Belinda McBride's Wyld by Nature

Be the Change You Want to See...

2012-01-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

(Siberian Husky Jackson, about to be sprung from the pound to enter Nor Sled Rescue)

It happened again. I was checking Facebook early this morning and confronted by a graphic, horrific photograph of a tortured dog. The intent of those who post this sort of image is admirable, but ultimately misguided. That particular photograph was probably taken as evidence in a criminal case; the parties involved (and their parents) are facing trial. The animal was quickly and humanely euthanized. I’m not sure why the photo ended up on the net, and I’m sure it was never intended to be released to the public.
We post those images out of outrage, not considering the effectiveness or consequences of sharing. The first time I saw that picture I had nightmares. Now imagine if my 12-year-old niece saw it. When I see photos like this, I always ask the poster not to share such images. This is obscene and X-rated, and not in a good way. Sometimes they unfriend me, and that’s ok. You see, I save animals...for real. I’ve taken in many fosters and rescues and have been involved in the re-homing of literally hundreds of dogs. My friends do the same, one runs a cutting edge Siberian rescue that runs out of the Bay Area. Women like her are today's true saints.
We always have a rescue in our house; at the moment it’s Fancy, an older border collie cross that was on death row. Before that was Hannah, an abandoned pit bull cross left tied to a pole outside a grocery store in blazing heat. When a large-scale breeder began neglecting her animals due to her age and health, a small group of us intervened; over a three-year period, we re-homed well over one hundred puppies and retired show dogs. Several dogs were unadoptable; my friend Barb kept most of those, giving them a stable, safe home. She also rescues horses and cats. We’ve dealt with abuse, abandonment, neglect and just plain stupidity. My life isn’t completely dedicated to rescue, but many people have devoted their existence to helping animals.

I want you to consider these two quotes when you are outraged and want to do something...really do something:

• Be the change you want to see in the world. (Ghandi)
• Think globally, act locally.

Both are quotes we see on the bumper stickers of battered vans and upscale hybrids. In this case, there are ways that you can effectively assist our pet population. Posting your outrage on Facebook is a good way of sharing your sentiments, but a poor way of actually being effective. Do you want to make matters better for animals? Then visit your local animal shelter and check on volunteer opportunities. Some animals need grooming and socialization; our shelter has people come in specifically to walk and pet animals. But be aware, unless you’re in a no-kill shelter, many of the animals are destined for euthanasia. It takes a certain type of strength and compassion to give animals love in what might be their last days. Those people are truly amazing.

Other ways you can help:

• Foster an animal. Many rescue organizations will put a ‘hold’ on an animal, sparing its life until a volunteer can remove the animal to a temporary foster home.
• If you can’t foster, network. Attend adoption fairs, volunteer your computer skills, help with fundraisers, or post lists of adoptable animals to your regional social networks.
• Can you take a quick, unplanned trip? Many rescue organizations need volunteers to pull animals from shelters and transport them to rescue or veterinary care.
• Donate money and goods. Some shelters are associated with local governments and donations are absorbed into general funds, which may not benefit the shelter at all. In that case, look into the shelter’s wish list. They often need collars, bandanas, pet beds, food and so forth.
• Think Locally: Beware of where you send your money. For example, PETA’s primary focus is on eliminating the use of animals for food and clothing. Their basic philosophy rejects animals as pets. Thus, their official animal shelter has an absurdly high kill rate, over 90% annually. The Humane Society of the United States has no shelters at all; they primarily deal in money and political lobbying, and very little actually goes to animals. Most money goes to salaries and advertising. Neither cause is a good use of your funds.
• Shop for a cause: many rescues have Amazon affiliation or host annual auctions.
• Write for a cause: Delilah Devlin and the Diamond State Romance Writers are accepting submissions for an anthology that benefits the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. http://www.delilahdevlin.com/blog/2012/01/13/call-for-submissions-wild-at-heart/
• Are you outraged by Michael Vick and his dog-fighting ring? Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a no kill shelter that gave sanctuary to some of Vick’s dogs. Dubbed the Vicktory Dogs, they can still use your sponsorship: http://network.bestfriends.org/groups/pitbullspecialfeature/news/archive/2011/01/31/pittie-city-meet-some-of-the-rescued-dogs-at-best-friends.aspx
• Adopt an older or ‘special’ animal. Some special needs animals need a high amount of dedication. For example, Skky is a Siberian Husky who lost both her eyes to disease. Her foster mom trained this sweet girl to negotiate her new world, and ended up keeping her permanently. Can you overlook a missing ear, leg or tail? Are you willing to forego a puppy for a grateful adult? If so, you will be saving a life. Your local shelter has many adoptable animals. If you want a purebred dog, there are literally thousands of breed rescue organizations. You can also contact a reputable breeder (contact local kennel clubs for referrals) who might be looking for homes for show dogs that didn’t make the cut, or for retired champions. These dogs who know there’s more to life than living in kennels. They’re also usually well trained. :)

From Real Life: A Heroine

2012-01-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

Missy was the sort of woman I really wanted to hate. After all, she’d landed the position I’d applied for at work. She was a brand new graduate, about 25 years old, with a new baby and an uber-macho fire-fighter husband in tow. And her looks...wide brown eyes, bee-stung lips and long, velvety brown hair. I wound up in a position subordinate to her and had to listen to her endlessly cheerful gossip every day at lunch. Damn, it was hard not to like her!

And yes, she was a gossip. She shared fun gossip, malicious gossip and mundane gossip. She had a wild sense of humor and a solid sense of personal ethics. She had her ups and downs in her job and in time, I was incredibly grateful that I didn’t get the position. Turned out her boss was a nightmare and the position itself was pretty miserable. Eventually, I was promoted and sent to an early brain development program and didn’t see her for quite some time.

After a year or so, I was transferred to another position; one I didn’t want. This one was in preschool fitness and nutrition. I’d loved working in most of my positions within Public Health but this one didn’t hold much promise. Aside from working directly with preschoolers and their parents, I was assigned to work closely with Missy. While I liked her, I wasn't quite prepared to work with her full-time.

Turns out we got along great. By this time, the shine had rubbed off the department for both of us. She’d been labeled a gossip and troublemaker. I’d sent up red flags when the department had briefly placed me in a position at Children's Protective Services, in a building infected with toxic black mold. I had the nerve to go to the doctor to have the mold levels in my blood checked. (they were high, and I'm allergic to black mold) As a result, management monitored us both as troublemakers. Our contacts with other staff members were limited, we were “discouraged” from taking breaks with others. Needless to say, this was a terribly hostile work environment.

We wound up traveling to jobs together, taking breaks and lunches together and generally getting pretty close. She was pregnant with her second child, and to my horror, management requested that she work right up until her due date. When she came to work cramping and sick at the beginning of her 9^th month, our supervisor and manager pressured her to do a preschool visit. Instead, I covered for her while she visited her doctor. She was in trouble with her pregnancy and spent her final weeks at home resting. I missed her greatly during the months that she was away.

When she returned to work, she had another worry. Her best friend was sick. I’d known about this from the start, but now the woman was dying of kidney failure. Missy agonized over her friend’s illness; no compatible kidney donor could be found and the woman’s family refused to test. One day we were talking and Missy said that if she could do it, she’d donate her own kidney. Clearly, she meant it because she went in and tested. She was not 100% compatible, but was close enough to give the doctors some hope.

Everyone tried to talk her out of it. Work was not supportive at all; they threw up every roadblock they could. Her husband backed her. I backed her. That was pretty much it. As her friend grew progressively closer to death, Missy made arrangements to donate to her best friend.

The surgery was a success. Within days, her friend’s health turned around completely. Within a year, the woman had married her boyfriend and was pregnant. Missy saved the life of her best friend. She gave her a future.

And at work, they gave Missy hell. She was scrutinized, lectured and pressured on a daily basis. The department had fallen on hard times due to the state budget, and clearly, they were headhunting...just not in a good way. Missy was at the top of their list. In spite of physical fatigue and the constant pressure, she kept on and bore the pressure gracefully.

Somehow, the story Missy’s donation to her friend reached the local press and their story appeared in the paper. At work, they planned to fire her for taking the time away for the surgery. Suddenly, the Department had a bona fide heroine on their hands. To no one's surprise the disciplinary action never materialized. After I finally quit, she continued with the department as she had a third child, and then returned to college part-time, earning her teaching credential.

My friend did something that was amazing. Heroic. She put her own life on the line for that of her friend. She risked her job on the line and she strained relations with her family and friends. She did this out of love but also because to her, it was the right thing to do. She had to do it. Missy is not a perfect person. But in her way, she’s larger than life. So yeah, she gossips a bit too much, but heck, she saved a life. She inspired me to change the donor status on my driver’s license and to go to the local blood center to sign up as a platelet and marrow donor. And I know darn well I’ve made a difference. And if it hadn’t been for Missy, I might never have made that commitment. If not for Missy, a young mother would have died tragically young.

She is a heroine worthy of her own story.

From Real Life: The Walker

2012-01-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

We called him The Walker.

He was a young man when we first noticed him, maybe 17 or so. He lived midway down Lake Boulevard in an area studded with tiny ramshackle houses and ratty, single-wide trailers. At the time, I was in my mid-twenties and having gone through a divorce, the loss of my beloved grandfather, a schism between myself and my father, and a severe health crisis, I felt ancient. Cynical. I was only five or six years older than him. When we first noticed the Walker on Lake Blvd., we laughed at him.

He was tall and awkwardly thin, and walked with an exaggerated, swinging stride, one arm dropped straight to the side, the other swinging in a precise arc, cigarette between two fingers. His posture was perfectly upright, as though he’d been trained to keep his spine straight and shoulders back. As he walked, his bearing nearly screamed, “I’m scared to death, but you’ll never know.” His curly hair was brassy blonde and he wore clothing that was a fusion of cheap fad and thrift store drek. In the blazing summer, he wore denim cut-offs and flip flops on his tanned feet. In the spring and fall, he walked barefoot, disguising his pain behind a false front. In the winter, he wore a cheap vinyl jacket, similar to something Michael Jackson popularized in his videos. He wore his hair in a mullet.

And he walked.

We’d see him out in our more rural neck of the woods, covering miles in that loping stride. We’d see him downtown or at the bottom of Sulpher Creek Hill, where the hotels had degenerated into ratty flophouses. Sometimes he hitchhiked. Most of the time he just walked. From morning till night, he walked.

Over the years, his appearance evolved. Sometimes his hair was short and bleached; other times it grew longer and back to its normal dishwater blonde. He grew taller, though never heavier. His blue eyes grew progressively more glazed and dazed, leading us to believe that he was falling into drug addiction; at that time, crack was the drug of choice in our area. Sometimes he vanished for weeks at a time and in an odd way I missed him. Eventually, I came to see him as more than part of the landscape.

It never occurred to me that the Walker was a working boy. Late one night I was driving up Market Street and saw him leaving one of the sleazy motels along there. He staggered, his face bloody and battered. I didn’t offer him a ride, nor did I call the police. Somehow, I didn’t think he’d appreciate that. The next day, he was walking the boulevard again, moving with a slight limp, his face swollen and bruised.Years later, I found that he lived within walking distance of a wooded area where men met to hook up.

After that night, his bizarre clothing made sense. He often strolled along in old tank tops that were cut to bare his gaunt belly, and he wore smudged guyliner long before it was a fad. I came to realize that one of the reasons he intrigued me was his similarity to an ex-boyfriend, though he was far seedier and debauched than my ex would ever appear.

He vanished again, and this time didn’t come back for a very long time. A year or more passed while I wrestled with going to school, working and raising two little girls. I didn’t really think often of the Walker or why he had vanished. But when he showed up again, it was like seeing an old friend. His posture was as upright and perfect as ever, and he still walked with that awkwardly casual stride. His eyes though...they were tired. Weary. His hair was darkening and his skin was pale, leading me to believe been somewhere without sunshine.

One day, I saw him walking with a young boy; they were heading into a convenience store. On impulse, I turned into the parking lot and went in. I'd never actually seen him in person before. He was there at the counter, buying the boy a wrapped hamburger and a soda. I assumed the kid was a nephew and that the Walker had a new gig...babysitting. I never found out.

I stood behind them in line and listened as the ravaged young man babbled on about nothing. He talked about someone who’d crossed him and how he planned to kick their ass. He looked at me and the insanity in his eyes was painful to witness. It scared me that he was alone with a child. It scared me to be close to him. He smelled bad, a combination of body odor, tobacco and the biting scent of something else that was not pot or alcohol. His eyes were reddened and glassy; the skin underneath dark and bruised looking. He’d gone from skinny to gaunt.

I paid and hurried from the store, and I never saw the Walker again. He vanished one last time.

I watched for him on Lake Blvd, but he never walked there anymore. I never again saw him haunting the Market St. motels, nor did I see him around the bus stop or convenience store. He might have overdosed, been arrested or lapsed into insanity. Maybe he fell to AIDS. I don’t know and never will.

The Walker was a part of my life for nearly a decade. Barely a day went by that I didn’t see him somewhere. Sometimes we laughed at his clothing and walk. Other times Mom and I would look at him and sadly look away. Regardless of who he was or what he did, he was a person with a life. At one point, he must have had dreams and goals. I look back now and wonder if he was a victim of schizophrenia. Years later I spoke with a public health nurse who remembered him as a mental health patient, but she wasn’t completely sure.

I think someday I’ll write a story for him. And in that story, I’ll give him a happy ending. How could I not?

The Big Winner is....

2012-01-01T02:14:00.000-08:00

Rhonda Wolf! Rhonda, I'll email you with details on the drawing.

