No, please don't use that word! #MFRW

Hi All! Wow! Can you believe it's Week 9 of MFRW 52 Week Blog Challenge!? Me either.

This week's theme is "Words that make me go Ick!" I have a few, and I'm going to throw them out there (this week is hectic, so a longer post on my blog with be forthcoming in a few days).

The word "just." It's funny as I am guilty of using this way too often, but when I do, I cringe. And I take it out. And take it out. And take it out.

Unique words that become repetitive. Any writer can become guilty of this offense. Even me. When writing a lot of steamy scenes, sometimes you get caught up in putting the words down that something is used way too often. I use the word "pleasure" too often when I write. In my rough draft, I use it to keep my pace going. In my edits, I wince and change, change, change.I remember reading a book once where the author used the word "skate/skated" to describe how the hero touched the heroine. I *loved* that use. But by the time the book ended, the word lost it's pop to me because of how often it was used.

Speaking of steamy (Warning, strong language ahead), because I read and write a lot of romance, there are the necessary personal body parts that are written. I like euphemisms for body parts (within reason). Dated terminology like "honey pot" and "love stick" only make me laugh. But what really makes me go "ick" are when the technical terms are used. A lot. If I'm in the middle of a love scene and the author constantly uses the words "vagina" and "penis," it throws me away from the scene and makes me frown. I guess it's not truly an "ick" factor, but in that it turns me away, it works. If the words are mentioned occasionally, I can see that, but when everytime an erection is mentioned, "penis" is used, it throws me.

*Disclaimer: Please, authors out there, I mean no offense if you use these words. Good authors use these sparingly, as they should, so again, no offense meant.

I'm in a rush today or I'd fill your head with more ick words. For now, hop on over to these other great authors to see what their ick words are!

Have a great weekend!

It's Time to BRAINSTORM! #MFRW

Welcome to another awesome week of MFRW 52 week writing challenge! This week's theme is "How I Choose a Book Title." For me, it's quite easy (or hard, depending). I brainstorm. 

I only have a couple dozen books out and, like other authors, another pile I've written or want to write, but not a one of them have I ever conceived the book title first. 

Titles do not "come" to me. (And those that have remain unwritten. Weird). I wish I were brilliant that way. I have a friend who comes up with great titles--before she even begins writing. I wish! 

No, I've learned that my method is to put up "Untitled" then whatever specific theme/genre I'm writing. Like, "Untitled Paranormal." If something comes to me as I'm writing, I'll add it under the Untitled label. I keep a notebook next to the computer that is used specifically to jot down title ideas while I'm writing the story. Now, there have been those gems that come out while I'm actually writing (my favorite to date is Fever Hitch), but most often, I'll finish the story and it'll still be Untitled. At this point, I'll pull out my brainstorm pages and scour them with pen and pencil until I can come up with a title I like. 

Brainstorming ideas often include a lot of one or two word ideas. Maybe places where the story takes place, maybe colors that may be consistent through the book, it may be general ideas of what I'm trying to convey with the story. If I find myself really stuck or indecisive, I'll bounce ideas around with my husband. He can be an excellent sounding board.

To the left you'll see an example of one of my brainstorming pages. (I'm sorry it's sideways, I'm lost as to how to fix it 'cause it was fine in it's own file. Oh well, I've openly admitted I'm not a techie person). The point is, it's not pretty, and some of the titles I jotted down truly suck, but like any good brainstorming, you have to put the ugly with the not so ugly. The actual title of this particular book? I'm still not 100 percent. I've narrowed it down to two titles, none of which are on the page amusingly enough, but both title ideas have come from this process. 

Here's to happy writing and even happier titles! Don't forget to cruise around to see  how other authors come up with their titles. Thanks for stopping by ~ Ayla 

 

Music...or Silence? #MFRW

Welcome to another wonderful episode of the 52 week blog hop challenge by MFRW! This week's theme is Music to Write By.

For me, I write by nothing. The quieter, the better. I've tried writing by music. And television. And kids. And crowds. I just cannot do it. In fact, I've recently been going "away" to write. Most of the time I'll "check out" a little conference room at one the libraries nearby and write to my heart's content. Sure, there are windows and if I'm stuck I can see people walk by, but there is little to no sound to invade my space. Another place I've recently plopped down to write is Waffle House. Yes, believe it or not, the good ol' WH. There are probably a dozen I can easily get to, and it took a little bit of hunt-and-find, but there's a couple that, come 2 or 3 in the afternoon, hit a dead zone. Just 1 waitress and the cook. I settle in a corner booth, order something simple, and spend a couple or few hours typing away in relative quiet. 

