Call for Submissions: SPANK!

***Permission to Forward is Granted***

Spank!

Be part of a spanking good read!

Edited by D. L. King
To be published by Logical Lust late summer or early fall 2010
Deadline: January 15, 2010
Payment: $25 and a copy of the book in available electronic formats, plus a copy of the print edition, if the book does well enough to go into print.

D. L. King is looking for hot spanking stories.

Sometimes all you need to get hot and bothered is a good bottom warming… Whether getting or giving is your passion, this book is designed to create the same blush on your face as the one found on your bottom after a few good, hard whacks.

What makes for a sexy spanking story? Short, plaid, Catholic schoolgirl skirts? Bent at the waist, a bare bottom with the boxers and pants down around his knees? A stern schoolmarm, or head master, standing in front of a blackboard, holding a rattan cane? A dungeon wall covered with all sorts of paddles, floggers and canes? A scolding? A punishment? A pert bottom settling over charcoal gabardine trousers? A ritualized display of dominance? The crack of a hand coming down on already heated flesh? Send me something guaranteed to make naughty girls and bad boys, the world over, squirm in their seats when they read this book!

I envision this anthology as being primarily heterosexual, but I’ll happily consider GLBT stories, as well. Remember, no underage characters, please. Stories should be between 2,500 and 5,000 words, double-spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman or Courier New. Please indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch and do not include extra lines between paragraphs. Please make sure your document contains no other pre-set formatting.

Send your story as a .doc (not .docx) attachment and include the title, pseudonym (if applicable) and your legal name and mailing address to spankantho@gmail.com. (If you are unable to send a Word attachment, I will accept an RTF.) Subject line should read: Submission: [TITLE] Please include, as a second attachment, a 50 to 75-word bio, along with ways you might help promote the book should your story be accepted for publication. Direct any questions to the same address. Original stories only. You must own all rights to any reprints.

 

Jim Brown

Logical-Lust Publications

Interview with erotica author, D. L. King

D. L. King dlkingerotica.com is a New Yorker with a penchant for smut writing. She is the editor of Where the Girls Are: Urban Lesbian Erotica and the up-coming

Smut specialist - D L King

anthology, The Sweetest Kiss: Ravishing Vampire Erotica, both from Cleis Press, she is also the publisher and editor of the erotica review site, Erotica Revealed.

Some of her most recent work can be found in anthologies such as Broadly Bound (Phaze), Girl Crazy, Swing!, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma’am, Frenzy, Best Women’s Erotica, Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica and Best Lesbian Erotica.  You can find her also in the soon-to-be-released anthology, Like a Sacred Desire: Tales of Sex Magick (Circlet Press).  She is the author of two novels, The Melinoe Project and The Art of Melinoe.

LL:  Who is your toughest critic?

DLK: I’d really have to say that I am my toughest critic.  I tend to think whatever I’m writing, at any given time, isn’t really very good.  I’m disciplined enough to soldier on and finish what I begin.  (Unless, of course, I’m right, and the story does indeed turn out to be utter crap, in which case I file it away with the rest of the unfinished stuff—because you never know, sometimes you can turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse…)  Usually, given distance, I’m pleasantly surprised when I go back and read a story.

But that’s why I really do rely on a couple of other people to give me an objective opinion when I’m working.

LL:  Does your family/significant other know and support your writing?  What do they think?

DLK: The SO is also a writer of erotica; as a matter of fact, that’s how we met.  So, yes, he supports my writing.  I really value his critical and editorial skills, too!  And—he doesn’t get mad when he recognizes certain lines, descriptions or sexual escapades…

As for my family, my mother died many years ago, but I know she would have been supportive.  My sisters know what I write.  They are both supportive, although one will actually read my work, while the other is a bit more reticent to do so.  My father learned that I wrote erotica (after I expressly told one of my sisters not to mention it) and was quite a bit less than happy to hear about it.  I never mention it, which is a shame, as I would like to share my successes with him.

LL:  Name an author whose work you’ve read for the first time that you enjoyed.

DLK: Donna George Storey recommended Susan DiPlacido’s book, American Cool (iUniverse) to me.  We reviewed it on Erotica Revealed and it sounded like an interesting read.  I’ll tell you what, that woman can write!  I read a lot of books, many of them extremely well written but Susan DiPlacido’s use of language blew me away.  She has three other books out, as well: 24/7 (Zumaya), Trattoria (Mundania) and Mutual Holdings (Magic Carpet).  I’d recommend her—and she’s a Las Vegas junkie, as am I!

LL:  Name a few references every writer (or writer in your genre) should have.

DLK: I have the following on my desk, by my computer: the Royal Shakespeare Company’s William Shakespeare: Complete Works (Bate & Rasmussen, 2007, Modern Library Edition, NY, NY), a well thumbed copy of The Oxford Dictionary of Current English, Third Edition, Oxford Pocket American Thesaurus of Current English and The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases. I also have a copy of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.

But, I’ll tell you, in Donna George Storey’s interview, she recommended The Synonym Finder (1978, Rodale Press).  I bought a copy and haven’t looked back since!  I LOVE THIS BOOK.  Thanks Donna!

I also use a version of the OED on my computer.  (As you can tell, I’m an OED snob.)

LL:  Who or what has been your best teacher when it comes to writing?

DLK: I credit my 10^th grade English teacher with teaching me to write.  Her name was Ms Welch.  She was ancient.  I’ve no idea what that would translate to now.  Ancient is relative when you’re fifteen years old.  She was mean.  She didn’t take any guff.  She corrected absolutely everything.  She used red pencil.  She took pride in correct usage of the English language.  Because of Ms Welch, I can write clearly and concisely.  (I even named one of the characters in The Melinoe Project after her.  It’s OK, I’m pretty sure she’d dead now.

LL:  Describe your experience getting published for the first time.  Would you have done anything differently?

DLK: My first two novels are very hardcore, explicit works of fem dom.  (Recently, a friend who just finished reading both books told me that she was happy to discover my Melinoe books were indeed, “extremely explicit, hardcore BDSM” as she is usually disappointed when she reads that on a cover and later finds that the book in question doesn’t come close to her idea of “extremely explicit, hardcore” fiction.)  There aren’t a lot of imprints that publish that sort of thing.  It took me over two years to get the first book, The Melinoe Project, published.

