"The Darker Side of Tall, Dark and Handsome."

With the current preponderance of alluring Vampires, Shape Shifters and troubled mutants like Hugh Jackman’s character Wolverine, is there anybody out there who hasn’t gone over to the Dark side? If not what’s stopping you! A lot of hot action is taking place deep in the shadows on another plane of existence.

The undead have become a trend that just won’t die. Vampires are doing a lively business getting our blood pumping. The undead have wildly succeeded at rebranding their unsavory qualities and are now known as protective, chivalrous guardians of women.  Surprisingly this once manipulative and repulsive creature has become a symbol of dark, dominant sexuality and an ideal lover to the uninitiated. They represent a partner who knows how to take charge and gatekeepers to undreamed of erotic realms. This is a far cry from the skulking, decrepit, rat-like features of the 1922 “It” vampire "Count Orlok" Nosferatu. I wouldn’t donate blood to that man let alone consider him as a lover.

There are a lot of big-hearted animal lovers out there as evidenced by a slew of irresistible fantasy men with animal souls who shape shift between various states of being. Hugh Jackman’s super sexy character “Wolverine” instantly comes to mind. Actually Hugh Jackman comes to mind quite often just because he’s Hugh Jackman but I’m getting off message… I love warm-blooded animals. I love hot-blooded men. Why not combine the best of both worlds? Shape Shifters are like giant pets. A little love and understanding goes a long way. Shape Shifters are invariably territorial they want you as their life mate and only you. Except for the many two for one deals that involve the life long devotion of two deeply committed male Shape Shifters to the same woman. What a fantasy. You can’t beat that! On the whole Shape Shifters seem like a pretty good deal, they provide a taste of the wild and unconditional love. Though you would think the living arrangements might be challenging. Think damaged upholstery and lots and lots of hair in the sink…

What’s your opinion about lovers from the dark side?

XXOO Katalina Leon

PS. I want to Congratulate Fran Lee on her 4.5 hearts Top Pick review "For Out of Her Dreams" from Chris at Night Owl Romance. I also got 4.5 hearts from Elf for "Noblesword"-I'm so pleased! 

Eight to Date

That's the number of contracts I've signed since December '08. Am I bragging - NO. What I'm doing is telling everyone out there that if you want to be a writer and you work hard it's possible. When I signed my first contract I had two others out to editor's. My goal at that point was to have both contracted. By January's end that happened. I set a new goal - eight contracted stories by the end of the year. At the time I thought it was totally unrealistic, but I like to dream big. I'm a writer after all.
In May I thought about upping that number, but I was slowing down a bit with writing and decided against it. As I just signed the eighth one on Monday I realize it's time to change my goal. I'm now reaching for ten by the years end. Not impossible. But, I don't want to set myself up to fail, this time. Not that I could call myself a failure at this point.
So if writing and publishing is your dream, grab a pen and paper, or open a word document on your computer and start writing. Write every day. Read all you can on the craft. Devour books in your genre, study publisher's guidelines and no matter what you do -don't give up. Is it easy? Not a chance. But it's worth it when you see your book up for sale on a publishers web site. Just remember, Perseverance wins!

Briefonomics

I swear I saw this discussed on a TV news channel and thought I just had to write a blog about it!

According to the commentator, a good sign for the economy is when more men's underwear is sold. A spike in boxer and briefs sales coincides with a jump in the Dow Jones number and a good indicator that the economy will improve.

So...my creative mind wondered about men's undies. Does that mean men keep using the same ones for years and don't see the need to buy new ones unless they feel the economy is gonna get better? Is it a male thing about not making unnecessary purchases until money issues seem solvent? Maybe only then would they splurge on new undies.

Totally unlike women.

Sorry, fellas...we women need new underwear on a constant basis. What woman doesn't always want to look her best and feel "hot" under her clothes...no matter what economic crisis is looming in front of us? We want to look and feel sexy for the love of our life, and sexy bras and panties are our solution.

Women will buy fancy, sexy underwear in all economic times...good and bad. It's a mindset thing for us. Plus, we keep the companies that produce these items in business, thus keeping our own sector of the stock market (hopefully) in the black.

Hmm. Maybe now I'll have to start looking for a company that makes men's briefs and boxers and buy some stock. Of course, I'll have to check the numbers and see if sales are on a rise and raising the company's status. Any suggestions? Fruit of the Loom? Hanes?

After writing this, I think it's time to buy my husband more boxers. Maybe I can be helpful and be part of the movement to spur the stock market upward. Ladies everywhere...go buy your men undies and help the US economy!

Read April Ash and Marianne Stephens books to see what kind of undies my heroes wear! Visit www.aprilash.net and www.mariannestephens.net for information on my books.
Newest release, "Sexy Games" by April Ash, available now at:
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419922978

Saturday's Scribe here...

All of us have our dragons to fight...

But some of us write them into hot, fabulous stories. I've been thinking about a dragon shapeshifter, but the logistics just don't work. Now, big cats are another thing altogether, because even though they are big, and mean, and nasty, you can fit them in someone's SUV, into a bathroom, or into a closet. Try that with a dragon why don'tcha? They just don't fit.

Writing shapeshifter romance is marvelous. You can get your imagination running on high and let 'er rip. I had loads of fun writing Hallie's Cats. I dug deep into my wildest fantasies and found Gar and Cal. Hallie didn't mind, once she got used to the idea. In fact, she loved it!

When you write a hot shapeshifter, you have to think of an animal that dredges up fear, shivers, and goosebumps in humans. Now, you won't get that reaction with, say, a shapeshifter chipmunk. Or a shapeshifter Chihuahua. But two huge menacing leopards and a pack of werewolves will get the response necessary for a great erotic shapeshifter story.