So while other authors may thrive with their personal playlist going on in the background (and awesome for them!), I sway the opposite direction. Give me silence, and I'll turn out an awesome tale for you! 

Thanks for dropping by, and don't forget to hop over to these great blogs below to see what other authors write by. 

Hobbies I have (or wish I had) #MFRW

Oh man, when it rains, it pours! I'm slipping this post in last minute like as I returned home from the ER just a little bit ago. Stupid gall bladder had me worried, and I almost thought they were going to take it out tonight. Instead, they filled me with pain med that has made me feel sick beyond belief, and scheduled me for a follow up with a surgeon. So,  both good and bad.

But enough of that.

What do I like to do when I'm not writing? Welcome to MFRW week 6 of the 52 week blog hop. In thinking of this question this week, I've had to ponder a bit in order to give you the best possible answer. First, I love to read. Give me warmth and a book and that's my heaven. But that's not really a hobby, is it?

I'd like to say I'm crafty, but I'm more of a crafty wanna be. I'll periodically do something crafty (usually for an event or holiday), and think, "Gee, that was a lot of fun. I need to do that more often." In truth, I don't.

I love to hang out with my family. But I guess that's not much of a hobby either.

That leaves walking. But I don't mean just up and down the street. I don't mean for exercise. I like to...hike, I suppose you could say. I like to walk on trails, in the mountains, on the beaches. Those kinds of walks. I like to see nature and all her wonderful surroundings. It may be a pretty flower, an odd shaped tree, or even a darting lizard. There something about being in nature this way that brings me a peace and calm that's hard to get anywhere else. It may not be much of a hobby, or one I can indulge in often, but if given the chance, I'll take this anytime!

photo from fotolia

Sorry for the abrupt end, but please be sure to check out the other posts in this hop to see what other authors like to do when they're not writing.

And as always, thank you for stopping by!

Best friends are for life #MFRW

Best Friends ARE for life. My definition of a best friend is one that exceeds all expectations of what a friend should be: loyal, a confidant, and above all, a person (or persons) with whom you can totally be yourself. There is never any (negative) judgement, never any false promises and never any let-downs. At least, none intentional. 

I have two "best friends": my husband and an amazing woman who currently lives on the other side of the country from me. 

My husband because hey, we're in it for life. I can be myself and then some around him. He's known me since before kids, and I love that he remembers that me, and still loves the woman I am now. He may not necessarily "get" everything about me, but he knows and accepts it all. 

SJ, is my other best friend. She is a writer and we hooked up when both of us were only trying to get published (she's ridiculously more prolific and successful than I at this point, and I love her for this). In my "real" life, I am involved with many different groups of people, and behave accordingly. She is the only person (outside of family) who understands this about me. And knows all my secrets. And knows how I behave within all these groups. Beyond this, we have common interests--books, guys, kids, food--to name a few. I will admit, especially since she's hours away instead of just down the street, I may not be as on-point with staying in touch. But despite this, I know that as soon as we talk, it'll be like no time separated us at all. 

I do have a bevy of friends in general, but not many at all who knows all parts of me. That's okay. I like to say I'm an extrovert, but I'm a closet introvert really. I'd much rather only a couple people know who I truly am, rather than the whole world.  

If you want to see who other authors consider their best friend, check out the hop below. Have a great weekend while you're at it! 

He Said She Said Do...What-Do-You-Mean?!? #MFRW

Sorry Editor, My Common Writing Mistakes 
(MFRW 52 Week Blog Challenge: Week 4!!)

First off, THANK GOD for editors! The written word would be in a sad state if not for those diligent written-word police to make sure our stories look and sound terrific. 

Hmm...from me, I know my editors see plenty of mistakes. My more common ones revolve around two main issues: misplaced modifiers and awkward wording. 

I start writing and get caught up in the moment and before I know it, I'm writing half statements like, "silky to the touch, she put on the gown...." My editors quickly come back with, "what exactly is silky to the touch?"  

My awkward wording reminds me of someone trying to speak with a mouth full of chewing gum. Or cotton. I write off the hip, so to speak, and I often can picture exactly what I want. I write down all the different ways I see it in the rough draft, but by the time I'm working it though and it gets into my editors hands, I may have muddled the scene even more. I can clean up phrases and wording, but I usually have to have it pointed out to me. Then I can stew over one line for hours (!) until I'm able to change and bend the words to make them make sense. 

I could go on (possessives are another of my weak points), but hey, we all make mistakes. Right? 

