The Were Chronicles World

So many exciting things are happening in the Were Chronicles world and I wanted to take my time this month to share with you all the latest happenings!

First, just in case you missed it Pack Community: Were Chronicles Book Five was released last month. In Pack Community we get to visit an entire community of shifters. We also see a new side of the shifter world- The Feline shifters.

A wolf and bobcat come together and change one community, forever.

Grayson Mason is worn out and run down from the long months on the road in search of the feline Prince. All he wants is to finish his mission and go back to his Pack. That is, until he meets the one woman who will turn his world upside down.

Beth Williams is happy in Coyote Bluff. The community of shifters support one another and she has her brother and nephew. Sure, sometimes she might get lonely, but she’s never connected with anyone enough to consider mating. That is, until a new wolf hits town. With the arrival of Gray, she has to rethink her entire life.

But there is more going on than just the attraction between the wolf and the bobcat. Gray’s search is bringing him closer to finding the Prince but at the same time leading him right into the middle of a feline conspiracy and a battle.

Gray finds himself fighting not only for the Prince’s survival, but also to protect his future mate.

Second important note I want to tell you about is that the sixth book of the Were Chronicles: Pack Mates is already out on VIP release. So by buying from Total-E-Bound you don’t have to wait for the May 10^th general release. The sixth book brings us to where we have been heading the entire series. The shifter world going public.

A pack divided…brought together by love.

Nikki Stratton returns to her Pack to find it split in half between the new Alpha and the older members of the Pack. Worse, there is talk about her oldest brother challenging for the Alpha position. Taking matters in her own hands, she meets with the Alpha’s brother RJ. She had no idea they would end up on the floor of his shop—hot, naked, and sweaty.

RJ Cross supports his brother one hundred per cent, so when Nikki contacts him to find a solution to the Pack problems, he is relieved. He might even be able to come up with some decent ideas if he could keep his hands off Nikki.

As final preparation begin for the taking of the shifter world, Nikki and RJ must use everything at their disposal to bring their Pack together…and hopefully get their happily ever after.

And last but most certain not least- The Were Chronicles are going to print. Yes! You can get the wolves you’ve come to love (I hope) in print. Each print volume will contain three stories. The first print book goes back to the beginning with the stories of Pack Alpha, Pack Enforcer, and Pack Territory.

And the release date for the Were Chronicles Print Volume 1 is just around the corner. Scheduled for May 24^th!

Were Chronicles Volume One

Pack Alpha

Marissa Boyd finds herself drawn into a world she can never be a part of, complete with an Alpha wolf who takes whatever he wants. And he wants her.

Marissa Boyd knows, as a non-shifter, she doesn't belong in Pack territory. She braves a visit to attend her sister's mating ceremony and meets the shifter who will change her entire life and beliefs.

Gage Wolf knows Marissa is hiding a pained past. As Alpha, he must do whatever it takes to protect his pack, and he considers Marissa a part of that group. Making her his is just an added benefit.

When Marissa's old lover tries to claim her for his own, Gage knows he will never let her go and sets out to prove that to everyone else. Now he just has to make her understand that she belongs with the pack and to the Pack Alpha.

Pack Enforcer

Enforcing his control never felt better.

As Enforcer for his Pack, Cain is used to people listening to him and following his orders without question. The only one to ever challenge him is Emily. Emily is good at pushing his buttons and making him want things he has no business wanting.

Emily has loved Cain all her life, but he denied her years ago. The two are thrown together when Emily returns home because of terrible attacks on Pack females. The sexual tension between the pair is explosive. No one is safe when this alpha male and strong female get together.

Pack Territory

Adam White is the new Alpha in his territory but Tasha Johnson may the one in charge.

As new Alpha of his territory, Adam White has his hands full. He must make the transition to his new role as smooth as possible, which is easier said than done. His father's mental state is worrisome, a teenage girl has run away, and the woman of his dreams is helping with the search.

