Riptide Publishing Blog Tour

Riptide Publishing


Surprises (Romeo Club Series Book #1) By Brita Addams


Welcome to Brita Addams's stop on Riptide Publishing's Blog Tour. We love getting to know the authors from Riptide. Brita Addams has stopped by today to grant us an interview. Brita is so giving to our followers because she is offering one lucky person (18+ or older) who comments with their e-mail address their choice from her backlist - excluding A Minute After Midnight, An Evening at the Starlight and Romeo Club. Now, it's time to sit down and let's hear what Brita has to say about her Romeo Club Series.

Brita Addams Interview Questions
Surprises: Romeo Club #1


You have recently released a short story, Surprises, which is the first of the Romeo Club
collection. To start us off, would you like to tell my readers a little bit about the book
from your perspective?


Sure. Romeo Club is ostensibly a dating service for gay men of distinction. It's
upscale and caters to an exclusive clientele. Aaron, the blond cutie who works the
front desk, and a few other things along the way, has an eye for the special guys, and
when he senses that certain quality, he brings the man to the attention of Blake, who
owns the club.


In walks Don, who is sick of the club scene and wants something more and we have
the set up for Surprises.


The Romeo Club collection will be a set of vignettes. Each one will feature a
different client and that person's particular kink. They're short stories, about sixthousand
words each, so by definition, they get to the meat of the vignette rather
quickly. There won't be any romances involved, as these are pure erotica, meant to
get the reader all warm and excited.


Surprises focus on the activities of a private BDSM club. You also have a historical
series that takes place in a similar type of club. As an author, what is it that draws you to
this type of setting?


First, let me say that Romeo's isn't a private BDSM club. It's a private club that
caters to the sexual kinks of its clientele. BDSM is just one of those kinks.
Historically, I don't know for a certainty that such clubs existed, but sex certainly
did. LOL Hence, I created the Sapphire Club and treated the happenings there in
terms of the time in which it existed. The kinks ran the gamut, within the strictures
of technology and invention.


With respect to the Romeo Club, what fascinates me, overall, is the fact that people
really do go to such clubs, motivated by their desires to get the most out of their sex
lives. To explore beyond that which is universally considered the norm, and dig deep
within themselves to find that one element that will satisfy their inner most desires
and needs.


Creating a modern day Sapphire Club seemed a given to me. I often pay tribute in
my writing to that series, which has been very good to me. However, that is where
the two diverge. With each of the Sapphire Club stories, there was an involved story
woven in, with the club as the backdrop.


In the Romeo Club series, we'll explore a different fantasy, a different kink with
each installment. Not all will be BDSM, as a matter of fact, the second in the series,
Rubbed the Right Way, explores erotic massage.


The stories are only five to six thousand words each, and are thoroughly erotica,
which focuses on the fantasy/need/desire rather than delving into the deep reasons
why.


My intention with Romeo Club is to give the reader a hot read either over their
lunch hour or at bedtime, when time is at a premium. Each story is self-contained
and will only have the carry-over characters of Aaron and Blake in most every one,
though not all.

Rubbed The Right Way (Romeo Club Series Book #2) By Brita Addams


A second Romeo Club book, Rubbed the Right Way, is coming out on December 5. Can
you tell us more about this series? Are there more books in store after that? Will they
feature Don, Blake, and Aaron, or will you be introducing new characters?


Blake and Aaron are carry-over characters and the depth of their association will be
revealed slowly as time goes on. Don may or may not appear again, but he definitely
won't be a major player again.


Each story will have a new main character, around which the fantasy or kink will
revolve. It's all about what their desire is and how the Romeo Club can fulfill it.
I have three written, and my intention is to write twelve to fifteen, which if accepted
by the editors at Riptide, will be published over a course of time. I've proposed
several and the editors are receptive, but acceptance is subject to the quality of each
story.


I read on your web site about the process you use for choosing character names and how
you look at things like early census records and your family tree. Did you have any
special inspiration for the character names in this story?


As a matter of fact, the answer is no to that question. I don't know any Aarons,
Blakes or Dons. This story and another recent release, A Minute After Midnight,
are the only two that don't have characters named for someone I either know or
who are in my family tree.


You have quite a big backlist so obviously you spend a lot of time writing. What else do
you like to do to keep you busy?


Ah, well, I, ah, write. That's the truth of it. I spent many years playing at it, raising
my family, and putting creative writing on the back burner. Now, it’s one of my
driving forces. I spend as much as eight hours a day writing, revising, and editing,
but always something to do with the craft.


In the evening, I watch a couple hours of television with my husband and daughter,
then retreat to read for an hour or two before I go to sleep.


I'm never at a loss for something to do and I positively loathe the word "bored." My
children knew never to say that word in my presence because they knew I could
always find something for them do. I often joke that if I'm ever bored, it's by design.
But, alas, I can honestly say, I'm never bored—quite the contrary. There aren't
enough hours in the day to do all I want to do.


Do you find you like to read similar books to what you write? What genre do you most
enjoy reading?


I love historical, het or m/m, though sadly, there aren't a lot of m/m that are worth
reading in that sub-genre. I'm picky, I suppose.


I'm very drawn to m/m these days and have been for quite some time, starting with
my reading of everything in Aleksandr Voinov's bag of tricks. He's damn brilliant
and I simply love his work.


I love biographies and just about anything historical in any genre. I read a little
contemporary romance, but not much. I'm not much for the "Hey, baby, wanna
f**k," bar line and I find that all too often in the contemporaries I've read or shall I
say, attempted to read. The guys don't have to work for it, if you know what I'm
saying, and that doesn't appeal particularly.


Romeo Club, you'll notice, aren't romances. The purpose of the visit to RC is to
satisfy a sexual need. However, in a romance, I want some romance and not just
excuses to get it on.


I am extraordinarily grateful for Riptide and their attention to detail. I'm looking
forward to reading my fellow author's work. If the experience I had is indicative of
what everyone goes through in the editing process, (and I've heard from the other
authors that indeed it is harrowing, but satisfying), Riptide is about to turn the m/m,
gay fiction genre on its ear.


