Aurora Black: Roses on Snow

Oh my Good Lord...

2009-09-30T18:03:00.000-04:00

When I first started this blog, I promised myself that I would keep it strictly professional with the bare minimum details of my private life... but I'm too happy not to share this.

My news, copied and pasted from my Facebook profile:

Exciting news! I just had a long talk with my school counselor this afternoon, and not only am I graduating 3 months early (for my Associate's), but I've gotten a SCHOLARSHIP for when I continue with the Bachelor's program!!!! It's only a 20% tuition reduction, but in this shitty economy, I'll take anything and everything I can get! YAYYYYY.....

This means a lot to me, and I'm on Cloud Nine because I have worked so very hard and basically gave up what I love most (writing) for 2 whole years just to get this far. I'm very proud of what I've accomplished, and I look forward to continuing my education and beginning my daytime career. Who else wants a drink? :O)

I'm on Facebook!

2009-09-18T12:28:00.002-04:00

3 weeks ago, I finally bit the bullet and joined Facebook after a long debate over its benefits vs. drawbacks. I guess I was still reeling from MySpace's shenanigans (hackers, wasted time, etc.). But Facebook is a whole different animal, I'm very happy to say. So here's my profile on Facebook:

Facebook, baby! I'm on Facebook! Click click click!

See ya there. *wink*

How Social Media Can Hurt Your Career

2009-08-24T14:09:00.002-04:00

Three blog posts in one day? I'm on a roll!

So I was checking my e-mails when I found a link to a CNN/CareerBuilder article, and it talks about Facebook/Twitter/Whatever users who basically go buck wild and get caught by their employers. A lot of the dialogue examples involve the user badmouthing their job, and then poof! Busted, job's gone. OUCH!

Anyway, here's the article. Be careful out there.

How Social Media Can Hurt Your Career

Whipped Cream's Review of "Coming Together: At Last (Vol. 1)"

2009-08-24T13:19:00.002-04:00

I meant to post this some time ago, but time got away from me. You all know how that works. Anyway, here is Whipped Cream's review of Coming Together: At Last (Vol. 1), in which I had the great fortune to be included, and the comments about my contribution as well as the entire volume were VERY flattering! *beams*

About my poem, The Colors of Us:

The Colors of Us by Aurora Black starts this amazing anthology off with a seductive and sexy poem. With very few words and vivid imagery, she brings more heat in three stanzas than some authors can in an entire novel.

Oh my God! After I read that, I was grinning like a fool for the rest of the day.

Click here for the Full Review

My Amazon Review of "The Pat Wong Diaries"

2009-08-24T12:14:00.004-04:00

Last night, I wrote a review for my friend Pat Wong's novel, The Pat Wong Diaries. Here's what I had to say about it:

Love, Sex & Experimentation

First, a warning: If you're known to like flowery romances with love scenes that fade to black after the first kiss, this isn't the book for you. This novel is about RAW SEX in its purest, animal form. The language used in this novel doesn't wax poetic about "delicate nubbins of flesh" or "steely manhoods," but utilizes four-letter words that say exactly what they mean. It's hot, sweaty and oh so dirty, just like real life. So if the idea of couples exploring their sexuality with other people in explicit detail doesn't appeal to you, this won't be your cup of tea. Now, onto the story.

The book is about a middle-aged Chinese couple (Pat and Harry) who are pleasantly surprised when they discover that their sexy neighbor Paul has a thing for Pat. At first she is dumbfounded at the idea of this thirty-something, virile (not to mention married) man wanting her, but her husband's great excitement over this development helps her get over it quickly. Together, they decide on a plan to learn more about who they're dealing with, and as they get closer to Paul and his wife Carol they realize just how kinky suburban America can be!

Through the use of flashback/background chapters, the reader learns about Pat as a young woman. We meet her college friends and learn how they were all initiated into sex, and how that knowledge and power carries over to the present day. Pat's circle of friends, the Daughters of Mao, are eventually brought into "the Paul plan" in a most delightful way.

In addition to its high eroticism, the novel touches on race relations, gender issues, and challenges the traditional views of love and marriage. It gives the reader a glimpse of what it means to be a Chinese-American woman, and it's empowering and encouraging to all women who want to revel in their sexuality.

The Pat Wong Diaries on Amazon

My Vista is HAUNTED!

2009-07-21T21:23:00.003-04:00

So I recently installed the Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista, and as soon as I did, all Hell broke loose.

First, I began to notice a certain... jumpy quality whenever I opened certain windows and attempted to either scroll down or rename files. Ditto for surfing the Internet and trying to use AutoComplete to fill out information in browsers. This same nervous tic also presented itself whenever I had to reboot my laptop. Each time the computer prepared to shut down, the mouse pointer would jerk around as excitedly as a young buck watching his first porno!

