Roni Loren, Author

Spice It Up Thursday: Sexy Role-Playing

Roni Loren — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:43:29 +0000

18+ post

It's time for another installment of my blog series focused on finding fun ways to spice up your relationship. This is all in honor of my new release (out next Tuesday, yay!) STILL INTO YOU about a married couple trying to rekindle the spark they lost.

And on today's agenda: role-playing.

Role-playing can be a great way to bring something fresh into the bedroom when you've been with someone a long time. It's a safe way to change things up, get that thrill of newness again. And beyond something sexy, it can be fun.

So everyone knows the possible role plays you can bring into the bedroom...

Nurse or doctor
Pirate and captive
Professor and student
Escort and client
Stripper and customer
Cop and criminal (I use this one in MELT INTO YOU if you want to see that one played out.)
Master and slave (may want to look into BDSM if this one really appeals to you)
Delivery guy/girl and customer
Stranger picking you up in a bar/one-night stand

Of course, you can come up with your own. If you want to play Star Wars roles, more power to you. It's whatever you and your partner find sexy (and fun!)

Then once you talk to your partner and decide you may want to try one of these, make sure you set some ground rules.

1. Laughing together is okay. Laughing AT your partner is not.

Role-playing requires some lowering of inhibitions, which also means making yourself more vulnerable. Acting in a role doesn't come naturally to most of us and can feel awkward at first because you're afraid of looking ridiculous or not doing it "right." Agree with your partner that you're not going to poke fun at each other and that it's a safe environment to relax in. Otherwise, if one partner is meant to feel silly or ashamed, this will never happen again.

2. Establish a safe word that stops the role play.

This is something used in BDSM play but it helpful for regular roleplays as well. If something is uncomfortable or you feel like things are going off course, you can say a word that signal each of you to break character. "Stop" or something simple can work, but if you're doing something where you may be play-acting "stop!" - cop and criminal for instance, then it gets confusing. So make sure the word is something that stands out.

3. Don't phone it in.

You don't have to go buy elaborate costumes (though you can) but make an effort to make it feel real. If you're supposed to be the escort, don't be dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt.

4. Talk about boundaries

Make sure you know what is off-limits for your partner so that you don't cross some line they don't want you to.

5. Have fun.

If you're totally stressed out about being perfect or how your thighs look in the too tight skirt he asked you to wear, this will just be an exercise in misery. Your partner loves you, you love them. This is just a little fun. Treat it as such.

And if you want to see what a stranger pick-up could look like, here's an excerpt from STILL INTO YOU. Seth and Leila have been married eight years and have gone to The Ranch to try to find their way back to each other. Seth has told Leila she can have whoever she wants at The Ranch. She's been at the dance club when this scene starts...

STILL INTO YOU Excerpt

When she’d found out Seth was going to go do his own thing tonight, her belly had gone inside out. Not only because of the fact that he was willingly giving her the opportunity to cheat but that he might do the same. Maybe he’d set up this whole thing to satisfy his own eight-year itch.

After that revelation, she’d vowed to jump into this whole thing with both feet. If her husband could so easily turn his vows off and not care if some other guy touched his wife, then he’d earned the consequence. Apparently, she wasn’t even worth jealousy anymore.

But so far she hadn’t been inspired to use that get-out-of-jail-free card. All of the men she’d danced with had been handsome enough, but none had sparked that thing inside her that would push her to take the leap. She’d turned the offers down, and each of the men had handled it without protest or malice, which was another beautiful thing about this place—consent was like religion.

She took the last gulp of her drink and set it down on the bar.

“Still have one dance left in you?” a voice said, low and heavy against her ear.

Leila startled, nearly knocking over her glass. She whirled around to find a familiar face with an unfamiliar smirk staring down at her. “What?”

Seth planted a hand on the bar, half-caging her on her stool with his arm. Her gaze traced down him as she inhaled the scent of a cologne she’d never smelled on him before—a darker, more earthy scent than his usual. He’d changed into a pair of jeans and a snug gray T-shirt that molded over his hard, lean chest. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

She blinked, confused for a moment, then realized what he was doing. Oh. Her pulse ticked up a notch. “I’m Leila.”

