Blogging Today at Sugarbeats Books!

I'm blogging today at Sugarbeatsbooks about writing what you know and experience.  Hope you'll stop by and leave a comment. I'll be giving away a free e-book to the best commenter, and you're welcome to leave more than one. Thanks! http://sugarbeatsbooks.com/2012/03/10/guest-post-with-gail-deyoung-author-of-decadent-delights/

The Challenge of Being Yourself

I’m sitting here listening to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” while writing this article. Every time she sings “I’m on the edge of glory…”, it reminds me that there are things I have wanted to try, but never have, either because of fear of failure, or because someone told me not to do it. I wonder how many others have failed to follow through with an idea because it did not conform to the “tried and true” method.

Then I consider Lady Gaga. She certainly doesn’t conform to any norm. She’s always herself, many times shocking. Honestly, how many people would wear an outfit made out of meat strips? But her uniqueness doesn’t stop her from being successful. Instead, it gains her attention and that in turn, sells her songs. She is a great example of the saying, “if you never try, you’ll never know if you can succeed.”

This year, I’ve decided to step out of my comfort zone. In addition to the two erotica stories that I now have in the works, I’m also going to follow my gut and write some stories that have been swirling around in my brain. These, too, are romances, but the focus is not going to be so much on their sexual relationship, but rather how the two face challenges that will make them and their relationship stronger.   

In a world where many of us deal with the challenge of how to survive on a daily basis, I feel we need the courage to face our fears and never be afraid to try something new. I’m hoping these stories will foster that belief and encourage those who need a little boost. Yes, it is scary, like standing on the edge of a cliff and looking down. Do we take that leap of faith and step off, praying that the winds will carry us gently to our destination, or do we, with fear and trepidation, step back from the edge, which might have led to glory?

I hope you’ll join me on this journey. Perhaps we’ll all discover something wonderful about ourselves. This edge gives us a new perspective. Let’s embrace it and go forth with a positive attitude and the hope that a bright future awaits us all.

Sex and Chocolate

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I felt a reprint of this article would be appropriate, especially since the holiday  mentioned in my story is Valentine's Day. The original article was posted on Tina Donahue's blog last September when "Decadent Delights" released. Enjoy!

__________________

Sex and chocolate…

What is this relationship between chocolate and sex that we hear so much about? I read that Italian researchers discovered there is a connection between female sexuality and chocolate. The more we eat, the better our sex life. It’s an aphrodisiac that increases arousal and satisfaction from sex. Chocolate contains tryptophan that our brains transform into serotonin. High enough levels of serotonin will release endorphins, and we all know what endorphins do – they make us happy. Hence, chocolate + sex = happiness. That works for me!

I LOVE CHOCOLATE! Heck, I’ve been a chocolate addict since…okay, almost since birth. I dream about chocolate. I can smell chocolate a mile away, I’ve decorated my house in the shade of milk chocolate, and my cats are even “Chocolate Point Siamese”. So, naturally I had to write a story about it — “Decadent Delights”.

Now, I have to tell you a secret. See this girl? She makes chocolate look sexy, doesn’t she? Well, sometimes it’s not all that easy. You see, I have a confession to make. I tried this once on a friend, but it didn’t work out exactly as I planned it.

He fell backwards and his hit head on the floor while I was licking the chocolate from his chest. In retrospect, I should have laid him down on the bed first, especially since I had tied his hands and feet with silk ties. What can I say? It was during my experimental phase. He was initially excited about participating in the game, well, at least until he got hurt…that kinda spoiled the fun. I just thought I’d share that with you in case you had any ideas.

Another thing I learned about chocolate and sex—first, you should really put something down underneath the person who has chocolate on them because frankly, it’s pretty messy. And if you add marshmallow cream, well, can anyone say sticky mess? Your partner should be a good sport so you can laugh about it as you’re cleaning up. Oh, and it always helps to be clean-shaven, if you get my drift.

Now, this may sound funny to you, but, hey this is serious stuff. I discovered a book on Amazon called, “101 Chocolate Sex Positions: With An Ultimate Safe Sex Guide For Guaranteed Satisfaction At Any Age and Shape” by Dr. Christine Evans and Dr. David Usher. See. I wasn’t the first to think of this. Perhaps if I had bought their book, I might not have made such a huge mistake, and that guy and I might still be dating!

Of course, in “Decadent Delights”, I make the chocolate experience fun. I don’t refer to the problems mentioned above. My heroine, Dana, is quite the expert when it comes to fashioning erotic confections. She’s got a great way to advertise her products, which turns the hero on. Although she doesn’t make chocolate bars that look like this, she does fashion statutes of chocolate body parts.

You can read a portion of the first chapter of “Decadent Delights” on my website, www.gaildeyoung.com  or at Ellora’s Cave. I hope you’ll indulge. It was a fun story to write with lots of sweets and innuendos.

