Sensually Wicked Man Love

RWA approves new authors of GBLT romance chapter

2009-04-29T21:05:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I asked fellow authors of GLBT romance to join together with me to look into forming a special interest chapter of the RWA. While RWA has acknowledged this sub-genre of romance, there was never a chapter where authors of this sub-genre could meet to discuss issues and experiences that focused on their writing, promotional needs and publishing issues. Over 100 authors showed up to discuss the possibilities. In the end 39 RWA members formed the Rainbow Romance Writers online special interest provisional chapter of RWA.

I’m very proud to announce that as of today we are no longer provisional but officially part of RWA! Here is the official announcement from chapter president Jade Buchanan:

Rainbow Romance Writers is the newest Special Interest Chapter within the Romance Writers of America. A lot of hard work has gone into setting us up as a chapter, but we are very proud to announce that writers specializing in LGBT romance now have a specific place to network with other career-focused writers and concentrate on our unique needs within the romance genre.

Our goals are:

* to promote excellence in gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender romances
* to help members become published in LGBT romances
* to be an advocate within the industry for our genre
* to be a resource to our members and others on writing and the publishing industry

We currently have 39 wonderful members who represent all different aspects of the LGBT romance genre.

Interested writers can contact us at membership@rainbowromancewriters.com
if they would like to become members of Rainbow Romance Writers. They can also email me directly at jade.buchanan@yahoo.com

http://www.rainbowromancewriters.com

Here’s a HUGE thank you to everyone involved in making this happen, those in the new chapter and those at RWA who service the interest of the whole romance writing community! KUDOS!

Amazon's missing ranking for Gay fiction

2009-04-12T13:20:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed that rankings and bestseller info has been removed from all a lot of gay romance and gay fiction books in the last few days. It appears that Amazon has decided we are to be hidden from the mainstream.

When Amazon was asked about the missing rankings they responded to one author with:

In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude "adult" material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature.

Hence, if you have further questions, kindly write back to us.

Best regards,

Ashlyn D
Member Services
Amazon.com Advantage

Plainly, we are being discriminated against by Amazon, shoved into the backroom.

Not all authors of adult fiction are being targeted but it is widespread and rampant. So if you are looking for rankings and bestseller lists of adult or gay fiction, it looks like you'll need to buy directly from the publisher or hit up B&N.

Hopefully next month MLR Press will have the ability in place to buy ebooks directly from the site and print books soon after that. We getting everything in place for direct sales. We value our readers and now we REALLY like Barnes and Noble.

Mexican Heat is a Lambda Finalist!

2009-03-15T16:23:00.001-04:00

I can hardly believe it! Mexican Heat is short listed for best Gay Romance!
God, I can't wait for the awards dinner in NYC later this year!

http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/current_finalists.html

Wow, today has been an exciting day!
Laura

Dear Author and Mexican Heat

2009-03-14T23:40:00.001-04:00

Hi all,

There appears to be a contest going on and MEXICAN HEAT is one of the entries! SO COOL! But it also appears I need people to go vote for the book in order to win . The great part is it looks like there are a lot of prizes too!

Here are the details! Can I ask you pretty please to go vote for MEXICAN HEAT? You know, I'm actually kind of really excited about this!

xoxox
Laura

http://dabwaha.com/

Welcome to the 2nd Annual DA BWAHA, Dear Author Bitchery Writing Award for Hellagood Authors. For newcomers, this is a tournament of books that mimics the March Madness tournament of basketball. We’ve picked a slate of 64 books in 8 different categories to compete against each other through the next few weeks.

Your job is to first fill out a tournament bracket which will go live on March 15, 2009. Second, you have to come back and vote in the polls. There will be prizes for the winning ballot at each juncture of the tournament with the grand prize of a Red Sony Reader to go to the ballot that scores the highest. The winning author will also get a Sony Reader.

Review of Mexican Heat!

2008-11-03T14:17:00.001-05:00

Josh and I have been holding our breath waiting for the first review on Mexican Heat, our first collaboration.
It arrived this am.

http://reviewsbyjessewave.blogspot.com/2008/11/mexican-heat.html

We did good. 5+ stars!