I want to thank each and every one of you who visited my blog this month and shared a little about yourself. It truly means a lot to me and I enjoy each and every one of you.

So for now, I wish you the happiest and most productive New Year ever! Lets make 2012 the best it can be.

Tune in soon for my next blog entry; haven't quite decided what to write about but I'm sure it will have something to do with Resolutions...

Love muchly,

Belinda

New Year Giveaway...The Kitchen Sink!!!

2011-12-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

As in..."Everything but..."
Yup, I'm getting one of those "If it fits, it ships" boxes and I'm going to just grab stuff from my swag and giveaway stash. And if you know me, you know I giveaway some cool stuff!

So, how to enter? If you've participated at all this month, you are entered. If you have won, you can win again. If you want to enter again...every comment counts. I'm going to pull a random comment from those that have shown up on my blog in December, so yes, you can enter more than once.

Please tell me on this blog, just one of your New Year's resolutions. And to start, in 2012, I resolve to pay $1000 straight onto the principal of my house.

How about you?

Belinda

No Sunday Drawing this week...

2011-12-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

But I'll be doing a big drawing on New Year's Eve! I'll post details later this weekend! Merry Christmas, all!

Belinda

Free To Fly is Free!

2011-12-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

I've just ventured out into the world of self-publishing! Its just a little experiment with Free To Fly, the short I wrote for the M/M Readers at Goodreads this summer. I've expanded it a little bit and put in more better words, and a hot, hot new cover by the wonderful Fiona Jayde.

So head on over to Smashwords and give it a try...like I said, its free!

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/116211

Blurb:

Chef Vincent Sala is big, gruff and definitely on the rough end of the spectrum. His partner Daniel McGee is a smooth, urbane young professional. Their romance took off like fireworks, but lately, Danny is painfully unhappy and Vince is about ready to hit the road.

An explosive confrontation reveals an unexpected twist in their relationship and Vince sees a small glimmer of hope. The question is, can he step up and give what Danny needs to make him fly?

m/m romance, BDSM

Upping the ante for my Sunday drawing...

2011-12-14T21:01:00.000-08:00

OK, this week, I"m going to draw for a piece of artwork by Christie "Goldenwolfen" Grandjean. This week's winner will receive an 8x10 print of "Echo" which is signed by the artist. The winner will also pick their own choice of "Dance" swag! (poster, tee shirt, notebook, mug)

So to play this time around, tell me what you want Santa to leave in your stocking....

Once again, I'll draw Sunday night via random number generator. :)

Good luck!

Belinda

This Week's Drawing...

2011-12-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

Since it's December, I'm going to run a drawing every Sunday this month. I was hoping more swag would show up, but its not here yet. :( BUT...I still have tee shirts and posters, so the rules are the same; just leave a message and your email addy to be entered. I'll be drawing a winner Sunday night, and if the other goodies, come, I'll let you know!

Belinda

Blog Contest! Hurry, Hurry!

2011-11-30T23:39:00.000-08:00

I just feel like giving something away. So, do you like my new Helios and Griffin art? Would you like something lovely, just in time for Christmas?

Well, comment right here on my blog and tell me if you'd like a tee shirt (XL) or a poster of this lovely image. I'll choose a random winner on Sunday, December 4, about midnight ET.

So again, reply here, tell me if you want a tee shirt or a poster. That's it. :)

For the entire month of December, I'll be doing Sunday drawings, so check in on Monday to see what I'm giving away next week!

Happy Tails!
Belinda

Hey Belinda, Where Have You Been?

2011-11-30T14:46:00.000-08:00

Boy, I can’t believe it’s been well over a month since Gay Rom Lit and the release of ‘When I Fall.’ Generally when there have been a couple big events like this, I jump all over guest blogs and such, promoting my book and sharing my experiences.

First off, I apologize for not blogging about Gay Rom in New Orleans. It was a really special convention put on by a bunch of talented and dedicated authors and organizers. My congratulations to them! I got to reunite with some of my best writing buddies, meet lots of new people and see some dear friends face-to-face for the first time.

We stayed in the majestic Bourbon Orleans Hotel, and I have to say that the rumors of its hauntings appear to be quite valid. (especially given the mischievous entity that interacted with us in Lynn and Amanda’s room!) And of course, New Orleans is such a spectacular city. Every time I leave, I wish I could have had just another day.

When I returned, I noticed that my mother seemed…not well. She’s 76 years old and has had a few health issues this past year, but I was still concerned that she appeared to have come down with a flu bug. About a month ago, she got up on a Sunday morning came out to me in the living room.

“I need to go to the emergency room.”

Well, when my mother says something like that, I know that she probably should have gone days ago. She’s stoic, to say the least. And I was right, she’d developed an ulcer which had perforated, spilling all sorts of nasty stuff into her gut. Her gall bladder and pancreas then got into the act. It was a very dire emergency and we nearly lost her.

So the past few weeks have been pretty busy for me. There have been other crisis to weather, a few really major issues have affected members of my family. Plus, I’ve not only been caregiving for Mom and my niece KJ, (who has Angelman’s Syndrome) I’ve been doing the fencing in the dog yards, prepping Wyatt for a big circuit of shows he was scheduled to compete in, (7 wins in 8 shows!) And to confirm that I am indeed slightly demented, I competed in NaNoWriMo. LOL!

Today, Mom is on the couch next to me, complaining that she’s just so tired and weak. She hasn’t quite come to accept that she nearly died. I just returned from Stockton, where I watched Wyatt finish his championship and reclaimed my pooch. Because of NaNo, I’ve got nearly 40K on a Truckee Wolves novel and a start on a western ménage. It looks like things are returning to normal. Not the old normal, I’m not sure how long it’s going to take for my mother to recover fully. I may have to scale back on future conventions, but that’s ok for now. There are other ways to develop a writing career. Like…writing instead of traveling…LOL!

So welcome me back to the world of the living, folks! It’s good to be back where I belong!

Commissioned Artwork...drooling....drooling...

2011-11-02T23:15:00.000-07:00

I bow at the feet of P.L. Nunn, who did this fantabulous commission for me.
If you haven't read 'When I Fall,' well, this is a hint of what you're missing...

(coming soon to some swag near you!)

http://www.loose-id.com/When-I-Fall.aspx

Uhh...Oops...

2011-11-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

You might have heard...there's a major continuity error between Uncommon Whore and When I Fall. :) Yeah, I read about it in a review and after saying "WTF?" to myself, I opened my files and looked. Yup. And it is a big one. This was a true head/desk moment.

In Book One, Maia is blonde, Lauren is brunette with an eyepatch. In Book 2, I switched them. Maia is now brunette with the patch and Lauren is blonde. I switched personalities as well.

After writhing in embarrassment for a few hours, I let the publisher know and have been assured that the book/s will be re-formatted and will reflect continuity within the story.

So how did this happen in the first place? After all, when I started the second book, the first thing I did was print and review my style sheet. (the 'bible' that keeps track of people, places and things in the Coalition Universe) I then re-read Belle Starr (there are crossover species and characters) and An Uncommon Whore. After When I Fall was finished, it was edited, line edited and checked for continuity before being formatted. There was an intimidating amount of data to review and cross-reference and every one of us missed that single glaring mistake. We could dive into excuses, but in reality, it was just a mistake.

Going back to Book One, I wrote Griffin's daughters as Maia: blonde and blue eyed, and Lauren: brunette with a maimed eye. A member of my family beta-read the book and pointed out to me that I have a grand-niece named Lauren with a disfigured eye. As I'd met her only twice, using the name and disability was probably coincidence, but still, it seemed insensitive to go forward as it was, so I swapped the names. I noted the change in my style notes but obviously never made the change in the final manuscript.

Moving on to When I Fall, I consulted my style guide and in reviewing the first book, didn't even notice the difference in the names. For the past year and a half, Maia and Lauren had developed distinct appearances and personalities in my mind. Since I was so comfortable with them, I never even considered double checking my portrayal of the girls. I guess I was literally blind to the change in names.

Boy, do I regret that omission.

Anyhow, I comfort myself with the fact that I'm merely human and normal typos and misspellings sometimes slip through. As far as mistakes go, it doesn't hold a candle to some of the horror stories other authors have to tell. For example, the mainstream romance with a typo that read "shitted" in place of "shifted." Or the cover where the hero's rippling pecs had a little something...extra...(a part that should have remained in his pants!) But those are so blatant and over-the-top that they're the stuff of legend. My mistake is just lame.

Still, I do strive to produce the best work possible, as does my publisher. I'm proud of writing for a company that holds its authors and team members to the highest possible standard. None of us are comfortable that this slipped through and there's plenty of chagrin going around. LOL!

So if you want those original, flawed e-files, get yourself to Loose Id as they'll be coming down for reformatting very soon. Who knows...they might end up as collector's items, available only on select pirate sites...

Belinda

Exerpt: When I Fall

2011-10-09T01:42:00.000-07:00

So I'm counting down the days...October 11 is not only release day for 'When I Fall,' but its the day I fly to New Orleans to Gay Rom! I'm busy with last minute details. And packing. And unpacking...

So, I thought I'd tempt you with a little excerpt from 'An Uncommon Whore 2: When I Fall'. Enjoy!

Blurb:

Sometimes revenge is a kinder fate than justice. – Helios Dayspring

As king, Helios Dayspring is desperate to secure the future of his people and their new homeworld. His memories are slowly returning, bringing with them danger and betrayal.
As the king’s consort, Griffin Hawke wrestles with growing isolation from his lover. As Helios’ secrets begin to come to light, he finds that he barely recognizes his lover anymore. Griffin is also haunted by his own secrets, as nightmares bring torture and death to his sleep.

When Helios and Griffin undertake a dangerous journey on behalf of their people, everything they fought for could be lost. Surrounded by enemies and allies, seductive aliens and dangerous operatives, Helios and Griffin find themselves tested to their physical and moral limits. Not knowing who to trust, they can only turn to each other.

Will you be there to catch me when I fall?

Excerpt:

He was on his feet again, crossing the floor to wrap his arms around me. “I am so sorry. Sometimes I forget to guard my tongue around your daughters.”

“It usually isn’t necessary to do so, but Maia’s been plagued by fears lately. It takes little to remind her of those times. Lauren as well.” Tilting my head, I unfastened the high collar of his jacket and then opened it the rest of the way. I slipped it from his body and tossed the expensive garment carelessly to the side. Helios clucked his tongue in disapproval but didn’t pull away.

“Mary will be vexed when she finds that coat wrinkled. I have only the one, you know.” He was smiling again, his humor directed at himself.

“I’ll hang it up later. Besides, you should probably have at least one more.” I leaned down and ran my lips over the smooth surface of his throat. Long ago he’d been inclined to be bristly, with ruddy whiskers by this time of the day. After his time as a slave on Warlan, he’d never grow facial hair again. Body hair either. I cherished the contrast between us; his skin felt like silk against mine. I reached behind him to unfasten the pin that held his hair in the tight knob and let the braids drop free. Then I slipped the bands from the ends of his braids and shook his hair loose. He sighed in relief as it came down.

“Mary enjoys playing with your hair as much as I do.” He leaned against me as I massaged his scalp.

“True, but your hand is gentler than hers. Wearing it so tight gives me a damn headache!” He slipped his arms around my waist, and for the moment, we were quiet. It occurred to me then that these were the moments I needed to harvest for the future. Simple moments of peace, love, and contentment. When I was an old man and looking back or when times once again would become hard, I would think back to holding Helios in my arms and the feeling of supreme happiness that surrounded us.

When he licked the skin of my neck, I suddenly forgot about those good intentions.

Just like that, contentment turned to lust, and I responded in both body and spirit. My fingers were still buried in his hair, so I tilted his head slightly and looked into his face.

And then I kissed him.

http://www.loose-id.com/When-I-Fall.aspx

New Cover Art! When I Fall (An Uncommon Whore 2)

2011-09-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

This fantabulous art is by P.L. Nunn! http://bishonenworks.com/

When Fall releases October 11 at Loose Id: http://www.loose-id.com/When-I-Fall.aspx

Broken by Jessica Freely

2011-09-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

What happens when the closeted younger brother of a mob boss falls for the boss's latest acquisition, a rent-boy from Hong Kong? Well that's what Broken, my new m/m romantic suspense is all about. Broken is available from Loose Id now: http://www.loose-id.com/Broken.aspx

Thank you for stopping by and helping me celebrate its release!

I'm very excited about this book and about the special events and activities I have going on in connection with it. I'm doing a virtual book tour , offering a behind the scenes peek at the making of Broken <http://www.friskbiskit.com/2011/08/behind-broken-podcast-1.html>, and I've got a special treat for my newsletter members <http://www.friskbiskit.com/2011/09/giving-ear.html>.

Please leave a comment to this post and you'll be entered to win a free copy of Broken. The winner will be announced at the end of the day.

Right now, though, I want to talk about something serious that's very close to my heart and to Belinda's: human trafficking. It's a tragic fact that slavery still exists. Human trafficking is considered to be a low-risk, high-profit crime and according to the United Nations, over twelve million people worldwide are bought and sold for forced labor and sexual exploitation. That's what's happened to Xiu, one of my main characters in Broken.

Fortunately, there's help available for those who, like Xiu, are caught up in the web of commerce and coercion that keeps human trafficking thriving. I want to introduce you to a wonderful organization called Polaris Project <http://www.polarisproject.org/index.php.> Founded in 2002 by two students at Brown University, it is now a leading nonprofit fighting human trafficking and modern-day slavery in the U.S. and around the world. Charity Navigator has awarded Polaris Project with its highest ranking of four stars for three years in a row, acknowledging the organization's commitment to effectively utilizing donations.

