TAILSPIN needs your vote!
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Writing and Poetry

9:19 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

What’s with the ink?
Current mood: busy
Category: Life

My baby's gone and got herself a tattoo. Don't get me wrong - it's actually quite tasteful, a spray of snowflakes over her hip. On anyone else's daughter I'd say it was quite nice, but on my little girl??

  Oh. Oh…

This picture isn't her, BTW.

And she's not the only one. My son has an interlaced Celtic design up one bicep and he's going to have it extended over his shoulder as soon as he can afford it. On any other man, I'd say it looks sexy. He has lovely golden skin and excellent muscle tone. (I'm a good breeder, okay?) But on my baby boy? Oh dear.

I'd be the first to say tattoos can enhance the body. Some of them are true works of art, really classy. After all, Brin in GIFT OF THE GODDESS has the most gorgeous dragon tattoo on his most gorgeous self. And the hero of my current WIP (Book 2 of the Four-Sided Pentacle series) is probably going to finish up with a small tattoo - to remind him of something.

But what is it with this passion for ink? You'd be hard put to find anyone under the age of thirty without a tatt somewhere on their person. Obviously, I need to catch up with shows like Miami Ink.

In fifty years, we'll have a generation of wrinkled, tattooed bods creaking about with their walking frames. I fixed DD with my beady gaze and said darkly, "I hope you still like it when you're eighty." She just tossed her hair and smiled, being totally incapable of believing she might actually be that old - ever. They've both pointed out it could have been worse - like a skull with flaming eyeballs and a snake coming out of its mouth. Guess so. *sigh*

As for me, I'm pretty well ambivalent. If I was younger, I'd think about it seriously. Something small and sexy in a private place. Where I wouldn't sag. But geez, I'd have to love that design! And it would need to be deeply meaningful if I was going to carry it on my skin for the rest of my life.

What do you think of tattoos? Slutty? Decorative? Important? Do you have one? If so, why did you get it? People's reasons are always so interesting. Is there a difference to your appreciation if the tatt is on a man or a woman? Does it make a man sexier?

7:47 PM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Strongman, the Epilogue
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Writing and Poetry

I loved writing STRONGMAN and I absolutely, flat-out adored writing the Epilogue for it. It was…um…very satisfying.

Don't ask me what it is about two gorgeous alpha men loving each other. I dunno. More bang for your buck? *wicked chuckle*

If you didn't know, the film, Brokeback Mountain, was the original inspiration for STRONGMAN. By the time the credits rolled up, I was in tears. I was also furious - what an appalling waste of true love! Fort is essentially Ennis, the character played by Heath Ledger. Griff turned out to be - well, Griff. He's unique.

Elaine talked about the movie in a comment a little while ago -

Of course I couldn't find another solution for them. In that time and in that society, they would have butted up against the brick wall of bigotry at every turn. The only solution would have been to take them to a totally different world. And that's exactly what Strongman does. That story was responsible for helping me pull myself out of the funk caused by Brokeback Mountain. At least Fort and Griff made it. They're happy. *sigh* There's hope for every other couple after reading about them. Thank you Denise.

The link for the complete epilogue (two whole chapters' worth) will be in my next newsletter - second week of July.http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/deniserossetti It's my exclusive gift for the members of my newsgroup. Why? Because I love 'em all to death for sticking with me, that's why.

Also because I'll be away from mid July to September, travelling in the US and Canada. And I feel bad, because my Internet access will be intermittent.

Here you go ~ BTW, the drawing is by John Singer Sargent. It encapsulates so much of what I'm trying to convey about masculinity and aggression and eroticism. And it's beautiful.

Epilogue

The click of metal on metal sounded very loud over the sound of their panting breath, the breeze whispering in the trees. Six fucking months it had taken Griff to win a wrestling match with Fort - but now, Twister be praised, he had. First fall.

Carefully, Griff rose, backed away. Any second… One, two -

"What the fuck-?" Fort's roar of fury shook the hidden valley. He lurched to his feet, awkward because of the wrists cuffed behind him. "You little shit, you cheated!"