His smile was downright wicked. Who the hell was this person? “Well, Leila, I’m Seth and I think you should dance with me.”

“Oh, and why is that?” she asked, leaning back against the bar and sending him a challenging look.

His other hand landed on the bar, officially trapping her in the scant space between his arms. He bent his head close to her ear. “Because there are at least three dudes in this place who are hoping you’ll go back to their room with them, and I want to show everyone who’s really going to be shoving that dress up your thighs tonight.”

A soft gasp passed her lips, the dirty talk a vast—but effective—departure from the Seth she was used to. She met his eyes and saw the promise backing up his words. A subtle warmth crept over her skin. “My, my, aren’t you confident.”

***

STILL INTO YOU can be pre-ordered on Kindle or Nook for only $2.99!

Alright, that's all I've got today. Thoughts on this feature? Do you want me to continue with this series over the next few weeks or do something different? And what are some role play scenarios I missed listing?

Readers Face the Slush Pile: A Few Hard Truths

Roni Loren — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:00:23 +0000

I know the publishing industry has been in major flux over the last few years with e-readers and the advent of digital self-publishing. (Let's mark that as my most obvious statement of the year.)

And though change is always uncomfortable and stressful, I think it's also opened up a whole new world for writers. Like agent Deidre Knight posted about recently--No, no longer means never. If a book can't find an agent or a publishing home (or the author doesn't want to go that route at all), self-pubbing is there. Options are wonderful to have. It gives power to the author. Yay for that!

However, that also means that books now don't have to go through gatekeepers, so Amazon and online bookstores are open to anyone who wants to put words on a page (whether well-written or not). That means there is a tidal wave of slush filling up the market and it's up to the reader to decide if a book is worthy or not.

First novel attempts are out there (thank God this option wasn't around when I thought my first attempt at writing a book was made of awesome--it wasn't and would be an embarrassment to me now.) Rough drafts are out there. Total, breathtaking masterpieces are out there. But it's up to the consumer to sift through it and discover and applaud the ones worthy of it by posting great reviews and passing on word of mouth.

But here's the thing: lots of readers seem to be perfectly impressed by mediocre writing.

Now, I know books are a totally subjective experience. And who am I to judge what is good or bad writing. But there are also standard practices of writing, clichés to avoid, and just general solid story telling techniques that are around for a reason. And I realize that I'm a writer who is going to have a much more critical eye when it comes to craft, but still it's frustrating seeing a book with a nice cover, a good blurb, and great reviews/sales rank, getting excited, then opening up those sample pages and groaning with disappointment.

Yesterday, I had it happen twice. Two books that looked great and then didn't deliver in the sample pages. If they'd been read in the opening pages gong show I talked about last week, they would've been gonged by the agents, no doubt. But these authors are selling books and have an army of good reviews gracing Amazon, so either they're padding their reviews or most readers are satisfied with "decent" writing ability.

Now, before anyone jumps my case, I'm not saying there aren't traditionally pubbed books that suck too. But at least they've been through a few editors, including not just a copy editor but a macro editor who is looking at the big picture stuff. Grammar and typos can be handled by a high school English student. Having an editor that can critically evaluate things like story structure, character arc, info dumps, plot holes, etc. is not quite as easy to find. That kind of editing is what is going to separate (whether traditional or indie) the good stories from the just alright.

So here are some hard truths I've come to terms with regarding the new world of books...

#1 I can't trust reviews or sales ranking anymore unless the review comes from someone I know and trust or a professional book blogger/reviewer who I know gives honest opinions.

And I am looking more and more towards goodreads instead of amazon for reviews. I find that goodreads gives a more well-rounded picture. And I'm learning the book bloggers who tend to have taste similar to mine, so I trust their recommendations.

#2 For self-pubbed/indie books, I'm reading sample pages before I buy unless it's an author I already know/have read/trust.

No, it's not fair that I tend not to do this for traditionally pubbed books. Usually if the blurb and cover grab me, I'm buying. But I've been burned one too many times on the self-pubbed stuff, so I'm reading pages before purchase.

#3 Though the gates opening is a great thing, I think we're going to miss out on some really fantastic writing from authors who would've had to hone and refine their craft more if they'd faced the gates first.