At the time, there were only three print publishers that would be interested in the title.   The first had signed all their titles for the coming year and asked me to resubmit in a year, if the book was still unpublished.  The second, through a series of mishaps, actually lost my manuscript—twice—before finally going out of business.  The third publisher seemed to be too squicked by the small amount of forced bi male action in the book.  (I don’t know—go figure.  I’m just telling you…).  By the time I got back to the first imprint, they had changed editors and the new editor needed me to begin the process again.  That editor liked my writing but felt the book was a bit too much for them at the time.

It was then, after having exhausted what looked like my only print options, I began looking at electronic publishers.  Let me just say, “I don’t write romance, erotic or otherwise.” With that on the table, there weren’t a lot of electronic publishers who would be interested in The Melinoe Project either.  I found Renaissance E Books and sent the publisher a query letter.  She was interested in seeing the manuscript, so I sent it to her.  She got back to me within the week and offered to publish it.

So, about two years and a week later, I got a contract!  Renaissance have since published the sequel, The Art of Melinoe and a short novella, The Marrying Kind.  The Melinoe books are also now available in print (CreateSpace) through Amazon.

LL:  Where did the idea for The Melinoe Project come from?

DLK: Such a good question, that.  You know, I’m not really sure.  I can tell you exactly when I began writing it (the Friday after Thanksgiving in 2002).  I can tell you the circumstances (friends and their child had driven down from upstate NY for Thanksgiving and stayed over.  They left that Friday morning and after I saw them off, I sat down at the computer and began writing).  What came out was this really extreme piece of fem dom erotica with elements of science fiction.  Oh yeah, and a lot of medical fetish.  Where the hell did that come from???  I really have no idea.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

LL:  Does your writing turn you on?

DLK: Abso-fucking-lutely!  If it doesn’t turn me on, how can I possibly expect it to turn anyone else on?

A HUGE thank-you to D.L King for the interview, and good luck with your new projects!

Jim Brown

LL-Publications

Logical-Lust Publications

You can still enter the EPIC 2010 ebook competition!

EPIC - home of the premier ebook awards competition

We’re pushing the EPIC contest hard in the last few days of the entry period. Because we brought the contest forward to a new time in the calendar, this year is a foreshortened year and entries aren’t quite as high as previously. Entries are healthy, but to keep momentum going we’d like as many late entries as possible!

I’m looking for a favour from you all and asking if you can forward this to all your groups, loops, and anyone you think might find it interesting! Also consider entering yourself!

Please copy and forward to all!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

EPIC’s premier eBook competition needs YOU!

How you may ask? Let me tell you how…there are a few ways you can help this wonderful ebook contest out.

First, this contest is in need of entries. Last year you knew the contest as the EPPIEs but with the ever changing field of ebook publishing, EPIC has decided to revamp the contest and rename it more in line with what it has come to be to the industry as a whole. This is the best ebook competition out there and there are those within the finalist ranks who have gone on to become NYC authors. EPIC has been seen as an innovator in the ebook industry for more than ten years and wants to continue to do so for each and every ebook author!

With over 30 categories to choose from there is a category specific to your genre in the ebook field. This includes categories in children, poetry, fiction, romance, erotic romance and many, many more.  Entries are still being accepted until August 15, 2009 for ebooks published between October 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009. Full details, plus entry forms here: http://bit.ly/M9NUc

Finalists will be announced November 2009 with the awards presented to the receiptents at EPIC’s 2010 conference in New Orleans, March 4-7, 2010.

Second, EPIC needs judges and if you feel you can qualify as a judge, please sign up immediately for participation! Only industry professionals need apply. Contact Anne Douglas at epic.competition.coordinator@gmail.com for more information. You will read some of the best books in the field…and love doing it!

And finally, don’t forget to sign up for EPIC’s 2010 Conference in New Orleans. We have a host of great people this year with agents, editors and authors alike. The conference is still small enough that you will get the special attention you need as a writer but large enough that you’ll be rubbing elbows with industry professionals in the eBook field. Just some of our schedules guest include Debra Dixon, Deidre Knight and Holly Jacobs as well as industry professional such as Daniel Reitz of Mundania Press with more signing up every day!

The information for EPIC can be found at http://www.epicauthors.com/, so don’t hesitate to stop by today!

Thanks!

Jim Brown
&
Carol MacLeod

Interview with Randall Lang, a Magnificent Man!

Hello, I’m Randall Lang and I’d like to thank Jim and Zetta of Logical Lust for inviting me here

Randall Lang, author or romance and erotica

today. For those who are unfamiliar with me, I am a writer of erotic and romantic stories and have been plying my trade for many years. My works include a story contributed to the recent smash success anthology SWING! edited by Jolie DuPre. Please visit me at my website at www.randalllang.com or my blog at www.randalllang.blogspot.com.

Name an author (or authors) whose work you have read or the first time that you enjoyed.

I’m sure that it comes as no surprise to anyone that, as a straight man, I don’t actually read a lot of romance. The numerous books by Morgan Ashbury delicately straddle the line between romance and erotica. Morgan’s work continues to appeal to me because of the unique angles and plot twists that she brings to a story. As much as I hate to admit it, Morgan’s romance stories are usually more ‘hard edged’ and less ‘mushy’ than mine. Now for erotica, we are neck and neck.

How/when did you decide to become a writer?

I had enjoyed writing in high school, although the ‘forced’ aspect of theme production took most of the joy out of it. With the required reading in both high school and college, I formed the mistaken opinion that a writer had to have a PhD in literature and be fluent in several languages in order to produce a readable book. My technical education soon took me away from writing and the idea of writing stories was quickly left behind.

Years later I developed a desire to read books about local history and, in particular, the history of the underground coal mines that were the keystone of the economy where I lived. One of these was Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam, the book that later became the hit movie October Sky. The man had a way of telling his stories in simple language that flowed along as I read, creating clear mental images of the people and places about which he was writing. I found that so impressive that I read several more of his books and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Well, if he could do it, maybe I could also.

