A New Year, A New Look at my New Book!

Happy New Year and best wishes for a happy, healthy and creative 2013!  I'm starting off the year by joining in a popular writer's activity of 2012:  The Next Big Thing Blog Hop.  I was tagged by Emily Jane Trent, who appears with me in the very sexy and slinky Vixotica: Sexy Short Stories by Best-Selling Erotica Authors.  Emily is the author of the Masquerade Series, a five-part tale which starts with Passion Unleashed and ends with Passion Embraced.  Although it was first published in paperback in 2008, I am very proud of my beautiful new ebook version of Amorous Woman which was released this past autumn.  The blog hop gave me an opportunity to share some information--including a few new secrets--about my book.

What is the title of your book?

Amorous Woman

What inspired your book?

I spent several years living in Japan in the early 1980s.  Immersion is such a different and fascinating culture made a deep impression on me.  Amorous Woman is not completely autobiographical, but the sensual memories and the yearning to become closer to Japan are very much my own.  Of course, my greatest inspiration was the many wonderful people I met in Japan: friends, boyfriends, mentors, courteous strangers.

How would you classify it in terms of genre?

Literary erotica.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Ken Watanabe as Kimura.  Emma Stone as Lydia.

Give us a short synopsis of your book.

It’s about an American woman's sexual awakening in Japan as she tests the limits of love and sensual pleasure.  She almost always gets an A on the test.

Can you tell us about the publisher?

The new ebook version is with Iro Books, the erotica line of Stonebridge Press.  If you have an erotica manuscript set in Asia, send it to them!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I’d been wanting to tell the story since the 1980’s, but when I was commissioned to write a book for Orion’s Neon erotica line in 2005, I finally had the chance to write it down.  I spent about six months writing intensely for the deadline—and I made it!  Thanks to too many cases of diet Snapple....

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

It’s not unlike Memoirs of a Geisha with more sex.  Lots more sex.

Describe an ideal setting for enjoying your book.

I suggest you take a long soak in a hot tub, then wrap yourself in a silk kimono and lounge on a futon (or bed) with a flask of sake and some sushi by your side.  Soft koto music is good accompaniment, although I listened obsessively to Tupac’s “All Eyez on Me” as I was writing the novel, so that’s an authentic alternative.

If I read your book, what’s in it for me?

My novel will take you on an intimate trip to a Japan few tourists ever see for much less than a plane ticket to Tokyo.  I’m talking threesomes, orgies, pornographic comics come to life, passionate affairs with married men, true love and descriptions of Japanese feasts to make your mouth water.  Believe me, it’s a bargain.

The Q&A is over, so what are you waiting for?  Pick up a copy of Amorous Woman for your e-reader right now.  If you’re looking for more delicious erotica to satisfy your appetite, check out these new works by some wonderful erotica writers:

Kristina Wright's Best Erotic Romance 2013 with a wonderful story by the very poetic Erobintica.

Lisabet Sarai's Coming Together In Vein, an anthology of sexy vampire tales.  Lisabet is a true master of our genre.

Emerald embodies the spirit of sex-positive warmth and wisdom and her latest publication appears in the Mischief anthology, Too Fast For Love.

Lisabet Sarai's Very "Nasty Business"

I'm delighted to welcome Lisabet Sarai to my blog to share her newest release, Nasty Business, a BDSM erotic romance, published by Books We Love.  And what a lovely cover indeed!
 
Here's more about the novel and a very steamy excerpt from a master--or should I say "Mistress"?--of the genre who knows her business:
 
All's fair in lust and business
 
Ruby Maxwell Chen, lovely and ruthless CEO of a huge British business empire, is used to getting her way. When she encounters the strangely charismatic American entrepreneur Rick Martell, though, she wonders if she hasn't finally met her match. 

From the trendy clubs of London to the Hollywood Hills, Ruby and Rick compete for ownership of a strategic factory in Malaysia. Neither has any qualms about using sexual wiles to smooth the path to success. Neither anticipates that their mutual attraction will turn into something far more intense and difficult to control.

As their struggle for dominance escalates, they draw their employees and associates into their outrageous power games. The stakes could scarcely be higher, as Ruby and Rick play for the ultimate prize: a night of total physical surrender.
 
Novel-length book includes “Shades of Red,”a bonus story about Ruby's introduction to BDSM! 

As good as I am at this game, I'm finding it difficult. I know, intellectually, that ignoring her, pretending to honor my promise, will heighten her frustration and ultimately, weaken her defenses. If I came on to her, she'd resist. By seeming to hold back, I draw her to me.
I can feel the arousal emanating from the trim form strapped into the seat next to me. Her body language speaks volumes, though she struggles to silence it. She's dying to have me touch her, or to touch herself.

