We are cat people again...

I'm thrilled to present the two gorgeous new cats who've just come to live with us. They're Mork [L] and Mindy [R] and they're a brother and sister, who we've adopted from someone who can't keep them any more. 

They're very nervous, unsure of themselves and shy at the moment, as is natural. Mindy has taken refuge behind the washing machine for the time being, and Mork is staying put in the basket. But I'm sure they'll relax before long, and begin to explore their new home, and feel comfortable. I think it'll be an easier acclimatisation for them, because they're together, and each has the reassurance of their constant, known companion.

The fact that they are devoted to each other is brand new for us, as all our previous cats have come to us at different times, and have never really got beyond the stage of being 'used to' each other, and tolerating each other. To have a couple of cats who are real soul mates is a novelty, and absolutely delightful!

Look out for lots more photos as they get used to us and come out to investigate the house.

The Red Collection - out today!

Thrilled to announce my latest book from Black Lace!

THE RED COLLECTION is a jumbo anthology of my previously published shorter work. It's stuffed with my short stories that have appeared in Black Lace anthologies, two chunky paranormal novellas, BUDDIES DON'T BITE and ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT, and one or two other bits and bobs.

For a list of the goodies, a bit of info, and a teeny tiny taster, zip along to:

THE RED COLLECTION

Available from the Amazons thus far, other online outlets hopefully to follow, and also from physical bookshops and supermarkets various.

Look at this!

I've been ill the last few days, with a dreaded lurgi that's going around. But look what arrived while I was laid low!

Here are the details - Accidental Call Girl page

It's out on 14th February in the UK and 26th March in the US. 

Don't Panic!

Don't worry... it's still me, Portia Da Costa!

As it's the new year, I decided that I'd try a new look, both here and over at my web site. I've been meaning to do something for ages, because the pink and fluffy, with a Victorian background, just isn't in sync with what I'm writing any more. I do have another Victorian book coming out, but even that has a restrained black and white cover.

The new colours are to match, more or less, the livery of my Black Lace books nowadays, especially the Accidental Trilogy... though the header is my evocative blindfolded girl... Gwen, from In Too Deep.

There's still a lot to do, a lot of tidying up and improving, but I feel better for starting to make changes and starting 2013 with a sharp new style.

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! :)

New Year's Guidelines

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

I'm setting guidelines rather than solid resolutions this year, because I think I stand a better chance of success that way... although some of the guidelines will have to be as solid as resolutions, or my editor will kill me! LOL

Writing Related Guidelines

• Write 1500 words per day, every day, if I can
• Not get cross about things I can't change to do with publishing/self publishing/the book world
• Remain positive about my strengths
• Try and work around my weaknesses
• Meet my deadlines
• When deadlines are met, take time out for a REST!
• Not check my self published sales figures any more than once per day
• Ignore 'dramas' as much as I can
• When first guideline met, do something about my mailing list and my web site
• Blog more

General Guidelines

• Not dwell too much on my age
• Relish the small pleasures of everyday life
• Adopt new cats [think that one's already in process]
• Try and be a smidge more active
• Try and eat a smidge more healthy
• Not dwell too much on health phobias and fears
• Try and be more organised generally
• Finally make serious effort with Dumpster Office of Doom
• Watch less junk telly and more 'fill the well' telly
• READ more!

I may add to these later. Wish me luck, eh? :)

Two more pretty covers!

Here are two more gorgeous covers... for books #2 and #3 of my ACCIDENTAL TRILOGY, due out in August and October of 2013.

Book #1, THE ACCIDENTAL CALL GIRL, is out in February... on Valentine's Day no less! :)

Looking ahead to 2013

Anthology Jan 2013 Info/Buy

Black Lace February 2013 Info/Excerpt/Buy

HQN Jun 2013 Info/Excerpt/Buy

2013 is going to be quite a full year for me! I've got all these titles coming out, at least, and I hope to add some more to my self published list too. Check them out!

Ecstasy in the White Room - Spice Briefs [Jan 2013]

The Red Collection - Black Lace [Jan 2013]

The Accidental Call Girl - Black Lace [February 2013]

Diamonds in the Rough - HQN [June 2013]

The Accidental Mistress - Black Lace [August 2013]

The Devil Inside [reprint] - Black Lace [September 2013]

The Accidental Bride - Black Lace [October 2013]

Compliments of the Season!

