October 21 updates

As GayRomLit winds down in Albuquerque, the ‘No Pouting’ Party seems to be puttering along with excerpts, comments, and contest wins. I’ll post two lists of entrants later tonight, and draw via Random.org tomorrow morning. (Hint, hint, there’s still time to put your name down for an ebook or a necklace.)

I’m grateful for the chance to be a part of this madness, and for the dozens of new books I’ve added to my To-Buy list. So many great writers and publishers, in a genre that’s still new to me. I’d need a winning (minor) lottery ticket myself, to fund my book-buying for the next few months.

I’m grateful for the fans who commented here and offline, saying how much – and why – they loved MORO’S PRICE, and that they were waiting for the sequel. I’m writing, I’m writing! I am contracted for a second book, so we’ll see how well that one does before I close out the series. I have decent reviews across a variety of sites, and more reviews coming up in a few weeks. The first round of royalties were far beyond what I expected, thanks to the many, many buyers who took a chance on an unknown. A bit of a raspberry to those who bit-torrented the book. Okay, I get it, you don’t want to pay for reading material. Be kind and review the book somewhere, and maybe you’ll also be a part of getting the sequel(s) out into the world.

I am playing in a big, confusing universe, but that doesn’t mean readers have to know all of it. I’m considering a possible standalone novella or short novel, set during the events of PRICE but featuring Val’s friend Mateo and the DaSilva Leopard. It should be nice and hot, and hopefully a fast write. For the f/f crowd, Alys and Lia are apparently not content with my awkward cartoons. They want a real story about their meeting, and how Lia eventually tripped a professor into bed.

I was really worried going into this project in 2011, because I had complaints from both sides of the debate. SF&F-reading friends were appalled that I’d write something where on-camera sex was integral to the plot. Some of my erotic romance compatriots were equally upset at the prospect of too much plot and backstory taking away from the sex. I’m certainly not the first writer to merge genres with a reverence for both: I adore Catherine Asaro and Linnea Sinclair for their amazing contributions. But it was terrifying to trunk a gigantic fantasy novel that had brewed for over ten years, and start on something completely new to me.

You’ve made me feel welcome.