Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Romantic Horror Films Just In Time For Halloween


Elizabeth Black writes erotic romance, dark fiction, fantasy, and horror. She lives on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats.

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Halloween is just around the corner. It's my favorite holiday. Although it's also Samhain, a holy day for wiccans, the secular world has enjoyed the holiday. I've already decorated the house. Two snow globes, one with a bat and one with a black cat. My "Halloween" movie snow globe depicting Laurie on the floor in front of the couch with Michael Myers looming nearby brandishing a knife. My "Fargo" car crash scene snow globe. A spooky oven mitt. Cute Halloween-themed dish towels. A ceramic pumpkin with a battery-powered light that flickers like candlelight.

I love Halloween.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge fan of horror films. After all, I write horror as well as erotic romance. There are lots of dreadful horror films out there, but there are also some gems. Since I write romances, I looked for romantic horror films. There are quite  few out there. Here are six:

Let The Right One In – This disturbing yet fascinating Swedish movie depicts the strong friendship between children Oskar and Eli, who happens to be a vampire. It's one of the best of the modern horror films made after the year 2,000. The remake is good, but the original is better.

The Mummy (Hammer Films version) – I'm a sucker for Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Cushing is my favorite actor. This one a classic tale of love lost. Kharis wants the Princess Ananka all to himself. When he is caught trying to bring her back to life after her untimely death, he is wrapped in gauze and sentenced to guard her through eternity after being entombed within a wall. When archeologists discover the tomb, the mummy emerges to defend his love. An added wrinkle is that the wife of one of the archeologists is a dead ringer for Ananka. You can guess where this is leading. There are many versions of this story – including the Boris Karloff original which rocks – but this one is my favorite.

Ghost – Wet clay. Pottery. A spinning wheel. Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore wrapped in each other while "Unchained Melody" plays in the background. This is one of the most famous erotically-charged romantic scenes in movies. This very romantic ghost story is a great mix of action, the supernatural, comedy, and romance.

Warm Bodies – This is an unusual one and a good one. It's also a twist on the usual, tired zombie theme that bores the hell out of me now. The story is about a zombie who slowly regains his humanity with the help of a woman. It's loosely based on "Romeo and Juliet".

Dead Alive (Braindead) – When I first started dating my husband, I made him watch this movie, telling him if he couldn't sit through it we weren't meant to be together. Directed by Peter Jackson long before "Lord Of The Rings", it is a blood-splattered laugh riot. According to a gypsy reading, Lionel and Paquita are meant to be together, but circumstances keep tearing them apart. This Australian gem is loads of fun.

Fright Night – What if your next door neighbor was a vampire who was horning in on your girlfriend AND your mother? Watch the original with the fantastic Roddy McDowall as Peter Vincent, the vampire hunter. David Tennant does a great job in the remake, but the remake doesn’t hold a candle to the original.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

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Where To Find Elizabeth Black On The Web:

Elizabeth Black - Blog and Web Site

Elizabeth Black - Facebook

Elizabeth Black - Twitter


Monday, October 20, 2014

Why Historical? (Giveaway!) #RomFantasy

I’ve been asked that question a few times, and I suppose it always comes back to the same thing. I grew up watching a lot of Westerns, and it’s where my interest in storytelling came from. My first heroes were Paladin, the Cisco Kid, Zorro, all shows with their core characters based on western themes. The first story I ever sold as a pro author was a Western, and it’s still available, though under a different title and with a tighter edit than when it first appeared. My debut with Naughty Nights Press was a genre familiar to me, but new to the house–and yeah, it’s a Western! And, in fact, my next story is going to be the same genre, it’s called Parlour Photography. It’s got a sexy theme, and should be a ton of fun to write.

We all have things within us that resonate creatively. I wrote a lot of paranormal for a few years. I like it, but when I am at a loss and want to find inspiration to revive my enthusiasm for the written word, I always end up back in the Old West. The possibilities for stories is endless to me. I think the heroes are certainly more straightforward, though they are no less complex than those in contemporary. There is a grace to the era in some settings that enchants readers and keeps them coming back.