If I wasn't so disturbed by these weird changes to my beloved OS (I seem to be the only person who actually LIKES Vista these days), I would have been more amused.

And the worst, the absolute worst thing that happened after upgrading to the SP2 was... *gasp* the complete loss of my PC's SOUND. Anyone who has spent any time with me knows that I'm a total music 'ho, so this was a crushing blow to my spirit. Fixing the situation wasn't easy, but somehow I managed to get in touch with my inner tech geek, stroke his *cough cough* ego a bit so he'd feel special, and then we found a kick-ass solution.

It took two long weeks for me to resolve the problem (sound driver update), but that's only because I was up to my eyeballs in legal textbooks, reading about Supreme Court decisions of the ages.

I miss writing romances. Yes, I have been working on a project off and on (mostly off due to real life) for the past 18 months, but it's not meant for commercial use. I'm writing it more for creative/soul satisfaction than for selling, and when I'm done I'll post it on Literotica just for the hell of it. It's a Fan Fiction piece, over 100 pages so far, titled "Lost Souls."

Anyway, the moral of the Vista upgrade story is this: Microsoft, test your SHIT before releasing it to the public! It has more bugs than the last scene of Creepshow!

Indiana Jones 4 (SPOILER!)

2008-06-01T04:52:00.001-04:00

*heavy sigh*

I had such high hopes for this movie. Yes, it's been 20 years and all that, but DAMN! The movie went downhill after the first 20 minutes or so, reaching cartoonish levels of unbelievability during the CGI intense action sequences.

The interaction between the characters wasn't much better. I could have heard a pin drop in the theater during several of the so-called "funny" moments, and it wasn't long before I found more entertainment cracking jokes "Mystery Science Theater" style with my friend than I did watching the actual film.

My friend treated me to this movie, but I still walked out feeling cheated as hell. The Fridge was the real star of the show.

Speaking of cartoons, this is what the new Indiana Jones movie reminds me of...

No, I'm not joking. I honest to God wish I was. There is a real DuckTales episode with the exact same plot as the movie, right down to the...

*SPOILER ALERT*

pointy headed alien skeletons in the South American jungle.

*END OF SPOILER*

Wow. I hope Disney won't sue. *whistles "DuckTales" theme*

"Life is like a hurricane here in Duckburg..."

Phaze's Memorial Day Sale!

2008-05-25T12:44:00.000-04:00

To celebrate Memorial Day, Phaze is offering 30% off!

This deal's only for today and tomorrow, so prick (ahem)... PICK up a sizzling Phaze title to make your holiday extra hot! :O)

Checkout code: MEMDAY08

Wishing you a fun & restful holiday,
Aurora

http://www.whoisaurorablack.com

WHOO!

2008-05-23T18:40:00.000-04:00

It's a great day to be alive! *flips*

New Review of "Potent Spirits"

2008-05-21T22:40:00.001-04:00

Joyfully Reviewed was kind enough to review Potent Spirits, my Christmas 2007 bestseller for the Phaze Frost line:

Potent Spirits @ Joyfully Reviewed

~~~

In other news, I attended the orientation at my new school this afternoon and I'm excited as hell to begin my studies. My textbooks are heavy and thick, just like I like 'em. Woot! I'm going to be a book nerd again! *happy dance*

Sweet dreams,
Aurora

Nothing New to Report

2008-05-15T13:13:00.001-04:00

Nothing much has changed since my last post. I'm still writing, and the projects are still hush hush until I figure out what I want to do with them. I'm still going back to school in June. While it's indeed an exciting (and scary) time, right now I'm pretty mellow about it.

Mother's Day was lackluster, to say the least. My grandmother's death around that time last year has cast a thick, dark shadow over the holiday, and I'm sure it will remain for a long time. Thank God for writing and friends!

Watching this video makes me "homesick" for Greece. Specifically, the way it is during Greek Easter Week (which happens roughly a month either before or after "normal" Catholic Easter). On Easter Sunday at midnight, fireworks are lit at the churches nationwide to celebrate the Ascension of Christ. The video features one of the biggest celebrations on the island of Chios:

My Big Fat Greek Firework Battle

Now I've never been to Chios (AKA the birthplace of mastic, one of the main ingredients of chewing gum that only grows on that island in the entire world *gasp*), but the FEEL of the celebration just tears at my guts and reminds me that Greece was more my home than Detroit ever was (and ever will be).

Who Am I?

2008-05-02T07:35:00.001-04:00

Young. Old. Rich. Poor. Genius. Simple. Goddess. Peasant. I can be the sweetest person alive or the most evil bitch who ever breathed (depends on my mood and how I’m treated). When I love, I do it with everything I possess. When I write, I cease to be a human being and become one with the words that flow from my dancing fingers.

I write erotica.

~ Aurora Black
Dark, Passionate & Evil Erotica
(and the occasional sweet romance)
http://www.whoisaurorablack.com

Pissed Off (Rant)

2008-04-26T08:42:00.003-04:00

Okay, a quick rant before I get on with my weekend.

A couple of days ago I signed up with a new Ning community (which shall remain nameless to protect the ignorant), and within a few hours I was both swamped with friend requests (probably the usual deviants, but you never know) and banned from the group. Banned. Why was I unceremoniously kicked out of this place just after joining (and without a word, I may add)? Was I a troublemaker who started a flame war?

No. I was "temporarily" banned from this group because I used the following avatar:

This is the trademark Aurora Black avatar, which I have used (and still use) in various message boards and online communities without complaint until now. The reason I don't use it on MySpace is because of their clear-cut non-nudity clause (regarding profile pics), and I respected their rules. Unfortunately, the piss-ant community in question wasn't as forthcoming with that information, so I was unexpectedly thrown out on my ass. I repeat, this was done without a word of warning. When I contacted the moderator to see what the hell happened, he replied that he'd gotten complaints about the av, yada yada yada... and then he came out and said, "this is a place for ____ writers, not erotica writers."

What the hell? Since when are writers limited to just one genre over another? Does he mean that erotica writers can't write other things? Who the hell is he or his puritanical group to judge me because my avatar *GASP* shows a nipple? My guess is that those complaints came from some really vocal and uptight people for me to get yanked in just a matter of hours, and that pisses me off to no end.

It would have been an easy thing to change my av to something nice and safe and cutesy and then ask to return to that group (actually, from the tone of that moderator's email, begging would have been required), but I just said "fuck you and the horse you rode in on" by asking him to just delete my membership entirely. Okay, so I was a bit more polite than that. LOL!

I don't want to be a part of something that has a problem with what I'm about. Yeah, I write erotica. So what? I write other stuff as well, but some folks just lump you into the "pornographer" category the moment they catch a whiff of anything sexual in nature.

Anyway, I'm better off without them but they lost a really good thing by not giving me a chance. Screw 'em.

Have a good weekend, everybody! *waves*

Birthday Nightmare

2008-04-25T02:27:00.001-04:00

Thursday was my 28th birthday. It was a lovely spring day, fresh and warm, and the celebration itself was nice and quiet. I had a wonderful time. I've noticed that as I get older, I make less of a fuss about my birthday, opting out of big get-togethers like the ones I enjoyed in the past in favor of activities which are more intimate and soul satisfying.

So why is this blog titled "Birthday Nightmare?" Because of this:

Click for a Bigger Image

I was taken to the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts) where I saw one of my favorite paintings of all time: Henry Fuseli's "The Nightmare." You may have seen this piece in the occasional horror/thriller or dark themed computer game. It was through a game that I first saw this artistic jewel several years ago, and imagine my surprise and thrill when I found out it was right here in Detroit. *happy dance*

The day itself was full of good art, laughs and pleasant company. Can't ask for more than that. Well, that and $150 million on my doorstep. And the ability to teleport anywhere in the world (no need to pay airfare!). And the ability to write/finish an entire novel just by wiggling my nose a la "Bewitched." And...

Springtime is Here! (and very erotic)

2008-04-04T23:34:00.000-04:00

Spring is finally here! So... who's horny? I don't know, there's just something about this time of year that makes you go "MMM." Flowers poking their heads out of the ground after a long winter, rising like mini-erections. Going around with less clothing than before. Birds chirping in the morning. Thunderstorms... oooh.

Anyway, I'm the featured author at Essence of Erotica for the month of April, so that's another reason to celebrate the coming *cough, wink* of the new season. *grin*

~~~

Aurora Black
Dark, Passionate & Evil Erotica
(and the occasional sweet romance)
http://www.whoisaurorablack.com

Leap Day Sale at Phaze!

2008-02-28T15:18:00.001-05:00

Leap Day only comes around once every four years, and Phaze is celebrating with a special sale and Take a Leap Giveaway, with two ways to win!

All through Leap Day, 2.29.08, you can get 29% off all eBooks in our store using the checkout code LEAP2008. When you purchase a title from the Phaze.com catalog on Leap Day you will be eligible to win one of TWO Phaze.com gift certificates valued at $29 each.

You can also enter the drawing by sending an e-mail to leapyear@phaze.com with your Name, E-Mail Address, and one sentence describing the best way to "take a leap" on this extra day.

How would spend your Leap Day: an actual "leap" with a bungee cord attached your ankles, or a metaphorical "leap" toward an exciting new job or romance? Let us know; we'll post the answers we like best on our blog.

All entries for the giveaway must be in by midnight, 2.29.08 to be eligible. No purchase necessary to win!

Until then, stay Phazed and Enthused! http://www.phaze.com/

New Interview!

