#WriteTip - Sticky Notes and Storyboards by @ErzabetBishop, spotlighting her @DecadenPub #LesbianFantasy #Romance

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I'm delighted to welcome fellow Love Spanks contributer Erzabet Bishop here today. If you're a fan of smoking hot Lesbian Romance (aka FF Romance), she's probably already one of your go-to gals. Also, here's a little-known fact about me: my first manuscript (which has been trunked and will never ever see the light of day) was a retelling of the myth of Persephone. Once you read Erzabet's blurb, you'll know why I'm so excited. 

Let's get this writing tip out of the way, shall we?

Sticky Notes and Storyboards

by Erzabet Bishop

Every writer has that moment where the story sticks and you just have to knuckle down and figure something out when it doesn't flow the way you think it should. What works for me every time is an old foam-core poster board and a selection of colorful sticky notes so I can move plot elements around until they make sense again. And they always do. Eventually. Whether it's sideways or up and down, I twist the board until it fits what I need. Character arc, plot weirdness or just overall story. I have even used the back of my bedroom door. (Much to my husband's horror.) It's about what helps you get the story done. One plot bunny at a time...

Pomegranate

Myth and Magic #1

by Erzabet Bishop

What if everything you thought you knew was a lie?

Crafting spells, running her shop, and hanging with her lover, Hayden, was all Persephone Carraway wanted out of life. The future was filled with endless possibilities as long as it was with the girl of her dreams. But Hayden has a secret and, it turns out, so does Persephone.

One night in the Underworld will change things forever…

Demi, Persephone’s mother has developed a designer pomegranate, infusing it with her daughter’s blood. A single act of betrayal will craft war with the old gods and the Fae, leaving destruction in its wake. Persephone is drawn into a web of myth and magick where nothing is as it seems, even herself.

Myth. Magic. Pomegranates…

Excerpt

Persephone took a breath. Her mouth was dry and her skin slick with sweat. She was thirsty. So thirsty. Her eyes wouldn’t focus, and her heart was racing.

“You look like you could use this.” A woman in a black mask and unbuttoned tux jacket approached, holding out a bottle of water. The white dress shirt was halfway open, straining against her breasts. Every movement tugged against the soft flesh, hinting at the bounty buried beneath the fabric. Vest unbuttoned over leather pants and kickass boots, she made Persephone’s breath catch in her throat. The woman’s black hair was slicked back into a tight bun, her red lips plump and succulent.

Hands shaking, Persephone took the bottle. “Thank you.” What is wrong with me?”

“This is your first rave, I take it?”

“Yes.” She drank the cool water, each swallow bringing her more clarity. Soon the bottle was drained and dangled empty in her grasp.

“It can be a little much when they turn on the purple wave. Here. Sit.” The masked woman led her to a chair. Large and white, it faced an enormous fireplace. Green fire burned within. Persephone fell into the chair, her dress spilling around her. She watched the green fire dance, marveling at the images unfolding. Her mind was still muzzy but she saw...no....

“Faces...there are faces,” she gasped, trying to push herself up from the chair.

About Erzabet Bishop 

Erzabet Bishop is an award winning author who loves to write naughty stories. She is the author of Lipstick, Dinner Date, Crave,The Science of Lust, Arcane Imaginarium: Spirit Board, Holidays in Hell, Mallory’s Mark (upcoming 2016),The Devil’s Due (upcoming 2016), Charity Benshaw’s Enchanted Paddle Emporium (upcoming 2016),Tethered, Sigil Fire, Glitter Lust (upcoming 2016), Written on Skin, Club Beam, Pomegranate, A Red Dress for Christmas, The Black Magic Café, Fantasies in Red, Sweet Seductions: The Erzabet Bishop Collection, Holiday Cruise, Fetish Fair, Temptation Resorts: Jess, Temptation Resorts: Marnie, Taming the Beast, The Erotic Pagans Series: Beltane Fires, Samhain Shadows and Yuletide Temptation along with being a contributor to many anthologies. Erzabet has been a finalist in the GCLS awards for 2014 and 2015. She lives in Texas with her husband, furry children and can often be found lurking in local bookstores. She loves to bake, make naughty crochet projects and watch monster movies. When she isn’t writing, she loves to review music and books.

Follow her reviews and posts on Twitter @erzabetbishop.

