Workshop: Turn up the Heat! Heightening Sexual Tension and Sensuality in Your Manuscript

Presenter: Nicole North

Date: Sept. 6 - 30, 2010

Description: Editors want to buy spicy-hot romance stories now more than ever before. How do you do it? In this class we will discuss all aspects of sexual tension and sensuality and how they relate to the developing romance in your story. You'll learn tips for successfully building sexual tension over the course of the hero and heroine's relationship from first glance, through climax, to happily ever after. Several examples will be used to illustrate different nuances of hot romantic chemistry and how to employ them in your own story. Learn how to avoid clichés and use sexiness in fresh new ways. Strengthening sexual tension will take your story from ho-hum to so hot and delicious your reader can't put it down. We'll do exercises for hands-on learning. (Please be aware this course contains explicit and frank discussions of sexuality.) This class covers a range of heat from mild romance to erotic romance.

**Topics covered**
Using the five senses more effectively
Sexy talk
Word choice
Meeting
First kiss
Foreplay
First love scene
How to rebuild sexual tension after sex
Why point of view is important
Hot characters
Combining physical attraction and emotion
Body language
Differences between romance and erotic romance
Revising to make a sensual romance manuscript spicy or erotic

Fun Extras
Visual inspiration
Multimedia examples and exercises

To learn more or register please visit the workshop page.

About the presenter: Nicole North writes sensual and erotic romance novels and novellas. She is the author of paranormal erotic romance novellas Devil in a Kilt, Red Sage Secrets Volume 27 Untamed Pleasures, July 2009; Kilted Lover, Nov. 2009; and Beast in a Kilt, Red Sage Secrets Volume 29, July 2010. She has finaled in over a dozen writing competitions and won several awards. She admits sexual tension and delicious love scenes are her favorite elements of romance and sprinkles them liberally through her stories. What others have said about her works: "This author handles sexual tension very well. Her characters are completely drawn to each other..." and "Wow! Talk about sexual chemistry. This story has it in spades. You're a natural in the romantic chemistry department." She has a BA degree in psychology. Please visit her website to learn more and read past student testimonials: http://www.nicolenorth.com/

Cost: $25

To register please visit: http://www.nicolenorth.com/ and click on "workshops" on the menu.

Thank you!
Nicole

PS There's also still time to enter my Under the Kilt contest.

I never knew how deeply I was drawn to the water until we took a vacation to the Outer Banks. Something about the rolling surf and rugged beauty struck a chord deep inside me. How deep? We try to make it to the ocean at least once a year and we sold our house in the country and bought a house a half block from a lake, with a view out the back.

A few years ago, we took a trip to Maine. During a boat ride, we took this picture of a lighthouse on a rocky cliff.



I have this picture on my desk in my office. If I can't be drinking my coffee at the beach, I can look at this picture and remember how it feels.



This is a picture of our campsite one year on the Outer Banks. We stayed on the sound side, right on the water's edge.



And even if we don't make it the fifteen or so hours to the Maine or North Carolina shore, we've been able to find campsites at the water's edge. I make it a point to do it as often as possible.



Is there a certain place you return to time and time again?

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Once in a while it's fun to revisit one of my favorite stories that's been out for a while. Since this week's theme was magic, I thought I'd share the cover and blurb - ok, and maybe a short excerpt, from my Ellora's Cave novella, Smoke and Mirrors. The story of Alex, a magician, and Gabriella has always been one I loved, reunited lovers with a secret or two between them.

Love is nothing but an illusion.

Heiress Gabriella Winslow learned that lesson years ago when her magician boyfriend abandoned her, sick and alone, hundreds of miles from home. In the years that followed, she’s tried to forget him and the erotic bondage games they used to play. But the life she’s made for herself since then still leaves her restless and yearning for something more.

Now a successful illusionist, Alexander Black has returned to settle an old score. And to seduce Gabriella. With a blindfold and handcuffs and blood red roses, he entices his former lover and magician’s assistant back to his Las Vegas penthouse. Alex is an expert at smoke and mirrors. If all goes according to plan, she’ll never even know she’s his prisoner.