2008-02-17T11:51:00.001-05:00

Sapphire Phelan was generous enough to interview me (along with James Buchanan) for her February newsletter, and the end result is available on her Yahoo group:

Sapphire Phelan's Paranormal Newsletter (Yahoo group)

Valentine's Scavenger Hunt Winners!

2008-02-17T11:10:00.000-05:00

The winners of the EOE (Essence of Erotica) Valentine's Scavenger Hunt have been announced!

Congratulations to all the winners! :O)

Speaking of Valentine's...

2008-02-14T12:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to all! :O)

Too cold (and expensive) to go out for Valentine's Day? Then snuggle up with a sizzling Valentine's themed title from me, Aurora Black! Exciting twists, intriguing characters and steamy love scenes are guaranteed to heat up the long winter nights.

I Heart You
Aurora Black
(May 2007)
ISBN 1-59426-916-5
Romance/Thriller/BDSM
Price: $3.50

Rachel Malone has it all: beauty, brains and talent. She has brought the world of erotic romance to its knees, but something crucial is missing from her life: a man to play power games with. One night at a routine book signing, she finds the spice she needs in the form of Lucian Drake. Sinfully handsome and more erotic than any hero she’s ever written, he is the perfect man to help her live out her wildest fantasies.

When a copy of Rachel’s latest steamy offering finds its way into his hands, Lucian Drake can’t rest until he meets the woman behind the sensual words. He longs to experience her passion and lose himself in the enigmatic depths of her eyes. As their torrid affair deepens into love, danger lurks in the shadows as someone tries to tear them apart… literally.

Experience I Heart You today!

FREE READS:

An Erotic Bouquet
Aurora Black

The owner of a flower shop, Bella is all alone on Valentine’s Day… until a sexy stranger walks in and asks for a special arrangement. With just one heated look from his eyes, she can’t resist the urge to show him just how erotic flowers can be.

An Erotic Bouquet

Bard's Tales: Henry V
Aurora Black

France, 1420. After the mighty English King brings his long-time rival country to its knees, there’s only one thing that will keep the peace: the hand of the fair Katherine de Valois in marriage. But the French princess isn’t as delicate as she appears, and has a surprise for her virile would-be husband…

Bard's Tales: Henry V

OTHER NEWS:

Ladies, if you enjoy computer games then you're in for a special treat today. Valentine's Day marks the release of the unique and spectacular Fashion Boutique! Never mind just shopping... Forget just running your own store... How about managing an entire chain of clothing stores? Visit the site to learn more and download the free demo of this soon-to-be smash hit!

Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt!

2008-02-01T17:06:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day
Scavenger Hunt

begins February 1, 2008 and runs through midnight CST, February 15, 2008.

Search the sites of the following EOE authors for this logo:

Send an email to essence_of_erotica@yahoo.com with the authors listed in order, and the page of their site on which the logo was spotted.

On February 16, all correct entries will be placed in an empty Valentine's chocolate candy heart, and winners will be drawn randomly, for the prizes listed in alphabetical (author by first name) order.

Find the participating authors and website links here

Good luck and
Happy Valentine's Day!

Song of the Count

2008-01-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

It's been a LONG while since I've blogged a video, and this one was so damn funny that I just couldn't resist. Make sure the kids aren't around. You've been warned. *evil cackle*

Best Wishes for 2008! / So Far, So Good

2008-01-03T21:19:00.000-05:00

Belated, yes, but no less sincere...

I wish you all a very Happy New Year, and may 2008 bring you much joy and many gorgeous, sexy men. Or women. Or circus monkeys who juggle grapefruits. :O)

2008 has been damn good so far. Just yesterday I learned that Potent Spirits landed the number 7 spot on Phaze's Top 20 Bestseller List for December! Very exciting stuff.

Coming Together: Under Fire also made the list after only a week, which is just phenomenal!

And in case you haven't heard the incredibly good news, Phaze In Verse, which features several of my erotic poems, is a finalist for an EPPIE! *does cartwheels*

So this year is shaping up to be another good one so far.

Brand-New Slideshow!

2007-12-23T13:03:00.000-05:00

New Release & Holiday Sale!

2007-12-23T10:16:00.000-05:00

Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you...

Coming Together: Under Fire (12/24/2007)

Editors: Alessia Brio & Will Belegon

ISBN 978-1-59426-857-1

Erotic Short Stories & Poetry

Publisher: Phaze

Price: $7 (E-book) / $16 (Trade Paperback)

And Phaze is also having its annual Christmas blowout sale! All E-books are 50% off from midnight Christmas Eve until 1am (EST) Dec. 26! So if there's any particular Phaze book that you've been waiting to get (*nudge, wink*), you'll be able to get it and any other e-book you want at half price! Just use the code "HOHOHO" at checkout.

Merry Christmas! :)

~ Aurora

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-22T10:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays to everyone, and have a Kick-Ass 2008! :O)

~ Aurora