Perception

I'm a week late blogging. *sigh* last Thursday was really really hectic and I left the next day to go camping for two days. I figured better to blog on the day of the week I was supposed to after being that late.

I was thinking about perception and how affects us and the way we see the world. That in turn determines how we interpret the things we read.

For example, someone who thinks adultery is always wrong will probably never get into a story that features a still married woman finding love again. Or a still married man. It would take a high amount of skill to make that scenario work for that reader.

Someone who thinks vampires are really dead and evil isn't going to be checking into Twilight or reading any of my Blood Lines series.

Our perceptions color how we see the world. And they affect everything we do from the choice of what we read to how we make arguments. I don't think that's a good or a bad thing. It just is.

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com
http://www.melanylogen.com

M/M summer romance with Off the Beaten Path!

Available today from Loose Id:

Off the Beaten Path
Hot M/M Summer Romance from Katrina Strauss!

ISBN: 978-1-59632-982-9
Length: Novel (40,000 words)
Genre: M/M, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Heat Level: Spicy

Read an excerpt:
http://www.loose-id.com/KSOTBPex.aspx

Buy the book:
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Off_the_Beaten_Path-982.aspx



Gay athlete Travis Bell doesn't hide his sexuality, but he won't be defined by it, either. When he covers for a friend’s misdeed, he’s forced to negotiate his future without losing his lacrosse scholarship.

The last thing he plans on is a wilderness vacation with Omega Beta Pi, aka Off the Beaten Path, a fraternity devoted to gay rights and environmental causes. Worse, Travis must share a tent with Kyle, an opinionated activist who also happens to be the hottest guy Travis has ever met.

A proud activist, Kyle Schafer disapproves of Travis’s indifference toward issues affecting the environment and gay community. To his greater annoyance, Kyle finds himself attracted to his shallow tentmate on a purely physical level. Travis goes against everything Kyle believes in, but that doesn’t dampen the chemistry that sparks between them.

In a battle of wits and libido, Travis and Kyle venture into the uncharted territory of their deepest desires... and learn the path less traveled can lead straight to the heart.

Available now from Loose Id at:
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Off_the_Beaten_Path-982.aspx

EXCERPT - Heaven Sent: Revelations

Due out July 28, 2009 by Loose Id

Pairing: m/m/f

Available now in ebook at Loose Id

I hadn't originally intended to write this book, but Gretchen just needed a HEA. And she needed two men *evil chuckle* Meet Owen and Archer in the excerpt below.

BLURB:

For years, Gretchen’s main objective has been taking care of the boys of Heaven Sent. When her boys decide to take a year-long hiatus, she decides to do the same.

Before she can begin her summer off, Gretchen has one last public commitment. There, she meets tall, mysterious, and wickedly handsome Archer Thanos. Archer’s company has a video game based on Heaven Sent and he’s has been trying to get in touch with her to discuss it. Their first meeting quickly turns into a discussion of another type … in a nearby hotel room, sending Gretchen headlong into a whirlwind summer affair she hadn’t anticipated.

Only, someone isn’t exactly thrilled about Gretchen and Archer’s romance. Gretchen’s adorable new assistant, Owen, has been pining for his boss since he started working for her but he hasn’t had the courage to assert himself and tell her he wants her. The result, Gretchen is completely blind to his feelings for her. To make matters worse, after meeting Archer, Owen knows he has no chance against the handsome devil. His own attraction to the older man is instant and overwhelming, the bisexual urges he hasn’t divulged to Gretchen fully awakening.

Owen thinks he’s not enough for Gretchen. Gretchen thinks Owen is far too young for her. Archer thinks they’re both ridiculous. He knows the three of them are just right for each other, if they can survive the miscommunications and trials ahead.

*****************************

©2009 Jet Mykles, all rights reserved

“Palm Springs?”

Owen stared at his monitor. “Yeah.”

Jane sighed and perched on the far edge of his desk. “And she just met him this last week?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn. What a life.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh God, would you stop mooning already?”