Tasha knows the last thing the new Alpha needs is to look for her missing sister. Desperate, she goes to him and asks for his help anyway. As they leave their territory behind and travel to the city, she has more than just her runaway sister on her mind. Adam has taken a hold of her thoughts and fantasies.

With so much happening around them, can two fated mates find one another and leave the world behind? If only for a few stolen erotic moments.

So there is a lot going on with the wolves! And other shifter but I will keep that tidbit under wraps just a little longer. So stay tuned for more exciting news.

And don’t forget- There is still a day left to enter my Spring contest if you haven’t yet.

This April I have a lot to celebrate! The release of Pack Community Were Chronicles Book 5 in March and the future release of Pack Mates Were Chronicles Book 6 which became available for pre-order April 1, 2013.

And as the weather warms it’s a great time to sit outside and reconnect with nature. What better way to do that then with a good book?

Starting April 1, 2013 (12:01 A.M. CST) through April 30, 2013 (12:00 P.M. CST) I am giving away a

$25.00 gift certificate from All Romance Ebooks (http://www.allromanceebooks.com)

All you have to do is email me at:cmsmith0328@yahoo.com

With the subject line: Spring Contest

Inside the email please provide your first name and last initial plus your state (inside the USA) or country (outside the USA)

On May 1, 2013 the winner will be announced and I will email them for their All Romance Ebooks email address to send the gift certificate to. Don’t worry! If you don’t have an account there, it is easy to set up, and free to do so!

BY ENTERING THE CONTEST THE WINNER AGREES TO HAVE THEIR FIRST NAME AND LAST INITIAL AND STATE/ COUNTRY MENTIONED IN CRISSY SMITH'S SOCIAL NETWORKS, WEBSITE, AND BLOGS. NO PERSONAL INFORMATION WILL EVER BE GIVEN TO ANYONE ELSE AND ALL EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE SECURE.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to let me share all my news!

Crissy Smith

Romance on the ‘WILD’ side…

http://www.crissysmith.net

Brits Want Threesomes! by Lily Harlem

A recently conducted survey has shed light on the sex secrets of people around the globe. Being a Brit Babe I was interested to know what was revealed about the UK and how we compared.

The global survey discovered that on average, British men have 17 notches on their bedpost while the ladies of Blighty have bedded 10 men.

That’s more than the Dutch, whose men have slept with 12 partners and women have slept with six, but fewer than the Greeks whose men reckon they have bedded 30 partners.

The research also reveals that a third of people from Britain have tried vibrators and sex toys compared to just 27 percent of Irish, a quarter of Portuguese and 14 percent of Chinese.

Having a threesome is the UK's biggest fantasy with 14 percent of Brits admitting they’d like to juggle two lovers in the sack.  When it comes to trying something new in the bedroom, lovers from Britain are among the most adventurous in the world. They use more vibrators than the French, more lubricant than the Germans and more sex toys than the Irish.

However, while most Brits are faithful when they've settled down in a relationship, they certainly take their time finding “the one”.

14 percent of people from Hong Kong want to try bondage and S and M while 10 percent of Chinese wish oral sex was a bigger part of their sex lives.

South African men have slept with 33 partners, women just nine. They are the most likely in the world to talk about sex with their partner (51 percent) and 20 percent want role play to be a bigger part of foreplay.

All in all an interesting survey that reveals the differences around the world, though not a mention of US - come on guys, tell us your secrets :-)

Lily x

Oh, want a Brit threesome novel - try these...

Talk, talk, talk

If you would ask me what part of a story I enjoy most writing, I wouldn’t have to think two seconds about it. Dialogue. Two people talking, to me there’s nothing more fun than that. And that is kind of funny, since as an introvert I’m very good at sitting quietly in a corner and make myself invisible.

Characters show so much of themselves by the manner and content of their conversations. They can spill their hearts through their words, or hide behind them. They can dominate with brute verbal force or subtly manipulate. They can show immeasurable trust or destroy that trust with a few words.

