From the Bookshelf - Phaeton Black:Paranormal Investigator series

Please welcome my next FROM THE BOOKSHELF author - JILLIAN STONE...

I think I'm just a born a storyteller. A skill that got me into considerable trouble as a youth until I solved the problem by becoming an advertising creative! And the career did seem to suit as I went on to receive a few (US) national ad awards. What more could I ask for? Create my own worlds? Become goddess of my own universe? Yes! So, I began to write fiction.

My Victorian Romantic Suspense novel AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY won the 2010 Golden Heart and sold to Pocket Books. The steamy Steampunk novel, THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK, won the 2010 Romance Through the Ages Erotica Contest and sold to Kensington Brava. And here I am, eighteen months later, working on the next adventure for both series!

I live in Southern California, drive a ten year old pickup truck, have a horse and dog and a part-time employed grown son living with me at the moment!

Series: Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator
Title/s (in order):
THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK (available now)
THE MOONSTONE & MRS JONES (September 28, 2012)
THE MISS EDUCATION OF DOCTOR EXETER (early 2013)

Publisher: Kensington Brava
Series overview: The Phaeton Black novels incorporate an overarching plot/struggle that extends over several books. It's a tale of two London's. Alarming attacks by strange creatures set the stage for a terrifying alternate future for the city where people and things appear to be unraveling. With help from the Nightshades, Phaeton and Miss Jones venture into the Outremer to extract the Moonstone and close the rabbit hole between two worlds.

THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK
Hero & Heroine: Phaeton Black is Scotland Yard's secret weapon against things that go bump in the night. His prodigious gifts as a paranormal investigator are as legendary as his skills as a lover, his weakness for wicked women as notorious as his affection for absinthe. But when he's asked to hunt down a fanged femme fatale who drains her victims of blood, he walks right into the arms of the most dangerous woman he's ever known.

And she's the devilish Miss Jones. Pressing a knife to his throat and demanding he make love to her––Miss America Jones uses Phaeton as a willing shield against the gang of pirates chasing after her. As dangerous as she is with a derringer tucked in her garter, Miss Jones is not the vampire killer Phaeton is stalking––but she may be just what he needs to crack the case. As the daughter of a Cajun witch, she possess uncanny powers. As a fearless fighter, she can handle anything from Egyptian mummies to Jack the Ripper. But when an ancient evil is unleashed on the world, she could be his only his salvation...or ultimate sacrifice.

Series Extra's: THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK is the prequel of the series. The Moonstone and Miss Jones sets up of the struggle between two worlds––London 1889 and a strange dystopian London of the future. Plus it is also part deux of the love story between Phaeton and America. The third book in the series will deal with Phaeton's disappearance into the Outremer and the emerging love story between Doctor Exeter and his beautiful shapeshifter/charge Mia.

★★★★1/2 SCORCHER RT REVIEWS TOP PICK This book almost defies categorization, combining elements of steampunk, erotica, paranormal romance, and mystery. The atmospheric Victorian London setting has a dark gothic feel with ancient gods on the loose. The writing is witty, the characters delightful, the descriptions vivid and the sex earthy and erotic.

THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK (available now)
The year is 1889 and Queen Victoria, exemplum of decency and sobriety, is in her fifty-second year of reign. Occult detective Phaeton Black, on the other hand, couldn’t be less interested in clean-living. He has recently taken up residence in the basement flat of London’s most notorious brothel. A dedicated libertine with an aptitude for absinthe, he wrestles with a variety of demons both real and self-inflicted.
Unfairly linked to Scotland Yard’s failure to solve the Whitechapel murders, Phaeton is offered a second chance to redeem himself. A mysterious fiend, or vampire is stalking the Strand. After a glass and a consult with the green fairy, he agrees to take on the case.
On his first surveillance, Phaeton pursues an elusive stranger and encounters several curious, horrifying beings. But the most intriguing creature of all is a Cajun beauty who captures him at knifepoint and threatens to spirit away his heart.

Buy Link for THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK

THE MOONSTONE AND MRS JONES (September 28, 2012)
In this dark and sexy sequel to THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK, Phaeton returns to England in time to help Doctor Exeter and the mysterious deadly Nightshades rescue London once again––this time from Professor Lovecraft's destructive tinkering.
As the threads of existence begin to unravel, the eccentric scientist attempts to save his son’s deteriorating condition by replacing body parts with mechanical apparatus. Ah, but how to power them? The near mad professor believes he has found a way to unleash the arcane energy inside the Moonstone and he needs Phaeton Black to help him do it.
When Phaeton is shanghaied in Shanghai, America Jones assumes the worst––that he has abandoned her in the Orient. An angry Miss Jones returns to London, where their spirited partnership takes an unexpected turn––a new business venture MOONSTONE INVESTIGATIONS. No uncommon psychical disturbance refused.
Well, why not mix business with pleasure?