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#WriteTip - Inspiring Locations by @CynthiaSax, spotlighting her #SciFi #Romance #NewRelease - Releasing Rage

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I'm delighted to welcome fellow SFR Brigader Cynthia Sax to my blog today. She's got a new science fiction romance out, one featuring a warrior cyborg and a sexy engineer. Before we take a closer look at Releasing Rage, I asked this USA Today bestselling author to give me a writing tip. We both share a passion for travel, so this is one I can definitely get behind.

Inspiring Locations

By Cynthia Sax

Tara and I both love to travel. (hugs Tara) For me, there’s nothing more inspiring, more likely to kick start the muse than a different neighborhood, city, country.

When Rage and his cyborg brethren in Releasing Rage were escaping the Humanoid Alliance, traveling through space to get to the Homeland, I pictured the time the hubby and I took a commercial flight during a meteor shower. 

When the cyborgs were restricted to the battle station, I recalled how I felt when we took a transatlantic cruise. We were confined to a vessel in the middle of an ocean. We couldn’t leave even if we wanted to. We saw the same faces every day. We were on the captain’s timetable, at his mercy.

And when any of my characters step into a new place, I think of how I felt the first time I visited Tokyo. I didn’t know the language. People dressed differently. I had no idea of the customs and I was nervous about inadvertently insulting anyone.

Of course, we don’t have to travel as far away as Tokyo to get that ‘strange lands’ feeling. The first time I walked into Starbucks, I was completely lost. Other people were zipping through the line, placing orders that sounded like they were issued in a different language. There were customs I wasn’t aware of--where to wait, what order to get things in. The place smelled different, had a different vibe to it.

Ideas flowed into my brain. What if an alien visited a Starbucks? What if a non-coffee drinking new grad was instructed by her billionaire hero to get coffee for him? What if, instead of coffee, all of the people ahead of me were ordering types of sexual encounters? What if they were CIA operatives communicating in top secret code?

Whenever I’m stuck creatively, I’ll change my physical location and usually something breaks free. What do you do to kick start your muse?

Releasing Rage

by Cynthia Sax

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance's most primitive cyborg, has two goals--kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that's all he's been programmed to experience.

Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station's first female engineer, has one goal--survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage's priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg's heart for both love and revenge?

About Cynthia Sax

USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes contemporary, SciFi and paranormal erotic romances. Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, Real Time With Bill Maher, and numerous best of erotic romance top ten lists.

Sign up for her dirty-joke-filled release day newsletter and visit her on the web at www.CynthiaSax.com

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#WriteTip - Killing Puppies (methaphorically speaking) by @LandraGraf, spotlighting her @DecadentPub #Zombie #Romance

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It's a rare and heartwarming pleasure to welcome another zombie romance author to my blog. It seems an age ago that I penned my Undead Fairy Tales series (actually, it's only been a few years), and now I have the honor of hosting Landra Graf, whose newest addition to Decadent Publishing's Beyond Fairytales series is also set in a post apocalyptic world ravaged by the walking dead. Her writing tip is a bit on the dark side, but it's one I've employed myself, especially when zombies are involed. 

Killing Puppies

by Landra Graf

Note: I would never condone that actually killing of puppies.

Then let me say thank you to Tara for hosting me on her blog today, even if I plan to talk about a tough subject involving writing romance. That subject is killing characters and overcoming grief in a romance setting.

I bet most would agree that overcoming grief in a romance can be difficult. That's typically why if death occurs it happens before the story starts or if it's the bad guy biting the bullet. Any other death scenerios are difficult to pull off and not easy to navigate. So when I wanted to write a story with zombies and a romance I wasn't sure how I could make that happen without breaking the death rule a lot. We're talking zombies... and if you've ever seen The Walking Dead the death toll is not small.

My best idea? Give the characters a past, a close past. The idea of trying to create closeness between two people who just met were a hurdle I didn't want to try to get past. 

My main characters, Em and Jason, have known each other all their lives. They grew up together, went to school together, and celebrate a litany of ups and downs. It's only in the past 10 years that they've grown apart. When they are paired together for a reunion it's all above board. The zombie aspect actually brings them closer, and solidfies their relationship. This pair has to save the day and take comfort in each other.

Now dear reader/writer... have you read the infamous killing puppies? Did the scenerio work or cause more problems?

A Rose By Any Other Name

by Landra Graf

Zombies don’t belong in fairy tales….at least not those with a good chance of a happily ever after…

Jason Prince, Charming's once-upon-a-time star jock, only attends his Charming high school reunion to find his way into the heart of a certain wallflower who had no date for the prom.

