Our yummy anthology Boundless (out this Monday from LSB, y’all) features three very dark, dangerous men (one of ‘em is an actual demon)… the kind of guys you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley… or would you? *grin* Yeah, you definitely would. Anyway, in honor of Jack, Dev, and Sam, here’s what I want y’all to do to win your 50 Amazon Bux this month: write a 1st encounter with a very dark, very dangerous hero. The kind of guy that gives you pause… the one that makes you take a step back and think, “wait a minute, I’m not sure about this guy… but damn, he’s hot”. I know, we’ve done this one already, but here’s what’s different: the focus is on the hero. Period. Make him hot. Make him dark. Make him dangerous.

300 words or less. Deadline is Friday, September 7th at 10 PM PST. I’ll post the 3 finalists that night (or Saturday morning), we’ll vote, then I’ll announce the winner on Wednesday, September 12th. Winner gets a free copy of Boundless, 50 Amazon bux, and bragging rights. Aww yeah.

I shamelessly stole these quotes from Annie Dean. They’re advance reviews for Boundless, our upcoming anthology, which will be released by Liquid Silver Books on September 3rd (which is next week, dudes!). [Shameless begging alert!] Please, please read it. You won’t be sorry, we promise.

Lainey:

WOW…AWESOME…F’N GREAT. Really unique concept. I sat to give it just a glance this morning and wound up still in my jammies an hour later. I don’t generally think of those type stories as my cuppa, but you meshed the real with the unreal so cleverly and penned her temptation so well, I couldn’t pull myself out of the story. Terrific, and way more depth than your average ’short’. I felt as though I was in Dev’s POV by times, his actions and dialogue were so poignant. Again: WOW.

Ella / L:

I didn’t know what quite to expect from Boundless when I started reading it. I mean, I knew the cover was awesome, but I didn’t let my hopes get too high. Anthologies always seem to leave me a bit disappointed. I have worked out so many crack-pot theories on why, but it doesn’t lessen the blows to my long-suffering reader’s soul.

Didn’t take me long to say, “Screw it” and devour the whole thing in an afternoon’s worth of time.

Anthologies, they terrify me. Many brilliant authors I love seem to think nothing of just publishing awful drivel in an anthology.

Who reads them? they ask in chortling tones.

And alone in the dark, one voice cries out, “I do! For ten bucks a pop I do, you bet your sorry ass! May all the gods of literary finances show mercy and refrain from smiting.”

But lo, look! There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Did I have to do some eye-brow raising while reading Boundless?

Yes, on account of the things I learned about nuns. I did a lot more laughing and sympathizing and cheering on behalf of the characters, and it’s on my keeper shelf.

Erm, on my…internet keeper folder.

It’s somewhere important, that’s what I’m saying.

Boundless features three women yearning for change, any change, that might make their lives more full than empty. And each got her change all right, though, in ways they most certainly were not expecting.

This is a sentiment I related to easily, and I saw pieces of myself in each heroine.

Teresa, who yearns for something more and pure to put the past behind her; Marie, who wants the tide of loneliness to recede and find companionship in another; and Kitty, who takes a wild ride to find out what it feels like to be someone else.

That’s not to say that the men don’t shine. From Dev, tortured and endearingly sweet (for being an incubus); to Sam, Marie’s dream man come true (and mine); to Jack, a worldly cynic (a man after my own heart) who gets a whole new view on possibilities.

Though each tale held its own drawbacks, these characters, both the normal and…not-so-much, have found themselves chained down by something intangible and unable to be more than they can be until fate it seems steps in, and helps them out by letting them find each other and a little faith in miracles.

Boundless, I think, is a solid buy to introduce readers (who are like me, always the last to know about stuff like this) to three great writers who will hopefully keep churning out more books. Some of these ladies have frightfully small backlists, I know, but maybe plots will multiply like bunnies and they won’t hear a thing about it from me. Maybe.

No, not really.

Joan:

I was really excited when Ann asked me if I wanted an ARC of Boundless if I would read it before the release and give her my reaction. I don’t even know where to start. The stories are erotic, but it’s a subtle sensuality sometimes, and they’re underpinned with the most delicious intensity. The ladies have imbued their heroes and heroines with so much yearning, but at the same time, like in Waking Kitty, there is a sense of displacement and of longing for home. The writing is just beautiful. Bonnie Dee has such a gift for imagery, she brings fall to life for me. And Sam is just so… I don’t know what to say. I wanted him for myself. I think you should buy it. This is the best anthology I’ve seen all year. Usually there’s a weak story, but I liked all of these.

