New Guest Blog and Giveaway by Author Leigh Ellwood

Hello, and thanks to Emily for having me over today. Before I get too deeply into discussion, though, I want to get the shameless self-promotion out of the way. Here are my current offerings in F/F:
Coming Together: Girl on Girl - All Romance - Kindle - NOOK
She Loves Me - All Romance ~ Kindle ~ NOOK ~ Audiobook
Sugar Rush - All Romance ~ Kindle ~ NOOK
Undercover Passions - All Romance ~ Kindle ~NOOK

As for the future, I have two projects in progress, both to be published by invitation. I can't reveal who has asked for these F/F romance novellas, but I can say to expect one in the late spring and the other in summer, in time for LGBT Pride Month. Both are contemporary which, as with my other F/F stories save for Undercover Passions, is the primary genre for my F/F pairings.

That brings me to the topic at hand: what else is out there for lesbian romance and erotic romance? Of course, I have read many sub-genres in the pairing. One of my publishers, Decadent Publishing, offers sci-fi and futuristic F/F from Jessica E. Subject, among others. Paisley Smith and Yeva Wiest have written lovely historical romances. Paisley also had a great BDSM series with rockabilly heroines, and I hope to read more stories from her.

I ask because somebody (it may have been Emily, the mind is fuzzy lately) retweeted a request from somebody looking for varieties in lesbian romance and F/F pairings. I distinctly recall "sword and sorcery" among the requests.

Personally, I think that would be cool, to read about a female knight who slays a dragon to save a village, in particular one lovely lady wizard who needs a break from her spellbook to relax. I'd like to read a "Downton Abbey"-era romance about a noble lady feeling the pressure of society and tradition when all she really wants is to live freely in love with the sister of the neighboring lord. How about a story of a wealthy businesswoman with interests on a mining planet who butts heads with a vocal environmentalist, and discovers she'd rather do other things with her?

Paranormals, too. We're getting an all-female Ghostbusters! How about a paranormal investigator who gets too close to the feminine specter haunting an antebellum mansion? Yeah, we'd have to work out some logistics, but paranormal offers endless ideas.

To be honest, I'd love to write all of these sub-genres. I'll do my best, but I warn you sometimes when I try to focus the plot bunnies gang up on me. I'd love to write more F/F, but even more I'd love to hear what readers want in a story in terms of settings, eras, and characters.

What do you want to see in 2015 for lesbian romance? Comment below and I'll pick a winner to receive one audiobook from my catalog.

~

Leigh Ellwood is an author of erotica, mystery, and romance. She is the editor of Coming Together: Girl on Girl and the author of She Loves Me, both of which were finalists for the Gold Crown Literary Society "Goldie" Award.

Twitter - @LeighEllwood

Lesbian Fiction Appreciation 2015

Every year, writer K. T. Grant hosts a month long celebration of lesbian fiction in all genres on her blog. I did posts the first two years but didn't get it together this year. But lots of other authors, editors , publishers and reviewers did so be sure and read them all! Plus, there are CFS and book giveaways. :-)
#LFAE2015

New CFS from Cheyenne Blue

First (working title)

Editor: Cheyenne Blue

Publisher: Ladylit Publishing (www.ladylit.com)

Deadline: 24 April 2015

Payment: US$40.00 plus a copy of e-book and paperback

Rights:  First worldwide digital rights and print rights.

Cheyenne Blue is seeking fictional stories of lesbian passion about first experiences.  While I will be including stories of sexual firsts, including first lesbian encounter and first experience of a particular sexual act, I am especially after stories that look beyond this with imagination and flair.  I would like to see stories where the sex happens as an integral part of another first, whether it’s the first day in a new job, the first time overseas, breaking the law, or skinny dipping.  How about a first experience of sex in zero G in space, or a near death experience on the battleground of a past war?  Show me the marvel, wonder, joy, and pride of new experience, the accomplishment, or even the fear or despair. I welcome stories of emotional firsts: the first time in love, the first time that hate translates to sex, the first time with a new partner after a break up. 

Above all, I want strong, complete tales that are more than just a sex act. This is not an anthology of true confessions, so stories do not need to be written in first person.  For examples of the type of stories and writing I’m looking for, check out my previous anthology, “Forbidden Fruit: stories of unwise lesbian desire”.

Please note the usual no-nos apply: no incest / underage sex / rape / necrophilia / bestiality / scat.  No poetry please.

Preferred length: 2500 – 5000 words

Unpublished stories strongly preferred, although a couple of reprints might be used. Reprints must be solely owned by the author.

US English.  Please submit a double-spaced Microsoft Word document, using a 12-point serif font, such as Georgia or Times New Roman. One inch margins. If using a pen name, include both real and pen name on the manuscript.

Send your story as a .doc or .rtf file attachment to Cheyenne Blue at firstantho@gmail.com. Please include “First” and your story title in the subject line.

In the body of the email please include your legal name, pseudonym, a short bio, and previous publication information if the story is a reprint.

Established authors welcomed, newcomers encouraged.  I look forward to reading your work.

All submissions acknowledged within 3 days and acceptances notified by 1 June 2015.