"...Ms. Moore creates scenes that are as spine-tinglingly erotic as they are romantic, and I definitely felt the heat level rise in the room as I read. I Joyfully Recommend Smoke and Mirrors. It’s an enchanting, entertaining reunion romance filled with lust, love, and inventive uses for scarves. Simply magic!"
--- Shayna, Joyfully Reviewed

"...Smoke and Mirrors is an erotic foray into obsession, bondage and exhibitionism. The setting, a limo and a magician's lair, along and the rags-to-riches premise are interesting backdrops for this quick erotic adventure."
--- Vee, Night Owl Reviews

Excerpt:
Alex absently rubbed Gabriella’s tiny feet and pondered his next move. He’d always prided himself on his ability to seduce the audience. But this was Gabriella. And he wasn’t sure how to proceed. This might be his only chance.

If he made the wrong move, she’d slip through his fingers like an illusion gone terribly wrong.

He was sorry he’d scared her tonight, but his body hardened again as he pictured the panic that had overtaken her earlier, the way her body had strained against her bonds. Her chest had heaved as she twisted and turned, her breasts nearly spilling out of that tiny excuse for a dress. And when her skirt had ridden up her shapely thighs, giving him a peek at her lacy panties, he’d almost come in his trousers right then.

Those had been his favorite illusions. The ones where Gabriella would be bound and perhaps blindfolded or gagged as well. And then she would struggle for the appropriate amount of time before they’d play out the rest of the illusion. Most men attended the performances just to see Gabriella struggle. Oh, they’d never admit it out loud, but Alex knew it was true. A few more months and they would have hit it big, he was certain of that. They’d been a dynamite combination.

And he’d been just as certain his career would take a nosedive without her. But Gabriella had taught him his trademark seductive moves during their time together. The sexually stimulating moves on stage that drew the women in. That still drew them in. And they brought their spouses or boyfriends. More and more each year.

And now he was about to open his own theater in Las Vegas. He was going to stop traveling and settle down. At least, that had been his plan.

Gabriella stirred beside him. “Remember curling up like this in the van?” she asked sleepily.

Alex’s fingers froze and he dropped her foot into his lap. “The van?” Rusty and noisy and leaking oil like a sieve. Alex stared at Gabriella. Was that actually a smile on her face?

She nodded. “I’d wrap up in a blanket and stretch out in the back just like this and you’d rub my feet. It was like we were the only two people in the world. Remember?”

“I remember.” Bitterness churned in his stomach. He’d like to forget they’d ever been so poor that they’d sometimes had to sleep in his old beat up van. Like to forget there was a time he hadn’t even been able to bring in enough money to pay for a burger and fries. He’d vowed a long time ago that he’d never be in a situation like that again.

“It felt like this. Warm and cozy.” Her voice was so soft now he could barely hear it. She was nearly asleep. “And when I breathed in the air, it smelled like you.”

“No,” he whispered after a moment, when her breathing had become slow and regular. “It smelled like you.”

Smoke and Mirrors is still available if you'd like to enjoy a sexy story of reunited lovers and the magic they make together.

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Vampires are hot in Deadly Liaisons...




And in The Vampire...In My Dreams--a teen learns firsthand what it means to grow a pair of fangs.


When I saw Dracula in NYC on Broadway one year, the settings were all in black and white with one red object in the scene...a red rose, a glass of red wine...can't remember what the other red object was. But I remember how that one red item really stood out. The rest of the scenes were done beautifully-elegant, perfect, and the the hint of the notion of blood in the form of a red rose or glass of red wine.

Is she a vampiress, or a huntress, do you think?



Red sports cars are hot!



And this is a Scottish tartan plaid!




Hmm, so Highlanders are hot!



This jester is down in the dumps...



Bright red lips are always eye catching.



Definitely, he's a vampire, don't you think?



And this rose looks as though it suits a vampire's lair.


This one too!



And fall leaves against a black background are just as eye catching! :)



Can I say it any better than this? Red and black is just plain hot!




Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

So... it's Friday, and it's the end of August. I've been telling myself all summer long that once the kids go back to school, I'll jump full-force back into my WIP.

I'm not going to lie... that really didn't happen this week.

Why, you ask? I'm trying to figure that out myself! I've had such a great summer, I guess I just don't want it to end. But, my WIP -- or my characters -- won't wait around forever. I hear them in the back of my head, little whispers telling me it's time to get back to work. I'm listening, I really am, but I need MOTIVATION! And what better motivation is there than gazing at some sexy hotness? Besides, it's been a while since we had any eye candy here on FR to look at. Here's hoping these hunks will get my mojo going again!