Kelly:

Ok, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this because I don’t like paranormal stuff. I know that makes me weird, but I hate vampires and werewolves, and I can’t stand stuff where there’s a lot of magic and foofy crap. I didn’t even really want to read this tbh but it was a free book, so I said what the hell. And the first story has a freakin’ heroine who is about to turn into a nun. But she got me, I’m not sure how. The descriptions were really vivid and moving, and pretty soon she was getting naked and teasing him. Dev was great, he seemed so desperate to be human and yet…not. He just wasn’t. I don’t know exactly how she did that fine line, but it was there. And I didn’t even mind it.

Once I started liking that one, the rest of them were just good. I mean, the second one had magic in it and I still liked it. Bonnie Dee writes a hell of a sex scene. The last story was the weirdest one yet, but it was so funny, omg. And Jack was just grungy enough to make me think I’d date him. You guys should get this, even if you don’t like these kinds of stories. They’re magical but in a good way.

Our guest for today needs no introduction. No, really. Ask around. *grin* Say what you will about Miz Monica Jackson, but she can always bring it. And what does she have for us today? A subject near and dear to my heart: interracial romance. [Those tall, lean white boys, dude… gotta love ‘em… but why?]

Monica: There is not much interracial romance that pairs the culturally desirable white woman with darker men unless they are half-breeds of the Latin/native American/sheik variety. There is little romance that pairs white women with black men (Asian men either). But romance pairing black and Asian women with more culturally desirable (e.g. white) men is in high demand. So the bulk of books in interracial romance focus on non-white women and white men. In romance, white men seem to define the romance hero.

This is the major difference between African American romance and other romance as far as content. AA romance does tend to be more realistic and the heroines less likely to resemble Mary Sue or Becky. But AA romances are usually about professional, middle-class Americans falling in love and have basically the same sort of storyline as any other romance, but the romance hero is black, not white.

This seems to be enough of a reason for non-black romance readers (and some black readers also) to avoid AA romances. White men are the norm as love objects, ubiquitously desirable. I wrote a white romance hero myself and it was easy to do so even though I have never been open to white men in my romantic life personally (I have had no difficulties with romantic liaisons with men of other races, including Asian). But despite this, as a product of middle-class U.S. culture, I could easily understand why white men are deemed the major acceptable love objects and fantasy grist. We’re saturated with the notion of white men as sexual objects since childhood. I knew and felt this fact in my head, but resented it in my heart.

Roslyn: Those of us who grew up reading romances tend to prefer white heroes. And that would make sense, after all. That’s what we’re used to. Those of us who didn’t start reading romances until there were black romances, tend to favor black heroes, or are equally open to both. And I think we’ve read enough commentary from white women to know what their hang-ups are. Bottom line is, stereotypes make it very difficult for some people to see a non-white man in a romantic lead, at least as far it pertains to blacks and Asians. I don’t think the same applies to Latinos. Over the years I’ve seen plenty of books with Latino and (though neutered) Arab male leads.

I think white men are preferred because in this country they’re viewed as more romantic than other groups, except for perhaps those Latinos and Arabs. I think the women who prefer white men in real life have a myriad of reasons. I’ve heard the gamut from physical attraction, some of the usual stereotypical stuff, and some women say they prefer white men because of the (perceived) bad behavior of black men. To the degree that white men are most powerful in this country and power is the ultimate aphrodisiac to many women I’m sure that plays a role.

(more…)

When I was a child I was always running and jumping. Inside the house, outside, on the streets… my little legs always seemed to be on the move. I would run and jump until I couldn’t anymore. At night, I would pass out in my bed in exhaustion and wake up in the morning ready to run and jump again. My teachers had a hard time keeping me in my seat during class. I was always getting up and jumping around, riling all the other children. I was a problem child, my mother was told. I was a hyperactive child, my mother was told. The doctors also told my mother there was medication for it, but she refused it. She told them I was just being a kid and should be allowed to do so. My grandfather said I had grasshoppers living in my kneecaps.

My grandmother said I had the devil in me. Once, while my mother was out, my grandma took me to church where her priest prayed over me in Latin and dunked my head in holy water. I did not like it and didn’t hesitate to let them know. My mother was livid. She yelled that she could take care of her own goddamn child and if her child wanted to jump and run, then by God, she could. I was allowed to run and jump again.

(more…)

Two authors, one post… WACKY!

Comment on this post for a chance to win an autographed copy of Surviving Demon Island AND Wild, Wicked & Wanton. TWO other winners will each win a copy of Cheyenne McCray’s Forbidden Magic.

1. What time do you get up in the morning?

Usually between 6:00 and 7:00 depending on what time I went to bed the night before and how tired I am.

2. What’s your favorite junk food?

Pizza.

3. Are you organized or compulsively messy?

Incredibly Messy. It’s so not pretty.

4. What do you dream of writing someday, that you don’t think you’ll ever get the chance to write, but if you could, you would?

Either a young adult or women’s fiction. I’d like to say I’ll have time to do them, but oh is my schedule full right now.