Polaris Project takes a comprehensive approach to the problem of human trafficking by providing direct assistance to those in need and helping create systemic changes to combat the crime. They operate a national human trafficking hotline and work to pass federal and state legislation to protect trafficking victims and bring traffickers to justice. Here's a link to just one example of the many ways in which Polaris Project helps people get out of trafficking situations: http://www.polarisproject.org/what-we-do/national-human-trafficking-hotline/the-nhtrc/call-vignettes/476-sex-trafficking-street-prostitution

In recognition of all of the real-life "Xiu's" still struggling for freedom, it feels appropriate to me to donate a portion of my proceeds from Broken's sales to Polaris Project. So, for the first four months of sales, half of what I earn on Broken will be donated to this worthwhile organization.

Please spread the word about Polaris Project and its cause.

My Friend the Slave: Forced Labor in America

2011-09-20T01:14:00.000-07:00

This week, I have a new release at Changeling Press. Generally, I'd take this week to promote the book on my blog, but in conjunction with Jessica Freely, the author of "Broken," we're going to talk about a couple real-life subject that are very ugly and painful. As authors, its not unusual for topics such as slavery and the Yakuza to be used at plot devices. In real life, these things are not sexy or romantic, and they are too, too real.

Please come back on the 23rd for Jessica's article on human trafficking and the Polaris Project.

The story that follows is true.

I once had a friend named…well…I can’t tell you his name. There’s a reason for that, as you’ll see once you read his story. For his privacy and his safety, I’ll call him Ken Tanaka.

Ken came into my life in the late 1990s. He’d moved to the US from Japan to make a career as a dog breeder and handler. For simplicity, I’m going to leave a lot of detail from the story, just suffice it to say that he and his wife and newborn moved to a small town about an hour away from me. By Northern California standards, we were practically neighbors. Ken and I used to travel to dog shows together and he mentored me and often handled my dog for me. In return, I helped him and his wife adapt to life in a rural area; they’d been living in Japanese communities in the Bay Area.

9/11 was a momentous day for obvious reasons. For me, I also look back on that as being the day that I failed my friend in the most tragic way possible. As my family watched the horror unfolding on television, Ken called me in a panic. His marriage had fallen apart the previous year but he’d been coping. That day, he needed my help for some reason; I don’t really remember what it was. I was hugely distressed and told him to watch the TV and call me back the next day. He didn't call back for a few weeks. He had taken a job in Sacramento and wanted to know if I could come down and take care of his kennel when he was working.

His construction business in Japan had folded and he needed a job to send money to his partner back home. The business was in debt and they didn’t have recourse to bankruptcy like we do in the US. Plus, his Japanese clients had abandoned their dogs with him and weren’t paying their handling and boarding bills. This situation seemed bad, but we had no idea what was really happening in his life.

Ken used to tell me about growing up in Osaka. He told me that he was lucky to have escaped the Yakuza; he’d been orphaned as a teen and was a prime recruit. He had absolute, utter fear and contempt for the Yakuza and mentioned them a few times over the years. I assumed that as he’d grown up, that threat had left his life. I now suspect that I was very, very wrong.

Just before Christmas, I visited Ken. He lived in a small mobile home and when I got there, he had no heat. His propane had been shut off. To my dismay, he had a bucket of charcoal burning in his living room, that’s all that kept him from freezing. It was a miracle he hadn’t died of carbon monoxide poisoning. His van was gone and he was riding a bicycle 15 miles to town for dog food. He was living on broccoli and rice. I took him shopping, he wrote checks on empty accounts.

I called a friend for advice, and she secretly paid his utilities and got his heat back on. Since it was the holidays, we brought food baskets to him for Christmas. For awhile, it looked like we’d averted the worst of the possible disasters. What didn’t make sense was that Ken was a master sushi chef and working in Sacramento from early morning till 11:00 every night…six days a week. He was exhausted from his work hours, yet he was broke. His van was gone...so how was he getting back and forth? It was a 100 mile drive.

I want to pause here. Ken was in the US legally. He had a green card and a Social Security card. I assumed he knew his rights under the law. He had no idea.

So…if Ken was working 60 to 80 hours a week…why was he starving? Why were his dogs starving? And where was his van? When he was gone, I dug into his paperwork. His bills were all delinquent and there were stacks of correspondence from Japan. Most was in Japanese but there were letters in English as well. They were mostly from a business acquaintance I’ll call Mr. A. Over the course of the year, Ken had paid tens of thousands of dollars to this man. He’d settled his debt, and suddenly, Mr. A wanted more.

Abruptly, things got worse. He was moved to a restaurant in Vallejo. His “employers” drove him home once a week to tend his dogs. They dropped him off and returned for him later; I never met any of the men. In the meantime, either my sister or I went down daily, trying to keep things together for him. We found homes for the abandoned dogs and returned others to their breeders. We discovered that Ken hadn’t been paid in weeks. His home was being foreclosed on. His van had been repossessed by his lender.

Another friend reported his employers to the Dept. of Labor and Ken received his back wages. For a brief time, things looked better. He got his van back and caught up on some bills. Abruptly he was moved again. And again. Alameda, Pleasanton, Vacaville, back to Sacramento…I eventually lost track of him. Since his dogs had been re-homed, I no longer needed to take care of his kennel. I dropped in and checked his property anytime I passed through, but everything was locked up tight. There was evidence that Ken had been home now and then, as his plants had been watered and the weeds had been cut.

One day I got a call, he wasn’t going home again and I was welcome to take whatever I wanted. He just walked away from everything…his artwork, his furniture and his personal possessions.

Over the next couple years, Ken dropped in at dog shows and I was alarmed to see that this skinny, frail man had lost even more weight. He told me he’d been living in his van outside the restaurant, but wouldn’t tell me where. His employers held his green card and he was afraid of being deported. We discussed the feasibility of his returning to Japan, but that idea seemed frightening to Ken.

At one point, I called his work and the manager of the restaurant screamed at me and wouldn’t let me talk to him. Another time I saw him at a dog show, he said he was now living in a small rental house, but “someone” had stolen his most precious possession…a custom sushi knife that his mentor had commissioned for him from a famous Japanese knife maker. It was worth thousands of dollars. He’d cherished that knife and was saving it until he opened his own restaurant.

Ken promised to come out to another dog show, but I never saw him again. But every few months, I did web searches, trying to pinpoint his location. After a couple years, I nearly gave up, assuming he’d returned to Japan.

And then something unexpected happened.

Remember I said that Ken was a master sushi chef? Well, he’s a Master Sushi Chef. As in…famous within the industry. When he worked in Alameda, his cooking was reviewed by a major critic. Culinary students began pestering him for training. He vanished again, but his fans and admirers followed him to Oakland. A major movie producer hired him to cater some of his parties. He began to train apprentices. I knew him as a superb dog trainer and groomer. A lot more people knew him as something else completely. In the end, I think that’s what saved him.

When we think of human trafficking, we generally think of sex slavery and prostitution. Forced labor is another major element of this vile industry and some of the major culprits are restaurants. I had no idea this sort of thing happened so I didn’t respond as I should have. There were red flags all over the place. Ken’s “employers” controlled his movements, limited his contacts with outsiders, worked him ridiculously long hours, took his papers and blackmailed him with the threat of deportation. They didn’t pay him and moved him whenever he drew attention from the authorities, his friends or his growing circle of admirers. They even controlled his health, taking him to the doctor when he needed attention, and allowing him a single meal a day. He lost weight, became fearful and paranoid and yet always told me that there was “No Problem.”

I still haven’t caught up with Ken, but I have a pretty good idea where he is, and I’ve located a former student of his. My hope is that Ken became too high profile for his “employers” to continue to exploit. Next month, I’ll be taking a trip to see if I can track him down. I want to see him for myself.

Now when I look back, I strongly suspect that “Mr. A” was a member of the Yakuza. When Ken spoke of them, it was always with profound fear and contempt. He hated Mr. A. He could barely look at a tattoo without becoming ill. The transformation of my friend was nothing short of unbelievable. He’d been a confident, responsible man. He ran a business and had a big, supportive circle of friends and clients. Watching his downfall was painful in every respect. Sometimes I felt like I was holding onto him by my fingernails, yet he slipped away despite my efforts and the efforts of others. I felt…and I still feel that I should have tried a little harder. I should have ignored his fears of deportation and done something At that time, I literally didn’t know who could have helped. Who would have listened if I’d called the police in some small town and said, “I think my friend had been enslaved by the Yakuza...” Even now, it sounds like the plot to a bad manga.

Earlier this year, I spoke with Jessica about human trafficking and told her Ken’s story. And to my shame, it wasn’t until that conversation that I really began to put all the pieces together: The red flags, the illogical financial collapse, the fears he developed of deportation. So many years have passed. In March, the dog Ken showed for me passed away of old age. I go to shows and on occasion, people ask if I’ve heard from him lately. I ask others the same question. The answer is always no.

Now I’ll tell you the most heartbreaking coincidence of all—this past year, I’ve been within a quarter-mile of the restaurant he now reportedly works in. Twice, I was just blocks away from him, and didn’t know it.

Sometimes the guilt hits me hard, but I’m just a person…I don’t live in a world where people market other people like animals. But it happens, and we can all do something about it. Visit the Project Polaris website, learn the signs and then just watch the world around you. My hope is that Ken has climbed out of this pit he’d fallen into. The last time I saw him, I told Ken that my daughter had become a chef, and he wanted to train her in sushi. I can’t help but think if things were still terrible, he wouldn’t have extended that invitation. Hopefully, in a few weeks, I’ll know for sure.

http://www.polarisproject.org/

Upcoming Release: FCM: Come, Go With Me

2011-09-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

Come, Go With Me releases September 22/23 at Changeling Press! This one's a m/m romance between a middle-aged surfer and the Hawaiian demi-god that he loved and lost. Oddly enough, the book was inspired by the spritely Beach Boys song of the same title. While the song is upbeat, the lyrics are really quite sweet and winsome:

Love, love me darlin'
Come and go with me,
Please don't send me
'way beyond the sea;
I need you, darlin',
So come go with me.

Come, come, come, come,
Come into my heart,
Tell me, darlin',
We will never part;
I need you, darlin',
So come go with me.

Yes, I need you,
Yes, I really need you,
Please say you'll never leave me.
Well, say, you never,
Yes, you really never,
You never give me a chance.

Come, come, come, come,
Come into my heart,
Tell me, darlin',
We will never part;
I need you, darlin',
So come go with me.

Blurb:

One impossible night, two young men made love in a magical Caribbean bay, only to be separated by a violent storm. Decades later Dave Riley still remembers and grieves for a love long lost. Forever drawn to the ocean, he never stops looking for the boy named Kai.

Kai is the descendant of a powerful Polynesian deity. His nomadic life was disrupted when he became infatuated by a young human... one who slipped through his fingers and into the darkness of a tropical storm. He should have been able to move on, but Kai's heart is no longer free.

A good deed and some well-intentioned magic reunite the couple. After so many years apart, can an aging surfer and an immortal demi-god find anything other than heartbreak?

EXCERPT:

He locked the shop door and stepped out into the storm. The wind caught his hair, so Riley scraped it back, pulling the top half into a ponytail. He cast a critical eye out to the ocean. This storm hadn’t shown up on the weather reports, but would most likely blow itself out without too much havoc. The breeze was warm and damp and fine misty rain whirled through the air, caressing his cheeks. Days like this reminded him of other times and places. He took a deep breath and smiled. There was no point in grabbing an umbrella or covering his head, the wind made certain that he was damp from head to toe.

Riley started down the sidewalk; his condo was just a few blocks away from work. Over the past few years, his world had narrowed. Once his father passed, he’d taken the insurance money from the Melody and had taken over the shop, converting it from fishing and tackle to watersports and surf wear. It’d been years since he’d been sailing. He moved in a predictable pattern: from home to the beach, then on to work. Afterward, he’d hang at a local bar or go on a date with a pretty tourist. Then on home, or sometimes to a blanket somewhere on the beach.

Lately though, the girls had become women and the beach blankets had given way to upscale hotel rooms. Frankly, it surprised him that the women were still interested. He wouldn’t be seeing the sunny side of forty again. He wondered what they were looking for when they looked at him. Freedom? A carefree life in Paradise? The idea made him smile; his live was pretty much without care. No one really cared for Dave Riley.

He hopped a curb and quickly crossed the street, catching the appreciative gaze of a pair of college-age girls. They smiled and paused to talk to him, but Riley kept walking. It wasn’t till he caught sight of the young, blond surfer that he stopped. The man had blond hair kissed by the sun. His smiling face was unlined; his body was taut and muscular. When Riley stopped, the surfer stopped too. He stood, gazing at his reflection, watching it slowly age until middle-aged Riley looked back at him.

Shit.

He looked around at the nearly empty street. There must be magic in the air. Either that, or Kimber had slipped something into his coffee.

A neon light flickered behind him and he turned, blinking in surprise. Had that bar been there before? The Final Cut was all weathered wood and neon on a street of plaster and palms. It was both quaint and upscale. He looked at the businesses that surrounded it; he’d spent hours in the bookshop next door. The hair salon on the other side was familiar as well. Curious, he crossed the street, wetting his feet in shallow puddles. His deck shoes squeaked with water.

Under New Ownership.

Well damn. He’d seen this place before, but was certain it was in another part of town, not down here by his shop. He gripped the brass handle and pulled the door. It stuck for a moment and then gave way. The cool air escaped with a sigh, chilling his face.

He stepped in.