For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, this is a look at the debut of a genre for NNP, and my latest venture into Post Civil War America. Enjoy a taste of Champagne and Chocolate, and enter the giveaway I’m running for the next 10 days, the prize is a very cool multiple holiday themed package of goodies.


Indulge in a wickedly seductive taste of CHAMPAGNE AND CHOCOLATE:


ARe Romance  •  Smashwords  •  Publisher  •  Barnes & Noble  •  Amazon

From different worlds, drawn by desire, passion is about to change their lives forever....

Austin Standish is a man of refined tastes. Intelligent and educated, Austin enjoys all of the best life has to offer. A gambler, a gunslinger, and a man who has plans to taste the sweetest prize at The Palace Casino and Saloon - the lovely owner, Chantille L'Amour, the most sought after jewel on the Barbary Coast.


Running a high-class brothel and casino isn't exactly the life she was born to but Chantille is determined to overcome the ruin her family was left in once the Civil War ended. But, she has chosen a difficult path... one that demands much and leaves her lonely. She's noticed the handsome man who comes into her world from time to time, and when she chooses to give in to desire, the passion evoked by Austin's touch may change her life forever....



Excerpt:


As she led him to the private wing of the large building that housed her home and business, Chantille had time to question the wisdom of her actions—again. She'd been berating herself for most of the past thirty minutes. Austin Standish was a danger to her; she knew this on an instinctive level. Not that he would hurt her, of course. But, he was dangerous, just the same.

She was acutely aware of every panther-like, lissome step he took behind her. He was elegant in manner and dress, quietly contained but always alert. The sense of being in perilous company assailed her with new severity. She opened the twin doors to her living suite and went inside, hearing him close the doors behind him before joining him.

She continued into the room, uncomfortable as she chafed against the restraints of her heavy dress and the many layers beneath it. She'd permitted a few select men into this suite over the past five years, but none had ever made her so acutely aware of herself and the desire to shed her clothes and feel solid muscles and male hardness pressed to her warm curves. Her breasts felt heavy, and her nipples strained against the fabric of her chemise, rubbing against the soft material until the pebbled points ached. Between her thighs, a slow, steady throb began to increase in rhythm, finding a matching tempo in her heartbeat.

The soft illumination from the fireplace touched the wood that dominated the room's furnishings, warming the smooth, lustrous finish as shadows danced on the walls and glimmered in the reflections of the mirror that adorned one wall of the room. She saw nothing, only the darkness that had grown around her so steadily throughout the past half-hour, a darkness that touched her with fears she couldn't clearly define, much less explain.

Watching the play of light catch in the soft gold of his hair, Chantille was struck again by the intuitive knowledge that dominated the man's handsome features. Barely suppressed sensuality and anticipation were so strong in the shadowed intimacy of the suite that she felt she could reach out and touch the things that presently put them on opposite sides of a chasm she didn't know with certainty she wanted to close. The only thing she did know was that she wanted to be with him more than she had any man she'd ever met.

"Tell me what you're feeling right now, Chantille."

"Angry."

"At me?"

"No," she whispered, then shook her head to deny her dishonesty. "Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't like being vulnerable."

* * * * *

For the first time, Chantille looked right at him, and Austin could read all the uncertainty he hadn't taken the time to notice before. He answered her honestly, unwilling to do anything less.

"Being vulnerable isn't always a bad thing, Chantille. Sometimes it makes you stronger."

"I don't believe that, and you certainly don't." The edge crept back into her tone. "I feel like I did when I was a child, needing to be wanted. When I came to San Francisco, I swore I'd never feel that way again."

Austin drew in a deep draught of air and ran a hand through his hair.

"You don't have to be afraid of anything, Chantille." He knew the words were weak, and he could have kicked himself for them once they were spoken.

She actually managed to smile at the statement, though there was no warmth in the expression.

"Weak women hold no appeal for men like you, Mr. Standish," she remarked.

"Is that what you want? To appeal to me?"

She laughed, a low murmur of sound that stirred the air between them.

"I want to share my bed with you, Austin," she conceded. "What I don't want is for it to cost me everything I've worked for."

"What are you afraid of losing?"

