Monday, February 25, 2013

Short Story Submissions Call: Campus Sexploits 4 - Foreign Exchange Students Anthology


"Campus Sexploits 4 - Foreign Exchange Students" -College/University Anthology

Due to the overwhelming response to the first three "Campus Sexploits" Anthologies, once again we have decided to open calls another anthology in this sizzling series!

This line is very popular so the earlier you get your story in to us, the better chance it will have of acceptance. We reserve the right to close the submission call before the posted due date if we have reached the maximum number of 200 submissions.

Naughty Nights Press (NNP) is seeking short stories, between 4500 and 5000 words, involving college or university settings and the sexual antics of the students within. This can be a real tale of something that happened when you attended college, or something you wished would have happened.

All stories are to revolve around the difficulties a foreign exchange student may encounter in a new school and in a different country and “show” how the reader can differentiate between the characters.
We are looking for descriptions that shout out the non-American status of the exchange student: physical descriptions, accents and brogue relative to their natural country, and any other means of identifying the differences they may encounter in an American University and the possible ways they may use to get around those differences when engaging in sexual escapades, or attempting to.

Some Examples:
* Cultural differences of foreign exchange students when it comes to food options, preparation or method of eating and how they can be overcome via the age-old common interest of all students: Sex.
* Having trouble with the language barrier, how else can the student make himself or herself understood?
* An exchange student hires you, their young Professor, as an after school hours tutor to help them better in understanding your class and you find you’re the one being tutored in more ways than one. Or perhaps, you are teaching them something more “American” that is done via the bedroom.


All stories are to be well written, drawing the reader in and making them feel as though they are there – touching, exploring, and tasting every little image and emotion, hearing the beauty to behold of an accent, smelling the intoxicating scents.

Several submissions will be chosen from those stories we feel best represent a foreign exchange student and contain a strong story line focusing on the relationships and sexual escapades of the characters. At least a HFN ending.
No bestiality, rape, or underage sex.

Works must be original, previously unpublished or free of existing publication rights, polished and ready for publication. This means we do expect all submissions to be free from spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors, AND formatted as requested.

Please ensure that all submission requirements are followed in the manner detailed below. For multiple submissions please send each in its own individual email with separate cover information, synopsis, word count etc. Limit of 2 submissions per author please.

Text is Times New Roman 12, 1.5 line spacing. No other formatting, header/footer, page numbers, tabs, indents or spaces please. Underline all text that is to be italicized.
Identify chapter breaks with *** centered, one blank line above and one blank line below.
  
Required on the first page of the manuscript:
Your Legal Name and FULL Contact Information
Pseudonym
Title
Genre/Sub-Genre
Word Count
100 -150 word short blurb
A 50 -75 word biography written in the third person
Link to blog or webpage (choose one only)
Your Marketing Proposal

Include a brief synopsis in the body of the email.
Please ensure you include your story as an attachment to the email in .doc format (No docx or rtf). Save the file in the following manner: YourLegalName_StoryTitle_Campus Sexploits4.doc
Do NOT put stories in the body of the email or they will be automatically discarded.

Send to: submissions AT naughtynightspress DOT com with "Campus Sexploits 4" in the subject line.
Submission Deadline: April 1, 2013
Notification: June 2013
Ebook Publication: on or before September 2013
Payment: One time payment of $10 upon Ebook publication, and one eBook copy of the anthology for personal use only.
Exclusive worldwide publication rights.

Campus Sexploits 4 cover design courtesy of Shane Willis, Rad Act Photography

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Patience young grasshopper...