About the editor:  Cheyenne Blue is the editor of “Forbidden Fruit: stories of unwise lesbian desire” also from Ladylit, and has edited short stories through to novels.  Her erotic fiction has been included in approximately 100 erotic anthologies since 2000. Under her own name she has written travel books and articles, and edited anthologies of local writing in Ireland.

Cheyenne Blue

Out Now: Blue Woman Stories Volume 2: collected lesbian erotica of Cheyenne Blue

5 stories of  erotic lesbian love.  Buy now: http://www.ladylit.com/books/blue-woman-stories-volume-2-by-cheyenne-blue/

Out Now: Forbidden Fruit: stories of unwise lesbian desire

She’s off limits but the attraction burns so bright it’s impossible to resist. 17 stories from 17 authors.

Buy now: http://www.ladylit.com/books/forbidden-fruit/

________________________ 

Erotica by Cheyenne Blue

http://www.cheyenneblue.com

Twitter: @iamcheyenneblue

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Cheyenne_Blue

New reviews!

Kicking off the year with some marvelous reviews of anthologies I'm in. :-D

Erotica Revealed review has lovely things to say about Best Lesbian Erotica 2015 and my story "Arachne"

And the same wonderful reviewer at Erotica Revealed says more lovely things about Forbidden Fruit and "The Further Adventures of Miss Scarlett" :-D

Over at Erotica for All - my story a "particular favorite" in this very nice review of "Forbidden Fruit"

Guest Blog Post - Author Jade Winters on "Neighbour from Heaven"

Be gentle – it’s my first time!

Until recently, the only Erotica I’d ever got very excited about was Madonna’s album back in ‘92!  So to say I was not too clued up on the genre would be an understatement.  To be honest I’d not even contemplated writing erotica - until now.  

Co-written with my new collaborator, Alexis Bailey, Neighbour from Heaven is an erotic short that is a swift departure from the novels I’ve penned in the past. As many of my readers know, I’ve been writing bittersweet romance for a few years now so I guess as they say “It was only a matter of time”! 

This book is Alexis’s first time out of the writing stable. She’s been writing erotica shorts for years but up until now has never had the nerve, to show her stories to anyone. Well I was honoured she gave me the privilege because that’s how our writing partnership was brought about.

After reading Alexis’s stories I realised how liberating it was to let the characters be free and upfront about their wants and desires. For me, writing erotica, is less about the character’s heart fluttering when they encounter the woman of their dreams. It’s about their natural sexual desires being explored and not being ashamed to admit it.

I love romance, don’t get me wrong, but after my encounter with Alexis, I felt inspired to take a voyage into previously uncharted waters.  I wanted to sail out of the safe harbour I knew and into more tempestuous seas.  No longer afraid, I grabbed the new genre firmly by the hand. Fortunately, Alexis agreed to be a co-writer so I wasn’t completely alone.

Here’s the blurb:

Some people borrow a cup of sugar, others a cordless hand-drill, but what young lesbian Lucy gets from her sexy neighbour is beyond the realms of probability...and decency!

 Lucy is new to the area.  Adventurous and up for fun, she is just the girl to take “loving thy neighbour” to a steamy new level.  Enter the object of her desire – her deliciously attractive neighbour, Melody.  Fit, friendly and oozing sex appeal, Melody is every girl’s fantasy, but is she “one of the girls?” or just a flirty tease?

This is a tale to get your heart racing and change the way you view that sexy neighbour down the hallway forever. Who knows, it may inspire you to borrow more than a cup of sugar yourself.  After all, sharing is caring…

                                                        

Though it’s an erotica short, that’s not to say there isn’t an element of romance in it - there is, but instead of the story focusing on the “will she, won’t she end up with the love of her life”, Neighbour from heaven is all about the immediate attraction between the two characters Lucy and her new neighbour, Melody, who has just moved into her apartment block.

Our main character is Lucy. She’s a single woman down on her luck in the romance department. When she sees Melody the sexual attraction is immediate. She isn’t thinking long-term – she’s just enjoying the natural high one gets when you fancy the pants of someone. Lucy doesn’t even know if Melody is gay so she tries to put her to the back of her mind as she makes plans to go out for the evening, hoping she’ll get lucky at the bar. When her friend lets her down, there’s only one thing for her to do – take up Melody’s offer to join her for a drink at her place and that’s when her dreams come true!

 I really enjoyed co-writing Erotica, apart from it being fun and exciting it gave me the opportunity to write a story outside my comfort zone. In my romance books, though the love scenes can sometimes be graphic they have never gone as far as this. The pace of this type of writing is completely different for me. There’s a certain urgency to the sex, a no holds bar sort of thing which is something I’ve held back from in my romance novels. As well as this, I see it as an opportunity for new readers to discover my other works. It was for this reason we decided to co-write another book together, Secrets, which will be out in January 2015.

I really hope that readers derive some pleasure from our latest offering and if they enjoy it I hope they’ll support us on our next release.

Jade.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Neighbour-Heaven-Lesbian-Erotic-Short-ebook/dp/B00QL3PP46

Website: http://www.jade-winters.com

Twitter handle: @jadewinters3

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/jadewinters