Behind the Scenes: 11 authors, 1 project #RedHotValentine

On January 18th, 11 authors each released a short story ranging from 10 to 20,000 words. The stories all had something to do with Valentine's Day, and we named the series Red Hot Valentine. Would you believe me if I told you there were no snags? If so, allow me to show you this lovely swampland in Florida.

But seriously, considering how much there was no manage and navigate, the fact the Red Hot Valentine series went off with very few glitches is pretty remarkable. Here's how it happened:

• Randi Alexander was the brains behind the project. She contacted me, gave me the details, and I was in. A FB group for the authors was created and we began to plan. That was in December 2013.
• As a group, we talked about all the little decisions that come with a series the way we'd decided to do it. One thing that was true from the very beginning was each story would be offered for .99. 
• In the end, each individual author was responsible for their contribution, from cover to editing to uploading. This was a great choice since it didn't put the onus on one person. 
• We also decided to make a public FB page for the series so there would be one place for readers to go to find out more information about the series and the individual stories.
• We started creating our covers and writing our stories, comparing draft copies of covers and snippets from our works in progress. Randi started a document where we each signed up for a cover reveal day. The cover reveals then happened every day or two up to release day on January 18th.
• All of us uploaded our stories and waited for them to go live. A few authors had some glitches with uploading, but I think all eleven stories were up by 2-3 days after release.
• Some strange things happened, like Amazon putting an adult tag on Desiree Holt's contribution, Quarterback Sneak. If you're familiar with Amazon, you know if you get the dreaded adult tag your book stops showing up in searches and other bad things. It took Desiree a few weeks to convince Amazon her story was not, in fact, porn.
• The stories started selling, and personally, I'm really happy with my sales. This story is probably a little sweeter than some of my fans are used to, but they seem to be enjoying it.

Maybe this little behind the scenes vignette isn't that interesting, but I hope you liked hearing about the creation process for a series like Red Hot Valentine. For more information, you can check out our FB page at http://www.facebook.com/RedHotValentine.

My story is titled Turnaround. The blurb:

Becca and James don't date. Both are in their thirties and neither has found anyone they feel is potential spouse material. Becca attends a "We Hate Valentine's Day" party at a local bar where James is bartending. He knows from the first day they meet that Becca is someone special, but Becca's more cautious. James sets out to prove to Becca there really are happy-ever-afters.

Here's the blurb for the Red Hot Valentine series as a whole:

All-new sexy stories from today's hottest romance authors, including Randi Alexander, Shyla Colt, Sable Hunter, Desiree Holt, Cassandra Carr, Graylin Rane, Michel Prince, Jodi Redford, Aliyah Burke, Christin Lovell, and Ty Langston. Don't have a Valentine? You do now! Eleven, to be exact.

An excerpt from Turnaround - it's the "cute meet" scene:

James hung another bunch of black balloons where they wouldn’t be constantly in his way while he mixed drinks at The Ale House’s annual “We Hate Valentine’s Day” party. The irony of having to work this

particular gig when he actually loved this holiday made him shake his head, but work was work.

Nice to have a day where it’s actually encouraged to tell your loved ones you care. Not enough of that in today’s world.

He knew he sounded like a stodgy old codger, but simply because he was thirty-three and still single didn’t mean he thought love sucked. It was more a matter of finding the right girl. James didn’t want to marry just anybody. His parents had been a great example to him and his sister and James refused to settle, even if that meant he stayed single. Doing the whole flowers-and-chocolate thing was often derided by other men, but he loved doing all that stuff. His friends sometimes made fun of him for it but, hey, most of them were still single too, so he ignored them.

“Hey, James,” the bar manager, Mick, said. “You got a copy of the drink specials?”

James held up the black sheet of paper with the annoying white script font. His graphic designer sensibilities wanted to beg those around him to stop using that particular eye-bleeding combination, but this wasn’t his primary job, where people might care what he thought of a design, and he needed this second job–for now–so he kept his mouth shut. Why can’t everyone else see how hard it is to read? Ugh. 

“Yep. All set.” The specials, in keeping with the theme, were called things like Broken Heart and Love Hurts. Since they were expecting a crowd predominantly made up of women, most of the ingredients were geared toward them too–a lot of fruit juices and frozen drinks.

Mick called out, “Opening doors,” and immediately a stream of people burst into the cavernous space. Here in Austin, Texas, the temperature was in the 70s during the day and a little cooler at night so waiting outside wasn’t a big deal, but people sure seemed excited to get started on their own bitter version of “celebrating.”

They kept James hopping for the first half-hour or so. He was turning back toward the bar after using the blender when he spotted her. The slippery glass nearly fell from his hand and strawberry daiquiri dripped down the side and slithered over his fingers. She watched it and licked her lips.

Oh mercy.

He handed the drink, still thankfully mostly full, to the woman who’d ordered it and then grabbed a towel. Focusing his attention on the lovely vision before him, James asked, “What can I get for you?” Brilliant opening salvo, dude. Sure, it was his job, but he could’ve thought of something more witty than that if his brains hadn’t been scrambled by her sudden appearance.

She was clad all in black, so likely an enthusiastic attendee of this party, but there was something in her eyes that said maybe she wasn’t a lost cause. Bright red hair tumbled to her shoulders and was set off by her black, satiny top. Her skin was pale; her face dotted with freckles. His gut told him, despite her apparent distaste for Valentine’s Day, he needed to know this woman better.

She tilted her head at the drink specials menu on the bar in front of her. “I’m not much for these fancy drinks. How about a Stoli and cranberry?”

“A girl after my own heart.” Shit, I wonder if she won’t like me saying that? But a small smile appeared and he set about making her drink. “I’m James. You know, in case you need anything else.”

“Becca.”

“Well, Becca, I hope to see you again.”

Dropping a ten on the bar, she smiled. “When I get thirsty, I’m sure you will.” 