My work at the time was underground, and required me to walk for mile after mile during the twelve hour shifts. With only the sound of my own footsteps in the dark and nearly silent environment, my mind came alive with thoughts, ideas, and stories that would otherwise have been lost to the din of surrounding noise. Hour after hour the thoughts would appear, take shape, and develop into romantic and erotic stories. During my break periods, I began to hand write the stories into a spiral bound tablet that I carried with me. Soon I had numerous stories, and it seemed that, as soon as one was written, another would pop into my head. Once I started compiling them on a computer, books began to take shape. With a pile of stories completed, I began to wonder, “Are they good enough to publish?”

Describe your experience getting published for the first time. Would you have done anything differently?

As I sat with my collection of stories, I had NO idea even how to look for a publisher. A few Google inquiries taught me that what I had written qualified as “erotica”. When I began looking for publishers, I quickly hit what I call the “pink ceiling”. The first publishers I found were interested in works by “Women only” or “GLBT only”. I compiled a long list of publishers and, one by one, read their submission guidelines. My dirty little short stories simply did not seem to fit any of them. Looking back, I sorely wish that Logical Lust had been around. Eventually I stumbled upon a publisher who appeared to deal predominately in whips and chains BDSM books, but also carried some straight erotica. With my ‘what can I lose’ attitude in place, I formatted my stories to that publisher’s requirements, wrote up a transmittal letter with all requested information, and attached my stories. To my surprise, I received a personal reply from the publisher in about a week. Among other recommendations was a suggestion to change my pen name from the “Randy Rider” I had submitted into “Randall Lang”. I am eternally grateful for that. In my naïveté, I had assumed that the author of erotic works was required to have a ‘porn star-esque’ campy name. After a few more communications, I received a contract form that I quickly signed and sent back. With no edits and no further communication, my books shortly appeared on the publisher’s website bearing a couple of completely forgettable and meaningless covers, and entitled, “Sweet Nothings” and “Sweet Nothings 2”. It was an amazing feeling to see my work published and available for sale. In the years that followed, I developed another book of erotic stories and a five volume series, all of which were plopped onto the website without edits, previews, cover design consultation, and in some cases, without signed contract forms. It was not until I began to explore the book loops that I began to get a picture of how the system actually works.

Would I have done anything differently? Probably not. The exhilaration of seeing each new book come up for sale, even with a crappy cover and inaccurate blurb has to be better than submitting endless queries and receiving numerous rejections.

What is one of the nicest things a critic or fan has said about your work?

Considering that most of my work is erotica, I actually get little feedback from readers. My only gauge until recently has been those beautiful blue lines at Fictionwise. As long as the lines are blue or green and not brown, I’m happy. I did receive some nice words from Editor Jolie DuPre after she read my story for the SWING! anthology. Kind words from her are high praise indeed. My newest release, Magnificent Man, was very well received by the editors, but, at this time, I am still awaiting critical reviews. My fingers are crossed.

Does your family/significant other know and support your writing? What do they think?

Before Magnificent Man hit the streets, I had kept my writing a secret from my grown children. Having a Dad who writes ‘dirty books’ is probably not something that they would brag about to their friends. I’ll send each of them a signed copy of Magnificent Man, and if they care to research Randall Lang, they will learn what they will learn. Otherwise, the undertaker can fill them in after he fills me in.

Does your writing turn you on?

Oh HELL yea! If it doesn’t ‘starch me up’, it certainly will not be interesting to the reader. The mind is the most sensitive erogenous zone, and that is the one I wish to stroke.

Name a few references every writer (or writer in your genre(s)) should have.

Let me scream this from my well-worn soapbox! D-I-C-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y!  For GOD’S sake, learn to spell and learn to use a dictionary! Misspelled words are giant gaping potholes in the story that distract the reader from the journey that you have written. DO NOT depend upon ‘spell-check’! Get a dictionary and USE IT! The spelling on the book loops I visit is appalling, and that is from published authors.

A grammar guide is essential. Again, DO NOT rely upon the grammar-check of MS Word. It was developed by Chinese people who went to Argentina for a one-week training course in English. It does not even know the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ or ‘its’ and ‘it’s’. If you wish to call yourself a writer, you must learn how to punctuate and when to capitalize. One of the absolute best reference sources I have found is http://www.getitwriteonline.com/ . In the archives, they have actual answers for those sticky grammatical questions.

Finally, every writer should have a good thesaurus. When the editor screams about a writer overusing words, the thesaurus will help to correct that problem. I was always taught that, “You don’t have to remember this stuff now, but you must know where to find it later when you need it.” AMEN to that. A writer without reference guides is a blind man driving a bus. Your writing represents you and you DO NOT want it to say ‘moron’.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Any suggestions?

YES, and this was confirmed by a recent discussion in a book loop. When the writing becomes stalled, jump ahead to a scene that you know will be part of the story later on and write that scene. Then simply continue on from there until the muse delivers the connecting prose. I have written as many as three scenes ahead of time and connected them up as the ideas came to me.

Where did the idea for Magnificent Man come from?

Magnificent Man is Don Quixote on a motorcycle. Not literally, but figuratively. I am by nature anachronistic. I believe in the old values of honesty, chivalry, nobility, and faith and I wanted a hero who could share those values, without question, in the face of tormentors who wished to tear him down. But how could I create such a man in today’s world and where could I put him so that he would be accepted and admired? Once I had a hero and a location, the story fell together like the last pieces of a puzzle.

How and where do you do your research?

Most of Magnificent Man takes place in the desert county of the American Southwest. I spent two weeks in Arizona researching the desert, the history, the towns, the people, even the roads of that area. The rest I did using internet research. Magnificent Man takes the main characters on a journey through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, and if you use a road map, you can follow them route-by-route, town-by- town, and reservation-by-reservation.  I created an imaginary town where my hero was born, La Mancha, California; everyone should get THAT one, an imaginary town near the Mexican Border, and an imaginary county where an ugly incident occurs. Other than that, places, buildings, etc. are real. I started to use the names of real people but changed my mind.

SWING!

