Cyn

The authors of Romancing the Blog have made some interesting points regarding the latest fiction scandal, the plagarism accusations surrounding Cassie Edwards.

As I've written elsewhere, the accusations are disturbing on several levels.  At this point all one can really do is vote with their finances either pro or con, and make sure they (if they write) don't fall into the same trap.

Many, many books tell us over and again there are truly only a few plots.  Many, many books tell us it is the way we present those plots that make them unique.  How many times have we been instructed using The Wizard of Oz movie as a template?  And how many books have we read that use The Wizard of Oz as a template that we don't even recognize the book as following that pattern because the author has done an excellent job of altering that pattern into something that fits his/her personality and writing style? 

Does it take effort to take a dress pattern and create a new gown, different from all the others out there, even if you are using the Vogue pattern?  Of course it does.  On a basic level, you change the material, change the notions, the color, maybe combine the sleeve of this pattern with the bodice of that (there are usually several patterns in a pattern envelope).  The more experienced you get, the less you may rely on the pattern, perhaps only using the most basic shape to get the sizing right, and using more to complete the project from your experience and imagination. 

As the authors of Romancing the Blog mentioned, it is getting easier all the time to use technology to verify information, search books, find examples of plagarism.  It is up to authors to be as ethical as possible and to create their own stories with a clear conscience, knowing they've tweaked, adjusted, accessorized in a way unique to themselves.

Nicole Harvey, a reviewer at Paranormal Romance, had awesome things to say about my time travel book, This Time Forever.  This Time Forever is book 7 in a series that has been in the making for nearly two years by erotic romance writers affliated with Loose Id (see page 8 of listings under books by tie-in, series to see the collection).  Authors include Mechele Armstrong, Emily Veinglory,  A.J. Matthews, Ally Blue, Jeanne Barrack, Kai Anderson, Jade Rivers and Diane Charles Linford.

Here is a little excerpt from: The Collector 7: This Time Forever

Rand reached forward and yanked the material from beneath the slim fingers.

A whoosh escaped his lungs, half sigh, half gasp. Dropping his sword arm, he could do nothing but stare. “You’re dead.”

“Oh, please,” the vision implored. “I’m not quite ready to die yet.”

The husky voice was the same, but the trespasser before him looked different than his beloved. Small of stature and with short brown hair, piercing green eyes, and full, ripe lips, this person had the appearance of a young man. Yet, dressed differently, would this person look like Emma? The pale skin and vibrant eyes along with her voice drew forth the loneliness he’d buried deep when she passed. “Who are you?”

He sounded weak to his own ears. He forced himself to resume the stature and poise of a commander, to dam the well of memory that had gushed forth. “I’ll thank you not to keep me waiting as long as you did before.”

“Well, that couldn’t be helped.”

“Why is that?”

“I…I…was afraid.”

“As well you should be, lad-”

“What? I am not a boy!”

Rand’s forehead furrowed as he studied the person before him. “Step away from the curtain.”

He studied the figure before him. If this was a woman, he could see no evidence to her claim. “You wear the clothing of a man.”

Those green eyes narrowed and filled with anger. “Well, I don’t have a fucking dick!”

“No lady of my acquaintance would speak thus.”

“Bingo! Captain Queeg. I don’t know you from Adam, and I’m sure a real lady wouldn’t associate with you.” She sniffed the air. “You haven’t had a bath in ages.”

How dare this slip of a…whatever speak to him so! “I’ll have you prove your claim. But I warn you, should you be other than that which you state, I will run you through without a moment’s hesitation.”

For emphasis, he pressed the point of his sword against the lad’s throat, praying the memories evoked would subside. “Do not tarry. I lack patience.”

“So it seems,” came the saucy reply.

CAPA Nominated, EPPIE Finalist BLIND DEVOTION is the story of a woman living in jeopardy and a man chosen to protect her. Can a fighting priest save a woman once she's wakened, not one, but two mythical monsters?