Copyright 2014, Cassandra Carr

For more information about me or my books, check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.

Mr. Darcy and Mr. Thornton - a throwdown - Favorite Fictional Hero

This month we're talking favorite fictional heroes. I have lots of heroes I love, but I keep coming back to Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice and Mr. Thornton from North & South. Yes, both are British, and yes, the accent makes me swoon, but that's not why I love these heroes.

So why?

Their passion.

If you've seen these movies, you might be thinking, "Passion? These two are both stiff upper lip, not easy to know, pretty serious dudes." If you can think of men like Mr. Darcy and Mr. Thornton as dudes...

Bear with me here. If you've ever heard the phrase "still waters run deep", it perfectly describes these two. And really, their heroines, but who wants to talk about women when you can wax poetic about men? Moving on... These men don't wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Mr. Darcy is about as different from his best friend Mr. Bingley as night and day. Bingley falls in love easily and shows it. Mr. Darcy takes more persuading to really put his heart into it. In fact, it isn't until after he proposes to Elizabeth the first time that he really begins to realize this depth of feeling for her. When Elizabeth rebukes Mr. Darcy for behaving in an un-gentlemanlike manner, it cuts deep.

Likewise for Mr. Thornton. Yes, he's in love -- he thinks -- with Margaret when he proposes to her after the incident at the mill, but he really isn't. It's not until he loses everything that he finally faces what his heart knew all along but his head refused to believe - that he won't be happy without Margaret. You might be wondering why he went to Helstone rather than pursuing Margaret in London, but really, it's simple. Like Mr. Darcy, Mr. Thornton has a lot of pride. He's a failure, or so he thinks. The woman he loves is his landlord now. What can he possibly offer her?

Darcy is well aware of what he can offer Elizabeth in terms of money and property, but it isn't until he can offer her his heart without reservation that he proposes the second time.

Yes, both men are not ones to wow women with flowery speeches, but the passion is there. You can see it in their eyes. And when they do speak, it's obvious, moreso in Darcy during his first proposal than his second, and in Thornton in his proposal. Both raise their faces, both pace, both stare at their heroines. And both are devastated, not to mention humiliated, when their heroines flatly refuse their proposals.

You want an impassioned speech? Here's one, the proposal, and subsequent refusal, in North & South:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_FcSm1wUu0   (I would've embedded it but Blogger wouldn't let me)

I could link to Darcy's first proposal as well, but that one is better known, whether from the book or the BBC movie (the Keira Knightley one makes a mockery of the book IMO), so I decided not to. If you want to look it up, I'm quite sure YouTube has the proposal scene.

What am I getting at? Both men have passion. It may be lurking below the surface, but it's there. And that makes both of them drool-worthy.

To learn more about me or my books, you can check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.

A cast of characters for my books?

The December theme here on the Cabal of Hotness blog is casting the characters of our books using real-life actors. But here's the thing: I purposely don't "cast" my characters. Maybe I'm weird, but I feel like assigning them to an actor limits me. I know what they look like, and I tell my readers enough so they know too, but also so they can form their own picture.

If I said my hero looked like Gerard Butler, as a reader I would think you'd attribute certain personality traits to that hero based on what you've seen Gerard Butler do in the past, whether as himself or one of the characters he's played.

Am I nuts in thinking that?

Maybe. But in the spirit of the theme, let's imagine who could play Rob from Underneath It All. Here's the skinny on Rob:

- professional hockey player
- 5'9", 210 pounds (aka stocky)
- olive skin tone
- dark brown hair
- brown eyes
- Italian descent

I found a guy for Rob's cover. This is him:

What do you think? How did I do?

The reason I liked this "Rob" was the facial expression. Rob, though a sweetheart, has a bit of "I'm hot and I know it" to him, and the eyes, the little smirk etc on this guy capture that perfectly. I can't think of an actor who would give me the same impression.

My heroines are even harder. I know what they look like, but I tend to describe my heroes more than my heroines. I guess the way I look at it, is -- most of my readers are female. They want to hear about the man, not the woman who's going to steal their book boyfriend away from them, as all heroines do.

Do you prefer, as a reader, to draw your own conclusions or do you enjoy having the author compare him to a real-life person when describing him in the book? I'm curious to hear your answers!

-- Cassandra

http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com 

My life as a Virgo...

This month we're talking about astrological signs. Mine is Virgo, and I always love these descriptions, because really, can't anyone reading this think, "Hey, that sounds like me!". Anyhoo, I pulled this from http://www.gotohoroscope.com/virgo-meanings.html so let's see how true it is!

The emblem of Virgo, a virgin holding sheaves of wheat in her hands symbolizes wisdom, garnered in the fields of experience. Like the true virgin, most Virgos are shy and, like a virgin tend to wait to give herself to the perfect lover, Virgo is also idealistic. 

Wellll.....I can be shy, believe it or not. As to the other part. *cough* Not so much. And I don't think I've been idealistic a day in my life.

With a Mercury as the ruling planet, people born under this sign are quick thinking and observant. People who were born in this period are as a rule generally successful in life. They have keen, good intellects, are very discriminating about those with whom they associate, and in all business matters they have good judgment, and are not easily imposed upon or deceived. 

I am quick thinking. It sometimes seems to drive those around me nuts. Easily deceived - I'd agree with that. Mostly because even though I'm optimistic, I'm also cynical.
They are usually materialistic in their views of life, and analyze and reason everything from their own way of thinking outwards. These people are attracted to only that knowledge that can be applied usefully. They will happily share this information with anyone, if it confirms their own usefulness in the world, and brings them eagerly out of their shells. 

Analytical? Me? Surely, you jest. *looks around for lightning to strike me down*

These people can become good literary critics, being quick to see the weak points. They are extremely fond of harmony in their surroundings, have excellent taste about their house and dress, and always want things in good taste, and elegant. 