                                          
           This is something I’ve been seeing a lot of lately not particularly with NNP and their authors but I’ve been seeing it just the same. I’m not lecturing anyone because we as writers all have days when we think to ourselves that we want things to move to the fast track for our careers. We want one of our books or short stories to be discovered by the masses, without having to lift a finger, we want it to be turned into the next big thing. When this doesn’t happen immediately we tend to blame it on a few different things.
One, it wasn’t this particular book’s time. Trends happen in everything in our lives, clothing, interior design, hair styles and entertainment. Last year it was Help, this year it was Fifty Shades of Grey, two vastly different books, next year who knows. It might be your book and it might not but for it to be the book of the year…well you would have better luck of getting struck by lightning and a bus at the same time. Focus on moving forward instead of wondering why this one wasn’t it.  
Two, we start to look outside ourselves and our books for someone to blame. It isn’t our fault, its everyone else’s. Usually our publishers are the ones to take the brunt end of this particular jab. When this happens you typically blame your publisher for not getting the books out fast enough. Okay, first off, do you want the job done quick or do you want the job done right? I’m sure a publisher would love to see one more book on the shelf…they need them there if they are ever going to start paying off the debt generated by getting it there. It costs them money, a bigger gamble than we ourselves as authors make; you in turn need to remember that patience is key. You’re worried about one book, they are worried about twelve.
Three you’re not promoting enough or your promoting too much. For some people promotion is a joke and they choose to do the bare minimum to get by. They choose to focus the majority of their time writing new stuff. Other’s will promote a single title so hard that they’ve stopped writing all together. Now this is where it gets tricky. Like everything in life there is a happy medium and it is your job to find what that is. If promotion didn’t work, thousands of companies, musicians, and writers wouldn’t be wasting their precious time and money on it but it’s far easier to get a fan base and multiple sales if you have more than one thing selling at a time. Wal-Mart knows this. Are you going to get more notice with one book or ten…simple math, so keep writing and keep promoting.
So in conclusion my humble opinion on the matter and advice to anyone looking at writing to be as easy as winning the lottery…dream on because the chances of that happening are about the same. Slow and steady wins the race. It takes years of hard work, patience, love and above all dedication to the craft to become the writer you want to be. You want everyone to buy your book, so do I, so does he and so does she, we all want that but glory goes to those who work hardest and outlast the rest. Think of that the next time you want to quit.

Monday, February 18, 2013

For Writers, By Writers | Erotica for Dummies

Now, I know none of you are dummies. Erotica for Dummies just tickled me as a title.

Let's talk about it.
 As I was thinking of a topic for this Monday's entry, it hit me just how many ways there are to describe erotica in a story.

  • Erotica
  • Erotic Romance
  • Romantica
  • Fiction with strong romantic and erotic elements
  • 18+, Meant for mature audiences only 
There are plenty of other places that define these categories, like this article over at Library Journal about Full-Frontal Shelving. Good reading. And everyone here already knows that erotica is not porn. Smart Bitch Sarah over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books said it best. No need to rehash.

The thing about erotica is that the focus of the story is the sex, right?

Well, kinda.

If that's all it was, then we'd be writing and reading porn, right? But we say erotica isn't porn. So then, why is it erotica?

It's erotica because the story takes us there the same way good foreplay does. 

I think everyone who writes romance should read Intimate Behavior: A Zoologist's Classic Study of Human Intimacy by Desmond Morris. It's an oldie but goldie. It discusses the stages of intimacy and the patterns of human behavior learned from infancy. The potential for depth in a relationship fording the uncharted waters of intimacy and sexuality in each interaction is phenomenal for a writer who understands how it all works at such a subconscious level.

Would this level of intimacy be hotter if you knew they just met?
Sex and physical intimacy go way beyond sex. By the time Tab A fits into Slot B, the couple (or threesome, or more, ha!) have covered astonishing ground.

One of the stages of intimacy that always strikes me so powerfully is the 8th stage: Hand to Head. By the time a couple has reached this stage of physical intimacy, they have conquered other tense challenges such as Arm to Shoulder, and Arm to Waist. Oftentimes, they reach the 7th's stage --Mouth to Mouth-- at the same time they reach the 8th stage.

Why is this so important?

Imagine this:
He stepped closer, his features half-hidden in the firelight. The deep russet of his silk waistcoat seemed the color of dried blood in the flickering light. She swallowed hard, trying to still her breathing.

Her heart pounded beneath her breast, and she knew her cheeks must be glowing pink. It seemed she was alight from head to toe. "Y-Your reputation precedes you, Master Kensington." She caught herself twisting her apron into knots and smoothed it down with sweaty palms.

 He laughed, a deep rumble that made her insides quiver. "You think you cannot trust me?" Ethan reached out and tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear. The back of his knuckles traced down the line of her jaw, then tipped her chin up to look at him. 