Scowling, he checked that the office door was closed. “Be a little louder, why don’t you?”

She reached up to smooth a hand over her short, straight black hair. “Oh, no one’s going to hear. Just about everyone’s gone home.”

He turned back to his monitor and tried to ignore her.

He’d known it wouldn’t work. She sat up further on his desk, leaning toward him. “Owen, you know you don’t have a chance with her, right?”

At times like this, he deeply regretted confiding in Jane. But they’d become good friends in the past few months, and he’d needed someone to talk to. Someone who understood. All his other friends were back in Atlanta, and they were too far removed from the business to get it. The only other person was his cousin Ellen. She was way too close to Gretchen for him to tell her anything.

When he didn’t answer her, Jane shook his shoulder.

“Hey.” He scowled up at her.

Her blue eyes narrowed. “She spends most of her time with rockstars, Owen. Gorgeous ones. She eats up handsome, successful men for lunch. She’s got guys like this Archer taking her away on expensive weekends. What could you possibly offer her other than your boyish charm?”

He gave her a mocking sweet smile. “Gee, thanks.”

She smoothed a hand over his hair. “I’m just trying to help you, honey. Mooning over the boss lady is just going to keep you distracted when a girl you can have and should be with comes along.”

He snatched his head away. Women were always petting him, he was used to it, but that didn’t stop it from being annoying when he was peeved. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s talk about this Saturday.” She clapped her hands like a giddy schoolgirl. “I’ll have to go out shopping for a new dress. You want to come with?”

“Oh yeah, that’s just what I want to do.”

She grimaced. “You know, darling, I have to say that you’re the strangest gay man I’ve ever met.”

That demanded that he give her the look. “I think you’d have to call me bisexual. I like girls too, remember.”

“Yeah. I guess it’s not so outlandish since you work for Heaven Sent after all. Well, once removed.”

Was she trying to depress him more? “Don’t you have a job to do?”

She batted her heavily mascaraed eyes at him, undeterred. “Bored with my company already?”

“Just the topic of conversation.”

“Fine.” She jumped off his desk and patted the folders she’d left in his inbox. “Make sure she sees those. There’s a new director whose work she should look at.”

“Will do.”

“See you later. We’ll make shopping plans.” Giggling at his scowl, she opened the door and left.

Once the door had clicked shut after her, he gave up the pretense of working. Staring morosely at his desk blotter, he began his favorite task since Monday: trying to figure out a way to make Gretchen not go away with this Archer creep for the weekend. So far, no dice. He wasn’t going to do anything drastic, and no one from Heaven Sent had jumped in to demand her attention. The closest was when Chris Faith called for her, but he’d ended up calling her cell and getting his answer. Meantime, he’d had to hear about all her preparations for the trip. He’d even made calls to reserve a private table at a very chic restaurant for her and Archer.

Depressed, he tried to make himself see things a different way. This was a new thing. She hadn’t dated in a long time. She’d barely talked about Archer as more than a sex toy. Maybe that’s all it was. Sex. Still not something Owen wanted to dwell on, but if it was just sex, that meant it would likely blow over soon. He’d heard about her so-called relationships in the past. Nothing that lasted very long. Her career always got in the way. Maybe all Owen had to do was tough it out for a month or so; then she’d get sick of this guy and move on. Yeah, that was a better slant on it.

But it didn’t change the fact that she was going away to get fucked, repeatedly, by this Archer guy.

What did this bozo look like anyway? Owen turned toward his computer and brought up a Web browser. He’d just typed the man’s name in the image browser when a knock sounded. He had enough time to switch windows so that his e-mail was in front before he turned to greet the newcomer.

Whoa. The guy who walked in was movie-star gorgeous. The epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. His golden brown skin set off jet-black hair and matching brows that matched a classy, trimmed Vandyke beard. He wore a casual burgundy shirt unbuttoned just enough to show a hint of chest hair and black slacks over endless legs.

Owen wasn’t sure his own legs would support him if he stood, so he just turned toward the vision. “Hello. May I help you?”