The problem is, I have to struggle myself not to reach for her. I have to resist this nearly overwhelming urge to slide that designer skirt up her slim thigh, exposing her smooth flesh. My fingers itch to stretch across the console and tweak those ripe nipples poking through her blouse. My half-hard dick presses uncomfortably against my zipper.

I watch the pavement twisting in front of my hood. I push the roadster a bit harder. Obedient, she races around the curves, graceful and powerful. An extension of my body, my will. Ruby's lips are parted. Her hair has come free from its clasp and flows around her face in jet waves. I want to control Ruby the same way I control my car. I want to feel her respond when I press the pedal a bit closer to the floor.

A sideways glance tells me that she's looking at me. I risk a few seconds of inattention to turn and grin at her lasciviously. "Take off your blouse, Ruby. Go ahead, you know you want to." The wind tears my words away, but I know she hears me. There's defiance in her eyes, mixing with the lust. "Come on. I dare you."

A contest, then. Briefly, emotions war on her face. Her lust wins. She smiles at me, provocatively.

"Keep your eyes on the road, Martell. You'll get us killed."

She's right. I switch my focus a second too late and barely miss grazing the inside guard rail. When I can afford another look, she's naked to the waist. Her fingers are torturing her plump, rosy nipples. Even in that quick instant, it seems that I can see them thicken and grow darker as blood surges into them.

Now Ruby cups her flesh in both hands, kneading, stroking. Her breasts are pale, perfect hemispheres tipped with flame. I would have thought the wind would blow her scent away, but no, her musk permeates the open car. My cock stirs and demands to be set free. I look back at the road, my heart slamming against my ribs as another curve whistles by.

My next glance shows me her parted thighs. She fidgets on the leather upholstery, though her hands are still massaging her tits. Crudely, I jerk my thumb upwards, then wiggle my middle finger at her.

She is already pulling up her skirt, not waiting for my suggestion. Looking me straight in the eye, she spreads her legs wide, pulls her panties out of the way, and sinks four fingers into her glistening cunt.

My dick jerks to full attention. I watch, fascinated, as she grinds herself feverishly against her hand, pummeling her clit, pinching those scarlet lips until they are almost purple. Her eyes are shut. Her back is arched, pelvis thrust forward to provide maximum access. She's a tiger, tearing at her own flesh in hungry fury. Her scent rises around us, drowning out the eucalyptus that always lingers in the southern California air. There's an ache in my chest that mirrors the one in my cock. I've never wanted anyone so much.

At the last minute, I swerve, barely avoiding the shiny Cadillac coming at me from the other direction. Adrenaline courses through me at the near miss. Ruby doesn't even notice.

There's a turn-out ahead. Hands shaking, I pull into the semicircular parking area and shut off the engine. Now I can hear Ruby as well as see and smell her. She moans and cries as she thrashes around on the seat. Her mouth is open, her teeth clenched. She sounds as though she is in pain. Her harsh grunts become rhythmic and rise in pitch as I watch her ascend the final slope to her climax.

I stroke myself through my trousers, in time with her climb. I'm back in control, turned on but pacing myself. I know that I'll get what I want eventually. Ruby twists and writhes. Both her hands are deep in her cunt. Her juices run down her wrists. It's unbelievable how hard she is on herself. I remember her flogger, wish that I had it with me now. She wouldn't even feel it, but it might help her over.

Then, without warning, Ruby screams and arches up off the seat. Her whole body convulses, then abruptly collapses. Little tremors continue to shake her frame for long minutes. Her eyes are closed; she seems unconscious.

She looks fragile, porcelain skin misted with sweat, tangles of hair stuck to her forehead. I suddenly want to take her in my arms, cradle her, brush those tangled locks away and kiss her eyelids until she awakens. At the same time, I have a perverse urge to loose my cock and sink it into her passive, defenseless flesh. To finally make her mine.

Buy Links:

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/257146

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nastybusiness-1006067-144.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nasty-Business-ebook/dp/B00AB3KM8Q/

Bio: More than a decade ago LISABET SARAI experienced a serendipitous fusion of her love of writing and her fascination with sex. Since then she has published five single-author short story collections and seven erotic novels, including the BDSM classic Raw Silk. Dozens of her shorter works have been released as ebooks and in print anthologies. She has also edited several acclaimed anthologies and is currently responsible for the altruistic erotica series COMING TOGETHER PRESENTS. 

Lisabet holds more degrees than anyone needs from prestigious universities who would no doubt be embarrassed by her chosen genre. She loves to travel and currently lives in Southeast Asia with her highly tolerant husband and two cosmopolitan felines. For more information on Lisabet and her writing visit Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory (http://www.lisabetsarai.com) or her blog Beyond Romance (http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com).

Learning to Say "Yes" to Sex

I have a lot to be thankful for this month, including a recent visit to Beyond Romance, the blog of Lisabet Sarai, with my post "Discovering Sex and Self in a Foreign Land."  Lisabet's novel Raw Silk was one of the inspirations for my novel, Amorous Woman, so it's a special pleasure to be her guest. 