Stories in which lovers talk about their fantasies, needs and doubts are far more appealing and natural to me than the more silent variant. Mindreading between people who hardly know each other isn’t romantic, it’s silly. I don’t mean that in a contemporary story, the intended romantic pairing  need to fill pages and pages of conversations that would put Jane Austen to shame, but I don’t believe for a second that virtual strangers can do it all semi-silently.

I even love it when a couple talk during sex. It’s romantic and sexy and gives me the impression that those two are comfortable around each other and have a real chance to be happy as a couple in a manner that is actually believable. 

S.Dora

When He Says On His Terms, He Means It

When Master Alexander says things will be on his terms, he means it!

From the moment I conceived of the idea for my recent book On His Terms, the hero intrigued me. I’ve long been fascinated by the idea of BDSM trainers, men and women who help turn a novice into an experienced submissive…for someone else.

And I’ve often wondered what it might be like if that trainer develops feelings for the sub and doesn’t want to turn the trainee over to someone else.

In this case, Master Alexander is a former trainer who has all-but given up on the lifestyle until Chelsea Barton approaches him at his birthday party. Chelsea has a few, ah, problems being a sub. Her natural naughtiness conflicts with her desires. (Honest, she’s not modeled after anyone I know!)

Until now, her less-than perfect behavior hasn’t been a problem. She owns a PR firm and she wants to sign the up-and-coming rocker, Evan C. She knows she can help get him to the top of the charts, and having him on her client list will boost her business.

And more than that, she wants the Dom for her very own.

Unfortunately, when she scenes with Evan C, it doesn’t go so well. He’s disappointed in her behavior.

As the take-charge woman she is, Chelsea launches Operation Snag Evan C. She turns to Master Alexander to train her to be the perfect sub.

But the more she learns about Master Alex, the more conflicted she becomes. She wants Master Evan C. So why can’t she stop thinking about her trainer?

I found myself relating to Chelsea. I’ve set out in life with dogged determination only to later step back and ask myself whether I really, really want what I am going after.

Has that ever happened to you?

An excerpt from On His Terms, book two in the Mastered series from Total-E-Bound:

“Eyes on me,” he instructed.

Damn. He was relentless. She caught a glimpse of what he might be like as a trainer, and it terrified her as much as it intrigued her.

“Or excuse yourself now.”

She looked up from where she’d been staring into the depths of her wine.

He missed nothing.

“I liked that I had no idea what would happen next. My hearing seemed heightened. And when he touched me, the sensation was magnified.”

“Go on.”

“One guy would sometimes swat my bottom when I passed him.” She had no idea this would be so embarrassing. There was nothing sexual about the conversation, rather, the facts were somewhat clinical. But that didn’t stop her from blushing. “Last Halloween, I attended a BDSM party. Compared to this…” She swept her hand around.

The gathering at Master Damien’s house was for people who lived the lifestyle. “Well, most of us were just dabbling. We wore outfits we bought at the costume store, but afterwards my date tied me up for the first time. It was just to his bed, and he used a light whip on my ass. I liked it. Well, enough to explore more. I wanted more experiences, but he said it really hadn’t worked for him all that well. He didn’t like hurting me. Even though I promised him he hadn’t.”

“You’re telling me most vanilla guys aren’t interested in spanking an ass like that?”

She blinked.

“I noticed you when you first came in, and you wore that skirt hoping I would.”

“Yes,” she admitted. “I did.” It was one size smaller than she bought for business meetings, and she’d never wear it out in public. The material hugged her rear so tight she was nervous about sitting down.

“So show me.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Lift your skirt to your waist, turn around, spread your legs as far as you can, then bend over and grab your ankles.”

For a moment she could hardly breathe. He said nothing further, and he looked unconcerned, as if it didn’t matter to him one way or another whether she did as he said. She recognised it as a test, though.