“This is Gretchen Hobbes’s office?”

“Yes. I’m Owen, Ms. Hobbes’s assistant.”

The man stopped in front of his desk and held out his hand. “Owen. Nice to meet you. My name is Archer Thanos.”

Owen’s hand was folded in a warm grip before the name was spoken. He was unable to hide his jump of surprise. “A-archer Thanos?”

“That’s me.”

“I, uh, Gretchen’s told me about you. She said you…” He dropped his gaze to the package in the man’s hand, only to realize that his own hand was still held. He blinked, confused and entranced by the sight of his light tan in contrast to the deep gold-brown of this man’s skin. Yum. He tugged his fingers away so he could reach for the package. The angle made sure that he could check out the man’s other package, a slight bulge in the loose slacks. Yum. “She said you’d be dropping something off.”

Archer held the thick envelope up, just out of Owen’s reach. “Yes. This. It’s a prospectus for a video game.” That smile was just killer. Teeth blinding white in all that darkness. “You play?”

“Huh?”

“Do you game?”

“I’ve, uh, some, but I’m not… Well, that is. Not much.”

The gorgeous man twisted to the side so he could hitch his ass up on the edge of Owen’s desk. He leaned companionably toward Owen as he set the envelope down on the desk blotter. “If you’re interested, I’d be happy to send you some samples.” Hands now free, he dipped two fingers into his chest pocket to extract a slim metal business-card case. A gold ring flashed on his finger as he flipped the case open and extracted a card.

Not until the card was hovering before him, held by two longer fingers, did Owen realize he’d just been watching the man move. Instinctively, he reached for the card. “Oh, I… There’s no reason to give me games. I mean, I wouldn’t be making a decision about this.” Jeez, Owen, get a grip! He’d handled plenty of other people with far more class than this. Why did this man have him rattled? Because this guy’s been inside Gretchen. Strangely, with said man sitting before him, the thought turned him on far more than it pissed him off.

“Oh no, my pleasure. No strings attached. Gretchen made that one perfectly clear this past weekend.”

Owen swallowed, dropping his gaze as he took exaggerated care in setting the man’s card down on top of the folder that was already there. “And you’ll be seeing her this weekend as well.” He heard the words before he could take them back.

“She told you about that, did she?”

“She tells me everything.”

When there was too much silence, he braved a glance up. Another speculative look pointed at him. He seemed to be getting a heck of a lot of those lately. This one, however, made his guts quiver into jelly. “As well she should.”

Owen stared into deep brown eyes, getting lost in the silent heat. He didn’t know what to say, and the man didn’t seem in a hurry to leave or break the silence. Finally, Owen cracked. “Actually, Mr. Thanos…”

“Please. Call me Archer.”

Owen nodded as he turned toward his monitor. “Archer. Gretchen wasn’t sure where you’d be going this weekend. Could you give me a location, just in case?”

The man amiably supplied not only the name of the resort, he pulled out his iPhone and forwarded the reservation information to Owen right on the spot. “Will you need anything else?”

Owen shook his head, trying to make his fingers stop trembling. “No. I think that’s more than enough. Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome.”

He needed to be polite. Garnering his courage, Owen turned back and spread his hand over the folder on the desk. “I’ll make sure she gets that.”

“Thank you. Please call if you need any more information. And I mean it about the games. Take a look at our Web site. Any games you want, they’re yours for the asking.” He leaned forward on the desk, fingers steepled to support his weight. “You call me personally.”

Owen stared at his fingers, far too frightened of what might happen if he got lost in that smoldering gaze again. He might just have to throw himself at the man. “Thank you.”

“Well, then. I’ll see you later. Owen.”

Owen nodded and smiled, managing to raise his gaze to the man’s collarbone. It was high enough for him to see the smirk. No shit, you’re acting like a simpering schmuck. But it was the best he could manage.

