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The sale ends at the end of March, so don’t miss out!

Take my third Swithin Spin, which has recently been accepted by Loose-Id. I thought it was ready ages ago and then decided it wasn’t. I worked on it again. I thought it was fine and then changed my mind. After many such ditherings I finally subbed the idea to LI and got some feedback. I worked on that and after much discussion produced a book we were both pleased with; it’s finally gone to edits. The way a book is accepted can vary. Sometimes a writer will write an entire manuscript, sub it to a publisher and either have it rejected too many times to count, or have it snapped up. Once you have a publisher who knows you they may listen to an idea before you even get around to the actual writing. A book or idea may be contracted or it may require writing or for the author to tweak it before an official acceptance. There may be certain clauses in an author’s contract where they may need to sub to a certain publisher, or it may be the publisher or the author wants to rework certain aspects of a story ‘prior’ to signing on the dotted line. Just like in life different things happen and every book has to meet different requirements. The trouble is almost none of the books I’ve talked about have gone as smoothly as those I kept under wraps. So is it coincidence, or do I have cause to be superstitious?

I have a major problem with a WIP and that’s the book I hope will be my next m/m contemporary. The problem is the market for such books is limited, and the market that will readily take it requires a much earlier sex scene. But what’s an author to do when you just ‘cannot’ get two characters together early on? This leaves me with the overdone use of a fantasy, (tacky) masturbation or (shudder) dream sequence. Head:Desk:VERY LARGE GROAN.

There are a few other aspects to the story I need to tweak but this is the major one for me, so my book may be far later than I anticipated in seeing the light of day, but all I can ask is for everyone to bear with me. I’d rather not put it out at all than write in a scene for the sake of it. I have to get this right and I also need to find the time. Right now I’ve other things ongoing so will have to set this work aside no matter how much it’s playing on my mind. Sometimes being a writer means knowing when to take a break from a particular project. Sigh.

I’m pleased to hear that so far I’ve never disappointed her as a reader and that she had no problems with my twisting of history on this occasion (always a fun thing to do). It was also nice of her to call Licinius sweet and mention his wit. I’m so glad that wasn’t lost in the story. So if, like Licinius, you enjoy a dream of a knight in shining armour in Elisa’s own words you can “enjoy a perfect medieval breeches rippers romp!”

You can read her review at her Live Journal where she also says “For being only a novella, A Good Knight is for sure well above the average.”

Although it’s a standalone this involves Antal (Uly’s personal guard) and the young Prince, Kilan (Markis’s younger brother), although you won’t need to know the universe to understand the story. I’ll be back with more news as and when including the blurb and anticipated release date. Until then, I think I’ll slink off and toast myself with a much-needed tipple as this book as been some time in the making, especially decision making. I’m so glad it finally has a good home. Pity the tipple can’t be ‘Swithin brandy’ which is supposed to be especially good, but I suppose you can’t have everything.

I hope to have more news in the not too distance future and as of Monday will be beginning a new work. Yayyy.

Warning: Content is only for those who are happy to read m/m romance, and are of the appropriate age to read adult content.

Licinius is an adamite-knave, an ancient but largely dishonourable profession. He doesn’t expect much from life and silently bemoans his existence, yet he does what he does to take care of his family. He certainly never expects to have his wish — to spend one good night with one good knight — fulfilled in the arresting form but strange and confusing personality of Crassius de Chartres. Overcome with lust (and love) at first sight, Licinius is willing and eager, especially when the knight insists, “Your pleasure is my pleasure.”

Licinius is about to experience an incredible knight, one that is going to leave him a quivering wreck come morning, caged in a way he never expected, and possibly vagrant. He must be mistaken because Crassius wouldn’t do anything to hurt him, would he? Will he finally understand the true meaning of the knight’s motto and share his idea of pleasure?

One good night with one good knight: is that really too much to ask?

Available February 5th from Changeling Press.

If you’ve not read a romance in a while, trust me, they have changed drastically. Perhaps I should blush to admit this, but aside from classic literature from authors such as Bronte or Austen — I think my first literary introduction to a romantic heroine was Jane Eyre — most young girls first have a taste of romance writing in the form of a Mills and Boon’s novel. At age fourteen or fifteen, this gave me a perverse view of romance and of what men expected of women. For those that love such books, I’m not knocking them. There are many good examples. I’m referring more to a sign of the times and of how things have changed from when I was a teenager. As a friend exclaimed recently there was never an erection in a Mills and Boon’s when she was young. While I am certain that despite our feminist backbones, many women would like a handsome man to sweep them off their feet, they are now just as likely to pick up a baseball bat, or gun, or sword, or high-power laser particle whangamado gadget, in defence of their man should the need arise. Heroines and their heroes now stand together (or hero with hero, and heroine with heroine or whatever combination you wish), as in an ideal world, love truly should conquer ‘all’. In love, both parties fall at the feet of the other. Equality is the key and even in surrender, both can remain equal.

This new era of romance crosses age, class-distinctions, social taboos, even universes, for it also crosses genres. If you like the animal in your man or woman, you are sure to find them in the form of vamps and shape-shifters, indeed ‘weres’ of every description. Whether you read sci-fi, fantasy, horror, or westerns, if you can think of it, there is likely to be a romance to suit your tastes. These stories now contain adventure, danger, excitement, and a soupcon of erotica.