So what are some of your writing boo-boo's? Want to see what other authors trip over in their writing? Check out the blog hop below to find out. And thanks for stopping by~have an amazing last-Friday-of-January! 

TV? Oh, you mean that box my kids control #MFRW

photo from fotolia.com

Hi and welcome to Week 3 of MFRW 52 Week Blog Hop. This week's topic is about TV and what I like to binge watch. 

Well...I don't, really. My time to watch television is next to nill and my desire to watch anything for the most part ranks about the same. My kids and DH are the television watchers in our house. That's not to say I haven't binged here and there, just not often at all.

Before this past Christmas, when my reading went down and my writing was still stagnant, I swiped through Netflix and binged on all the romance movies I could find (that seemed decent, but no dramas). I think they were mostly Hallmark kind of movies: you know, the really feel-good ones. After that, I binged on the Arrow and Flash. Truly, I hadn't seen either of those before. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I never quite finished. I think I'm in season 2 of Flash and Season 3 (or 4?) of Arrow. Eventually I'll get back to it. I hope. I enjoyed them.

Finally, I don't know if you'd call this a binge because I only watch it when it comes on the actual television, but I am fanatic about Dancing with the Stars. I only started watching a couple years ago and now I can't wait until a new season begins (the next one begins March 20). I always tape them (because Monday nights are Scout nights and I'm never home), then DH and I will sit down later that night and watch. I wish there were a way to access past seasons!

Binge watching certain shows. Heh. It's strange (in a way) we can do that kind of thing now. Cool, but strange.

If you want to see what other authors binge watch, check them out below.

My Family vs My Writing #MFRW

Hmm...What an interesting title for this post. I simply typed what came to mind as I sat down to address this week's blog challenge: 'How my family survives my writing,' and the above is what tripped off my fingers. Verses. One against the other. But, it's true.

First, I need to identify my family. It consists of three parts: Immediate (spouse and kids), my side (parents, siblings and their families), and my husband's side (parents, siblings and their families). 

I'll go ahead and state that no one on my husband's side knows of my published status. They may know that I like to write, but that's as far as it goes. The reason for this is what I write. Erotic Romance. While a couple individuals may give me nods and a high five if they knew, most wouldn't. 

My side of the family knows I write and knows what I write. A couple have even read some of my books because hey, I wrote them. At first I received the congratulations, but now it's old hat. No one on my side is a huge fan of erotic romance, so it's a subject that's simply understood, but never discussed. 

My immediate family is about the same way as "my side." The kids all know I write, and as they're boys and hitting teen-age years, I simply tell them I write romance and love stories. It keeps them away. They know my pen name and I've threatened them to keep it mum. As for my husband, he's a silent supporter, even though he wishes I'd write in a different genre because he doesn't read erotic romance either. He's never even read one of my books! lol  I don't know if it's because he can't handle the heat or can't handle that his wife is writing the heat or what the issue is--he refuses to confess his reasons. 

Aside from who knows and who doesn't, when I actually write, my family can be understanding. They know if I'm writing I need total silence and absolutely no distractions. My kids will keep themselves quieter at bedtime and DH will hie off to the den for his TV fix. When I can swing several hours with no obligations (not as often as I'd like), I "disappear" somewhere away from everyone to write. It may be into the cottage on the property (even though it's so not set up to be writer-friendly), it may be to the library or coffee shop. But they know it's mom's writing time and no phone calls, no distractions. 

The crunch time--and where the family vs. writing comes into play--occurs when I'm meeting a deadline and when I have a new release. Then it's harder to get understanding because my writing time will interfere with the wacky order of the day. It's no longer a night-time or get-away-time thing for me, it's an I-don't-have-a-choice-time issue in which I get bombarded with "check this test," and "you should have finished that already," to "remember I have an appointment today," to "you don't have to do promo." Ugh! 

Despite the seemingly negative odds that face me sometimes, I find comfort and solace in that I'm doing something I want. For me. And the fact that I can share this with others is a huge bonus and keeps me doing what I'm doing. The family, I love them all. Yes, they don't truly "get" the whole writing thing, but that's okay. They don't have to. Would it be easier for me if they did? Absolutely! But I'll take what I can get. And if it's a few hours here and there to lose myself in my story, I'll grab it with both hands and hold on tight! 

Thanks for hopping by and don't forget to swing by these other blogs to discover their survival points. 

My Favorite Things (so far) #MFRW

Welcome to the MFRW Blog Hop! This week's theme is A Few of my Favorite Things. My Favorites are below the picture below.

