am a romance author too, and have had a couple of releases over the years, under an earlier nom de plum MEGAN PAUL. However FAR FROM PERFECT is my first non erotic romance release as "Portia", and it's a sort of "friends to lovers" plot crossed with an "engagement of convenience".

Anna Felgate has loved Niccolo Lisitano since she was a teenager, and four years ago, she kind of forced the issue with him somewhat, by sliding into bed with him one night and pretty much offering herself to him "on a plate". She knew he was the man for her, and was convinced that if he could just see her as the woman she'd become, rather than the girl he'd always looked out for in a brotherly way, the path would be open for their relationship to blossom. However, as so often happens, the best laid plans of mice and lovers went awry, and though the lovemaking was blissful, the aftermath was a mess of recriminations and emotional over-reaction, leading to an outcome was a polite estrangement between Anna and Nick.

However, four years later, Nick needs Anna's help in cheering up his dangerously ill father, and only an engagement between his playboy son and the daughter of his old and dear friend will suffice for the elder Lisitano. Cue a high drama of spiky verbal jousting, love-hate confrontations, and a desire between Anna and Nick that just won't quit.

So, if you want to find out how these two stubborn people resolve their differences, and what Nick's special patent migraine cure is, you can find out by taking a chance on FAR FROM PERFECT! It's available now direct from Samhain Publishing here, or you can nip over to my website, and read the prologue and check out various buying links for your preferred ebook vendor or ebook device [I'll be adding more choices as they become available]. But do remember, if you're a Portia Da Costa fan who's looking for edgy erotica and kinkiness, this book might not be the one for you. It's got highly sensual love scenes, and emotional intensity, but no raw, graphic descriptions or perviness.

You can also read quite a generous sized portion of FAR FROM PERFECT here at Googlebooks. That should give you a fair idea if it's hot enough for you!

* * * 

But if you want a read that's guaranteed to be red hot and raunchy, as well as wonderfully written, look no further than HER FANTASY by my chum Saskia Walker. This is a Harlequin Spice Brief, so the level of eroticism is super high, and Saskia's story is themed around a sizzling menage a trois.

Here's the description:

"Which sexual fantasy is your ultimate turn-on?"

How is Anya Reid supposed to control her lust for her sexy coworker Warren McClure when he asks questions like that on their very first date? She has wanted Warren and to be more adventurous in bed for a long time, but she never expected him to be so direct...or to correctly guess that a ménage is her secret desire.

Soon Warren isn't just talking about Anya's fantasies—he's making them come true. But does he want a true relationship, or is he only interested in their erotic games?


You can find more delightful details about HER FANTASY here at Saskia's site, along with a taster excerpt and links to purchase it.

Enjoy!

The *other* Patrick and Miranda

Because I'm a colossal doofus and my memory is a bit dodgy, I've managed to write two pieces of fiction lately where the names of the hero and heroine are Patrick and Miranda. I'm not sure how I've got fixated on the name Miranda, unless it's because this wonderful lady is so funny, but obviously, the name Patrick is derived from my current Muse, the divine Patrick Jane, the clever yet tragic central character in The Mentalist.

A couple of days ago, I linked to an excerpt of TOUCH OF HEAVEN, my late 2011 paranormal erotic romance novella from Samhain - in which Patrick #1 is the mysterious and hunky next door neighbour of Miranda #1.

Today I have a link to the story of Patrick #2 and Miranda #2. This Miranda is a successful and dynamic businesswoman who's a bit of a workaholic and desperately needs a bit of downtime and a change of scene. Luckily, she has a remarkable and rather gorgeous male PA, who also happens to be called Patrick. When the pair go for a drive in the country, their roles are reversed, and Miranda discovers that the super efficient and normally subservient Patrick is actually a thrillingly dominant lover with a taste for kinky fun.

Why not not check them out as they set out on their excursion...

A VERY PERSONAL ASSISTANT

Unfortunately, there's a little bit of a wait to read the full story. It'll be published by Harlequin Spice Briefs in March 2012.

What's happening at the moment...

Gah, sorry for the long silence here. I'm the most hopeless blogger on the face of the earth. Even when I've got news to announce, I tend to blank on ways to convey it and blog about it. Shameful, when writing is my trade...

So what's the latest?

My most recent publication is a short story in the lovely Rachel Kramer Bussel's PASSION anthology.