Reviewers say:

A beautifully written tale of love, magic and faith, Ms. Storey has created a rich fantasy world that appeals to all of her reader's senses and tugs at the heartstrings. The conflict between Azari and Tor's feelings and the restrictions placed on them by society creates a gripping story that is sure to please anyone who loves a little magic mixed with their romance. Jennie, Enchanted Ramblings


Azari is a great character. She is confident and unwilling to sacrifice her strong will just to have a man. She would rather just remain a virgin until she finds a man who accepts her as she is. Tor is a strong man but he is unwilling to open himself to love since that would be sacrilegious towards his Goddess. Plus he has seen the suffering love can cause. When they first meet they are like oil and vinegar but Azari piques Tor’s interest because she doesn’t bow down and kiss his feet. Julie Esparza, Just Erotic Romance Reviews

Ms. Lucynda Storey has written an exciting story with all the romance, danger, and suspense you could ask for. I admired Azari for her hard-headed determination to stand by her man against impossible odds. Tor’s inner struggles between his growing love for Azari and his vows as a priest will keep every reader second guessing the ending.        Kathy, Coffeetime Romance

'Blind Devotion,' is appropriately named because of Tor's love of the goddess. The setting is a world where magic exists…. The story tells how people can misinterpret ideas, changing the original beliefs. Tor is dedicated and willing to sacrifice what he desires for his beliefs. Azari understands Tor and although she would like to be with him, loves him enough to let go. The romance is passionate and beautifully expressed. Anita, The Romance Studio



Blurb:

When Azari runs from a wild animal, she has no idea her life is about to change irrevocably. Unwittingly, she has awakened two mythical beings intent on possessing her. Escaping to an isolated cabin, Azari meets an unlikely protector, Tor, the High Priest of Eiliki. Together, Azari and Tor face the greatest challenges of their lives – survival. Will Tor’s blind devotion to the Goddess prevent him from accepting the greatest gift he’s ever been given, or will the dogma of his religion and his own past keep him from making the right decision?


Excerpt:

Dear Goddess, when had his needs ever overtaken his senses before? Anger with himself propelled him through the trees along the rough trail he chose. Long ago, he’d made a vow that he would not develop an attachment to any woman yet here he was lusting after Azari like some sort of proprietary animal. A beast led by carnal desire.

He’d have her to her home soon. They’d warn the village of the impending danger and then he’d be done with her. Despite the visions he’d seen in the globe, Tor would walk away from her. Before his emotions followed his rod. Before he buried himself in her sweet, hot wetness again. And again. And again.

Dear Goddess. No. This was not happening. Abruptly he stopped and leaned against a siasma tree. The stringy bark peeled easily beneath his fingers. How could he serve the Goddess when his thoughts continually returned to making love to Azari?

“Are you alright?”

Her voice blanketed him with softness. He stared at the hand that touched his arm. The longing he’d been trying to bank leapt to full flame again. He snapped, “How can I be when you touch me?”

At that, she dropped her hand and resumed her trek through the woods. It was only when Tor saw her run that he realized the wound he’d dealt.

Tor gave chase. Pain lanced his heart when he caught her and saw the tears on her face. “Azari. I’m not worthy of your tears. I cannot give you what you desire.”

Defiantly, she lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “What do I desire?”

Wiping away a tear with the pad of his thumb, he answered. “I know what you think. A home, family, love. I can give you none of those.”

“Don’t you want them?”

“I cannot want them.”

“Tor, the man, or Tor, the High Priest?”

“It’s not that simple, Azari. To want you for more than a vessel to spill my seed is sacrilege.”

“It didn’t stop you earlier.”

Around them, the sounds of the forest diminished, as if the animals prepared for a coming storm. “You used me, Azari. I willingly allowed it. Even after I told you the loss of your virginity would not alter, for reasons I don’t comprehend, the course of the dragon and cevere. Even after you saw for yourself the truth in the crystal.”

“And what if I want more?”

The truth tore through him. She did, indeed, want more. She wanted his love, something he’d given no other human since Salmond’s death. Her innocence and trust in him called to him, but he couldn’t allow himself to fall into dream she created. “It changes nothing.”

“I don’t care about the High Priest.”

“You must,” he replied, agony in his simple words.

She stroked her hand down his chest, down to his inner thigh. “I want Tor the man.”