Laura

Mexican Heat

2008-10-15T09:05:00.003-04:00

Just thought I'd announce that Mexican Heat has been picked up by Samhain for a February ebook release. The print version will still be coming out with MLR Press in a few weeks but Samhain liked the story and the characters and has contracted the book. Hopefully they will want the whole 3 book series. While Josh and I were planning on a an every 6 month release for these, the books turned about to be more complex and challenging that we thought. So we've revised our plan to put out a book every 12 month instead. It will mean a longer wait but a better story! At least that's the plan!

San Francisco & A Different Light Bookstore

2008-10-01T06:10:00.002-04:00

Authors and pals Jade Buchanan, JL Langley, Laura Baumbach, Ally Blue and Kimberly Gardner on Castro Street a few feet from A Different Light Bookstore in San Francisco.

Moving on

2008-08-13T10:01:00.002-04:00

Mexican Heat is out to my writing partner and on to the editor! We're hoping to make the September release still so be prepared. In the meantime, I'm back at Genetic Snare the sequel to Details of the Hunt.

I had already started this one and had to put it aside for a few things like forming a publishing company and co-writing a series with the awesome and skilled Josh Lanyon, but now I'm back to it.

I even sat down and reread Details to get back into the environment and to get my Aidan groove back in place. It's difficult to jump into the mindset of an 18th century pirate lost in the 26th century world. I have to see things from his POV and remember all the confusion and isolation he must feel along with the wonder and excitement of it all.

And I have to remember his larcenous side, too. My little light-fingered pirate! lol. I Love Aidan. I love it when Talos catches him at it too. Big, stern bounty hunter! It's been a while since the first book. I hope readers remember the guys!

Mexican Heat Snippet!

2008-07-03T10:27:00.002-04:00

I just posted a new little HOT (adult) snippet from my newest M/M WIP with Josh
Lanyon on Fiction With Friction! Enjoy!

http://www.fictionwithfriction.com

Laura

Publisher's Weekly on Erotic Romance

2008-07-01T23:11:00.001-04:00

The June 23rd Publishers Weekly article is on erotica and erotic romance. I'm very pleased with the article because it ends with a quote from me! about gay erotic romance. It also has a great MLR Press ad for A BIT OF ROUGH and HOSTAGE in it! Sweet.

http://www.publishersweekly.com:80/article/CA6572085.html

ManLoveRomance Press Photography Contest!

2008-04-21T15:28:00.002-04:00

ManLoveRomance Press Photography Contest!

My small press is holding an on going contest, involving readers with our books.

Is your talent with a camera good enough to be part of the cover of one of our books? Want a chance at a photo credit in the book? Want a chance to win autographed print copies of your favorite author? FOR MORE INFORMATION check out the website at
http://www.mlrpress.com.

MEXICAN HEAT-- revised and way better!

2008-04-04T21:10:00.001-04:00

I have a new project in the works. Well, an old project that's been updated. And changed and expanded and re-plotted. And all that happened because I tapped a writer friend on the shoulder and said, "I can't get this story to flow. I've hit a wall. Can you give it a look and make a few suggestions?" Well, the friend was author Josh Lanyon and the story was MEXICAN HEAT and what happened after a few days of give and take is that Josh and I are now collaborating on writing the novel! A first for both of us. We'll let you know if it works! I'm excited about it, seriously.

You can read about it in more details on Josh's LJ here:
http://jgraeme2007.livejournal.com/15780.html

It's also expanded to three novels in a series at this point. The first chapter is done as a rough draft. I think it's awesome, me but not me and him but not him exactly. It's very different. I'm writing the second chapter this weekend. I write a chapter and then send it to Josh who works it over and what we end up with is a third unique voice, a blend of his and mine. He does the mystery/crime parts best and I do the romance/sex best and we put them together had shake! LOL! Hopefully what we get in the end will be a new brand of Romantic Crimes series.

Anyway, look for the first one in a few months. We plan on doing one every 6 month working it in between other projects we already had planned. The second in the series is titled TEQUILA SUNRISE. Wish us luck!

Oh, and you know I like to cast actors in my character parts. Think Antonio Banderas(Antonio) and Johnny Depp (Gabriel), please.

Laura

The Lost Temple of Karttikeya wins an EPPIE!

