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.

Cabal Story Month

Welcome to August!

This month on The Cabal we're giving you lovelies a very special treat - A Story! But this won't be just any old regular story, nope. We're each going to add a paragraph or two to the story as the month progresses. By the end of the month we should have a true spoof worthy tale that we have shared with you.

Enjoy!

Antoinette thrummed her fingers against her knee impatiently. Her other hand had a death grip on her cell phone, holding it up to her ear. What she really wanted to do was throw it across the room, where it would hit the wall and hopefully shatter into a million pieces. It would cost her dearly to get a new one, but at least until then she wouldn’t have to listen to Ryan’s constant begging for her forgiveness.

“Baby, please it won't happen again,” he whined.

She needed to have him say it—admit it openly. “Do what again?”

(moves to the edge of my seat. What exactly did he do? Hmmm, we'll have to wait to find out!)

-Griffin

My Dearest Sasha....Sit Down & Shut Up

Dear Ms. 0 - 60,

I know that we promised ourselves that we weren't published by 30 that we'd give up and do something else, but maybe you should pump your brakes. Writing fiction is nothing like the dazzling papers your English Professors think you meticulously craft over weeks ...and your friends and dry eyes know you write forty-eight hours before.

Fiction isn't like never losing a game of Trivial Pursuit or remaining undefeated at Tetris (save for the boy you fell in love with that summer). Your Jeopardy obsession -- and your firm belief that you will one day grace its stage -- won't matter. Fiction won't care that your brain is a marvelous machine that helps you see things a different way, makes you organize faster, makes you quirky but efficient.

Fiction. Doesn't. Care.

Welcome to a new ball game. One where you aren't the smartest. One where things won't always (or even often) be easy. You will struggle. I repeat, because you will be incredulous, because you will want to think CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! and immediately want to go out and slay the dragons of writer's block and doubt and think you're above it.

YOU WILL STRUGGLE.

But that's okay. There will be swearing. Lots and lots of imaginative moments when you yell "M**her F**king C**k weasels of Satan!"  There will be tears and nights when you can't sleep, afraid you won't wake up and the words will die in you.

There will be days when you want to give up, believe you'll die of disappointment (we know now that's not possible) and days when you'll believe that any of your mental successes from birth to now were a fluke and you are a moron of the highest magnitude.

But. You'll suck it up, buttercup. Because you're stronger than self doubt. And though you flinch to think it more than once a month or so, you're a much better writer than you give yourself credit for. So, know it's going to hurt, it's going to cause new emotional scars you didn't know you could inflict on yourself.

But all that is worth it when you get your first yes. When you have your first cover reveal, your first release date, your first royalty check. You'll still struggle and fall down, but you'll never forget the fever of WANT that burns inside.

And that will keep you moving. Until then, maybe ditch a bit of the intellectual arrogance and think more along the lines of Dreams Can Come True....though they might look more like a misshapen lump of clay than a beautiful sculpture.

Oh and don't quit at 30. We totally get published at 31.

Sasha

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.

If I Weren't a Writer....Brazen Style

With a name like Brazen Hotness, my "If I weren't a writer" should probably be a little racy with a side of full on titillation and maybe lots of cleavage. Ok it's me, so that would definitely be lots of cleavage.

I won't lie. At one point in my life I did want to be a Vegas Showgirl....mostly because they got to wear such awesome costumes with glitter and feathers and the shoes! There was a time period when I wanted to be a Bond girl. But only if Pierce Brosnan got to be my Bond (This was after Remington Steele was off the air but he had not yet become Bond) and after the movie would routinely call me just to ...chat.  I think the craziest idea I've ever had was wanting to be a dominatrix..again for the clothes and the shoes. 

On the less risque end, I wanted to be a bartender -- I had dreams of competing in the national competitions; a fashion designer -- oh those drawings were terrible;  a geneticist -- kinda hard when you're squeamish from blood; college professor -- English of course!; or the person who came up with the cool/pun names for nail polish.

Romances books weren't my first love (hello mysteries!) or even my second (hi there writing the story lines for video games) but I'd be lying if I wouldn't have found a way to dive, Scrooge McDuck style through those books.

If money were no object, I would be a book reviewer. There are few things on this planet that seem more amazing then reading books and then talking/writing about them non-stop. I had it all planned. I was going to be a middle school librarian by day, book reviewer by night.  With plenty of time to sip tea and shoot the breeze about my books while waving my latest review in the USAToday.

Occasionally I get twitchy and think what if....? But then I remember the wonder of writers cons and the joys of seeing my name on a book like my latest release below.  

Makes it all worthwhile. Though I do have to admit, I could go for a pair of dominatrix boots.....