Her stomach was twisting in upon itself, and her knees shook. She backed away a step, out of his reach. "I know I cannot trust you."

Okay, so this is an exaggerated example, but you get the idea. Putting hands to another person's head is a considerable leap in personal space. The head houses the brain. One hard blow can incapacitate and even kill someone. Most people duck their heads when they flinch. It's instinctive. Most of our senses --taste, sight, sound, smell-- are done with organs located in the head.

To allow someone to go there is quite a statement of trust with their physical safety.

As an erotic romance author, I try to give plenty of significance to the levels of intimacy that my characters would find particularly significant, given their individual backgrounds and personal space. A finger traced down the side of a cheek, in the right context, can be more erotic than the moment before a climax involving three penises, one female mouth, seven groping hands, and a rubber chicken.

Not that I have anything against the chicken.

It's all fun and games 'till someone kicks a chicken.

***

Writing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. That inspiration can carry you through the 90%, but only by understanding the tools at your disposal. Delena knows a thing or two about writing tools and how to make the most of your writing. Want her to prove it? Visit her blog The Printed Fox and check out her series For Writers, By Writers. Delena Silverfox is a historical erotic romance author with Naughty Nights Press.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Gemma Parkes sharing Wicked things


As Valentines Day is approaching l though it might be nice to write a post about this yearly tradition and excuse to get closer, for the entire evening, to the one you love.
If your anything like me you won’t have a lot of spare time, any free time l get is taken up with promoting (yes l know l should be writing instead). So romantic or not, Valentines Day gives us the perfect opportunity to make time for loving.

What puts you in the mood? For me it’s a wonderful meal, good wine, a deep bubble bath and some serious lingerie! I cannot stress enough how important underwear is to me, it has to be sexy, all the time. Lacy, frilly, pretty yes but definitely sexy. He has to want me there and then when l parade before him in my glossy stockings and wet look thong and suspender belt with peephole bra! I want his jaw to drop, l want him to think that he’s the luckiest guy alive. Then l can make him the luckiest guy alive because that reaction turns me on so much l will do whatever he wants, twice.

This time of year finds me busy with a new release ‘A Wicked Game’, a Hotshot in the pipeline ‘A Voyeuristic Lover’ and several half written anthology submissions lying around all over the place. Let me tell you about ‘A Wicked game’:

Synopsis:
A clandestine encounter between lecturers at Keywood upper college campus is witnessed by second year psychology student Lucinda White. Determined to make the most of this opportunity Lucinda embarks on a little blackmail, convincing senior lecturer Mr. Peter Caine that she will keep quiet about her discovery in exchange for a series of after college tuition.
Peter, bemused and flattered by the attention she pays him and worried about the power she holds over him, then embarks on a dangerous liaison with Lucinda. Peter finds himself drawn to the student as she teases and entices him, playing games with his desire.
As their illicit relationship deepens however, Peter’s long time girlfriend and fellow lecturer, Miss. Amy Price becomes increasingly suspicious. Annoyed by the attention her partner is paying to Lucinda, Amy becomes determined to uncover the truth.
Peter and Amy’s world is turned upside down as Lucinda’s demands increase in their intensity.
But what does Lucinda really want? Is there more to this enigmatic girl than meets the eye?
‘A Wicked Game’ is a story of sexual desire and intrigue. Follow it through its many twists and turns until the story reaches its final climax.
This book is sexually explicit and intended for adults only.

Excerpt:
Taking the initiative and ignoring his worried expression, Lucinda walked forward and dropped slowly to her knees in front of Peter. She looked up into his face and began to caress his thighs softly, through the thin fabric of his trousers. Peter didn’t stop her. When her hands fell on his belt buckle and started to remove it, he was incapable of moving, even the memory of his own name was presenting a problem to him. As she teased his trousers down towards his knees and stroked his erection through his boxer shorts, Peter closed his eyes. There was no hiding place now, no pretence; the throbbing in her hands gave away his desire. He was lost, she had won. Slowly she moved him towards her waiting mouth.
Peter opened his eyes as she took him in; he looked down to see her mouth encase him.
“God.” he groaned.
Agonizingly slowly she slid him back and forth along her tongue, cupping his balls with her left hand and gripping the base of his cock with her right. Lucinda’s eyes were wide, fixed on Peter’s face, her soft full lips held him in place, gripping him the way he loved to be gripped.
“Oh God.” he groaned again.
Lucinda’s tongue flicked over the head of his cock, tasting the small pearl of fluid that had escaped his eager body. As she slid her tongue back down he felt it press against the underside of his shaft and he gripped her head instinctively.
“Yes.” he moaned.
Then she sucked, she lapped, she slid him in and out of her tight, wet mouth and it was exquisitely unbearable.
Peter tried to steady her head. He closed his eyes as the mere sight of her was pushing him close to the edge. He buried his hands deeply under her hair and tried to slow down the passion that was threatening to erupt too quickly.
Again Lucinda flicked her tongue and again Peter cried out. She rocked against him faster and his grip on her scalp deepened.
Then he pushed.
  Buy Links: 