Griff staggered over to a handy boulder and collapsed, his heart singing even as the breath rasped in his lungs. "No more than you did, that first time." He shot the big man a feral grin, full of evil promise. "I wasn't going to lose, not again." Twisting around, he rubbed the back of his thigh. "Shit, I think I pulled something."

"Serves you right," said Fort sourly. "But cuffs, Griff?" They rattled as he tested them, the muscles writhing beautifully under olive skin. "Was that necessary?"

Griff straightened, brushing off the bits of grass, the crushed daisies, checking for bruises. He took his time, trying to still the internal trembling. He was naked, they both were, the daylight illuminating every muscle, every tendon and sinew, the scars on Fort's huge body. "I didn't think anything as flimsy as leather would hold you," he said.

Exclusive to members of my newsletter group.

If you enjoy male/male romance, especially that written by female authors, what is it that draws you? Do you have authors to recommend? Josh Lanyon's good, and I like Jet Mykles and Morgan Hawke when they do Yaoi.

I'm still astonished at how it pushes my buttons. Do you think that's weird? (It's okay if you do!)

If you don't like it, what is it that turns you off?

4:38 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

PI Cyber circuit: Alexis Fleming
Current mood: awake
Category: Writing and Poetry

Introducing the Passionate Ink Cyber Circuit: We're a group of writers who belong to the Passionate Ink chapter of Romance Writers of America and write erotic romance. (See the links in the sidebar.) Once or twice a month our members will tour a recent release, so you get to find fabulous new authors for your TBR pile!

It's my pleasure to introduce our next author out on tour - Alexis Fleming

The Book:

The love doctor is in…but can he take a dose of his own medicine?

Pan, the Arcadian god of lust and magic, has had enough of his restricted existence hidden away on Arcadia. When Cupid, the Greek god of love, suggests he live on Earth, Pan decides to give it a go.

Pan establishes himself as the luuuuuv doctor and announcer for a nighttime romantic music slot with a local radio station. He plays his pan-pipes, enthralling all who listen. Cupid warns Pan that his days of playing fast and loose with women's emotions are numbered. Sure enough, Pan meets Kris, the woman who takes him to task. The leather-wearing, Harley-riding, hard-ass psychologist has her own agenda, and it doesn't include him. Before he knows what's happening, she has turned the table on the god, and he's smitten.

Kris is exactly the right medication, the perfect dose for the nomadic God of Lust, who has finally found a love of his own.

Who says Cupid has to confine himself to one day of the year?

PANDEMONIUM, co-authored with Lyn Cash, is the second story in the Sexy Mythconception series from Total-e-bound Publishing.

Click the cover to buy. Click here for an excerpt.

ABOUT ALEXIS

Alexis Fleming is one of those strange people who live inside their mind. No, she doesn't hear little voices… Well, she does, just not the type you're thinking of. Alexis' world is peopled with interesting characters and exciting possibilities that come to life in each and every book she writes. Her first love has always been romance, whether on this world or the next. Hot, sizzling relationships with a dash of comedy and a few trials and tribulations thrown in to test her characters.

When she's not tied to her computer creating sizzling stories to tempt her readers, she helps run a busy motel set on the edge of a national marine park in Australia. What better place to get inspiration for the tales she turns out? A glorious sunset over the ocean, dolphins playing almost in her front yard, suntanned bodies lazing on the sand… How could she not get caught up in the eroticism of that?

The Interview:

This is the bit where I get to ask all those cheeky questions. Nosy? Moi?

In which of your books is the heroine most like yourself?

I hate to admit it but I think there's a little bit of me in every book I write. I guess it comes back to that 'write what you know' thing. I pull on situations I've been in or emotions I've experienced to flesh out my characters. Not consciously, but when I read over what I've written, I'm able to track it back to something that has happened in my life.

Then there's the fact that most of my heroines are quirky, weird, irreverent, sassy-mouthed, fiercely loyal, and just plain crazy at times. Lol Guess you could say that's me to a large degree.

Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?

I think inspiration is all around us if only we open ourselves up to it. Stud Finders Incorporated came into being because I walked into my friend's house and saw a little black stud finder machine sitting on her kitchen bench. A Handyman's Best tool was the result of a leak in my living room ceiling during a summer downpour. The simplest things can trigger a story.