"My independence."

"Your heart."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Don't lie to me, or to yourself."

Chantille met his eyes as if she were trying to pierce the shadows that surrounded them, to see what lay hidden behind that confident stare. When nothing shone forth, she closed her eyes.

Austin let the silence engulf them again for a long minute, then he closed the distance, touched her chin, and made her face him. His thumb brushed at the tear welled in the corner of her eye.

"I do want you," she murmured, voice raw with the force of her feelings.

The loneliness and the need for reassurance was almost a physical presence in the room with them, and Austin was forced to wonder just how long it had been since Chantille L'Amour had uttered those words to any man. If she ever had.

"I want you, too, Chantille."

Austin's whispered words were like a soft breath of air touching her face as he leaned forward to cover her lips with a tender kiss. She moved into the caress with a soft gasp, and her knees seemed to buckle as Austin's tongue slipped into her mouth with possessive hunger.

Chantille broke the intense kiss, and her head fell back as a sigh of relief and pleasure slipped out of her. She wrapped her arms around Austin's neck, then buried her face against his broad shoulder as she shivered into the sensations they were igniting in each other. She smiled at the slight catch already detectable in Austin's breathing, then shuddered when his hands began to work the buttons of her gown.

Suddenly, she eased free of his embrace and took a step back. He watched, eyes narrowed for a moment as he waited to see why she'd withdrawn. The wariness left his gaze a few seconds later when she lit another lamp and stood next to it.

The soft golden glow of the flickering lamplight illuminated the deft movements of her hands as she undid the buttons and hooks that held her gown together. Austin smiled and went to sit in a chair near the fireplace, his eyes never leaving her. The beautiful amethyst silk crumpled into a heap at her feet, and she gracefully stepped free of the shimmering mass. Next, the petticoats and crinolines fell into a crisp white pile, and she smiled, her expression faintly wicked with delight. He forced himself to remain still while she undid the hooks of her corset, her actions slow and deliberate. Her eyes never lost their hold on his, and she walked toward him, hips swaying seductively.

When she was standing directly in front of him, Austin smiled up at her. His look dropped, and his eyes locked on the thrusting peaks of her breasts, mere inches from his lips, nipples a soft shadow against the white of her chemise. She bent slightly and cupped his face in her hands as she leaned into a slow, exploring kiss. Austin's arms went around her, and he lifted her off her feet and sat her astride his thighs as he settled deeper into the armchair. The kiss went on forever and grew more intense with each tiny stroke of tongue they exchanged. When he thought he'd die for want of air, she drew away again and met his gaze.

Austin's smile became a grin when Chantille slipped the straps of her chemise off her shoulders, then tugged on the front of the thin garment. She peeled the material away from her skin, offering lush ivory breasts to him. He was only vaguely surprised when she took his hands, and kissed each palm before placing his eager fingers over the smooth swells of her flesh. She placed her own hands on his shoulders and slid closer to him, her thighs gliding against his.

She turned as she pushed closer, and her breath hissed from between her teeth when he licked slowly at the ripe nipple she'd all but guided to his lips. She kissed his temple and pressed against him until he took the hard point into his mouth and began to suckle. He repeated the erotic play, first lavishing attention to one nipple, then the other, encouraged by the soft moans that escaped Chantille as she rocked gently in his lap.

"Austin…."

"Mmm?"

"Let me up?"

He leaned back in the chair and released her, curiosity holding his lust at bay for the moment.

She slid back, laughed shakily when her knees wobbled, then she walked a few steps from him. The light trailed her, seemed to be drawn to her within the room, and he watched with renewed fascination as she finished opening the chemise and tossed it aside.

She locked her gaze with his again for an instant, then smiled when his eyes followed the motion of her hands...

