Friday Q & A…
This is the very hot cover for Blindsided, my Australian rugby/lifeguard story, written with the amazing Devon Rhodes. It’s be out in the next couple of months. 🙂
Yvonne asked how I decide which publishers to work with.
I guess when I started writing, I submitted to publishers whose books I read and liked. I’m still with one of the three that I started with. I got my rights back from the other two. Not because I didn’t like working with them or anything like that, but because it was time to move on and try something different.
I was invited to submit something to Amber Allure, and I’d read a few books published by them. Also, when they approached me, I had just happened to finish up a book and thought I’d give them a try. So Allergies got sent there.
I started working with Totally Bound because Carol Lynne asked me to co-author a story with her. And really? I wasn’t about to say no to Carol Lynne!!! Â lol So when we finished Dracul’s Blood, she said she’d like to send it to TB, and I said why not! And now they’re my major publisher. I love working with them and their covers are some of the best in the business, imo.
MLR Press became one of my publishers because I got to know Kris Jacen, the editor in chief there. She became a good friend, and they had some sub calls that caught my eye, so I sent a story in. The rest is history.
Now when I write a story, if it hasn’t already been promised to one of my publishers, I try to think about what kind of story it is, and which pub I think it would fit in better with. Also, I want to make sure that I don’t have too many of the same kind of story coming out at the same pub.
If I ever pick up a new publisher now, it’ll because I like their reputation and the authors they have chosen to publish. Also, that I think they’ll do their utmost to make my story the best it can be.
Does that answer your question, Yvonne? Does anyone else have a question for next week?
Have a great Friday and a marvelous weekend, everyone.
New Cover…
I know that usually I share a Work in Progress on Wednesday, but Devon and I just finished up Blindsided to submit, so I don’t really have anything to share today. At least not writing-wise.
I do want to share this very pretty cover Trace at Amber Allure did for me. Between Love and Hate will be out in January. It’s a short story, but I think there will be more to be discovered about Kip and Si. They were very interesting men.
I hope you like the cover and come back tomorrow for the next installment of the blog story. I think Zane is about to meet Quinn, and he’s not going to be impressed any more than the rest of us are with the kid. lol.
Have a great Wednesday.
Friday Q & A..and Chicago….
Oops…I’m using the old version of this cover. It doesn’t have the new Totally Bound logo. Oh well…I just thought I’d let you all know that Chicago is up for early download if you or any of your friends might be interested. Click here if you would like to check it out. 🙂
But on to the real feature of today: The Q & A.
Yvonne asked last Friday: “how did your family & friends respond to your new career as a M/M author when you first started, and when you were first published?”
Well, I was first published in 2004 and I wrote M/F books at the time. My parents and brother were very proud of me, though my mom skipped over the sex scenes in the books…lol. To be honest, even without the graphic sex, the books weren’t really what she liked to read anyway.
Then in 2006, when I started writing M/M stories, they were still as proud of me as they were before, though this time my dad and brother started reading more of them. (Both of them are gay…just so you know…lol) My mom has never read any of my M/M books…that I know of…and I’m fine with that. I know she’s thrilled that I’m published and get a chance to tell my stories to people who love my books.
To be honest, I never received a negative response to what I was writing, whether it was M/F or M/M. I think it was more the fact that they were ebooks that made many people think that I wasn’t necessarily ‘published’ in the traditional sense. But when I tell them that I have over 70 books out, (or did at one time…lol) and that I quit my day job to write full time, they’re impressed. Because I’m doing something that I love and getting paid for it.
My dad is very proud of me, though he tends to introduce me as ‘the queen of porn’…I’ve given up trying to explain the difference between my graphic erotic romances (and let’s face it, the sex in my books has toned down in the last couple of years) and porn. But I don’t feel like he’s putting me down or anything like that. It’s more just having fun. And hey, it’s great that he’s not embarrassed to tell people what I do for a living.
I hope that answers your question, Yvonne. Does anyone else have any questions they’d like me to answer? I’ll be more than happy to do so next Friday.
Have a great day and a marvelous weekend, everyone.
Wednesday Work in Progress-NSFW
You all might recognize these two. One of the stories I’m working on at the moment is Hearts on the Line. I’m adding three more chapters to the end, so they can get to Mexico and have a good life. 🙂 Hopefully…lol.
But I thought I’d share with you a little snippet of what I’m adding.
Hearts on the Line copyright 2013 T.A. Chase
Excerpt:
After three hours of solid planning, he sent Synder and Fanco out to guard the perimeter, and told the others to grab some shuteye. The watches would be for four-hour shifts, then they would switch off. They would stay at the house for one more day and night, then leave at sunrise the third day.
