Lets talk about sex, Ba-by!

So, I was on the phone with a good friend of mine recently. She started telling me about a book she was reading about women and sex. There is a section of the book that talks about how women are raised to believe they shouldn't enjoy sex as much as men should. If a woman enjoys her sexuality and exploring it, she's considered a magnitude of not so nice names but for a man, its completely normal not only to enjoy sex but to explore and experiment with sex. This practice goes back for years: men take lovers and its okay but the women who are their lovers are now tainted. Of course, it isn't to that extreme today but I think its still an issue for women. Being raised this way can make it so women are ashamed or afriad to admit their sexual desires, sometimes even to their husbands. What will he think of me? Does it make me weird that I want to try something different in the bedroom?


My friend and I were talking about all of these things and she said that its hard for her to tell her husband what she wants and I think its like that for a lot of women. Will he get offended? Will he look at me differently? I think that romance novels and now erotic romance as well are helping women to free themselves from what they've been taught or witnesses from a young age. Is it okay to enjoy sex? Hell yeah! Does it make you somehow dirty if you want to try new and exciting things with your significant other? Nope! In my opinion it adds to the relationship to share those fantsies with one another. Now does that mean you should sleep with every man you come across? Of course not but I ask: Whats wrong with two adults in a monogomos relationship, (whether the relationship starts out serious or not, most of the time you don't plan a relationship to turn out seriously, you just fall in love and it happens) enjoying one another sexually? Whats wrong with growing together, experimenting together, and playing out one anothers fantasies? Not a darn thing!

Do you agree or disagree with the books description of how women are raised to view sex? Do you think things are getting better? Any other comments?

Happy Thursday everyone!

Introducing...Me!

Hello all! I'm Anne Rainey and this is my first time posting on here. I'm a bit late, because I was on vacation. Yes, finally we took a family vacation. We had so much fun! We visited Maine, a little of Albany New York, and also Niagara Falls, Canada...Lots of money was spent, but it was well worth getting away from it all and spending time with family. No interuptions...just the four of us. I loved it!

And the instant I came back I had a book released! WooHoo! My short story (erotic romance) SUN CITY is now available. I'm mega nervous about this particular book. Oh, I won't lie, authors are nervous about every single book that's released. However, this one is different. I can't really say why, but I'm dearly hoping readers will enjoy Roslyn and Bane's story as much as I loved writing it.

Here's a blurb:
Roslyn Garrison is a spoiled heiress with too much time and money on her hands. Her biggest problem in life is choosing which country to visit next. Everything changes when she's invited to a party at the Palace Resort hotel in Sun City, Africa. The next morning, Roslyn wakes to find the mysterious Bane Riley holding her captive. Afraid for her life, she sets out to do whatever it takes to get free. However, she doesn't count on Bane's ability to set her blood on fire. He promises carnal delights if she'll only give into her desires. Can Roslyn let herself go and submit to the forbidden under the hot African sun or will her stubbornness force Bane to teach her a lesson?

**if this sounds interesting, then go to Lady Aibell Press and you can purchase your very own copy of Sun City!

***EDIT***

as for some other fun news...I will be participating in an anthology that comes out later this year. My story is titled, Seizing Midnight. It's my first venture into vampire romance.

Here's a NEW blurb of Seizing Midnight--which will be told in third person point of view:

Upon stumbling across Cain Reed on a dark, lonely New York street, Diamonique Wild is changed forever. With a single bite, she’s given immortality and shown more pleasure than she ever imagined. But his betrayal tears them apart. Now, one hundred years later, Thorne is back to save her from a dark enemy. But, who will protect her from him?

**this is coming to Twilight Fantasies November '07...excerpt coming soon!

An Author's Dream Bookseller

Any one in this crazy business knows how important booksellers are (just as important as readers.) After all, it's the former who get your books into the hands of the latter. Every once in a while you come across a bookseller who'll go out of his/her way to support and promote romance.