None too soon, from my standpoint. Sad to say, I have more "I Couldn't Finish,"
books in that file on my Kindle than I have in the "Read" one. I crave quality, good
editing, and believable characters.


Here’s the blurb from Romeo Club #1: Surprises:


Are you willing to put yourself in our hands?
Smart, successful, handsome, and thoroughly sick of the club scene, Don ventures
into a popular upscale dating service. Aroused and intrigued by the boldfaced
sexual queries on the Romeo Club’s application, he finds himself embellishing
one answer after the next. Don thinks he’s taking control of his fate, but when
he’s done, he ends up turning over a lot more than just his questionnaire to the
dominant Adonis who runs the service.


In a private back room, beneath the snick of handcuffs, the slide of silk over his
eyes, and not one hot mouth but two upon his skin, Don learns just how much
more than matchmaking the Romeo Club has to offer a guy who doesn’t mind a
few surprises.
This title is #1 of the Romeo Club series.


You can purchase Romeo Club #1: Surprises at Riptide Publishing.


Romeo Club #1: Rubbed the Right Way is available for pre-order. Your order will
gain you an entry in Riptide’s Free Books for a Year contest.


Thanks so much for taking the time to answer all my questions! If folks want to know
more about you or your books, how can they find you?


It seems I'm everywhere. Here's all my haunts:


Email address: britaaddams@gmail.com
Website
Blog
Twitter: @britaaddams
Facebook
Goodreads Page:

Thank you so much for coming! You are welcome back any time!

Riptide Publishing Blog Tour

Riptide Publishing


Grown Men By Damon Suede

Welcome to Damon Suede's stop on Riptide Publishing's Blog Tour. We love getting to know the authors from Riptide. Damon Suede has stopped by today to guest post for us. Damon is so giving to our followers because he is offering one lucky person (18+ or older) who comments with their e-mail address a copy of Hot Head. Now, it's time to sit down and let's hear what Damon has to say.

Action Pact by Damon Suede
(why some “sexy” books just aren’t)

All of us have had the misfortune to read erotic romance that, y’know, isn’t. Ugh. What’s worse?

In theory the characters look hot, the setup seems charged, the intercourse pushes every kind of
blistering sexual boundary but in the end… meh. How does that happen? When does taboo and
carnal become tedious and comical? How can something salacious become a snoozefest? Like
comedy, sexiness that falls flat can actually kill the enjoyment of an entire romance or even
doom a book to the will-not-finish pile… and yet erotic romances need a certain amount of
sexytimes to merit the name, right?

Well, I write erotic romance, so I think about this problem constantly. When I’m reading or
writing, I’m always tracking how stories gets under our skin the right and the wrong ways. After
20 years writing for film and theatre, here’s what I’m learned about hotness on the page:

Actions fascinate people; activities bore them to tears.

That almost sounds like a tautology, but it ain’t.

Readers connect to characters making choices and making change happen in and around their
lives; they always pay attention to specific actions focused on a goal which must overcome
friction. Two naked people rolling around sticking parts of themselves into and onto each other
may be titillating for a couple minutes of rubbernecking, but what engages the reader beyond the
wet spots is the ways that the interaction transform the people involved or the events around
them. Action arouses interest, provokes desire, and sparks empathy. On the other hand, activity
defines tedium: a task or motion repeated without consequence or alteration. The only difference
between the two is the will of the person involved. As Gilda, Rita Hayworth seduces in order to
survive and in order to keep her secrets buried.

Specificity is the source of everything great.

THIS is the reason that Jane Austen can make you hold your breath when hands brush or eyes
meet. Charged by the strictures of Regency Britain, her protagonists risk ruin every time they
speak too candidly or allow intimate improprieties like a lingering glance. The tension allows
actions to occur in maddeningly subtle and seductive ways. Contrariwise, Showgirls will always
be a piece of flaccid sophomoric trash entertaining for all the wrong reasons, no matter how
much groping/grabbing/grinding goes on. Even with the relentless nudity and “kinky”
shenanigans, all of the incessant repetitive activity affects nothing, changes nothing, means
nothing; Wall-to-wall candy-colored sleaze and it cannot even succeed as softcore porn! Yikes.

Readers pick up romance with certain expectations. At the most basic level, they want to
experience the unfolding of a relationship that ends positively. Fair enough. But if the
protagonists hop in the sack on page two then squirm and squirt for 200 pages without sense or
consequence, it will have the emotional and erotic impact of a re-grouting a tub.

Since Hot Head came out, I’ve gotten anywhere from 40 to 50 fan letters focusing entirely on the first kiss between my heroes. That scene is ten pages long and not by accident! I’ll admit, I LOVE kissing and I know that fetish crept into the writing of that scene… but I believe the reason that liplock nails people is because there are about four actions occurring at that exact moment their mouths meet. Those actions infuse the kiss with thermonuclear friction and so it sticks in people’s minds. The readers remember the heat and
charge of that moment because of the actions woven through it.

There’s an old chestnut about Hamlet being this amazing tragic hero who does nothing. This is,
of course, complete bullshit. Hamlet never stops doing things for a moment: he argues with a
ghost, pretends to be insane, stages a play, attacks his friends, insults his family and sullies his
innocent lady love with some very nasty innuendo, murders and betrays and wrestles with cant!
Hamlet’s actions in the play never STOP; in fact the only thing he doesn’t do until the gory
finale is take his justified revenge… but all of those other actions lead inexorably and ineffably
to that perfect bloodthirsty finale.

Okay, so fair enough. Shakespeare knew his shit. Big whoop. How does that translate to the juicy
bone-dance you have planned for your protagonists?

Action or activity? Any activity can be elevated to an action, if the stakes escalate and the
context carries enough charge. And any action can be made into a boring activity if the author
removes the stakes and context. The simplest way to test a love scene? Ask yourself after the
characters climax: what changed because of the intimacy that just occurred? If the answer is
“nothing” then you’ve just wasted time reading (or writing) an activity which fits the story like a
concrete swimsuit.