Hey look! Maybe I missed my calling. Perhaps instead of writing the books I should be reviewing them. Nah, that doesn't sound like as much fun. And why, thank you for the complement about my excellent taste and natural elegance. ;-)

Virgos are usually fastidious about their personal appearance, have a great respect for rank and position, and are great supporters of the law and the law's decisions. They usually develop this skill to improve themselves and their surroundings as they place great pride in tangible achievements. These people may spend part of their lives heading off on detours and then suddenly emerge as someone with a remarkable sense of direction. They can adjust easily to change once they find a way of fitting the new situation into their routine. 

Considering I have an MBA and have re-made myself over career-wise three times, I'll buy this stuff.

They are inclined to become wrapped up in themselves and their own ideas, and often become selfish in the close pursuit of their aims. 

Doesn't everybody become wrapped up in themselves?

These people are more capable of going to extremes in good and evil than any other type. 

Surely I fall under the category of good, right? Right? *puts Mistress Hotness whip behind my back*

To people born under this sign love is not dramatic, emotional, or sentimental. Love for them is devotion and will include love of family, friends, and those less fortunate than he or she. There is no pretense involved in how they act or what they say. Marriage is a major commitment; they value their union as both a love relationship and a working partnership. A warm relationship brings out the best in anyone born under this sign because basically they are kind, devoted and very loyal. 

This makes us sound like lap dogs.

Disappointment, however, can harden them into a cynic and a skeptic. Virgos consequently become quite critical with themselves as well as with circumstances, due to the effect of such disappointments on a sensitive and discriminating nature.

Okay, this one, I have to admit, is definitely true. I'm aware I can be quite critical. Sometimes I'm not nice or polite in my criticism, either. But I do try to keep others' feelings in mind.

Friends

People born under this sign have difficulty making friends. They won't make the first step until they feel absolutely comfortable with this people. Yet when they do make the effort, these people are capable of achieving extraordinary things.

I think the cynical nature of my sign has something to do with this, but I will say that I don't have a big circle of true friends. I don't consider this something I need to change in my life, either.

So there you have it. A snapshot of my supposedly personality...Are you a Virgo? Do you know someone (besides me) who is? What do you think of this assessment?

It's Romanticon Madness week with the Cabal of Hotness!

Mornin' all! I'm leaving for Ellora's Cave Romanticon early on Wednesday, as soon as I drop DD off at school. I've never come in this early for a convention - it doesn't officially start til 7pm on Thursday, but I think I'm going to like getting there and settled before the masses descend.

If you've never been to Romanticon, here's what it's all about: fun, and celebrating the genre we all love so much - romance! Sure, the Cavemen are there, and hey, they're hot, but Romanticon isn't about the Cavemen. It's about Ellora's Cave and their books, it's about the authors, and it's about the readers. It's a three-plus day celebration of all that us publishing/reading types hold dear. And that's why it's so awesome.

Last year was my first Romanticon, and I'll admit to some nerves. I didn't know what to expect. But now I do, and I intend to have a great, relaxing time. I know a lot more authors and I hope to meet lots more readers.

Kaener Langford, Shoshanna Evers, and me, last year on Friday night

I want to talk to the publisher, the awesome Raelene Gorlinsky, to find out some of the marketing endeavors Ellora's Cave has coming up. With my background I'm always interested in what the publishers are doing to push our books in this crowded marketplace. I recently did a promotion in conjunction with Ellora's Cave where the first book in my Buckin' Bull Riders series, Impact, was free for two weeks. It was downloaded thousands of times, and I'm hoping to snag some new readers after they read the book. I'm grateful Ellora's Cave gave me the opportunity to do that.

So let's see...what are the highlights of the conference? Don't go by these times, I could be wrong about some of them. I could probably look them up, but I'm running on five hours of sleep, it's 7:45am, and I'm not a morning person.

The Cavemen at the Sunday Night Bingo party. Yes, it's a pajama party.

Thursday, 7pm Meet and Greet - this is the first official event of Romanticon, where all the authors, readers, and Cavemen mingle. There's karaoke, but I'm self-aware enough to know I can't sing and nice enough not to subject people to listening to me.

Friday, 1-2pm Cover Model Shoot - pick two Cavemen, wrag your arms (and hey, legs) around them, and the awesome EC Art Director Syneca Featherstone will snap some pictures. This event is repeated on Saturday at the same time.

Friday, 3-3:50pm Ann Mayburn, me, Cristal Ryder and Piper Trace present Zero to Hero, How to Make Your Hero a Hero in Bed. We're hoping to get some good discussion going here. And Piper is bringing bananas. We can't tell you why.

Friday night New Bollywood party with costumes, dancing, and Cavemen.

Saturday night Old Hollywood party and awards ceremony with costumes, dancing, Cavemen, and lots of lovely awards being given out.

Did I mention that the Cavemen perform? Three times? Oh yeah......

I'm not big on costumes, but I love the ones I have for these parties. I can't wait to see what everyone looks like. And whose saris stay together. I didn't get a sari for New Bollywood night. Knowing me, I'd trip over it and we'd have a dominoes situation. It wouldn't be pretty. People are talking about a really wide variety of costumes for the Old Hollywood party, and they sound really cool.

Sunday, 12-4 Sexporium (aka the big book signing!) with all the authors. I think I'll have two different print books there this year, plus cover flats for three more. Plus, I just might have some special swag for readers who buy a book (or an ebook) that day!

Sunday night Bingo! Look for the lavender basket sponsored by me, Cara Carnes, and Rebecca Royce!

Whew! Then we all drive/fly home on Monday and collapse. Not likely to happen, unfortunately, since many of us have evil day jobs, kids, homes, pets, and husbands (or wives - hey, I'm equal opportunity). We'll sort through our pictures, keeping some for blackmail - did I say that out loud? - and posting some on our websites, blogs, and social media.