2008-03-12T12:55:00.003-04:00

Okay, you’re probably tired of hearing about it but I haven’t had a chance to prattle on about the awards.

I had already convinced myself I wasn’t even really in the running before I left to attend. The finalist list was announced on a site and my name wasn’t even on it. It turned out to be just a mis-posting, but after being added as what looked like an after thought (but wasn’t), I told my frail and fragile ego that I should just suck it up and realize I didn’t have a chance of winning.

I decided to go to the event because I think it’s important to be present when a committee of your peers nominates you for an honor, win or lose. Okay, yes, there was a spark of hope I couldn’t completely drown that thought maybe my practical side was wrong and I could still MAYBE win. Then I looked at the long list of nominees with me during the awards dinner and the spark flickered lower. Then Jet Mykles, who was sitting with me, won her awards for erotic romance (so well deserved!) and I figured that was it, she won. Reasonably, you can only expect one winner per table, right? So Jet won, the brat! I’m out in the cold for sure!

I practice my gracious loser face. I used it last year when I finaled at EPICon 2007 and lost, so I just dusted it off and tried it on to see if it has gotten too tight like my clothes from last year. Unfortunately, it fit just fine. Damn.

So while I’m practicing my ‘I’m really glad you won’ smile, and listening to Lucy Monroe’s wonderful comments about GLBT romance, Lucy announces my name. I freeze, do a WTF! and jump up. I’m so surprised I can’t think of a damn thing to say. I mean really surprised. If I can’t talk, you know I must be near brain death. I didn’t write a speech, didn’t consider naming appropriate names, or even have a comment ready to champion the genre.

Now granted I was concentrating on not falling on the stairs to the stage up or down (I hurt my back before the event and plane travel and strange beds did NOTHING for it) but you’d think I could come up with at least a sentence besides “what she said”!

So since I didn’t do it then, let me thank a few people now. I want to share the awards (from the display shelve in my house) with Lynne Anderson my editor on The Lost Temple of Karttikeya (the winning novel), and with my publisher, LooseId. Since both of my EPPIE nominations have been for LI stories, I hope they are happy with me!

And I want to thank all the author who collaborated in the COLLECTOR SERIES at LI. My story is #9 in the 9 books series. Without the idea, support and imagination of this group of authors, I wouldn’t have written Lost Temple to begin with. Check them all out here: http://www.collector-series.com/

Laura

EPICon

2008-03-03T10:45:00.003-05:00

Once again this year I've been fortunate enough to have another novel declared a finalist in the electronic publishing's EPPIE awards for a second year running in the GLBT category. This year my action adventure paranormal erotic romance THE LOST TEMPLE OF KARTTIKEYA has been nominated. It's published with LooseId in ebook as #9 in the 9 book THE COLLECTOR series. So I'm off to the conference for a day or so. Wish me luck!
I'll also be participating in a publishers panel and checking out all the M/M authors attending.

Love Romance Cafe's Best of 2007 award nominations!

2007-12-28T17:41:00.000-05:00

I just got the email from Love Romance Cafe. They are notifying authors and publishers of nominations in their Best of 2007 awards.

Scared Stiff has been nominated as Best Anthology 2007! Sarah, Josh, William and my wicked ghost stories! How amazing is that? LOL!

I've also been nominated in the Cafe's Best of 2007 awards in the following three categories:

Best Overall Book 2007: Roughhousing
Best Alternative Lifestyle book 2007: Roughhousing
Best Contemporary 2007: Roughhousing

The Polls open in the cafe on January 1st. and run till the 20th. They will announce the winners on the 21st.
To vote, please go to the cafe yahoo loop and click on polls after January 1st and vote!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loveromancescafe/

I'm an EPPIE finalist!

2007-12-24T17:06:00.000-05:00

THE LOST TEMPLE OF KARTTIKEYA has been named a finalist in the 2008 EPICon awards in the GLBT category. I'll be going to Portland in March to see if I won this year. Last year I was a finalist with DETAILS OF THE HUNT. It would be fabulous to win, but right now I'm thrilled with being the only author in this category to make the short list two years in a row! It really is exciting. I'm grateful for the opportunity to support EPIC and the recognition for my writing!