Dianne DeFonce of Borders Books in Fairfield, CT, is a tiny, white-haired, dynamo of this rare breed. Once a month, she hosts a New Authors Round Table, where she invites about a dozen new authors to chat with readers. Wednesday's event was a little different: A Romance & Mystery Authors Round Table, and I was fortunate to have been a part of it. Six romance authors and seven mystery authors comprised the round table. I took a train from Grand Central with Caridad Pinero, VP of my local NJRW chapter. Nothing better than having a buddy to talk with during a long ride, is there? During the event, we talked about our books, a little about ourselves, then discussed our favorite romance book of all time. It was a great turnout (over 30 people). Afterward, we did a Q&A and closed with a signing. All in all, a great night.

Dianne is locally renowned for her in-store author events. If you're a new author, and are in the Fairfield area (heck, I'm in NYC and I still dropped by), stop by and say hello. She's a delightful person, and more than likely, she'll invite you to one of the round tables. Can't think of a better promo opportunity than that. How I wish there was a Dianne in every book store!!

left to right: Alisa Kwitney, S.L. Linnea, Dianne DeFonce, Anne Elizabeth, Leslie Waigner, R.Garland Gray, Mary Beth Bass, Caridad Pinero, Karyna DaRosa

My favorite romance book of all time: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.

Dianne working the crowd....(Mary Beth Bass, Caridad Pinero, and me in the background).

It's Tuesday...

Have you tried the Tuesday Three?

Three things you're looking forward too.

1. The lovely editor falling in love with my Maui book. (Just finished the draft of chapter 1!)
2. October. Yes, the whole month. I have a library presentation, a conference...and there is Halloween!
3. Tomatoes. Mine haven't ripened yet...but there are a MILLION OF THEM...just waiting...
   

so...what are your looking forward to?

A Really Super Saturday

Once or twice a year, my RWA chapter hosts a Super Saturday, an all day program with a heavy hitter in the world of romance. Today we hit the jackpot with the amazing Debra Dixon of GMC fame. Yes - the women who literally wrote the book. If you ever have the opportunity to see Deb live - jump on it. (But not on her. She won't take kindly to that). I can't even begin to tell you how much I learned today. Aside from being warm and genuine, Deb is a master teacher who kept the entire audience riveted. So, I'd like to share a few gems she bestowed upon us.
First - watch a lot of movies and keep a movie journal. Keep track of the structure. You can use that info in your books. In the interest of time, you get more bang for your buck watching scores of movies than reading scores of books. (Of course, read, read, read as well).
The Goal is one of the following - posession, revenge or relief. It must be important enough to make your character do something they don't want to.
Motivation makes your character believable. It's the reason they can't turn back, their emotional baggage.
Her charming and no-bull description of Conflict: Two dogs, one bone. I love the simplicity! You must have conflict - it tests your character and forces them to grow.
Deb also spent the afternoon speaking about the Big Black Moment, which she describes as a living, breathing organism you build to. All scenes lead to the BBM. You can have several gray moments to give the reader a false sense that the character will be able to surmount the BBM. The character must solve their own BBM. No one else can solve it for them.
These are only a few points Deb made in the course of the day chocked full of insights and invaluable lessons. If you don't own her Goal, Motivation & Conflict: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction, you should order it today. I've had this book for a year now and have read it several times. If you're lucky enough to take one of Deb's workshops, act like a sponge and absorb everything!
Stay tuned to this blog in the coming months. Deb has promised me she'll guest blog!!! You won't want to miss that one.

Romance Rules!