If she fell in love with him, it would make it too easy to love her back, and that he would not do to either of them. He grabbed her wrist and wrenched her hand away. He had to stop this madness. “You have Tor, the High Priest. It’s time you remembered that.”

“You don’t think that way, I know it.”

Through lips held tight, he ground out, “You know nothing, Azari. The Goddess is my companion, not you.” He had to make her see that a relationship with him was not possible. He belonged to another, and his burgeoning feelings for the spitfire had to be dampened. He had to drive her emotionally away from him if either of them would live. “You are nothing but a vessel to be used for the conception of my child.”

The ramifications of their relationship were agonizingly simple. He had to make her see what loving him would do to her.

With deliberate coldness in his voice he continued, “A child that will be taken from you at birth and raised by another. An infant you will not be allowed to see once you’ve given birth. This is what you will receive for your union with me.”

He grabbed her shoulder and forced himself to look her directly in the eyes. He enunciated each word. “Nothing more.”

He watched her face. The confidence of a moment ago disappeared, replaced by a fresh injury.

“I do not believe this,” she whispered.

Neither do I, his heart ached to confess. In one short day, Azari had shown him the possibility of life with a real flesh and blood woman.

Tears glistened in her green eyes. His heart twisted, but he had to be as hard as the rocks that weakened the bottom of the canoe they’d left behind. The pain she’d endure now would be nothing compared to what she’d suffer if she persisted in the delusion of a mutual love they’d never share.

“It matters not what you believe. My life is what it is, given in service to Eiliki.” He delivered his final blow. “Don’t touch me, Azari, ever again, without my leave.”

www.lucyndastorey.com

BLIND DEVOTION available TODAY

Rose Light is one of those stories that goes unexpected places.  The sexual content includes a foot fetish scene which was surpisingly erotic as I'd never read something like that before. The historic feel to the story was well researched and the author, a resident of Great Britain spent time in the location, studying the homes of the era.

In this excerpt, Rose has recently returned from her mother’s grave and has made dinner for her step-mother and step-sisters.

Take one wicked stepmother and two older, conniving sisters, and you may think you’ve heard this tale before. You haven’t -- not this way. Let Rose Light tell you her story.

~*~*~*~*~~*

The little ones sat in silence, their eyes shifting from one adult to another. Hatred and amusement as well as weariness lit their collective gaze. Charlotte and Regina were from Margaret’s first marriage. The others were her siblings, or so Margaret said. Rose supposed they meant her to disregard that they looked nothing like either her or her father. They were girls all: Elise, Jane, Emily and Georgina.

“Finish serving,” Margaret ordered.

Rose had only placed the main course on the table. She had not even taken her seat and already the great sow feasted. Rose brought the vegetables to the table and served the others. The only sound in the room was the great smacking of two rubbery lips as the pig masticated.

A sudden knock at the door froze them all. Surprised glances met each other and passed over. Rose would have wiped her hands on her apron and answered it, but to her amazement, Regina, possibly overcome by the sight of pork on her plate, did it for her. No doubt, Regina thought it was her benefactor. A wealthy man came to call on her and a promise of marriage hung in the air. Rose suspected he had already wed, but his gifts helped to keep the roof over their heads.

Much to Rose’s personal surprise, a young man she certainly recognized entered the house. Regina, no doubt taken aback, brought him into the kitchen with her. John Bennett removed his top hat and glanced around the occupants of the room. Rose hovered behind Charlotte who had risen, and so remained hidden.

“Forgive me,” he said. “I regret disturbing you. I am looking for a woman by the name of Rose Light.”

In shock, Charlotte looked over her shoulder directly at Rose and moved to the side, revealing her. At the same time, Regina turned her head and smirked at her. As was so often the case, her eyes looked lazy and evil. Rose stared at John Bennett as he inclined his head a little at the sight of her. Returning to her senses, Margaret must have realized that gravy and spittle adorned her chin. She mopped at her face with a napkin, and then stood.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she began.

John Bennett regarded her. “Sorry for what, madam?”

“For whatever it is that my ungrateful stepdaughter has done, sir.” She waved a hand in the air as though illustrating her explanation. The gesture seemed to encompass all things as though the hovel they lived in was Rose’s fault and no other.