Then there's the dreams. Lol I often dream up story ideas. My husband has gotten used to me jumping out of bed in the middle of the night because I had a dream that just had to be written down.

What's your writing schedule like?

*groan* I have a shocking writing schedule. In my other life, I help run a busy 34 room motel situated on the edge of a national marine park in Australia. Running a motel can be pretty much a 24/7 job during the high tourist season and then I have to fit my writing in around that.

I get up at 5.30am, make a coffee, and then hit the computer until 7.30am when I start work in the motel. During the high season, I probably won't get back to the computer until late in the day. Then I sit up until the early hours of the morning writing. Low season I get a bit more computer time during the day which is fantastic. Means I can sleep at night like normal people. lol

What does your writing space look like?

I am truly spoilt when it comes to my writing space. We have a three bedroom residence above reception and I've taken over one of the bedrooms for an office. Thank God it's a big room, because it does tend to get cluttered at times. Two walls are filled with bookcases. What books don't fit on the shelves get packed into cane baskets and lined up underneath the shelves. One end of the office is taken up with my desk and filing cabinets, and my jewelry-making worktable. Then there's the wall-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that open out onto a balcony, and the two tub chairs placed strategically in front of the doors so I can see out over fabulous Jervis Bay. Nothing nicer when I need a break than sitting there watching the sea. Jervis Bay is a national marine park and if I'm really lucky, I can see the dolphins playing in the water just opposite my balcony.

What is the strangest thing anyone has said to you about your writing (if it has happened)?

Being accused of selling porn along with the bacon and eggs.

We had an old lady staying here, and once I'd been outed at the Motelier who wrote "dirty" books (the journalist's words, not mine), my hubby started putting one of my bookmarks on the breakfasts trays before they went out. This old dear ate her breakfast, which I had cooked with my loving hands, and then checked out. The next thing I knew, the police were coming to call. She'd reported me for selling porn. Lol The police officer about cracked it when he realized what it was all about. In fact, he wanted to buy a couple of my books for his wife.

What does your family think about you writing erotic romance?

I'm very fortunate in that my husband doesn't have a problem with me writing erotic romance, although he does occasionally want to know where I got a certain idea from. My son doesn't like his fiancée to read my books. He says it's like having his mom in the bedroom with him. lol

My daughter is a published author in her own right, so is the most supportive of her mother because she knows what it's like. And it's way kewl to have someone there on the end of the phone when I want to discuss a scene. Freaks our partners out a bit though when we discuss sex scenes.

Other places to find Alexis ~

blog: http://www.alexisfleming.net/blog

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/alexisfleming

Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlexisFlemingandFriends

One lucky commenter on Under and Over in June will win an autographed copy of A Red Hot New Year, four sizzling stories to ring in the New Year, including my contribution, Coming on Strong!

6:38 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Harlot Heaven - Rackety Kate, ch9 [excerpt]
Current mood: optimistic
Category: Writing and Poetry

It's newsletter time, which means…

Rackety Kate and the Pirates

Chapter 9

Harlot Heaven

The story so far:

Having arrived at Sweet Sisters Isle, Kate is finding it difficult to fight the buzz of magic in her blood, let alone cope with Jack's distracting, sexy presence or the sight of Duka mastering the Duchess. To her surprise, Jack gives her the choice as to what they do next. And she thought he only had one thing on his mind…

The path through the jungle was as lovely as everything else on Sweet Sisters Isle, deeply shaded, the deep, fine sand pleasantly cool between Kate's bare toes. Every now and then it narrowed, and she had the guilty pleasure of watching the flex of Jack's muscular buttocks, swinging along in front of her.

Great ass, observed the husky-voiced Harlot. Biteable.

The air shimmered at the edges of Kate's vision, as if a large dragon-fly had just whisked out of existence. She jerked around, but there was nothing to be seen, only the feathery fronds of jungle plants-and what was that? An orchid?

Smiling, Kate reached out to stroke her fingertips over the thick, creamy petals. The lilac coloured throat emitted a low mewl of pleasure.

"Aaargh!" She jumped back, and Jack's arms slid around her waist from behind, reassuringly strong and solid.