ARe Romance  •  Smashwords  •  Publisher  •  Barnes & Noble  •  Amazon


Denyse
"Live the Romance, Become the Fantasy..."
** Preditors & Editors Best Author 2013 **



 

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Sexy and Scary Halloween stories

Halloween, love it or hate it October 31st will soon be upon us. There is nothing quite like being scared and turned on at the same time. For a truly wonderful selection of sexy, spooky stories why don't you try Naughty Night's Press 'Wicked and Wanton All Hallows Eve'?
With a cover that promises what it delivers, Wicked and Wanton will keep you awake all night, writhing and moaning until November 1st.
Blurb:

A Halloween party turns into a very unusual night; a ghost whose sexual needs prevent her from passing over to the other side; a chance encounter at a mistaken location leads to many desires being fulfilled; and unusual alien and human sexual experience, in the name of research; and so much more in this kinky themed Halloween Anthology.
Open up your mind, free your inhibitions and get ready for A Wicked & Wanton All Hallows Eve!

Eight naughty Halloween-themed erotic short stories to tantalize and tease the senses while giving readers a little taste of the experimental worlds of sensually exciting tricks or treats.


Kiki Howell - A Midnight Showing

Two nights before the Halloween opening of her husband's theater, Meredith along with the help of her husband and his best friend slash investor, try to rid the theater of a ghost who made trouble for them when restoring the place. The female spirit, it is rumored, killed herself in the projection room back in the sixties after catching her fiancée at the movies with another woman.
The lonely ghost has other plans for their evening. As the scary movie goes crazy and popcorn goes flying through the air, the lustful spirit coerces man and woman and man into some compromising positions while joining them in the fun.


Ana Hart - Welcome To The Inferno

Welcome to Club Inferno where the wicked come to play only one night out of the year –Halloween. It is the only night when those creatures of myth and darkness can mingle in the open, put on a new face, be a new person, and have a little bit of fun.
Domniar and Laria are no different from all the rest. Two wild Fae directly from the realm of Faerie, this saucy couple have donned their new ‘glamours’ for the evening and are ready for a little wicked passion, a bit of exhibitionism, and a whole lot of shameless lust. Just remember, there is only one rule in Club Inferno: Thou shalt do no harm to another within the walls of the Inferno. Unless they ask for it.


BL Morticia - I Dream Of Dalian

Narni is dreaming of her favorite singer after a hard days work. She is due to see him perform tonight and decides to take a nap to be fresh. Instead of a peaceful sleep, she is transported into a lovely nightmare, one she might not want to wake from.


Abby Hayes - Haunted Party

Alexa is going to her first ever Halloween Bash thrown each year by her new boss, a sexy skeptic who every guy wants to be his friend and every woman wants to screw.
But, she is more professional than that.
One poltergeist and one strange revelation later though, locked in a room with her boss and two male co-workers, fear turns to competition just like it always does in the board room. Alexa, Derrick, Ken and James, with battle wounds and all, fight for their lives in the sexiest way ever conceived. Once their sex games begin, this bitch of a ghost may never know what hit her.


Gemma Parkes - Cassandra

Mia has no desire to go to the Halloween party being hosted by friends of her boyfriend. Reluctantly she tries to find a costume to wear by visiting a fancy dress shop. One outfit in particular has a startling affect on her and she is compelled to hire it. It also seems to have an amazing affect on her partner and it is some time before they are able to set off for the party.
Once there, Mia finds herself in the company of Cassandra, a beautiful, hypnotic girl dressed up as a witch’s cat. She is captivated by Cassandra’s mesmerizing bright green eyes and falls under her spell. Mia finds herself engaged in an intense ménage a trios that brings her both exquisite pleasure and frightening confusion.


Sarah Bella - Triage

Charlotte is a normal girl, getting ready for a night out on the town with her girls. She dons her Halloween costume and hops into a taxi. After a miscommunication about the address of the club, she finds herself unwittingly on the upper, private floor of a BDSM club.
A voice over her shoulder gets –and keeps– her attention. When he tells her to call him Sir, she’s only too happy to comply. Sir helps Charlotte break down a few of her barriers and teaches her the basics of mental domination. Sir forces Charlotte to tell him what she sees, in graphic language that good girls are taught not to use. She discovers that BDSM isn’t as scary as she always thought.
Their encounter ends in a dark hallway with her skirt around her waist and his cock buried inside her. Afterward, Sir is only too happy to take her to breakfast and discuss furthering their arrangement. The chance of a happily ever after with her Sir has Charlotte looping her arm through his and following him out the door to the club.


