Quickies and a Contest

I love writing quickies in between other books. Why? Well because they’re fun, quick and it’s a book out there. Lately though I’ve been getting discouraged, mostly because some readers obviously don’t get the “jest” of quickies.
A quickie is a blip in time, usually one event. Take for instance my recent release Submit With Me. It’s a quickie – 7400 words. It’s a story about giving someone control of your body for one night.
Two people who purchased the book over at the Jasmine Jade site gave it 1 star. One stated it wasn’t worth the $1.49 and the other said the characters weren’t fully developed. I’m not sure how developed they expect them to be when it’s written under 10k. On top of that it was all about the fantasy.
One nice commenter gave it 5 stars.
I’ve learned to take the good with the bad, but now I question writing these quick books. Is it worth the backlash? A bunch of EC authors told me it would be a smart idea to write a free read story. They said it gives you a lot of exposure you might not have gotten otherwise. I can see the point. If you’re unsure you want to try an author a free read could help you decide if you want to buy her other books.
I had considered writing one about Tommy from Pretend With Me, book one in the Freedom Fantasies series or one about Lucky from my Cougar Challenge book Gettin’ Lucky (coming soon). Lately I’ve been asking myself WHY? WHY bother? These are under 6k – I can’t imagine what these people commenting on my stories will say then.
Readers complain they want a quick, cheap read, but expect the full plot and storyline you get from a 30k. What’s a writer to do?
Today I've decided to give away a copy of Submit With Me to one lucky commenter and I'd love to hear what you think about the story after you read it. I'm a big girl if you hate it, tell me. If you love it, tell me. :o)

As usual my life is busy. I just finished edits for Spend The Night With Me. I have a release date of September 15th.
Edits for Adrift – formally titled Stranded, arrived yesterday. I really liked the title Stranded, but Loose-Id has a book with the same name already. They’re talking about an early Fall release. No date yet.
Edits for Play With Me, book three in the Freedom Fantasies should be arriving in a few weeks. In the meantime I’m working on a Christmas quickie – Naughty St. Nick.
After that I’m planning one more book before switching gears. In all reality I’ve started the switch. I’ve been editing my romantic comedy to send off. This is not erotica. I love the genre so much, but I want a change for a bit. I have two other romantic comedies that need editing and one that’s half written.
I’m sure I’ll write erotic in between. I have too many stories in my head that need to be written.
Back to edits and paperwork. Happy Tuesday.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Hey Everyone!

I'm busy editing book three in the Freedom Fantasies series to send off to my editor. She has book 2 in her hands. I'm also knee deep writing my cougar challenge book, so I'm going to keep this short today.

Whipped Cream has interviewed me. If you have a second in your busy days and wanted to pop in and leave a little comment that would be awesome.
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/interviews.htm

See ya next Tuesday!

Amber's Ramblings

Okay, so I don’t have a HOT topic to talk about today. I spent the weekend celebrating my grand daughter's 1st birthday (today) and my youngest daughter's 13th birthday (tomorrow). Two parties, tons of family in town, non stop running.

I DID write THE END on Spend The Night With Me, book two in the Freedom Fantasies series. I know I need to add one scene, before sending it off to my editor. Hoping by Friday the latest.
Play With Me, book three, will be submitted at the same time.

Still waiting to hear about Submit With Me. It’s a short-short 7k. It’s a role playing story like the others in my series.

I did receive a few good reviews over the weekend I’d like to share:

Body Shots:
http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/reviews/Apr10/bodyshots.as.html

Title: Wild Lickins
Author: Amber Skyze
Genres: GLBTQ
Site Date: Feb 23, 2010
Online Link: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.aspx?daoid=6184
Score: 3.25 / 5


Off to edit! Have a fun week.

Pretend With Me

Coming Friday April 23rd! Book 1 in the Freedom Fantasies series.