If an author puts out a book that's "good enough" or "decent" and it sells well, there is no motivation for her to take the time to study craft and get better, to push herself. In fact, the only thing she'll probably feel pressure to do is write the next one as fast as she can to get more "shelf" space. So, she can continue to put out more of the same. That's great if she can make a living at it, but what kind of story may the world have gotten if she'd had to push a little further, dug a little deeper? (So if you are publishing, either self or traditionally, always remember to hone your craft. Study books/blogs on writing, read books from authors who are masters at their craft, and always strive to make the next book better. Never be happy with "good enough.")

#4 Being a writer means being a picky reader.

I'm almost jealous of those readers who can read a not so well-written book and enjoy it--not pick up on the clichés or the 20 million exclamation points, not worry that the character is looking at herself in the mirror and describing how she looks, not seeing the plot holes. Being a writer is like being a chef who tries to eat in someone else's restaurant and sees every flaw in the food.

#5 I now have an endless variety of stories to choose from.

This is a good one. I LOVE that books that may not have fit in the traditional mold and would've gotten put in a drawer are getting out there. Genre-crossers, niche stories, boundary-pushers, shorter works. That's fantastic. I just have to accept that the flip side of this benefit means the extra step of sifting through the slush.

So yes, I'm all for writers having the variety of publishing options. I haven't ruled out self-pubbing stuff in between my traditional stuff in the future (if I can learn to write faster and have some time in between deadlines, lol.) But the benefits don't come without some negatives. As a reader, I now have to work a little harder to find what I want. It's something I'm still getting used to.

So what are your thoughts? How do you make your book buying decisions? Have you been burned buying a book that had stellar reviews and sales? Do you read sample pages before purchasing? What are some indie books that really knocked your socks off?

THE SIREN Takes Over Boyfriend of the Week

Roni Loren — Tue, 29 May 2012 12:43:38 +0000

Today I have a special treat for you. Tiffany Reisz is back, giving us ALL the boyfriends from her debut novel THE SIREN . If you haven't read this book yet, what are you waiting for? It's gorgeous and dark and beautifully written. Plus hello, it has all these delicious men in it. Really, this isn't because she's a friend, her book is amazing. This story convinced me I could enjoy erotica and not just erotic romance. (Yes, there's a difference.)

THE SIREN has been early-released in ebook, so you can get it now. The paperback will be out in July.

Now over ot Tiffany and her men--oh, and fair warning if you're at work, Tiffany's excerpts are 18+.

Boyfriends of the Week - The Siren

Hi Friends and Fellow Man-Lovers!

Once again Roni’s bad judgment has gotten the better of her and she’s allowing me to run roughshod all over her blog. I’m not here for the Boyfriend of the Week post. I’m here for the BoyfriendS of the Week.

That’s right. BoyfriendS. Plural. It’s the week of THE SIREN (my full-length erotic women’s fiction debut), and I brought all my men with me.

At a recent writers’ conference, my agent described THE SIREN as a book with a hero, a heroine, another hero, another hero, another hero, and another heroine. Pretty accurate assessment. After all, THE SIREN is merely book one in an eight-book series called THE ORIGINAL SINNERS. I need a whole lot of sinners if I’m going to fill up eight books.

THE SIREN is the story of Nora Sutherlin, a quirky and beautiful Dominatrix and her rich and powerful lovers and clients. She’s also an erotica writer on killer deadlines and the world’s sexiest editor is cracking the whip. On top of that, she’s got a nymphomaniac Frenchman for a boss, an all-American, virginal teenage boy for an intern, and you don’t even want to know who she’s sleeping with.

Oh wait. Yes, you do.

Let’s meet our boys, shall we?

Hero #1

Zachary “Zach” Easton

Occupation: Uptight editor of literary fiction

Hobbies: Being British and mean to his writers

“You do realize that working with you could be bad for my career,” Zach said. “I do literary fiction, not-”

“Literary friction?”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Zach shook his head.

Nora leaned in close to him. He was suddenly and uncomfortably aware of the long, bare curve of her neck. She smelled of hothouse flowers in bloom.

“I can.” She breathed the words into his ear.

