Good for Something Reviewed

Good For Something is a suspenseful tale about love found in the most unlikely of places. Escaping from an abusive lover was Nicolette’s primary goal when she moved from Arizona to Florida. But finding Casey helped her to realize that love comes again when you least expect it. Nicolette also learned that no matter how far you run, your past can still catch up with you, but when faced with her fears, she courageously tackles them head-on. The sensuality between Nicolette and Casey is intimately endearing and mildly erotic. With the spurned lover stalking the women, Good For Something makes for a wonderfully entertaining read.

Fallen Angel Review - Good For Something

New Cover for Reclaiming Nicola

I just received the cover for Reclaiming Nicola, an interracial contemporary romance, from Siren-BookStrand. This book will be released in August.

Blurb: Victor Weise accuses Nicola Bourdeaux of leaking confidential information to a rival firm. The betrayal cost him the lawsuit. But the accusation cost him his heart. To correct his mistake, Victor enlists some help, but will one afternoon be enough time to reclaim his heart?

Excerpts coming soon . . .

Dominant Gender

I was watching an episode of Sliders the other day entitled The Weaker Sex. The fascinating thing about this episode is the fact that in this alternate reality, women are the dominant gender. And although war was nonexistent because women ran the world, the men were feeling cheated.

This episode brought back memories of a book I read with the same kind of theme, women dominating the world. I remember discussing the book with my sister and she didn't like it. I thought the whole concept was fascinating, interesting, plausible and I loved the book immensely. But my sister had a different view. She didn't like the idea of women ruling the world, and she insisted the book was very bad.

Women are strong, intelligent, and powerful beings. But in certain parts of the world women are treated like less than a bug. Ugh! Women are so versatile and can achieve almost everything they put their minds to.

Right now, I don't know which gender is the dominate. And personally, I don't think there should be a dominant gender at all. No one should be made to feel like less . . .

So my question: Are people so set in their ways that thinking of women as the ultimate leaders of the world even in a work of fiction (CEOs, Judges, Superintendents of Police, Presidents) is too farfetched for us to accept?

My final point: WOMEN RULE!!!

Busy . . . Yeah Right . . .

I wish I could say that I have been too busy to post because of writing. But since I always try to be honest, let's try out the truth. My mind right now is such a jumble I can't even figure out what to write on my blog.

I have tons of works in progress and I'm excited about all of them, but I just can't seem to focus on any one long enough to get it done. I wouldn't say I have writers block per se I'm just anxious. I want to get so much done so quickly that I make myself nauseous.

Additionally, I had a mini-melt-down last week, I'm over it now. So I know that a lot of people do not read F/F so I have been trying to do research on the best places to market my work. I have noticed that even when the public forums/yahoogroups that I am a member of advertise GLBT days they really only mean the G and B. Thank goodness I write other genres or I would not even get a nibble for my work.

I'm also very tired from the day job. The workload has been increasing since the success of our last major project, add to that my boss will be going away on maternity leave soon. And I'm trying to catch up on a whole missed month of work.

Lately, I've been telling a friend of mine that I want a job where I don't have to think anymore, some kind of mindless work, something automatic. She doesn't think I would last long in one of those. But really if I earn the same amount as I do now, I would satisfied at least for now.

Amarinda Jones did a blog post about being a pleb, click her name to check it out. I think I need to go lower on the totem pole, because even though I'm not a manager, too many people depend on me for too many things. Oh and since I don't consider writing work or a hardship I would love to dedicate more time to that than the day job.

Anyway, that's enough whining for one day. Until I think of something else to say . . .

Dessert Box . . .

. . . released today from Siren-BookStrand. Woo Hoo.

So my second book is being presented to the world today. To read an excerpt and pick up your copy of Dessert Box, click the cover:

Also, my cyber-friend, Amarinda Jones, is having a little get-to-know Anika on her blog today. So don't miss it.

Passions and Dancing . . .

I just finished up an M/M novella called Dancing with your Heart. Then I found this photo with almost the same name, how freaky is that, Dancing With His Heart. Anyway, I have submitted the story and hope it has a new home soon. I'll keep you all posted. I started this story some weeks ago while watching a reality dance TV show. There was just no way I could ignore writing it.

Anyhow, while finishing up this story I got all teary eyed, because I realized OMG I love writing. It is so hard finding what you love to do in life and even harder sometimes to do it. I am very fortunate to have been given this opportunity. I am also glad I finally found the courage to pursue it.

Life is short and sometimes our fears guide us instead of our passions. So the questions I pose to you today are: Are you pursuing your passion? Or is fear your guide?

Changing gears a little, check out fellow author Sedonia Guillone's blog. I am being featured there, how very cool. Woo Hoo. It is nice having cyber-friends who root for you.