In essence, readers trust authors to provide action that sustains the story and rewards the time
spent inhabiting its world. The author’s tacit promise to provide action separates pros from hacks
(and prose from pablum). This responsibility to provide action is the basic contract between
entertainment and audience. It’s the root of the overworn “Show don’t tell” criticism from
English 101 classes across the world. It’s a relentless reminder to professional authors that
writing is a job and not a hobby.

My question to you is: how do you plan to keep the sex active rather than an activity. What does
the act of sexual intercourse do, get, or make change in their relationship that drives the story
forward? As an author, you have to move beyond the mechanical porno model (“time for
another cumshot.”) towards character. How is THIS sex scene different than the last or the next
sex scenes? How do the intimacies build upon each other and refract in the characters’ lives? In
life people have sex for any number of reasons, but only some of those offer the kind of drama
needed to sustain a narrative. Having sex for revenge, having sex to heal, having sex to cement a
bond are all clear, playable actions for a character. Activities that will kill the story or cripple it:
having sex to scratch an itch, having sex because you’re bored, having sex because the editor
said, “It’s been 30 pages.”

Of course that’s not just sex; EVERY scene in your story flourishes with action and buckles
under activities. Unfortunately love scenes in particular tend to become literary quicksand if
nothing’s going on but the smoosh. As Hollywood has often observed, any sex scenes on screen
stop your film dead for the three minutes it takes to run a montage of body parts over a song.
Most popular film and television treats love scenes voyeuristically…as boring, static,
inconsequential activities; small wonder that popular fiction does the same.

Bottom line: if you give your readers permission to skim they will. Agatha Christie knew this,
she provided new information on every page. Readers couldn’t skim or they’d be lost. Sex
scenes need that kind of precision and context. No two couples make love the same way; sexual
intimacy is (and should be) as singular as the people involved. Why would any author waste an
opportunity to flesh out these subtle gradations in a character by foisting generic hokey-pokey
onto their readers?

A book is a promise.

When a reader trusts me enough to plunk down hard-earned money to buy something I made, I
believe I owe them something. Labeling a book “erotic romance” establishes a pact with our
audience, and we flout it at our peril. I have a novella called Grown Men coming from Riptide
on October 30 and in many ways it’s raunchier and riskier than my first novel.

In a sci-fi universe which encourages genetic modification and franchised sex
resorts, things were gonna get a little kinky and carnal. An eight-foot giant presents certain…
umm …challenges and opportunities to a normal-sized human lover. My two heroes demanded a
different kind of eroticism, and the vast disparity between their sizes made certain things
possible and other things scary. The eroticism needed to be specific or it would have sucked
asteroids. Discovering the intimacy between them allowed me to map the relationship between
them on their terms. They made the love, I just caught it on paper.

So, the next time you pick up an erotic romance, get specific! Pay attention to the sex. Is
something happening during the scene or does everything stop so they can insert tab A into slot
B enough to punch the meter? Distinguish between actions and activities. Learn to spot activities
when they crop up. Don’t put up with them in your own writing or anyone else’s. Does sexiness
only appear when literal SEX is occurring or do they build sexiness into the characters’
transformations and the world of the book. When and how does it turn you on? If you eliminated
a scene of intimacy how would that affect the story if at all?

Hold all your erotic scenes accountable, those you write and those you read. Are your characters
doing the deed, having sex, or making love? Invest your intimacy with meaning and context to
wring every drop of possible power out of each moment.

Action is a pact all books make. As writers, it’s a promise to our readers, a bargain with our
characters, and an discipline we owe ourselves.

Here’s the blurb from Grown Men:

Every future has dirty roots.

Marooned in the galactic backwaters of the HardCell company, colonist Runt struggles to
eke out an existence on a newly-terraformed tropical planetoid. Since his clone-wife died
on entry, he’s been doing the work of two on his failing protein farm. Overworked and
undersized, Runt’s dwindling hope of earning corporate citizenship has turned to fear of
violent “retirement.”

When an overdue crate of provisions crashes on his beach, Runt searches frantically for a
replacement wife among the tools and food. Instead he gets Ox, a mute hulk who seems
more like a corporate assassin than a simple offworld farmer.

Shackwacky and near-starving, Runt has no choice but to work with his silent partner
despite his mounting paranoia and the unsettling appeal of Ox’s genetically altered
pheromones. Ox plays the part of the gentle giant well, but Runt’s still not convinced he
hasn’t arrived with murder in mind.

Between brutal desire and the seeds of a relationship, Runt’s fears and Ox’s inhuman past
collide on a fertile world where hope and love just might have room to grow.
This title is #1 of the HardCell series.

You can read an excerpt and purchase Grown Men at Riptide Publishing.

BIO

Damon Suede grew up out-n-proud deep in the anus of right-wing America, and escaped as soon
as it was legal. Though new to M/M, Damon has been writing for print, stage, and screen for two
decades. He’s won some awards, but counts his blessings more often: his amazing friends, his
demented family, his beautiful husband, his loyal fans, and his silly, stern, seductive Muse who
keeps whispering in his ear, year after year. Get in touch with him at:

Website
Goodreads
Facebook
FB Fanpage
Google+

Riptide Publishing Blog Tour

Riptide Publishing


Once A Marine By Cat Grant

Welcome to Cat Grant's stop on Riptide Publishing's Blog Tour. We love getting to know the authors from Riptide. Cat Grant has stopped by today to grant us an interview which comes with a great blurb of her book Once A Marine. Cat is so giving today because she is offering one lucky person (18+ or older) who comments with their e-mail address their choice of Allegro Vivace, Sonata Appassionata, The First Real Thing (Icon Men #1), Appearing Nightly (Icon Men #2), A Fool For You (Icon Men #3), or Entangled Trio. So many awesome choices to choose from. Now, it's time to sit down with Cat and get to know her better.


Who are your latest crushes (celebrity, book character, or otherwise)? 


Oh, God! Did you see the new X-Men movie last June? I’ve seen it, like, FOUR TIMES. I’ve been obsessed with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender ever since. I’m also a huge Glee and True Blood fan. Darren Criss is ADORABLE, and Alexander Skarsgard turns me to jelly.


Do you ever keep those people in your mind when writing your own works? 