This is the point where I shut up and the reader says, “Finally!” Once again, I want to thank Jim and Zetta Brown of Logical Lust Publications for the courtesy that they have extended to me, and I wish them much success on the launch of the print edition of SWING! available now. Please feel free to visit me at my website, www.randalllang.com, or to direct question to me at randymann64@yahoo.com. I remain,

your most humble and obedient servant,

Randall Lang

Interview with Jeremy Edwards

This week we’re interviewing the writer with a pose for every mood – Jeremy Edwards!

Jeremy has his own unique ways...

Jeremy Edwards is a pseudonymous sort of fellow whose efforts at spinning libido into literature have been widely published online (at Clean Sheets and other sites), as well as in numerous anthologies offered by Cleis Press, Phaze Books, and Xcite Books. His work was selected for the two most recent volumes in the Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica series. Meanwhile, out on the newsstand, Jeremy’s stories have been seen in Scarlet and in Forum (UK). In addition he appears in the star-studded line-up of erotica authors in SWING! Adventures in Swinging by Today’s Top Erotica Writers, published of course by us at Logical-Lust! His first erotic novel will be unveiled soon.

So, Jeremy, what’s one of the nicest things a critic or fan has said about your work?

“I’ve been reading your stories to my lover.”

What makes your writing different from your peers? What kind of reading experience can you give your audience?

I love how, as writers, we all have our own distinctive voices. I think some of the elements of my writing personality that inform my particular flavor of erotica are a passion for witty, self-actualized women; a taste for offbeat “romantic” situations; a keen interest in the subtleties of language; a bottomless appetite for gentle laughter and both physical and psychological euphoria; and a zest for the elemental, animal urgency at the foundation of human sexuality.

Does your significant other know and support your writing?

My wife has been familiar with my erotica-writing efforts from the first, and once I got a feel for how to do it she became an enthusiastic admirer of my work. She’s truly wonderful and always supports me in everything I do; but it’s great to know that she actively appreciates my erotica, beyond simply supporting it out of general supportiveness.

Does your writing turn you on?

Yes indeed! (But not by the time I’m on the fourteenth draft)

Name a few references every writer (or writer in your genre(s)) should have.

I’m a big fan of the Chicago Manual of Style. There are other style manuals, of course (and I’m not familiar with all of them); but one thing I especially like about Chicago is the way it combines an authoritative, well-considered, and remarkably comprehensive and detailed exposition of the many stylistic questions that a writer can face with a refreshingly realistic acknowledgment of the gray areas, compromises, judgment calls, and shifting sands we encounter as we attempt to make our prose conform to standard conventions. Using the manual not only answers my specific questions, it also enriches my overall perspective on language use.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Any suggestions?

If you have the luxury of spending many hours at a time in your writing place, I recommend leaving the stubborn writing project open on your screen while you nibble away at other tasks. Keep going back to that open document, from time to time, to glance at what’s there and give your subconscious something to chew on . . . and—if you’re like me—after a while, on one of those visits, you’ll probably find you can add a little something to what you have there. By the end of the day, maybe you’ll find that you’ve added a bunch of little somethings, or perhaps even a medium-sized something, and that you’ve reestablished your engagement with the work in progress.

Going for a walk is also often helpful, in my personal experience. (And even if it doesn’t immediately help you surmount the writer’s block, well, hey, it’s good for you in other ways.)

Thank you, Jeremy, for a great interview! Jeremy Edwards can be followed at his blog

Jim Brown

Logical-Lust Publications

Interview with M. Millswan, author of the successful “Snap Shot” series

Snap Shot 2 - Sorority Sex

Man of mystery, M. Millswan stops by the Logical-Lust blog to share the secrets behind his successful “Snap Shot” series and also reveals the valuable advice received from a very famous author. “Snap Shot” is a long-running readers #1 voted story on Literotica, and the sequel, “Snap Shot II” was recently released as an ebook by Logical-Lust.

Name an author (or authors) whose work you’ve read for the first time that you enjoyed. [Looking for small or independent press authors, but national best-sellers are OK too.]

Roger Erskine Longrigg, writing under the pen name, Rosalind Erskine came as a real surprise to me. Years ago at a video store, I once ran across a B-Movie titled, “Boarding School” starring a very young Nastassja Kinski. The source of the screenplay intrigued me, so I tracked down the book the film was based upon: “The Passion Flower Hotel.” Roger, or Rosalind, whichever you prefer, has a very British, very literate, and also engaging and light-hearted approach to his/her characters and story telling. The lead character in the novel, Sarah Callender is unique, a precocious blend of innocence, bohemian decadence and aristocratic sophistication all rolled up into the body of a hormonal teen-ager. I was truly blown away when I learned “The Passion Flower Hotel” was not written by a woman. I recommend the work of Roger/Rosalind highly.

How/when did you decide to become a writer?

A romantic catastrophe led to my writing erotica. About ten years ago, after surviving a tropical storm, unfortunate circumstance forced my wife and me into a period of separation. Isolated and all alone in the jungle while waiting on the Costa Rican government to rebuild the road, with no phone or Internet, each week I penned her a handwritten letter. As weeks stretched into months, I also began writing a love story, graphically describing just how much I missed the love and intimacy we shared. Once we were reunited, at the urging of my wife I entered the story in the Del Rey Writer’s Workshop, and “Rolling the Bones” won critical acclaim. That’s what started it all. Though it was “Snap Shot” which took my professional career to another level. Its on-line success gained me notice by the well-respected literary agent, Lori Perkins. And it was she who sold my first paperback novel, “Living in the State of Dreams” to Blue Moon Press.

What is one of the nicest things a critic or fan has said about your work?

I don’t want to come off as having been too influenced by my fan mail, but hey, everyone’s ego enjoys a little stroking now and then. Below are two I really appreciated:

“Having read erotic literature for close to forty years and enjoyed many, many stories, I truly feel that this is the best of the best. You are truly talented. I am thankful that you took the time to write this masterful tale and I am also thankful that I was fortunate enough to have stumbled upon it. I will remember this story as long as I live. Thank you.”

