I remember the first Erotic Romance I read (“Stolen Goddess” by Tawny Taylor) and it whetted my appetite for more. Who knew? I thought I was a nice little girl.
Apparently not.
I never thought I’d like a fem domme book. But Joey W. Hill’s book “Natural Law” changed my mind. So, what “turns me on” still surprises me. What shocked me the most was when I read Sherrilyn Kenyon’s book “Dream Warrior” and it wasn’t hot enough. Who knew?
My biggest turn off is a wussy heroine. I like my heroine’s to kick ass. Oh, they can cry, submit and be dead wrong, but NOT wussy. Strong heroes need strong heroines and I can’t abide a heroine who let’s everyone walk all over her. That doesn’t mean I don’t like it when a heroine submits to the hero, but it’s Oh So Much More satisfying when she submits after a good fight.
And wussy heroes get the same treatment. I read a Harlequin Bombshell “Devil’s Due” by Rachel Caine and the heroine was KICK ASS!!! Unfortunately, the hero was a complete wussy boy. *shudders* Hated that. I like my heroines strong and my heroes stronger.
What about you?

Well, who can follow Crystal on this lol? Anyone who’s read anything of mine knows I like to write my alpha males as over the top as possible. Assholes? Sometimes, but not without a heroine who can’t dish it out also. I really can’t stand wimpy heroines. Those are guaranteed wall bangers for me! Actually, now I think about it wimpy characters are my biggest turn off. Biggest turn on? Strong characters who know when to give in. There’s nothing like bringing an alpha male to his knees.

Hi, my name is Crystal, and my turn ons include long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, and hot, sexy alpha males. An author can win my heart with a studly alien, wicked warlock, dashing vampire, or an awesome cop or firemen.

Turn offs include asshole, douchebag males, wimpy heroines, and full-on forced seduction, which goes back to the douchebag males. No means no! Also, violating your own worldbuilding or dicking with my favorite secondary characters will make me very, very unhappy.

…without having to critique or review. Just for the sheer pleasure of reading.
After writing a lot in May and the first two weeks of June, I hit a place where I needed to rest the muse a little. I felt uninspired, so I turned to some of my favorite authors for some fun reading. Here’s a few titles I’ve picked up lately.

Almost everyone knows my love for Joey W. Hill. She inspires me like no other. I finally finished ALL of the “Natural Law” series books she has at Ellora’s Cave by purchasing “Holding The Cards” and “Rough Canvas”. Awesome as always. I paid full price for my electronic copy of “A Vampire’s Claim” and it was worth every single penny.

I also went on a Josh Lanyon kick and read all of his Adrien English mysteries which were fantastic!!! I’d never read a m/m suspense series before and these were really good.

And you? What have you been reading?

Yes…there’s a stack of books in a basket next to my bed because there’s a lamp, an alarm clock, a picture of my kids, a bunch of girlie stuff, and the remote control on the night stand. There isn’t much room left for anything else. The basket is full of books…the overflowing TBR pile you might say. Before I tell you what I’m reading now…why don’t I share what I just finished reading.

Visions in Death by J.D. Robb. I love her In Death series. I find myself missing Eve and Roarke every once in a while so I usually grab 2 or 3 either from the public library or the bookstore and delve back into Nora’s futuristic world. I haven’t read them all so it’s fun to catch up and see what the old gang is doing and what new psycho is on a killing spree.

Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath. I found this one quite by accident in the public library. I was browsing the “new” mystery section and saw a title called Fuzzy Navel. Tripped me out. I used to love to drink that drink when I was in my early 20’s. So, I picked it up and read the blurb and liked it, but then realized that it wasn’t the first in the series. So, of course, I had to go find the first one and read it instead. I’m all about reading in order if I can. I picked up W.S. and loved it. It’s a mystery series about a homicide cop named….get ready for it….Jack Daniels. Her name is really Jacqueline Daniels…but everybody calls her Jack. She’s an older heroine, but I love her voice and she’s funny.

NOW….I’m reading Not Quite A Husband by Sherry Thomas. Found her by accident too during the Brenda Novak Diabetes Auction. Loving it!!! I’m also reading Portrait In Death by J.D. Robb.

NEXT…I’ll be reading Bloody Mary by J.A. Konrath, Imitation in Death by J.D. Robb, and Kissing Midnight by Emma Holly (thanks Crystal). Umm…they’re quite a few more in my basket…but these are up next.