Unfortunately, traveling at night would get them noticed a lot sooner so close to the DMZ than by day, and Addison wanted to go as long as possible before any of the UEA figured out they had AFF deserters in their midst. He was willing to take the risk of being spotted in the daylight.
“I’m going to rest.” Addison stood, and poked Baxter in the shoulder. “Why don’t you come with me?”
Baxter headed out of the kitchen as Addison looked over at Markeo, who just winked at him while making a shooing motion. Thank God, his men were open-minded enough to accept what was going on between Baxter and him. Of course, Addison admitted to himself, that ultimately it didn’t matter what they thought. He would love Baxter even in the face of any opposition.
He stared at Baxter’s back as they climbed the stairs to the second floor, where they took the room at the front of the house. The children were in the back, closer to the stairs and easier escape in case someone attacked the house. As far as he and his men were concerned, the children were more important than their lives.
He stripped off his gear, piling it close to the door, but keeping his rifle with him. Baxter did the same, putting his equipment with his. Addison didn’t give Baxter a chance. He tackled the man onto the bed, and smiled as Baxter’s surprised laughter burst out.
They wrestled until Addison had Baxter pinned to the mattress. He settled between the man’s legs, then rocked his groin into Baxter’s.
“Oh God,” Baxter groaned, pushing back against Addison. “Can we fuck, sir?”
Addison nuzzled along Baxter’s jaw, then nipped his chin. “What did I tell you about calling me sir?”
“Sorry.” He didn’t sound sorry.
“Yes, we’re going to fuck. I’m going to pound your ass because I want you so badly, my love.” He dove in to take Baxter’s mouth with determination.
While dueling with Baxter for control over the kiss, Addison started fumbling with the Velcro that kept his clothes on. He growled low in frustration at not being able to get Baxter naked as fast as he wanted.
He grunted when Baxter flexed, and he wound up on the bottom with Baxter straddling his hips. Before he could do anything about it, Baxter tore his shirt off and tossed it over his shoulder. Addison lifted his hands to run his fingers over Baxter’s muscular chest, but Baxter rolled off the bed to start taking off his pants.
“You need to get naked, Addison. If we’re going to fuck, I need you without clothes.”
“Fuck. You’re right.” Addison jumped to his feet and stripped, stumbling around when his pants got caught up on his boots. “Shit!”
Baxter chuckled while dropping to his knees. “Sit. I’ll get these off for you.”
He dropped to the edge of the bed, trailing his hands over Baxter’s board shoulders and caressing the outside shell of the man’s ears. Baxter shook his head, and Addison smiled. He slid his hands to rub his thumbs over Baxter’s flat copper colored nipples. Loving how they hardened beneath his touch, Addison pinched them, then added a little twist.
Hissing, Baxter yanked off Addison’s boots, then threw them out of the way. Addison spread his thighs as Baxter pushed into his personal space before dipping his head to suck Addison’s cock down.
“Holy fuck,” he swore as the head of his shaft hit the back of Baxter’s throat.
Baxter didn’t stop when Addison gripped his head and started thrusting into his mouth. Addison figured his lover would stop him if he got too rough, but he couldn’t help moving. The feel of Baxter’s tongue on his cock was something Addison would never forget, and something he wanted to feel again and again.
Monday…
If any of you are going to see Thor this week, this picture is where one of the battles on Earth takes place. It’s the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. I went there last year with a friend while I was in London. 🙂 It’s beautiful.
Sorry this post is so late. I was up really late last night, then got up late and had to rush to meet a friend for lunch and run errands. But I’m here and I got something up. lol
So I submitted Borderline (I got the copyrights back to it last month) to a different publisher. And I also managed to submit Between Love and Hate to Amber Allure for a special submission call they had. I’m on a roll. Two submissions in the first four days of November. Hope I can keep it up…lol. I did add some more words to Borderline to get it to the 50k mark, so it could go into print if this particular pub picks it up. I’m working on adding another 8-12k to Hearts on the Line to wrap up that story and get it submitted as well.
In addition to Hearts, I’m working on Blindsided with Devon, and Remove the Space, which is halfway done. Once those two are finished, we’ll be starting the 5th sports book, and I’ll be starting the 6th Fallen book, Los Angeles. I do have two other books that I’m working as well, but those don’t have deadlines and aren’t spoken for by any publisher, so they get worked on when I have a moment or two.
Well, that’s all the news I have for you today. I have to get to working on the next blog installment, then  rugby and genetically engineered soldiers. 🙂
Have a great Monday, everyone.
