SEX! SEX! SEX!

Have I gotten your attention yet?

Let’s talk sex. Yes, I said the forbidden word "sex"! Yeah, I know, touchy, almost taboo subject in some realms of society. *mega sigh* So, go ahead and get the cringing over. I’ll wait. I don’t mind…

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Okay, is everyone finished? Good. So, let’s talk S-E-X. To me, it’s a natural, beautiful act and I personally do not understand why it is such a hush, hush topic. My mother reared me to be open and honest about it, but upon becoming an adult she doesn’t want to talk about it—ever—and would rather pretend it doesn’t exist. She doesn’t want to discuss it in passing, not in jest, and certainly not seriously. This attitude from a woman who embraced the 60s? I am seriously flummoxed and have no clue what happened. But her attitude is similar to many attitudes I find here in the South. I love the South, but at times we’re rather prudish.

So, I ponder the question “why?” Is it because we still don’t understand what we’re doing when we have sex? Do we still feel uncomfortable having sex? Is it just another marital chore that I hear so many women talk about?

Well, for me, it’s none of those things, neither in real life nor when writing sex scenes. I believe in having a healthy sex life in my marriage and as a couple we have fun keeping the marital bed fresh. Writing sex scenes comes naturally also. When writing sex, the author should show more than just the mechanics of sex or that's my opinion anyway. I want the scene to be steamy and brazen and hot, and that's how I try to write my sex scenes as well. I write sex scenes hoping that the reader is feeling the moment, living through each touch and caress, each kiss, each sigh and whimper. I hope the reader is in the moment as if they themselves are the characters. I want them hot and bothered after reading one of my scenes, and if they're ripping their spouse's shirt off and living out the fantasy of the written word....WOOHOO!!! JACKPOT!!! If they’re not…well, then I failed miserably. But, I also want the moment to be more than just about the sex. There needs to be a deeper connection between my characters when they're finally exploring one another.

I’m not one of those folks that skim through or skip the sex scenes in a book. I have no problem with anyone that does that, but I want the sex in a romance. Sex is important in our own lives with our other halves, so to me it’s important in a romance novel as well. I just don’t want it on every page. There’s got to be storyline, preferably a riveting storyline. ;-)

My apologies for posting late. With the holidays and all that is going on, it skipped my mind. I hope everyone has an awesome weekend and a very Happy Thanksgiving (if you celebrated). Stay safe.

GLBT Trap?

I have come across an interesting discussion, one that basically boils down to, why are GLBT books labelled as alternative? Surely in this day and age we can have them standing proud in their own right, not hiding behind or lumped with other genres. GLBT books should have their own category in their own right and be as mainstream as traditional romance. They sell well enough.

Yes, GLBT books have 'heat' levels, but really, that's not the same when they are lumped with other genre books. How can you compare them as a reader with a system like that? You can't. A 'hot' sci-fi tale is certainly different to a romance one.

Sure, GLBT falls under the general category of 'alternative romance' but really, reading a lot of GLBT books and being an author of them myself, a lot of them aren't all that alternative. I know I don't write porn or titilation for its own sake, in fact, someone mentioned in a review of one of my works, that the level of intensity was pretty mild when compared with some mainstream Harlequin romance novels they have read.

I don't want to write titilation stories either, but really that's what one would kind of expect when picking up a book with naked body parts all over the cover and the warning that it involes m/m romance. Why is m/m romance or f/f romance for that matter, considered to be...well, porn? How can a reader know what the book is really like when they all state: "warning, contains altrnative sex scenes that may offend some readers"? Really? Two men kissing is offensive? What if they are father and son? What if the book is about a son's battle with his sexuality and his struggle to come out to his father? Is that alternative? Should that have a warning on it, as most GLBT books do?

I like to write about characters, how they interact, and how they relate to the events happening around them. Sure, there are sex scenes, but my scenes are no more graphic or pornographic than any other romance novel. Why should my books be labelled 'alternative' just because they feature a non-traditioanl romance between the main characters. Love is love, isn't it?

Interview with Jess C Scott!

Please welcome Jess C. Scott and her novel 4:Play to Wicked Thorn and Roses!