It wasn’t unusual in any way. There were a few televisions mounted on the walls, sporting events playing on them. Oddly, the patrons didn’t seem to be paying attention to the televisions. They sat at the tables in clusters, or occasionally alone. He actually heard the murmur of conversation over the volume of the TV sets. A parrot squawked. He glanced at the bar, seeing the colorful bird and a bald man the size of a wall. The big bald guy lounged at the bar, dwarfing the stool he sat on. He carefully watched the room through dark glasses. When he looked directly at Riley, the image of a massive bear formed in his imagination. His skin prickled and Riley moved further into the bar.

He took a chair at an empty table, picking up the menu and scanning the room over the edge of the laminated page. Everything looked normal, but the atmosphere of the place made him a bit breathless. He glanced up as the waitress arrived at his table. He swallowed at the vision of beauty she made.

“I’ll have a Sierra…”

She set a napkin and a bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on his table and walked away.

“… uh… I’ll have that…” He turned in his seat, watching her walk away. He sighed deeply and lifted the bottle to his mouth.

From where he sat, he had a good view of the room as well as the doorway. He lingered over his beer, and just as he finished, the dark-haired waitress brought another. He made a point of looking up, and when he saw the lovely features, he coughed. She was a he -- and a lovely he at that! His shoulder length hair hung in a ponytail, and his pouty lips gleamed as though they'd been glossed. A short apron covered his shorts, and when he walked away, his ass swayed provocatively. Riley grinned. He was exactly his type of woman, but not at all his type of man.

It didn’t matter. He’d still leave a hefty tip.

Right as it registered that he was growing hungry, his sexbomb server brought a plate of sliders and another beer. Riley chuckled and started in on his food, watching the other patrons as he ate. There were a couple familiar faces here and there, but mostly, it just looked like a normal neighborhood bar. There was a beautiful woman in the corner, turning over cards in an elaborate tarot display. Her white clothing gleamed against her dark skin. A pair of rough looking men leaned over their table, talking quietly. At another table, a couple sat, clearly flirting. The man picked up the woman’s hand, running his lips over her wrist.

Vampires and shifters and Fae, oh my!

He laughed at himself. OK, so Coco and her man were not your run of the mill people. Same for Genie, and even Kimber. But vamps? No way.

Nevertheless, he’d be getting out of this place before it got fully dark. Those two looked hungry.

He finished his food and then looked out the window facing the ocean. Sunset was rapidly approaching, and the water looked grey and angry. In the distance, lightning forked through the sky. No doubt there were still a few die-hards out there, making the most of the weather. Once upon a time, he’d have been one of them.

He smiled, shook his head and looked around for his server. It was time to go. To his surprise, the lovely creature was nowhere in sight. Odd, since he’d anticipated every one of Riley’s requests long before they came. He stood and dug out his wallet, pulling a pair of twenties out. Before the cash was out of his wallet, wind whipped through the room. He looked up, expecting to see the front door open, but nobody was there. That’s when he remembered…

The bar had no windows.

He sat back down… hard.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1687

Blacque/Bleu Going to Print!

2011-08-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

I just received the proofs for the cover of the print edition of Blacque/Bleu! Very nice, eh? If you want to see it large, click on the image. :)

We don't have a firm release date yet, but look for it within the next two months...just in time for the holidays...

Procrastination, Thy Name Is...

2011-08-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

(This post originally appeared at Raine Delight's Blog.)

Crafting. Jam. Giving the dog a bath. Sweeping the dust bunnies out from under the bed. Daydreaming. Alphabetizing the books on your shelf. Cleaning the closet. Washing the walls. Baking bread. These are all things I do to avoid sitting at the computer and getting down to business.

I’m a procrastinator. Always have been. In college, I was the one sitting up till dawn working on the paper that was due in just hours. Since I commuted 80 miles to my university, time management was a bit of a problem. I’m sure there’s a relevant psychological theory about people like me, but right now, I’m not worried about bills and term papers, I’m thinking about the book I should be writing.

Years ago, I was hired to write a play for a local theatre. The hitch was that the play was cast and already in rehearsal when I came on board. The director had a basic idea of what he wanted as well as some rudimentary dialogue, but it was up to me to show up at rehearsal every night…script in hand.

I didn’t have time to procrastinate or not produce. But still, I’d find my days being wasted by distractions. I’d start making soap or polishing my shoes. I’d watch a TV or take a nap. By four o’ clock, I was on the computer frantically composing, printing and then rushing to the theatre to make copies. I remember there was one day when I was sitting on a sofa, literally staring at the wall. My mother came through, looked at me and said, “What are you doing?” I thought for a moment and answered, “I’m working.” That moment was a revelation. All the distractions, diversions and avoidance were part of my creative process.

So back to that book I should be writing; it’s not crashing in on me just yet, but I feel guilty because I’m not using my time well. I’m not getting words on the page. But is it time wasted? Again, my mother asked one of those questions. She wanted to know what my next book was going to be about. Well, I sat and told her. That’s when it occurred to me that I’d already created the story, all that remained was to compose it.

The creative mind is mysterious and complex. Pay attention to your writing patterns, what seems to be procrastination or wasting time might actually be your creative subconscious at work. I think of all those dozens of history papers that were always completed right at the edge of their deadline; none ever scored less than a “B” grade. They always went in on time. In reality, I’d done the research and organization, all that was left was the writing. I recall all the guilt associated with running so late, and really, it was misplaced. Yes, I probably can (and often do) work with more efficiency, but the point is, what works for me might not work for you, and visa-versa. I can mentally organize and outline a novella…without so much as a note. But I have a heck of a time getting ready for a trip without a rigid “to do” list. I know other writers who rigorously outline and work a very organized, structured day. That’s just not me.

How does your mind work? Do you get sidelined by guilt over what you think is writer’s block? Perhaps your mind is approaching the task differently than you realize. Guilt is non-productive. Give yourself a break. You might be getting more done than you realize. J

Now Available! Voodoo You Love?

2011-07-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

Book Summary

Hired by Jedidiah Wormwood Worth to locate a missing lawyer, former model Antonio Silva heads to Miami to begin his career as a PI. Instead of finding Chloe O'Shea, he stumbles upon a ditzy surfer named Coco in the local paranormal bar. To his dismay, this odd woman with dreadlocks proves to be everything he needs, but nothing he wants.

Coco is a Siberian shifter, but she's lost her inner animal. Heck, she just might have lost her mind as well, because one day she was living in a condo and driving a sports car, the next she's camping out in a boathouse, teaching tourists how to kite board. Now, a big, scary shifter in a designer suit is tailing her every move, claiming to be her mate. And every time she turns around, he's trying to paddle her ass!

Antonio would just like to finish his job and get out of town. Coco would like to get a comb through her hair. Unfortunately, true love is something you can't escape, even if it seems all wrong.

EXCERPT:

Final Cut Miami: Voodoo You Love?
Belinda McBride
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Belinda McBride

Round wooden tables dotted the room but the space was dominated by a spectacular bar. Shelf upon shelf of bottles rose in majesty behind the hustling bartender. The bar itself was made of gleaming wood and surrounded by tall stools with low backs. Off to the right, a despondent demon sat facing a beer; a giant shifter of some sort watched him suspiciously. No doubt the oversize chrome dome was the resident bouncer.

Various patrons scattered through the bar, some drinking in solitude, others clustered together in small, chatty groups. A woman caught his eye. She was dark skinned and mysterious, and gave off the vibe of a talented human rather than a paranormal. She had an array of cards before her, studying them carefully. She sat in profile to him, her head bowed. For a moment, he thought he knew her.

Laughter spread through the room, distracting him from the human. Off at the end of the bar, a dreadlocked beach bunny spun in circles on her stool, first one direction, and then the other. He narrowed his eyes. If he wasn't mistaken, she had no business being here at all. Her humanity radiated from her tanned skin. Not a whisper of talent shimmered in her aura. She whooped, losing her balance, and the stool teetered precariously.

"Coco, you're gonna fall!" The bartender looked more amused than annoyed. But then it was difficult to be annoyed when a tiny blonde bombshell was happily wasting her afternoon putting on a show for hungry -- and horny -- clientele. More than one avaricious gaze was locked on her curvy body.

She seemed pretty ordinary to Antonio, who regretfully ruled her out of his search. He chose a spot at the bar where he was unlikely to be overheard and dropped a bill on the gleaming wood.

"What'll it be?" The bartender was decent enough to look at: fit, handsome and clueless. Another human. Antonio bit back a smile. The economic crash had resulted in some unusual changes in Miami real estate.

"Rum and cola. And information." He pushed the photograph forward, his PI credentials on top of it. The guy seemed pretty straight up, like he was former law enforcement or something. He wiped his hands and peered at the photo, frowning. He picked up the ID and compared the photo to Antonio, then looked at the photo of the woman.

"She's familiar. What's this, a skip trace?"

"No, missing person. I'm doing the case as a favor to her brother. He lives overseas and hasn't heard from his little sister for a while." It didn't hurt to play the family card. If the guy knew anything, he might hold back if he thought someone meant her harm. Sure enough, the bartender gave Antonio the once over.

"South American?"

"Brazilian by birth, American by citizenship." Antonio smiled blandly. He nodded at the photo. "Look again. Maybe she's been in here?" He briefly wondered what would happen if he cued the bartender off to the fact that his bar was filled with characters from his nightmares. The chaos would be fun, but more in the style of Jedidiah, or even Jasper. Antonio had a bit more class.

"Wheeeee!"

The girl spun and Antonio gazed at her appreciatively. She was tanned and buff, wearing knee-length board shorts, a bikini top, and mismatched flip-flops. She'd probably dropped a little too much acid at some point. She giggled, grabbed her drink, knocking it back in one gulp, then slipped down onto the stool, lying back, her dreads nearly touching the floor.

"Sam! Refill!" She dug into a pocket and waved a crumpled bill in the air. Even from where he sat, Antonio caught the smell of fish and seawater on the filthy paper. It looked like she'd gotten lucky.

"Just a minute, darlin'!" He glanced up at Antonio and winked. "Coco's on soda and lime. I don't think she has a clue she's not wasted!" He pushed the photo back. "You know, she's got a look, but I can't place it. Any distinguishing marks? Tattoos, that sort of thing?"

Antonio opened the file and scanned Jasper's notes. Nothing, not even a scar or pierced ears. He frowned over the basic profile. Under eye color, Jasper had noted, Two. A joke? But then, Jasper himself had one eye that was a whirl of blue and amber. He pulled a pen from his pocket and made a question mark next to the description. They looked perfectly normal in the picture.

"What makes you think she might be around here?" Sam the bartender turned away, busying himself with wiping down the bar. "She's local?"

"Yeah, from Lauderdale, and this is the sort of place she might be drawn to if she's here in Miami."

"A sports bar?" Sam looked skeptical.

"Sports bar! Sports bar!" Sam hunched his shoulders at the loud squawking of a parrot a few feet away. "Shut up, Polly!"

The big bouncer growled.

The parrot began flapping its wings and howling like a dog. Antonio raised a single brow. Maybe the bird knew something.

"Hush!" Sam shouted.

The parrot squawked once again, and the girl slid off the stool, landing on the floor with a crash.

"I'm all right!" She rose to her knees, pushing away the helping hands of the enormous bouncer. "Floor came to meet me little too fast." She pushed back a matted clump of hair, giving the room a beaming smile.

Antonio shivered. She was gorgeous. Not the perfect, polished beauty of Miami and its hordes of models and trophy companions, but a gleaming, beaming ray of sun. Little glass beads studded strands of her hair. Her wide smile displayed straight, white teeth; there was a tiny gap right there in the middle. Her honey-colored skin was bare of make-up, her eyes -- the one he could see was as blue as the ocean. Before he could see the rest of her face, she untangled a crooked pair of sunglasses from her mop of hair and perched them on her straight little nose.

She stood unsteadily, bracing on the back of the stool for balance. Clearly, she was looped out of her brain and Antonio shot a look at Sam, who simply shrugged. She smelled only of sunshine, citrus and herself. There wasn't a tinge of alcohol on her.

Something else then.

"I'm outta here. Later, gaters!" She wiggled her fingers, tripped over her own flip-flop and caught herself on Antonio's arm. She squeezed it, fingers probing his bicep.

"Nice." She looked up at him. "Model?"

"Not anymore," he admitted. Not many people would get that much of an admission from him. Modeling hadn't been the most brilliant part of his history.

"Pretty man. Big. Fae or shifter?"

Oh. Shit. He looked at Sam, who'd returned to his sink and was rinsing glasses. He grinned at Antonio, shook his head and slowly circled a finger at his temple, indicating that little Coco wasn't quite right in the head. Antonio then caught the ominous gaze of the bouncer. He gave nothing away. Antonio swallowed. The big man was bruin -- a bear shifter. Poor Sam had no clue.

"I'm a Siberian," he whispered in her ear. She went perfectly still. Her glasses hid her eyes, so he couldn't see her expression.

"Really?"

He nodded. He stood perfectly still while she looked him over from head to toe.

"Liar." She grinned at him. Even though the smile was forced, the most kissable dimple flirted with him. To his surprise, his cock responded. He looked at those full, plush lips and had the most insane urge to kiss the little human. She was close enough he could feel the heat from her body, and again she swayed toward him, clearly off balance.

He caught her before she staggered, grinning as she looked down at where her belly pressed into his groin.

"Oh my!"

"Oh yes." He grinned. He wondered if the place had a store room, or even a private toilet stall. Normally a dreadlocked surfer chick was far from what attracted him, but right now, attraction was a mild description of what he was feeling. He grinned wickedly, reaching up to slide her glasses off. She took a step back, bumping into a stool. Antonio leaned forward, tilting his head slightly, just a breath away from a kiss.