Friday Question…
Sorry I’m late on this. I didn’t get to bed until like 5 this morning, so I’m kind of running behind…lol.
Gina asked on Monday, how did I keep writing from becoming a “have to” instead of using it as an escape from my day job?
That’s a tough one because there are times when I feel like I’m stuck having to write these stories that I’ve promised people, and yet I don’t want to. I want to chase after other plot bunnies that happen to hop into my brain to take me down the rabbit hole. Yet even the stories I have to write can be fun.
But when I get to the point on any story where I feel forced to write it (and for some reason, my characters have decided to stop talking to me), I usually work on a different story. One that isn’t promised to anyone, or might not need to be worked on right at that moment. It helps keep things fresh in my mind. Also, it might help untangle a problem I’m having with the other story, which might be the entire reason why I was hating on it at the moment.
I do have a set amount of words I like to hit each day (around 2k), but if I don’t, I don’t beat myself up over it. Mostly because I figure I’ll be able to make it up on some other day when the words are really flowing for me. And I give myself time off from writing. I might take a day or two where I just sit around watching movies and reading. It helps recharge my creative molecules. 🙂
Does that answer your question, Gina? Do you have any follow up questions? And anyone else who might have a question for me is more than welcome to ask it, and I’ll do my level best to answer it.
I hope you all have a great Friday, and for those who celebrate it, Happy Dia de Muertos. Have a great weekend as well.
New Ideas
Here’s me and my wonderful writing partner, Devon Rhodes, at GRL’s book signing. 🙂 I adore this picture of us. We looks so happy…lol.
so I was thinking of new and different things I could do with my blog. I’ll still be posting installments for my stories on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Plus do my darnedest to get you a snippet of what I’m working on for Wednesdays. But it’s Mondays and Fridays that I have a problem thinking of stuff to say…lol.
My idea was for one thing, to see if there were any questions you would like to ask about my writing process, any of my books, or how Devon and I started writing together in the first place. Any kind of question (within reason…lol) If you leave them in the comment section on Mondays, then I’ll pick one to answer on Friday.
Also, I thought I’d do a little throwback Mondays where I feature one of my books that has been out for a while, and which I thought I’d give a new shout out for. I might do book recommendations as well. Let you know what I’m reading when I get a chance to read. 🙂
What do you think of that? Do you think it might be fun to find out those things or do you think I should just stick with what I’m doing? I’m always willing to listen to suggestions.
Well, I need to get writing. I hope you all have an awesome Monday.
Finally Friday…..
First of all, in case any of you are interested, the third book in my Fallen series, New Orleans, came out today. It’s available here.
This week has turned into a total bust writing wise. I came home and promptly got sick. Then I went to the Josh Groban concert with my mom and next thing I know, it’s Friday. I’m still sick, but I’m hoping to have enough concentration to do some work this weekend. Since I have things that need to be done. 🙂
I’m going to do my best to get you three installments of Finding Peace next week, since I missed one this week. I’m hoping this cold goes away by Monday.
Hope you all have a great weekend.
Every Shattered Dream Part Five….
The last part of my serial for Totally Bound came out last Friday. Every Shattered Dream Part Five…I hope you were all able to grab it and see how the story ends for Logan and Dawson. 🙂 And Kenny…lol. You can check it out here.
Also, as some of you might have noticed Total e-Bound got a face lift and became Totally Bound. Yay! Their new website is gorgeous. One of the things they offer are box sets of different genre of books. No Going Home is in the Lassoes & Lust box set along with Carol Lynne, Amber Kell, Bailey Bradford, and Talia Carmichael. It’s to give people a chance to sample some of the cowboy stories they have out. 🙂 I think it’s a wonderful idea. Makes me want to go out and buy it, even though I already have copies of my book…lol Click here to check it out.
Well, I have a marvelous time at GRL. Got to see a lot of friends and people I consider family. 🙂 But now that I’m home and unpacked, it’s time to buckle down and get some stories written. First I have to run to the grocery store since there’s no human food in the house…lol. Only food for the cats.
I hope you all have an awesome day.
Crazy Monday
Today is the day I run around getting all my last minute errands taken care of before flying out for GRL tomorrow. 🙂 but the one thing I do plan on doing is getting the next two installments for Finding Peace done and scheduled before I leave. So you’ll get those at least from me even if I can’t get on line at the hotel…lol
I’m actually all packed except for a few items that I need in the morning and my laptop. That is always a last second thing to pack anyway.
Well I better get going or it’ll never get done. 🙂
Have a great week everyone, and for those of you going to GRL, I’ll see you in Atlanta.