Rachel Haimowitz and I are currently brainstorming a project with McAvoy and Fassbender-shaped characters. It’s gonna be hawwwt!


If you could pick anyone in the world to be the cover model(s) on your latest release, who
would it be?


Actually, I sent my cover artist photos of Darren Criss and Alexander Skarsgard
and asked her to find models that resembled them. She did a pretty damn good job!


What’s your favorite hobby outside of writing? 


Listening to music, reading, TV & movies.


Do you own an e-reader?


I have an iPad. Best purchase I’ve ever made!


Do you have a favorite character out of all the ones you've written?


Eric Courtland, from my Courtland Chronicles series.


Why is he your favorite?


Probably because he’s not afraid to be an unrepentant bastard when he needs to be. He’s also fiercely loyal to his partners Nick and Allison, and will go to any lengths to protect them. In other words, your typical alpha male – although I usually hate to use that term.

Where can your readers find you? 


Oh, I’m not hard to find! You can catch me on 


Facebook: Here
Twitter: Here
Goodreads: Here
My website: Here


What’s your current book list and where can we buy them?


Check out my Amazon author page
Or my book list over on ARe:


Here's the blurb for my new Riptide release, Once a Marine:


Love is a battlefield.


Discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, former Marine major Cole Hammond is struggling to find a new identity. But PTSD casts a pall on everything, and his hard-nosed, homophobic father can’t even bear to look him in the eye. To top it all off, he’s pretty sure he’s flunking out of law school.


Marc Sullivan is a kind, sensitive romance author-slash-waiter with a thing for men in uniform. Cole’s not wearing his anymore, but there’s no mistaking the warrior Marc meets in the diner one rainy afternoon. Cole’s sexy smile and Carolina drawl prove irresistible, but Marc’s played this game before, and he always loses. Once a Marine, always a Marine, and if there’s one thing Marc knows about such men, it’s that they all leave him in the end. It doesn’t help that Cole’s practically closeted in public, or that he refuses to seek treatment for his PTSD.


But like any good Marine, Cole’s willing to fight for what matters. And like the characters in Marc’s stories, he’s certain that if they try just hard enough, together they can find their own happily ever after.


You can read an excerpt and purchase Once a Marine by clicking here.

Riptide Publishing Blog Tour

Riptide Publishing


A Chip In His Shoulder By L.A. Witt

Welcome To L.A. Witt's stop on Riptide's Publishing Blog Tour. We love getting to meet the authors from Riptide. We think you are all in for a treat. Today's stop focus' on L.A. Witt, who has stopped by today for us to interview. Along with that you will get a blurb from her book A Chip In His Shoulder. BUT it doesn't stop there L.A. is offering to one lucky person (18+ or older) who comments with their e-mail address a backlist book of their choice. I know right, how awesome is that. Now without further ado We present our interview.


What draws you to romance? 

Relationships. I just find the dynamics fascinating, not to
mention endless. Some people have these super sweet relationships that just have me
swooning, while others seem to be madly in love in spite of being a walking disaster. It’s fun
to throw two (or three, in some cases) people together and watch the sparks fly.

Do you prefer alpha/omega relationships in stories, or alpha/alpha relationships, and why? 

I’m hesitant to say I like alpha relationships simply because of how “alpha” has come to be
portrayed in romance, particularly on the hetero side. A true Dom can make me weak in
the knees, but the “alpha males” often shown in romance just piss me the hell off. I like a
guy who’s strong, dominant if that makes him a good match with the other person, and
doesn’t take crap from anyone, but I don’t want an asshole.

Have you ever written outside the romance genre? If not, do you ever plan to? 

I actually started in epic fantasy, but wound up writing romance. I fully intend to branch out as I go
along. Romance is my main genre, but I’ve been dipping into numerous subgenres lately –
steampunk, cyberpunk, vamp/were – so it’s only a matter of time before I go traipsing into
a completely separate genre. In fact, I have a zombie thriller in progress, and at least two
or three fantasy novels. One of these days, I’ll finish them. In short, I write mostly
romance, but I don’t limit myself if a story piques my interest.

What’s the sexiest feature on a man to you? And on a woman? Why? 

On a man, shoulders. On a woman, hips/waist. Why? I have no idea. All I know is, a guy with a gorgeous set of shoulders or a woman with that perfect waist-hip curve can make me trip over my own
feet.

What’s your earliest childhood memory? 

Standing on a ferry dock in Kingston, WA, waiting for the ferry while we ate ice cream that was melting so fast it was dripping on our toes. I think I was two, maybe three. It was vanilla soft serve and I was wearing red flip flops.
Yes, I remember it that clearly.

Who are your latest crushes (celebrity, book character, or otherwise)? 

No one who’s ever been to my blog or website will probably be surprised when I say all current members of 30 Seconds to Mars, not to mention Gerard Butler, Robert Downey Jr, Olivia Wilde, James
Purefoy, and James McAvoy. My crushes, they are many.

Do you ever keep those people in your mind when writing your own works? 

I’ll occasionally use one just to put a face with a character, but I use generic pictures for that too. I just
need to have a face as a visual, whether it’s a celebrity crush or not.

If you could pick anyone in the world to be the cover model(s) on your latest release, who would
it be?

I wouldn’t be upset if a Leto ever graced the cover of one of my books.

What’s your favorite hobby outside of writing? 

Photography.

Do you own an e-reader? 

I have a Sony Touch.

Why?

Because my eyes get tired reading PDFs on my computer. That, and I’m at my
computer 8+ hours a day. Sometimes I just need to move.

Are you a book hoarder?

I suppose I could be accused of that. At last count, I had about 4,000 books (excluding ebooks). Now? I don’t even know how many. And I was heartbroken when I had to leave ¾ of them in storage when I moved to Japan.

What’s the one question you wish people would ask you when you tell them you’re a writer?

The one that isn’t “Oh, my God, you write gay sex? Doesn’t that gross you out?” Sigh.

Here's the blurb from my Ripide release, A Chip in His Shoulder?