Here’s the hot cover of the book and the blurb:

Chocolate and sex—two of life’s most decadent pleasures—are the marketing tools Dana Evans uses to lure customers to her erotic candy store. Her sexy dancing gets her customers hot and bothered for her confections and Trevor Stanton, owner of Trevor’s Treasures, realizes he’d rather be on her side than competing against her. He pursues her with wit, charm and an offer to model nude for one of her statues.

Dana can’t believe her luck when she discovers the hunky ex-model has an identical twin brother. Little does she know that her strong attraction to Trevor will cause conflict between the two brothers, especially because she wants both of them to model nude for her.

When the competition gets hot, Dana is caught in the middle. What’s a girl to do?

I hope your Valentine's Day is sweet and that you receive lots of chocolate. Because you never know what that might lead to... :)

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

W.I.P.

As I sit here contemplating a hot, steamy scene for my current W.I.P. (work in process), I wonder how many other authors are sitting at their computer right now doing the same thing…well, not necessarily writing a hot, steamy scene, but just involved in writing their current W.I.P.  It’s a good feeling knowing that I actually have a story “in process”, not just an idea bouncing around in my head, or a plot that is in the formative stage. When I say I have a W.I.P. , it means I’m actually writing the story and will have something concrete to submit to my editor in the near future (which will bring a big sigh of relief).

I promised to write this book for a series called 1-800-DOM-help almost a year ago, though I did mention to the group that I was still working on “Decadent Delights” and handling all the details of my daughter’s upcoming wedding, so I wouldn’t be able to do it right away. There are sixteen authors in the group and they assured me that there were plenty of stories to keep the series going, so I could take my time.  At this point, ten books have been published, which -- for the most part -- have received rave reviews (no pressure here). With my daughter’s wedding behind me, I can focus on fulfilling that promise. I can’t wait!

Now that I’m involved in the actual writing phase, the story seems to be flowing quite well and I’m rooting for my characters to resolve their problems and fall in love. Some authors need an outline for their plot, but that doesn’t really work for me. It’s too confining, especially when my characters take over and tell the story the way they want to do it. I know when they’re ready to begin because they start having conversations in my head while I’m taking a shower or doing the dishes. I get the urge to sit down right then and capture what they said before it becomes a faint memory. If I’m lucky, inspiration hits when I’m at home and not at work, where I wouldn’t be able to work on it.  Soon, bits and pieces of the story coalesce and before I know it, an entire scene is written, then another and another. Page after page flies by as the story comes together. Eventually, I type those wonderful two words…The End.  Ah, wouldn’t it be lovely if I could just hand the book in for publishing at that point?

But NO! Never! When I get to that stage, the hardest part lies ahead. I may have put in many hours getting to that point, but the story is still a diamond in the rough. Only a few of my best friends will have the honor of reading it because I value their critique, and know I’m far from finished. It takes a fresh set of eyes to look at the manuscript and point out the flaws, i.e., the holes in the story, incongruities, etc.  Once those are worked out, there are still other elements that have to be reviewed, from proofreading for typos, to misspelled words, punctuation, formatting, names, places and times, and a myriad of other important things. This all takes time, but it’s worth it because then the editing process moves along much quicker and smoother.

So, I sit here with a smile on my face, despite the hurdles I have yet to encounter, because I know that when this story is finally ready for public consumption, I will have produced the best book I can for my reader’s enjoyment – and that’s the bottom line. The reader is the most important element in my stories, for without them, I wouldn’t have a W.I.P.  Yes, it’s a "work in process", and I love it.   

.  

       

Kaily Hart Has Kidnapped My Blog!

My Blog sure is getting steamy today hope it's not too "hot" for you~! Please welcome our very special guest is Kaily Hart :)

Writing the ‘Hottie’


So…as a writer of hot and steamy romance it’s pretty much a given my heroes are hot hunks AKA “hotties”. I mean, the reader has to fall at least a little in love with the hero to really believe the heroine would fall madly in lust and then love with the guy for all eternity. Right? Of course, in romance, having a hero that’s a hottie means more than a pair of strong arms, lickable abs and an impressive…*cough*…you know. Although my heroes always have impressive ‘assets’ in that department of course LOL. There are other, non-physical, less tangible qualities that make a guy truly a hottie for me, which is probably why I rarely drool over a celebrity or even most pictures of guys I see, shirtless or not. Sure, I can appreciate the scenery, but I don’t know them, I don’t know who they are. I know this is going to sound corny, but I don’t know if they’re honorable, if they have integrity, if they’re respectful to women, if they’re strong, protective, if they’re a man of their word, because it’s these things combined together that great the “wow” hero for me and is the kind of hero I like to write. Of course, if you’ve read any of my books you’ll know my heroes aren’t perfect. Far from it. These qualities are all there, somewhere, deep down, when it really counts, but at first it might not be totally evident. I love to play the edge of “redeemability” with my heroes as well, although you can be sure he really is a good guy at the end of the day.