"Relax, Kate," a deep voice purred in her ear. It's just the magic."

"But it made a noise!"

"So what? It likes you." He nuzzled her cheek. "You're a vortex for the magic. It's drawn to you. I can see it swirling all over your head and shoulders. Rather like a halo." He gave a decidedly devilish chuckle. "One I intend to tarnish, good and proper."

Before Kate could think of a suitably scathing reply, he took her hand, lacing their fingers together, tugging her along. "C'mon, just a little further."

A narrow path branched upward and Jack took it at a rapid pace, his hand strong in hers.

The air grew warm and steamy and the chuckle of water falling on stone filled the air. The vegetation grew positively luxuriant - rampant vines looped over silky tree trunks, flowers bloomed profusely, everywhere she looked, in every possible shade of pastel, gleaming in iridescent tones from cream to violet and back again. And it smelled - God, it smelled absolutely divine!

Despite herself, Kate's eyes filled with tears. When she saw Jack had turned to stare, she dashed a hand across her eyes. "Don't say it," she snarled. "I'm a sentimental fool."

Jack said nothing, but he bent his handsome head and pressed a gentle kiss to her brow. Then he ushered her through a tumbledown arch made of honey-gold stone.

All the breath punched out of Kate's lungs.

They stood on the lip of a pool of clear water, as green as jade. It lay like a jewel in the dappled sunlight, tendrils of steam drifting above the surface in slow arabesques. For all the world, it looked as though a team of ancient Greek sculptors had completed half the coping and then become bored and wandered off, leaving the rest to Nature. Marble steps descended into the translucent depths, and a statue of a gracefully bending maiden emptied an urn into the pool, the long stream of falling water as smooth and beautiful as the finest Venetian glass. Rather to Kate's surprise, the maiden was decorously clad in a flowing tunic that left one stone shoulder bare.

"Do you like it?" Jack smiled at her and for a moment, Kate thought she could glimpse the boy in the man.

She could only nod, lost for words, her eyes still stinging with an emotion she didn't understand.

A warm palm rubbed gentle circles over her spine. "You need this, pretty Kate. Think of it as the gift of the Sweet Sisters - peace, at least for a little while."

"P-peace?"

Want more? You can read all of Kate and see more pirates on the Rackety Kate page.

Want even more than that? Join my newsletter - see below.

Subscribers to my newsletter get to interfere with Kate's love life. Sign up to join the fun!

6:23 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

PI Cyber Circuit: Shelley Munro
Current mood: sick
Category: Writing and Poetry

Introducing the Passionate Ink Cyber Circuit: We're a group of writers who belong to the Passionate Ink chapter of Romance Writers of America and write erotic romance. (See the links in the sidebar.) Once or twice a month our members will tour a recent release, so you get to find fabulous new authors for your TBR pile!

It's my pleasure to introduce our next author out on tour - Shelley Munro

The Book:

Here's what Shelley has to say about Lovers at Last ~

Friends to lovers-it's one of my favorite plot devices. I like reading Friends to Lovers stories and enjoy writing them. I love being able to jump straight into an intimate situation in the first few pages of a book. The characters are familiar with each other and have a history together. They might not realize they're even attracted to each other until one pivotal moment that changes everything, or one of them might have developed feelings for the other over a period of time, agonizing about acting on them.

A relationship like this comes with problems: does the couple want this to be a one-time thing or do they want to play for keeps? What happens if the sex between them is so bad they destroy their friendship forever? Or what if one of the pair doesn't feel the same way?

Yes, moving from friends to lovers is fraught with dilemmas for both parties.

In Lovers at Last Pearl and Justin are best friends. When Pearl's current relationship fails, she seeks out Justin for comfort. Justin, who has wanted Pearl for a long time, decides it's time to stake his claim.

Pearl's master plan to catch a rich husband - results so far…A for effort, F for success.

Justin Collet wants way more than friendship from Pearl. He craves love, laughter and hot, down-and-dirty passion. A life partner. All he needs to do is convince Pearl.