Her pink tongue darted out, moistening her lips. "Water. Need water."

"Water?"

She nodded. Her hair tumbled over one side of her face and she giggled, a throaty, sexy sound.

"I can do that." He straightened and turned to the bar. "Water for the lady."

Sam leaned a bit to look around him, grinned and reached under the counter, bringing up an icy bottle. "On the house." His blue eyes twinkled and he returned to his chores, chuckling quietly. The file still lay on the bar, so Antonio tucked the photo back into his jacket and fished out a business card, leaving it for Sam. He grabbed the slim file. He'd pretty well memorized all it contained, but still, it wouldn't be a good idea to lose it. Jedidiah -- and the entire paranormal community -- would have his head.

He shrugged and turned, and then froze. She was gone. The front door hadn't been opened and there was no sign of her anywhere. He looked around and spotted a dark corridor. An exit sign glowed at the end of the hall and Antonio tossed the bottle up into the air, deftly catching it as he began his pursuit.

He had a bottle of water for the lady.

Voodoo YOU Love? Find out July 29!

2011-07-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

And the Siberian saga goes on....

All good things must end, and at Changeling Press, the Last Call Europe has finished its run. But...have no fear....there's a brand new multi-author series called, "Final Cut: Miami." This one is a little different, the bar doesn't serve speciality drinks, and it is owned by a seemingly oblivious human named Sam. The wards don't always work on the place, allowing the occasional human to slip in undetected.

I decided to christen this series with characters from my Last Call Europe books: Jedidiah Worth and Jasper O' Shea drop in for a visit, kicking off this story of magic, mayhem and hot sex on the beach...or on the dock, as the case may be. Read on for a the blurb...excerpt will follow soon!

AND...

Join me Sunday, July 24 at the Love Romances Cafe to celebrate my new release! There will be some prizes and some special guests!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe/?yguid=347224364

BLURB:

Hired by Jedidiah Wormwood Worth to locate a missing lawyer, former model Antonio Silva heads to Miami to begin his career as a PI. Instead of finding Chloe o' Shea, he stumbles upon a ditzy surfer named Coco in the local paranormal bar. To his dismay, this odd woman with dreadlocks proves to be everything he needs, but nothing he wants.

Antonio would just like to finish his job and get out of town. Coco would like to get a comb through her hair. Unfortunately, true love is something you can't escape, even if it seems all wrong.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1641

News that is New

2011-07-12T23:31:00.000-07:00

Well all, I apologize for lagging on my blog. Its truly been a busy, wonderful and terrible month. For the wonderful element, my book 'An Uncommon Whore' won the Passionate Plume award in the science fiction category! I'm so pleased, not only because this is truly a book of my heart, but also because this is a m/m romance. I was simply flabbergasted when I got the news!

For the terrible parts of the month, it certainly could be worse, I suppose. My mother had her second knee replacement surgery and came through it brilliantly. However, she forgot to use a topical anti-inflammatory on the wound, and believe it or not, this proved to be a blessing. I went to the Lori Foster gathering and the first night I was back at home, she remembered the medication. Within minutes of using it, she complained that it was burning her skin. Shortly after, she broke out in hives. That week saw two visits to the ER and two visits to doctors before we managed to get a handle on it. She hallucinated and was frighteningly ill for a week. It took almost 3 weeks of prednizone therapy before she recovered.

Next up was me. Without going into great detail...I slipped on a banana peel. Yes, a banana peel. I went flying across the kitchen with a plate of barbecued chicken in one hand. Somehow I hyper-extended my knee so badly it appears that I've broken my patella. Yes...it hurts. LOL! But my pride hurt worse, I landed flat on my back, with chicken and bbq sauce dripping off me from head to toe. Adding yet another insult to the injury, my hair got tangled in the dog's water bucket and while I was trapped, Poppy and River busily licked sauce off me. Oh joy...where's Lassie when you need him? (yeah, Lassie was a he.)

Thankfully, life went on, I finished a couple manuscripts and started edits. And...I have release dates: Final Cut: Miami - Voodoo You Love? will release at Changeling Press on July 29. Its a paranormal m/f featuring my Siberian Shifters who are kicking up mayhem in Miami.

An Uncommon Whore 2: When I Fall is scheduled for October 11 at Loose Id. (I'm told this date is subject to change) This continues the saga of Helios and Griffin, who must gain acceptance into the Interstellar Planetary Coalition (the Belle Starr universe) in order to protect Neo Domus from the Landaun and other invaders. Their love is tested by the demands on Helios, who is now king, and also by the ghosts of their past.

There are a few other projects on the way, I'll share more about those as contracts are inked. :) Just a hint, I'm coming back to Earth...specifically to my stomping grounds here in Northern California. I guess I can handle writing contemporary if there are cowboys involved...

For now, that's pretty much it. I do want to remind you about my newsletter, it comes out bi-monthly (sometimes monthly, if I've been busy) and this is where you get the inside scoop on what's coming up, some of my poorly informed opinions on romance, Siberian Husky exploits (the real ones) and insider contests. If you'd like to subscribe, the form is on my homepage: www.belindamcbride.com.

And finally, if you're up for some free m/m reads, head on over to the M/M Romance Group at Goodreads. The Hot July free reads event is going on. Its nothing short of amazing. http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/20149.M_M_Romance My contribution is called :Free to Fly and is a BDSM short. It hasn't been posted yet, but I'll give a shout when it is.

Happy Tails!

Belinda

Dr. Charley Ferrer

2011-06-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased to have Dr. Charley Ferrer as my special guest today! With no further ado, lets get to know Dr. Charley!

Dr. Charley, How did you initially get interested in BDSM?

I actually officially discovered the lifestyle when I was working on my Masters in Psychology. I took a course in Sex Therapy and part of the training was to treat a couple who were experiencing some form of sexual dysfunction. For my couple, the man was suffering from impotency of the past six months which stemmed from his desire to spank his girlfriend and his feelings of guilt associated with that desire. When I asked the girlfriend if she had a problem receiving a spanking, she smiled and happily declared, “I’d love it!” So I gave them permission to explore! He called me the follow day to share that his impotency problem was over and they were taking a week off to enjoy themselves. I was so proud of myself. My first patients cured in one-session—Yahoo! When I returned to class to share my amazing accomplishment, my follow classmates were appalled that I would “sanction” such behavior. It was at that point the philosophy for my Private Practice was born since I believe as therapist it’s not my place to “Judge” my patients but to help them learn and explore the possibilities for their own sexuality and let them decide for themselves. I subsequently went on to learn more about sex and obtained a Doctorate in Human Sexuality, a Clinical Sexologist Certification, an Erotologist Certification, and Sex Educator degrees. I’m now the only Latina Doctor of Human Sexuality in the United States and at the top of my field. In 2005, I created the Dominance and Submission Therapeutic Mentoring Model and presented it before the World Congress of Sexology and the International Congress of Sexologist & Medical Physicians in Latin America. For the past 15-years, I’ve created and taught various workshops incorporating aspects of BDSM, Hypnosis, self-empowerment, and sensual/sexual enhancement for men and women, physicians, law enforcement and the mental health community. And now, writers!

Do you think BDSM is becoming a more accepted idea in society?

I believe BDSM has been in our society and in our relationships since the beginning of time in varying degrees. However, the terminology and semantics has been different. Here are a few examples: have you ever giving your lover a hickey or received one? Have you ever teased your lover till he swatted your tush—and enjoyed it? Have you ever wanted your lover to be more forceful or perhaps you were the one riding him or her to exhaustion with your demands? All of these things are part of Dominance and submission—all a form of the Power Exchange. I’ll explain. That hickey is a way to stake your claim so no one else will touch “your property”. That playful swat on your tush might have made you gasp but it didn’t stop you from teasing your lover further to see if he’d do it again. Or perhaps it was you Roleplaying the teacher and correcting your wayward student. Should I mention the times you thought to tie your part to the bed and have your naughty way with him—or visa versa? And of course, who hasn’t wanted to dominant their partner once or twice or be dominated by them to relish that primal sexual energy. I often tell people it’s this need for the primal uninhibited energy that has couples fighting just to have “make-up sex”. Just to have an excuse for being dominant or submissive. So has society become more accepting? I think it’s merely awakening to its own sensuality and putting a label on it.

Tell us about your new books. Where can we buy them!?

I’m proud to say that my new books, BDSM FOR WRITERS and BDSM THE NAKED TRUTH are both available for Pre-Orders at my website www.bdsmforwriters.com. Though we had a little snafu with the release date we can’t be stopped! The books will be released UNCENSORED and in all their candid glory August 2011. Reserve your copy today and receive a $500 Erotic Art Digital collection from Captured Erotica FREE. PLUS be entered to win great prizes such as Floggers, Shackles, Whips, even a Kindle, and more. Ok so my prizes are a little bit of kinky fun…but there’s a new mundane Kindle as well so you can enjoy reading instead of playing. *smiles*

BDSM FOR WRITERS: provides authors with valuable information about Dominance and submission and the various power exchange relationships. This book addresses the emotional and psychological connections men and women make in this uniquely erotic lifestyle dispelling many of the misconceptions perpetuated by Hollywood and the media. BDSM for Writers provides authors with a valuable tool to assist them in developing stronger more realistic characters, plots, and scenes. Discover the integral techniques and foundations necessary to train a slave, the benefits and pitfalls of rewards and punishment, and the various methods of how to use punishment and humiliation on a male versus a female submissive/slave to derive optimum results. There is even a BDSM Checklist created specifically for authors to assist you in developing your characters and those deliciously wicked scenes.

BDSM THE NAKED TRUTH: pulls back the leather curtain and reveals the truths about love, affection and the respect shared by men and women who embrace the uniquely erotic lifestyle of Dominance and submission. This book dispels many of the misconceptions Hollywood and the media have propagated allowing you a realistic view of the intricacies of the power exchange and the rich intense relationships formed by men and women who embrace this lifestyle. BDSM THE NAKED TRUTH provides you with information every novice or curious seeker needs to know and understand while validating and acknowledging the experiences and various levels of connection and relationships within the community.

I invite you to join my LIGHTENING BRIGADE—what I’m affectionately calling the first 300 men and women to order a copy of my books and help me bring this valuable information to light. Reserve your copy today at www.bdsmforwriters.com or www.bdsmthenakedtruth.com

What do you do for fun without Whips and Chains?

*Laughs and quickly hides my favorite Whip* Actually I love to travel and explore archeological sites. For the new millennium, I was in Egypt with my son and we were the first Mother and Child in the Great Pyramid on the Giza plateau. In 2009, I explored Cancun, Mexico and fell in love with Chichen Itza and the discovery of the Mayan Temple sitting beneath the Aztec one. For 2012, I’m planning a trip to Peru for December to explore the remnants of the Moche Tribe and the sexual artifacts that were found. I’m considering organizing an excursion which incorporates the spirituality of Machu Picchu and other sensual aspects of the culture as well as following the sensual path of the Moche Tribe and visiting the Largo Museum there; connecting spirituality and sensuality with a culture that predated the Incas by 3000 years and revered sexuality. That’s Heaven for this Sexologist! Though, I’m not sure if anyone else would like to join me. If you’re interested, contact me. Imagine the beauty of the ending, the awakening and a new beginning as we consider the cosmic cycle ending and beginning.

Before I say goodbye, I want to take a moment to thank you, Belinda, for inviting me to your Blog and I want to send a special thanks to all of you that join us today and shared your questions. One lucky winner will receive an eBook copy of my book (their choice). Please feel free to ask questions or leave a comment to be entered to win the eBook.

Have a SPANKALICIOUS day—week—because there’s always lots of kinky fun to be had!

Live with passion,

Doctor Charley…

Dr. Charley Ferrer

Clinical Sexologist, Educator
TV/Radio Host & Producer
Award Winning Author

Dr. Charley Ferrer

Dr. Charley Ferrer is a world renowned Clinical Sexologist and the only Latina Doctor of Human Sexuality in the United States. She is the award winning author of The Latina Kama Sutra, The W.I.S.E. Journal for the Sensual Woman, and The Passionate Latina: In our own words.

Her TV Talk Show, Pleasure is the FIRST bi-lingual show on relationships and sexuality. Pleasure was nominated for Best TV Talk Show by BronxNet in New York City in 2007 and nominated for the Alliance Community Media—Northeast Region Award in 2008.

Dr. Charley conducts several radio talk shows in both English and Spanish called, LA Hora del Placer – The Pleasure Hour. Her shows can be heard on Radio Cumbre, LA X, and RCN Satellite radio. Dr. Charley is highly sought after as the Sex Expert on several syndicated Radio & TV shows including Kiss FM, Univision, Azteca America and the new Mio TV network.

As a freelance writer, her articles have appeared in various local and international newspapers, magazines and websites including El Diario La Prensa, Latina Magazine, and now Fox News Latino just to name a few. Dr. Charley conducts various self-empowerment and educational speaking engagements at Universities, Hospitals, CDC events, as well as private and non-profit organizations throughout the United States and Latin America. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University.

She is the founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Pleasure whose primary mission is to provide education on relationships, mental health services to women and men, and conduct research on sexuality. Dr. Charley is a repeat speaker on sexual health and reform before the World Congress of Sexology and the International Congress of Medical Practitioners and Sexologist in Latin America. She was recognized as one of the Groundbreaking Latina in 2006 for her work in Sex Education & Health.