An Apology

December has been a weird, weird month for me, and with so much going on, I've sort of had to abandon Christmas. 

I was already super busy with writing, and enjoying working on The Accidental Mistress... but I still hoped to source some presents, and send out some cards - albeit probably ecards - and generally enjoy the festive spirit and try and spread some of it around to those I love and care about. I don't do a big Christmas thing, but I was planning to do some stuff, because I do love Christmas and I always hope that everyone will have a good one... 

But then Alice got ill. And when that happened, I couldn't think about Christmas at all. All I could think about was her, and the professional commitments I had. Writing helped, because I had to throw myself into it, and for a brief while, I was in the world of my story, and my mind was distracted from worrying about her. 

Sadly, the recovery I hoped for her wasn't possible, and on Wednesday, we had to have her put to sleep... and now, there's no time, and I have no heart for Christmas. Plus, I have revisions to do for another book, as well as the main book I'm on a deadline for...

So, there's no Christmas to speak of here. I feel bad for not sending cards and presents. I feel mean and like Scrooge... but it's not really that way. I do wish everyone well, and I would love to have spread happy Christmas spirit around, either in tangible terms, or just the emotion of it... but for Christmas 2012, that's just not to be. 

But hopefully, next year things will be different. With any luck, we'll have new cats to love by then, even if we still remember and honour Alice. And I hope that also, things might not be so crazy on the writing front, so I've time to embrace and enjoy the pleasures of Christmas and to spread them around. Hopefully, I'll be able to reach out and connect with the people who think I've forgotten about them, and that I don't care about them... and share the fun and joy of this special time.

So please, dear friends, do have a wonderful Merry Christmas and accept my good wishes for the festive season and for the year of 2013.

Love

Portia

ps. I'll probably still be around on Twitter, and possibly on Facebook, so if I see you there, I'll say hello.

The Next Big Thing

I was tagged in a blog meme, entitled THE NEXT BIG THING, by the fabulous Kristina Lloyd. It involves the answers to some questions about... well... the next big thing in my publishing life. Here goes:

What is the working title of your book?

The Accidental Call Girl. It's the official title and it's part of an even bigger thing, my 2013 Accidental Trilogy.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I was originally inspired to write it after reading Belle De Jour's Diary of a London Call Girl and watching The Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

What genre does your book fall under?

It's an erotic romance with an emotional journey that spans the three books in the trilogy.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

There's no doubt that the hero, John Smith, must be played by Simon Baker if the story was ever to be filmed. For me, John and the character of Patrick Jane are physically identical, even though they have very different personalities.

Lizzie, the heroine, has a lot of fun with her passing resemblance to 50's glamour icon Bettie Page, so I think a good actress to play her would be Gretchen Mol, as she appeared in the Bettie biopic, The Notorious Bettie Page. She has a softer more modern look than Bettie herself, so she'd be perfect for Lizzie.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

"The Secret Diary of a Call Girl... by mistake."

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It's published by Black Lace and I represent myself.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Four or five months.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I'm not sure it's quite like anything else. At least, I hope not!

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Well, that's pretty much the same question as the one about where did the idea come from, isn't it? So the answer is much the same... Belle de Jour's memoir. Although when I first had the idea, I'd never seen The Mentalist, so you could say that the gorgeous Simon Baker inspired me too, in the actual writing of the book, as he's provided a visual that wasn't there in the original concept.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Instead of this being a book about a precocious young stud in his twenties, my hero, John Smith is a beautifully mature and seasoned forty-six. This makes The Accidental Call Girl something of an age gap romance, because John's lover Lizzie is only twenty-four.

The Accidental Call Girl and the entire trilogy is set in the same world as quite a few of my other books, the universe that began with Entertaining Mr Stone. Some of the action takes place at the infamous Waverley Grange Hotel, of Suite Seventeen fame and Lizzie lives in the same Northern 'borough' as the heroines of all my 'Stoneworld' novels ie. Entertaining Mr Stone, Suite Seventeen, In Too Deep and Kiss It Better.


I won't tag anyone else in this meme... but if you feel so inclined to carry it on, please do go ahead! :)

RIP Alice

It is with enormous sadness that I announce the death of our beloved cat, Alice. Within the last two weeks we discovered she was suffering from an aggressive liver cancer, so the only kind thing we could do for her was to have her put to sleep.

She slipped gently from this world this morning and will be sorely missed


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