A broken relationship, a few drinks and a string of pearls. Comforting Pearl takes a turn into carnal territory. Heat blossoms between them, fiery and consuming. Sweet kisses inflame and erotic whispers tempt. It's all or nothing for Justin as he seduces Pearl into agreeing they're lovers at last.

Click the cover for an excerpt, visit Ellora's Cave to buy Shelley's books!

The Interview:

This is the bit where I get to ask all those cheeky questions. Nosy? Moi?

Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?

I'd like to be a smartass and say I buy my story ideas at Walmart, but the truth is that I find inspiration everywhere. A story idea can spring from a television show I've watched, a newspaper article I've read or a book written by another author might spark a series of ideas. I'm lucky enough to do quite a bit of travel and find this a great source of ideas, especially for settings. Maybe I have a fertile imagination, but I have a continual stream of ideas and add a few brief details to an ideas folder so I can save them for when I need them.

Are you a pantzer or a plotter?

When I first started writing I used to make up things as I wrote. Now that I'm a published writer I find I need a more organized approach since editors and agents like to know how a book ends, often before I've finished writing it. These days I tend to be a hybrid of the two. I plot enough to know how the book ends but leave myself enough leeway so that each book remains an adventure during the writing process.

Where did you get the idea for your latest book?

Lovers at Last is part of Ellora's Cave Gemstone series and is a pearl story. The pearls play a large part in the story and bring the hero and heroine together. I took one of my favorite plots, that of friends and lovers, added in the pearls and came up with a couple who knew each other well. The first scene popped into my head and the story came from there.

What makes a hero for you? Do you see them on the street, or are they simply in your head?

In short, my heroes come from my imagination rather than a real person. I have a liking for tall and dark heroes and usually start off with those two characteristics, although I have written a few blond heroes. Most of my heroes also seem to be on the alpha side and are heroic in the sense that they never abuse their position and bully those weaker than themselves.

What's your writing schedule like?

I write full time and treat my writing like an office job, working set hours. I set myself a writing target for each day and also fit in promo and other writing related activities such as blogging, correspondence and maintaining my website. I think I work harder now than I ever used to!

What does your writing space look like?

In a word—messy! I do try to tidy up a little between books but while I'm writing I like to keep my reference books and notes, my dictionary and thesaurus close at hand. I also have a pile of promo related stuff on my desk and of course, I can't get by without my calendar that lists my schedule for the month.

What advice would you give to aspiring erotic romance writers?

First of all—read. I can't stress that enough. Read to analyze the market, take all the elements you enjoy and set out to write something unique that hasn't been done before. Erotic romance isn't for everyone and if you're not comfortable writing it this shows in your work.

What does your family think about you writing erotic romance?

My family is totally supportive of my writing. They offer encouragement when I need it and are always pleased to celebrate any successes with me as well. My husband has become very knowledgeable over the years and constantly surprises me. I might mention an agent or one of my chapters and he immediately knows what I'm talking about. He points out that he does listen.

Other places to find Shelley ~

blog: http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/shelleymunro

Dynamic Trio: http://www.dynamicthree.com

Danger Zone: http://www.dangerzoneauthors.com

4:49 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

The care and feeding of books
Current mood: awake
Category: Writing and Poetry

How precious are books to you? Yeah, yeah, I know you all love to read - I mean the book as a physical object. I blush to confess the container the story comes in isn't terribly important to me. I've bought a lot of books second-hand in my time, maybe that's why I'm so rough. I don't do that any more, BTW, because now I truly understand about royalties!

Elaine, if you're reading this, you'd better stop now. I can see you wincing from here. I was VERY careful with the books I borrowed from you. You know I was, 'cos you made me promise and I was scared. But you were right to be so stern.

Books I own myself, though - I'll shove them in my handbag, chuck them on the back seat of the car, drop them on the floor next to the bed, absent-mindedly put a cup of tea on top of them. I particularly like mass-market paperbacks, because they're such a convenient size for shoving.

Oh - I'm VERY kind to the books I've written, of course. And Joey's and Christine's. Anyone else's - yeah, well… Unless they're autographed.

I know I'm awful, okay? So beat me (gently).

