Monday, March 24, 2014

Warrior's Wrath Blog Tour Winners!





I am pleased to announce the winners of the giveaway from the Warrior's Wrath Blog Tour.

The Grand prize winner of both Warrior's books in eformat, swag and a $25 Amazon gift card is:

Jai Gagne

Three other winners also get copies of each Warrior's book in eformat and some fun goodies. Those winners are:

Lori Kushner-Hayes
Patricia
Shelly Hammond


Keep an eye on your emails, I'll be contacting you with more details. 

A big thank you to everyone who came by.  And also thank you to all my hosts. I do appreciate your support, so much.


                              

Saturday, March 22, 2014

We've Come a Long Way - But Apparently Not Long Enough

For those who write and read erotica, especially BDSM-themed, you know that lately there has been an escalation in what seems to be an attack on these works and authors by several sites (one in particular) , based on content THEY find offensive. The folks over at Pink Flamingo, one of my publishers, are very active fighting against this sort of thing, but sometimes it's like beating your head against a brick wall. In any case, they've asked that I re-post this for them, and as they have put it so much better than I ever could, I'm happy to do so. And considering a couple of my titles, it's likely I'm going to be banned in some of these places as well.

Unfortunately, I don't have time to add my own rant in at the moment (off to a friend's daughter's wedding - when did the kids grow up and we get old?), but rest assured, I will be back to speak about this again. In the meantime, please read what PF is dealing with and see the ways you can prevent being cut off from your favorite erotic books and authors.



A Request To Our Faithful Readers...
As some of you already know, we have had problems with major retailers banning our books. Pink Flamingo Publications has always strove to publish what our readers want. Some of those books include non-consensual or harder books that may have content that some people deem offensive. The major retailers, such as Amazon, Apple, and Google Books are now taking it upon themselves to determine what you find offensive. Even though our books are pure fiction, if they have non-con or even fantasies of non-consensual acts, they are being kicked off the websites. This is not just affecting Pink Flamingo, but other erotica publishers as well.

We understand that the retailers have made it quite easy on customers to get our books, especially with their 1-click buttons. But when they make our content harder to find, unless you’re a searching guru or they just take our books down, what will our customers or any erotica book lovers do?


Our request is simple. If you want to keep seeing the books that you love, from the authors you want to read, please buy the books directly from the publisher or from Indie Retailers. We have quite a few Indie Retailers that will be happy to help you find the books you want and need.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Happy Mardi Gras!


It's Mardi Gras! I've never experienced it, though I did get a tiny (very tiny) taste of it when I was in New Orleans for St. Patrick's Day many years ago. That was quite an experience on its own (yes there were plenty of beads and the like!), so I can imagine how overwhelming (and exhausting) Mardi Gras can be.  And in the spirit of the day, I thought I'd share a little about why I love Louisiana, and New Orleans so much.



Part of it is the rich history. The Louisiana Purchase was a huge step toward the growth of the United States of course. The port of New Orleans was a hotbed of political contention for years. It was where the United States defeated the British once and for all.

Jean Lafitte had a huge base of operations there, though he ultimately moved to Barataria. He was one of my favorite kinds of people. Not only a pirate, or a privateer as he preferred to be called, but he was both a villain and a hero, the latter for his part in defending New Orleans during the War of 1812. 


 Okay, enough with history lesson. Exploring the surrounding area is always lots of fun. The restored plantation houses that run along the Mississippi River are phenomenal. We toured several of them and it was such a thrill to immerse ourselves in the past. It felt like we walked with the original residents as we peered into the elegantly appointed rooms. There were aspects of the Antebellum way of life that still hold a very romantic feel today.

What I like particularly about the area is the magical, supernatural feel. Not just New Orleans, but deep in the bayous, where all sorts of dangers lurk, and not just alligators and other predators. There is definitely magic in the air, in the very essence of the land. The people who did settle brought all sorts of beliefs with them and they melded perfectly with the atmosphere. Maybe because the natural mysticism of the land enhanced the ability to practice their brand of magic. I love pondering the possibilities.

I set the Bayou Magiste series in the New Orleans area for just that reason. The original Magiste settlers recognized the power found there and how it could be used to their advantage. It made sense to build their new society in that area. In fact, I patterned the Whispering Winds plantation after Oak Alley, possibly the most famous of all the plantations still in existence. The fame comes not only from the oaks that name the place, but the fact that it's been in several movies. I have a beautiful artist proof print of Oak Alley in my dining room, and I find myself looking at it a lot. It inspire me. Maybe I should move it to my office.



So, in keeping with the festivities of the day, Laissez les bons temps rouler!