 Amazon US


Amazon UK


All Romance




 See you next month, until then stay sexy,

Gemma


Monday, February 11, 2013

The power of Social Media... Who is actually listening?

Hello again! Good to see you all, I've been debating what to write about, and just when I thought I was absolutely stumped, it was one of my followers on Twitter that inspired me. Well, should I say completely humbled me actually. And it's to her, I dedicate this post.

Social media. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, you name it, you simply can't get away from it at the moment. Or ever. Whole families are on Facebook, and and with so many different fora to keep an eye on in order to market and spread the word about my books, at times my head is in a complete spin. What to do for the best? What is the best approach to tackle the beast that is Social Media? I've read endless things about how you should 'network on twitter' or 'network through FaceBook' but these techniques work well for certain individuals. There is no 'one size fits all' when dealing with people. Individuals. And that's what you have on Social Media. Individuals. Everyone is different.

My haunt of choice has increasingly become Twitter (@DesireDarkly), because I'm an avid conversationalist. Whilst I can't hold thousands of conversations all at once, I do try and respond to those who interact with me, and as a result I've made some very valuable connections indeed. I've been invited onto radio shows, guest blogging spots, and run many competitions and gained loyal, dedicated fans who I am indebted to for so many reasons I cannot count - but I never forget each and every input into my work that they have given to me. My books have been shaped for the better through their passion for my characters. Further to this, Twitter has other uses for me in the way of #sixwords and #oneline where I can explore the thoughts and emotions of my characters in short, succinct bursts... many of which have led to breakthroughs in stories where I have otherwise become a little stymied. Social Media can help an author in many more ways than just shouting about the books I write. I think that if my readers can see me as the person I am, the person behind the pen name, then they will seek my work out through the images that I create.

Now, to the real point of this post. You never know, who is out there... Listening, watching, reading... It was in an interaction this evening where a truly remarkable woman reached out to me and told me what my words meant to her. I was speechless, and so incredibly moved. I will not go into the depths of it, but, it made me realise just how much people do read and absorb what you put out into the ether. And exactly what it means to them.

I cannot be anything but what I am, and sometimes it's a mind-blowing reality to realise just who is reaching out to you, from around the world, reaching out with complete trust and honesty. Social Media might be seen as flippant and trivial, but in actual fact, if you look behind the masks of protection, the vibrancy and many facets of human emotion and relationships can be seen in very sharp focus. Never underestimate the power of Social Media, the individuals you encounter in passing, might very well be the key to your future inspiration.

logo-red-tall

It is for this very reason that my Street Team was set up. I had so many loyal readers that I wanted to give something back. I can't give a great deal, but as many were leaving reviews and doing other wonderful things to help me, I thought the least I could do would be to try and do something. So, if this sounds like an idea that you may be interested in helping with... check out my link here Street Team. I do hope you'll join me along my journey, and thank you for dropping by and taking time to read my thoughts today.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Can A Man Be Sensual?


Greetings folks! I’d be the less snarky and more sensual one, Rawiya, half of the BLRawiya writing team of the Triad that also includes, Michael Mandrake.

As you may or may not know, we’re all fans and writers of gay male romance. We love the tension, the stories of the struggle for two men to be accepted in a society that frowns upon homosexual relationships. It makes for great stories many readers enjoy and some of them really love it when there’s more sensuality between the men.

What does that mean?
 