Once Archer left, Owen just sat there, staring at the door, relearning how to breathe. The man was…ungh. No wonder Gretchen was so taken. Owen was afraid he was going to have to make use of the private bathroom in Gretchen’s office unless he could get control of the hard-on in his pants. He sat back and kept breathing until he brought his heart and groin under control enough to reach over to his keyboard to bring up the image search that he’d started before the man himself had come through the door.

“There’s no way,” he whispered, gazing at a smiling photograph of the man. “There’s no way you’ve got a chance in hell against this guy.”

*********************

Click here for my website’s main page on Heaven Sent: Revelations

Romance Cover Model Cuts Out Middle Man

What's hotter than a romance cover model? A romance cover model with the brains to control their own image!

Yesterday, I received an email from one of my Myspace friends Jimmy Thomas, International cover model extraordinaire. Of course, I opened it right away because I was half expecting words of unrequited love and his desire to see us tying the know in an intimate ceremony in a small church in the Napa Valley.

But alas...le sigh...no such thing happened. Instead, Jimmy was informing the world (not just me...unfortunately) that he was launching another venture. Like he needs another one considering he once managed over 50 models (not at the same time...I hope), currently works as a romance cover model, is a certified physical trainer, freelances as an architectural designer for several companies in the Los Angeles area, and also designs websites including his own jimmythomas.com. Jeez Louise, I have to take a deep breath after writing all of that.

(Jimmy Thomas and Friend at work)

Well, this über entrepreneur's newest venture is the launch of his own stock photo website (a la i-stockphotos.com) called romancenovelcovers.com. The site contains images of Jimmy along with various female co-stars photographed in a multitude of settings, situations, and poses. And all the images, and there are hundreds of them, are tailor made to the romance industry and it's various genres. Can we say NO MORE PHOTOSHOPPING for me mom!?

Even better, once an image is purchased it's never sold again! So, you know what that means? FINALLY, we can be assured our hero/heroine will not pop up a couple months down the road on someone else's cover. And whether you're a reader or an author, we ALL roll our eyes whenever we see the same guy/gal in that same tired pose on cover, after cover, after cover whether it be digital or print.

Too bad this didn't come along sooner. The lingerie-clad, mocha beauty on my debut novel now resides in virtual moral turpitude on no less than FIVE different covers. Better yet, here's an example using my third release Forever, I Do co-authored with Taige Crenshaw:

(beautiful cover...but dude is doing double duty)

(Allison Page's Dark Moon Gathering)

So, all of you authors out there who like to control your product or dabble in creating your own covers, you might want to save yourself the heartache when your vision of Randy, a special operative werewolf with a fetish for spanking is reincarnated as Bud, a door to door salesman who likes to get diddled by a dominant fem. To check out Jimmy Thomas' stock pile visit: romancenovelcovers.com

Koko Brown's latest Loose-Id release is Forever, I Do a multicultural romance featuring a book of charms, a playboy with a knack for planning weddings, and long, hot Southern nights.

The Not Going to Conference Conference

Just a quick note to say that today kicks off the Not Going to Conference Conference for all of us left at home this week. I'll be talking about writing m/m fiction, but there are all kinds of topics for all kinds of romance writers.

So if you're stuck at home while your writing buddies are off having fun drinking cocktails and shooting the breeze, drop by and share your thoughts on writing and publishing.

The Muse Came A Knocking

Lordy but I love the vibrant colors used in the cover for Storm Howl. The longer I'm in this writing business, the more I'm awed by what cover artists can create. Sad to say, I don't have a clue how they accomplish what they do and even if I was given a demonstration, chances are huge gaps would remain in my knowledge bank.

Better to let cover mavins do what they do while I concentrate on something I have a better handle on--writing. Storm Howl is the first in what I hope to be a series of paranormal stories for LooseID. #2 Wind Howl is set to be released in late Aug although there's a chance that will be pushed up. I'd love to include a look at the cover for Wind Howl but I don't have it yet. Hmm. Can you tell I'm eager to see it?