A Few of my Favorite Things

I *love* this prompt. Just the name brings to mind the classic song, 'My Favorite Things,' from The Sound of Music. Da-da-da-da-da-da... Now you're singing it too, right? It's been playing in my head ever since I read the theme. Hard to concentrate on MY favs, though. But I did. After brainstorming and musing and listing, I came up with the following 5 things that I consider...My Favorites!

1. Sunsets. But not just any sunset. I live in the sunny south and out of the entire year, nothing can compare to the sunsets in September and October. During that last thirty or so minutes before the sun disappears completely, the surrounding sky is an explosion of color: reds, oranges, yellows, and even shades of violet. It's also how these colors streak and bunch and blend across the sky. Every evening brings something unique and different.

2. A Good Book. What constitutes a Good Book for me? Probably the same things that are for most of you: great characters, engaging plot, something that will draw me in and KEEP me in. A story that will make me physically react with something like an out loud laugh, tears, a surprised gasp, or even an exclamation (as I did in a recent book I read) like, "he did NOT just do that!" Any genre can be Good Book. It's not exclusive to Romance (even though romance is my favorite genre 😉).

3. A Yummy Snack. Or, should I say, an indulgent snack. This is something that my taste buds love, my mouth waters as I make, but that I don't often have on hand. As a bonus, a Yummy Snack is usually something my kids will turn their noses up to, which makes it even more, mine-all-mine. I usually enjoy said snack in the evening, after the kids are in bed, when I can lounge and have those few rarefied "me" moments. A couple examples would be a freshly made, hot apple tart, a cup of flavored hot tea with honey, or a nice plate of cheese and crackers paired with a delicious red wine.

4. My Kindle. I know nearly everyone in the world has one by now, and I only picked mine up about a year ago, but I love my Kindle. I can write with it, I can read (of course), and I even have a few ridiculous games to play. I can surf the net, watch movies, I mean--you know what I mean. I carry mine with me everywhere, and every person in my household knows my Kindle is mine, and it means: hands off!

5. PJ's. Especially with long sleeves. And fuzzy ones, too. Despite my geographical location, where temperatures range in the 90's over half the year, I. Freeze. All the time. Maybe I'm part reptile? No telling. But I never go anywhere, at any time of the year, without a jacket of some kind. And when I'm at home, I want to be comfortable and cozy, so I dive right into my pj's as soon and as often as possible. Right now, my fav's are a pair of fuzzy purple-plaid bottoms paired with a loose, long sleeve top. Another best part of cozy pj's? No bra required. 😀

I've had fun coming up with favorite things to share with you. What is one of yours? Want some ideas? Remember to visit the other authors in his hop to see some of their favorite things.

Enjoy the hop, and thanks for stopping by!
~Ayla

Sunday Snog with Pirates

Happy Sunday to you! Today, amid the blustery cool weather, I wish to bring some sunshine into your day. This snog is from an erotic historical romance called Temptation Released, and it's all about a memorable kiss Lady Elise gives the pirate Raphael--on his order. A little forewarning, this is not one of those lips on lips snogs.  Read on, then jump over to Victoria's to read more Sunday Snogs. 

Temptation Released by Ayla Ruse

“When is a pirate not a pirate? When he refuses to ravish a perfectly willing captive.” – Lady Elise Clifton

Raphael de la Torres, the pirate captain El Angel, is notorious for kidnapping travelers to the colonies. His actions cleverly cover another purpose—getting close to the cousin who betrayed him.

El Angel’s latest capture is the one person whose ransom will give him an edge. He must deliver Lady Elise untouched in order to have his revenge, but she is desire untapped, and more than ready for the taking. His every effort to frighten and push her away only excites her and tests his limits of control.

With the currents stirring up between the two, will the sweet taste of revenge shift to a deeper passion, and will the control Elise is running away from, be exactly what she needs? 

Snog

“You, mi mascota, my pet, lied to me.”

“I—”

She stopped when he suddenly stood up and turned her chair away from the table and came to stand in front of her. His hands were on his breeches and he was unlacing them. She licked her lips, afraid and excited at what she was about to see. His hands slowed and she whimpered, wanting him to hurry.

“You are an odd one, Elise. A lady, supposedly jaded and had by many, yet so tight I know your pussy has never met a cock.”

She blinked at his words, spoken low. But he may as well have shouted them to her. His language was such that she’d read before, but had never heard. It made her skin tingle and flush yet it also made her squirm. She wasn’t bashful or offended. Quite the opposite. She was bloody excited.

“I think it’s time you meet your first cock, Elise,” he whispered.