Hero #2

Wesley “Wes” Railey

Occupation: Full-time College Student, Part-time Babysitter to a Writer

Hobbies: Horseback riding and trying to get Nora to behave for five whole minutes

“It's okay,” he said a little breathlessly. He curled up around the pillow and pulled his legs into his chest. “It's just, you're, I’m…”

“Turned on? I know you are. You’re accent gets thicker when you get-”

“Nora, please.”

“You can tell me, Wes.”

“Yes,” he confessed. “Very. I'm sorry. Just give me a few minutes to think about my dead grandmother and I'll be okay.”

“Can I help you?”

“I don't think so. You never met my dead grandmother.”

Hero #3

Griffin Randolfe Fiske

Occupation: Trust Fund Baby

Hobbies: Causing trouble, getting tattoos, lifting weights, going to rehab, flirting with everyone.

“Blowjob on a British guy?” Griffin asked with some concern. “You're a braver bitch than I. No offense,” Griffin said turning to Zach. “I have a foreskin phobia.”

“Zach's Jewish,” Nora said.

Griffin nodded his approval. “Mazel tov.”

Hero? #4

Kingsley Edge (not his real last name)

Occupation: Clubowner and King of New York’s Underground BDSM Scene

Hobbies: Seducing women, seducing men, being French and attractive, shopping

“Miss me?” Nora asked.

“I miss you. My bank account misses you.”

“Your bank account is bigger than the G.D.P. of Luxembourg, King.”

“Oui, Maîtresse.” He took a bigger swig of his drink. “But Luxembourg is such a small kingdom.”

Hero #5

Søren

Occupation: You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Hobbies: Playing piano and mindfucking anyone who tries to get in-between him and Nora

“You know her that well, do you?” Søren asked, turning to face him full on. “Before tonight she scared you, didn’t she? Her fearlessness, her brazenness, I’m sure it’s terrifying at first. Foreign to those who lead the proverbial life of quiet desperation as I imagine you do. She scared you with the sheer force of her life and being. But now you look around and think her courage is merely a byproduct of her damage. You imagine I abused her, changed her. And you would save her, as Wesley imagines he can? You would be her knight in shining armor? Yes, before you feared her and now you pity her. I assure you, Zachary, you were right the first time.”

Tiffany Reisz lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her boyfriend (a reformed book reviewer) and two cats (one good, one evil). She graduated with a B.A. in English from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky and is making both her parents and her professors proud by writing BDSM erotica under her real name. She has five piercings, one tattoo, and has been arrested twice.

When not under arrest, Tiffany enjoys Latin Dance, Latin Men, and Latin Verbs. She dropped out of a conservative southern seminary in order to pursue her dream of becoming a smut peddler. Johnny Depp’s aunt was her fourth grade teacher. Her first full-length novel THE SIREN was inspired by a desire to tie up actor Jason Isaacs (on paper). She hopes someday life will imitate art (in bed).

If she couldn’t write, she would die.

Thanks, Tiffany! Whew, alright, so which hero are you going for? I have a bit of a thing for Wesley, but Tiffany makes all her heroes interestiing so it's definitely a hard choice. :)

Made of Win Monday: Reading Binges

Roni Loren — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:58:41 +0000

This is going to be a quick post since it's Memorial Day and I know many of you are out eating barbecue and hanging out by the pool. But yesterday I had a glorious day of doing nothing but reading. I read an entire novel and a novella. I binged. And it was lovely and totally made of win.

I knew RT Magazine's list of 50 books for 50 Shades alternatives was going to get me in trouble. :) (Here's the list if you're interested. Crash made it on there too!)

And in case you want to know what books had me glued to my Kindle, here you go. These were both new to me authors. Both were fab...

Sheltered by Charlotte Stein

Adored this story. Such a sweet hero and sexual tension that will melt your e-reader. Ignore the cover, that's not how the characters were described.

Evie has lived her entire life under her abusive father’s thumb. He controls everything. Where she goes to college, who she sees, what she does. But when she meets Van—a punk who shows her how different life could be—she realizes how much she’s been missing.Van offers her excitement, protection, love…and most of all, sex—even if he’s at first reluctant to give her all the things she’s been craving. She wants to explore this new world of arousal and desire, but Van is only too aware of how fragile she is, how innocent…And how much is at stake, when their love is forbidden.