If I Wasn't A Writer (Chocolate Hotness)

If I wasn’t a writer…

Let’s face it. I know I’m not normal and despite what my mother says, “Baby, you are so unique.” Or what my hubby says, “You are one in a million.” I know that what they’re really saying is, “You are one step away from a strait-jacket.” But hey, the crazy in me takes it all in stride.

It’s no secret that my debut book Dangerously Mine was hatched because I kept having dreams about Earth being invaded by hostile aliens. The self-defense mechanism in my brain just happened to click on and think of a way that the alien invasion could turn into a good thing (being rescued by a hunky alien king and having lots of hot sex). Yay for self-defense mechanisms!

I was blessed with an over active imagination (yes, I see it as a blessing). While my school-age friends were dreaming about the boogey man, I was dreaming about vampires. By the time I reached junior high, my closest friends understood that the cross I wore around my neck wasn’t because I was very religious, it was to stave off a vampire attack. And even though they would laugh about it, whenever a bump was heard in the night, they would all rush to my side. Why? Because I was the only one prepared to fight off a vampire attack.

I would keep two Popsicle sticks in my pocket at all times. Why? You guessed it, so I could whip them out and form a cross at a moment’s notice. Ever since my mom caught me tearing the braches from the trees in the backyard and sharpening the ends on the sidewalk into points, the Popsicle sticks were my only defense.

By high school my vampire obsession hadn't subsided, but had to make room for aliens. I was convinced they were coming and they weren’t going to be happy when they got to Earth. Think about it, if you had to travel years to get to your destination would you be in a good mood? No. Exactly.

Luckily for me, writing provides an outlet for every cray-cray thought I have in my mind. Now, when I wake up in a cold sweat, I turn to my pen and paper and write the craziness down. I, like my family, is hoping that one day I’ll be able to make a living off my craziness.

I could ramble on and on about the inner workings of my mind, but I think you get the gist.

If I weren’t a writer, I would be on medication and sitting in group therapy.

Being a Writer is the Best Job in the World

The life of an erotic romance author: Here I am at Sexapalooza 2012, signing books in front of the EC Bus!

Well, perhaps the title is a bit of an overstatement. I mean I'm not curing cancer or feeding the hungry, but I am making all your panties just a little wetter and some dicks just a little harder. And doesn't that make it all worth it?

Obviously being a published author is cool. I don't think I need to sell anyone on that point. But it occurred to me yesterday that being a writer may be the best "self-owned business" idea ever! So for all you wanna-be entrepreneurs out there, consider the following:

• Start-up capital: virtually zero. 
• You need to get your book written, but I suppose you could even do that on a computer at the library. Realistically, though, you'll need a computer. I started with a $250 netbook. Worked fine to write my first novel on. Other investments may include books about writing, some online writing workshops and the like. You certainly don't need a license, a building, a permit to do business, articles of incorporation, inventory, etc. 

• Be your own boss! 
• Things may become a little less casual for me someday, but right now I decide what I want to write and when I want to write it. I do it on my own time and at my own pace. This statement would change significantly if I was depending on my writing paycheck to supply my food money, or mortgage, or batteries for my vibrator. That shit's serious. I'd have to step it up then! 
• Sure I have an editor to answer to, and some folks also have agents, multiple publishers, etc., but even then, you are in business with those folks to put out a great product. They're your partners in the venture, not your boss. And that's pretty cool.

• FREEDOM. a.k.a. Be what you want to be.
• This is what dawned on me as the best part of being an author. If I'm in a paranormal mood, I can just up and write one! I don't need permission. I don't need acceptance. I don't need to get anyone's "buy-in". It won't mean I'll sell it, but if you have a decent publishing record, you can get a good idea of what you'll sell. If I was, say, an actor, and I was in the mood to work in an action movie, I'd have to wait for someone else to write it, then audition for it, then hope I get the part. Most likely, I'd audition for anything I thought looks like a good fit for me and I really would have no control over it. An actor can't think, "I'd love to star in a romantic comedy," and then go right out there and make it happen immediately and under his control. THAT's what's so cool about being an author.
• Now I'm talking in generalities. There are a lot of actor/writer/producers out there, and at some point, when they're in demand enough or rich enough, actors can call a LOT of the shots--or ALL the shots--I'm sure, but I'm comparing actors that are akin to my level as a writer.

As I finish this blog post, I'm now returning to my latest DIY project--constructing two ottomans for my oversized great room. In other words, I'm TAKING THE DAY OFF from my job. 'Cause I'm the boss. Of course, there's a catch. Time I "take off" from putting the right words on the page in the right order is reflected in my paycheck. You have to keep writing to grow and succeed in this business! That's the best advice you'll ever hear...how do you become a successful writer? You WRITE. And you don't stop.

Damn. I've gotta get to work!!

<3 <3 Piper, a.k.a. Naughty Hotness

What's *your* favorite thing about being a writer? (published or not...if you write, you're a writer!)