Kate St. James explains about Exes and Ahhs

Hi, today, Kate St. James is here to talk about her erotic romance story in the latest Secrets anthology.

Kate St. James lives in the Pacific Northwest with her adoring family. She keeps trying to kick them out, but they're sticking like glue...for reasons she can't figure. It's not like she's a model wife and mother. Or is she? Therein lies one of the great mysteries of Kate's generation.

An avid reader since childhood, Kate loves spending her days writing about the hot men and adventurous women populating her head. When she's not engrossed in her fictional worlds, you can find her chasing her hound in the hills above an azure lake, ignoring the smoke alarms blaring from the kitchen, or endlessly renovating her house.

Welcome Kate! Please tell us about Exes & Ahhs in Secrets Volume 26 Bound By Passion.

Kate: Hi, Nicole! Thanks for welcoming me back to Fierce Romance. My story, Exes & Ahhs, is an erotic reunion romance. Well, reunion in the sense that the story brings ex-lovers back together. However, they've been spending time together all along, just not in bed. :)

Here's a longer version of the blurb from the back of Secrets Volume 26: Bound By Passion:

When Risa Haber and Eric Lange were dating, she craved a lifetime and he suffered from No Woman's Gonna Tie Me Down Syndrome. Now, Eric's a silent partner in Risa's dessert catering business, but keeps sticking his nose into her recipes, her client list...down her blouse. She's tired of his insincere flirtations, so when they get trapped in a private party room following an erotically-themed event, she offers one last night of hot, carnal delights if he'll sell her his share of the biz, then exit her life forever. Eric figures he has to play along--or does he? All these months without Risa by his side have convinced him that as compatible as they are as lovers today, the rewards are guaranteed to go much deeper if they partner their hearts for life. Now if only he could convince Risa.

Nicole: Sounds wonderful! I love reunion stories. Do you have a review you could share with us?

Kate: Do I ever! First, Romantic Times rated Secrets Volume 26: Bound by Passion 4 Stars. If that weren't exciting enough, Cocktail Reviews awarded Secrets 26 4.5 Champagne Flutes overall and gave my story, Exes & Ahhs, 5.5 Champagne Flutes! The reviewer said, "This was brilliant! I loved the opening scene of this novella—it’s hilarious, saucy, and a great introduction to Risa and Eric. The love scenes are blisteringly hot and very, very sexy... This is easily one of my favorite erotic romances of recent months."

The maximum rating for Cocktail Reviews is 6 champagne flutes, known as "The Whole Bottle of Champagne," so I was very excited to nab 5.5 flutes.

Candy Ready's Red Hots also said, "This is a highly erotic, funny, tender romp that readers will absolutely love. You will laugh, get turned on, and cry before you finish, and you will wish for more! Eric is to die for!"

If I can share one more review, Erotic Horizon recently said, "Exes & Ahhs is hilariously funny, Ms. St James has given us two protagonists that you cannot help but fall in love with.... I absolutely enjoyed this read; it has everything, the little pikes of jealously, the cute best friend, the aging porn star and top that off with some steamy sex scenes."

Nicole: Wow!! Wonderful reviews! What is your favorite element in this story and why?

Kate: I love the reunited lovers aspect. Risa thinks she knows what she wants, and it isn't Eric. Watching her discover that Eric isn't as shallow as she believes really tugged at my heart strings during the writing of this story. Also, Risa does several risque things while trying to prove to herself that Eric isn't the man for her. Dreaming up these episodes was extremely satisfying. ;)

Nicole: I bet! I can't wait to read this. Who is your favorite character in this story?

Kate: I must say, while my heroes and heroines always hold a special place in my heart, with Exes & Ahhs I totally loved writing the character of aging former porn star and successful magazine publisher, Lainey Fullbright. The cool thing about writing secondary characters is that you can really let loose with them, and I did just that with Lainey and her pals.

I also love how secondary characters Kyla and Dante embark on the beginnings of a romance of their own during Risa and Eric's story. I created Kyla as a foil for Risa, and then, during a scene between Kyla and Eric, Dante suddenly showed up. Immediately, I realized that Kyla and Dante could have their own story to tell someday, and I reworked Exes & Ahhs accordingly. So if anyone likes what they see of Kyla and Dante in Exes & Ahhs, please email Red Sage and tell them you'd love to see a sequel--because I'd love to write one.

Nicole: Super idea! I love linked stories. What is your writing process?

Kate: This seems to change for me with every book and novella I write. Generally, though, I come up with a germ of an idea and tuck it away in a bulging idea file. When I begin a new project, I often start by going through this file. Whatever jumps out at me is what I write next. I start by brainstorming the story on my own as well as I can, and if I need help, I belong to a brainstorming group I can call upon for certain plot and character points. I don't write a synopsis at this time unless forced to (like for a contract). I much prefer to write a one-page blurb, because then I don't feel tied to a plot. Tying myself to a plot really restricts my muse, I've discovered. But I'll jot down scene ideas as they pop into my head, then I usually write the story scene by scene, first fast-drafting the scene and then revising and editing it before I move on to the next one. With some projects, I have jumped around and fast-drafted all the scenes in the project that I can "see." But usually my tendency is to keep proceeding from one scene to the next. To me, writing is an organic process that I can only accomplish by revising my story as it unfolds. Writing an entire first draft from beginning to end doesn't work for me. I sorely wish it did sometimes, but that's life. However, I still revise/edit and/or tighten the story as a whole once I'm done my revised-as-I-go process.