He finished unlacing the breeches, pulled the panel aside, and his cock sprang forward so suddenly she jerked. He grasped the thick rod and stroked it. Up and down. The skin around the dark shaft moved like silk under his fingers, coming up to cover the fat head with a narrow slit at the end.

“Wet your lips,” he told her.

She did.

He kicked her feet apart and she went further by spreading her legs to straddle the chair. Stepping close, he rested one of his knees on the seat between her spread legs, and straddled her thigh. The tip of his shaft angled toward her mouth.

“Now wet my cock,” he ordered.

Not sure what to expect, she took her time opening her mouth. She wished he hadn’t tied her arms because her fingers itched to touch him.

He kept his hand fisted around the length and fed the head between her lips. She swiped her tongue around the bulbous part, finding his flesh hot and smooth. She dipped her tongue into that slit and tasted a drop of fluid that had gathered there and wanted more.

He pushed deeper and she flicked her tongue over the rim of the head, making him groan. Feeling more confident, she opened wider and he continued to push into her, stuffing her mouth with himself. She gagged when he hit the back of her throat and she panicked, not able to breathe.

“Shh,” he told her, threading his fingers through her hair. He pulled his hips back then pumped into her mouth with short thrusts. “Just relax your throat, cariño. You can take me. Relax.”

It took a few of his steady thrusts for her to calm down enough to do what he said. As soon as she did, he slid deeper.

He felt smooth on her busy tongue and saliva dripped from her lips. She loved doing this for him, and the way he shuddered periodically and groaned made her want him even more.

“Maldito, ya esta bueno,” he told her. “You are so good and you take direction so well, Elise.”

She couldn’t answer, being stuffed with his cock, so she hummed her appreciation.

“Now I want you to suck me.”

Without over thinking his command, she hollowed her cheeks and did just that. He growled this time and thrust hard, keeping her pressed close to him. He was down into her throat and still she did her best to provide the suction he demanded. She breathed through her nose and curled the flat of her tongue to the thick underside of his erection and pressed, adding to the tight feeling he apparently wanted.

“Fuck,” he barked out, pulling out of her mouth so fast her lips popped loudly off him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Release your own Temptations...

Totally Bound   |   ARe   |   Amazon   |   B&N

Thank you for stopping by and sharing my snog today. 

Enjoy all the others out there! ;)

~Ayla

 

#ScintillatingSunday Meets a Djinn

Welcome to today's #ScintillatingSunday blog hop. Make sure to enjoy all that the authors are offering--links are at the bottom of this post.

Today I bring you Rebecca, a centuries old Djinn who finds herself in the unenviable position of having a cruel and heartless master. There are two men, however, who've caught her eye. They remind her of master's she'd had ages ago, but they are off limits to her unless her current master releases her--which she believes could never happen. 

As a Djinn, however, she works well with loopholes. In the 8 paragraphs below, she's taken the prerogative of her master's order to shift it to one of the men she wants. But will it work?

#Excerpt from To Free a Djinn by Ayla Ruse 

“Just do it, " Rebecca urged. "Say ‘my means Nico’s’.”

“My means Nico’s?”

“Thank Allah,” she said on a sigh and eased away from the door. Braden had been right. If her master did not give her specific commands, she could interpret them as she wished. Braden had indeed left her a loophole by not repeating his own name in his command.

She approached Nico in slow, measured steps, letting her hips sway seductively. He seemed unmoved as he stood his ground and crossed his arms, tilting his head when she looked up into his clear, blue eyes. His pose screamed uninterested, but his tight swallow gave away his desire.

She licked her lips, grinned, and dropped to her knees. As soon as she set her hands to the front of his jeans, framing his hard erection, he stepped back.

“No, Rebecca,” Nico said, closing his hands around her wrists.

“Oh, but I have to,” she said. “I have been commanded to give a blowjob. Braden was vague on the recipient.”

"Are you his sub? His slave? The questions sounded like a mix between hope and disgust. Interesting. She wondered how he felt about the two. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Free A Djinn

Rebecca, a fiery, beautiful djinn, quietly assists her magician master, hating every moment they’re together. His command over her is growing and she finds herself desperate to get away.

Nico and Justin, magicians sharing the stage with Rebecca’s master, want to help her escape. Once they become involved, however, they discover magic is not the only environment where illusions deceive. Nico and Justin want Rebecca for themselves, but what will it take to gain her submission when she’s vowed to never be bound to another?

 

Buy From:

Changeling Press  |  ARe  |  Amazon  |  B&N