Yeah.... that just might do the trick!

Kristin

www.kristindaniels.com
www.facebook.com/authorkristindaniels
http://twitter.com/Kristin_Daniels

I'm a rational person most of the time. Well, at least twenty-one days out of the month. :) However, there are just some things in life that are simply magical, and no matter how hard you try, they still defy human attempts to explain their allure.

In honor of this week's theme, I've made a list of stuff, for lack of a better word, I find magical that I'd like to share. I haven't put the items on the list in any particular order of importance. I just sat down on my front porch swing and started typing a list while listening to my wind chimes. Here it is...

1. Wind chimes--I love the sound of these tinkling voices of the air currents. They're soothing and cheerful, and their calming presence always grounds me.

2. Illusionists--Oh, the irony. Magicians aren't called magicians much anymore because by now everyone knows they don't possess any magic powers at all, just the knowledge and skills to perform sleight of hand maneuvers to the Nth degree to the delight of their audiences. They're called illusionists, because that's more descriptive of what they do. Still, I find their ability to captive me with some of their illusions entertaining and fun and magical because I certainly can't do it.

3. Kissing--Of course! I've said this before, but I think it bears repeating. Kissing is an amazing activity because it can take so many forms and communicate so much or so little. While one's first kiss or her wedding kiss is often magical, any time Hubby pulls me in for a liplock, I feel that special sizzle.

4. Dancing--Whether slow or fast, ballroom or in a line, dancing is pure magic. Moving to the rhythm, becoming one with the music. Sharing that rhythm with other people. There's nothing like it!

5. Music--Music can heal. Music can send a message. Music brings people together in joyous celebration or at a time of sorrow. It's there when we're happy or sad and doesn't judge us or ask for anything in return except that we listen to it and enjoy the harmony and melody. There's a song for any occasion or theme, including the one I've posted below:



6. Critters--Dogs, cats, horses, etc. Unconditional trust and unconditional love, the elements of great friendship, are two of the most magical energies enjoyed by living creatures. We often share these with other animals who accept us as we are and seek only to be a part of our world. How these connections happen is a mystery, and when a rapport does form, it's pure magic.

7. The Look--You know what I'm talking about. The Look. The way a man takes you in with his eyes that let's you know he wants to get to know you. There's nothing like The Look to make a girl feel special, and it can turn a bad evening into a great one in an instant.

8. Peace and Contentment--There's a moment, usually in the middle of the night, when you wake up and realize everyone and everything you love is in its rightful place, either snoozing away soundly or counting down on a timer to brew your morning cup of coffee. That moment when all is right with the world is quietly magical and one hit of it can keep me going for days.

9. Celestial Bodies, a.k.a. the Sun and Moon and Stars--Yeah, I know these can all be defined and explained through science, but I don't care. They have always been and will always be the inspiration for many of man's more imaginative musings, and the fact that people see them for years, day after day and night after night, and still find them captivating means I can put my stamp of approval on them without a doubt. Magical!

10. A Loving Touch--Like #5 and #9, a loving touch can heal or inspire, but mostly it makes us feel connected. Anything that can connect two or more people with all our differences and dislikes is magical...and sometimes a miracle. lol

I have more items to list, but I'd like to see some of your ideas. Please share. It's magical!

Magic is, to me, a word used to explain things we don't understand. The opposite of magic is science, a discipline which tries to explain precisely why things are the way they are. Think of a shaman trying to make the magic of rain appear, when we know exactly how rain happens. Is the rain the result of magic, or of science? Once you know the facts, it's hard to believe in magic as the answer.

But, as much as I believe in science, I don't think it will ever explain everything. Will it ever be able to dissect love? We now know why stars twinkle, but can a scientist tell me why we still find stars in the sky beautiful? Why do humans laugh?

All writers perform magic when they bring characters who aren't real to life in the reader's mind. The more you bring them to life, the greater the magic. Is the magic of creating The Wizard of Oz greater than the magic of writing the weather report? I think it is, though both documents are written.

Though I do write contemporaries (love is magic, right?), I also love to write futuristics and fairy tales in which I strive to combine both magic and science. So I have things in my stories that might seem magical today, but they have to be grounded enough in science that they may be real one day in the future.