Willing Victim by Cara McKenna

For the past couple years Laurel’s been coasting, hiding in the backseat while her life drifts off course. Then one summer afternoon a tall, built bruiser named Flynn strides in and steers her straight into an infatuation she never saw coming.Flynn introduces Laurel to things she’s never imagined—to the violent but exciting realm of the underground boxing circuit, to rough sex and even rougher role-playing, and to an attraction she craves even as it intimidates her. As Flynn invites her deeper into his world and his life, Laurel has to make a choice—let fear keep her holed up where it’s safe, or take a chance and fight for the man who makes her feel more alive than she’d dreamed possible. Reader Advisory: Although all sex acts are 100-percent consensual, Willing Victim contains role-playing scenarios that may upset some readers who are sensitive about rape, even in a simulated capacity.

So here's to days where you get so lost in a book you can't stop...and don't have to!

Anyone have a book binge lately?

Fill-Me-In Friday: Best Publishing Links of the Week

Roni Loren — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:57:51 +0000

Need to catch up? It's that time of the week again--best links!

But first, I'm a guest over at the Save the Cat blog today talking about Why Your Writing Process Shouldn’t Be Sacred. Yes, I fangirled about Save the Cat so much online that they invited me over, lol. But seriously, that book changed my writing life. I'm a believer. :)

On Writing/Publishing:

On Social Networking:

Reading:

Looking for Some 50 Shade of Grey alternatives? The USA Today Happy Ever After blog asked romance authors for their recommendations. (I'm happy to be on the list, but they also list many of my personal favorites too. Great list!)

What You May Have Missed Here:

From Terrified to Teaching: My Writer's Con Journey
Alex O'Loughlin - Boyfriend of the Week via Sharla Lovelace
What Will Make An Agent Gong Your Pages
Spice It Up Thursday: The Real Girl's Guide to Lingerie
In Denial About Summer
(posted on the parenting blog Peanut Butter on the Keyboard)

So that's what I've got for the week. What were some of you favorite links this week?

Spice It Up Thursday: The Real Girl's Guide to Lingerie

Roni Loren — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:00:22 +0000

Okay, so as many of you know might already know, I have a novella coming out June 5th (and it's only 2.99!). This novella, STILL INTO YOU, is part of my series (I'm calling it #1.5) and is the first story I've ever written about a married couple.

Here's the blurb:

Seth and Leila used to have trouble keeping their hands off each other. Passion, desire, love—it was all there. Yet, eight years after their whirlwind marriage and kids, they’ve settled into a life where choosing Letterman over Leno is considered a wild night.

Seth knows things need to change. But when he hears his wife call into a relationship radio show and admit she’s been tempted to cheat, he realizes how far off course they’ve gotten. He comes up with a dramatic plan. Three days. No rings. He’ll take Leila to The Ranch, a resort where any sexual fantasy can be had, and give her the freedom to have whatever or whomever she wants.

However, Seth doesn’t intend to simply stand by and watch other men fulfill Leila’s dark desires. He has a lot more bad boy in him than his wife suspects and he knows there’s only one man who can give her what she needs. Now he has to show her why that man is him.

I had a great time writing about a couple that could be any of us--two people who love each other, but have been together a long time and life has started to get in the way of their romance. Now, I don't necessarily suggest taking the extreme measure my couple does in the book, but I thought it'd be fun for the next few weeks to have a Thursday feature focused on simple ways to spice up a relationship and have some fun.

Fair warning: These posts are for 18 and over.

On today's agenda...lingerie.

Okay, so we all know what's out there. We've seen those skimpy things on the Victoria's Secret models. You can't eat a crouton and still fit into half that stuff. (For those of you who can wear those outfits and look flawless...well, move right along before we spot you and start to hate you.) Most of us can't pull off things designed for models.

And I know there are some guys out there who will say that it's not about looking perfect. They like the idea of it and see us as sexy no matter what. Or they're good with plain old naked. Okay, we love you for that. But half the appeal of lingerie is that the woman can feel sexy in it. It changes things up a bit and can make everything feel a little different, a bit more exciting. But if she feels uncomfortable or un-cute in what she's wearing, it's going to ruin the mood.

So what's a girl to do? Well, here are some ideas that will probably make both your and your guy happy.