“Contract killer” is a fitting job for a vampire, and it suits Liam just fine. Cast down from
the wealth and status of the Sky for taking a human lover, Liam lurks in the poor and
pollution-choked Gutter, killing to survive. Between his natural strengths and his
Cybernetix mods, no mark has ever escaped him.


Liam’s ex-lover Daniel is the heir to Cybernetix—and its greatest threat. Horrified by
people less man than machine and the exploitation of Gutter factory workers, he’d rather
destroy Cybernetix than inherit it . . . if his father doesn’t destroy him first.


Years of anger and a heap of mods have kept Daniel and Liam apart. When Liam is hired
to slaughter a man in his glass Sky tower, he walks right into a Daniel-shaped trap.
Daniel’s father has betrayed them both, and only by working together can Daniel and
Liam survive the coming day. They have no reason to trust each other, but as the dawn
looms, a bargain that began with the simple urge to live soon reminds them of the love
they once shared. Can they find each other again, or will the Cybernetix assassins find
them first?


To read an excerpt and to purchase A Chip in His Shoulder, please click here.

Find me at any of these places:


Email address: thethinker42@gmail.com
Website: Here
Blog: Here
Twitter: Here
Facebook: Here

Riptide Publishing Blog Tour

Riptide Publishing


First Watch By Peter Hansen


Have you enjoyed Riptides First Wave Tour so far? We have been having a blast. Today we at Sinfully Tasty Reads are bringing you an interview and giveaway with Riptide Publishing author Peter Hansen. He will be giving away any backlist book from Rachel Haimowitz, Aleksandr Voinov, L.A. Witt, Brita Addams, or Cat Grant ("Frontlist" books, i.e. Riptide releases and newest non-Riptide release, are excluded, as are the Courtland Chronicles). To enter leave a meaningful comment with your e-mail address. Don't forget to keep following the tour and come back to us in November when Riptide Publishing will be back for more fantastic fun!!!!

If you could pick anyone in the world to be the cover model(s) on your latest release, who would it be?

Anyone living? Or anyone ever? Because if we're talking about anyone ever, I had Siegfried Sassoon in mind when I was writing "First Watch."

What’s your favorite hobby outside of writing?

I love to draw, and I'm something of a gym nut.

What would constitute your own personal happily ever after?

Living with my girlfriend in a house that's floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

Do you own an e-reader?

I've got a Kindle.

Why?

I'm a scholar, and my period of study is a few hundred years before our own. Thus, most of the works that I want to read are a) IMMENSE and b) in the public domain. An e-reader is the only efficient way to carry around the complete works of Shakespeare, The Rover, and Clarissa all at once.

Are you a book hoarder?

You bet your ass I'm a book hoarder.

What’s the one question you wish people would ask you when you tell them you’re a writer? 

Gosh, how do you find time to write?

How do you answer it?

I don't sleep. Ever.

If you were doomed to spend the rest of your life on an island with only one book, one person, one food (coconuts and fish aside), and one object from the modern world (computer, deodorant, vibrator, etc.), what would they be?

Complete works of Shakespeare, my girlfriend, avocados, and a computer.

Do you have a favorite character out of all the ones you’ve written?

I haven't written nearly enough characters yet to have a favorite! Andile Harper's pretty splendid, though.

Why is he your favorite?

He's completely against type for me—by which I mean, he's actually half-decent at holding a conversation and he doesn't overreact when things get rough—and he's an excellent foil for my more typical, taciturn warhorses.

Where are your favorite online hangouts? What are your daily must-stop blogs and websites?

Twitter is a must-visit. I also spend ages on the 'sexisnottheenemy' tumblr and Project Gutenberg.

Speaking of online hangouts, where are yours? Where can your readers find you?

Website: 

http://peterhansenfiction.weebly.com/

Twitter: P_HansenWrites

GoodReads: Peterhansen

E-mail: peter.hansen.writes@gmail.com

Riptide Publishing Blog Tour

Riptide Publishing


Collared By Kari Gregg


Still enjoying Riptide's First Wave Blog Tour? We know we are, and what would a blog tour be without another great author? Today we at Sinfully Tasty Reads we are bringing you an interview and giveaway with Riptide Publishing author Kari Gregg. She will be giving away a book of the winner's (18+ and older) choice from her backlist. To enter leave a meaningful comment with your e-mail address. Don't forget to come back on October 13th when author Peter Hansen stops by for more Riptide First Wave Blog Tour fun!!!!

What do you like most about writing?

Creating and exploring new worlds. How does that world work? How doesn't it work? Who's trying to fix what's broken and are they making life better or worse? Who's in charge? No, who's really in charge? How do my heroes fit? I love my worlds and I love discovering how my heroes move inside them.

What genre do you write mostly and what appeals to you most about your genre?

I write  contemporaries, fantasy, paranormals, AU, and BDSM (of every flavor). Writerly ADD is obviously an issue. :D Why those stories? Those are the worlds I'm drawn to and revisit again and again.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned from your research?

The Blooming Onion at Outback Steakhouse has 1600 calories. Have I ever used this in a story? No. But I'm weirdly fascinated by this.

Where do you get the names for your characters?

Any- and everywhere. I got a name from a tombstone once. Serious. Connor's name, though, is perfectly non-weird. A casual acquaintance (who is nothing like my character, by the way) is named Connor and the name stuck in my head until my hero took form.

Tell us about your latest release (s)?

Collared features a world in flux. A natural disaster caused when genetically engineered crops mutated and propagated in the wild is producing a biological shift in the aggression centers of the brain and those affects -- as well as civilization's response to them -- are still intensifying. Connor Witt had everything he ever wanted, a promising relationship and a successful career, until the disaster. Instead of becoming bigger and badder like everyone else, Connor is an anomaly. His aggression hasn't been stimulated by the changing environment. He is one of the rare few whose dominant traits have been suppressed. When predatory security consultant Emmett makes a move on Connor, David -- Connor's boss -- collars him to keep Emmett away. One man offers safety; the other is the safer best. Who will Connor choose for his master?

What are you working on next?