This is a selection of hot but romantic stories from a variety of authors including Rachel herself, my brilliant critique partner and all round literary life support pal Saskia Walker, and other online buddies like Justine Elyot and Charlene Teglia, plus many more fabulous folk. My effort is THE EFFICIENCY EXPERT and features an unlikely hero, a hated and feared 'management consultant' who comes in to sort out the company where the heroine works. But when Susie meets Noah out of hours, in a bar, she discovers he's not quite the ogre she's made him out to be at work... in fact, he's a sexy hunk with a much more amenable side to his nature.

Here's a mini snippet of THE EFFICIENCY EXPERT, plus some links so you can buy PASSION!

In terms of what I'm writing at the moment... Well, I'm working on the early stages of a proposal for my second Spice novel. I have one or two different notions... I won't grace them with the word ideas as they're still so vague they hardly earn that title... but the strongest contender seems to be something I'm just calling Diamonds for the moment. It involves a Victorian inheritance, and a pair of distant cousins with issues - both between one another, and with other people and situations. Adela and Wilson Ruffington don't really like each other all that much, although they can't deny a mutual attraction. Both are somewhat spiky and difficult characters, and not what you'd classically call "beautiful people". I'm at the very early stages with Diamonds, though, and have only written half of a scene... and have very little plot to speak of, as yet.

Prior to working on Diamonds, I completed A Gentlewoman's Dalliance, which is #4 in my Victorian Ladies' Sewing Circle series for Harlequin Spice Briefs. In this one, naughty prime time lady, Mrs. Mary Brigstock indulges in kinky fun with her hubby... and a handsome young 'specialist'. Oooh, la, la! I'm hoping to post a teaser of that one soon on my web site, along with one from #3, A Gentlewoman's Rescue, in which lady bicyclist Lucy falls off her bike and almost straight into the arms of Ethan, a deliciously earthy hunk with a secluded country cottage.

These two stories won't be available until September 2012 and March 2013 respectively, alas. Sob, sob, sob... But in the meantime, you can still whet your appetite for my Victorian writing with my first two Ladies' Sewing Circle outings: A Gentlewoman's Predicament and A Gentlewoman's Ravishment, the risqué adventures of Circle members Sofia and Prudence respectively.

That's all for the moment, but I hope to post again tomorrow [yeah, right...] with news of what's in the pipeline for next year and beyond in terms of writing and book and story releases...

Quick Saturday Update

Nothing much happening here at Casa Da Costa at the moment, although I'm alarmed at how fast this year is speeding by! October already... I can hardly believe it.

IN THE FLESH has now been sent to my editor. She's a very busy lady, and won't be able to read it immediately, but she has said she's looking forward to it immensely. Here's hoping it lives up to her expectations. :)

I've now finished a first draft of A GENTLEWOMAN'S RESCUE and I'm letting it settle a bit first, before I edit it. I originally intended this to be a slightly frivolous, almost fantasy interlude, but it's turned out to a wee tad deeper, touching on issues of self image and self esteem. Not a message piece, but maybe it's a bit more meaningful and a bit less silly than the original concept. I'm now mulling over ideas for the next Spice Brief, which has a working title of A GENTLEWOMAN'S FOIBLES, and is about a member of the Ladies' Sewing Circle who was initially a little bit prim, but has eventually loosened up, after listening to her friends' frisky talk. Mrs Mary Brigstock quickly becomes as kinky as the rest of the Circle, taking to naughty pervery like the proverbial duck to water! Much to the delight of Mr Brigstock!

Hope it's not too long before I'll be able to post excerpts of both of these stories.

In other news, I've been migrating. From one laptop to another. After serving me magnificently since around 2005, my original lappie has started throwing blue screens. It still works, but it's on borrowed time, and as I'm always reading horror stories of writing buddies and others who lose critical work due to failing hard disks etc, I thought I'd take action sooner rather than later... and end up regretting it. Last year, I bought a 2nd hand but refurbished laptop, similar to my existing one, and over the last couple of days I've been moving over my documents and programs and whatnots to the new one. I've got the majority of the necessary stuff transferred now, and backed up, so I can breathe easy for the time being.

At last - an update

Sorry for the long delay in updating my blog. I don't really have a valid excuse. I've been busy doing lots of things and the time just got away from me.