Kim Faulks - Inamorata

Erica is woman in living in England whose life falls apart with the death of her parents and sister.
In a moment of loneliness David, her widowed brother-in-law, has sex with Erica and likes what she has to offer. Unbeknownst to Erica, David orchestrates to bring home strangers to bed her to earn food and money.
The vampire warrior Layre, kills David and changes Erica’s life forever in ways she never could have imagined


Canth? Decided - Experiment IV

A female volunteer enters into a containment facility, under the watchful eye of scientists, in order to collect a semen sample from a man horribly mutated by a psychic/physical bond with an alien creature.


Have a Spooky October!

Buy Links: 


Amazon UK
Amazon US

Gemma Parkes

Thursday, October 9, 2014

The difference between perception and reality

Just a curious little thing I noticed lately...
So maybe a lot of authors write because they feel more comfortable behind a screen writing the story, rather than being in the spotlight. Maybe. And often, authors use book covers or relevant images as their profile images in social media. Now, every one of us has our different reasons. Sometimes it's for promotional purposes, other times it might be self-conscious shyness, or to value their privacy. These are just 3 examples. Some authors will include an image of themselves with their biography in their books. But a lot of authors don't. Personal choice, and I'm not writing this to say that authors shouldn't "hide", so to speak. Some of us like the anonymity. I know I enjoy it a little, myself.
Courtesy of Flickr user Ryan G. Smith
Now, what this post is about is that, given that a lot of authors don't reveal real pictures of themselves in social media or in their books, it is up to the reader to create their own mental picture of what their favourite authors look like. I've even noticed that, on my list of authors with whom I'm friends, there are quite a few of whom I've never seen a real picture, so I'd created my own mental images of what they look like, from things they post and comment on, pictures they share and who knows what else. So when they post a real photo of themselves, I am stunned to see how far off my own thoughts were. I'm not saying that I was disappointed or delighted; I was simply surprised. However it got me thinking about how different perception and reality truly is. It's rather funny how the mind creates an image from things we glean from each other, without seeing each other, and yet we're, usually, far from correct. Society's obsession with beauty, I believe, is one cause. Beauty is extremely important, and sex is for the young, so if someone we talk to is funny, nice and is relaxed in talking about sex, writes about it, and even play-flirts with fellow authors, just as fun among colleagues, then surely they're young and hot, right? Wrong. Anyone can be a nice person, anyone can be kind and anyone can be interesting in sex. It doesn't matter what they look like; it doesn't determine the personality.
I guess what I'm saying, in a round about kind of way, is that you really shouldn't judge a book, or its author, by the cover.

Phoenix Johnson is an Australian author who has always had the passion for the written word. She had her nose in at least one book ever since she could read and would even scrutinize the back of the cereal box every morning at breakfast. It was only natural she take up writing.
After reviewing a few delicious titles for Naughty Nights Press as she wrote her first title, The Wolf in the Neighborhood, Phoenix was of one mind to submit it to NNP, and she hasn't looked back. The Return of Their Master now joins her first title for sale, and both books are receiving great reviews. Phoenix feels that being invited to write for the NNP blog is a great honour, and loves being part of the team!
You can get in touch with Phoenix on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr or view her website here, or buy her books direct from Naughty Nights Press, or other good ebook distributors.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Equality in Relationships...Can There Be More Than One Leader?

Cassandre Dayne

For any of you who’ve read my stories, you know I write in several genres. I love writing about creatures that go bump in the night as well as serial killers where I can delve into the mind of a madman. I also create stories involving couples including m/f, m/m and f/f and their desire to simply try and find love in a sea of difficult people. What I find my readers respond to the most is when I write about domination, submission and the concept of one person being head of the household. Domestic Discipline and D/s certainly aren’t new, but the acceptance of the alternative lifestyle is more widely spread than ever before.

Writing about discipline and various forms of obedience, including punishment in various methods is something that touches a lot of people and in truth, I’m shocked. I never would have guessed

that writing about adults receiving regular spankings would be so popular. Trust is readers can’t seem to get enough. I’m lucky to hear very personal stories and comments on how my stories and blogs touch them. I think I’m able to tell a story about my own personal needs in a manner that allows others to take a taste of the unknown. Domination and submission is very personal for me as well and telling various stories is something I adore.