Nicole: Very cool! I always love learning how different authors write. Now here's something for you readers to watch. A book trailer for Secrets Volume 26.

And, here's a funny, sexy excerpt for you guys to read. I loved it!

http://www.katestjames.com/book_pages/exes_&_ahhs.html#excerpt

This is on my TBR stack and I can't wait to dive in. Thanks for being here with us today, Kate! It has been a pleasure!

Juliet Burns reveals The Spy's Surrender

Juliet Burns lives in Texas with her husband of twenty years and their three active kids. She likes to think her emotional nature—sometimes referred to as moodiness by those closest to her—has found the perfect outlet in writing stories filled with passion and romance. Juliet spent her youth with her nose in a book, immersed in the worlds of Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennett, and believes romance novels have the power to change lives with their message of eternal love and hope. Her newest release is THE SPY’S SURRENDER, in Red Sage’s Secrets anthology, Vol 26 Bound By Passion on shelves now! And she has 2 more books being released in 09; LET IT RIDE, a Harlequin Blaze in May of 09, writing as Jillian Burns, and another novella for Red Sage Secrets, Vol 28 called THE PIRATE’S POSSESSION in December 09. For more information and excerpts you can visit her website www.julietburns.com

Nicole: Welcome Juliet! Thanks for being here to answer questions today. Congratulations on your latest release! Please tell us about The Spy's Surrender in Red Sage Secrets Volume 26, Bound By Passion. Beautiful cover by the way!

Juliet: THE SPY’S SURRENDER –my first novella for Red Sage Secrets is an erotic romance about a British spy fighting Napoleon who is captured, and the beautiful courtesan who is enlisted to save him.

After years of surviving on her wit and beauty, the famous courtesan Eva Werner is the perfect double agent, England’s secret weapon against Napoleon. Her orders are to attend a sadistic marquis' depraved house party and rescue a British spy being held prisoner. But when she’s forced to make the spy her slave for the Marquis’ pleasure, her hardened heart melts in the fiery arms of the handsome officer. Will she sacrifice her secret identity and surrender to a spy?

Major Ambrose Delacourt was captured behind enemy lines. Now he’s a prisoner of the Marquis de Séréville, Napoleon’s Master Spy. In order to determine if a stunning blond courtesan is his rescuer or a treasonous double agent, Ambrose must become her love slave. But as the weekend orgy continues, mistress becomes slave and slave becomes master. Will they both end as pawns in a mad man’s treacherous war game?

Nicole: That sounds exciting and hot! What inspired you to write this story?

Juliet: I was inspired by a romance novel called THE LILY BRAND by Sandra Schwabb. In her novel a British soldier is captured and then bought from prison by a mad woman and enslaved.

Nicole: Cool! Since you also write contemporary romance, do you find you have a different process or tone of voice in your historical stories?

Juliet: The tone of voice is completely different. With Historicals, the language is more lush and…well, British or--in the case of my pirate story--Scots/Irish. With my contemporaries, the language is pure American and a lot of military slang had to be researched.

Historical stories seem to come easier for me, despite the extensive research. Historical Romance is my first love for pleasure reading and, to me; the restraints of the times lend themselves to conflicts more easily.

But the process in how I develop the story is the same for both. Being plot-driven, I already have a very basic idea for a plot in my head. I interview my characters, develop their goals, motivations and conflicts, brainstorm turning points and black moments with my critique partners, and then make a brief chapter outline that eventually expands into a synopsis.

Nicole: That's interesting! Do you have a review you could share with us?

Juliet: I sure do!

Cocktail Reviews has given THE SPY’S SURRENDER 4.5 (Champagne) Flutes!

“This is an enjoyable, exciting and action-packed historical romp with two sympathetic characters. I really liked Ambrose – he’s sexy and honourable – and Eva is sharp-witted and courageous. The first sex scene has Eva as a dominatrix, which was both a pleasant surprise and also a great way of establishing their characters. The dirty versions of Shakespeare plays are an inspired touch, too. A great read – 4 and a half flutes.”

Read the review here.

Nicole: That's a fantastic review! What was hardest for you in writing this story and why?

Juliet: Motivating the villain. There is a fine line between a sadistic sociopath and an over the top caricature of the wicked bad guy twirling his mustache and cackling wildly while tying the damsel to a train track.

Nicole: LOL That's true. What is your favorite thing about this story and why?

Juliet: Besides a super sexy hero forced to become a love slave? Probably the strength of the heroine. I love a strong heroine who can save herself.

Nicole: So do I! Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

Juliet: I have a list of my top ten things to do to get published on my website, but probably the most important thing for me has been to keep writing, every day if possible. Even if you think you’re writing crap. You can’t learn to play a violin well without practicing everyday, and the same is true with writing. There’s always something new to learn about how you write.

And don’t give up.

Nicole: Wonderful advice! Would you like to ask blog readers a question?

Juliet: Yes! Do you love a strong heroine who can save the day? Or do you prefer the hero to sweep in and save the heroine? And…Once you read THE SPY’S SURRENDER, what is your favorite thing about the story?

Nicole: Thanks again for being our guest here today, Juliet! It's been fun!

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