He extended his hand to accept her glass. That was probably for the best—she was suddenly afraid of dropping it. He slid the stem onto the mantelpiece, then used his thumb to tip back his cowboy hat.

Available at: 

Total-E-Bound 

and Amazon

xxoo Sierra
Feel free to connect with me: sierracartwright@hotmail.com

Spring has arrived...maybe

The weather has been an up and down rollercoaster. One day cold then another warm. So on those warm nice days I've been taking advantage of the great weather to go outside and enjoy it. I've been taking some long walks around my neighborhood. With the change of season, everything seems so fresh and new. The flowers are starting to bloom and there has been some new things built up in my neighborhood. I'm enjoying seeing the changes and can't wait for the weather to finally decide to stay warm so I can explore further. Spring arrived a few weeks ago...maybe... it didn't seem so for a bit but now I'm hoping it is here to stay for a while.

Taige Crenshaw
http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/
…increasing the sizzle factor
Blog: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/blog
Chat Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crenshawcafe
Newsletter: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/newsletterandgroups.shtml

My First Total-E-Bound Novel Contracted.

I've been writing for total-e-bound for a loooooooooong time now. My first TEB story, Sexier Side of the Hill came out in 2008!

I've got short stories in anthologies, novellas of all kinds and a huge back catalogue with the fabulous Total-E-Bound but I have just received a contract that has me very, very excited.

Sharing Nicely is a 50 000 word novel which will be available from Total-E-Bound from the 5th August and here's the blurb:

Two hot, sexy billionaires know what they want and they want her, but will they be happy to share nicely? 

Kerry Matthews is used to stress, she runs her own high-end London club called Diamonds but what she isn’t used to is attention from two very persuasive and powerful men. 

Darren Bennett and Greg Stamford are life-long rivals, but call a truce to spend one night with sassy, curvy Kerry. They’re not content to share forever though. They both have a selfish desire to possess her completely. 

Darren buys her seductive lingerie, flowers and chocolates, Greg flies her to Paris for a romantic break, cleans her flat and makes her breakfast in bed. Both vying to cement their place in her heart. She needs to decide between them but is dazzled by their persuasive personas and extravagant gifts. 

Will Kerry be blinded by the bank balance or will she find the man behind the money?

I am very excited about this book and can't wait for it's release! In the meantime I'm trying not to think too hard about 50k's worth of edits...eek!

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Very Classic, Very Clandestine

So I have had a busy month finishing up Book Two of the Uniform Encounters series - and have been lost in Mesa, Arizona. I've been so wrapped up in my hunky guys - Jake and Quinn - that I had a hard time coming back to this dimension. I was bummed out at first, since they are both so delectable, but then I remembered that my Clandestine Classic, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow will be arriving soon, May 3rd to be exact!

Now I'm sure there are plenty of people wondering, "What the....?" I mean, it's obvious to see how easy it would be to fall for the luscious Tarzan, or imagine what sort of naughtiness that Heathcliff and Cathy became tangled up in - but Ichabod Crane? Sexy? Huh?

Trust me, our dear schoolmaster know his way around a woman's - and a man's - body. Plus, he has a rather large appendage that gives him an added advantage over any other would-be suitors of Sleepy Hollow.

I read up a lot on Washington Irving when I first took on this project, and he approached everything with a strong sense of irony and humor. He also loved to use a lot of - sometimes criticized in his day - overly descriptive language. I wanted to keep not only to his voice, but to his sense of storytelling. When he talks about the coquettish Katrina, the gangly Ichabod who revels in all of the senses,
and the brutish Brom Bones; he leaves so many openings for lusty adventuring.

And there is quite a bit of that in this one! When all was complete, this truly became an MMF romp, with some BDSM, dark intrigue, and lots of love.

Check out an excerpt over at the product page HERE

See you next month!