The totally awesome Cara Carnes and I at the book signing last year. Can you tell I have a raging migraine?

You can follow the Cabal of Hotness on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CabalofHotness, Ellora's Cave at http://www.twitter.com/EllorasCave, or me at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr. Then there's Facebook. My personal page (where I'll probably post pics since it's way easier from my phone) is https://www.facebook.com/BooksByCassandraCarr?hc_location=stream, Ellora's Cave is https://www.facebook.com/EllorasCavePublishing. Lastly, some authors, readers, and EC itself will be putting stuff up on Pinterest, Instagram...

Hope to see lots of you there! If not, attend virtually.

I'm a bitch... #CabalofHotness

That's right. I'm a bitch. I'm a lover. I'm a child. I'm a mother. I'm a sinner. I'm a saint. I do not feel ashamed.

What am I talking about? My theme song, of course. It's Bitch, by Meredith Brooks.






People have asked me how a lovely woman like me can have "Bitch" for a theme song. (I see you snickering over here. Pipe down.)

I think it's an accurate reflection of me. I am many things to many people. For instance, I really am a nice person. Until you threaten someone I love. Then I am your worst enemy. I'm a child when I run around Chuck E Cheese with my four-year-old. I'm a lover with my husband. I'm a mother when my four-year-old wants to have ice cream eight times a day.

All woman are like this. All adults, really. So while Bitch may seem like a negative song, it's really not. It's a reflection of the life we all lead.

How philosophical, I know. Don't get used to it.

Before I go, I wanted to tell you about a new release I have out. It's an anthology I wrote with two friends, Isabo Kelly and Stacey Agdern. Here's the blurb:

Going All In-
Professional hockey players Marcus, Alex, and Chris attend their team's Vegas Night fundraiser unaware

their lives will change forever. Can they face their difficulties and win the most important game of their lives – the game of love? These guys are going all in…

HEDGING HIS BET: Cassandra Carr
Marcus Mitchell never thought he’d find the love of his life with champagne dripping from her shirt rather than walking the runway at Fashion Week like the models he usually preferred, but you can’t always plan these things. Annalise Alonso isn’t going to make it easy for him, though—he’s going to have to work for her love. Now, Marcus is taking a shot and hedging his bet on love.

CASTING THE DIE: Isabo Kelly
After she sees his murder in a vision, Nathalie Mendez has to warn star hockey goalie Alexander Semenov of the danger. To keep him alive, she risks exposing her many secrets. But once the die is cast, her biggest gamble involves her heart.

PLAYING HER GAME: Stacey Agdern
Melanie Gould has been dubbed ‘The Girl in the Lace Corset’. But she doesn’t always like to be the loud mouth defender of the romances she writes, and is definitely not good at playing the games relationships require. Of course, she’s never gone head to head with a guy like Chris Emerson. Chris is trying to behave, and someone like Melanie would destroy his plans to stay under the radar. So what happens when the ‘Girl in the Lace Corset’ and the NHL’s most infamous bad boy go one on one?  Will they play her game?  Will they play his? Or will they both end up in the penalty box?

Until 9/12/13 it's $2.99 - that's less than a dollar a story, and each averages 28k so it's a great deal! Going All in is on Amazon and Smashwords and should be distributed everywhere else soon.

http://amzn.to/145t6mG
http://bit.ly/15ebHsQ (Smashwords)

I also have a free read that's a bridge story between two books in my Storm series. It's titled Moving Day
and features characters from Should've Known Better and from Underneath It All, which releases this fall.

Here's the blurb for Moving Day:
It's moving day for Sebastian, who's making a home with Sarah. Though Rob couldn't be happier for his friends, after the move has been completed he finds himself at loose ends, questioning the direction his own life is heading. Unbeknownst to him, Sebastian and Sarah are worried about the same thing and hope he can find someone special. Will he ever get his happy ending, or is Rob doomed to eternal bachelorhood?

Download it now at:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moving-day-cassandra-carr/1116394706?ean=2940045205016
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/moving-day-storm-series-1.5/id686796518?mt=11
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/345118
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/moving-day-storm-series-1-5

And remember, there's a little bitch in all of us!

Ideas - the bane and lifeblood of every writer's existence

It's funny - I rarely remember exactly where I got the specific ideas for my books. They come from so many places. Some pop into my head as I'm writing the book and others are stewing in there for weeks or months. Additionally, if I was smart (and sometimes I am!) I might've written down the idea to get it out of my head.

Some writers are plagued with too many ideas and not enough time. I'm one of those. Others are plagued by the opposite problem - they finish a book and then say "Uhhhh, what next?" But no matter which camp you fall into, your ideas, or as they're known in writing circles, your "high concepts", can make or break your career.

When I decided to write about bull riders, I tried to come up with a unique angle. Other, more well-known authors were already writing about them and I didn't want people to pick up my book, roll their eyes and put it back down. I've mentioned this before but perhaps not here, so I'll go over the story behind my bull rider books again.

Collision, book 2 in the series, was originally book 1. I thought about the idea of two athletes together, but wanted to do something different than, say, a female barrel racer and a male bull rider. I wanted people from two different worlds. How about a figure skater and a bull rider? Bingo! And Collision was born. I wrote Impact, which became book 1 of the series, right after Collision, and honestly, my high concept wasn't as unique. But my readers seem to like the book, so I must've done something right. I have a feeling Conner, the hero, has a lot to do with that. Tall, dark, and smoldering. Yum.

The idea for my most recent release, On Display, didn't even come from me. Picture the scene: Ellora's Cave Romanticon conference, October, 2012. Just in case you don't know, Ellora's Cave hires hot guys to pose for their covers exclusively. They're called Cavemen, and let's just say they can be intimidating when you first meet them. Not because they're not friendly -- they are -- but because these guys are MELT YOU INTO A PUDDLE AT THEIR FEET GORGEOUS.