Meet Jed and Paige in the excerpt below. WARNING it contains strong language some might find offensive. DO NOT continue if you don't like X rated material. :)

Blurb:

After threatening divorce, Paige gives up her fantasy of hot sex with two men, especially when Tommy, the other man she wants to have sex with, is the reason for her divorce threats. When Paige confesses she’s considering leaving Jed to her best friend and owner of Freedom Fantasies sex club, life takes an unexpected turn. Paige finds herself pretending she’s having a hot, sordid affair.
Paige appreciates all the pleasures she’s unable to find at home. Being spanked in the corner, tied to the bed or getting it on in the shower, Paige experiences more orgasms than she thought possible. To heighten the excitement, her pretend lover brings in a friend…

Excerpt:

She puttered into the kitchen. She grabbed two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with ice water from the filter. She was ready to head back into the bedroom when she ran smack into Jed.
He was still naked and wore a look of mischief.
“Bend over the table.”
“What?”
“I said bend over the table.”
She put the glasses on the counter and bent over the table as he instructed.
“You’ve been a bad girl.”
“I have?” She thought she’d been pretty damn good in there.
“You’ve been coming without me.”
So this was about her using the vibrator again.
“You weren’t interested in fucking me.”
“Are you being indignant?” He ran his finger down her spine, until he reached the crack of her ass.
“No, I’m just being honest.”
“I think you need to see what happens to bad girls.”
She didn’t think her body could take any more, but it fooled her. She felt her juices pooling at her lips.
“Maybe I do.”
“It’s about time you realized the error of your ways.”
“I’d do it again if my husband was neglecting me.”
She heard a drawer open and him rifling through it. What was he looking for? Something to spank her with? It had to be the reason he had her bent over the kitchen table.
“I’m going to teach you a lesson about using the vibrator without me.”
Her face and body were pressed against the cold table. He held one hand on her back.
A smack crossed her ass.
“Ouch!” It was a wooden spoon. She’d been spanked by it before. She’d know it anywhere.
“Count for me, Paige.”
She didn’t want to count. She wanted to fight him, refuse her punishment.
He slapped her cheeks again.
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why aren’t you counting?”
“Two,” she spat.
“Don’t go getting all incensed, Paige. I can spank you and put you to bed all wet without another orgasm. I don’t think you’d like that.”
No, she wouldn’t like him heating her cheeks and leaving her hanging. He always gave her relief after spanking her.
The spoon met with her ass again.
“Three.”
“That’s my girl.”
He continued slapping her ass until he reached twenty. Her skin burned. She needed relief.
“Oh my wife loves to have her butt spanked,” he said, gliding his finger against her wet pussy lips.
“I need you, Jed.”
“And I need you,” he said, brushing his hard penis against her hot ass. “The redness of your cheeks makes me so fucking hard.”
“Fuck me,” she pleaded.
“Oh I intend to, but not just yet.”

Sometimes Even the Best Intentions...

I’ve been down and out lately, having some minor health issues that seem to be getting better. I’m only writing in spurts and blowing off the blog. Hopefully that will change over the next few days.

For Christmas the DH gave me the Dragon Speaking Naturally software. I finally got around to installing it on my laptop today. I was very excited about using it. I’ll admit sometimes I’m lazy and figured speaking would be easier. I’m not so sure right now. You see you must dictate everything – period, comma, question mark, etc. Oh and new line.

The other downfall of this software is quotations or lack of. I can write a sentence and add the tag, he said/she said, but it won’t put it in quotations. Speed would be nice, but to sacrifice the other things will be a PIA when it comes time to edit.

I’ll try it for a few more days and see if it’s worth it.

In other news I signed a new contract last week for my new series – Freedom Fantasies. Book 1 – Pretend with Me will be the story of Paige and Jed.

Here’s a short blurb I threw together:

Freedom Fantasies is a place where women go to live out their ultimate fantasies.

Paige is tired of playing second fiddle to her husband’s best friend. When she tells her best friend she wants to have sex with a stranger, Kim knows exactly what to do.

Kim, owner of Freedom Fantasies, schedules a room and a hot stranger – actually Paige’s husband Jed.

Paige and Jed work on finding their way back to each other with a game of pretend. When they bring Tommy into the mix things get even better.

I’ve past the halfway mark of Book 2 so the goal is to have it submitted by month’s end.

Happy Tuesday!