Hello! Welcome to Romance Rules. Today is my first post and I wanted to talk about something most likely near and dear to anyone reading this blog: Romance books. I'm going to admit something to you that I'm not very proud of. It wasn't until the past couple years that I actually started reading romance novels. Before that I was one of those people who snubbed my nose up to romance books. Like I said, I'm not proud of it but its true. I had a friend who used to read romance books and I teased her endlessly. I pictured them all with Fabio on the cover (not that there's anything wrong with those books) but I thought they were all cheesy. Then I moved out of the state I'd lived in most of my life, became a stay at home mom for the very first time and I was the loneliest I'd ever been. My husband worked a lot and I missed all my friends and my old job. On a whim I picked up a book called, A Soft Place to Fall by Barbara Bretton. I didn't tell anyone I was reading it but then I didn't really have to. I devoured the book so quickly no one had time to notice. Still not willing to admit I read romance novels I thought, hmmm, maybe it was a fluke.. Then I picked up Lori Foster and fell in love. The stories weren't cheesy at all. The men were strong alphas and the heroines were women I could look up to. I began searching the web and bookstores for all the romance books I could find. Suddenly I wasn't so lonely anymore. I didn't gripe at my husband when we came home because I wanted to go back home or because he had an outlet to the outside world because he worked. I met friends (most online) who loved romance books themselves. We bonded, talked books and our favorite hero's or authors. I felt great. Then my old love for writing started to drift to the surface. I'd always thought I'd write children's books but it just never worked out for me. I couldn't finish. My mind began to wander, maybe I can write a romance book. I sat down to give it a try and found my passion. Besides my family and friends I found something else I loved.

Now I look back on my pre-romance reading and writing days and think, look at all the time you wasted because you were afraid to give something a try. I don't know why so many people refuse to give romance novels a try but I still see it to this day. If I tell some people what I write they give me a half smile saying, "Oh. You write those books." I stand proud behind romance books. They helped out out of a hard time in my life. They gave me an outlet. I'm a better mom and wife because of the books I read and write. If someone asks me if I write romance the only answer I have is a emphatic, "heck ya! I'm a romance lover and proud."

When did you start reading romance books? Have you always read them or were you like me and a little ify at first? How have the books you've read touched your lives?


To celebrate my very first Romance Rules post I'm giving away some magnets, postcards, and a handmade sun catcher to one lucky poster. I'll draw a name Sunday and post the winner in another comment. Have fun everyone and thanks for hanging out with us at Romance Rules.

On Again by Jenna Allen available NOW!
Phaze, HeatSheet, Force Series

When do you give up on love?

The hardest thing Kayla Bentley ever had to do was recognize her husband had checked out of their marriage and asking him for a divorce. She loves him, but would be apart than be forgotten.

How do you get back what you once had?

Paul Bentley couldn’t stand when his drug counselor wife would testify on behalf of addicts he’d arrested. The anger festered until he saw them on opposite sides of the same war. It’s not until he finds a way off the vice squad that he realizes there is a way for them to save their shattered marriage.

EXCERPT

"Kay? I'm lonely."

"Better to be lonely alone." Her lip trembled and she prayed it didn't show in her voice.

"Yeah. Look, I know I agreed to leave you alone. I know there's no going back. You're better off without me dragging you down. But I was thinking, maybe I could come over? We could open a bottle of wine and try and talk again."

"You never dragged me down when you were here. It was losing you and having to see you still here that hurt." Her stomach twisted and she inched lower in the tub, letting the water soothe her wounds.

"I feel like I should take that hurt away, you know? I want to hold you and let you know none of it had anything to do with you. I didn't want any of it to touch you."

"I don't live in a bubble, Paul." She took a deep breath for courage. "You don't want to change. You just don't want to be lonely right now. And on again, off again is not good for either one of us."

"We haven't tried on again. Let me come over. I'll bring a bottle of your favorite wine and you can mess up my head. And then once I get it together we can mess up our bed. It's been way too long, Kayla."

"We can talk on the phone." Her eyes felt heavy, tears threatening. She wanted him, the old him, here in the worst way. But she didn't think she had it in her to tell him to leave again.

The phone clicked in her ear. She called his name a few times before giving up and setting the phone on the ground. She closed her eyes, trying not to think of him, but it was too late. His image loomed in her mind, teasing her.