You can see where that might be frightening. But being the brave little soldier I am, I walked into the meet and greet Thursday night armed with an icebreaker question... "Tell me about something I can put in a book." Well, one particular Caveman, David, told me about two things, both of which are now in books. The first thing was a sexual position and ended up in Velocity, book 4 of my bull rider series, and the cover David is on. Yes, I knew that he'd be my cover model when I wrote the scene with the position he told me about. I ain't no dummy. It's called inspiration. ;-)

The other idea was a little more vague. He mentioned an encounter he'd had in the past against a semi-private fence. That idea festered, and I do mean festered, in my brain for months. Finally I knew I needed to get it out of there since it wouldn't leave me alone. These wonderful, irritating ideas are called plot bunnies. They're like an earworm, only an idea rather than a song. And they can drive a writer crazy. So I wrote On Display, which features a sex scene against a semi-private fence. I think I'm going to have to buy David a drink at this year's Romanticon. Hmmm, maybe he'll give me more ideas if I do...

A letter to...er, me!

Hello and happy July! I'd like to say we've been having an awesome summer of weather, but *looks outside at the 60-degree, cloudy day*, we haven't. But do you know what means? More time to write!

In the vein of that, this month we'll be writing letters to our beginning writer selves. I first started pursuing publication about five years ago, and I've learned SO MUCH since then. I've made both good and bad choices. But that's how you learn! Below, my letter to myself:

July 1, 2013

Dear Cassandra,

This is your future self, here to give you some advice and hopefully save you from heartache. Well, actually, heartache as a writer is hard to avoid. But maybe I can mitigate it some!

First of all, realize that publication is a process. For most people, it doesn't happen overnight. Writers do not generally create bestselling books out of the gate. They write crap. And that's okay, that's how you learn.

Take lots of craft classes, but decide what works for you and what doesn't. Not all craft methods will mesh with your writing style. Just because an "expert" says this is how you should do something doesn't mean they're right. Some writers love outlines, some get bogged down in them. Some writers work well with a set writing goal each day, some don't. Figure out what you like and go with that until or unless it's not working for you.

Editors are your friend, not the enemy. They're there to make your book better. Editors are not trying (by and large) to sabotage you, steal your voice, or any of the other paranoid things writers might think their editors are doing. Work with the editor, not against them.

Don't miss deadlines. Don't kill yourself to meet them -- there are extensions, you know -- but do everything in your power to make deadlines. And if you miss one or have to ask for an extension, that's fine. However, making a habit of that labels you as irresponsible.

Covers and blurbs are both important, but throwing a fit over either is not a good thing or a smart idea. You'll get good covers, you'll get awful covers. Do the best you can to communicate your wants and needs and then let it go unless there's something really, really wrong. Same for blurbs. Some publishers have you write your blurbs and don't make any changes, some tweak it, and others will write it for you. Again, choose your battles.

I know there's tons more I could tell you, but I don't want to overwhelm you. So I'll sign off. Check out some of the pretty covers you're going to have in the future!

Sincerely,

Cassandra



To learn more about me or my books, visit http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.

RELEASE DAY: Fondled and Gobbled Back For More

Ring that gong... we've got another release!

Fondled and Gobbled: Back For More is available today through Ellora's Cave

A bakery owner gets much more than she expected from her discount android’s determination to serve her. A lovelorn stalker does whatever it takes to have the muscle man of her dreams. Two alien warriors experience the inconveniences and pleasures of being forced into human bodies. A woman has always known she was destined to join the paranormal world of shifters, and tonight all of her dreams—or nightmares—come true.

If you’re looking for the perfect romance with the perfect hero and heroine, this isn’t it! This is a series of spoofs, parodies, just-for-fun lighthearted take-offs. It’s for all us longtime, hard-core romance readers who can laugh at the clichés, purple prose and “suspend your disbelief” plot devices that haunt our beloved favorite genre.

Oh... and there are more of this hilarious books. Check out the first two Fondled and Gobbled books...

 The perfect man—with the imperfect cock and oral skills. The Dom who isn’t a dom, and the man who proves it to him. The alien with dessert-flavored semen and three cocks. The older man (a kajillionaire with a penthouse in Seattle…) who has limitless ability to come all night with his naïve little virgin. A woman on a diet who craves a feast of meat and finds herself five Broadshaft Brothers who can deliver.

Ellora's Cave
Amazon

The virgin whose carefully planned hymen removal doesn’t work out the way romance novels told her it would. A busty broad doing what she can to get over her penis anxiety—assisted by a cadre of male strippers. A not-so-bright (and not so “big”) alien who comes to claim his life-mate, and the Earth girl who wants to be claimed at all costs. A cursed, mute shapeshifter who needs to pop his cherry with his unsuspecting fated mate…

Ellora's Cave
Amazon




 AND... we have two more coming out this summer!

If I could go anywhere...

it would be Europe. For about a month. Without my child.

I love my child, but the thought of carting her all over Europe makes hives break out.

So where in Europe would I go?

A port that's now a monument, The Netherlands
Photo by Bert CC-BY-2.0, Creative Commons license

Many people only go to The Netherlands to see Amsterdam, but there's so much more to this little country than legal prostitution and cannabis coffee shops. Obviously there are tons of windmills, as The Netherlands is known for those, but as you can see from the photo above there's also gorgeous old buildings and lots of flat lands if you're a cyclist like I am.

Bavaria in Germany
Photo by Berthold Werner, Public domain, Creative Commons license

Like every country there are several different areas of Germany. The Rhone district boasts lots of vineyards on steep hills angling away from the Rhone River. There's a cool little island town that's filled with buildings from medieval times and a huge BMW factory in Stuttgart, among other things.