Pre-order THE MOONSTONE AND MRS JONES

You can follow Jillian on Twitter, Facebook or find out more about her books on her website.

TOPIC: An Author's Life...with Mel Teshco

Being a published author is an ... involved ... process, and I take my hat off to those who've been in the business more than a few years now.

As a pre-pubbed author I was always curious about what happened once you received THE CALL and stepped into the world of publishing.

What did it involve? How did they handled the day to day pressures? Did they developed routines, set goals etc.? What did they like/dislike about the process?

So I asked my special guests these questions and many of them have offered some intriguing insights into their lives. Maybe they'll even give you a heads up on what to expect if you're thinking of entering the world of "getting published".

Please welcome my next guest...

MEL TESHCO grew up in Australia, where her seemingly gypsy dad and ever patient mother saw her living in many areas of the East Coast, along with her sister and two brothers.

Each new home stimulated an already over-active imagination, where she spent as much time dreaming about fantasy worlds as the real world - the fantasy sometimes being much better.

Now living on a small rural property with three horses and a handful or two of cats, she is happily married with three children of wide-spread ages and loves writing gritty, sizzling paranormals and the occasional contemporary with darker tones.

Author Facts
Pseudonym or Given Name on the cover? Mel Teshco.
Why a pseudonym? I write erotica so I’m aware stalkers might one day be an issue. Plus I loved being able to use ‘Teshco’—the first two letters from each of my daughter’s names. 
Location: Sunshine Coast/Wide Bay, Queensland, Australia.
Published Genre/s: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal and Contemporary Erotica.
Website: www.melteshco.com
First published in: 2009.
Number of books published: 11 (including one self-published and one free read).

The Nitty Gritty 
List up to 5 significant events in your journey to publication.
Definitely joining Romance Writers of Australia was the biggest reason for my success today, followed soon after by moving to Queensland and meeting Robyn Grady and Rachel Bailey—both unpublished at the time with Harlequin.

Soon after I joined up with an online group of writers (Claytons Critters) who helped me to hone my craft, then eventually left that group to focus on more one-on-one writing and became CP’s with Tracey O’Hara.

Melissa Smith has been another brilliant CP who has influenced my writing a lot, as well as some other writers who I occasionally swap with (Laurann Dohner, Cathleen Ross). 

What resources/techniques/events did you find useful to develop your writing skills/craft?
Aside from generally writing, writing and more writing, it’d be all the brilliant workshops at the annual romance conference.

Also, for me it was contests where judges left sometimes brutal comments and suggestions—you can’t beat them for getting your work out there and being judged fairly (most of the time). And having great writers to look at your work is invaluable, it’s amazing how much the brain soaks up. In the same way I’ve found judging and critiquing helps to see what works, what doesn’t.

For ‘how to’ books I highly recommend Angela Knight’s Passionate Ink: A Guide to Writing Erotic Romance. I can’t stress enough how much every writer can learn from this book.

I also really enjoyed Stephen King’s take on his writing journey, an interesting insight.

Can you share the special moment when you received THE CALL/THE EMAIL?

I had a couple of close calls with Nocturne Bites, which included what is now STONE-COLD LOVER, which I eventually sold to Ellora’s Cave.

To be honest, I sent that story there after it was rejected from Bites, with no real expectations it would be accepted—until I received an email telling me they wanted it (if I was willing to add more explicit sex scenes).

When I published HER DARK LORD with Nocturne Bites, I got an acceptance email followed by a phone call—most of which I can’t remember. I think the editor must have wondered what she’d gotten herself into, LOL!!

Looking back over your writing career, how have you grown as an author?
I’m certain you never stop growing as an author, even if you’re Stephen King or J.K Rowling. But I think I’ve mostly grown in my realizing how far I’ve got to go in my own writing journey, how much I learn all the time.

How important is it to set career goals? Can you give an example of one you have for yourself?
It’s so important to set ‘realistic’ goals.

For me I set out a writing ‘to do’ list which I published on my blog and updated a few months ago to let readers know where I was at. It’s also a great tool for motivation. 

Can you describe your writing process/timeframe from when you start a new book to handing it in at deadline?
I don’t really have deadlines, though I can write decent word counts when I’m focused (I wrote Dragon Heat in 3 weeks, with absolutely no idea what the story was going to be about when I began typing).