Lingerie Alternatives for Every Day Women

1. A man's dress shirt and a pair of heels.

Classic, sexy, and very forgiving on body shape.

2. The sports jersey (striped athletic socks optional)

Just, uh, make sure it's not a team he hates. :)

3. A trench coat with heels or knee high boots.

The only time it's okay to be a flasher.

4. The cowgirl look

This could be jeans or jean skirt, boots, hat, and either a wife beater or plaid shirt tied in the front.

5. The buttoned up business woman or librarian look

Slim black skirt, sheer blouse, heels, sexy lacy stuff underneath (or nothing at all). Glasses for bonus points.

There are also outfits that could be fun for role plays, but I think I shall save that for another post. ;)

So what do you think? Think your guy would go for this? Any other lingerie alternatives you can think of? And men, if you're reading this, would you be happy to see your women in any of these?

What Will Make An Agent Gong Your Pages

Roni Loren — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:51:37 +0000

This past weekend I attended the DFW Writer's Conference. And one of the most entertaining sessions of that conference is the Gong show. They did it last year and I wrote a post on it here. So I thought I'd do the same thing again since I think it's a really helpful exercise.

So basically this gong show consists of a panel of agents who sit at a table in front of the audience. They are each given their own personal gong to hit. Then either queries or first pages are read by a moderator. Everything is anonymous. And the agents hit the gong at the point they would stop reading. Once three agents have gonged, they give their explanation as to why they would've stopped reading.

I imagine this is pretty painful for those writers who volunteered their pages, but it's a fantastic learning experience. And it makes me realize that even over the past year, my own internal editor has gotten more refined because most of the time, I mentally "gonged" for the same reasons the agents did.

So what were some of the mistakes that got gonged?

In queries...

1. Starting with a question - Have you wondered what the world would be like if...

This is an old one (and was on last year's list), but apparently people are still doing it. One agent said that if you start with a question, 99% of the time, the answer is going to be 'no.'

2. Not giving the meat of the story - And he transforms into something no one expected...

You don't have to give away the ending, but if you're hiding the twist or the really interesting part because you don't want to "spoil" it, you're hurting yourself. If you don't hook the agent in that query, they're not going to ever get to those pages you want to surprise them with.

3. In YA, sounding like an adult trying to speak teen (or sounding patronizing).

4. Complaining about what is already out there. There is a void of really meaningful vampire stories out there, my story will change that...

This starts you off with a negative and makes you seem pompous. Don't tell them what you think is wrong with your genre. Just show them why your book is worth reading.

5. Using vague language or meaningless words. A story of love and betrayal, deep inner turmoil, and forgiveness...

What is your story about? Give the nitty gritty not all these vague themes.

6. Going on for too long and not getting to the point.

They want short and sweet. Give the main driving story of the novel and get out. You don't need to go into every subplot and every character.

7. Wasting words

One agent was particularly sensitive to things like, "I am writing you in hopes that you will consider..." All those extra words and stating the obvious made him think you may not write tight.

8. Zombies

Zombies were this year's "vampires". Not all the agents gonged them, but there was a definite aversion from some.

9. In YA, the guy/girl moving to a new school or the guy/girl discovering they have a power they never knew they had.

These are getting clichéd in YA.

On the opening page...

1. Not grounding the reader

For instance, starting with dialogue but we get no sense of where the people are or what's around them.

2. Starting with someone being chased through the woods, waking up, dreaming...

All these are cliché and will get you an immediate no from most of the agents present.

3. Using clichéd language.

Your writing needs to sound fresh. It's easy to slip into cliches because they are the first things that come to our mind. I seriously recommend checking out Margie Lawson's lecture packets about fresh writing. It will scare you off clichés forever and make you want to work harder.

4. Showing too much of your research.

This is like your slip showing. If you have to do research for a novel, you don't have to show the reader all of it. Leave some things tucked under your skirt. Only give the reader what they need and move on. Historical authors are particularly prone to this.

5. Not getting to a hooky moment fast enough.

This was the most common reason. They want conflict and action on the first page. It was okay to set up something in the first or second paragraph, but then they wanted to see the reason why they were supposed to be reading this story. Dumping in a bunch of character descriptions or yammering on about setting got old quickly. What is interesting on that first page?