Case in point - I saw a gorgeous, ripped guy in the line in front of me at Starbucks the other day. He had on jeans and a simple, dark t-shirt. You could just make out the muscles of his biceps peaking out the sleeves, there was a hint of ink, he hadn’t shaved in a day or two and his hair had that slightly messed look. He was hard and lean and deliciously scruffy, a look not all guys can pull off. As a writer, I tend to notice details and I sure loved noticing his details as I filed away his entire appearance for later use J. He was HOT to look at that’s for sure, but do you know what the hottest thing about him was and why he stayed in my mind long after? When he ordered his drink he was so polite and courteous, so respectful of the clearly stressed woman behind the counter, I could have melted right then and there. There’s nothing hotter than a guy who looks like that, sounds like that (‘cause he had a voice to die for as well) and can still do something as simple as use good manners. And I could tell he made the baristas day.

Being a hottie is so much more than just good looks. This is one of the reasons I don’t spend a great deal of time on physical descriptions in my books. It’s sort of not as important as a heroes’ actions, his words, the way he interacts with the heroine, the way she makes him feel, how she makes him see himself and (sigh…) what lengths he’ll go to for her. And of course, I like the reader to use their own imagination to some degree to build a visual picture of the character, particularly the hero, because it has to be someone the heroine would be attracted to, someone the reader would believe the heroine would be attracted to and yeah…someone the reader would probably be attracted to J.

During this post I went searching for some pics of guys I consider “hot” and came up kinda empty. Sure, there were a lot of beautiful pictures of the male form but there are very few guys out there that have the entire package in my opinion. Maybe that’s why I write fiction? I can make up the dream guy, book after book LOL. In the end I went with one of the hottest pictures I’ve seen in awhile. I think it’s a combination of the obviously fit and healthy and gorgeous male, but there’s a story to the picture and the pose too. One of male relaxation, of confidence, of ‘who cares’ that I think I like as well. I sure do love a guy with attitude J.

So…tell me, what do you think makes a guy hot, a guy truly a “hottie”? I’ll pick a random commenter to receive their choice of an ebook from my backlist!



About Kaily

Kaily Hart, a seemingly straight-laced mother of four left corporate America and a high-powered, lucrative career to be a stay at home mom. Ha! That lasted about four weeks, during which time she realized she had a deeply repressed dream —to write. And romance at that! By day, Kaily plays conservative wife and soccer mom, but at night crafts hot and steamy tales of romance and love with gorgeous heroes who wouldn’t dream of leaving the toilet set up. Ever. She’s smart and sassy, at least in her own mind, and is trying her best to bring the alpha male solidly back to contemporary romance, one hot story at a time. Two years ago she never would have thought she’d be doing this, but now that she is? Well, you couldn’t pay her enough to do anything else.


Kaily’s books, PICTURE THIS, PAY UP, PLAY ME & POINT BLANK (yes, she has a thing for book titles that start with ‘P’), are all currently available from Ellora’s Cave and all other ebook outlets.

If anyone would want to contact me (which I would love by the way) or just keep up with what I’m doing, you can find me all over:

Web – www.kailyhart.com

Blog - http://kailyhart.blogspot.com/

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/kaily.hart

Twitter - http://twitter.com/kailyhart





















It's the New Year - Now What?

As I sit here contemplating my New Year’s resolutions, I chuckle about something my daughter told me a couple of years ago when she was 21. She had dated several young men around her age, but had broken up with them shortly thereafter. When I asked her why the relationships hadn’t lasted she said, “Mom, I asked them what their five-year plan was, and they didn’t have one.” I laughed and told her, “Sweetheart, what did you expect? You’re dealing with 21 year-old boys, and they only have two things on their mind – getting drunk and getting laid, and not necessarily in that order.”

I must admit that I was quite impressed with her level of maturity. I wasn’t going to tell her that I didn’t have a five-year plan at that point, either! After all, it’s hard enough to know what you’re going to do in the next 365 days, let alone five years down the road. But she’s right -- having a five-year plan is a good idea, because if you set an attainable goal within five years, every decision you make along the way will take that future achievement into account. You’re more than likely to get it because you focused on it.

Two years ago, I decided I wanted to lose weight. The pounds had crept up on me in my sleep, and one day my clothes no longer fit me (I have the broken zippers and holes in my shirts to prove it). Knowing that it was wise not to try to go “cold turkey” all at once (because “diet” is a dirty word to me), I set reasonable goals for each year. I am proud to say that I have now lost twenty pounds in the last two years. I am aiming for another ten this year. Making slow and steady progress works for me. I am now receiving compliments from people who haven’t seen me in a while and their comments reinforce my belief that it is possible to do anything if you put your mind to it.

Five years ago, my first story was accepted for publication. I can’t tell you how long I dreamed about that becoming a reality. Now, five years later, I have five books published and am working on more. Last year, I had hoped to produce second book, but my daughter’s wedding took precedence. The wedding was beautiful and well worth the investment of time and effort. But now that we have that special occasion behind us, I can focus once more on my goals. In 2012, I’m aiming for at least two books.

Also, on my New Year’s resolution list this year, I will put: “make a new five-year plan”. I did pretty well on my last one. Hopefully, I’ll have even better success with this one.

I wish you a lot of luck in 2012 and that you will be successful with your resolutions.

Happy New Year!