Alsace region of France
Photo by JLPC CC-BY-SA-3.0 Creative Commons license

The Alsace region of France would probably be a personal favorite considering some of my favorite wines are Sauvignon Blancs, which this area does better than anywhere else in the world. Of course, there's also the French Riveria, Paris...

Cool castle in Denmark
Photo by Malene Thyssen  CC-BY-SA-2.5 Creative Commons license

There's way more to Denmark than Copenhagen, though that looks like a pretty cool city. For instance, the original Legoland is in Denmark (which is the corporate HQ for Lego), and within Denmark is the world-famous Tivoli Gardens if you insist on not branching out past the city limits.

Prague, Czech Republic
Digr at wts wikivoyage CC-BY-3.0 Creative Commons license

There are some very cool hot springs in the Czech Republic. I've always wanted to visit one of these. There's also a walled city that dates back to the 14th century. And, like much of Europe, there are some cool castles.

Brussels, Belgium
Photo by Marc Ryckaert, Creative Commons License

Did you know that Brussels is the capital of the European Union? Pretty cool. In Bruges some ancient buildings have been preserved, which is something I'm always interested in.

"Big Ben" in London - Westminster Palace
Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0 (Creative Commons license)

How can you not want to go to London, and all of Great Britain, for that matter? I'd love to see the house that stood in for Pemberley in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, if nothing else.

And that's just the beginning. See why I'd need so long?

And the completely fictional award goes to...

The hero who's Most Likely to Make You Melt With His Sweet Nothings...

The nominees:

Sebastian St. Amant (Should've Known Better), who speaks French
Marco D'Alessandro (Momentum), who speaks Italian
Paolo D'Alessandro (Velocity), who also speaks Italian

Here are some examples of the sweet nothings:

Sebastian -

He started to pick her up, and she protested. “I can walk. You’ll hurt yourself.”
Sebastian scoffed. “Ma belle, I bench two hundred fifty pounds for twenty reps three times a week. A tiny thing like you is not going to hurt me. Je suis un homme grand et fort.”
Sarah laughed as he described himself as a big, strong man.


Marco-

“Aren’t you going to kiss me goodnight?”
Marco ran a fingertip down her cheek and then over her lower lip. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t hurt me.”
“Not for anything in the world, amante.”

Paolo-

“Tu sei la mia bella donna,” he whispered, still playing with her hair with one hand as the other was trapped under the pillow.

Savannah smiled. “Why does it turn me on so much when you speak Italian?”

Paolo chuckled. “Maybe I should do it more often.”

“Maybe you should.” She ran her fingertips down his neck and over his torso. “What does it mean?”

Tilting her head up, he looked into her eyes and said, “You are my beautiful woman.”

“Wow.”

“Voglio che tu così tanto.”

“And what does that mean?”

“I want you so much.”

“So many words to express a simple concept.”

Who should be the winner? (And yes, I did try to make them around the same length, but it was difficult.)

Tell me in the comments and you can win a copy of the 2013 Hot Damn calendar. Scott Nova, who's featured in it, signed it while he was at RT.

For more information about me or my books, check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.

If I wasn't a writer...

The crazy members of the Cabal of Hotness need keepers. This is something we know. But we do try to keep each other in line. One of the more organizationally-skilled members of the Cabal is the lovely Danica Avet. Danica, in her infinite wisdom, has provided the rest of us with themes for our blogging.

I love themes. They make blogging way easier. If I don't have to come up with a topic, I'm already ahead of the game. So why am I talking about all this? First, because I can. It's my blog post and I'll do what I want. *evil cackle* Second, because the theme of this blog is:

If I wasn't a writer...

Huh. If I wasn't a writer. I assume the biggest question here is "What would I be?" and I suppose "An unemployed housewife sitting around the house and eating bonbons" is an unacceptable answer. You people are slave drivers.

Okay, so what would I be? As boring as it sounds, I'd probably go back to what I was doing in my Evil Day Job - marketing/PR/media relations/event planning. Yes, I was a Jack (or more accurately) Jill-of-all-Trades, Master of None. I worked in my Evil Day Job during the Great Corporate Restructuring, when employees were being laid off, departments were being consolidated, and entire companies were being swallowed up. So even though I started out in a specific area - market research - I soon had to learn a lot of other skills.

I didn't hate the work. I hated some of the companies and most of my idiot bosses, but I liked the work itself. And I was good at it. I especially loved doing media relations and PR for the cancer hospital in my area. You see, I'm a cancer survivor, and that hospital is where I had my treatment. I literally owe them my life. After treatment, I worked at the hospital at two separate times doing two completely different things, but of the two positions, I loved doing the PR and media relations.

It was awesome work to tell people what a great place the hospital was. I'm sure some of you are thinking - it's a cancer hospital where people die every day. What's so great about that? It's true, of course, that people die every day there. But a lot of people live. And they live because of the great medical and research staffs the hospital employs. So why wouldn't I focus on that and be grateful for that?

So if I wasn't a writer, I'd hopefully still be working for that hospital, tooting its horn 'round the globe.

Now that we've gotten that serious stuff out of the way, have you seen my latest covers? Might want to get a drool cloth...

Yummy, no? For more information about these books or any of my others, check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.

-- Cassandra

Five things I'd want on a desert island...

So I'm stranded on a desert island. Let's say the island is large enough to provide a little shelter under the trees and enough food that's not poisonous (and I know the difference) to at least sustain me. Hey, this is my blog and I'm making up the rules around here...

With the essentials taken care of, I can concentrate on things that will make my life easier until I'm rescued.

1. Hot man who also happens to be strong and agile - he can be a huge help for finding food and fighting off beastly creatures. When he's done with that he can provide...other services.
2. Generator and a source of gas on the island- I've got to have somewhere to recharge my Kindle, right?
3. Kindle loaded with five thousand books- I figure those will take me a while to get through.
4. Unlimited supply of sunscreen- I am a pale little thing, unfortunately, and burn within about ten minutes of being out in the sun.
5. Spring/lake with fresh water- it can serve so many purposes...bathing, cooking, drinking, frolicking...