There were more, but these are the ones that jumped out and got mentioned more than once. (Thanks to the brave souls who volunteered their queries and pages so that everyone else could learn.)

So what do you think? Any of these surprise you? Do you think you've fallen into any of these traps?

Alex O'Loughlin - Boyfriend of the Week via Sharla Lovelace

Roni Loren — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:52:14 +0000

Today I'm rerunning a boyfriend of the week, but with good reason. When Sharla stopped by orginally, her book, The Reason is You , had just come out and I hadn't read it yet. But now that I have, I needed to see this post again, lol.

Seriously, if you haven't read her book yet, check it out. I know it sounds like I'm just pimping a friend, but I don't rave about books I don't genuinely like. I couldn't put this one down and I loved every minute of the journey. This is the beauty of meeting writers. This is probably not a book I would've picked up on my own since I wouldn't have thought romantic women's fiction (with a paranormal twist) would've been my thing. But I'm SO glad I did. I can't wait for Sharla's next book. I'm officially a fan girl.

Now over to Sharla...

Hi and I’m so glad to be here!

When she told me I could do a Boyfriend of the Week and talk about who I pictured as my main guy for THE REASON IS YOU, it was shameful how quickly I jumped on that. There are actually two main men in the story, but back in the beginning…wayyyyy back in the seed of an idea that the story was at first….there was only one fact I knew for sure. That my main character Dani Shane had a mad love for a man she’d known her whole life and could never touch…because he was a ghost. And in my head after watching season after season of Moonlight and the sexiest vampire I’d ever known…always wearing black… that all-black-wearing ghost had to be Alex O’Loughlin.

And his character’s name became...ahem…Alex. Um, yeah, but his last name is Stone so…yanno. Nobody can prove I was thinking of him when I wrote it. And I trust y’all. You wouldn’t sell me out, right? Or then maybe you should, and Alex O’Loughlin would read about it, and decide he needed to read that book, and then decide he needed to play that part, and go talk to directors about optioning the script, and then…and then…he’d call me at home and say he needed to come talk to me in person about it…

Okay, I need to quit. I’m starting to hyperventilate and my dog’s looking at me funny. And so is my husband. *glancing sideways*

So here you go…some Alex eye candy. With commentary from me.

Does it get better than this? I don’t think it can.

Just being cute and funny on Hawaii Five O…love the funny

Yes. My answer is yes.

This is back in his vamp days when I first fell in lust

Did I mention he’s Australian? You can’t tell, he totally Americanizes his dialogue in every show, but in talk shows in real life there is that take-me-now accent. Yum.

He plays a former Navy Seal on Hawaii Five O.

Vamp days too…all in black. Alex Stone the ghost was born here.

And below is my favorite picture of all time…

From his GQ Australia photoshoot. I was speechless the first time I saw it. Then I made it my wallpaper. There just aren’t words.

So there you go! Now you can all rejoice with me in the ecstasy that is Alex O’Loughlin. Yum. What do you think?

Thank you, Roni!

ABOUT SHARLA: Sharla once hunted for crab in a Honduran jungle, and explored an unknown cave on her belly through a rabbit hole. Not in the same night. Now, she lives in Southeast Texas by the Neches River with her family, an old lady dog, and 19 cockatiels--the birds actually have their own house outside. The Reason is You is her debut novel, and her second book, BEFORE AND EVER SINCE, is due out in November.

When she's not writing, doing the day job, or doing the family thing, she's stalking her Twitter feed (way too much).

Sharla can be found at her website www.sharlalovelace.com, as well as… Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads under ‘sharlalovelace’.

THE REASON IS YOU Blurb:

In the small river town of Bethany, Dani Shane never fit in. Being different pushed her to the fringes of society, and even leaving town for two decades didn't stop the talk. Now, with her sixteen year-old daughter Riley in tow, Dani is back in Bethany looking for a fresh start. Too bad her plans for staying under the radar are about to be thrown out the window.

Mischievous and sexy, Dani's old friend Alex still has the power to rock her world, but there's a big obstacle standing in their way—Alex has been dead for forty years. With a ghost popping up at inopportune moments and sparking conversations with her teenage daughter, Dani scrambles to find solid ground and get a grip—both on her sanity and her heart.