Change of plans

2007-12-11T21:23:00.001-05:00

There's been a change of authors for the coming vampire anthology BLOOD CLAIM. J.J. Massa had an unexpected project arise that needs her attention so her story isn't going to be available for press time. But, never fear, the fabulous Jet Mykles has agreed to step in and contribute a short vampire story to the volume! How cool is that? Jet, Angela and me. Now there is an eclectic trio for you! Should have a little something for everyone's taste in M/M vampire erotic romance in this one! Thank you, Jet, it's much appreciated and anticipated!

Channeling ghosts

2007-12-06T20:24:00.000-05:00

In October MLR Press published a ghost anthology with stories from William Maltese, Sarah Black, Josh Lanyon and me titled SCARED STIFF.

We never talked about our stories among us, all four of us just went off and wrote our tales. When it came to editing time, our editor contacted Josh and I and told us our stories were too similar, too many elements were alike, something needed to change. We decided in the long run that it was kind of creepy but kind of cool that the stories, never having been discussed before hand, had turned out so similar.

We both wrote about locations by the sea, broken hearts, ghostly tragic love affairs in the past, mysterious hauntings and even have one character names the same-Mason. It seemed like Josh and I were channeling each other or channeling at least the same spirit! Now I find out there is one more element that defies reasonable logic in the book. It seems that during one scene in my story I inadvertently use the wrong name for the character that Josh and I both used. I call my 'Mason' --- believe it or not-- 'JOSH' during that one scene! I can't believe it. I missed in the re-read, missed it in the edits and missed it in proofing. Just like a ghost, it couldn't be seen!

Cool Weirdness, yes?

Yoga in a Nascar magazine

2007-09-27T10:28:00.000-04:00

I received a pre-release scan of RT's November issue. I see in it they have reviewed Suzanne Brockmann's latest book, All Through the Night, a totally gay romance with her Jules character! Gave it 41/2 stars!

What happened to Carol Stacey's decree that they don't review M/M because their readers don't want it and it would be like "putting yoga in a NASCAR magazine".

I guess we all know money talks loudest and Random House must have a big voice. . Maybe this is the start of NYC houses accepting gay romances along side straight romance. If so, kudos to them and RT! Let's see if other M/M romances that buy ads in RT get reviews.

Internet Radio

2007-08-23T19:51:00.001-04:00

I've just accepted a position to be the host of small weekly broadcast show I'll may/probably/might title Manlove Romance: Love finds its own on a new Internet Radio site. It is a controversy/erotic oriented site. I've been given free rein on my subject matter and my guests. Needless to say, I'm be focusing on writing, erotic romance and gay fiction, the barriers and problems we face (like RT/Hyatt) as writers and publishers of it, finding our audience, why and how, etc. I'll keep you up to date with it as it unfolds. I need to get a better understanding of the whole thing for a few weeks then I'll be up for more creative use of it. I'm still in the planning stages, creating a show name, topics, having banners created for the site and learning how to use the recording equipment. I'll be sure to holler when it's all in place. It'll be a good 6 wks away before the first broadcast show!

DETAILS of the HUNT goes to college!

2007-08-14T22:26:00.000-04:00

Actually, it goes to a university. I just found out recently that my M/M sci-fi adventure erotic romance that was nominated for an EPPIE award has been incorporated into a English class in a Midwestern State University fall 2007 course on "Novel as Genre". It will be available in their campus bookstore! I'm thrilled and more than a little amazed.

The Lost Temple of Karttikeya

2007-08-01T08:10:00.000-04:00

My latest novel is completed. THE LOST TEMPLE OF KARTTIKEYA at LooseId. What started out as a 40,000 word novel became a 56,000 word novel by the end. I just can't do short very well. What can I say, I want to linger on the sex and explore the characters. My idea of flash fiction is creating the title.Which makes my next assignment all the more interesting. I have three short stories due for three separate anthologies.

I love multi-author collections as a reader, especially if I'm unfamiliar with one or more of them. It's like a taste sampler of their work. Let's me try out a new author without committing to an entire novel. But as an author, short stories are a struggle. I want to start at the beginning, not jump into the action right off the start. I want to weave my plots slowly, not slip in back story here and there. I want to have time to set the mood and play with the players. But that's all because I still need to fine tune my writing so that it's tight and concise and flows smoothly. Once I get better at that, I suspect short stories won't make me think about cleaning instead of writing my daily word count goal.