In the Red is a m/m BDSM mystery for Loose Id. My forensic accountant was a rising start at TFOS, Terrorism Financing Operations Section in the FBI, until he was abducted and left for dead nine days later. What he endured during those nine days broke him, not so much physically as mentally, but he's fighting his way back. All evidence to the contrary -- his retreat to an isolated rural house in the mountains of western Maryland where he's amassed enough weaponry to hold off the zombie hoard and keeps enough lamps lit in his tiny house to pinpoint the glow from the international space station. Too bad TFOS needs him back so badly. He was on to something with that last case, something big The FBI tasks Special Agent Zachary Murdock with gluing the boy wonder back together and getting him back to work. Zachary isn't sure which presents the biggest complication: the accountant's special brand of crazy, the case they're working or the closeted sub's surprising -- and surprisingly enthralling -- kink.

What fascinates you most about writing m/m?

Two strong guys striking that magical balance with one another and the dance leading up to that balance. Even in BDSM, especially in BDSM, where in spite of appearances, subs are (IMO) stronger than their Doms and subs are the ones who are truly running the show.

What do you enjoy reading the most?

Two heroes for the price of one. Does it get any better? Nope.

What are you reading now?

A historical account of the 1938 Hurricane. Yeah, I know. Sexy, no? LOL. If it helps any, I just finished re-reading Jet Mykles' Heaven Sent series. Loves me some hot rockers.

Who are your favorite authors?

For kink, I'm a Kim Dare fangirl, but I repeat read titles from Jamie Craig, J.C. Owens, and Thom Lane, too. (Although to be fair, the Aramanth series isn't strictly BDSM since slavery is a cultural convention rather than a choice, but nonetheless, WOW.) Non-kink, I love Josh Lanyon, K.A. Mitchell, L.B. Gregg, Joely Skye (for her shifter series)...so many wonderful authors. So much m/m goodness. ;D

What would you advise an aspiring author?

Don't quit. Keep writing. Keep learning and growing your craft.

Is there anything you'd like to tell your readers?

I have over 200 books in my K3's TBR file. Help me. Please.

How can readers connect with you?

If you would like to catch up with Kari, caffeinate yourself and head on over to: http://www.KariGregg.com
Friend Kari on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Kari.M.Gregg
Follow Kari on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/karigregg
Find Kari at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4366316.Kari_Gregg

Riptide Publishing Blog Tour

Riptide Publishing


Blacker Than Black By Rhianon Etzweiler


We here at Sinfully Tasty Reads are so honored to help with introducing Riptide Publishing to the world. Riptide will be officially open for business on October 30,2011 BUT pre-orders started October 1,2011. Today we are pleased to bring you an interview and giveaway with author Rhianon Etzweiler. She will be giving away a book of the winner's (18+ and older) choice: Pick any one backlist book from Rachel Haimowitz, Aleksandr Voinov, L.A. Witt, Brita Addams, or Cat Grant (“Frontlist” books, i.e. Riptide releases and newest non-Riptide release, are excluded, as are the Courtland Chronicles). To enter leave a meaningful comment with your e-mail address. Riptide Publishing is going to be making a BIG SPLASH so hold on tight for an incredible ride. 

What draws you to romance?

I think of romance as a natural progression of a story that incorporates high stress and high emotional engagement from the characters it portrays. From a purely scientific side of the equation, humans are sexual creatures and pheromones are everywhere, right? More than anything, I want my stories and my characters to be ones that engage the reader, that the audience can relate to—more than that, the end result is, optimally, a story that sucks the reader into a vortex and doesn’t let go, whips them around on a roller coaster of emotion that doesn’t relax until the train pulls into the station on the final page.

Sexual attraction and emotional involvement are in my writer-mind two of the larger factors for developing strong reader engagement, and the conflict and tension in a story. An illicit romantic involvement, for instance, is one of the few factors that could influence a given character enough to compromise their impartiality, their professional ethics, and as a result risk the lives and well-being of others, or jeopardize an entire endeavor. The romance plays a crucial role and while I try to give my stories at least a HFN ending, I’m not so kind as to make the journey to getting there an easy one.

Have you ever written outside the romance genre? If not, do you ever plan to?

I’ve come close… but every time I start working on a new and exciting story idea or plot arc, one of my characters goes and gets horny and starts eyeballing one of their comrades.  Every time. Without fail. It comes back to that mix of adrenaline and pheromones, of excitement and the edge of danger mixing with lust and arousal. The chemical responses in our brain are very similar, the only difference is the circumstance or situation providing the trigger. Endorphins are addictive. It’s one of the reason why soldiers are often described as adrenaline junkies, or having a death wish.

Ultimately, we’re emotional creatures and romantic entanglements will arise. I write in many different genres, actually—speculative fiction is a broad and sometimes vague umbrella—but all my stories have an element of romance in them somewhere that plays a crucial role in the development of the plot and outcome. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s always earth-shattering, mind-blowing, or life-altering, but it’s there—I think that the majority of readers enjoy having that angle present. It makes the characters come alive, that they have that sort of depth and facet present. Like saying, “see, this character is flawed too. They couldn’t help but fall in love with someone they knew they shouldn’t.”

Do you prefer alpha/omega relationships in stories, or alpha/alpha relationships, and why?

I enjoy pitting alpha against alpha – in the end, it isn’t really necessary for one to dominate the other, or for one to clearly ‘come out on top’…not in most of my stories, anyways. The romantic involvements I write about, for the most part, don’t involve D/s. I’ve always thought that the best relationship would be a mutual partnership, a meeting of the minds… finding common ground, not exerting dominance over another. I try to show that in my stories. For me as a reader, there’s little fascinating in an imbalanced relationship—little in the way of tension to play with, you might say. Put both characters on relatively equal footing, and all the sudden the dynamic is totally different. The power play can go either way. Won’t say that I don’t dabble in “omega” situations, but ordinarily I do so with specific intent to f*ck with it.

What’s the sexiest feature on a man to you? And on a woman? Why?

Regardless of gender, the sexiest feature for me is the mind. I’ve known some physically attractive individuals over the years who, the moment they opened their mouth, totally ruined it for me. At any rate, it’s ultimately intellect that attracts me. A lively debate or a controversial discussion that gets the blood flowing and challenges me to think… that’s porn for me. Yes, I’m a geek. Geek is chic. =)

By night you’re a caped crusader, romance writer. What do you do by day?