John Bennett moved further into the room. He gripped his hat as though it were the only thing separating him from the inhabitants. Rose lifted an eyebrow at the way he nervously clung to it. Lifting her gaze to his face, a peculiar notion overcame her that he had seen her speculation. He turned to her stepmother. “I assure you, Madam Light, she has done nothing other than speaking unexpectedly and forcing me to face a truth I did not wish to hear. In that, she has done a stranger an act of kindness. I wished to see if there was some form of benevolence I could repay in like manner.”

His declaration seemed to stun everyone and they exchanged the same wandering glances of confusion before staring inanely at the table. Everyone, including John Bennett, shifted awkwardly – everyone except Rose.

Now available at:

Aspen Mountain Press

Life takes strange twists sometimes.  Sometimes, well actually a lot of the time, you can't choose where you live as a kid, what school you attend, who your neighbors are.  And sometimes, those lack of choices influence who you grow up to be.

That's what happens in Birdman by Jack Teeter.   The anti-hero and his family have problems with the neighbors.  Problems that extend throughout Dante Coalson's high school and college career.  Problems that leave Dante with an unsatisfied thirst for revenge, a revenge that lasts his entire life.

Birdman isn't for everyone (like young kids or people looking for a romance).  Dante is a dangerous man who lives a violent life in the world of drugs.  He inspires little sympathy past the opening scenes because Dante is the bad guy.  But how did he get that way?  Why can't he let go of the past?

Dante Coalson, in my humble opinion represents the dark side of all of us.   All of us who can't figure out why the system has let us down again.  Why the rich get richer, why the airlines can steal employee pensions, why those who commit insider trading get a slap on the wrist. All of us who can' t understand that the rain falls and the good and the wicked equally; who resent the neighbor who gets all the breaks when we get all the crap.  You know the ones who live the fairy tale life that we think is so ideal, that we think they took from us somehow.

That's what Birdman is about.  How all the repressed anger expresses itself in the revenge we wish we could carry out sometimes, but our humanity and morals refuse to allow.

You may not agree with me, but I consider Blind Devotion to be an erotic high fantasy novel.  You may wonder what the difference is between a fantasy novel and a high fantasy novel.  My answer, right or wrong, is that a high fantasy novel contains elements of magic and perhaps mythical beings like dragons and unicorns and the like.  A fantasy novel doesn't have those elements.  I think of my story, The Captive's Release as a fantasy novel.  There is nothing real in it, but there is nothing magical in it either.  It has been mistaken for a historical novel but none of the places or people in the story exist.

Both are erotic novels with determined heroines, but that is where the similarity ends.

Blind Devotion features Azari and Tor.  Tor is a High Priest, the highest, in fact, of the goddess, Eiliki.  Eiliki has determined Tor protect Azari from two wild beasts...a vicioius red dragon and an equally dangerous black cevere.

Mythology has it that the cevere, an animal resembling a panther is the ancient enemy of the dragon.  I took this mythology and combined it with the mythology of the dragon needing a virgin sacrifice and the seed idea for the story was born.

The conflict is initially quite intense and physical, but then I really had fun tormenting Tor.  What could be worse than having a man devoted to his religion but tempted in every way, especially when Azari begs that he save her from the dragon by taking her virginity.

Some of my critique partners said I was evil <cackle>, but not really.  And a few people must have liked Blind Devotion because it was nominated by reviewers at The Romance Studio for their CAPA, and it finaled in the erotic fantasy division of the Eppies.

 Blind Devotion will be re-released at Aspen Mountain Press within the next few weeks.  I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

What's happening in the world of erotic romance writer Lucynda Storey?  Well, I'm pretty excited to announce that my time travel, blazingly hot romance, This Time Forever, is about to be released from Loose Id.  The story centers on Skylar Creighton a contemporary woman diagnosed with terminal cancer and Captian Rand Edward Jamison, a pirate from the early 18th century.

Rand believes Sklyar is the reincarnation of his deceased wife...almost.  Skylar knows Rand to be the pirate she's fallen in love with through the pages of an old book.  Is there a way for these two to merge their different eras and find a way to be together? This Time Forever?