For example, in The Star Necklace, I use the science of invisibility (bending light around a fixed object) to give my H/h a way to be invisible when they want privacy in a crowded area. Though it seems magical to the heroine, it is possible, based on scientific principles.

It's been said that readers will allow the author one leap of faith into what may be considered magic (for example, that humans can shapeshift). But after that, everything must have a rational basis. A man can turn into a wolf, but he then must behave like wolves do.

There are many forms of illusion besides the written word. There's music, dance, theater and art, all disciplines that can draw out ideas and emotions that aren't concretely expressed.
What is your favorite form of magic?

Please welcome our special guest, Nathalie Gray!

Nat Gray used to spend inordinately long periods camping out with five hundred men, walking when she would have preferred driving, and having her hairstyle cramped in an epic way. After twelve years in the Canadian military, Nat decided to recycle all her skills and became a writer. Seriously. After many awards, including the 2007 Romantic Times award for best futuristic, Nat is well on her way to her ultimate goal—world domination. You can browse her books or follow her on her many travels at http://www.nathaliegray.com/ .

Nat is also Kanaxa, cover artist for Red Sage Publishing and Samhain Publishing. Check out her portfolio at http://www.kanaxa.com/ .

What an exciting life, Nat! Please tell us about Chimera in Secrets Volume 29 Indulge Your Fantasies.

Chimera is about the forbidden fruit, that minute of intimacy carved from danger, that stolen glance and stubborn hope it’s going to be all right as the enemy reloads its guns. All of which are bigger than yours. Chimera is love in the face of bullets. But primarily, it’s the story of a woman who shares her sanctuary while the man she loves shares his wounded soul.

I love mixing romance and danger! Who is your favorite character in this story and why?

The story’s hero, Agent Corinth. I’ve always had a penchant for the tortured loner. I’d probably run the other way if I were met with a real-life tortured loner, but hey, this is a book. Anything can happen, right!

Absolutely! Tortured loners make some of the best heroes. What is the story behind the story?

Okay, this is best played out in pseudo dialogue form. Here we go.

Me, to most excellent editor: Hey! Wouldn’t it be cool if I had this bodyguard story on an orbital station? There’d be big honking scifi guns, love in zero-g, and a woman who smokes! (where are all the women smokers in romance books?!)

Editor: Absolutely. Have you thought about the conflict—

Me: Oooh! And then! There could be some big inner demons the dude has, you know like he has these obsessions and phobias that mean he hardly gets any sleep so he’s slowly turning into—

Editor: Erm, Nat, slow down here. Tell me more about the emotional gravitas that makes—

Me: Oh, wait! I know! At one point, he has to choose between jumping off a building to save his woman, or jumping off the building to kill the bad guy, which would tear him up inside because he’s been trained, right out of the streets, to always, always get the target. But she’s too important to him. He’ll sacrifice everything for her! Did I mention the big honking scifi guns?

Editor: *headdesk*

LOL! What element of story creation is your favorite?

Plotting and brainstorming. Absolutely. To me, that’s where the purest form of artistic creation happens. You’re not thinking about language, about the mechanics, or the gears. Again, different vibes for different authors. But me, I love plotting. Over the years, I’ve use time lines, spreadsheets, sticky notes, character sheets like I used to do while playing Dungeons & Dragons. I have to plot, you see, because otherwise I’d veer off into the ditch and completely lose sight of the main idea. Kind of like I’m doing now. But worse. Much, much worse. Tremble.

See, I find this fascinating because a lot of people say characters. Very cool that plot is your favorite! Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

Every time someone asks me that, I want to run the other way screaming like my hair is on fire. Unpublished authors shouldn’t take advice. They should get out the machete and aim for the beautiful and scary wilderness that is publishing, baby. Yeah, it’s intimidating at first. But it’s also awesome!

Fantastic advice (or non-advice, whichever you prefer!) :) Please tell us about another of your recent releases.

2010 was/is a busy year! As such, let me give it to you bullet style!

February 2010: Metal Reign (part of Samhain Publishing space opera anthology, out in ebook, coming in print December 2010). A hero who cooks, a heroine who leads an armada, and lots of ugly aliens.

April 2010: Full Steam Ahead (Red Sage publishing). My second steampunk novel . A mouthy heroine, sky pirates, and cities built on stiles!