Books by Dr. Charley Ferrer

The Latina Kama Sutra

The W.I.S.E. Journal for the Sensual Woman

The Passionate Latina: In Our Own Words

Sex con Sabor Latina (A play)

BDSM The Naked Truth

BDSM for Writers: The Ultimate Guide

to Writing Believable BDSM Romances

In Spanish

La Latina Kama Sutra (En Espanol)

Para La Mujer Sensual

Coming Soon

Sexploring: 30-Days to a Better Sex Life

Body & Soul--An Intimate Look at Black Men's Sexuality

Sex Repairs: The Quick Fix to Sexual Dysfunctions in Women
The Latin Lover: The Truth About Religion, Sex, & Machismo

For further information contact: Jessica Lopez, Public Relations (718) 916-4124

jessica@doctorcharley.com

www.instituteofpleasure.org

Destiny Blaine Blog Tour: Roping In Forever

2011-06-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today I'd like to welcome Destiny Blaine, who is celebrating the release of her new book Roping In Forever.

AVAILABLE: Wednesday, June 1st

This new release is offered at a 10% discount for one week.

[Siren Allure: Erotic Cowboy Romance]

Corbin Cansey will love the daylights out of Bella McDermott. That is, just as soon as he gets around to it. Corbin has been running from Bella since she was a teenager, and he’s been looking the other way since she became old enough to win his heart.

The trouble is, Bella is tired of waiting. She follows Corbin to a San Antonio rodeo and watches as he indulges in a few sex-related activities. Green with envy, Bella realizes it’s time to teach Corbin a few valuable lessons about loving a woman.

Bella gives Corbin a good taste of what he’s been dishing up—a stout dose of jealousy. And even though her plan is destined to fail, her notions are guaranteed to make a man twitch in his Wranglers, assuming he can keep them pulled up where they belong.

Story Excerpt:

Corbin knew he’d drawn a bad bull. He’d sort of had an uneasy feeling earlier that day when he’d first arrived at the fairgrounds, but after he’d held Bella in his arms, everything changed.

She gave him strength. She made him believe in himself and his abilities. If Corbin listened to some of the whispers around him, staying on Captain Crazy was next to impossible, but for some reason he felt like a man who was about to take the best ride of his life.

Tucking his gloved hands under the rope, Corbin realized all eyes were on him. Hell, half the fans were on their feet, acting like they were getting ready to watch a cowboy’s last rodeo. He hated it when these situations happened. Half the time, a bull’s reputation made a loser out of a cowboy. When the crowd seemed to stand behind the bull rather than the man riding him, well, it just seemed like the odds stacked up against a fella.

Corbin searched the stands, found the large letter A, and dropped his gaze down, looking straight across the arena into the brilliant-blue sparkling, and quite watered down, eyes of the woman he loved. He tilted his hat and slapped his chest.

Bella was his heart. The rodeo was his job.

“You’re good to go,” Travis assured him, helping Corbin lower himself atop the angry bull that would either make or break him in this competition. “You got this, Corbin.”

Corbin swung his gaze toward Bella, one last time. “You’re damn straight I got this.” Smiling wide, he raised his right arm and his head and shoulders flew back. “Okay, fellas! Let’s see if this bull can give a good ride!”

Buy Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/roping-in-forever

Website: http://www.destinyblaine.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/DestinyBlaine

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DestinyBlaine

Tara Lain: How Do You Choose What You Read?

2011-05-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

How Do You Choose What You Read?

I am delighted to celebrate the release day of my new novel, The Scientist and the Supermodel, here with Belinda because it gives me a chance to tell you what a peach she is (in case you didn’t already know.) I am a huge admirer and fan.

So I have a question for Belinda’s readers and my readers and perhaps someone who stumbled on the site by accident and has never read either of us. How do you determine what you read? If you read Belinda’s books, is it because she writes scifi BDSM, because she creates great action and adventure, because there is such depth to her characters, because a lot of her books are male/male, or some combination of the list? And my readers, did you pick up Genetic Attraction, my first book, because it was a ménage or had strong male/male elements, or a powerful heroine, or was considered “HOT!” or something else?

I’ve noticed that when scifi authors or writers of paranormal come to my blog, my readers react enthusiastically, even though they seem to love my contemporary stories. My books have men in love but I know many of my readers also like M/F books. So, the question is – where do you start? When buying a new book, what are the first criteria?

A key criteria for me as I expect it is for you is the author. If I like one book by an author, I’ll try more by the same writer. But how far does that go? If Belinda switches to Regency romance, will you read her anyway? If I turn to “sweet”romances, will you still try my books? In my case, one of my favorite writers is Jet Mykles. I was first introduced to Jet’s paranormal M/F books many years ago. After reading through that whole series, I ordered something called Heaven which turned out to be M/M contemporary. Yikes. That was a departure for me. But I loved the way Jet tells a story, so I read it. Heaven turned out to be heaven for me. I had never read a M/M book and this was a perfect introduction. I loved the dynamic, the flexibility of gender roles, the peek into a man’s vulnerability. At that moment, one of my key criteria became M/M. To this day, I will tend to favor books with at least some M/M elements, although I still read and enjoy M/F.

What about you? I’ve had readers say “I’ve never read M/M before, but you made me a believer.” Chances are if you’re here you like M/M too, but is it a priority in your choices? What about BDSM? Is that where you go first when choosing a book? Belinda likes to build scifi worlds and express in them. I love contemporary formats. I will admit I’m currently writing my first paranormal – but it’s contemporary paranormal. LOL. Do you start with scifi? Paranormal? Contemporary? Is that a first choice? The first time I tried one of Belinda’s books I was choosing to read something by an author I didn’t know in scifi which isn’t my top genre. So why did I choose it? First, it was M/M, a top criteria, AND I saw from the terrific cover that one of the heroes was androgynous – a favorite attraction of mine. Plus, it had an irresistible title. Of course, I’m talking about An Uncommon Whore.
Tell us please, what do you read and how do you choose? It’s a wonderful mystery all writers try to solve. And when you comment you’ll be entered in my contest. Here are the rules:

Comment on this blog and leave your email address. I will copy it and enter it in the drawing for the 2 books being given away during this week. One copy of The Scientist and the Supermodel and One copy of Genetic Attraction. You’ll be notified by email if you win. Comment and email, simple.

Here’s MORE CHANCES TO WIN! (more complicated so read closely LOL)

• After you comment here, go to my Book blog http://beautifulboysbooks.blogspot.com. Leave a comment and follow the blog (if you already do follow, it counts). You will be entered in EVERY drawing until the end of the month. Two books will be given away every week and you’ll be entered in all those drawings. (you only have to do this once)

• Go to every blog on my blog tour and leave a comment on the day of the post (or at least in the same week) and you will be entered again during the week in which the post is made.

• The entire blog tour is listed on my website http://www.taralain.com/blog_tour_schedule.html and updates will be posted regularly so check it out. There will also be Yahoo Group chats where I will be giving away other books so watch for those!

Whew!! Remember, you can take each one of these steps and have a bunch of chances to WIN! (You just have to enter, the logistics are my nightmare! LOL) Got it? Leave a comment here. : )

Excerpt R: Tara Lain The Scientist and the Supermodel M/M Erotic Romance

This excerpt occurs when Jake and Roan have both unexpectedly shown up at the same fundraising event and both escorting women. Jake is wildly jealous and is dancing with Roan’s date.

BLURB:

Jake has a mad hidden passion for his older boss, Emmaline Silvay, so why is he getting all hot and bothered when he sees this gorgeous man in a bar? Though Jake thinks of himself as straight, he's been having a lot of trouble getting excited about any of the girls he's dated. He doesn't have any such trouble with the supermodel, which throws his whole world into confusion. Roan Black knows better than to fall for some straight guy, especially a PhD scientist who couldn't possibly be interested in a high school dropout, could he? Well, maybe they can just have sex ....

EXCERPT:

Taking the redhead’s hand, he walked to the dance floor.

Jake was a decent dancer, but his recent dancing experience had only included a six-foot alpha male whose cock stabbed into his abdomen. Alexandra wasn’t all that different -- except for the cock part. About six feet tall in her heels, her body under the slip of a gown was strong and lean with only a hint of the soft roundness Jake associated with femininity. She also smelled heavenly. No perfume, just some sweet almondy scent that wafted around Jake like a cloud.

Even with that tall body pressed tight against him, Jake still had a couple inches on her.

She tilted her head up and whispered in his ear, “So you’re my lover’s lover.”

Torn. Should he strangle her or throw her on the ground and fuck her? She had a powerful magnetism; he’d give her that. “In what way is he your lover?” He could hear the anger in his own voice.

“Jealous, lover?”

“Should I be?”

She gave him a steady stare with those ice blue eyes. “Actually, no.”

“Does that mean you’re not his lover?”

“No, it doesn’t mean that. It simply means that the boy is crazy about you.”

Jake felt himself tense. Of course, she felt it too and gave him a cool stare. “I hope you can handle that, lover boy, because nobody gets to hurt Roan with me around.”

He stared her down for a minute, but she didn’t waver, and he was the first to look away. “I’m trying, really, but this is all new to me.”

“He said you’ve always been straight.”

“Yeah.”

She nodded her head to where they’d left Laney with his parents. “Who’s the little ingénue?”

“Just a friend.”

“You fucking her?”

“No!”

She laughed. “A little defensive, are we? You using her for cover?”

“No! I just needed a date for this shindig, and I thought of her. What about you? Aren’t you with Roan to promulgate the fiction that he’s straight?”

“Partly. But I was in town, and we always get together when I’m here or he’s in Paris. My trip just happened to coincide with this event he was committed to attend, so I came with him.”

Jake gritted his teeth. “You always get together? Why? To fuck?” He could feel his hands tightening on her.

She pressed her body tight against him and whispered in his ear. “Yes, to fuck. And to suck, and to do everything a man and a woman can do together. Do you hate it that your boyfriend likes girls too, just like you do?”

“Yes. I…hate…it.”

She pulled back and looked at him. “Wow, you really are jealous, aren’t you? My beautiful boy really gets you going.” She ground her hips against him. “I can feel how hard you are.”

She was right. He wanted to hate her, but she was so damned sexy, and the fact that she loved and defended Roan jumbled them together in his hormone-clouded mind.

“Yeah.”

She leaned into him again. “Don’t you love that gorgeous, huge cock of Roan’s?”

Jake could barely breathe. “Yeah.”

She was whispering directly into his ear, the breath sending goose bumps down his arms and shocks to his balls. “It doesn’t hurt you when he pushes that huge dick into your ass?”

Jake tensed at the question. Alex leaned back to look at his face. “I see. You’re a top.” Then she snuggled back against him and resumed her breathy whisper. “That makes sense, I guess. You’re mostly straight, and he’s really submissive. He loves to take it in the ass.” Her hips pressed into his. “But don’t forget, pretty boy, he still loves to fuck. You gotta let him do it to you some, or he won’t be satisfied. Let him stick that cock in. I can tell you firsthand, Jake, it’s a treat you just can’t miss.”

Too much. Jake’s breath was ragged, and he was about to ruin his tux trousers with a gallon of cum.

She pressed harder so she was practically riding his erection, and he was too far gone to care who was watching. “You love that idea, don’t you, baby? Or is it me turning you on? C’mon, Jake. Tell me the truth. Is it just the idea of Roan fucking you making you rock hard, or does little Alex get your juices flowing too?”

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0glXEW3_fM

Tara Lain never met a beautiful boy she didn’t love – at least on paper. A writer of erotic romance, mostly ménage and male/male, Tara loves all her characters, but especially her handsome heroes. A lifelong writer of serious non-fiction, Tara only fell in love with EROM in 2009 and, through perseverance and lots of workshops, had the first novel she ever wrote accepted for publication in 2010. She’s now on book six. After an exotic life of travel all over the world and work in television, education and advertising, Tara settled in Southern California with her soul-mate husband and opened her own small marketing business. She paints, collages, and started practicing yoga “way before it was fashionable”. Passionate about diversity, justice, inclusion and new ideas she says on her tombstone it will read, “Yes”.

For more information about Tara, her books and social networks, visit her at:

E-mail: tara@taralain.com

Website: http://www.taralain.com

Author blog: http://taralain.blogspot.com

Dos Lunas is a Top Pick at TRR!

2011-05-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

Dos Lunas just picked up its first review....and its a doozie! Its a Top Pick at The Romance Reviews! Thank you to Rho for this exceptional review:

This little gem was so much more than I ever expected.

Diego Lobos is the middle of three brothers and he's always felt not quite good enough when compared to his brothers. So, when he sees Victoria Talbot, although he's extremely attracted to her, he knows the sophisticated ice queen is out of his league.

Victoria Talbot is a journalist, researching a story about werewolves in the sleepy Texas town where she's living. She never expected to find Diego at the center of her story or her desires. But after a glimpse inside his hidden nature, she knows that she's got something that he needs.

The story starts off with Diego and Victoria having some sexually charged banter, and you know that they are it for each other. The chemistry and underlying naughtiness between them is absolutely delicious. Then, the story just turned me on my ear when the author drops the hint that Diego is sexually submissive. YES, this hunky, totally yummy werewolf is a sub. And lo and behold, Victoria is a Domme.

From there, that was all she wrote, folks. I was totally hooked. The story revolved around their relationship, the Domme/sub interaction was there, but there were also secrets that Victoria was holding onto. Not to mention the fact that she was trying to expose Diego and his pack.

I loved that the growth of both Diego and Victoria was so wonderfully written. Diego grew more comfortable in his skin with the acceptance of his submissive nature, and Victoria found that she wants to be with someone more than just playing. Put that together with the whole werewolf, mating, paranormal twist aspect of the book, and I was totally entranced.

This is a short story. It's actually part of a print anthology, but what the author did in a little over100 pages was build a world around Sleeping Dog, Texas--complete with visits to a Dallas dungeon, characters like the elderly Domme Rosa, and plot filled with romance, suspense, and shifter action.