“This is the best erotic story I have ever seen. It makes sex stories pale in comparison. This is not about the sex, but the eroticism of childhood, the intimacy of growing up next to the girl you dreamed about. It’s about coming of age, viewed through the lens of a lifetime. If I could give you a 10 on a scale of 1 to 5, I would do so.”

What is your philosophy on writing?

No passive voice. Actually, that’s one of my inside jokes, which hasn’t always been so amusing. But, at the same time those three words offer quite a bit of meaning. As do my stories. I don’t write just one story. To me, the best story is one that has shades of grey to it and multiple levels of meaning for the plot, the characters … and the reader.

What makes your writing different from your peers? What kind of reading experience can you give your audience?

As I said above, I endeavour to write about more than what a reader gets at face value. All of my stories are filled with double meanings and sub plots which give them a depth beyond what is going on at the surface. Professionally, I am probably wasting my time, as it rare that a reader catches on. After all, what we are talking about here are simply erotic stories, meant to titillate and excite. Or so it would seem? Yet when a reader contacts me and tells me he or she realised what else is happening, I take that as the highest form of flattery. On another note, again and again readers have told me they find my work extremely visual. They say not only can they envision themselves in the story as they read, but that they feel as though they are actually there … at that place … in that time … feeling and experiencing what the characters are feeling. That, too is high praise, as building that level or reader involvement is what I strive to do.

Does your family/significant other know and support your writing? What do they think?

Yes, my wife has been the inspiration for more than one of my stories. She’s also a writer, and very helpful as she is a skilled editor, proof reader and grammatician.

Does your writing turn you on?

Sometimes I am very turned on by what I write. I’ve had stories and scenarios I couldn’t get out of my mind. Other times, I write as a formula to “push the buttons” of what various readers will enjoy. In my day job, at times I have entertained clients who enjoy adult entertainment. I’ve told women who come up to me, “See that guy? He’s my client. If he likes you … then I like you.” It’s not always about me, and that’s how it should be.

How do you create your “world?”

I think one of the main reasons I am who I am, is because all of my life when I should have been paying attention, I was daydreaming. It has always been second nature for me fall into envisioning scenes, characters and interplay of dialogue. In college, I studied film and television and did some producing and directing as well as writing. In a screenplay it is most important to envision the scene, and for me, that’s where I always start. I look around the room or place I can see in my mind, and then I write about what I see there.

Who or what has been your best teacher when it comes to writing?

I was fortunate enough to once have the privilege of corresponding with Isaac Asimov. I was just out of high school and attempting to write science fiction, yet not getting anywhere. I decided to write him for advice, as I was and am a big fan of his work, and he is one of the most prolific authors of all time across so many genres. It amazed me when he actually wrote back. The advice he gave me about how to create a believable story out of an unbelievable situation stays with me to this day. He said if you want a story to be believable, you can only ask a reader to suspend one single belief at a time. He also said to never quit trying despite rejection and frustration. And lastly, he said if a story is good enough to be published, it’s good enough to be paid for. All of this helped me write my first sci-fi bestseller: “Farlight.” The well-respected and extremely experienced literary agent, Lori Perkins has also been a valuable mentor in providing me with glimpses of what the business of publishing is really all about.

Where did the idea for “Snap Shot II” come from?

My idea for the “Snap Shot” series came from a vintage erotic photo I ran across. I was mesmerised by this singular photograph of a young woman sitting naked on her dresser. Knowing how clandestine such photos were back then, I wondered why would she take the risk of allowing herself to be photographed in the nude? I also wondered what led up to her being naked on her dresser, what happened immediately after the photograph was taken, and who was taking the photo. Out of that came my most well-received story to date. Here is a bit of an insight about “Snap Shot.” The title is an example of one of my usages of double meaning. I’ve never told this to anyone before, but “Snap Shot” is spelled as it is because it’s more than just a photograph. It’s a “Snap” Shot. “Snap as in the slang term to become aware. To “snap” to something. Each of the stories in the series is a description of a person becoming aware … “Snapping” to their situation in life to the opportunities life presents, to love, desire, and the fulfilment of a dream.

Interview with Lori James of All Romance ebooks and OmniLit!

With the opening of their exciting new bookstore, OmniLit, who better to interview today than the forward-thinking co-owner of All Romance eBooks, and OmniLit, Lori James!

Lori James obtained her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Baylor University in 1984 and her Masters in Social Work from San Diego State in 1988 before beginning her career as a psychotherapist. After working for fifteen years in the healthcare industry, first as a clinician, then in Quality and Regulatory Management, Lori left what she used to call her “real life” day job in early 2007 to pursue writing and working in the publishing industry full-time.

Lori was a founding partner and the Chief Operating Officer of Linden Bay Romance, LLC, a small independent publishing house that was sold in late 2008 to Samhain Publishing, Ltd. Today she is the co-owner and Chief Operating Officer of All Romance eBooks, LLC. The eBook distribution company does business as All Romance, selling to the romance market and OmniLit, selling to the entire fiction and non-fiction market.

When not hard at work, Lori enjoys travel, spending time with her friends and family, reading, watching movies, and wine tasting (she collects California cabernets). Or, you might find her sequestered in her office with her laptop or out at a convention or book signing. Writing as Samantha Sommersby, Lori is the author of many novels and novellas, including the critically acclaimed cross-genre paranormal romance series Forbidden.

All Romance ebooks

1) The first question needs to be: Who are All Romance ebooks?

I co-own All Romance eBooks, LLC (ARe) along with my business partner, Barbara Perfetti. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Palm Harbor, FL. We currently have two brands under which we do business, All Romance (www.allromance.com and www.allromanceebooks.com), which specializes in the sale of romance eBooks and OmniLit (www.omnilit.com) which sells both fiction and non-fiction eBooks.

Barb and I certainly don’t run the company by ourselves. We couldn’t possibly. We have a full-time Marketing and Promotions Manager (Julie Cummings), a full-time IT Manager (John Jacks), and a part-time Media and Public Relations Manager (Cat Johnson). In addition, there are several people with whom we have contract and/or consulting arrangements.

2) Where did the idea for ARe come from and what factors do you think have contributed to the success of All Romance?