August 2010: The Demon’s Secret (The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2, Constable & Robinson UK, Running Press US). Fashion-conscious demons, sneaky angels, a hero with a gold shotgun and a heroine with an even bigger gold shotgun.

December 2010: Metal Reign in print, my lovelies!

Wow, you have been busy! Congratulations! Do you have a question for blog readers?

Yes! I always have many, many questions to readers. Here’s one; why read romance? For baguette’s sake, we know it’s not easy reading romance when people look at it down their noses (and at you the same way). So why read romance? Personally, I read romance because it takes me somewhere that’s not where I am at the moment I’m reading. And, because I like it.

Nathalie is giving away an ebook of their choice to someone who comments!

Thanks for being our guest today, Nat!

Want to tweet Nat? She’s riiiiight here, baby. @nathaliegray

Also please visit her website!
http://www.nathaliegray.com/

When I was a kid, magic was separating a thumb from a hand. I still remember the awe as the magician wiggled his completely attached fingers in front of my face then covered his left hand with his right palm only to have the thumb detach from the hand and slide across his fingers. As I grew older, magic became more elaborate to disappearing buildings and levitating.

As an adult, I am still awed by an awesome trick, but the definition of magic has taken on a whole new meaning. Magic is no longer just tricks and illusions. Magic is hearing the pure delight of my son’s cackle when he finds something hilarious. Magic is watching my daughter create six-year old masterpieces with her artistic mind. Magic is the smell of my mom’s cooking, which smells even better now that I’ve been away from home for twelve years. Magic is the taste of an ice-cold beer after a long, stressful day. Magic is the simple pleasures in life.

What do you find magical in life?

I wanted to share a review of The Panther’s Lair I received from Night Owl Review. Panther’s received Five-stars and Night Owl Reviews Top Pick.

Steamy, sexy and full of a hot French man with an accent that will melt you in 2 seconds flat, Panther's Lair will leave you satisfied!! Poor Sydney did not have a chance against Raimond, a true alpha male! When the two main characters came together the sex was hot and so very erotic that it will leave you in search for your own man!!

http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Reviews/Missyb0103-reviews-The-Panthers-Lair-by-Esmerelda-Bishop.aspx


Esme
www.esmereldabishop.com

Remember when I was griping about having so many blogs to do, every day!!! :) And still trying to keep up with word count and make it to my son's wedding and the RWA Nationals?

Well, here are some more of the places I had written for before all that happened and where I'm at today. It WAS a LOT of blogs! :) And more to come!

http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/terry-spear-interview-and-a-giveaway/

http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/2010/08/author-interview-with-terry-spear-and.html

http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/content.php?510-The-Writer-s-Contract-By-Terry-Spear

Thanks to Donna for sending me this cool wolf. I mean, really COOL. LOL :) Now if he were in his human form, the snow would have melted by now. :) His fur really helps to keep the heat on his body and the moisture away from it. :)



But Donna knew what a really rough day I was having today, really, really rough, so she sent me the wolf in his human form too. :) Thanks, Donna, for the Friday night inspiration!!!



And I want to thank fans of Killing the Bloodlust who are enjoying the story and want to know where to purchase it! :) If you love the story, Deadly Liaisons is out now and available both in print and ebook! :) It's my only adult vampire romantic suspense that's out right now, although I've had several requests for a sequel! :) And it's doing really well in France right now!

Okay, I'm up at 4 AM, this is ridiculous, but I'm going to work on the newsletter and try to get it out this morning, do blogs, and catch up on email correspondence. :)

But I just got this link, so I'm at Larissa's today! Thanks, Larissa!: http://www.larissaslife.com/2010/08/author-guest-post-signed-book-giveaway.html

I had to go out and water last night. I couldn't believe it. It poured rain on Wed night, had a lake in my driveway, rained lightly in the morning on Thurs, and today, everything is dry as a bone between the sun and wind and heat. *sigh* I thought I could just go out and pull weeds. Nope. They're rooted in the cement again until I can soften it up with soaking it. argh.

