Tag Archives: short stories

Naughty Lovers Official Release Day: More Ockham Steam-Works Laboratory Chronicles!

Posted on by

I am excited to announce the official release of Naughty Lovers: Love Is In The Air. “Official” release because we, the Naughty Literati, actually had the anthology uploaded to Amazon about a week and a half ago, but we didn’t want to announce it until March 1st so we could coordinate promotion efforts.

Ah, the life of an author…so nuanced.

Anyway, I am happy to announce that Naughty Lovers contains the third installment of my Steampunk erotic romance series, the Ockham Steam-Works Laboratory Chronicles. “Swing Follies” further explores the relationship between Professor Edward Ockham and his laboratory assistant Delia Bennett, plus throws in a touch of romantic intrigue with a bit of backstory. Oh, and also gives a hint of a future relationship for laboratory Special Assistant Sebastian Broadchurch. Continue reading →

Definitions: What is Erotica?

Posted on by

[UPDATE: Please also see my reprise blog post “Definitions: Erotica, Erotic Romance, Steamy Romance”]

People frequently make broad assumptions about what it is I write. Friends, family, and acquaintances snicker about my “porn”. Romance writer colleagues imbued with the cadence of traditional romance often bandy about the term “erotica” as if to signal the ugly otherness of erotic romance.

So I will attempt to answer the provocative question What is erotica? and by doing so answer corollary questions about misunderstood erotic-like literary variations: Erotic romance, steamy romance, smut, porn, and Romantica®. Continue reading →

A Naked Guy in Zurich

Posted on by

Hi everyone! I’m over at the Naughty Literati blog today talking about the inspiration for my Naughty Escapes story. The post is copied below. Enjoy!

In my story “Window Display” in Naughty Escapes, the heroine, Laurie, an American Ph.D. student, trots off to Zurich to finish up her dissertation. Instead of the hoped-for peace and quiet, she finds distraction in a totally hot neighbor who doesn’t bother closing the curtains when he’s naked at home.

Many of my Naughty Literati co-authors chose rather exotic locations for their Naughty Vacation Getaway stories. Zurich is generally not considered an “exotic” or even “sexy” location in which to set a romance! Exotic or not, sexy or not, the story is based on a real-life event. Not my life, though. Inspiration came from an unlikely place. Continue reading →

Vikings in Byzantium

Posted on by

Hi everyone! I’m over at the blog for Conquests: An Anthology of Smoldering Viking Romance today talking about my story in that anthology. I’ve posted it below, as well.
[UPDATE: “Protecting Her” has been re-issued in Imperial Warriors: Two Scorching Tales of the Roman Empire and Ancient Shorts: An Ancient World Romance Collection.]

Let’s just get this out of the way, but the History Channel’s production of Vikings has given a sexy cachet to the fiercest warriors of the Middle Ages. When Delilah put out a call for stories in a Viking erotic romance anthology, my heart just went pitter-pat with excitement.

And then the excitement sort of dissipated.

My knowledge of Vikings is limited given their era is out of my purview. My field of study is Late Roman into the early Byzantine (roughly 200-600 CE), and the Viking Age starts around 790 CE. I worried I would not have sufficient knowledge to pull off a believable story.

Except that Delilah mentioned in her call for submissions the “Rus who served in the Byzantine Varangian Guard”.

I could totally do that. Continue reading →

My Bisexual Heroes: Extended Version

Posted on by

Hi Everyone, I’m blogging over at AReCafe today about my bisexual heroes for LGBTQ Pride Month. But I had to keep it short and was only able to promote my books listed on AllRomanceeBooks. I got a lot more stories with bisexual heroes. Below is the extended version of my blog post.

Remember Torchwood? The Dr. Who spin-off show set in Cardiff? There’s definite sexual chemistry between Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper, and we the viewers so want something to happen, but we know Gwen already has a boyfriend who is a nice guy and she can’t just have an affair without consequences then suddenly…

OMG. Continue reading →

Spring Frolics! Spring Releases!

Posted on by

I live in a summer vacation destination, so Memorial Day weekend is the opening of the tourist season. But really now, it’s still spring! And I’m going to take this opportunity to summarize my spring releases and news.
Continue reading →

Rewriting the Persephone Myth

Posted on by

An excerpt from “Hot as Hades,” my story in Naughty Flings: Twelve Naughty Little Romps, is up today on our Naughty Literati blog.

When I was thinking about what to write for Naughty Flings, an anthology with the theme of springtime, the quintessential springtime myth came to mind, i.e., the story of Persephone. I decided to revisit this myth, but to put a new spin on it, which proved pretty easy.

Because I’d put a new spin on the story once before. Continue reading →

Naughty News: Giveaway for subscribers!

Posted on by

Do you want to get updates about my stories with The Naughty Literati? You can sign up for our newsletter, Naughty News!

To entice our readers we’re having a little giveaway for all our subscribers. Sign up for our newsletter and be entered to win a $25.00 Amazon gift card! Already subscribed? Then you’re already entered! Deadline for entries is by April 29th — so sign up today! Continue reading →

Steampunk Inspiration (Part 2): Burning Man

Posted on by

In Steampunk Inspiration (Part 1), I discussed my family ties to a unique object of inspiration for my very first Steampunk story. I also hinted at the source of inspiration for my second Steampunk story.

For “Delia’s Heartthrob”, my entry in Naughty Hearts the Valentine’s Day release from the Naughty Literati, there was a specific source of inspiration. But before I get into that there’s a bit of very personal backstory. Continue reading →

Inspiration: On the Eighteenth of January…

Posted on by

Recently, I’ve been writing blog posts on what has inspired me to write what I write, you know, those little things that spark ideas that turn into stories. Today is January 18th, and I’ve actually written a story called “On the Eighteenth of January, ’78; or, A Night at Valley Forge”, published in Naughty List, the winter anthology from the Naughty Literati.

So what inspired a story that takes place on such a specific date? Continue reading →