First, define sensual: In the dictionary, it means a multitude of things. Arousing or exciting the senses is the one that caught my eye. When we think of sensual, we usually equate that with females, because we like more of the complete picture. We’re more than just visual. We like to feel, taste, and sense the emotions in our characters just as if we were there with them.

A lot of female readers who are picking up gay romances want the men in the stories to be sensual with one another and to show how aroused they are. No wham bam, sex. Give them the tender kisses, the touches, massages, the tugging at clothes, the nuzzling of necks, WHEW! I like it all and so do BL and Michael. We refuse to be writers that don’t show every little bit of emotion between the men in our books. A lot of them might do it too much which might be nauseating to some but I think the majority appreciate it.

Why do people think men can’t be sensual? I mean, in my hetero relationship, I’m happily married to a fairly sensual male. Some days, he just holds my hand, touches my face, gives me a back rub. Yes, usually it leads to more but isn’t that supposed to happen? Is every man supposed to be this hair grabbing, fuck you senseless with no emotion kind of individual? Hells no. If mine was, I can tell you, I’d show him the door. The key is balance. Can he grab you and manhandle you and still be tender at times, tells you he loves you, adores you, and still be all man?

Yes! Definitely!

Our ideas of how men are or should be remain skewed. The men’s perception of themselves is even worse, when they equate being soft and sensual to be femme. Maybe that’s why we, as females, love gay men and their stories because a lot of them realize they have a soft sensual side and accept it. Nothing wrong with that at all and straight men, if you have it, embrace it.

The women, like me, will love you for it.

So, in closing, be sensual, show your feelings. It doesn’t mean you’re any less of a man. It means you’re human. Stop thinking you can’t do that and not be all male. In my opinion, when you show your sensual side, it makes you more of a man to me.

Blurb: Matthew Davidson wants a MAN! The setting shifts away from the America’s to Britain where Matthew and his childhood friend, Devon Peartly attend a cooking school to obtain their cooking certificates. The young man wants a partner so badly, he decides he’ll try an online dating service in hopes of finding a black man that can take care of and satisfy him romantically.

He finds that man, Antwon Bantu on an online dating site and is instantly intrigued. Little does Matthew know that Antwon is involved in a “convenient” marriage and is seeking a younger partner so he can finally get on with his life. Instead of confessing the truth, he decides to hide it, fearing he’ll lose the chance with Matthew if he informs him. To complicate things, Antwon’s wife claims to be in love with him. Antwon must choose what’s more important; loving Matthew or saving his impeccable reputation as a top barrister in the London courts?

Which will he choose?

In this scene, Matthew is expecting a called from Antwon and can’t help but be nervous.

After school, Matthew did everything he could think of to keep himself busy until nine pm. He cleaned, did all his homework, cooked dinner, and talked Devon into leaving for the evening even though his good friend wanted to stay and hear the conversation. He couldn’t wait to hear that voice. Just thinking about the rich deep tone made his hardened muscle swell underneath his sweats. “Damn, what time is it?”
Nearly eight thirty; just a half an hour till he’d hear the voice of his potential new man. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t into Caucasians at the moment. Matthew assured himself he’d make Dlovr change his mind very quickly.
Matthew went into his room, trying to relax and get his wits about him. He lay on the bed he’d just made up, holding the phone in his overly busy hands. “Damnit, I’m so nervous.”
It had been awhile since he was this overjoyed about talking to someone new.
He just has to be the one.
All the signs pointed to him being the one he’d been searching for, with the only tiny detail being his preference for black or Latino. Nothin’ against men of the colored variety but I’m quite entertaining.
Gripping his cell tightly, he smiled to himself and stared at the screen. What would Dlover sound like? Matthew hoped he’d have a deep voice like Barry White, along with a slow hand. “Mhph.” A face like Denzel wouldn’t hurt! Although Matthew did say that looks didn’t matter that much, he had to wonder if Dlover was at least an average looking bloke. What if he’s butt ugly but real sweet? Just the thought made Matthew shudder. “We’ll cross that bridge when I see the picture.” He bit his lip and placed the handset face down in his lap. “C’mon nine o’clock.” This waiting period made Matthew even more uncomfortable. One by one, he began biting his nails on one hand while the other fidgeted with his curls. All kinds of what ifs ran through his brain. What if I’m not able to sway him? What if he’s pissed when he sees I’m not the man in the photo? What if he is butt ugly? Matthew shook his head and sighed. This had to be the longest half hour of his life. “Maybe I should call him, maybe…”
Jarred from his deep thoughts, Matthew nearly jumped out his skin when his phone blared the simple ring tone. His palms slightly moist, he wiped them on his trousers. Attempting to relax, he took a deep breath, and pressed the green button. “Hello?”
“Hi there, is this Choco?”
Matthew grinned and drew up his lips. A slight bit of guilt came over him. Choco eyes and hair but not skin. “Yes it is, is this Dlover?”
“It is indeed. How are you?” The smile came through the headset making Matthew’s smile grow wider. Not quite Barry White but still sexy. He licked his lips and propped his cell on his shoulder. “I’m good. My name is Matthew by the way. And yours?”
Silence then the voice came through once more. “Antwon. It’s good to talk to you, Matthew. I have to say I’ve been looking forward to this.”
“Yeah me too.” Making himself comfortable on the couch, he shifted and stretched his long legs out over the coffee table. “I have to be honest, I’ve been quite nervous about talking with you all day.”
“Same here. Maybe we could calm each other down. It’s not like we’re meeting one another in person… yet.”
The last part of that statement caused Matthew’s heart to skip a beat. Yeah they weren’t meeting but what would occur when they did?
Hopefully he’ll still like what he sees.