Now don't you all wanna go out and buy Sharla's book? If nothing else but to picture this guy for an entire novel? - Roni

From Terrified to Teaching: My Writer's Con Journey

Roni Loren — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:22:42 +0000

Apparently, I'm a hand talkerThis weekend I had the privilege of attending the DFW Writer's Conference. It's a fabulous con and one of the biggest in the area, so if you ever have a chance to come, I suggest you do.

Three years ago DFW Con was the very first writer's conference I ever attended. I was a brand spanking new writer. I had just finished my first manuscript (the YA that now has permanent residence in the depths of my hard drive) and I was ready to absorb every ounce of information I could.

And I was freaking terrified.

I'm an introvert and was still coming to terms with calling myself a "writer" out loud. So walking into a room with hundreds of people, some who REALLY knew what they were doing and were already published, was one of the most intimidating situations I'd ever been in. So I went into recluse mode, sitting at a table, simultaneously hoping someone would talk to me and worrying about what I would say if they did.

And of course, I quickly discovered that though we're often the "quiet ones", writers are some of the friendliest people out there. Plus, get us talking about books or writing and we don't shut up. So I ended up managing a few conversations and met some other people. Apparently, I wasn't going to be allowed to survive in "just go to the classes and not socialize mode". :)

I also remember being completely in awe of the published authors and the people teaching the classes. I was too nervous to talk to them. I mean--hell, they had actual books in actual stores. But I sat there like a sponge, absorbing all the fabulous info (and realizing--oh crap, I have done a lot wrong with my book, lol.)

I left that conference completely overwhelmed and totally inspired. (And it turned me into a total confernce junkie.)

So fast forward to this year and I found myself at DFW Con for the third time. But this time, instead of being the girl who was afraid to talk to a published author, I was a published author. And instead of the shy girl who was freaked out by a crowd, I was the one in front of all those people, teaching. (And enjoying it--imagine that, lol.)

Total outer body experience.

I know I'm still at the beginning of my publishing journey, but having that kind of full circle moment was pretty amazing.

So thank you to DFW Con for inspiring me three years ago and making me feel welcome. And thank you for inviting me this year to teach a few classes.

And most of all, thank you to every writer who came to my classes, asked great questions, and made this shy girl feel at ease in front of a group. You rock. :)

(Oh, and for those of you who bought my book: *tackle hug*)

Have you ever had a full circle moment? Have you ever been the shy guy/girl at a conference? What was your first writer's conference experience like?

Fill-Me-In Friday: Best Publishing Links of the Week

Roni Loren — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:26:39 +0000

Need to catch up? It's that time of the week again--round up day.

But first, a quick reminder that if you're at DFWCon this weekend, I'll be teaching two workshops (How To Write Love Scenes and Erotic Romance 101), so I'd love if you checked them out. I'll be giving out a "Why Does This Love Scene Suck?" checklist and possibly a book or two, so how can you pass that up? :)

AND, if you didn't see the annoucement on Twitter, I sorta sold another novella this week. So yay! From Publisher's Marketplace:

National Bestselling Author Roni Loren's NOT UNTIL YOU, the next in her Loving on the Edge series, to Kate Seaver at Berkley Heat, for publication in 2013, by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency (World English).

Alright, enough about me, now for the good stuff...

Writing and Publishing:

33 things to do when you are feeling a bit angry with your novel via YA Highway

On The Privilege Of Being A Writer via Chuck Wendig

Kate Hart: Uncovering YA Covers: 2011 <--really interesting stats and cool graphics

Author, Jody Hedlund: Everyone Gets Jealous, Even Published Authors

Jungle Red Writers: Control Your Social Media So It Doesn't Control You by Elizabeth Craig

When Self-Publishing Is More Useful As a Marketing Tool | Jane Friedman

The Correct Way To Share | Kait Nolan <--great post about re-blogging etiquette

In E-Reader Age of Writer’s Cramp, a Book a Year Is Slacking - NYTimes.com <--This has definitely been my experience so far

A tale of two royalty statements « Courtney Milan’s Blog

5 Undying Myths About Published Writers And Their Eerie Powers via Warrior Poet