Okay, here is my new twice a day addiction, once before work and once after work. It's great for tracking your book sales!:
http://www.novelrank.com/track.php

I was excited to see the sales doing so well in Canada for Seduced by the Wolf! It's almost a best seller! I just uploaded the sales, so this just reflects 2 days. :)

Amazon.ca

Last Sale:	7 hours
August Sales:	6
July Sales:	N/A
Reviews:	0
Current Rank:	3,219
Sales Rank Stats
Best Rank:	1,235

Have a super Saturday! I'm writing. Although my daughter and her boyfriend are coming over to install my graphics card sometime today to hopefully fix my computer! :)

In the meantime, enjoy the hunk in his wolf and human form! :)


Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

Please welcome our special guest, Saskia Walker!

Award winning British author Saskia Walker first dreamed of writing her own stories when she discovered a handful of romance novels stashed away in her school library. An avid reader, she lapped up the fun, the adventures, and the life-affirming emotion of these stories, but always felt dismay when the bedroom door closed the reader out. She vowed that if she ever had the chance to pursue her dream, all the passion would be right there on the page. Saskia finally began writing seriously in the late 1990s. By that time she'd traveled the world, got herself a BA in Art History, a Masters in Literature and the Visual Arts, and she'd worked in all manner of diverse careers—but the stories in her head simply had to be written.

Her first erotic short story was signed in '97 and since then she has had several single title novel and novella publications, and her work has appeared in over fifty anthologies including Best Women’s Erotica, The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica, and the Black lace Wicked Words series. She writes across genres, but always with the passion right there on the page! Her novel, DOUBLE DARE, received the Passionate Plume award for the Best Contemporary Erotic Romance of 2006.

Saskia lives in the north of England—close to the beautiful, windswept landscape of the Yorkshire moors—with her real life hero, Mark. Mark supports her work through all its ups and downs, and somehow manages to keep her sane and grounded when fiction threatens to take over.

Welcome, Saskia! You know I'm jealous that you live so close to Scotland! :) Please tell us about Sweet-Talking the Opposition in Secrets Volume 29 Indulge Your Fantasies.

Thank you for inviting me to be here at Fierce Romance! SWEET-TALKING THE OPPOSITION is about two journalists who’ve had a fling in the past. They get thrown together again when they are both sent to cover the launch of a luxurious new Rhine river cruiser. Eliza and Marcus are made for each other and they just don’t realize it, so I had to trap them on a boat together. :-) Eliza can’t resist an on-board affair, but she’s worried she’ll fall for Marcus. She decides she can stop herself getting emotionally involved by taking charge, sexually. She establishes ground rules for their affair while on board the river cruiser. With a dominant like Marcus, however, the fun turns out to be in the tug of love over who is on top…

I love stories set on boats! Who is your favorite character in this story and why?

I adore Marcus! He was such fun to write. He’s suave and charming, and women fall at his feet. He’s a talented journalist and his special area/obsession is extreme sports. That side of him gives a brawny edge to an otherwise sophisticated, urban man. When Eliza tries to keep him at bay it intrigues him because women usually make it easy for him. At one point in the story (when they return to London) she won’t open her door to hear him out. So he abseils down the outside of the building in order to talk to her through the window. I love that about him. ;-)

Readers can find an excerpt form my story here:
http://www.saskiawalker.co.uk/sweettalkingtheopposition.html

Whew! Hot excerpt! What inspired this story?

It was just one of those crazy ideas that popped into my head. I’d wanted to try my hand at a reunion story, and this was it.

I love reunion stories, too! Which element of this story was hardest for you?

Keeping it to a novella length! I fell in love with the characters, it was hard to say goodbye. I hope readers will enjoy them as much as I did.

What is your writing process?

An interesting question, because my process is something I used to fret about. It’s difficult when you start out and you read how other writers approach their work, but I honestly believe you need to find what works best for you. After many years I’ve come to terms with the fact that 90% of the writing goes on in my head, and getting it on the page is only 10%—but it’s the hardest 10%! :-) I tend to write in short stints and while I’m doing other things the story rolls on in my head, ready for the next stint. My routine is best described as meandering, but I get there in the end.

Everyone has their own unique process and I love learning about them. Please tell us about another of your recent releases.

My big novel length publication of the year is RAMPANT, an erotic paranormal romance set in Scotland. This one was published by Harlequin Spice in April. It was an amazing book to write, because it allowed me to indulge myself by writing about one of my favorite coastlines—The East Neuk of Fife in Scotland—and draw on the incredible legacy of witchcraft and persecution in the area. My heroine, Zoë, arrives at a cottage there for a vacation only to find herself in a hotbed of erotic magic. The hero is a gorgeous, sexy academic who is secretly a white witch and a guardian of the area. RAMPANT is set in the present day, but the back story unravels in glimpses the heroine has into the past, solving an old mystery of love, loss, and persecution.