Like almost everything that Barb and I do together, it started with one of us calling the other one and uttering those four little words that honestly can make both of our husbands wince: “I’ve got an idea.” In this particular instance, it was the belief that romance readers deserved their own on-line store, one place where they could find books by all of their favorite authors and publishers.

Barb and I are both very driven, we seem to find inspiration everywhere, we have similar values, and we’ve each had lots of experience working in big business. ARe wasn’t our first collaborative endeavor, we also owned Linden Bay Romance, LLC, a small independent press that was sold to Samhain Publishing, Ltd in late 2008.

Although it was our experience as a publisher that initially sparked the conceptualization of ARe, it quickly became apparent that in order to establish something that was truly unique, something we could be really excited about, we needed to focus on meeting the needs of three primary customers—readers, publishers, and authors. This has been very much a collaborative effort.

During the development stage we interviewed a lot of people and we listened. Raven Moore, president and publisher of Liquid Silver books, gave us a piece of advice in the beginning that has served us well. “Make it easy,” she said. That became our mantra. So much about life is already hard. We face enough challenges. Barb and I decided early on that we wanted the customer experience at ARe to be spectacular.

We started with what we knew best, Romance. Today we continue to work closely with readers, publishers, and authors, accepting their feedback and often incorporating their suggestions as enhancements. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve and we’re very invested in doing what we can to help grow the eBook market.

While broadening our customer base is an on-going focus, we’re also very committed to keeping the customers we have and servicing them fabulously. There’s a personal feel to the All Romance site akin to that of an independent brick and mortar store that specializes in romance. We know our site, we know romance, we know the publishers and the authors, and we know that even though we don’t see our customers face to face, that they are real people that are entitled to real service.

3) How many books are currently listed with All Romance?

Right now we have a little over 18,000, and the number’s growing all the time. Publishers are constantly adding new content. We’re also in the process of bringing on several additional publishers, so by the time this is out I expect that number will be quite a bit higher.

4) What else makes up the ARe empire?

First let me say that my parents are going to be very impressed you’re calling it an empire. What I do is largely still a mystery to them.

After opening our doors, All Romance quickly became more than just an on-line bookstore. The best neighborhood bookstores are places where customers can hang out, where authors can promote their works, and where the two can interact. So we have launched quite a few initiatives to support those ideas.

We have a customer newsletter, Wildfire, which contains new releases and a variety of columns. Due to it’s popularity and growth over the past few months, we’re in the process of a substantial expansion of it’s content. For about a month we’ve been quietly interviewing prospective columnists. It’s being announced here first, that soon the Wildfire will be re-launched as a twice-weekly eZine.

Then there’s the “What’s Hot in Romance” radio show hosted by Cat Johnson. The show is aired on Blogtalk Radio every Monday night from 9:30-10:30 EST. Cat does a fabulous job with it and our listenership keeps growing. The archive is posted to our library and the link is embedded in our newsletter, so there’s lots of exposure. Each segment contains interviews with two or three of today’s hottest authors. She always schedules around new releases, so there’s fresh content for listeners. This year we took the show on the road with a sound crew to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention and BookExpo America and taped interviews. It was a blast!

We also just announced a new charity project – 28 Days of Heart – which will benefit the American Heart Association. This coming February, when everyone’s attention is focused on matters of the heart, we at All Romance will be partnering with authors to fight the number one killer of women, heart disease. Authors interested in reading the details of the submission call can do so here.

Then there’s a host of author services we provide that Julie Cummings coordinates. Most of these are of no cost, although we do have a couple advertising opportunities as well. We offer group ads in print magazines where authors can participate, we host videos, there are chats, interview opportunities, support for eBook signings, and our Free Read program which allows readers who aren’t familiar with eBooks to try them risk free. Authors can go to the Advertising/Affiliate link at the bottom of our webpage for details of all these promo options.

Last, but certainly not least, there is OmniLit – our new sister store. Although we should probably start calling it our mother store since it contains the entire catalogue of romance/erotica from All Romance in addition to other fiction and non-fiction titles. More on OmniLit later in this interview!

5) How have you seen the popularity of ebooks change since you began?

The popularity of eBooks is soaring and they are becoming more and more mainstream. When I first became involved with the industry eBooks were very much a niche market, but in the last twelve months we’ve experienced an excess of 300% growth in sales. A lot of those sales are due to mobile phone users discovering the fact that they are carrying an ebook reader in the palm of their hand.

For years I heard folks say that the eBook market wouldn’t explode until there was a good enough eBook device on the market. Now we have the Sony, Kindle, Cybook Gen 3, and Cool*ER. More compelling, in my opinion, has been the smart phone technology. With the iPhone, iPod Touch, Blackberry Storm, etc., people have a viable reader in their pocket. They can search the Internet, download, and read instantly.

Almost all of the NY publishing houses now are offering digital content. It’s no longer a fringe market. But it does still provide the reader with options that are edgier. The ePublishing business model allows publishers to take more risks, more chances. That won’t go away. In fact, I think we’re going to see more of it.

6) Do you think sales of ebooks, in general, are affected by economic issues?

Yes, I think the current economic climate has helped increase sales in the eBook industry. Our average price point on an eBook in All Romance is $4.67, which offers readers an inexpensive way to take a break from life during these stressful times. We sell a lot of Happily-Ever-Afters and Happily-Ever-After-For-Nows. We get emails daily from customers thanking us for providing them with a venue to easily find the types of books that bring them joy.

7) What do you think the next big step in improving ebook popularity will be?

Improved content and advertising. When you’re a niche market, people will come to you and they will be tolerant of variance in quality – they don’t have other options.

For publishers, the content challenge will be whether they can keep up with production demand AND maintain quality. In the digital world that means not only strong editing, but making sure that files are formatted correctly, and that your selling venues are cutting edge, attracting the right market, and bringing you the return on investment you need. Keeping abreast of the technological curve is time consuming and expensive. Not all publishers will be able to do it well and not all distributers will be able to do it well.