Dessert Box

BLURB

Carmella Simone and Sandra Tucker have been together for the past ten years. Every year for Valentine’s Day, one or the other is tasked with creating a memorable and passionate experience.

This is Sandra’s year and she has planned the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat. She has commissioned a specially designed box, locking herself inside. Now Carmella must figure out the clues that will unlock her gifts: Sandra and chocolate.

Join them on their erotic journey of a sweet treat and body heat.

Genre: African-American Lesbian Romance, Light BDSM

"Dessert Box was created to show you that a loving relationship can have passion, and that passion can be as wicked as you want it to be. Remember, you can have boundless love and risqué loving." ~ Anika ~

EXCERPT

Sandra lay in a box that was the size of a coffin but had jail-like bars made of wood and steel. The box rested on top of the dining room table. She lay on a comforter that was neatly folded under her obviously to protect her skin. Her arms were secured above her head and a gag ball hindered conversation, the restraints adding to the erotic picture.

The opening between each bar not wide enough for Carmella to reach in to swipe up some of the chocolate, but she tried snagging some anyway to no avail. This whole scenario was designed to torture her.

Shaking her head, Carmella remembered the questions she and Sandra had gotten about why two people needed a table that seated twelve. The current situation proved that it did come in handy sometimes.

Licking her lips, Carmella stared at the feast laid out for her pleasure. And obviously her pain. Sandra had finally outdone herself this time. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. The dining room table was set and she would eat pretty tonight. Once she got through that damn box.

“Where to start?” Carmella wondered aloud, staring at the contraption on their dining room table. “How do I get to my prize?” she asked, not really expecting an answer from the woman on the table. Her companion was gagged after all, and wouldn’t be able to add anything to the conversation.

For now.

This was part of their game though, exposing their thought processes to each other. Carmella would explain her emotions as she felt them; as many and varied and in as vivid a detail as she experienced them. She wouldn’t—couldn’t—keep them to herself. Reaching over, she retrieved the note affixed to the top of the box, right next to the big red bow. It revealed the instructions necessary to enjoy her ultimate feast.

Turning her attention to the note, she read aloud:

Five questions to enjoy your feast;
Five answers to receive your treat;
Five pieces to create one tool;
Five components to achieve one goal;
Five reasons to set me free;
Five flavors of chocolate on me.

Circling the box, Carmella examined the setup of the box and inspected her girl more closely. Five flavors covering five erotic points on Sandra’s body: toes, navel, lips, breasts; and clit. This should be fun. Turning the note over, Carmella discovered her first inquiry.

Changes

Yep, my blog is a different color and I removed the banner. I was kind of getting annoyed with only seeing the purples all the time and realized it was time for a change. I decided to go with something that had shades of blues. My two favorite colors are purple and blue (both in all its shades).

My website has changed as well. I searched all evening for a free website template to use and created my new website. It is less complicated and less cluttered. I kind of felt that something simple was necessary right now.

My brother taught me how to update and change my website and I have gotten really good at it. Since the inception of the site probably in February 2008, I have changed it four times. It's a lot of fun for me.

Now my brother teases me constantly because I change it so often. He would say: "That is why I taught you how to do it. I was making you self-reliant."

Change is good.

Carpe Diem by Kerama

Yahoo! Groups

Since starting this process, I have been joining more and more chat groups to give myself some exposure, since I am a new author. And also to see what others are doing. Right now I am the proud member of 32 groups related to my writing and I feel alone in the crowd.

I was about to press the Join button again to participate in an organized chat, and I just couldn't do it. I am tired of going around to all these groups. How do people do this on a daily basis? Do authors really need to join all these groups?

I also find that for the most part I don't enjoy these chats. I do like doing the blogging and reading some of my favorite blogs (Amarinda Jones, Lyn Taylor, Barbara Huffert). But trying to do the Yahoo! chats are draining. I find I forget that I'm even doing it because I'm writing or doing something else.

Yes, I know I'm antisocial. But who really cares. I have come to realize not everyone gets me, or even understands when I say things. It is much harder to express yourself in these chats, because people do not have enough time to get your quirkiness. Also, my genre is not interesting to a lot of people and I refuse to force it down anyone's throat. I also know some people might take exception to this blog entry, but as I tell my friends all the time. People will hate for the act of breathing. You really don't have to do anything to inspire hate in a person's heart. Sad but true.

Am I bashing Yahoo! Groups? Of course not. I think it can be a wonderful tool. I first became aware of it during the hurricane season some years ago. Our family from all over the world were freaked out because Florida was hit and they didn't know what was happening. Trying to call everyone was becoming too difficult so we created a group for our family. We were able to get information to everyone at the same time and that was how it was born.

So will I press the Join button? I don't really know. Only time will tell. But be aware, this button for this particular group has presented itself to me a number of times over the past couple of months and I have resisted the urge. Hopefully, I can hold out for the rest of the day. Cross your fingers, and wish me luck.