A busy month

It's going to be a hell of a month

I signed myself up for the A-Z Blog Hop, which I thought was a great idea, except that it means putting up a new post every day. I had intended to get several posts ahead of myself, but after a couple of evenings were spent with food poisoning and a couple more taken up with evenings out, I found myself barely keeping up.

I'm finishing edits on my Clandestine Classic, which has been great fun - I've never written the word "quim" so often in my life.

I'm also adding an extra two thousand words to a paranormal short, Sleepwalker, which I hope to have finished shortly, if my characters will stop moping and get on with it.

And lastly, I'm working on a Billionaire short starring a martial-artist bridesmaid with piercings. She's definitely the most entertaining character I've ever written, but refuses to do what she's told.

Add that to a full-time day job and I'm fully expecting to find that I've gone grey when my hair dye washes out. Agh! Wake me up when it's over...

CUFFED TO HIM! One billionaire or two? Two, please!

The more the merrier?
Two men—two billionaires—for one woman?
Yes, please.
COMING UP, I have them for you, debuting April 15.
Copyright 2013, Cerise DeLand, ALL rights reserved.
And knowing you need a nibble of my newest cherry, here you go:

Objective.  How was she going to remain objective?

Joanna Carter snapped shut her laptop, even though her notes on the delicious Spencer brothers swam in her brain. With a wince, she told herself to relax and sank further into the plush chair in the private jet terminal. She was about to leave known civilization for a remote Caribbean island owned by the two brothers who were the third and fourth richest men in the States. On their island she would work hard, play never and interview the two grown men whom she had adored since she’d been four. Her journalism career—her own self-esteem—depended on whether she could keep her cool and write the profiles like the award-winning professional she had once been.

Could she do that?  Hell. She had to, if she wanted to do something as simple as eating for the rest of her life. Too bad the only way to make that happen was to write an exposé of two men who had once been her best friends. And my fantastic lovers.

She scanned the mod techno terminal and worried her lower lip over the prospect of seeing the famous—the infamous—Spencer brothers after fourteen years. When she had lived next door to them in dusty west Texas, they had treated her like a third wheel, their buddy, their chubby little tag-a-long. Then they were as nerdy as she was girly. As skinny as she was chunky. As funny as she was dry. And when she turned eighteen, the two men introduced her to games, sexy ones.

And she had loved every minute.

But now?

I’m a wreck. She froze, ceased fiddling with the straps to her camera bag and dropped her cell phone in her brief case. Her hands were sweating, for god’s sakes, like a kid’s. She wiped them on her slacks, trying to suppress comparisons of who she was today to the two men who were food for every magazine from The Economist to Cigar. Gifford and Joshua Spencer were the worldwide darlings of green technology. Billionaires from Giff’s invention of super-sensitive wind turbines and Josh’s investments in other energy-efficient systems, the two thirty-somethings were alternately recluses or playboys of the global social scene.

And I am a washed-up investigative journalist trying to launch myself back into major publications. Trying to fill up my bank account by dishing dirt about my two old pals. Hoping to rebuild my credibility which I so quickly destroyed being a sucker for a tycoon who played me for a chick who needed massive cock and thought with her pussy.

She was not going to do that with the Spencers. Giff and Josh might have been gracious enough to consent to their interview, but she would bet good dollars they did it for old times’ sake. Everyone knew—why wouldn’t they?—that she was persona not grata at most magazines ever since she did a hatchet job on her former lover, Renaldo Costas, the billionaire CEO of a huge Brazilian gas and oil conglomerate.

Crossing her arms, she glanced out the windows at the cream-coloured executive jet that Giff and Josh Spencer had sent to pick her up and fly her from Miami to their secluded island near the Dry Tortugas. She was going to write a sterling piece on the Spencer boys and make it accurate, make it insightful, make it sing with their own personalities.

She squeezed her eyes shut and promised herself she would not be charmed by either one of them. Especially Giff. She wouldn’t look sideways at either, much less fall into bed. So what if she had measured every man she had ever met against the Spencers’ wit and intensity? She needed to return to New York in three days with three invaluable assets. Great photos of the two fabulously wealthy siblings. Sharp recordings of their interviews. And objectivity.