What has this to do with the cover? From the writer’s point of view, it is largely one of promotion. People often ‘do’ judge a book by its cover. What caught my attention was during a recent author chat someone raised the question how do authors ‘choose’ their covers. The simple answer is that they don’t. In some cases, an author may even face having their beloved title changed. Sometimes this is understandable. There was a case of a publisher having two books with the same title and not wishing to confuse their readers, they asked the second writer to change it, but I have heard cases of publishers doing so without consulting their authors at all. The same applies to book covers. Some publishers will do their utmost to create something pleasing to both the author and the expected readership. Others… well, even with the best of intentions mistakes happen, and depending on the company’s policy the author may have no say, no comeback, not even see a preview of the work prior to publication.

Thankfully, many reputable publishers do consider their authors’ feelings and I am so far blessed. A poor cover is bad news for everyone. After all, the publisher wants a book to sell as much as the author does. For the most part, yes, a good cover can be a good indicator. However, if you do see a book with what you consider a bad cover, don’t make your decision solely on what your eye sees. I’ve discovered some treasures hiding under awful wrapping paper. I can only advise, quite literally, not to judge a book by its cover.

So, this morning I had to ask myself if it was worth reposting the blurb to my very first published novel. I decided it was with a little clarification.

I signed up to myspace late October 2006. It’s difficult to believe it’s been that long because that also means that my first book with Loose-Id has been knocking around for four years and I’m still not finished with the series. With a bit of luck the third Swithin Spin will raise its head this year although currently I’m not sure with which publisher that will be.

I can still remember in 2004, I think it was, I sat there wondering ‘when’ was I going to have larger credit out there. I was reading quite a good self-help book at the time. I don’t usually read such things but this one was interesting. Mostly it told me things I already knew but it’s nice having your beliefs and feelings confirmed in some way. One particular chapter talked about not sitting around waiting for things to happen but ‘making’ them happen. I knew with writing there were two ways to go. You write what you like and hope to find a publisher or you look for a market, and write ‘for’ it. Most writers have more success that way and I’d done pretty well writing both ways but studying the short story market to match my stories to suit. I chose Loose-Id as a market and wrote a story for them…which flopped, big time. They totally rejected it for three reasons, two of which I agreed with and one which I did not…still don’t but that’s neither here nor there. The strange thing is I was wholly grateful for that rejection for two reasons.

Most importantly I learned a lot from their comments. I decided to see what was selling and return to the ‘drawing board’. Secondly, I was trying to write for genre I’d never attempted before and the likelihood of my story being ’snapped up’ first try would have been extraordinary. With so many vanity and unscrupulous press out there if LI had snapped up my first book I think I would have come to doubt my own ability. I wouldn’t have trusted them nearly so much and therefore trusted their good comments on my second submission attempt.

So there I was. I had decided to write for Loose-Id. Why Loose-Id? I liked the concept. I liked that although they published erotic romance many of their books were real stories, not just a poorly disguised series of events to loosely link a load of sex scenes. I had to get over the embarrassment of writing sex but told myself I would worry about that, about what my friends and family would think, when I came to it. Before that, I had to come up with a plot so decided to think up something they couldn’t reject.

I started to form my idea in June 2005. In fact I still have all my hand-scribbled notes, not only for that first book but for books two and three of the trilogy. I found them a couple of weeks ago and spent quite a few moments smiling. These notes on their own make no sense and some of the final scenes differ from those first images that flashed into my head but in that large envelope of messy, nonsensical notes I have my story. But all stories begin in your mind.

As long as there are writers there will always be readers who will ask ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ The answer is everywhere. Life. Playing the ‘What if’ game. Putting two seemingly disconnected events together:

The Swithin Chronicles 1: Uly’s Comet

Unleash the Comet… Feel the power…

Markis Shaver, the Swithin Prince, controls the power of the Comet, which may be the only thing that will act as a deterrent in a war between two vast monarchies – a war that could devastate the natural world and must therefore be avoided at any cost, even if that means killing the many to save the few. As if things weren’t bad enough, he may also have to rescue a princess and face a marriage of convenience and it doesn’t help that Markis is still in training and struggles to control the power when he calls it forth. At times, he also struggles to control his temper, which is quick to react where his feelings are concerned. The lessons, alas, do not seem to be working and he is running out of time.

His personal guard and best friend, Ryanac, disagrees with the old teachings and has always insisted that Markis should embrace love, both emotionally and physically, to control the Comet … but then again, he could be wrong.

When Markis leaves the palace one night to indulge in the luxury of a little solitude, he captures a young man and would-be thief. Out of boredom he decides to play a little game with the thief but little does he know that in time Uly will teach him a whole new lesson in desire … and love. But if he gives into love physically before he has full control, what will it mean for the world?

If Uly, a street thief, can teach a prince to let go of control, maybe love really can conquer all. Markis is afraid of the ride but maybe he should just unleash the comet and feel the power…

So where does a story like this come from:

I pictured a man sitting on a bench in open parkland and a thief about to steal his purse. At the time, I had no idea who the man was or why he sat there. I had no idea as to the identity of the thief. Later, I came across a name: Shavar, ‘Comet’ and suddenly I had the answers. This story nagged for me write it. I loved the world, characters, and story I created and lucky for me, so did the publishers over at Loose-Id…