Several of my dear friends have done dragons, and I applaud their fabulous stories. And maybe, sometime soon, I will try for a dragon shapeshifter, too. But I really, really like the big cats. And hot wolves. And hot vampires, too...but they aren't really shapeshifters, are they?

Why do we love a deliciously erotic, hot shapeshifter? Is it because animals don't lie? They don't mislead their partners? I have no idea why these marvelous hot guys who change into animals are so enticing. Oh, don't get me wrong...I adore writing hot, sexy m/f human only stories, too...but there's just something about the power and fantasy of shapeshifters. They capture the imagination. Anybody else feel the same way?

Fran Lee
http://www.franleeromance.com

Forever Young

A Legend in His Own Time

Do you listen to music when you write? Sometimes I do, sometimes I can't - music can be distracting. I find myself too busy singing along to write. But some songs just have to be sung to. They demand singing.

Music has to power to move us in so many directions. Lovers through the ages have resorted to music and song to express feelings that are difficult to otherwise put into words. Political movements use music to inspire. Music, drum beats, chanting, psalms - which are poems - are the backbone of religions around the world. In several of my books, the characters refer to modern singer/songwriters. A couple of my characters even sing - in My Everything, my heroine Grace Rafael is partial to Barry White. In my new work, Beauty and the Feast, coming with Resplendence in February, 2010, Eva Raines, personal chef par exellence, likes Bonnie Raitt and Lowell George.


Pepsi clearly appreciates and understands the power of music. They've borrowed from the iconic Bob Dylan. His songs are sheer genius and I am particularly fond of Pepsi's shortened version of Forever Young. The song exemplifies my generation in so many ways and it expresses my philosophy about life probably better than I ever could in my own words. Enjoy!

The Name Game

I am the first to admit that I have absolutely no routine yet when it comes to writing.

I can go on a creative surge so all consuming that I barely eat or sleep for days and then swing violently into stretches of complete literary nothingness. Mercifully, though, I do seem to be able to focus on edits when they are called for.

Names of male characters are a huge issue to me, as both a reader and an author.

As a reader, if an alpha male hero has what I perceive as a less than macho name, I don’t believe in him. If he’s got any form of Rock, Steele, Hard, Stone, or any other cliché in his name, I feel manipulated and again, don’t believe in him. I get confused by names (not nick names) like Chase, Grey, Hawke, Wolf; what parent looks at their newborn son and picks those? Don’t even get me started on names that are so ‘out there’ in spelling I can’t even figure out how to pronounce them in my own head.

As an author, I’ve erected even more stumbling blocks on the road to male moniker assignment. I write erotica and proudly tell everyone I know. I work with 35+ men. All of their names are off limits in my mind, or I’d be spending a great deal of time explaining that I wasn’t writing about them, or blushing because maybe I was?? Names of my immediate relatives are also off limits, as are the name of an ex or a kid I hated in school or any unusual name I equate with another author’s character. Do you see my problem?

So I spend a freakish amount of time pondering and agonizing before choosing, and by the time I’ve selected, my man is his name.

Recently, I faced a test of monumental proportion. I was told that a hero in one of my books (I shan’t divulge whom) had an overused name and I had to change it. But…his story was written, his name was selected to perfectly fit his personality and emotions and to meet all of my crazy requirements; I almost succumbed to a fit of the vapors! Almost being the operative word.
I am a newbie; supremely aware that I have much to learn. I did some research and found that the name was indeed too common in romance. I kept the root word, changing it just enough so it didn’t lose its appeal to me, and the dynamic of the character was not compromised in the least.

Note to self - lighten up, sweetheart!

I’d love to hear your name hang-ups. What ones have you clenching your teeth or rolling your eyes? Or what about the perfect name for the perfect hero of your fantasies?

Tessie

http://www.tessiebradford.com

What do you expect from a Romance novel?

Katalina Leon

What do you expect from a juicy romance novel? Why did you buy it? Please don’t take the easy out and say you just wanted something to read or pass time with. You could have picked up a respectable newspaper or a mystery novel for that. There’s something special about a romance novel and you know it. At its best a Romance novel can mirror our unspoken, or unrealized desires back to us and that’s a very powerful thing. An Erotic Romance novel is a safe place to explore our shadows and our sexual selves.

If you’re an avid reader of erotic romance as I am. You most likely have certain expectations from the books you choose. Certain hopes that the secret naughty things you’re craving are hidden within the book you just bought and if they’re not you’ll be terribly disappointed. Perhaps you read a novel hoping to discover something new about your private self. Perhaps you hope a new fantasy or new desire will awaken. Perhaps you live vicariously through the heroine and learn from her experiences? Perhaps you long to have your fantasies confirmed and want to find out once and for all that yes, you’re normal! It's very reassuring to know there are others out there who also want alpha male shape shifters to obsess on their alluring qualities and be willing to fight to the death for mating rights. And doesn't every woman want a dashing pirate chief to whisk them away from their everyday life and force a myriad of erotic possibilities on them preferably while their wrists are tied to his bedposts? Maybe...

The fantasies don't even need to be extreme. They can be as simple and sweet as being loved for who we truly are. A good Romance novel can take you there.

Unlike real life asking for “Perfect love” in a Romance novel is perfectly acceptable. What forbidden pleasures do you most want to see in a romance novel?

XXOO Katalina Leon

My new Quickie "Adult Education" is available from Ellora's Cave Friday August 28! Click the link to check it out!

"Adult Education" is a second chance to have your first choice.