Contest Whoohoo!

I recently asked author Cathy Pegau if she'd be willing to do an interview and she was gracious enough to answer my questions. Cathy has just had a book, Rulebreaker, published and I loved it. Because I enjoyed it so much, I'm giving away 2 Kindle copies of Rulebreaker woot!

I hope you enjoy the interview : )

First, congratulations on your first published book! Did you know this day would come? Or did you fear it would take a lot more time? How many stories do you think you’ve completely written to get to this point?

Thanks so much! When I first started writing, I had delusions of grandeur and a five year plan that took a dozen to come to pass. With Rulebreaker being such a niche book, I was quite surprised it didn’t take longer to find a home. I was fully prepared to have it make the rounds then get stuffed in my virtual drawer.

I know EXACTLY how many stories I’ve written. Four full novels and three halves of novels. Plus dozens of pages of storylines for future novels.

You created an interesting character in Liv. She’s fairly complex in that she lives outside the law, and yet, she seems to have an inner code of honor. Was there someone in particular you based her off of?

You’re not the first person to ask me that : ) Liv is, I think, the Bad Girl (which, not so incidentally, was the original title for Rulebreaker) many of us have inside. Not evil, just willing to do certain things, mostly for cash, when normal means of acquisition are difficult. I didn’t have a particular person in mind, no, but reading about a couple of famous/infamous females helped shape her.

This blog is focused on promoting f/f stories. So I’d love to ask a few questions in that direction.

I know you love reading Sci-fi, so it’s a no brainer that you’d write a story in that genre. But what was it that made you decide the main love story would be between two women?

Did you find it more difficult to create a love story and write sex scenes between two women more so than writing a m/f story?

As much as I enjoy f/f, I didn’t consciously set out to write about two women. I knew it would take a very special person to cause Liv to break her personal rules. Almost immediately, Zia’s character popped into my head. I was a bit startled, but it felt right. The love story was organic enough that writing it came about relatively easily. I wasn’t trying to hook up two women merely for titillating girl-on-girl action. I actually found it easier to write the more sensual and emotional aspects of their relationship than when I write m/f. The physical scenes were new to me, but I don’t write graphic love scenes, even in my m/f stories, so a little extra reading and research worked to manage that. The hardest part was keeping the pronouns straight : )

In m/f the masculine/feminine dynamic makes for a great contrast/ conflict between two characters in a love story automatically. There’s so much to play with even if the male is a beta and the female is an alpha.

Both women, Liv and Zia, are strong alpha types in their own right. I noticed that Liv is more feminine around Tonio but more commanding with Zia, while Zia, who is definitely an alpha in her work, becomes rather soft and vulnerable when it comes to Liv.

Did you think when writing these women that you needed that contrast/conflict to make it interesting and not have two women who are too similar, or did it just want to happen that way?

I wanted two strong women, each with her own life, career, ideas and problems, but they still had to be individuals. Liv had been Tonio’s equal, but yes, in some ways she was willing to defer to him. When she felt like it, anyway : ) When she goes to work at Exeter Mining Liv has to take the reins in order to get her job done, so it suits her to be more forward with Zia. She plays the good little coffee girl in the office, but uses that to her advantage. Zia, on the other hand, is the cool, aloof exec when it comes to her job, but her personal life allows her softer side to come through. I actually wrote a character exploration scene with Zia and her former lover to get a stronger sense of her vulnerability.

I was quite amazed when you shared that your book had been picked up. This is because f/f still isn’t that popular, or nowhere near as popular as m/m in GLBT. While I do feel that more authors are writing it and more readers are open to reading it, I know publishers are still not as willing to go for publishing it.

The f/f market is way smaller than m/m, but hopefully it’s growing. There are some amazing authors and publishers out there. Carina Press is one of the larger publishing imprints to take f/f, making it more mainstream. Rulebreaker isn’t the only f/f story they offered this summer. Michael Merriam’s Last Car to Anwnn Station is a great fantasy with a f/f relationship. I think most people equate f/f and m/m with erotica, no matter what the heat level, and that may put them off. We’d find more readers if that assumption wasn’t made, which means more word of mouth about what’s available. Fingers crossed that f/f will get more exposure in the near future.

Did you fear that having a love story between two women would mean that your book would be passed up or that you’d be told to change it to a m/f?

As I wrote Rulebreaker, I honestly wasn’t thinking about the marketability. I just wanted to write an interesting story. I think if I had stopped to consider the market I might have put it away. But maybe not. I was having way too much fun with it. After writing and revising, as I researched the market, yeah, I was worried it was going to be passed up. I was told by more than one person the writing was fine but selling the story would be hard. No one suggested changing it to m/f. Which is good, because I wouldn’t have : )

I loved this story and think you have a great writing voice. Are there any plans for writing another f/f in your future?