Check out the rest of the series here on Amazon

RAWIYA is the more sensual erotica writer in the BLRawiya duo. She loves multiracial characters who overcome obstacles other than race. Sweet, sassy, and spicy would be the best way to describe her work. Happily married mother of two, loves music, computers, and travel. She blogs regularly at Wicked Sexy Writers. For more please visit the Rawiya's blog on Wordpress


Friday, February 1, 2013

Whisper On A Scream by Cree Walker in paperback plus a painting to be won


Visit participating blogs here


Don't forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a one of a kind painting inspired by Cree Walker. Scroll to the bottom of the post for information on how to be in the running.

Cree Walker is over the moon in being able to announce that one of her bestselling books, Whisper On A Scream is now available in paperback format.

Choosing which NNP author and book was a very difficult choice to be made. So NNP went with the readers choice for who would be the first lot of paperback novels to be released and Cree Walker’s book was one of those rating the highest.


Book Description:
Sugar Lubec is the daughter of two bitten werewolf parents. When born werewolf, Jack Coon, is sent by the Council to eliminate the daughter of their greatest enemy, he thinks his chance for revenge has finally come – that is until he meets Sugar for the first time. Now he has to not only convince the Council that Sugar isn't a threat to them, but that she maybe the very key to save their dying race.



***
What People Have Said:The story line was unique and kept my attention through to the last page. You find yourself rooting for the characters, you want them to beat the odds stacked against them. This is the perfect recipe for an entertaining book. 5 stars

Great start to a new series. I liked Sugar and you'll like Sugar, because she has a strong personality ... funny, and snarky ... loyal and strong willed. I don't know how many times I laughed at her comments throughout the book. You'll cheer Sugar on through her trials and tribulations and cry when things work out. I think everyone has a little bit of Sugar in them, and you just want her to come out on top in the end. 5 stars

Fantastic storyline. I thought the story line was fantastic, I was drawn into Sugar's world and found myself rooting for this character, hoping that the world would allow her some happiness after denying her for so long. There are glimmers of humor and also romance which alleviate the darkness of the storyline. 4 stars

This is one of the best books I have read in along time. Could not put it down. Love the detail and descriptions so that I could put a face to Sugar and Jack. Simply a wonderful story. A+++++ Cree. Well done. 5 stars
***


Paperback: Createspace | Amazon


***
Meet Cree Walker:
Cree Walker lives in Northern Maine, otherwise known as the part north of Bangor. There she lives with her partner in crime and most patient debate opponent and their two dogs, a Doberman Pinscher for snuggling and a thirteen pound Rat Terrier for security.
She can be found most days typing away at the computer or because she’s forced to, working a full time job as an advanced psychiatric technician for the local hospital.
***
Contact Cree Walker at the following places:
a Rafflecopter giveaway