A little murder with your dinner?

I've been writing erotic romance for nine years. In that time I've published 8 short stories, 5 novellas and 6 full-length novels. In each one I have explored some aspect of the D/s lifestyle, from the extreme Master/slave relationship to a simple power exchange between a married couple looking to spice up their love life.

But in all that time, in all those stories, I've never tried a murder-mystery. Well, that's not actually true, I do have a partial mystery sitting on my laptop that I never finished (wrote myself into a corner at 20,000 words and there it sits). It's a hard genre to write in and more focused on plot than relationships. Murder-mysteries have more characters, plot twists and red herrings than I've ever dealt with until now.

So I approached Shooting Star with some trepidation. Could I actually manage all those characters? What about the false clues? Could I successfully hide the true killer until the reveal at the end? I was nervous and excited all through the writing of this novel.

Last week I took the plunge, releasing it as a self-published book. It's already available in all ebook formats and print is coming soon (found some formatting problems in the proof copy. Fixing those and hope to have print copies available shortly). The story involves not one, but two couples (okay, three) who run afoul of one very nasty person intent on killing.

As Sherlock would say, "The game's afoot!" Read the book and leave reviews (on the site or on your own blogs) and let me know if I successfully pulled it off! My next novel is one for the Sweet Spot series and I'm thinking there may be murder prowling the streets of Port Clef if Shooting Star is well-received.

Play safe!
Diana

The Sweet Spot

About a year ago, the Scribes were chatting on line and someone suggested...we should do a book together.  Well, because we’re writers, our ideas expanded (and expanded) and now, we’re doing a series of books...The Sweet Spot Series.

The stories are all loosely connected in the fictional town of Port Clef.

In Port Clef is The Sweet Spot, a bakery-candy shop-cafe run by Jacqui and Jill and you’ll find everyone stops by for their favorite treat and sometimes some advice on love.

Lynn LaFleur is starting us off with “Candlelight Wish,” released just this week.  Over the next year, you’ll see stories from all the Scribes.  It’s not necessary to read all the books (or read them in order) but why miss out on the fun? You never know who might appear in someone else’s story.

Also, I have a book coming out tomorrow...Scarlet, Book 2 of the Red Panty Diaries will be available at Ellora’s Cave and then in a week or so on Amazon and B&N! I really had fun with this m/m/f menage. 

Hope you’re having a wonderful summer!

Tielle

Book Lovers' Buffet Vacation Getaway!

The Book Lovers' Buffet Vacation Getaway sale is now open! Only 99¢ for every ebook. Choose from contemporary, erotic, paranormal, mystery, historical...over 100 books on sale, including books from Ruby Storm, Tara Nina and me. Happy shopping!

http://bookloversbuffet.com/

Lynn

A Belated Happy Mother's Day To All!

I know it's June, but I wanted to wish you all a belated Happy Mother's Day! I couldn't get to posting until tonight. Of course I was a bit stressed by it, but I'm glad things turned out the way they did. Today my parents and all my kids and grandchildren came out to spend the day. This was my perfect Mother's Day for me). We barbecued burgers and made a couple of salads. But the best part of the day was when we started talking about past family vacations. Of course, one incident came up (as it always does when we're having a few drinks and laughing!) When I sat down tonight to blog, I knew what I wanted to blog about.

Okay, this was when my youngest son was three years old. (He's 29 now - how in hell did that happen?) So we'd traveled out of state to visit family in Wisconsin. Close by was an animal farm so my husband and I and kids plus his sister and family thought we'd spend the day there. At the end of the park was an area with a petting zoo.  Benches, corn for the goats, and popcorn for the kids.  My three year old at the time was sitting on a bench, munching his popcorn beside an unknown woman who was also visiting. His little chubby legs, too short to reach the ground, were swinging back and forth as he took in his surroundings.  I'm standing about 10 feet away with everyone in our group, just talking and snapping pictures and turned my camera on him.  Along comes a black goat into the picture only a foot in front of my son. My son stops eating and stares because though this goat is black, he has a gray...um...'spot' under his tail. You know, the spot where poop comes out.

I wish I'd had a video camera because my son stops eating his popcorn, leans forward with an outstretched hand and says, "what's that?" and low and behold his finger disappears right up to the knuckle in the 'gray' hole! The goat did a skip forward, surprised as hell! The poor woman sitting beside my son blew her popcorn right out of her mouth with a burst of laughter. Her laughing quickly turned to a choking gag when my son immediately went back to his own popcorn (using the hand with the offending finger) and began eating again, never giving it another thought! We howled for fifteen minutes, wiping tears and suppressing the urge to pee our pants!