And don't let me forget the hot sex. I'm usually not a fan of FemDom, but let me tell you...Whew! There's this one scene in the dungeon where she has all of these feathers and Diego is bound and blindfolded. YUMMY! Wow, I just don't even know what to say. Sex wasn't the focus of the story, but the author certainly made it a memorable aspect to say the least.

I could probably go on and on about this story, but I think you get the gist. It's hot, it's romantic, it's intriguing and suspenseful. It so much more than I expected, I felt like I unearthed a secret treasure.

Belinda McBride really has a unique way of blending different romantic sub-genres in a voice that I can really identify with. I can't wait to read more of her work, I've loved everything I've read from her so far.

Now Available! Doms of Dark Haven 2: Western Night!

2011-05-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

Its now live at the Loose Id website! And if you have a reader, most formats are available, so there's no need to wait! Yay!

So run on over and rope a copy for yourself!

http://www.loose-id.com/Doms-of-Dark-Haven-2-Western-Night.aspx

Where in the World…

2011-05-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

(this blog post first appeared over at Heroines With Hearts...)

So you’ve decided to write a science fiction romance. Or a fantasy…or paranormal. Whatever the case,you’re about to step into a world where the rules are about to change. More importantly, you’re about to make the rules. All by yourself…

World building can be a daunting undertaking, but there are a few simple tricks you can try to simplify the process. Whether you’re writing about a pod of vampires in New Hampshire or a reptilian alien society in outer space, you need to outline the basic rules of existence, not only of the culture and characters, but of the basic environment in which they live.

Some writers start with a map. They look at the big picture, creating continents, islands, sites and streets. From there, they move to culture and personality. While this sounds like overkill, environment can affect the personality and physical characteristics of a society. What do the people look like? Do they have physical features that differ from that of humans? What caused them to develop that way? That same question relates to the environment. If the sky is rainbow colored or flowers are true black, be prepared with an explanation. How does their world and environment affect their personalities as a species?

In the Belle Starr science fiction universe, I developed several alien species that were featured in minor roles in the story. Each species is the product of their society and world and a lot went into their creation. For example, the Somians are a sensual twin species. They are born in same sex pairs, grow up together, and in adulthood, mate another twin pair. Every twin pair is essentially one person split into two bodies. Somians are frequently sex workers and take pride in that profession. Their planet is lush and fragrant; they love beautiful colors, fabrics and delicious food. Since their culture is all about happiness, they have advanced studies in mental health beyond any other known species.

The Valorans are their polar opposite. The Valoran species comes from a dry, less tropical environment. The entire species are intersexed, but have fallen into a natural division of those who consider themselves male, and those who consider themselves female. They are prudish, not given to emotional display and specialize in sciences based in mathematics. There is a minority of the population who consider themselves gender neutral, and they suffer some discrimination from other Valorans.

Somians think that Valorans are in denial of their innate sensual and dual nature. Valorans think Somians are frivolous and foolish. When a Somian and a Valoran come together romantically…the results are intriguing!

As you can see, a lot of work went into developing two alien cultures that really don’t take center stage in the stories they appear in. But since they’re so well developed, they enhance any story they appear in.

Back to rules. Be careful if you decide to outline a set of rules for your culture. A popular author created a species that by nature could not produce homosexuality. She put those rules into writing in a glossary and locked herself in. Imagine how interesting it was when homoerotic elements began to emerge in her stories! So know your rules, and know how to break them.

It’s a big job, wrangling an entire universe. I generally keep a page open on my computer to take notes as I write. I jot down names, places, even sounds. All this gets transferred into a ‘bible’ for that universe. Since the Belle Starr and the Uncommon Whore series share a universe, they also share a bible. I make sure to note what character originated where, as some do cross over. There are also software programs that you can use to take notes and collect photos, music and videos that influence you in the creation of your world. You can also use an external method, such as white boards (which I use) and sticky notes.

So, are you ready? Or are you lost? Best of luck on your journey, and Happy Tails!

What to do when Nothing Else Works

2011-04-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

It’s bound to happen to all of us at some point. You hit the wall and you are going to miss a deadline. It can be a fierce case of writer’s block, or perhaps Real Life rears its ugly head. You might come down with the swine flu or a member of the family has a crisis. The point is, your writing comes to a dead stop and there’s nothing you can do about it.

With me, its usually family issues; I caregive for my disabled niece and my elderly mother. Burnout is common among caregivers, and I’m no exception to that rule. I’ve hit that invisible wall more than once.

You stay up late at night, struggling to get words on the page. You cram in a little on your breaks or even on the job. The point I’m making is that sometimes we lose control, and it isn’t pretty. So what does a writer do?

First, communicate. Tell your editor or your publisher. Co-writers if you have them. Please don’t labor in isolation. These are the people who not only rely on you, but have the tools to help you surmount the problem. They might help you gain a few extra days or even reschedule the project.

Second, look objectively at the problem. How many words per day do you have to hit to make your deadline? Can you approach your writing differently? I had a friend who had to write a novel in a shockingly short period of time. She turned to Randy Ingermasson’s Snowflake Method to help her construct her story, and then write it. Her editor was aware of the time constraint and helped her with the extra editing and polishing the manuscript required.

Third, be realistic. Things don’t always go as we plan. If you have a contest or other hard deadline that isn’t contracted, you might simply have to accept that you won’t be able to participate. Just remember, there are lots and lots of contests and calls for submission out there. If you missed a call for an anthology, consider submitting the story as a stand alone. If you don’t have Plan B, then make one.

It’s a terrible feeling to fall short of your obligations, and that in itself can hold you back. For the future, reconsider how you manage your writing. I know that if there’s a hard deadline, I’ll stress, worry and ultimately procrastinate till the last minute. Knowing that about myself, I rarely sign a contract before I have a first draft in hand. I also know that I don’t write well during the fall and winter, so that’s the time of year I focus on editing and promotion.

Know yourself, look at long range goals as well as short term goals and leave enough space in your calendar for change. By doing so, you’ll be able to survive the bad times and shine when things are dim.

Happy Tails!

Belinda

New Brag on An Uncommon Whore!

2011-04-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

I entered An Uncommon Whore in the Science Fiction category of the Passionate Plume competition, and its a finalist! Whoo Hoo! Its really the little book that could, garnering some rocking reviews, (and some awful ones too! LOL!) was an EPIC finalist, and won 3rd place in the Rainbow Reviews competition, sci fi category. (Honestly, I didn't even know it was entered!)

This was a nice little affirmation right about now, as I'm taking a deep breath and plunging into the second draft of the second Uncommon book. :)

Happy Tails!

Belinda

Pick Your Poison: Love, Sex and Romance

2011-03-25T00:51:00.000-07:00

At this moment, I’m immersed in writing the sequel to a book that was very popular. The major issue that has cropped up is the fact that I’m writing about an established couple who are deeply in love. Of course, things must go wrong, our lovers must be parted, tortured and put through the ringer before they get their happy ending. In between it all, there's sex. Lot's of sex.

I write erotic romance. If you don’t know the difference between erotica and erotic romance, here’s my take on it. Erotica is about the sexual journey. Sex IS the plot. Erotic romance is a romance where the sex is integral to the plot. In other words, there should be sex, but the sex should not be gratuitous. Every love/sex/romance scene must have an effect on the development of the story.

As I labor through this book, I find that I tend to categorize erotic scenes into three categories: sex scenes, love scenes, and romantic scenes.

A sex scene is exactly that. The character’s motivation is to get his/her rocks off. The payoff is orgasm. The partner is really not that relevant. Yes, you can start a book off with a ‘sex with strangers’ scene and develop the romance from there. The thing is, one (preferably both or all) characters are in it for themselves. Regardless of how skilled and considerate the lover, the goal is self-gratification. A sex scene can be between strangers, friends, acquaintances, enemies or even committed lovers. There are no (or very few) strings attached. It might be a vampire playing with his food or someone getting cheap revenge on a lover or enemy. The thing is, it might be hot, but it ain't necessarily pretty.

Romance scenes are tricky. Some people won’t agree with me on this, but I believe that in a romance scene, the initiating lover generally has a goal that may or may not involve getting his cookies at the end of the scene. She might be seducing her partner for information. He might be charming an older lover for status. Perhaps the motivation is indeed sexual gratification or trying to make that person love them in return. The point is, there is manipulation involved. Flowers, soft lights and wine. Long walks in the park…these are some of the most amazingly sexy scenes. But one or both lovers have an agenda.

Love scenes are selfless. Our lovers are giving of themselves with no thought of what might come back to them. I have to be careful to hold back the on these scenes. Try to avoid getting sappy or oversincere. A love scene can be simple, non-sexual and even a bit clumsy. I remember reading a wonderful scene in a Marjorie Liu book where the hero and heroine were having sex. He climaxed, she didn’t. He was embarrassed and a bit humbled, and she said, “Great sex doesn’t have to end in orgasm.” The heroine's entire goal in that scene was to send her lover through the roof. In a love scene, the emotional culmination is more important than the physical release.

As I work on my current project, I have to think about my two heroes and what they want from each other. Early in the story, there is a sex scene. In fact, it’s an angry sex scene and as it progresses, the only goal of these men is to get off and go to sleep. There are a couple of love scenes that are driven by the characters’ fears and desires. They are giving of themselves for the benefit of the other. And yes…there’s some romance. Soft lights and wine will hopefully soften a few disturbing revelations for one of our men. A trip to an exotic restaurant will ease the stress of a difficult situation.

As you write your story, think about the erotic scenes. What are the goals and motivations of your characters? This isn’t always simple; a scene that ignites out of raw lust can shift into a passion-filled love scene. Manipulation in a romance scene might backfire on the character who is trying to pull the strings.

Just remember, it’s not enough to write that hot scene, you have to make it matter to the overall book.

Happy Tails!

Belinda

New Award Nominations!

2011-03-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

The Romance Reviews is celebrating this month by posting their nominations for "Best Of 2010." To my delight, Doms of Dark Haven was nominated in the Erotic Anthology category, and Blacque/Bleu was nominated in the Erotic Paranormal/Fantasy category!

You can vote for your choice at : http://www.theromancereviews.com/bookvote.php

I strongly encourage you to vote for your favorites in this poll, because the winning authors win a nice advertising package! Nice way to show your love! :)

Drumroll, please....

2011-02-14T21:49:00.000-08:00

The winner of the pearls is Amy S.!
Amy, please email me with your choice of either black or white, as well as your mailing address.

Thanks everyone! This really lit up my weekend!

Belinda

Nothing Says "I Love You" like....

2011-02-11T18:13:00.000-08:00

Roses? Nah...they die. Chocolates? A moment on the lips, then forever on the tushie.

How about....Pearls. Beautiful, natural pearls. How about...an eight foot long strand of pearls? Your choice, either black rice shaped pearls, or white baroque (slightly irregular) pearls.

This Valentines Day, I'll be giving one lucky person the chance to win a 100 inch long strand of freshwater pearls from China. How do you win? There are two ways: either comment on THIS blog, (I'll be doing a lot of blogging and chatting this weekend) or email me at

author.bmcbride@gmail.com

Easy, right? Just put "Valentine Day Contest" in the subject line so I know what the email is about. I'll be drawing early on the 15th to give everyone a chance to enter.

Where will I be hanging for the next few days? On Sunday the 13th I'll be at Whipped Cream Review's party at their Goddess Fish Party Blog at http://goddessfishparty.blogspot.com/

And also at the Whipped Cream Blog: http://wcguest.blogspot.com/

Also on Sunday, I'll be hanging with other Loose Id authors at Love Romances Cafe.

On Monday the 14th I'll be hanging at Beth Carter's "Written Butterfly" blog. http://bethdcarter.blogspot.com/

Come on by for a visit!

And...drumroll please...Saturday is the celebration of the Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Blog going live! Come by while we celebrate with contests, mayhem, and a free romance by the fantabulous C.J. England! http://www.trulymadlydeeplyromanceauthors.blogspot.com/

Just remember, Leave a comment for me on this blog, or email me at: author.bmcbride@gmail.com

And for an extra entry, just subscribe to my newsletter. The form to sign up is on my homepage: www.belindamcbride.com

Is it all clear as mud? LOL! If you have any questions, this is the place to ask them!

Have a great weekend!

Truly, Madly, Deeply...

2011-02-04T19:09:00.000-08:00

Its not just the name of a fabulous British movie, its also a new multi-author free read site! Over 20 talented authors are contributing to this endeavor and it promises to be fantastic! Our first mission is to write a free short read based on a song title. Mine is scheduled for April of 2011 and is inspired by the classic Jethro Tull ballad 'Wund'ring Aloud.'

The site launches February 12, just in time for Valentines Day! Be sure to come check us out, join in the launch contests and let us show you some love!

http://www.trulymadlydeeplyromanceauthors.blogspot.com/

Belinda

New! Doms of Dark Haven site!

2011-01-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

Well, since the Doms of Dark Haven anthology has been so popular, we've decided to give the book its own site! Drop by and visit, we'll all be posting there on occasion. :)

www.domsofdarkhaven.com

Belinda

Rainbow Book Awards, 2010

2010-12-15T01:39:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to announce that 'An Uncommon Whore' took third place in the Science Fiction category of the Rainbow Book Awards! I'm really humbled by this, as I didn't even realize that it was in the competition. In addition, the beautiful cover art by PL Nunn made it all the way to the 15th round of judging.