Yep, those are my five. What do you think?

My first male/male romance just released from Loose Id last week. It's called See the Light. Here's the blurb and an excerpt:


Hockey player Jason Monroe lives a double life—star defenseman and soon-to-be Olympian on the ice and closeted gay man outside the rink. A serious relationship is out of the question, and Jason makes do with anonymous sex in barroom bathrooms, not willing to take the chance on coming out as gay in a decidedly macho sport.

Advisor to the US Olympic hockey team Patrick Parker knows a thing or two about being a professional hockey player who’s not out.  He’s fifteen years older than Jason, and when he senses the sexy younger man is interested, he knows he shouldn’t give in to the attraction. The two men can’t keep their hands off each other, though, and with each heated encounter it gets harder to hide their relationship. Then their world blows up around them, forcing them into the limelight. Will their love survive or be put on ice?


EXCERPT


Jason stared at the other man, the lust burning him where he stood. He moved even closer, like a moth to a flame.
What the fuck am I doing?
Apparently Patrick didn’t know either, because his expression became alarmed. “What?”
I can’t stop.
“I need to do this.”
Not giving Patrick a chance to react to his words, Jason grabbed him, one hand palming the back of Patrick’s head as Jason’s other arm snaked around the man’s waist, pulling him into Patrick’s rock-hard body. It was obvious the man kept in shape, despite his playing days being over, and a tortured moan escaped before he could stop it. Jason dived into Patrick’s mouth as the passion flared, melting him from the inside out. He hadn’t kissed a man in years, and he realized how much he’d missed it as the kiss went on and on, neither man willing to let the other go.
He could feel Patrick’s cock as it lined up with his, and even through layers of clothing Jason felt the heat pouring off the other man. It made him want to submit to anything Patrick desired, which confused him. Honestly Jason couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a man’s dick in his mouth, but right now he’d give just about anything to suck Patrick off.
Patrick pushed them backward until they crashed into the wall, never letting their lips separate as he took control of the kiss. With a growl,  the older man reached down and cupped Jason’s ass, pulling their cocks even closer and rubbing them together. Jason turned his head to the side with a gasp to break the kiss before he passed out, but Patrick kept at him, scoring his teeth down Jason’s neck to his pulse point.
“So fucking hot.”

Copyright 2013, Cassandra Carr

See the Light is available at Loose Id, Amazon, and ARe. B&N and other third-party retailers should have it soon.

For more info about me or my books, check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.

-- Cassandra

Cabal of Hotness: Released onto the world!

The moment you've all been waitng for is finally here.

The Cabal of Hotness Present:

Fondled and Gobbled: Someone Had To Do It

How did the madness begin? Well, Nine authors met at Ellora's Cave Romanticon 2012, and a writing and support group was formed: the Cabal of Hotness. We decided it would be fun to do a series of erotic spoofs, and after pitching the idea to Ellora's Cave, Fondled and Gobbled was born.

Blurb:
The perfect man—with the imperfect cock and oral skills. The Dom who isn’t a dom, and the man who proves it to him. The alien with dessert-flavored semen and three cocks. The older man (a kajillionaire with a penthouse in Seattle…) who has limitless ability to come all night with his naïve little virgin. A woman on a diet who craves a feast of meat and finds herself five Broadshaft Brothers who can deliver.

If you’re looking for the perfect romance with the perfect hero and heroine, this isn’t it! This is a series of spoofs, parodies, just-for-fun lighthearted take-offs. It’s for all us longtime, hard-core romance readers who can laugh at the clichés, purple prose and “suspend your disbelief” plot devices that haunt our beloved favorite genre.

You can read even more erotic spoofs and goofs in Fondled and Gobbled: Going Back for Seconds available February 22nd.

Snippets:
*Danica Avet’s Cookie Bound: *
His hands reached for my bra, but I shook my head and gave him a little
shove in the direction of the sofa. My boobs were far too saggy to be seen
in the light of day and the only way my bra was coming off in front of him
was with a court order and a crowbar.

*Lea Barrymire’s Moonlust Paradise:*
She didn’t want to let his cock out of her mouth. Mumbling around his dick
she tried to answer, but it came out garbled. “Mithy.”
“You must remove my cock from your mouth. I didn’t understand you and the
translation chip didn’t catch what you said.”

*Cassandra Carr’s Wild Fantasy Hero:*
“Baby girl?” her man said from the couch. “I need you again.”
“Again? But the last time we had sex was only a few hours ago. I haven’t
even had my protein shake.”
“I’ll give you a protein shake.” Grey waggled his eyebrows and Steele
frowned.

*Piper Trace’s Slave to the Sausage:*
They closed in on her… Five muscled studs, large and tanned and in
possession of delicious sausage secrets shared only amongst themselves.
Emily instantly dropped the package, the condoms, her diet plan and her
good intentions and squealed as five sets of strong hands carried her like
their new toy to the kitchen table she’d set for one

Help support the madness!
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Buy Links:
Ellora's Cave
Kindle
Barnes & Noble

2013 is going to be a kick-ass year!

When we were choosing themes for the blog, and the theme of "What are you most looking forward to in 2013" came up in discussion, I thought it was an intriguing idea. There are so many ways different members of the Cabal of Hotness could answer the question. We're all at different points in our writing careers, and some of us have personal things going on in our lives that we also might be looking forward to.

As for me, well, I'm looking forward to September when my daughter starts full-time preschool. Now, I've heard it all from other mothers, "Cherish this time, they won't be young forever" and "You have plenty of time to write later - take this time with your daughter!", amongst other things. Allow me to refute these points. First, we should cherish the time we spend with our kids, but shouldn't we cherish it no matter how old they are? Yes, I know it's hard to cherish teenagers, but you get my drift. Then the "plenty of time later" discussion? Actually, no, I don't have plenty of time. Publishing is notoriously fickle, and if I decide to take five years off to spend with my daughter full-time, I might very well back to a career that's in shambles, unable to be revived.