Really chilly objectivity.

Nice work if I can get it.

The Gym, My Muse

Back in January, I wrote about chocolate--cookies, volcano cakes, ice cream, cocoa--and the NAUGHTY things it did to my thighs and how, to counteract the body-deforming onslaught of Yuletide sweets, I joined a gym. Despite my lamentations about spinning classes, complaints about the pendulous swing of my triceps, and screeches from the pain of persistent muscle burn, I didn’t give in.

No, not because I’m a trooper. But because the gym has become my muse.

Especially now, as spring dawns (albeit slowly here in Washington, DC) and summer peeks around the corner.  All around me, muscles are swelling, pooching bellies are contracting, hemlines are rising, and t-shirts are tightening. The gym becomes a veritable meat market after 5:30 p.m. And no, Sequestration has not diminished that essential human desire for a hot bod, a tight ass and a healthy supply of eye candy.

The crowds squealing and slapping for dibs on my elliptical are oddly comforting. Often, these same women are the recipients of a glance here before releasing a shrill, flattered laugh there. Courtship (as much as pollen, awful stuff in DC) is in the air.

These amorous exchanges inspire, setting in motion the sprockets and cogs of creativity inside my head.  

My gym sports a built-in yoga studio, separated from the weight room by plate glass walls. Who’s that bro eyeing the leggy blonde through the wall? Or the striking redhead with perfect calves stealing glances back at the lean, sinewy lawyer-by-day, body-builder by night, whose muscles ripple through his Champion training tee?

I imagine gym romances everywhere, blossoming like the cherry trees swaying in the spring breeze beside our tidal basin.

I turn, slapping away the barracuda lobbyist with two degrees from Harvard who’s jostling for my spot at the next recumbent bike. Then I smile to myself, content with the overflow of new ideas I'll put to paper when I return home.

This spring, where do you find inspiration?

Lots of love,

Gen xoxo

Learn more about me on the Web:

Gen's Author Blog
Gen's Author Page at Total E-Bound

Me and BDSM

Well, to be fair, there is no - me and BDSM. Not really. I struggled for ages to remember what the acronym stood for and as far as I know, it's still under debate as to whether the D stands for Domination or Discipline. Or maybe it isn't.
I know very little about the lifestyle other than what I've read. I've never dabbled in it, been to a club or even spoken to anyone who's into it. But I have read a lot about it and I've read a few novels where it was the theme.
After I'd read the books, I came to the conclusion that I don't much like BDSM between a guy and a woman - which probably accounts for the reason I haven't yet read 50 Shades - though I've been told it's not real BDSM anyway. There's something that makes me very uncomfortable reading about a man tying up a woman and doing things to her - yes, with her consent but maybe it's because I don't want to even imagine those things being done to me. It neither interests me or turns me on.
BUT - BDSM between two guys - er - yes, I do like reading books about that. I find it fascinating- the power play, the control thing, all of it. So why? Why with MM and not with MF? Maybe it's because the characters of the Doms and subs are very similar regardless of their sex. I have to assume my preference has something to do with identifying with characters. I'm safe in an MM book because I'm not a guy. What happens, isn't happening to me. But with a MF book, if a woman begs to be spanked, beaten, whipped, punished - I don't want to be that woman. But is it as simple as that? I have no idea. I wish I was a psychologist!

Starting Over - my first story with Total-e-Bound is an MMF menage.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1988

www.barbaraelsborg.com
www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com

It Has Been Awhile

Hi Everyone,

I know it has been awhile since I left a post. My life has gotten manic in the past few months. Deadlines, stories and fighting with the muse has become a regular occurrence in my life. However, The Valentines, my vampire series is now back LOL. I always wanted to say that. I only completed two stories last year with no sight for Adam or the rest of the Valentine siblings. Well, my lovely editor accepted Adam's story a few months ago and I've also got cover art to show off.