My writing process is basically whatever story is captivating me at the time, though I do try and focus on the ones that need to be done. I’m usually juggling at least three or four stories at a time as my attention span is deplorable.

One of the things I found challenging about being a published author is the constant juggling of tasks ie. writing a book, editing another, planning promotion, writing the prosposal for another (and usually this all happens while holding down another job or dealing with family/life etc.).

What do you enjoy the most in the publishing process?
Speaking of juggling LOL!! For Ellora’s Cave I’ve never had to write a proposal, I’ve written the whole book and sent it in—thankfully they’ve accepted all of them so far.

But yes, promotion and just the time it takes to check emails, blogs, facebook and twitter, sometimes it’s exhausting! I try to spend less time on all of those things now—getting books out is much more important, and besides which, I don’t want to sacrifice more precious time away from my family.

What do you like least in the publishing process?
There’s actually nothing I dislike. I love getting edits and making the story that much stronger, I love LOVE seeing a cover for the first time, and I love seeing the book go out into the world.

Oh, I do dislike bad reviews, they totally suck! But I’ve come to accept not everyone is going to love every book.

Mel's free read

What's the most memorable fan-mail you've received?
It was probably one I got from a lady who loved my free and very short story (3k) and begged me to make the story longer.

Is there anything you think pre-publishers writers need to know about the business/industry before they're published?
Just know you’ve got to put the hours into your craft. It might seem silly, but there’s a reason very few people get published early in their writing career.

Learning the craft takes many years and I think most writers would feel incredibly grateful none of those earlier works are out in the world, tarnishing their name - LOL!

A Bit of Fun
Favorite color: Green. 
Hunkiest hero ever: I have a bit of a thing for Brad Pitt. In fact the part he played in Thelma and Louise was the hero (in my mind) in my free read Discovering Sofia. My fav hero in a book would have to be Clayton from Kelley Armstrong’s, BITTEN.
Most daring thing you've done in your life: Moved interstate with a baby and young child (with a major physical disability), to start a new life and escape an abusive relationship. Seriously the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and for my kids.
Greatest love: It goes without saying I love my husband, my children and my mum. I couldn’t imagine life without any of them in it. I love grabbing a pizza and sitting down in the afternoon with my husband and having a bourbon and dry. I love my house—it feels like my own space, my own piece of paradise.
Timeout/relaxation for me includes: Reading. Swimming. The occasional horse ride. Reading to Miss four or playing memory. Driving. Holidays. Playing COD (shooting games is a great stress release LOL!).
Special quote/saying you like: Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true. (I think that is apt for all of us). And: There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.

CRAFT: Writing Edgy Sex Scenes

A friend of mine, Gracie O'Neil, has a special guest visiting her blog this week - one you might be interested in questioning. Here's the deets...

Imagine this:
Your heroine wants your hero to hold her tight when they make love. Your hero wants to ravish your heroine and doesn't know how much she'll take before she kicks his ass.

In her bedside drawer your heroine has the pair of handcuffs the next door neighbour's kids put on her Christmas tree (remind me to tell you the **real** story about that one day) and the hero finds them...

Okay, enough imagining.

If you've ever wanted to ask a question about BDSM, Leather versus Vanilla lifestyle, just how kinky can you get and still be "normal", how to make your characters more alpha, more dominant, more submissive, more real in terms of sexual response and expectation—well, now's your chance.

Dr Charley Ferrer, author of "BDSM for Writers" and "BDSM: The Naked Truth" is going to be blogging with at Romance She Wrote on September 6th.

As a Clinical Sexologist, Dr. Charley is an expert. Take it from me, you can ask her anything you like and she'll give you an answer you can use. Even in your writing! Even if you're not into anything "weird" or "Kinky". Even if, like me, you're as vanilla as a pudding.

So don't be shy. Here's your chance to ask all those things you've been dying to know.

Dr. Charley Ferrer talks about BDSM (and other things) and answers your questions at Romance She Wrote on Tuesday September 6.

See you there!

Gracie O'Neil
Lives on the edge. Hearts on the line.
Gracie's Blog
Gracie's Website
Follow Gracie on Twitter

A Few Good Books

My To Be Read pile seems to never end. I get a few from the top of the pile finished, add them to my keeper shelf (or not), turn around and the pile seems to have grown again. Sigh.

But why should I be complaining? I mean, really, what's better than having a few good books sitting on the shelf waiting to be read?

And, here's a smattering of the titles I have waiting for me should I feel the need for adventure!

Have you read a keeper lately? What was it?

I'm always on the look out for a new author or book to add to that ever-growing pile! :-)