If any of your readers would like to read an excerpt, they kind find one here: http://www.saskiawalker.co.uk/rampant.html

Sounds fascinating! I must read this! Would you like to ask blog readers a question?

I’d love readers to tell me their favorite characteristics in a hero.

I’ve got a copy of RAMPANT to give away to one reader who comments!

Thanks for being our guest today, Saskia!

So this week's theme is indulgences, eh? Well, I guess you don't have to think real hard to figure out what you're going to get from me, do you?

CRUISES!

Yeah, I know. You thought I'd say sex. But that's a basic drive and doesn't count. I enjoy other treats for the soul when the planets line up and everything falls into place so that I can, but the activity that truly qualifies as a pleasure beyond all others for me is taking cruises. I've used a cruise ship as the setting for a couple of my stories--Disappear and Three French Hens--and I'm sure I will do so again.

My husband and I work and save and work and save to indulge our passion once a year. We search for discounts and cut corners where we can just so we can enjoy that week of being on the ocean. There's nothing like it.

Sure, we know that in the end we're just two people sailing on a big, somewhat tacky amusement park, but for us it's pure bliss. Take away everything--the yummy food and wine, the entertainment, the pool, the guys in their Speedos, the extravagance, etc.--and you still have a boat gliding through the ocean like a playful puppy plowing through its first pile of new-fallen leaves in autumn. The ship is fulfilling its purpose when it cuts through waves, and it's like all is right with the world and everything is working just how it should. It's like watching a healthy child play in a park. Perfect. Blissful. Heaven.

Oh, call me a romantic, but the sea holds magic for me. It always has, so when I get the chance to live on it for a few days and visit exotic places, it's quite a blessing and worth every penny.

Did I mention the balcony? No? Well, this last year we finally indulged our curiosity and booked a cabin with a balcony (plus, we got a deal on it). Would we like it? Hate it? Wish we'd never, ever tried it?

As it turned out, I discovered that, because of the way the balconies on some cruise ships are designed, a nudist can sit for hours on end sans anything remotely resembling a stitch of clothing without a care that anyone will see her. Out on the ocean, with no land in sight, it is easy to shed one's clothes, lean back, relax, and...

Indulge.

I know I said I was going to write about my pitch experience at RWA, but that wasn't an indulgence, just part of the writing biz that I can write about later. I must say that overall, it was a nice conference; however, I am going to suggest one change.

Next year, hold it on a cruise ship.

Here’s something I love to splurge on – a fancy hotel. Keep the designer clothes, the gourmet restaurants. Let me borrow a luxurious home away from home with top-notch service. Even better, I love to stay in a 5 star resort and not pay a penny. Since I am married to Traveling Man, who has lots of hotel points, I do get to enjoy this benefit more than the average person.

A few years back, we visited an Iberostar Resort on the “Mayan Riveria” in Mexico. Hubby had arranged free rooms for a one-week stay in this all-inclusive resort. We always let him check in because he always makes magic. This time, he flashed his business card and they upgraded us to the Presidential Suite for us, and the Queen’s Suite for the kids. (Don’t ask why it wasn’t King and Queen, but the important part was that the two suites were adjoining and had a connecting door.)

This was my first time ever in a Presidential Suite, and it was spectacular. It had a HUGE living room, bedroom, kitchen and dining room plus 2 baths and a walk in closet. Naturally, it was right on the beach and had a private deck complete with hot tub. Every morning the maids would artfully arrange the towels in decorative designs strewn with real rose petals.

Moving on, last year, the hotel industry was in the doldrums because of the bad economy. I seized the opportunity to book another 5-star hotel for a very reasonable price. We stayed at the Sacher Hotel in Salzburg. This landmark institution was all I could have hoped for and more. The picture (upper left) is the bar, but the entire public part of the hotel was decorated like this in an elegant, but comfortable style. The main lobby is a big atrium open to the full height of the hotel (four floors) with a glass ceiling, gold and iron filigree open staircases that looked like lace, and antiques and 19th century art work.