A publisher’s time is a very valuable commodity. Because of that I think we’ll be seeing publishers questioning and re-evaluating their business model. We’re already seeing some houses that have elected to drop out of the business of selling. Instead of dividing their attention between being a publisher and being a retailer, they are focusing solely on the publication. We’re also hearing from publishers that they are being more selective about which distributers they work with. No one wants to put all of his or her eggs in one basket and no one wants to miss market opportunity. But a scattershot approach to distribution just isn’t cost effective in the long run. We’ve done quite a bit over the past couple years to provide authors with tools to help them connect with the reading public. We’re turning our attention now to focus on some projects that will aid the small and mid-sized presses.

The advertising issue is going to become extremely important. The Internet is vast. You can’t build a website using the Field of Dreams philosophy – “If you build it, they will come”. If you want people to purchase eBooks you need to be actively and smartly going out there and advertising eBooks. And I’m not talking about a particular author promoting their particular title. I’m talking about increased industry advertising to increase public awareness. That’s something we feel strongly about at ARe. Increasing public awareness about eBooks has been a core goal of ours since we opened and we invest heavily in it. One project that resulted from that goal is the www.gogreenreade.com site that ARe sponsors to promote eBook awareness and their relation to the environment.

What’s your views on the ever-present debate over whether ebook authors are “real” authors or not.

Personally, I think that people are focusing on the wrong argument and that the divisiveness is both petty and damaging to the industry as a whole. The fact of the matter is digital publishing is here to stay and it’s a business model that is both growing and profitable. This digital v print argument seems to be about as meaningless as waging a war to once and for all determine whether a song downloaded from iTunes is “real” music. I think people are getting distracted by the argument because it’s easier to focus on and put a label on than the real concern – which is that some individuals want to see more quality control and standards set within the publishing industry. If it should be done and who should do it, are questions worth exploring.

Standards would have to come from an organization that has comprehensive and unbiased expertise AND that offers something of value to authors, publishers, and readers. Until that happens on a large scale we’re looking at voluntary compliance with little to no deterrent for non-compliance. Perhaps more importantly, I see a lot of energy going into internal arguing that could be redirected in a positive way to grow and expand the industry.

The New OmniLit bookstore

9) Do you see yourself doing the same with other genres as you have with romance/erotica on All Romance?

We’ve been asked this question repeatedly over the past couple years. Romance was something that Barb and I both loved and knew, so we focused on that genre first and foremost. Although All Romance is a specialty store, it was really created with the idea to decrease fragmentation in the market, to allow readers to shop in one place, to give them, as our tagline says, “All the romance they need from all the publishers they love”.

With the launch of OmniLit, we’re going to be taking that model further and offering hundreds of thousands of books in all genres. The OmniLit site will have the same kind of search and filtering functions, the same convenience, and the same stellar support. We’ll be offering all the choice and have the technological advances that customers of larger stores have become used to, but we’re going to hold on to those little personal touches and service goals that the smaller stores are sometimes better known for. That’s why we’re calling ourselves “The bookstore on the corner of your digital neighborhood”.

From a reader perspective the shopping experience between the two sites will be seamless. They will have one login and one library. If a reader enters our store through the All Romance door, they can shop to their hearts content there just like they do today. If they want to purchase something other than romance, they can click on the OmniLit button and continue to shop and add items to their cart before checking out and downloading. Or, they can enter through the OmniLit door, choose from hundreds of thousands of fiction and non-fiction titles, then click to continue shopping in the All Romance section of the store before checking out and downloading. Simple.

10) What conferences do you attend annually? Where can our readers meet you?

This year we’ve had a crazy conference season – EPICON in March, Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in April, BookExpo America in May, Lori Foster’s Reader Event in June, Comic-Con in July, Dragon*Con in August, and the West Hollywood Bookfair in September.

Historically we found that attending conventions affords us the opportunity to connect with many of our publisher and vendor partners as well as with readers. For the past six to eight months we’ve found there are many businesses and individuals that have had to curtail their travel budgets, so we’ve been reaching out more by email, chat, and phone. People contact me all the time to tell me what they like about the site and to ask for enhancements. We review and respond to each and every request and we evaluate all suggestions. Because this market and technology is an ever-moving target, we believe that we can keep getting better. There’s no such thing as the status quo. Our enhancement queue will never be empty and we will never get to the end of our project list. Improvement will be on going and continuous.

Readers that can’t make a convention but have an idea they’d like to share can email us using the contact form at the bottom of the website.

Thanks to Lori (and her business partner Barbara Perfetti) for this amazing interview. The All romance/OmniLit brand is going places, and is in great hands!

Brought to you by the Official Logical-Lust Blog!

EPIC’s 2010 Ebook Competition opens today!

EPIC

Today marks the opening of the entry period for the prestigious e-publishing awards contest, EPIC’s 2010 Ebook Competition. EPIC’s competition this year covers 37 genres and sub-genres of fiction. It’s open to ebooks published between October 12, 2008 and May 31, 2009, and the entry period is from July 15th – Aug 15th.

Follow the link to the competition page and download all the information you need http://bit.ly/M9NUc

EPIC is the “Electronically Published Internet Connection” and is the foremost organisation for published/contracted authors and industry figures in the e-publishing industry. It’s the voice of e-publishing. If you figure in the e-publishing industry in any way, you must consider joining EPIC.

Jim Brown

http://www.logical-lust.com

http://www.ll-publications.com

Interview with SWING! author Alicia Night Orchid

Alicia Night Orchid’s stories have appeared on various online venues. “Savage Nights” took first prize in Desdmona’s 2007 60’s Contest. “A Lover in the House of Spies” was runner up in the For the Girl’s 2008 Fiction Contest. Alicia’s stories are also featured in Oysters and Chocolate: Erotica of Every Flavor, Logical Lust’s Swing: Adventures in Swinging by Today’s Top Erotica Writers, and Alessia Brio’s Coming Together: Against the Odds.

Visit Alicia’s website at www.anightorchid.com.

How/when did you decide to become a writer?

I’ve been writing all my life. I wrote and read stories to friends and family since I was about five years old. Then, after college, I gave up on my writing and went to law school instead of pursuing a MFA. After practicing law for a couple of years and not writing, I realized how important it was for me to write. I quit my job with a big law firm and started writing again. I haven’t looked back.