To mark my place I'll dog-ear a page. Okay, OKAY, don't all shriek at once! I said I know I'm awful. Most of the time I use a postcard of Mr Gorgeous. Big enough not to lose (well, he would be, wouldn't he?) and pretty enough not to be careless with.

Or I'll use a receipt or a petrol docket. I'm hopeless with normal bookmarks. I don't know how it happens, but they just…disappear. I wouldn't mind a bookmark like the one on the right, though. I wonder if he singes the pages?

Sometimes, I'll get impatient and flatten a book out til the spine cracks so I can read while I'm eating. I'm a shocker. *sigh* But I never, ever tear or mutilate pages and those twits that write their own stupid corrections in books borrowed from the library drive me insane with rage.

On a parting note, I'll leave you with two contrasting shelf arrangements ad a question. The first is my study (and you can see that tidiness is not a virtue I cherish, nor is flower arranging). But the novels are in alphabetical order by author, I have to give me that. And the reference books and files have their own sections.

Here we have an alternative scheme, books arranged by colour. Words fail me. I wish any room in my house looked so pretty… And don't you love the rug? Not to mention the pug? *giggle*

So here's my question. I have to think of ways of promoting my books that readers will enjoy and that won't break the Rossetti bank, which is not a particularly flourishing institution. I'm thinking about getting bookmarks made, but I'm so hopeless with them myself, that I'm having doubts.

Help me out here, guys.

What do you think of bookmarks? Do you use them? Like them, collect them? Do they help you remember an author's name? Have you ever, ever, checked out a writer because of her bookmarks?

If there are enough answers, I'll write up a quick summary for any writers who drop by. (You know who you are!)

6:07 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Introducing Merlin
Current mood: anxious
Category: Pets and Animals

Are you a cat person or a dog person? I love dogs, but I cannot imagine life without a cat. To have a cat lie sleeping in your lap, all sort of boneless and heavy and sleek, that's such a gift. And it always makes me feel calmer. I love their little concrete feet - it's amazing how an animal so light and graceful can have a tread like an elephant stepping on your stomach!

I'd like you to meet Merlin, our current Burmese boy. It's winter here and cold (well, a little bit). I'd been working on the laptop and left it open on the bed, nice and warm. When I returned, this is what I found.

If you look closely, you'll see that His Feline Lordship had opened Firefox Help and even done a search for me -

111qjw1gbhgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Poor Firefox!

Merlin's an inveterate head-butter and although he's a tiny little fellow, the runt of the litter, his tokens of affection can make you see stars.

He used to assist the Muse by sitting on top of the monitor and letting his tail dangle down, dead centre. He said it gave me something long and gorgeous to use for inspiration! I used to say it sent me cross-eyed.

These days, I use the laptop almost exclusively, so he's learned to walk on the keyboard instead. An excellent way of getting my attention! It results in books written like thissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss…………………..

And they're all so different. My sweet old fatty cat, who died at nineteen, rarely moved faster than a stately waddle. The only time he sped up was when the phone rang, so he could jump onto my lap if I sat down. In fact, he died on my lap, purring loudly as the vet slid in the needle. He didn't "go to sleep", not really. He just – stopped. It was so peaceful, so beautiful. And I've made myself cry, even though that was nine years ago. I still miss him, my dear old friend.

I have a couple of friends who really don't like cats. They say felines give them the willies. The funny thing is, all my cats have always made a beeline for those people, even to the extent of having to be locked away in another room. I couldn't work it out until I read that it's cat etiquette not to meet the eyes of another cat, not until you're properly introduced and sniffed. People who dislike cats avoid looking at them. My cats must have been thinking,"What excellent manners!" Meanwhile ignoring the peasants snapping their fingers and calling, 'Puss, puss!'"

Ironic, really.

What about you? Cat person or dog person? And what is it you particularly enjoy about cats? I love their grace and their pride. No one acts cooler than an offended cat.