Anyway, in book news, I finally finished a draft of my Victorian erotic romance novel IN THE FLESH, and it's now with my agent, and I'm awaiting her verdict. This book has been a huge challenge for me. A new sub-genre with a new publisher. I've already written quite a few Spice Briefs for Harlequin, but a 100K+ word single title novel is a whole new ball game. Working in a historical setting for a longer work has been hard work, because I've only ever done contemporary novels before. Every fact, and it seems like nearly every other word and phrase has to be checked for historical accuracy. You can't just bowl along willy-nilly 'talking' the way we do nowadays. I'm sure IN THE FLESH still has more than its fair share of anachronistic speech etc, but I have tried to at least get a flavour of the times, and be as accurate as I can to the best of my researching ability. But, I'm not a history scholar, just an average writer with a passionate interest in all things Victorian, so it's not going to be 100% perfect on the historical score.

But despite all the hard work and angsting over the thing, I feel hugely happy to have done it, and eager to do more in the same vein. I also feel proud that I've pushed myself to do something that was out of my usual comfort zone, because I think it's made me grow as a writer. I feel I've achieved something. And I think it's particularly important for someone like me, who's no longer a young writer, to keep on stretching themself, and learning new things and new skills.

So, what's next? Well, no doubt my agent will have some suggestions for IN THE FLESH and that might mean a bit more work on it, but hopefully in the next week or so it'll be off to the editor and then I'll be keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that it makes her grade. But obviously, I won't be just sitting around waiting to hear the verdict. At the moment, I'm still working in the Victorian era, weaving another of my LADIES' SEWING CIRCLE tales. I've got a contract to do two more, and this first one of those is provisionally titled A GENTLEWOMAN'S RESCUE and is about Miss Lucy Dawson, a bespectacled bicycle riding spinster, who sees herself as a bit of an ugly ducking and has philosophically resigned herself to a solitary life... or at least a life without a man. That is, until she tumbles off her bicycle in the rain, on a lonely country road and is rescued by a handsome rustic Adonis who takes her to his cottage to recuperate...

After RESCUE, I'll be writing the next Sewing Circle Lady's story, but I don't have a title for that, and I'm still mulling over a few different ideas. It'll be fun though! And when that's turned in, I'll be seriously applying myself to writing the outline and character biographies for my second Victorian Spice novel. No firm details on that yet, but I'll definitely be setting it in the same 'world' as IN THE FLESH and THE LADIES' SEWING CIRCLE.

Also in the pipe is my sweeter novel for Samhain Publishing, FAR FROM PERFECT. I don't have any publication date for that yet, but I'm hoping to get edits on that soon, and then I'll know more.

That's all for now, but hopefully when I've worked on it to my satisfaction, I'll soon be able to post an excerpt of A GENTLEWOMAN'S RESCUE.

A GENTLEWOMAN'S RAVISHMENT - cheeky excerpt

When Prudence is 'kidnapped' by a ruthless masked stranger, she ends up sequestered in a sumptuous Arabian Nights style boudoir to await his further pleasure. However, there are 'distractions' to keep her mind off her plight... and their names are Clarence and Yuri! ;)

Click here to meet the boys who love to serve

Or if you think you're ready for the Full Monty, buy from Harlequin and read the whole story!

Belated release day for A GENTLEWOMAN'S RAVISHMENT

"I'd love to be abducted and ravished by some handsome brigand or pirate..."

When the women of the Ladies' Sewing Circle share their private fantasies, some are shocked by Mrs. Prudence Enderby's secret desire. But Prudence cannot imagine life without such exotic daydreams—especially since they arouse her husband, too!

Yet Prudence never imagined she would actually be whisked off the street by a mysterious masked man who has his wicked way with her in a carriage. Taking her back to a boudoir appointed for pleasure, he continues to bring every one of her fantasies to life. But nothing could be more surprising than when Prudence finally learns who is behind this gentlewoman's ravishment...

A GENTLEWOMAN'S RAVISHMENT was actually published on Tuesday, 1st June, but alas I've been a bit poorly with some kind of horrible stomach flu lurgy and wasn't able to announce it on time. But never mind, here it is, complete with its adorable cover, and I hope you'll all enjoy it! If you enjoyed A GENTLEWOMAN'S PREDICAMENT you'll be pleased to meet an old friend from that story too. 

Here's a naughty excerpt and some links to various ebook stores to buy it.