Aw, thanks! There is definitely more f/f in my future! I’m working on the third book set in the same ‘verse as Rulebreaker (number two is a m/f). I also have a f/f historical paranormal western that’s been circling my brain for some time. That’s it at the moment, but I’m always coming up with something to distract me from what I should be doing : )

Thanks a bunch for having me here! I appreciate your support and enthusiasm on a personal level as well as for the f/f genre!

Just comment to enter to win a copy of Rulebreaker. I'm keeping the contest open until Sun. Aug. 28th. The winners will be announced at 6 PM PST on Sun.

If you don't have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle for PC or the apps for iTouch, iPad, iPhone. You can also read Kindle books on android phones and tablets as well.

Good luck!

Edited: All three commentors won a copy of Rulebreaker. Congrats! See comments section for info.

Bound by Steel--print release and contest

I'm running a release day poetry contest over at my blog. Up for grabs is a signed copy (or two?) of aforementioned f/f/m poly erotic fantasy romance (now that's a cross-genre mouthful).

Funny, succinct, profound, boneheaded, whatever you do, it's all good. Hell, borrow a Shakespeare sonnet and bastardize it, just indulge my yearning for cheesy poetry and I'll be happy. Leave your entry in the comments of my blog post, enter as many times as you like.

To read an excerpt and some review snippets of the book, click here.

A Heaping Dish of Guest Blog!

...with side of contest!

Anne Rainey's latest book, Burn, was released on Tuesday from Samhain, and contains one scorching hot menage scene--so hot she had to set it in a swimming pool to avoid the horrifying and potentially tragic spontaneous combustion of her characters. A week ago, I emailed Anne and asked her if she'd like to do a post for LVLM, telling us why she chose to write a story containing f/f/m.

Here's what she had to say:

Sure God created man before woman. But then you always make a rough draft before the final masterpiece. ~Author Unknown

Is that a great quote or what? I’ve always thought women were beautiful, mysterious and just downright intoxicating. To clear one thing up, I’m 100% heterosexual and I have a husband and two daughters. I’m quite happily married. So when I wrote Haley’s Cabin awhile back, I knew folks were going to be shocked at the f/f/m ‘dream’ scene at the beginning of it. I was nervous about how my family and friends would react. I wanted them to see the beauty in the scene, not turn it into something dirty and bad.

At first, I bit the bullet and sent the scene to a few close friends, a group of ladies I knew I could count on to tell me the truth. Imagine my surprise when these heterosexual ladies emailed me saying they thought it was one of the hottest scenes they’d ever read. Wow, okay, so I’m NOT the only woman who finds that type of scene sexy. Good to know! LOL Haley’s Cabin sold like hotcakes. It still blows me away when I think about how well it was received by readers.

Since that story released, I’ve wanted to do more books with scenes like that one. I just didn’t have the right story. Have you ever wanted to write something so bad, but you just couldn’t quite find the story to fit the idea? That’s what I was going through. But I wasn’t ready to give up on the idea yet. I guess I just really like the thought of writing about a straight woman who receives pleasure at the hands and lips of another woman. To me, it’s incredibly sexy and just downright delicious!

Then one day, Ally sprang to mind. After being dumped by her high school sweetheart, Ally sort of sinks herself into her writing. She’s strong, independent, and doesn’t need a man to complete her. Until said sweetheart comes back to town and turns her world upside down. Then Heather, Ally’s best friend, slipped into my head like the naughty minx she is. She’s bi-sexual, bold as hell and nearly stole the show. I love Heather! But this couldn’t be like my other stories. I don’t know, I guess I just wanted readers to feel as if they were in Ally’s head, to fully experience the f/f/m pool scene from a heterosexual point of view.

I really worried when I sent it off to Samhain, let me tell ya. One, first person point of view doesn’t always go over well. Two, they may not be okay with the f/f aspect of the story, considering it’s pretty erotic and all. Imagine my surprise when not one but two Samhain editors emailed to tell me how much they loved Burn. Yes!

But what do you, the reader, think? Does a m/f romance that features a scorching f/f/m scene appeal to you?

If Burn does well and readers enjoy it, then Heather gets a story, if not...poor Heather, lol. Leave me a comment and your name goes into a hat for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Amazon!

Thanks for the thoughtful post, Anne, as well as your offer of a GC! (And for letting me know about that scene in Haley's Cabin. *ahem*) Allow me to be the first to answer your question. Does a m/f romance that features a scorching f/f/m scene appeal to you? Hot holy damn, does it ever! But I can't imagine you'll find many dissenters around this neck of the woods, either, LOL.

And all of you all out there--you need to buy Burn right now. Because I totally, totally need Anne to write Heather's story, and I need her to do it posthaste! And don't forget to leave a comment for that chance to win a $10 Amazon GC!