12:58 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

The Next Trembling Step - Rackety Kate, Ch8 [excerpt]
Current mood: amused
Category: Writing and Poetry

It's newsletter time, which means…

Rackety Kate and the Pirates

Chapter 8

The Next Trembling Step

The story so far:

One kiss and Jack swears he'll have Kate's heart and soul as well as her delectable little body. The Brazen Hussy sails on through the magical Mist protecting Sweet Sisters Isle, home of the pirates, and Kate's eyes open wide…

Kate gazed into the translucent blue depths, marveling. She could see all the way to the sandy bottom. Shoals of small fish nosed about the stout wooden piles of the dock where the Brazen Hussy was moored. Smiling, she watched them darting back and forth, like a cloud of living jewel-toned sweets.

A strong hand fisted in the back of the shirt she wore - Jack's shirt. Speak of the devil… "Don't tumble in, pretty Kate."

Ooooh, yes, chorused the Hormone Harlots.

So masterful, sighed one.

Kate frowned. This voice was languishing and soft, ultra-feminine. The one she'd heard in the cabin had been a husky contralto. So there were two of them?

Uh-huh. They spoke together.

A spotted ray flapped past below, the tips of its wings furling up and down like a heavy tablecloth in a breeze.

"You picked a beautiful spot," she said grudgingly.

"Aye." The silk of Jack's beard brushed the side of her neck. "I have excellent taste."

"All's shipshape, Cap'n," rumbled Duka, looming behind them.

"Good." Turning, Jack raised his voice. "Who's for home, lads?"

At the chorus of enthusiastic shouts, he grinned, so like a boy that Kate's heart did a flip-flop. Ridiculous thing.

With a rebel yell, blond Peter dived neatly over the side and stroked through the gentle swell to the shore. Spectacles clutched in one fist, he rose up out of the water like a piratical version of Mr Darcy. Kate sighed. Heavens, he was sweet! Look at those shoulders in the wet shirt. And that ass in the wet breeches, and…

"Enough," said Jack crisply.

The world swung, then steadied as he scooped her up in his arms. Kate clutched at his shoulders. "Will you stop doing that?"

"There are other ways." Jack glanced back over his shoulder as he started down the narrow gangplank. He reached the dock and lowered Kate until her feet hit sun-warmed wood. "Like that, for instance."

Turning in his arms, Kate followed his gaze and gasped.

Duka had wrapped his belt around the waist of the Duchess. There was at least a foot of leather left over. He had the tongue of the belt in one huge fist so that the Duchess had to stumble along the deck behind him, almost trotting to keep up with his long stride. With a delicious little shock, Kate realised the other woman's wrists were secured together with a length of rope.

But when the First Mate set foot on the narrow piece of timber that did duty for a gangplank, the Duchess baulked, the angry flush fading from her fair cheeks until she was pale as milk. "No," she whispered.

Slowly, Duka turned, the plank bowing under his considerable weight. "What was that?" he enquired mildly.

Want more? You can read all of Kate and see more pirates on the Rackety Kate page.

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5:16 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

True Love - Lion Style
Current mood: angsty

This is the current post on my main blog, Under and Over

http://www.deniserossetti.com/blog

The two English guys on the right adopted a lion cub and brought it up for a year. (I have no idea why.) But once the animal reached maturity, they were no longer permitted to keep it. They did the right thing and settledit in an wildlife sanctuary in Africa.

A year later, they returned to see Christian the lion, and were told the animal would not remember them. Have a look at what happened next. (The picture quality is a little grainy, but persevere, it’s worth it!)

Have you experienced affection like this from an animal? Perhaps you get a greeting like this every day when you get home from work? Our dog turns herself inside out for My Beloved after every parting, no matter how brief. Me, she’s quite fond of.

5:21 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

It’s out! It’s out!
Current mood: ecstatic
Category: Writing and Poetry

This is the current post on my main blog, Under and Over

http://www.deniserossetti.com/blog/

I’m having a pyjama party at my place - it’s early in the morning Down Under. Must be pretty close to lunch Over There by now. Um, I think.

What the hell. Have lunch in your jammies. You’re all invited! PJ’s optional.

STRONGMAN IS OUT - FINALLY!

Yeehah!!!

You can buy a copy from Ellora’s Cave this very minute. There’s a hot excerpt up there - or you can read the whole of the first chapter on my website.

But back to the party. I’m dancing around the study in my Mr Gorgeous T-shirt. Come on, come on, who better to take to bed than Mr Gorgeous?