I have a degree and work in customer service. Hey, it pays the bills. I’m not really a caped crusader, though—I’ve got the geeky “Clark Kent” look all the time!

What’s your earliest childhood memory?

The turquoise oceans and pristine beaches of Bora Bora, my birthplace.

What was the very first romance you ever read? How old were you? Were you being naughty and sneaking it off the shelf before you really even knew what sex was?

It was some Jude Deveraux book, I don’t recall what. I got it from the library at school, and recall being riveted by the story. I really had no inkling that there was anything naughty with what I was reading. It was a story. About relationships, and emotion. All perfectly natural, normal stuff.

How did it make you feel, and is that what hooked you on the genre?

It certainly isn’t what got me hooked on the genre. I don’t quite recall what shifted my focus from speculative fiction to something with a stronger romantic theme. Frustration with trying to write good, authentic female characters led me toward exploring other avenues. Which I’m still doing, and always will be—what led me to writing gay romance, though, were two male characters in an action flick (hot guys and muscle cars, what more could a girl want), and the subculture of slash-fanfic that I stumbled upon not long after.

Who are your latest crushes (celebrity, book character, or otherwise)?

I’ll always have the hots for Vin Diesel. And Paul Walker. Like cinnamon and nutmeg, they’re awesome together, but I’ll take the cinnamon straight if I must. Something about the shaved head and he takes great care of himself, but beyond that, it’s the eyes. His gaze is so expressive, it’s dumbfounding sometimes.

Do you ever keep those people in your mind when writing your own works?

Absolutely. I love the way Vin as an actor uses body language and expressions as much as the lines in the script. Not that other actors and actresses don’t, but there are times when I’d swear he takes it to this whole different level with just a glance. I strive to convey that sort of character aspect to the readers in my prose. That intensity, energy. As though, if you were to reach out and try to touch them, you’d get zapped by static electricity.

If you could pick anyone in the world to be the cover model(s) on your latest release, who would it be?

I would give my gonads to have Andrej Pejic model Black on the cover of “Blacker Than Black.” He is just so startlingly beautiful in the most fascinatingly androgynous way. Also? Camui Gackt would make a very nice Garthelle.

What’s your favorite hobby outside of writing?

Experimenting with different blends of spices in my dark roast coffee brews. Right now, I’m loving the combination of cloves and strangely, pepper.

What would constitute your own personal happily ever after?

A hammock back on Bora Bora, with my laptop. And a wifi signal.

Do you own an e-reader?

Does my laptop count? *laughs*

Why?

Are you a book hoarder?

Yes. They’re everywhere. Half the time I can’t find something when I want it. Shelves are crammed and double-faced. It’s a sin, I know. Everything from Terry Pratchett’s “Monstrous Regiment” to “The Exhaustive Encyclopedia of Guns” and “The Naked Empire” from Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series.

What’s the one question you wish people would ask you when you tell them you’re a writer? 

That I wish they’d ask? Wow, that’s a tough one. “Where can I buy a copy of your books?”

How do you answer it?

With my business card. It has my website on it. And that’s got my books, and buy links.

If you were doomed to spend the rest of your life on an island with only one book, one person, one food (coconuts and fish aside), and one object from the modern world (computer, deodorant, vibrator, etc.), what would they be?

Oh, coconut-battered Mahi-Mahi on the sun-kissed beaches of Bora Bora! I’m so there, point the way! Let’s see, coffee beans, definitely. MacGyver, without a doubt. He could probably make me a computer out of coconut milk and driftwood. And make coconut moonshine. Those are the easy ones. For a book, I’d have to go with Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.” And one item from the modern world? A coil of paracord. A really long one. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from marinating in military culture over the years, it’s that you can never have too much rope.

Email address:

Fan contact: Rhianon.etzweiler@gmail.com

Business contact: rhianon76@gmail.com

Website URL: http://www.rhianonetzweiler.com

Blog URL: http://rhianonetzweiler.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!musefodder

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rhianon.etzweiler

MySpace: --

Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4867331.Rhianon_Etzweiler

If you have additional author pages on other sites, please include them below

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rhianon-Etzweiler/e/B005E0C7X4/ref=sr_tc_2_rm?qid=1312474013&sr=1-2-ent

Google+ : https://plus.google.com/100899759625591158649

Riptide Publishing Blog Tour And Giveaway

Riptide Publishing


Surprises (Romeo Club Series Book #1) By Brita Addams


We here at Sinfully Tasty Reads are so honored to help with introducing Riptide Publishing to the world. Riptide will be officially open for business on October 30,2011 BUT pre-orders start as early as October 1,2011. Today we are pleased to bring you an interview and giveaway with author Brita Addams. She will be giving away a book of the winner's (18+ and older) choice from her backlist. To enter leave a meaningful comment with your e-mail address. Riptide Publishing is going to be making a BIG SPLASH so hold on tight for an incredible ride. 



How did you start writing erotica?


I enjoy reading erotica – not always, but a good bit. I've writing erotic romance and erotica is just
an extension of erotic romance, really.


What’s your favorite published work of yours and why?


Truly, I love one that will out on October 30th. It's called An Evening at the Starlight and has a
very noir feel. But I also love Lord Decadent's Obsession, Free Me, In His Arms... I love them
all, they're my children, after all.


Where’s your favorite place to write?


I write on one end of the sofa with a laptop. I have plot cards and notes everywhere.


Who is your favorite character from one of your stories and why?


I love Phillip Allard from Chocolate, Tea and the Duchess. He's a very conflicted man, in need
of answer his natural inclination toward me, yet the times (early 1800's) dictate a marriage and
the continuation of the family line.


The thing I love about Phillip the most is that he doesn't wish to compromise, but instead, he
feels the need to stay true to himself. He does have a love for Felicity, though and in that, lies the
rub.


Do your nearest and dearest know what you do, and if so, what was their reaction when
they found out?