The research I did for this story was absolutely intense.  Of course, during the intense searching I discovered a lot of misinformation in the movies based on Pirates of the Caribbean.  Of course, that is the liberty one can take when basing a story off an amusement park ride.  And, surprisingly, the movie did get a few things right.  The Endeavor and the Black Pearl bore a remarkable resemblance to vessels of the 18th and 19th centuries (although I'm sure the real seafarers amongs us will discover the inaccuracies onboard); a navigator was of surpreme importance to any ship; and as noted in the lastest release, pirates, some quite notable, existed world-wide.

There are several excellent works I referenced from children's activity books to scholarly tomes.  My favorite was released in 1995 by David Cordingly, a Harcourt, Brace and Company release entitled Under the Black Flag (The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates).

During my research one of the more surprising finds was the discovery of the destruction of Port Royal in the early 1690's by a devastating earthquake and the ensuing tidal wave.  Long a pirate haven until this act of nature, Port Royal finally resurfaced under the British flag to prosecute pirates in the early 1700's.  In fact, the heyday of pirates came to an end with the appointment of Woodes Rogers as a governor of the Bahamas and the man determined to cleanse the Bahamas of pirates.  While he didn't succeed one hundred percent, his activities eradicated many of the pirates.  Port Royal once a sanctuary for pirates now was a place where they were hung as the movie depicts.

Another surprising discovery was what pirates valued.  Always looking for the next bag of gold, their most precious commodity was not booty but rather the tools by which they navigated.  Chief among these were their navigational charts.  Often when another vessel was attacked, it was to the captain's stateroom that the pirates sought this precious treasure.  Jack Sparrow's compass; the maps andcharts were what led these adventurers to what they considered the next best thing.

In writing This Time Forever, I hoped to give the reader a little taste of what life was like for a pirate but more importantly, I wanted to let readers experience what it might be like to love one of these seadogs.  I hope the erotic romance delivers what we all look for when we fantasize what it might be like to fall for a pirate like Jack Sparrow.

I don't know if I've posted my new cover here for The Captive's Release, but let me tell you it is SMOKIN'!

Take a look for yourself!

When I was first lured into erotica by Lena Austin, she told me to write a fantasy.  Having always been enamoured of knights in shining armor and castles, deciding on a location was easy.  But the fantasy?  I've long had fantasies about being rescued in dire circumstances and then rewarding the rescuer by showing my appreciation!

The result was The Captive's Release now available at www.AspenMountainPress.com

I, Domina by Lanna Morris is a quirky novella on becoming a Domina.  The main character, Elizabeth has a steep learning curve to go through at the hands of Madam Samantha, the reigning Domina of the area.  Elizabeth has to confront her own faulty experiences via the I-net and learn that sometimes dominating isn't about control but releasing it.

Readers should note...this book is not a tutorial, but written for the entertainment of those who are knowledgable regarding the BDSM community and its practices. 

Every once in a while I get a surprise. A real honest to goodness surprise. Earlier this month it was receiving word that my fantasy novel, Blind Devotion was a finalist in the prestigious Eppie contest. The novel is up against seven other excellent novels. I'm just thrilled to be in the hunt.

This morning I found out the same novel is nominated for a CAPA award (Cupid and Psyche Award) from the Romance Studio (http://theromancestudio.com/capa.php) for Best Fantasy Romance. Someone, somewhere, somehow nominated the book. This wasn't a contest I entered and so this came one hundred percent out of the blue. I'm pretty excited. This story was one of my favorites to write (they all are, but this one really came easily for some reason).

The story follows Azari, who has woken not one, but two mythical beasts. They are the cevere and the red dragon. The two beasts are ancient enemies of one another and both stake a claim on Azari's virginity. In a wild run through the woods, Azari finds refuge in a cabin, the cabin of the High Priest of Eliki, Tor.

When Tor hears Azari's tale and discovers he's her protector, they start off on a journey that has them fighting for their lives and falling in love. But Tor is sworn to serve the Goddess and not his own needs. Can Azari accept being nothing more than a concubine or will her heart be sacrificed with Tor's Blind Devotion.