Describe your experience getting published for the first time. Would you have done anything differently?

I was first published in a small literary journal associated with a university press. I submitted a story I wrote in college. Months and months went by and I didn’t hear a word. One day I received a letter in the mail that my story had been accepted. By then, it was pretty anti-climactic.

My first erotic story was published on Clean Sheets. I’d been experimenting with erotica for several months at the time, posting to Literotica to test market some of my stories and get feedback. The story “On Convention” felt really good to me and Bill Noble at Clean Sheets agreed. The story later appeared in my first erotica story collection, published by Renaissance, “Fulfilment and other Erotic Stories.”

I don’t think I’d do anything differently in either case.

What has been your greatest obstacle in getting published?

In the mainstream arena it’s been the competition from so many other really talented writers, all of whom enter the top contests like Zoetrope’s All-Story Contest and Glimmer Train’s monthly contests, and submit to the top literary journals. That same competition has made it difficult to find an agent for my first mainstream novel. I’m hoping with some of the success I’ve had publishing stories and placing in contests in the last couple of years, that it will be easier to find an agent to represent my second mainstream novel that I’m working on now.

In the erotica arena, I’ve been fortunate. Nearly every story I write is published somewhere, in either an anthology or an online site. Finding the time to complete the erotic novel I’ve been working on for three years has been the biggest obstacle to its publication.

What is one of the nicest things a critic or fan has said about your work?

A couple of years ago, I wrote a story for Desdmona’s 60’s Contest. The story, “Savage Nights,” took first prize. I remain very proud of that story, but was especially delighted when the writer Robert Fleming (http://robertflemingauthor.com/index.html) left a note on my website. I keep his quote on there today and look at it whenever I’m discouraged. It says, “I love your work (“Savage Nights”). It’s sizzling, carnal, and precise. No wasted words or images. Whenever I see your name, I know I will enjoy the story underneath. Bravo!”

“Savage Nights” is in a story collection I recently submitted to Logical Lust and hope to see out next year. As a result of reading that story, Robert asked me to submit to an anthology he’s publishing with Cleis Pres early next year focusing on interracial relationships. I think the story I gave him is one of my best.

What is your philosophy on writing?

I believe writing is important because like other art forms it provides insight and offers meaning for life that the mere existential experience of living does not. People sometimes want true stories or stories that are based on true events. But I find the “lies” we fiction writers tell are often truer than reality. Whether I’m writing mainstream or erotic fiction, it’s that insight, that understanding that I’m after. If my characters don’t experience epiphanies, if I don’t dramatize and entertain my readers, if I don’t leave the reader better off for the time he or she’s spent with me, I’ve not done my job as a writer.

What makes your writing different from your peers? What kind of reading experience can you give your audience?

I strive to distinguish my erotica by making it realistic and contemporary. I strive to distinguish my mainstream fiction by making it edgy and sensual. Readers of both my erotica and mainstream fiction will find an attention to craft. I strongly believe that love of language, character development through action and dialogue, and strong plots make for the best and the sexiest stories. That’s because the hottest sex takes place between characters we care about in conflicted situations we are invested in. Although I’ve written a number of “genre” stories, my work is definitely not romance, sci-fi, horror, or fantasy. My work is hard-edged contemporary realism—and I don’t think anyone else writes erotica like that.

Does your writing turn you on?

If it doesn’t turn me on, I won’t publish it. I wrote an essay on this several years ago that’s posted on my website, “Do You Masturbate to Your Own Stories.” I probably get more e-mail about that essay than anything I’ve written.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Any suggestions?

I’ve never suffered from “writer’s block” and I think there are several reasons for this. I’m a freelance writer in my day job, so I have a fair amount of flexibility in connection with my time. I write fiction every day for at least two hours/day. I’m relentless about this. Also, I keep several projects going at a time, and tend to work on the one that is most interesting to me at the moment. Some projects fall off the radar screen, but others emerge, so I remain excited about what I’m working on. Finally, I dedicate myself to a “writerly” life. I read, critique, and talk to other writers daily. I view life around me through the lens of a writer, looking for quirky characters and irony and stories in everything that goes on around me.

Generally speaking, what do you develop first? Plot or characters?

For me a story begins with a character or voice. With my best stories, it’s almost as if the main character is whispering in my ear. I am a mere conduit for placing the words on a page. Once I have that character, that voice, I begin to ask “what if.”

The story I currently have on Clean Sheets, “The Western Front,” is a good example. My character, Jolene, and her voice haunted me for weeks. The more I listened to her, the more I got to know her. Of course, she’s a lonely Iraq War wife. Of course, she lives in a trailer park. Of course, she lives next to a crusty old Vietnam war vet by the name of Rusty.

What if what she misses most about her husband, Carlisle, are the spankings he used to give her?

Why do you write erotica?

First, writing erotica as Alicia allows me to take chances I wouldn’t have taken in my mainstream fiction, but often opens doors on characters and situations that translate into my mainstream fiction. On the other hand, the skills I’ve developed writing literary mainstream fiction distinguish my erotica. I’m convinced I’m a better writer for having written both mainstream and erotic fiction.

Second, we humans are most interesting when we’re panting between the sheets or fighting for our lives. These are the raw, edgy places I want to go as writer. These are the places I want I want to take my readers. I thrive on the rush it gives me.

EPIC’s 2010 EBook Competition – WANNA BE A JUDGE?

EPIC, the Electronically Published Internet Connection

PERMISSION TO DISTRIBUTE GRANTED

This needs posting anywhere authors and publishers and editors and other industry professionals can be found.

Calling for judges!! EPIC’s Annual EBook Competition is looking for judges.

The competition starts accepting entries July 15th!

Judge’s Application:
http://spreadsheets .google.com/ viewform? hl=en&formkey=clBXa1JpTkR qZDdhVmNMODZ6Zjd rVkE6MA

If you can’t click on the above or can’t copy/paste, here’s a shorter link:

http://bit.ly/9AFGw

To learn more about EPIC – The Electronically Published Internet Connection, please visit:

http://www.epicauthors.com

You don’t have to be a member of EPIC to judge, but new members are always welcome!