What I find very interesting is how many women in particular are very tired of being in control all the time. They became very emotional when they mention their lives and all the tasks they have to perform on a daily basis. Life isn’t easy and with all the time constraints and people pulling us in different directions, we tend to lose track of ourselves. Women are caretakers so often and can become frustrated when work/family/friends/home are out of control. Yes, we’re very emotional creatures. I can’t lie about that. I convey emotions in the pieces I write and there’s nothing wrong with raw passion, no matter if expressed in anger, joy or sadness.

Humans are just that – very human. We want to be protected, trust someone implicitly with our well being as well as the demons that haunt everyone of us. When you find the right person, one you can bare your soul to, the moment is amazing. What’s wrong with letting go, allowing another to take full control? According to society pretty much everything. We’re supposed to be equals in our relationships. The discussion about who makes more doesn’t happen over the dinner table. Laundry is something that is supposed to be shared, cooking only when absolutely necessary and certainly not as a joy any longer.

I don’t know. I’m no Betty Crocker but I see the way of the world as frazzling, pushing us toward a mind blowing need for more information, data in a blink of an eye and there’s basically zero time to stop and smell the roses. Think about your relationship for a minute. Who has control of the housework, the finances? Who makes the decisions for the children or takes control of making certain the basic maintenance needs of the house are taken care of. My guess is you’re going to say both of you, but does the work really happen or do you just argue over why he didn’t put his clothes away or stop at the store like you asked? Be honest – is the fully based equality standing working in your relationship?

If you’re honest you’re going to say no – a resounding no. I think that’s why my readers gravitate toward my stories about domestic discipline. When I decided to expand on the Spankdown concept – penning the Spank Me stories, I realized that men and women long for control. Men hunger to take full control and women are tired of having to be in charge – telling the man or the kids what to do every flipping moment of the day. I know I am. I didn’t really embrace the fact until about three years ago. For any of you who know me, have talked or shared a drink or read my blogs, you know I’m a pretty opinionated bitch. YES I used the ‘b’ word. It’s okay. I can be. I can also be very emotional, out of control and in need of being yanked back. Being taken in hand, taken over his knee is something I never would have anticipated hungering for, but I want nothing more than this type of relationship.

I think women are damn good at throwing tantrums just like we did when we were children and you know why we do – whether consciously or subconsciously? Because we usually get what we want when we do. Our significant other either shuts down during an argument and lets us win or they begrudgingly do what we ask. Really? Is that any way to live? Men weren’t bred to be passive. They were made to be hunters and gatherers. They are supposed to be our protectors and forage for food. Okay so the times have changed but their natural instinct certainly hasn’t. They want to be top dog. So why not allow this to happen?

Hmmm… Is the concept too daunting for you? I have a wonderful group of followers on my blog and in posting various stories and my thoughts on a man taking charge, pretty much every woman agrees they want to be able to emotionally release. They long to be able to cry. Receiving a hard spanking not only gives a woman an excuse to let go, but the release is cathartic in my book – no pun intended. Pain is something we can concentrate on and yes, a spanking is supposed to hurt ladies and gents. When women receive a spanking, they hone in on what he’s saying, the reason for their punishment. They aren’t thinking about dishes or who should have gone to the store.

Spankings tend to refocus and bring couples closer. A man feels in charge, a place he has longed to be his entire adult life. Don’t take this as a simple fix to the high divorce rate. Being in a relationship of this nature takes time, effort and a deep commitment. But… I think the interest as well as the desire for a different lifestyle is increasing. I write about the exploration in very unusual ways in order to find love as well as acceptance. D/s or DD – whatever acronyms you select are powerful moments of shared intimacy. Couples are closer and that’s why my stories are hitting people hard. Ask yourself this question – ladies, do you crave a hard spanking and men, would you be much happier if you were in charge? Hmmm… I bet I know the answers.

Kisses and spanks…


Cassandre