I'll let you know whether the laundry got done or I hit my daily word goal. lol!

RT Letter to Hyatt about the Convention incident

2007-06-07T01:34:00.000-04:00

Above is a copy of a letter I received today from the Hyatt Hotel that included this letter Carol Stacy sent to the hotel. Since the Hyatt felt it important to share a copy of the letter with me, I thought I needed to share it with everyone who has become involved in the incident. Just run your mouse over it and click on it and it will get large enough to read.

As I've said before, no one has to take only my word on any of these occurrences, the way they actually occurred, not the way they are stated above. An editor helped me set out my promo, two publicists witness the removal of my promo, and I was accompanied by another author during the discussion of the removal with RT and the Hyatt people. None of this is 'innuendo and insinuation'. It is all witnessed fact.

I know it may seem petty to some, but while RT was applauding the Hyatt, I didn't notice mention of the dozens of convention attendees that became very ill at this hotel due to the inablity to escape the smoking.

RT-Hyatt Update of a kind

2007-05-16T00:58:00.000-04:00

Now 2 weeks later, RT’s Carol Stacy has been complaining to people that she can’t get hold of me by phone. She has repeatedly called my house. In his opinion, she has been arrogant and demanding to my husband. I work night shift as an ED nurse, have 2 children and was not always present (at work or out of town at Saints and Sinners Book Festival) or not awake to take her calls these last two weeks.

It hasn't been until today that she was civil enough for me to even consider talking to her, but there isn't a thing I'll like to say to her. She had 3 days to talk to me in person at RT about this. It occurred on Thursday and I left on Monday. Never once did she or anyone besides their staff representative discuss it with me even though the staffer did call con organizer on the phone in front of me and a witness to tell her I was there with questions and concerns.

Instead of talking to me personally, the organizer sent Hyatt Customer Service Manager Lance Barnes to talk me. Neither Carol Stacey nor Jo Carol even attempted to speak with me at that time or any other. I was visible and active for the entire conference, including being a captive audience at the book signing for 3 ½ hours.

Talking to me now won't change how they behaved then. I don't see the point in it. I've relayed the witnessed facts about the incident. I haven't asked for a single thing from them but to be treated fairly.

I never said that the Hyatt Customer Service Manager Lance Barnes said it was because of the M/M content. He also didn’t deny it when I stated I thought it was the reason for the removal when his arguments about the location and appearance of the items were refuted by me with facts. Then he suddenly refused to discuss it anymore, immediately turned his back on me and left. He never denied it, not once. All a witnessed event by another author and the RT staffer.

The promo items were placed out of any public area, butted up to all the rest of the promo items. If it was only the location Lance objected to then why was I told I could not return any of it to the promo lane in a new location and if I did it would be removed and taken? That alone tells me it wasn't the location, but the content as the reason it was removed. When my items were removed, others were put in their place in the exact same spot.

I've been told that the Hyatt says they would never interfere with a trade show content. Funny, the guy that said he took down my promo had a Hyatt name plate on his suit.

Thank you all!

2007-05-03T14:40:00.000-04:00

I wanted to take a moment to let everyone know how much I appreciate every word, every thought, and every deed you've all given me on this matter. I'm stunned, thrilled and awed by the responses. They say writing is a lonely occupation. This knocks that expression out of the ball field. I'm damn proud to be an author and part of this community.

Everything I detailed in the previous blog were facts that were witnessed by other people. I'm not relaying a single thing that can't be checked and double checked with other people, including the promo's removal and everything said by RT staff and Hyatt Staff. Every word.

I've been trying to work from within RT's system, to make changes by being a supportive part of the system -- buying ads, being part of the Ball, attending the conference for the last two years. I'm not a rebel or a demanding witch. I'm just working for acceptance of this RWA recognized genre. And I have had readers that came to me from RT ads. I continue to participate in RT cons because they are the only romance gathering around for readers and authors and industry people alike at present. At RT conferences I network with publishers and other authors, as well as publicists and literary agents. Can't do that from home. I feel networking is essential to a career. I'm part of this community and will remain a part of it.