In this post, I discuss perhaps the master narrative of erotica:  an innocent woman's discovery of sexual pleasure.  Let's face it, even in our supposedly sex-saturated age, we are all bombarded with messages about the dangers of sexual desire, but women particularly still run the risk of being slut-shamed at any sign of erotic curiosity or pleasure.  The excerpt I posted at Lisabet's blog represents my protagonist's first moment of awakening--that saying "yes" does not mean the sky will fall on your head.  On the contrary, it can well be the first step on a wonderful journey.

All About Pleasure: Beyond the “Wet Test”

We read erotica to get off, right?  That's why people always preface comments about my writing with, "I don't usually read this kind of stuff, but...."  Admitting you do read a lot of erotica is tantamount to a public proclamation you indulge in--gasp--self-pleasuring activities.  And I don't mean eating fine chocolate.

This month at the ERWA blog in "Beyond the 'Wet Test,'" I talk about the ways that assumption is often reflected in casual reviews of erotica anthologies.  And it's not that there's anything wrong with listing the stories you "like" best in an anthology.  It's just that sometimes it seems that's the chief means by which erotica is judged, so that it serves as a kind of code for what personally turns someone on.

You may disagree.  Read the post and let me know!

Legacy of a Catholic Girlhood

My grandmother used to have religious pictures like this all over her house, and I'll admit I found them both soothing and strange, as if the past and my future in heaven (or so I hoped) existed in cartoon-like color. My Catholic upbringing lingers on in my memory in other ways as well, some that definitely inform my writing today! If you're curious just how that might be, check out my guest post over at the ever-provocative blog Oh Get a Grip!, entitled "A Dash of Delicious Sin: The Legacy of a Catholic Girlhood."

Now you don't have to have been raised Catholic to enjoy dashes of delicious sin, other religions qualify, too, so head on over to the Grip and vanquish your guilt the gourmet way!

Story Soup and Sexy Readers

The April ERWA columns are up today, and there isn't any fooling around this month for yours truly. My "Cooking Up a Storey" continues its sexual and culinary meditations with Story Soup: Forbidden Fodder, Mystery Spices, and Very Embarrassed Eggs. First I muse about the way our pasts inform our writing and how, ironically for writers working with often taboo subject matter, it is taboo to acknowledge the roots of our work. As I was writing this month's column in the midst of my own focus on the creative process, I came to this realization about the self-reflective nature of this year's "Cooking" project:

The more I stirred the stewing pot of my own psyche, the more I realized how many different elements nourished my imagination. Some were obvious, some secret and subtle, but the bubbling brew began to seem very much like a homemade soup, crafted without a clearly defined recipe but rich with the freshest produce at hand and piquant spices from my cupboard. In short, when I write, I really am cooking up a story. Who knew?

It's nice to know I can at least convince myself of the relationship between cooking, writing, and sex! Then at the conclusion of my soul-searching taboo talk, you'll be rewarded with some juicy descriptions of Sunday dinners at my grandma's and an old-fashioned Pennsylvania Dutch recipe for a way to use up hardboiled eggs.

This month's "Shameless Self-Promotion: Websites, Blog-sites and the All-Mighty Reader" talks about the importance of seeing our readers as people, not sales stats, and ways to make your website reflect your sensibility, which is what readers connect with when they buy your book. I take a quick tour of some websites and blog-sites I like by Lisabet Sarai, Susan DiPlacido, and Jeremy Edwards and I also interview Lisabet Sarai at the ERWA blog about what she's learned from her recent website redesign.

The other day I was looking through notes and saw that my one-day publicist, Lauren Cerand, recommended an author actively promotes her book for one year. I'm not sure if she meant I should start counting from the pre-publication work I did, which would mean I should stop now, or that the clock starts ticking from the publication date (which gives me until June). Writing the Shamless Self-Promotion column is definitely helping me figure out what worked, what didn't and what I want to do next time, so that's been very helpful for me!

Tomorrow brings the start of another very exciting event, the all-star blog tour for SWING! Adventures in Swinging by Today’s Top Erotica Writers. I'm the host on April 3 with an excerpt from my story and lots of secrets to share. It's truly a fabulous roster of writers and we'll be blogging all month long. Come hang, and swing, with us!

My Web Site Gets the Nod from Lisabet Sarai!

As I'm preparing to go off for my reading at Cafe Royal in San Francisco with Rachel Kramer Bussel and the local luminaries in her latest anthology, Dirty Girls, I wanted to mention another cool thing that's happened this month. Lisabet Sarai has chosen my Web site as her link of the month for April! I'm so thrilled because I'm a big fan of Lisabet's writing and her review of Amorous Woman was so insightful. Hell, I learned some things about my novel from her....

Anyway, check out her newsletter, Web site and her sizzling hot novels and stories!