*sneaks off to buy Haley's Cabin*

Bound By Steel - Excerpt and contest.

In honor of the release of my third Samhain book, Bound by Steel, I'm holding a little contest. Up for grabs is a copy of my loverly book there===>

As some of you might be aware, today also marks the occasion of the Canadian federal election. Since there's really nothing less evocative of politics than dirty books, and since I am a sucker for the lol-speak, I'm asking for your best (that is, most bizarrely spelled, syntax-impaired, grammar-challenged) lolcat-style Canadian political campaign slogans. Extra points for every lame Canuck stereotype (beer, hockey, "eh", etc) you manage to include.

To assist those fortunate souls unfamiliar with the panoply of Canadian political pomposity, the candidates and their individual weirdnesses are as follows:

Liberal leader Stephane Dion, talks with the exact same mannerisms and inflection as my great aunt Lorette

NDP leader Jack Layton, has the front teeth of a bunny-rabbit. Also, a mustache. I just don't trust a straight guy with a mustache...

Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, evil overlord extraordinaire

Green Party leader Elizabeth May, crazy cat lady

Conservative leader and incumbent PM Stephen Harper, the quintessential Blue Meanie

Now I know, Ms. May just screams potential for lolcat goodness, but please, do not neglect the rest of this motley crew. Gimme some insanity. Do your worst.

And once you're done, to cleanse your palate, read this blammo, girl-on-girl excerpt:

Scowling at the blank leather surface, Kaela hammered her bandaged fists into it, harder and faster. A patch of sweat plastered her shirt to the center of her back, and tendrils of her hair had escaped her braid to stick to her face. Her breasts jiggled enticingly with every blow, her nipples poking against the thin linen of her borrowed shirt.

Lianon dragged her gaze from them, and refocused her attention on the motion of Kaela’s arms. "From the shoulder," she instructed. "Put your whole body into it."

Another few punches, and Kaela sagged against the sparring form, panting. "Enough, Lianon," she gasped with a weary smile. "I’m tired."

"Are you?" Lianon asked. Her belly coiled at the sight of the other woman’s arms wrapped around the form, her breasts pressed against it, imagining them pressed like that against Gil’s chest. "How tired?"

Hearing the change in her voice, Kaela aimed a surprised glance at her, laughing giddily. "Lianon? Lianon, it’s the middle of the afternoon!"

Lianon grinned, remembering a lazy morning spent abed exploring Kaela’s deliciously curvy body, before chores had forced them to rise. "I know what time it is. Come here."

Kaela’s cheeks filled with color, but her eyes were suddenly all heat. She straightened, her smile evaporating as she stepped into Lianon’s waiting arms.

Their lips met, parted. Tongues dueled and danced as an already familiar need leapt between them. Lianon plundered deep into the moist heat of Kaela’s mouth, tilting her head to deepen the kiss. She wrapped her arms tight around the other woman, reveling in the feel of Kaela’s heavy breasts pressing against her own smaller ones.

Stumbling a little, she walked Kaela backward toward the wall and pushed her up against it. Her hands slid down to cup Kaela’s ass, so gorgeously outlined in Gil’s trousers. Dipping low, her fingers brushed against the seam that covered Kaela’s sex. She was rewarded by a sigh of sweet breath into her mouth.

Tearing her lips away from Kaela’s, Lianon kissed a path across her cheek to her ear, then began a slow, torturous descent down the side of her neck. "God, you’re so fucking beautiful," she whispered, echoing words Gil had said to her so often the last six months. This body, these curves, this woman in her arms felt like coming home. Like bread and wine and a kindling hearth after a long day of toil. Reaching down with one hand, she freed two buttons at the waist of Kaela’s trousers and slipped her hand inside.

Swollen flesh slicked with lust greeted her questing fingers. Sucking the skin at Kaela’s shoulder, Lianon found the rigid nub of her clit and flicked her fingertip across it.

"Ah, Lianon…" Kaela gasped, her bandaged hands buried clumsily in Lianon’s hair, guiding her head down to her breasts. Through the linen of Kaela’s shirt, Lianon took a pebbled nipple into her mouth, suckling delicately before moving to its twin. Her fingers slid further into Kaela’s slit, circling her opening. Slowly, carefully, she pushed one finger inside. Paused as the other woman’s inner muscles accustomed themselves to the invasion. Slid a little deeper.

"Lianon?" A thread of worry had woven into the arousal in Kaela’s voice.

Lianon lifted her head, caught Kaela’s gaze and held it. Saw the uncertainty there. She kept her finger where it was, and drew slow circles around Kaela’s clit with her thumb. "Do you trust me?" she whispered.

Forget the candidates, I vote for Lianon!


Purchase Bound by Steel here, or read another steamy excerpt here.

ETA: contest deadline is Friday, Oct 17, winner announced Saturday.