So back to the Howl series which is what I can talk about. First, I'm not sure how I blundered upon using HOWL as connecting point for the stories except that the paranormal element revolves around shape shifting wolves. When Storm Howl started taking shape, I didn't envision it as including shape shifting. I was content with a simple paranormal aspect revolving around a man named Skye who'd died a violent death in the remote area, a man whose essence remains alive so he can help heal people who need healing. And of course in the process, those people connect with each other in emotional and hot, hot physical ways.

Blame my editor. She took a close look at Wind Howl and declared that something was missing. Not only that, she kept throwing the words "shape-shifting" at me. I still wasn't willing or ready to go that far but I did compromise via long and telling 'conversations' between my characters (one was the dead man's sister) and Skye. In other words, Skye came more to the forefront and played a stronger role in helping his sister get her life on track and connect with one hunky fellow with his own baggage.

Now I've started work on #3 called Sunner Howl for no other reason than it takes place in summer a year after Skye's death. And guess what, my editor's hints, nagging, and outright bribery has pulled me into the dark side of shape shifting. Skye is going to leave behind his wolf form and regain the body he had when he was alive, a hunky body I might say. Well shoot, of course he has to because none other than his lover has returned and they have unfinished business.

Business they'll deal with both in and out of the bed.

Okay Ann, are you happy? I finally got it about the shape shifting which really is a ball to write.

Vonna

www.VonnaHarper.com

2010 EPIC's eBook Competition

EPIC is ramping up for our annual EBook Competition, one of the premier contests in the e-book and e-publishing world. Please be sure you read ALL of EPIC’s 2010 EBook Competition Guidelines as some of you may be surprised by the changes that have been made to the competition this year:

• Codes and Divisions: Please be sure you understand how this might affect your entry.


• Entries must be an “as sells” e-book with a publication date between October 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009.


• Entries must be submitted in non-DRM PDF format.


• This competition is inclusive for GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bi, and Transexual) works; meaning EVERY category is open for this style of writing.


• EPIC’s EBook Competition will open for submission entries from July 15, 2009 through August 15, 2009 midnight (CST) ONLY.

Mark your calendar for March 4 – 7, 2010, and come join us in New Orleans, Louisiana for EPIC’s Annual Conference. This is an excellent opportunity to mingle with artists, authors, publishers, and industry professionals while learning more about e-books and the e-publishing world. You can be one of the first to learn the competition’s NEW name and see winners accept their awards at EPIC’s Annual Conference Gala Award Ceremony banquet.

Please check www.epicauthors.com for more information.

And remember: the competition opens 12:01 am, July 15th and closes to entries 12:01 am, August 16th.

Book Reviews: Do They Influence Your Purchase Decision?

(Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Paramount Pictures)

Last week-end, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the biggest box office draw in the U.S. grossing over $200 million domestically, since it's opening on June 24 making it the second best opening of any film in the history of filmaking behind The Dark Knight. Of course, to many of its legions of fans that really wasn't a surprise because its predecessor was the 5th most successful film in 2007 eventually grossing more than $700 million worldwide.

But records and box office profits aside, what really makes the sequel to Transformers unique is the fact that it was essentially panned by critics. Even esteemed movie critic, Roger Ebert went so far as to give it one star and advise hapless movie goers to "go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination."

I love Roger Ebert and even watched Siskel & Ebert every week for several years. Of course, I watched more to see them argue over a movie rather than deciding what movie I was going to watch over the weekend. And I guess, the Transformer franchise's legions of fans felt the same way this past week thus widening the gulf between what reviewers and paying customers actually like. And according to Paramount's exit polls 91% of movie goers felt the sequel was better than the first.

So this brings me to the question: Do book reviews and their critics really carry that much weight when you're making a purchase? Or is it just entertainment? As an author, book reviews whether good or bad is great publicity:)

Weigh in by taking my poll or leaving a comment....

Book Review Poll

• A bad review will always turn me away from a purchase
• Whether a review is good or bad, the final decision is always mine
• If a review is bad, I'll usually check out the book out of curiousity
• I never read book reviews because opinion is arbitrary

View Results

Koko Brown
http://www.kokobrown.net/
http://cocobuttr72.blogspot.com/