Shy, geeky, chemical engineer, Emma Fay has been keeping her love for Jason a secret because she knows Jason and Rose belong together. But, when Rose Briar pricks her finger, fulfilling a prophecy about death and a plague, she throws a wrench into the class reunion that not even the best planning committee can tackle.

Can Jason and Emma stop Zombie Beauty Rose before she turns their loved ones into her undead court and sends them forth to spread the infestation to the rest of the world? Or will human flesh become the daily special at diners everywhere? And will there be enough left of Jason and Emma for romance to blossom? 

Excerpt

Her eyes darted back toward the examination room. He couldn’t hear anything that gave the impression things were worse than they’d been a few moments ago. In fact, the silence in the room made him anxious, and he started to tap his boot on the linoleum floor. The rising tension around them or the number of feelings invoked knowing someone he cared about lay suffering in the other room failed to help as well. He gave a little shiver and involuntarily gripped Emma’s hand tighter. She tried to pull away, but he wanted to hold on to her a little longer.

“All right then, let’s break up this mood. I’m going to read your palm.” He hoped the ploy would cast away her urges to break their bond.

“Palm reading?” One brown eyebrow lifted, but her frame and hand relaxed at his touch.

“Yes, I’ve studied with the finest masters fair corn dogs can buy.”

She giggled.

“I can tell you your future, Miss Emmaline Fay,” he said with a grin. She gave one back and the effect was breathtaking. She’d always possessed a beautiful smile, one known for lighting up rooms, and he enjoyed being the recipient.

“Fine, Master Prince. Tell me my future.”

Jason turned her palm over in his, trailing his fingers along the lines. Leaning in for a closer look, he picked up on the scent of vanilla, flowers, and a hint of something he couldn’t identify beyond pure Emma. The power of the smell made his groin swell again, something he didn’t need at the moment. One glance downward and she’d see the evidence of how she affected him.

So he thought about cold showers and his grandmother’s gnarly hands and focused on the soft palm covered with lines.

“Ah, your life line is extremely long. I also see a man in your love line. This is a man who has loved you for a long time and watched you from afar.”

She scoffed. “Sounds kind of creepy. I don’t know if I want a stalker in my life.”

“Not a stalker, but an admirer. He’s always appreciated your loyalty.” Jason locked eyes with her green ones. “Your kindness and bravery, too. And your ability to push ahead. Strength like that is rare.”

She leaned forward, her nose barely touching his. “How rare?”

“Uh.” His words caught in his throat. To have her so close, too close...exactly where he’d wanted her since he’d seen her sitting behind the wheel of her car. “Rare enough that I’ve only known one other person to possess it. I—”

“The fever is coming down,” Dr. Mason announced, bursting into the room, face filled with relief.

Jason silently swore as she jumped out of her chair and moved toward the entry. “Can we go in?”

“No, not yet. I want you both to stay here, though, in case you come down with the same thing due to proximity. We've taken blood, and we're doing everything we can, but I don’t know if this is contagious.” The doctor moved to a cabinet on the far wall and removed two blankets.

“You can camp out in the waiting room.”

“Completely understandable, Doc. I know we won’t leave until Rose is able to, anyway. We’ll want to be on the nurse-Rose-back-to-health team.” Jason stood to accept the blankets.

Her momentary excitement deflated, Emma shuffled back to her chair. “That’s right. I’ll be nursing our girl back to health or whatever else it takes, so I’m staying until everything is perfectly fine.”

“Good. I’ll see you both in the morning,” Dr. Mason said, leaving by way of the kitchen door. Jason could only imagine the amount of coffee the doctor planned on consuming for the night.

Emma curled up in her seat, slipping her feet out of her brown cowboy boots.

Jason sat down next to her and leaned back in his chair. “He certainly knows how to offer comfortable beds.”

“And there’s the sarcasm I know so well.” She leaned her head on his shoulder.

He tried to ignore how right it felt. “Yes, and that’s why you should just close your eyes and rest. Don’t worry. It’ll all be better in the morning.”

ABOUT LANDRA GRAF

Landra Graf consumes at least one book a day, and has always been a sucker for stories where true love conquers all. She believes in the power of the written word, and the joy such words can bring. In between spending time with her family and having book adventures, she writes romance with the goal of giving everyone, fictional or not, their own happily ever after.

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