Where are you from?

I am originally from Singapore; I currently reside in Maine. I live "in my head" most of the time though...

Do you have a specific writing style?

Whatever feels most natural and right (depending on the character/story/etc.), on a purely intuitive level.

How did you come up with the title?

Goodness, I can't even really remember. It's probably the result of a combination of the following elements: Prince (the musical artiste), the four characters in the title story (4:Play), IM-conversations, Sudoku (the numbers puzzle), and Anais Nin.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The reader is free to take away whatever they like (hehe). I always have things that I'd "like to say", but it's also open to individual interpretation. Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?Well, I guess I have lots of...influences.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Probably Edgar Allan Poe--his works always do it for me, no matter what. In fact, I'm gonna be writing a paper on a comparison between two of his works for one of my literature assignments!

What book are you reading now?

A management textbook, and a book on astrology and psychology. I've also been reading a short story collection (modern fiction).Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?Anything boring/hackneyed/rehashed, I try to keep out. I find balance the most challenging (both in life and writing)--a balance between fantasy and reality, between style and structure, between complexity and simplicity, etc.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Edgar Allan Poe again--I think his works capture the (darker aspects of the) human soul so, so well. A Poe anthology is one of my most treasured items.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?Internally/mentally/emotionally, definitely. Externally/geographically, not really. Though I would still like to one day satisfy my exploratory need for all kinds of "travel".

Who designed the covers?

I designed them myself and had an absolute blast with the process. Tweaking the interior files were a lot worse (maybe because I had less experience on that end).

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Move--too much reading/writing/sitting around (at a computer especially) is unhealthy.

About 4:Play from website:

Summary of 4:Play: A contemporary cocktail of erotic short stories4:Play captures the deliciousness of sexual fulfillment, the adventure of conquest, and the mystery of unexplored territory.Among these progressive stories, a brother and sister try to make sense of the sexual love they share; a demure young woman encounters an incubus; and two friends strike up a stimulating discussion that acts as the perfect aphrodisiac.With a scope and style that is fresh and compelling, 4:Play dives into the depths of navigating gender, sexuality, and the lines of desire.

If you'd like to win a copy of this exciting novel, leave a comment or ask a question!

Thanks for joining us, Jess!

Happy Thanksgiving! A Free Romantic Short for Turkey Day!

Turkey Day is only two days away. Makes me swell with pride to think of the first Thanksgiving dinner shared between the Pilgrims and Indians. I'm thankful for my beautiful family and all my wonderful friends! I'd like to share a free romantic Thanksgiving short today.

Turkey Dinner (A Romantic Short by Alisha Paige)

Where will you go for Thanksgiving? I'd love to hear about your plans. Now...off to fetch the bird from the freezer and make pumpkin pie.





(Photos Courtesy of Photobucket)
Happy Thanksgiving!
~Alisha Paige

No Time for Much

My regular Sunday blog has been replaced by Floger's Crystals.

(Not really, I'm just to damn tired to write anything of value today.) I'm not day 3 of a 4 night stretch. (Each 12 hours long). What I really want to do is sit and write and work out all the problems on my sequel to Paramatch.com, but instead I'm working my butt off running around like a headless chicken and getting about 10% help if I'm really lucky.

Not good. Not good at all.

I don't even have enough ambition to shower and put my uniform on.


Sign me,

Tired in Tulsa

What are you thankful for????

I apologize for not posting last Saturday. I was stuck at football games all day and when I arrived home the last thing on my mind was coming here and posting a blog. But, one son lost in the playoffs and my other son plays in the championship game tonight!! It's the first time his team has ever made it to a championship game, so he is excited and pumped up, ready to play. Me, I'm nervous as hell! LOL I guess that's the duty of a mom, we get the nerves. :D

My blog today, however, is about what we're thankful for. It’s kind of sad that we need a holiday to share the things we’re thankful for, but I think with the rush of life, sometimes we get lost in living and forget to appreciate all that we have. So, in honor of Thanksgiving next week, I’m going to list the things I’m thankful for:

My family. I have the perfect family. *cheeky grin* My family is perfect for me and perfect in their heads only. But, seriously, from my two sons to my husband they bring me joy each and every day. From the seriousness of my oldest son to the goofiness of my youngest son, my life is as near perfect as it can become. My husband and I will celebrate 18 years of marriage on November 30th, but we started dating when I was 17. We’ve been together a total of 20 years, more than half my life. Through all those years, even during the hard times, I’ve never regretted marrying him at the young age of 20. I’m a paralegal and I’ve worked many years with divorce cases, so I know our marriage could have gone sour, but somehow we’ve been able to keep the marriage alive. I am very thankful for our determination and commitment to keeping our marriage intact, part of that was growing together and making each other a priority. We still have date nights and enjoy one another’s company.

My friends, which includes both my internet friends and physically touchable friends. They’re both a huge source of support and I cannot imagine my life without any of them. My greatest wish would be to meet my internet friends in person.

My writing. It’s what keeps me sane, keeps me grounded and stabilizes my moods. Without my writing, I wouldn’t be fit to socialize. Writing is like a high-caliber drug or a meditation technique because writing calms me, erases the worries, puts my soul at peace and I never have to get out of my PJ’s to do it! And how awesome to be able to say “I killed someone today” and not go to jail for it!! LOL I also like the adventure of playing god and breathing life into my own little world of characters. That “god factor” is such a rush!

Noble Romance Publishing and the fact that they took a chance on me and published my book, Elfin Blood. My wish is that I won’t make you regret taking that chance!

My four-legged daughters, Rossi and Bama. They offer me comfort and love even when I’m a bear to live with. And when I’m at my worst, they have a way of bringing me back down to reality and pulverizing my moodiness.

The final thing I’m thankful for….COFFEE!! I am not a morning person, so coffee is the only concoction that makes me bearable in the morning. My advice, don’t speak to me before I’ve had at least two heaping cups of the dark, delectable brew! :D

You don’t have to be American to be thankful for something. So tell us all what you’re thankful for this year?

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend and tell at least one person how thankful you are for them. I promise it’ll make you feel better!

Ugly but Interesting

Well, having read quite a lot of sci-fi and fantasy in my time (and romance) I have to say, that there are a lot of male lead characters out there who are, and I can put it no other way, hunks. They have rippling muscles, tanned skin, gorgeous faces, etc, etc, blah, blah. They are also intelligent and honest and all goody goody. Hardly any flaws at all!

Now, don't get me wrong, we all like looking at beautiful people (sales of tabloid magazines attest to that) but in real life, what would be the chances of coming across a 'perfect' man? I would say pretty close to zero.

Sure, romance sells the notion that the perfect man; tall, handsome and good looking is just around the corner for those who deserve them (or don't), but really, it's all just fantasy, isn't it? I hope the old 'Barbara Cartland' days are well and truly numbered, I really do. I mean, living in the 21st century, you'd hope we were more sophisticated than that. Sure, fantasy is good, but really, impossible fantasy? How can that last? How can that be satisfying? Taming a rebel, finding the goodness in a man who is less than honest, discovering someone's humanity, all of those would be far, far more exciting to read about than just two beautiful bodies slapping together.

Yet, those sort of books, the 'traditional' romance novels do sell well. Go figure. I know I couldn't write a character without at least one 'flaw' (and by flaw I may mean something as simple as being scared of the dark)

I believe fiction should have some foundation in reality and leading men should also reflect (to a certain extent) the world we live in. Sure, he may be good looking, but I bet he's not as intelligent as all that, or he has really annoying habits, or worse yet, is boring and couldn't hold a conversation with a goldfish let alone interest another person. A lot of my characters are like that, some swear, have bad habits, are paranoid, not so bright, suffer from delusions of grandeur, etc, etc. In the end, having a perfect match for these characters is all part of the fun and discovery of writing and reading. I like to match the Ying and Yang (opposites attract, after all).

Sexual magnetism will only get you so far, as is true in real life. Sure, initial attraction can be there. But really, how many of us could honestly say they would want to be with someone forever and ever purely on initial attraction? It would wear pretty thin pretty quick, wouldn't it? Again, I would say pretty close to zero.

There has to be something more to a person, as in real life, as in fiction.