5. Who’s your superhero? And why?

My husband. He can work tirelessly without stop, can go without sleep and always seems to have enough energy to get the job done, no matter what needs it. He’ll work until something is finished. And if family needs him, he’s there, no matter what. He’s a true hero in my eyes.

6. What do you do to pamper yourself after finishing a book?

Naps.

7. How long does it take you to write a book, from start to finish?

It really depends on the book. The more complex books with subplots take anywhere from 3 to 6 months. A relatively simple book, plotwise, can be done in anywhere from 1 to 4 months depending on length.

8. If you could be in an anthology with three of your favorite writers, no matter the genre, who would it be?

Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, JR Ward (Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?)

9. Name five things on your desk right now.

My Ipod, a notebook, A book on Italy I’m using for research, a cup of Diet 7 up and the cd’s I purchased at RWA.

10. Now tell me about Hunting The Demon, your book releasing this month.

Nic Diavolo has grown up in a life of privilege and money, but he can’t remember anything past the time he was 8 years old when he suffered an accident and a head injury. When he meets a beautiful young woman on the beach, spends the day with her, then is subsequently kidnapped by her ‘people’ who claim they’re demon hunters and he is the son of a demon, he thinks they’re a cult and doesn’t believe any of it. But as his life and everything he believes in starts to unravel, Nic has to trust in Shay and the demon hunters, because he can no longer deny who and what he is.

This is the second book in the Demon Hunter Series, right? How many books are planned for this series?

Yes. HUNTING THE DEMON is the second book in the series. I really don’t have a specific number of books in this series, but I’m hoping my publisher will want lots of them. Right now there are 4 books contracted.

11. What do you have releasing in the future?

My next release after Hunting the Demon is EXCLUSIVE, an anthology releasing from Berkley Heat on September 5th. I have a contemporary Christmas novella releasing from Samhain on December 4th, and RIDING WILD will release from Berkley Heat in February, 2008.

12. Please provide links to your website/blog/myspace, etc.

http://www.jaciburton.com

http://www.jaciburton.com/blog

http://www.myspace.com/jaciburton

Thank you!

Where Jaci Burton interviews Cheyenne McCray…

1. What time do you get up in the morning?

About 5:45 a.m. to take my high school sophomore to marching band practice. Otherwise, it’s about 6:00 anyway, to get going and to get the boys off to school.

2. What’s your favorite junk food?

Chocolate cake

3. Are you organized or compulsively messy?

A combination of both!

4. What do you dream of writing someday, that you don’t think you’ll ever get the chance to write, but if you could, you would.

Hard to say. Right now there’s a fantasy that I did a proposal on that I so want to write but it will likely be years as far out as I’m booked. I intend to write anything I can ever possibly *want* to. Right now I have no interest in non-fiction or historicals, but if I’m interested in anything else, then someday I’ll find the time to write it. Right now I’m writing what I want to write.

5. Who’s your superhero? And why?

My parents. They’re people of integrity, who’ve always believed that if you’re going to do something, do it right. They always supported me and believed I’d become an author even when my faith wavered.

6. What do you do to pamper yourself after finishing a book?

A day at the spa.

7. How long does it take you to write a book, from start to finish?

About 8 weeks from the time I start it to the time I submit it to my editor.

8. If you could be in an anthology with three of your favorite writers, no matter the genre, who would it be?

J. R. Ward, Kim Harrison, Christine Feehan

9. Name five things on your desk right now.

Candle lamp, crystal pencil holder, U.S. Marshals mug, crystal ring holder, laptop.

10. Now tell me about Wicked Magic, your book releasing this month.

Rhiannon Castle is a D’Anu witch whose Coven sisters know nothing of the Shadows that lurk within her. Rhiannon is afraid to reveal the truth to anyone. Keir’s Tuatha D’Danann brethren are the only real family he has ever known. He trusts no one—until he is sent to San Francisco and meets Rhiannon, the one woman with fire enough to tame him. They face a new threat that rises from the depths of Underworld. When a demon goddess unleashes her evil upon our world, Rhiannon’s secret could be the ultimate weapon in this epic battle—or forge a pathway to destruction for the only man she’s ever loved.

This is the third book in the Magic Series, right? How many books are planned for this series?

Yes, WICKED MAGIC is the 3rd in the series. There will be 5 books in the series. The 4th is SHADOW MAGIC and 5th is DARK MAGIC. I’m writing book number 5 now.

11. What do you have releasing in the future?

My next release is MOVING TARGET, a suspense novel about a woman who is in the Witness Security Program (WITSEC) who is on the run from the Mafia with the U.S. Marshal assigned to protect her. MOVING TARGET will be released January 2nd, 2008.

12. Please provide links to your website/blog/myspace, etc.

http://cheyennemccray.com
http://www.myspace.com/cheyennemccray

Thank you!