Here's what the judges had to say about the book:

An Uncommon Whore is an impressive and sensual romance. --Ro

I marked quite highly because of the depth achieved in such a low word count story. The writing flowed smoothly, the pacing was good, there were no dips and nothing drew me out of the story. So quite a high mark is acheived here. --Rosie

Many thanks to all who judged and voted for this book!

Happy Tails!

Belinda

Excerpt: Dos Lunas (werewolf, BDSM)

2010-11-13T10:40:00.000-08:00

“Diego, I’ll make you a bet.” She turned, a smile on her pretty lips. “I’ll bet that I can make you climax, touching you with nothing but a feather.” She lifted a softly draping peacock plume, brushing it against her lips.

He lifted a brow. “A feather?”

“Oh, more than one, of course. Are you willing to bet me?”

He cocked his head to the side, wondering what she was up to. “What are we betting?”

She sighed deeply, drawing his eyes to her chest, where the red bra peeped out at the edges of her suit.

“If you don’t climax within…ten minutes…I’ll give you a blow job.”

“Ten minutes? With feathers?” He contemplated the silky plume in her hand. He could do that… “Five minutes. And if you win?”

“Seven minutes. If I win, you go down on me.”

He let his weight settle on one leg. “Seven minutes. If I win, you go down on me. If you win…it sounds like we both win.”

She nodded. “You’re right. If I win and you climax, you not only go down on me, but you do it on my terms. Do you understand?”

She sounded no nonsense, triggering his desire to agree, to submit. He cleared his throat. “What are your terms?”

She knelt, wrapping a wide leather band around his ankle and fastening it to a loop in the floor. “My terms? Bound and blindfolded. You will follow my instructions exactly.”

His cock throbbed in response to her words. The image shouldn’t arouse him, but it did. She continued to his other ankle, ignoring his erection. She stood, pulling his hands to the front. He expected her to shackle him, but instead, she wrapped black tape around his wrists. Diego examined the tape, realizing that he could easily break free. That gave him a measure of comfort.

“Arms up.”

She guided him into place, looping his wrists over a low-hanging hook. He wasn’t uncomfortable, not really. But he wasn’t completely balanced and that made him uneasy. When she slipped a blindfold over his face, he flinched.

“Does this bother you?”

He thought for a moment. He could smell and hear. Once his other senses adjusted, he nodded. “Green. I’m fine.” Odd. He didn’t sound fine, even to his own ears.

Once his vision was obscured, Diego listened to her move around the room, mostly over at the table. He heard the rustle of the leather bag; the whisper of fabric.

“Nothing but feathers.” His voice was little more than a whisper.

“That’s right, Diego. I’ll touch you with nothing but feathers. Starting now.”

The feather lightly caressed his cheeks, his jaw and finally his lips. He could scent her lipstick, so he knew it was the peacock feather. It teased and tickled down his ribs, around to his back. He smiled slightly, letting himself be lulled by the rhythmic brush against his skin. He smelled her, heard her breathing…felt it on his skin. He shivered, focusing on breathing deeply. This wasn’t bad. Not at all. He estimated that a minute had passed. This would be a breeze.

When a ribbon of fire streaked down his spine to his ass-crack, he was momentarily too stunned to react. She’d scratched him with the quill end of the feather! The sting wasn’t that bad, but unexpected. He arched his back, finding himself swaying, letting his weight hang from his hands.

His dick went hard as a rod. And damn if he wasn’t in trouble.

Buy it at http://www.passioninprint.com/ShowBook.php?CR=SS_DOSLUNAS

Three

2010-11-07T00:24:00.000-07:00

I've decided to undertake the great adventure that comes around every November: NaNoWriMo.
It's that writing marathon where we aim for a word count of 50K by the end of the month.

I love NaNo, 50K is a short novel or in my case this year, two novellas that I really need to get finished. This year, I took the entire month of October off new writing and focused on getting my mental sh*t together. Autumn is always like that for me, I go just a little blue this time of year. So October is my mental health month, November is the return to insanity.

So, why did I give this blog the title "Three"? Well, because for the first time in nearly a year, I'm writing a menage. If you're familiar with my writing, you know that a lot of my early books were menage stories, and nearly always featuring bisexual characters. (I know, you don't want icky girl cooties all over your hot men. Sorry.) Of the 4 new manuscripts I did this year, 3 were m/m, 1 was m/f. I find myself having to get back into the threesome frame of mind.

This novella has a few extra requirements. First, it has to be a het menage. The problem is that I don't really believe in heterosexual menage. Ya know, when three people are all in bed together, all the bits get to bouncing and parts start touching. You notice that in the sole m/f/m menage that I've written, (Soul Keeper) which featured twins with one women, they didn't actually all get it on at the same time. Twincest might do it for some, but for others...its a therapy issue in the real world. So...no more brothers/cousins, etc. (Except for Somians, but I can break my rules when I feel like it... and they're just pervs anyway!) Anyhow, I'm struggling with keeping it straight when one of my characters was clearly described as bisexual in a previous book.

Sigh...restrained homoerotica...here I come.

Next, its BDSM, which poses a really touchy problem. The heroine and one hero come from really tortured backgrounds. How can I take this poor damaged heroine, throw her with two men and then have them tie her up and flog her? How can the damaged hero trust himself to do that?

Hmmm....

Did I mention they're all werewolves? And the men don't really like each other?

Ah, back to the werewolf book of game plays for my Truckee Wolves. If I make her a dominant, non-alpha female with dominant, non-alpha males, that levels the playing field a bit. And if I have the game launch at her instigation...better...

Even better, make the top male of the pair very healthy, very secure in his masculinity, and very compassionate.

OK, I think I'm there. So stay tuned. This one is shaping up to be a wild ride!

Belinda
www.belindamcbride.com

Adult Excerpt: Black Wolf! (m/m, shifters, BDSM)

2010-11-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

Coming November 4/5 to Changeling Press!

The chase is on, but who is the hunter, and who is the prey?

Siberians live for the thrill of the chase; wolves exist for the joy of the capture. On a foolish dare, Jasper O’ Shea takes a gamble at Last Call, letting fate choose his lover for the night.

Detective Brutus “Brutal” Ballantine came to Last Call looking for something far different than a sly clever Siberian Husky. Yet when the call comes over the sound system, he finds himself unable to resist the lure of laughing blue eyes and a happy tail.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1479

M/M, Paranormal, shapeshifter, BDSM

Adult Excerpt:

Without warning, Brutal came down on top of him, pinning him to the floor with his bulk, and as hard as he struggled, Jasper was unable to escape. They lay like that for a moment, catching their breath and waiting for their hearts to slow their pace. Wicked teeth dug into Jasper’s nape, holding him in position.

Jasper groaned. Not in animal form! God only knew how it would feel if the wolf knotted him! He relaxed and let himself shift back to human, feeling the soft pile of the carpet under his belly. The wolf was pressed full length over his body, holding him in place.

“Okay… I submit!”

Jasper felt a shimmer of power, and then a very large, very aroused man took the place of the wolf. His body responded, his ass clenching even as his prick grew painfully hard. The carpet suddenly didn’t feel so good against his skin.

Brutal began to rock against him, pressing his erection into the hard muscle of Jasper’s thigh.

“You sure? I was just getting warmed up.” His voice was a growling rumble in Jasper’s ear. He rose to his knees, jerking Jasper’s ass into the air. “You want it dark and dirty, and I’m more than happy to comply, Red.”

“Jasper. The name’s Jasper.” He gasped. “And I’d appreciate lube if you’re planning on shoving that monster up me arse!”

Brutal began laughing, and let Jasper loose. He crawled away and turned, plopping down on his bottom. He grinned at the big man. “Gave you a good run, didn’t I?” He scooted back as Brutal began moving in his direction, still on hands and knees.

“Shut up.”

Hard lips came down on his, a rough tongue forced its way into Jasper’s mouth, and he gasped, trapped and unable to retreat any further. He had the wall at his back and a man the size of a wall to his front. He struggled briefly, and then submitted to the rough embrace, letting the wolf take out all his sexual frustration in the kiss.

Their teeth clicked, and Jasper ran his tongue over the wicked canines that hadn’t yet receded completely. When he tried to move, Ballantine’s hand tangled in his hair, holding his head in place.

Suddenly Ballantine had moved away. He was on his feet, reaching down to drag Jasper upright, hauling him bodily toward the bare, simple bed. Jasper was tossed through the air and landed on his back, his breath gusting out on impact. The beast followed, crawling across the mattress until he covered Jasper, pinning him in place.

“I win.” He grinned at Jasper.

“This round, perhaps.”

“It’s the moment that counts.” He continued up Jasper’s body until that flushed, rigid pole of his was hovering just over his lips. Jasper cocked a brow, looking up at the man who had him pinned in place.

“Suck.”

“Oh, such a romantic.”

He saw Brutal’s lips twitch in a smile. “You’ve been asking for it all night. It’s time to take what you asked for, Rover. Now suck.”

The head bumped against his lips and Jasper tilted his jaw back until it was sliding down under his chin. He turned his head, and it was wrenched back when a big hand anchored itself in his hair.

“Oh, fine. Just fine…” He opened his mouth, letting the tip of his tongue drag up the heavily veined underside of Brutal’s shaft. He turned his head slightly.

“This would be a bit easier if you’d get your knees off my arms.”

“Shut up.”

Jasper rolled his eyes and opened his mouth, swallowing down the engorged flesh as Brutal pushed in ruthlessly. He sucked hard enough to strip the chrome from a trailer hitch, watching as Brutal’s face went dark with shock and pleasure. Bastard wanted to get sucked off? Well, Jasper knew a thing or two about blowing a man.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1479

Join my Yahoo Group!
http://www.belindamcbride.com

Its Raining Cover Art!

2010-11-01T09:00:00.001-07:00

I have not one, but three to share with you!

Last Call Europe: Black Wolf will be available November 5 at Changeling Press: http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1479

The Myths and Magic anthology is now available at Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=50&products_id=2007

Lucky in Red: Dos Lunas will be available in November at Passion in Print Press: http://www.passioninprint.com/future.php

Week 2 Winners!

2010-11-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

Runner Up #1 is Barbara Elsborg (you get an e copy of Blacque/Bleu, or your choice of a book from my back list)

Runner Up #2 is Jason! (the numbers really like you!) I know you've read B/B, so you get a choice from my backlist.

Winner of the Christy Grandjean gift certificate is....Brandy B!

Drop me an email at belinda@belindamcbride.com so I can arrange for deliver of your gifts!

Thanks everyone!

Sunday Close to the Party

2010-10-31T22:17:00.000-07:00

Its been a fabulous two weeks, hasn't it? I'd like to thank all the guest bloggers and all the readers who visited and commented. You guys are just awesome!

You've undoubtedly noticed that I haven't yet chosen a winner for the week 2 grand prize...I've been in San Francisco at Yaoi Con and have just now gotten back home and online. Tallying up the comments and choosing my winners is next on my agenda.

Yaoi Con? San Francisco? That's all a story waiting to be told. In fact...if you run over to Jesse Wave's blog, ZA Maxfield has been doing a daily journal of our adventures! http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/

We shopped, we ate, we visited and so much more! There's no place like San Francisco during Halloween and the World Series!

I promise to post the winners Monday morning....(or afternoon...depending on when I wake up!)

Happy Tales!

Belinda

Sheri Lewis Wohl: Souls of Sorrow

2010-10-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Timeless chills.

Sometimes you wonder how it is you ended up as an adult with this great love of the preternatural. Well, maybe you don’t but me…yeah, I sometimes wonder. Then I think back to when I was a kid and it just makes me smile. I was always that strange little kid who bugged the crap out of my family when it came to scary movies. “Pleeeeese, can I watch it?” I’d plead on Saturday afternoons when spooky movies were playing on television. The first answer was always no and for good reason. I’d keep them all awake after I watched a scary movie because I was not only afraid of the dark but had an overactive imagination. Then, tired of listening to my pleading and whining, they’d finally give in. For a couple of hours I’d sit cross-legged on the floor glued to the television, thrilled as the film noire style movie opens and the Wolfman’s eyes peer at me from between the slats of a window blind.

Now, you have to understand, I like movies. ALL movies. Old ones, new ones, bad ones, good ones. So what is it I remember about those long ago scary movies? Nothing so glorious as say, The Shining or perhaps Psycho or Halloween. Nope, one of my all-time favorites was none other than a good old black and white movie—Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. Even as a kid I liked nothing better than werewolves, vampires, and monsters, and this movie had it all. Sure, there were scarier movies and in color no less but honestly, when it comes to werewolves who ever did it better than Lon Chaney Jr.? The movie is a bona fide oldie, filmed in 1948, but seriously when it comes to werewolves, what’s time got to do with it? Not a thing in my book. Just as the legends of werewolves have lingered in folklore, so too has the legend of the Wolfman created by Lon Chaney Jr.

All those afternoons of werewolves, vampires, and monsters rubbed off and when it came time to create my own stories, darned if they didn’t show up! Here my parents thought I was wasting my time with those movies-ha! Souls of Sorrow is my most recent paranormal novel and while there are no werewolves, there are plenty of things going bump in the night to keep you watching the shadows. Stop by my website at www.sherilewiswohl.com to take a peek and if you’re interested in winning a digital copy, just answer the question posted there.

Week 2 Grand Prize

2010-10-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Golden Wolfen? Artist Christy Grandjean does the most beautiful fantasy art, and many of her wolf people and werewolf characters just fulfill my personal fantasy of what a werewolf should be.

The grand prize for Week 2 is a $25 gift certificate to Golden Wolfen Art!
Remember, you must comment to win, and I'll be throwing ALL comments back through Week One into the hat. (or random number generator! )

There will also be 2 runner up winners selected. If you won last week, you are still eligible.

Belinda