Honest to god, I'm sure every one of you has a funny, gross story about one of your innocent children. Feel free to share! And again, Happy Belated Mother's Day!

Hugs, Ruby

Memorial Day & what it means to me

Memorial Day: a day of remembrance for all our fallen soldiers.

Many have forgotten why this day was created. It’s become the kick-off to the summer weekend for almost every radio station across the country. But without those who fought and died for our rights, there wouldn’t be a free radio station.

I researched Memorial Day and its beginnings are not engraved in stone. As a Southerner, I tend to lean toward the Southern Ladies theory. During the ‘war’ (and for those who don’t understand~the war was the Civil War or the War between the States. There was nothing Civil about it), Southern women were known to recognize the fallen by placing flowers upon their graves no matter what color cloth they wore, thus the Day of Decoration began. It didn’t become a recognized day until years later and the title of Memorial Day was given.

Unfortunately, its considered a holiday and few of our children know why. They’re just glad to be out of school. When I was young, I understood what this holiday meant. I grew up with strong military ties. We always made sure the flag was out and proud on this day most of all. We remembered family who had walked the path of freedom and not come home. My Great-Uncles made sure we knew that freedom wasn’t free. It cost the blood, sweat and tears of every member of the military and the families who supported them.

So take a moment to give thanks to those in the Military. We owe them so much but take it for granted everyday. I know I wish I’d listened more when my Great-Uncles told a few of their ‘war stories’. They didn’t speak of the worst things I know they saw but the stories they told were history. History that helped form the people we are now.

Hug a Veteran. Shake their hand and say thank you.

Waking Up

This post is just a tad late. . .okay, really late. I have been running around with my daughters getting them ready for their dance recital this weekend and I feel like all I do is drive. Someday, I'm going to have a voice recognition thingy that will post my blogs as I say them in the car.

Of course, that could lead to some interesting posts. . .I do tend to get a little cranky when the people in front of me don't go as fast as I think they should. Okay, blogging from the car is probably a very bad idea.

This week my first new book in 4 years is out. WAKING UP is a very short story that I hope gives people an escape from their day, and maybe a little zip to their nights. I came up with the story after listening to the song WAKING UP IN VEGAS by Katy Perry. (In the car, again. If I could write while driving, I'd have a ton of books written!)

I've never been to Vegas, but I've had quite a few bad mornings waking up in New Orleans. In fact, there is one scene in the story that comes from direct experience. (Unfortunately, it's not the one where she wakes up next to a really hot guy.)

I wanted this story to be fun, sexy, and quick so that readers who are running around with schedules like mine could read it in one sitting and still get to sleep at a decent hour. (I can't be the only one who stays up way too late saying "just one more chapter")

If anyone reads WAKING UP and wants to comment, I'd love to hear what you have to say. Message me on Facebook (Arianna Hart) or Tweet to me on Twitter (@AriannaHart212).

And if you discover a way to drive and write at the same time, let me know!

Life Goes On

I love my dad. I suppose I’ve always taken it for granted that he will always be there if I need him. In March this year my dad had a heart attack. Such a mild term for something that affects your life in such a profound way. The medical professionals seemed unperturbed. They ran their tests, arranged a follow up appointment, gave him a bagful of medicines and sent him on his way with the possibility of surgery looming in the future. But my family’s world, my world was changed forever. It suddenly made me realise that I could lose him. That not only am I getting older but so are my parents and they won’t be here forever. It’s a frightening thought.

Life went on but I was living on my nerves, stomach churning with every twinge of angina my dad had. Terrified that the next one would be ‘the big one’. Eventually I managed to put it to the back of my mind and things started to get back to normal. Fate is an evil bitch. She likes to let you relax before she messes with you. As it happened that was at midnight 2 and a half weeks ago. I was just about to go to bed when my world crashed down again. As a midwife I have some medical knowledge and usually know what to do in a crisis. It all goes out the window when it’s someone you love though. A blue light ambulance later my dad was back in the hospital.

The docs ran their tests again and scratched their heads over why my dad was still alive, let alone feeling fairly well. 2 arteries to his heart were blocked. I chewed my nails and antacids for a week while they scheduled him for surgery. Then for another 2 and a half hours over a procedure that was supposed to take 40 minutes. Next day my dad was home. It all seems like a bit of an anticlimax. I am VERY happy to say everything was a success but I’m still having a hard time believing it’s all over. It’s a good problem to have and I’ve learned a valuable lesson.

Hold your family close, take nothing for granted.