My entire family knows what I write, though very few of them read my stuff. My family is
grown and they are happy I'm writing, something they all know I've wanted to do FOREVER.
They're proud. I'm not quite sure what my elderly aunts and uncles would think if they knew
WHAT I wrote.


What was your ideal career when you were a child?


HA! I wanted to be a stewardess more than I wanted to breathe. I had wanderlust even then. In
lieu of that, I wanted to be a nurse. Then I discovered I'd have to give people shots, and that was
the end of that dream. I married young and haven't regretted a moment of it. Lots of "careers" in
the intervening years.


How do you get yourself in the mood to write?


I just do it. It isn't a matter of gearing up to it. If I'm involved in a story, I live it until it's finished.
I want to write it and I see it from start to finish – then I have to account for the characters having
their way with me, and voila, the story is born.


What’s the best writing tip you’ve ever been given?


Recently, I was edited by the editors at Riptide and the advice and lessons I learned from them
will sustain me for years to come. That said, the best bit of advice was "Put your behind in the
chair and write."


If you could bring one of your characters to life, which one would it be and why?


I'd love to meet Prentice Hyde from Lord Decadent's Obsession. I wrote him with Tyrone Power
in mind, and well, 'nuf said.


I'd also love to hear Laurent Kinsdale from Love Immortal. Something really sexy about an
angsty vampire.


Which author, erotic or otherwise would you love to meet and why?


I would very much like to meet Aleksandr Voinov. He is my favorite author and a friend and
admire the hell out of him. I'd love to spend some time picking his brilliant brain and maybe
some of that genius would rub off.


What are you working on at the moment?


At the moment I'm working on a m/m historical that I will submit to Riptide for their Rent Boy
submission call. I'm also about to start on the fourth in my Romeo Club eries.


What’s the biggest writing challenge you’ve ever taken on? Did you succeed?


My first book, one that hasn't been published. It's 120,000 and is probably terribly style-wise. I
haven't looked at it in ages and don't have time for it anytime soon. I say this is my biggest
challenge because just starting to write that first book is fraught with challenges, not the least of
which is author self-doubt.


What’s your biggest writing achievement? Why?


I think I'd have to say Serenity's Dream, because it was the first book I had published. Then,
every one after that. Each acceptance feels really good.


Can you tell us about your latest release?


On October 10, I have an m/m erotic called A Minute After Minute coming out as part of the
Noble Romance Timeless Desire Blog Tour in November. Two men are separated by
circumstance, only to realize that what they have is timeless desire.


On October 30, I have Romeo Club #1: Surprises, a m/m erotica short about a fantasy club, sort
of a modern day Sapphire Club. The Romeo Club series are a series of vignettes, each involving
a client at the club and their particular fantasy.


Surprises involves Donnie, who enters the club, which is also a dating service. What he learns
about himself at the club is more than he ever bargained for.


There isn't any romance involved in this stories, which is different for me in that regard. They are
quick, five-thousand word stories, each seeing the character through their deepest sexual desire.
On October 31, An Evening at the Starlight, another part of the Noble blog tour. This is a
poignant story of a love that never dies.


Thank you for stopping by. Where can your readers find you?


Author Name: Brita Addams
Email address: britaaddams@gmail.com
Website URL: http://www.britaaddams.info/
Blog URL: http://www.britaaddams.com
Twitter: @britaaddams Here
Facebook: Here
Goodreads Page: Here

Review Of Grey's Lady (Carte Blanche Series Book #1) By Natasha Blackthorne

Grey's Lady (Carte Blanche Series Book #1) By Natasha Blackthorne

Format: ebook
Book Length: Novella
Published: August 8th 2011 by Total-E-Bound
ISBN13: 9780857156181
Primary Language: English
url: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1318
Series: Carte Blanche #1
Genre: Historical
Setting: Philadelphia, PA, 1812 (United States)
Source: GoodReads and Total-E-Bound Publishing
Purchase: Total-E-Bound (link to purchase HERE)
Age: Adult 18+*

*I added the age restriction. The age restriction was not provided by GoodReads or Total-E-Bound.

Blurb:

Seeking sexual excitement and conquest, poor but beautiful Beth seduces wealthy merchant prince Grey Sexton, only to find herself the pursued as he seeks to own her body and soul.

Flouting the moral standards of Jeffersonian America, temptress Beth McConnell lets no man touch her heart. Her motto is love them once and leave them burning.

But when she boldly seduces Grey Sexton, a self-controlled merchant prince from New York, she finds herself too fascinated by his ice-over-fire nature to stay away. His possessive determination to own her, body and soul, threatens to expose her secret erotic life to public shame.

But Beth will only surrender her love to a man she can trust. And Grey's materialistic approach to relationships leaves her little reason to believe he can ever give her what she truly needs.

For these two cynical yet lonely people, can deep sexual intimacy work a miracle and lead to the opening of their hearts?

I grew up on Historical Romances so it was nice to actually get to read one again. Seeing as this book is set in 1812 you can imagine how little freedom woman had in general let alone sexually. Back then men could have mistresses aplenty with no one batting an eye lash but let a woman sleep with more than one man and have that become public knowledge not only would she be disgraced, she would be branded a whore. It was interesting that Grey, while he had more than one mistress, was truly a gentleman at heart and strives to stay true to that. Beth is a woman who goes after which ever man she wants with abandon BUT still manages to keep her sexual encounters from being know by her family and the public at large. When Beth and Grey meet for the first time there is no denying the electricity that sparks between them. This Novella is about these two people with such strong wills trying to fight for dominance in their red hot affair. Beth doesn't want to be a kept woman and feel she has no say in her life and Grey feels that because she is sleeping with him he has a right to dictate rules on how she should behave and that he must protect her from the ways of the world. Both stubborn to the core it was really enjoyable seeing how their story played out. I am interested to see what comes next in book 2 of this series. On a scale from 1-10 I give Grey's Lady a 10. It was an enjoyable read with a strong female heroine and an equally strong hero that is capable of reforming his outlook on how he behaves. Anyone 18+ looking for a HOT read and strong characters really should pick up a copy of Grey's Lady.

Link:
http://natashablackthorne.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Here
Twitter: Here
GoodReads: Here