Before I sold, before I started to spend all my free time writing, I never got the who has time argument. Hell, I worked 80 hours a week in the Army and was still blowing through books, right? All I can say is…it gets harder to fit it in. Partly that’s cuz I love para and I write and I’m reluctant to read it. (I don’t want anyone else’s stuff to influence me.) So these days I’ve got a very short list of auto-buys. None have anything new out. Since they don’t, I thought I’d post what my girls are reading.

Katie is read Wicked Lovely. She’s read it a couple times now. I should steal it and find out what is so cool lol. Emma is reading the second Spectre book. I gotta check out this series too lol.

I haven’t been reading that much lately. Between personal crises, my husband’s newfound internet stardom lol, and 2 very tight deadlines-there just hasn’t been time for much.

I will say I got to

-Read Enemy Overnight, Robin Rotham’s sequel to Alien Overnight, and it rocked so get ready when it comes out

-Read Eden Bradley’s vampire bi-menage coming out in October on the same day as the next book in my Goddess series (IT IS HAWT) and her current WIP that is, I have to say, already one of my favorites

-Read small bits and pieces of Crystal Jordan’s current work is amazing and everything we come to expect from our resident superstar

So, only the fact that I am friends with some of the hottest romance authors around has saved me from a reading void this month. After these deadlines I promised myself I would take four days off and do nothing but read all my favorite authors, finish all the series I’ve been dying to finish, and look for new and wonderful works.

-

First up is Fairyville by Emma Holly. Why did I pick this one? It was recommended by several romance scholars at the Popular Culture Association National Conference. Plus, Emma is A Name in erotic romance, so I should read something by her and I haven’t. Also, it’s a paranormal erotic romance called freaking Fariyville. Heck, yeah, I wanna read it.

I’m going to have to wait until I’m between deadlines to start because I don’t read in the same genre I’m writing in, and, hello, I write paranormal erotic romance. This one gets pulled out after July 1, when my current deadline expires and I have my book in. Because I’m a good girl and can resist temptation like that.

Then I have Netherwood by Michele Lang. Why? Because she’s repped by my agent and you have to show some love to agently sisters. Also, as far as I can tell from the cover blurb, it’s a futuristic-ish retelling of Robin Hood with the heroine as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Come on, that’s cool! I can’t be the only one who loves Robin Hood!

…..and I’m not on The Love Boat. Unfortunately, my job for the summer changes from part time mother, part time secretary and full time author to full time mother. Which means I have to play referee and activities director.
This summer, I’m dragging my kids out on hikes, off to Redding to hang with Dad (while he works over there) and trips to Grandma’s house. There will be no peace and quiet in the mornings to pound out word count.
However, the bright spot is the Not Going To Conference Conference at Romance Divas featuring such fantastic authors as Joey W. Hill, Linnea Sinclair, Patti O’Shea, Ona Russel, Josh Lanyon, Rowan McBride and tons of others. For a week, while the others are in Washington D.C. hanging out at the bar, I’ll be hanging out with these wonderful authors which is solace enough for me.
Of course, I’ll have to get some word count in there somewhere, but it will be hit or miss.
But this summer sees three releases for me which are totally exciting.
“Legend Hunter” releases from Liquid Silver Books on July 6th.
“The Trust She Yields” releases from The Wilder Rose Press.
Finally, the last installment of The Storm Series at Whiskey Creek Press/Torrid “Eye of the Storm” releases in August.
I’m so excited about all three of these books. You can check out more details HERE.

OK…why this song from Grease popped into my mind right before I logged in to post…I have no idea. Maybe it’s because I absolutely LOVE summer!!!

Yes…the heat is intolerable some days.
Yes…it means the kids are at home eating me OUT of house and home.
BUT…it also means that I’m AT home. NO work. ALL play!!!
I. Love. It.

The family and I have no “huge” plans this summer but I do plan to take them to a couple of water parks, an amusement park or two, and this cool botanical garden/aquarium that I’ve been wanting to visit to include in a book I’m writing. It would be nice to visit it up close and personal if I can since it’s not too far away from home. Plus, all the writing I can get done is alway a bonus.

But other than that, I just plan to enjoy my summer, heat and all, until I return to work in August!.