Here it is, on the right, for your edification. Oh - that’s not me. Sorry. Did your eyes just open wide? As you may have guessed, it’s My Beloved. Ellora’s Cave sent me this wonderful T-shirt, but it’s waaay too big for me, so My Beloved consented to model. (He’s lost a lot of weight since this pic was taken, BTW. I’m very proud of him.)

It’s like a dress on me, so I wear it as a nightie. With ugg boots. Any one of my heroes would be helpless to resist. Yeah, right.

What are your PJs like? And the slippers? C’mon, ’fess up!

2:15 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Colouring In - Wordplay
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Writing and Poetry

This is the current post on my main blog, Under and Over

http://www.deniserossetti.com/blog/

Yeah, so? you say. Colours, so what? I know my colours.

But you see, there are the most scrumptious words available to describe every possible shade and hue. And, like all words, each has its own "feel". You can roll them in your mouth, almost like a wine. For example, don’t you think vermilion sounds a whole lot more exotic than red? (It’s a bright orangey red. Also called Chinese red or cinnabar.)

When I wrote TAILSPIN, I was determined the reader be able to "see" the Aetherii, with their magnificent wings and tails. Or at least, I was determined to try. A character called Miriliel the Burnished would have to be tawny, wouldn’t he? Here we have Fledge finding Mirry’s "dead" body on a charnel heap. All she can see is one wing.

Beneath the herdbeast lay a highhunter, its glorious wings spread in a pathetic arc, completely limp. The very size of the raptor was awe-inspiring. It had to be three times bigger than any she’d ever seen, even when the Fair had traveled through the Mountains of Morn. Blood and dirt splattered its plumage, dulling what had once been the sheen of vibrant color - amber, russet, glowing apricot, smooth terracotta - all the hues of the living earth.

Not only did I use words other than orange or brown - bleah! - I piled them up, one after the other, the idea being to convey the richness of Mirry’s plumage, the amazing depth of colour. I did look at pictures of birds and feathers, especially eagles. And I did choose colour words most people would know.

Then, of course, there are eyes. All writers know how important eye contact is for human communication. Think how disconcerting it is to talk with someone wearing mirrored sunglasses. Eye colour is incredibly important. Blue, green, brown - yeah, yeah, we need to do better than that. And we can - with those fabulous colour words.

Here are Mirry’s eyes -

They were raptor’s eyes, large and dark and round. Each iris was rimmed with a ring of yellow as hard as topaz.

And Jan’s -

The feathery tip of Jan’s tail nudged his thigh and he clamped his mouth shut on a yelp. His head jerked around to find Jan’s indigo gaze fixed on him from under sooty lashes. "You’re looking well, Mirry."

Immediately, we know Jan’s eyes are beautiful, because indigo is a beautiful word - meaning a deep, intense blue. *sigh* Think of all the variations on blue - turquoise, cerulean, cobalt, sapphire, periwinkle, cornflower, azure, navy…

Writers (published and unpublished), I’d love to see the sensual way you use colour. You’re very welcome to share short examples of your colour wordplay. If you paste in a link to the book it came from, it will work. Show off your writing chops!

Everyone - wanna play? Here are ten colours. How many can you guess off the top of your head? - without looking at the dictionary! Let’s see how you go. I’ll post the answers in a comment. (And no, I didn’t know them all.)

1. damson
2. viridian
3. gentian
4. eau de Nil
5. ecru
6. celadon
7. lapis lazuli
8. cerise
9. sable
10. sienna

If you’d like to, go ahead and give us a piece of colour writing, a sentence or poem or whatever you fancy.

If you’re dubious about the concept, go read the Wordplay page, where All is Revealed.

Would you like to suggest a word or phrase or even a theme for the Wordplay treatment? Go right ahead and we’ll do it another time. I LOVE lists, like darling Mirry. *snork*

4:16 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Crime, Punishment and a Good Spanking [Excerpt], Rackety Kate, Ch 6
Current mood: awake

My newsletter has just gone out, which means it’s time for… TADAAAA!!!

Crime, Punishment and a Good Spanking

The next episode of Rackety Kate!

Chapter 6