I love this cover and I'm looking forward to showing you more of my vampires. So, what have you been up to? What are you reading?

I've been working my butt off trying to get my muse to cooperate with me but I think she wins most of the arguments. I hope to be a better blogger over the next few months and keep you up to date with everything going on. 

Before I leave, I wish you all a wonderful April and happy reading.  

Sam 

You can find me here: 

Twitter / Blog / Facebook

Wasting Time

I turn on the television when cook. I don’t pay much attention to the broadcast, it just keeps me company while I work. Sometimes I catch snippets of what one talking-head or another says, but mostly it’s just background noise. The other night, while whipping up a stir fry, I caught a phrase that caused me to set down my spatula. The commentator said, “That guy has too much time on his hands.”

Too much time? I thought. Is there any such thing?

There’s something about that statement that’s always struck me as odd. I would argue that there is no currency more valuable than time. Consider the language we associate with time: we can save it, spend it, manage it, budget it and waste it. There are only so many hours in a day and we’ve all got a limited number of days on this planet. Shouldn’t any person with a surplus of this precious commodity be considered wildly rich?

And yet, when someone is said to have “too much time,” it’s never noted with a tone of envy or admiration. It’s almost always an accusation. It occurred to me that what’s really being said is, “That person is not spending their time the way I would.”

Before I started writing full time, I had a 9-to-5 office job. I was working on my novels at night and the subject would sometimes come up around the water cooler. A co-worker once said to me, “I never read fiction. My time is too valuable to waste on books that don’t give me something I can use.”

Hm.

Passive-aggressive intent aside, I couldn’t help but follow up. I asked my peer, “But, you watch movies, right? Not just documentaries, but romantic comedies and dramas?” She confirmed that she loved to kick back with a good comedy – but that was different.

“Different how?” I pressed. “You will let yourself be led down the primrose path of cinematic fantasy in which every nuance is visually laid out for you and allow yourself to be spoon fed a storyline, but you won’t read words that accomplish the same end?” Okay, I didn’t put so fine a point on it, but that was the gist.

She countered by ticking off her recent reading list of non-fiction books. I recognized the titles as manuals on time-management, career development and sales techniques. I agreed that these were worthwhile reads - I’d read many of them myself. To be clear, this wasn’t a conversation about personal preferences, different strokes for different folks and the like. This was about one person asserting that her time was more valuable than anyone else’s and, furthermore, she knew how everyone’s hours should be spent. Reading was not a pleasure – it was an obligation.

I think this is a logical place to interject that – by her own admission - this woman had an extreme deficit in the “time” column of her life. She had no time to clean her own house – she hired out for that. She had no time to buy her own clothes – that’s what personal shoppers are for. She had no "Free Time" – even on vacation she was tethered to her laptop, Smartphone, and voicemail so that she could continue to feed the Salary Beast.

I’d walked away from that conversation feeling wounded. In proclaiming that reading fiction, especially romantic fiction, was a colossal waste of time, my co-worker had tried to diminish my value. I wrote the stuff, for Pete’s sake!

That encounter gnawed at me for months. But, given a little distance and time, I was able to gain some perspective. It dawned on me that she didn’t really believe that I was wasting time reading and writing romantic fiction. She was lashing out because she was green with envy that I have something she does not – time to read for the sheer joy of it – and that makes me very rich indeed.

I am grateful for the people who budget a little time to get lost in my books. I know every hour is valuable, and I’m glad we can spend some of them together. If you’ve not yet read my paranormal erotic romance series - Ghost Encounters - now is the perfect time. Book 1 “Soldier of Love” and Book 2 “A Triple Scoop of I Scream” are out now. Book 3 “Stage Fright” will be released May 20^th.

Happy Reading, Darlings. Here’s wishing that you always have too much time on your hands!

xoxo ~Gabrielle

 



COMING 20 May 2013