Before you start thinking this whole post is going to be a downer, let's talk about some of the other things I'm looking forward to. I'm going to three conferences this year, starting with Naughty Sleepover later this month, then to RT in May, and back to EC's Romanticon in October. I'm also doing a weekend-long writing retreat in September. I love going to conferences. Not only do you get a chance to stop staring at a computer screen day in and day out, but you learn; you meet readers and agents and editors and reviewers. And you get to party with all the authors you admire. What could be better?

I'm also looking forward to releasing the first book I ever wrote, Should've Known Better. I love the hero, Sebastian, and I sooo wanted his story told. Now it will be, with the help of a great small press called Twenty or Less Press. I've published with their erotic arm, Sybarite Seductions, before, and I love them. I will be putting out at least two more bull rider books for my Buckin' Bull Riders series, as well as my first male/male story.

And of course, there's all the cool stuff the Cabal of Hotness is doing. Stay tuned, because Fondled and Gobbled has hardly even scratched the surface of the talent of these writers.

So yeah, I'm looking forward to a lot in 2013. I fully expect it will be a kick-ass year. I'm so grateful to have all of you along for the ride. You're the reason we do this - the reason we write. So thank you for reading. Without you, we'd be nothing.

If you see me at a conference, please do come introduce yourself. I'd love to have the opportunity to meet you and thank you in person!
-- Cassandra

For more information about me or my books, check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.

Meet Mistress Hotness!

Well, well, well. It's time. Come to me, dearies... *crooking finger*

I'm Mistress Hotness, aka Cassandra Carr. I think I'll keep how I got that nickname a mystery. But I'm sure you greedy people want to know a little something about me, so I'd better comply. After all, I want to lure you all into a false sense of complacency make you feel welcome.

I was first published in March of 2011 and I believe my latest sale was my nineteenth. They haven't all been full-length novels. I get bored, so I write shorts, anthologies, novellas, AND novels. I also write in several subgenres for the same reason - m/f, BDSM, m/m, menage...

I am currently published with Loose Id, Ellora's Cave, Siren Publishing, and Sybarite Seductions. I may be adding to that list in the near future, so keep your eyes on this space or on my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraCarr or follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr.

Lately I've been very, very busy with releases. I had four between mid-November and end of 2012, and I have four more before the end of February. The list:

• Close Contact - an anthology with fellow Cabal of Hotness member Honey Hotness (Cristal Ryder) and Cynthia Carr http://www.sybariteseductions.com
• Birthday Boy - an EC for Men Quickie http://www.ellorascave.com/birthdayboy.html
• Master Class - a BDSM holiday story - yes, it's possible to combine BDSM and the holidays http://www.loose-id.com/master-class.html
• Momentum - book 3, Buckin' Bull Riders series - Italian bull rider, anyone? http://www.ellorascave.com/momentum.html
• Only You - an anthology releasing 1/15/13 http://amzn.com/1573449091
• Unexpected Top - a novella releasing 1/18/13 and part of the Ellora's Cave special sub call Ball & Chain (married couples) http://www.ellorascave.com/unexpected-top.html
• Fondled and Gobbled vol 1: Someone Had to Do It - an anthology releasing 2/6/13 with four other Cabal of Hotness members - the others are featured in vol 2: Going Back for Seconds http://www.ellorascave.com/fondled-and-gobbled-someone-had-to-do-it.html
• See the Light - a male/male story releasing 2/26/13 and my first foray into GBLT fiction   (no link yet)

*** Other buy links for many of these books are on my website

When I'm not writing, and that's hardly ever, according to my Cabal of Hotness conspirators, I'm a wife and the mother of a precocious four-year-old. Since the NHL has gotten its head out of its ass I'll once again be a huge Buffalo Sabres fan. I don't watch much TV because it cuts into my writing time, but I do love buying TV series on DVD and watching them that way. We got a DVD holder last Christmas and it's pretty much full. My daughter has half of one shelf, our Wii stuff has another shelf, and I have four and a half shelves.

I loved meeting all these other ladies women at Romanticon, and I'm quite sure we're going to get into a lot of trouble together. But that's the way y'all want it, right?

Now for my gratuitous mancandy shot. My favorite Caveman, David.
He can put out my fire any time he wants...

Photo courtesy of Jay Fuertez Photography and David Nieves

And lastly, our contest! We've got a great prize! Go enter. I'll wait...okay, enough waiting. 

Talk to you all soon!

To enter to win an awesome Amazon gift card ($100.00), subscribe to our blog, follow us on twitter and comment on any or all of our posts this month. Each comment equals one entry. Subscribing equals two entries. Make sure to leave your email addy on your comments. The winner will be chosen at the end of the month and contacted via email.

Here's the legal mumbo jumbo: 
- Entering this contest means you have read, understood, and agree with all rules and regulations stated.
- Entrants must be 18 or older (or age of majority in your country) to enter and to win.
- No purchase necessary.
- Void where prohibited.
- All stated rules are subject to change without notification or reason given.
- Chances of winning vary widely based on the number of entries received.
- Prize is as stated. No substitutions or exchanges.
- Contest host is not responsible to misrepresented/mistyped email addresses, spam filters, mailer daemons, and other internet wackiness that may crop up at the time of winner notification.
- Winners are final.
- Contest Starts 00:01EST January 1st, 2013 and Ends 12:59EST January 31st, 2013 and open to International participants
- Winners will be notified via email, twitter, or facebook no later than 12:00EST Feb 3rd, 2013 
-Respond by date to collect prize is 14 days from notification date.