Motivation

It's something that plague all writers at one time or another. How do we keep the words flowing, the plot engaging, the characters endearing? How do we even sit at the computer to get that far with all the other things in our lives fighting for top billing, equal concentration? Many of my writer friends will tell you, that motherfucker is not easy. Not with a day job, kids, spouses and just plain damn LIFE.

Already we have all these things on the cons side, working against us. Nothing personal with the kids and the spouse and the EDJ. They're all responsibilities. Our responsibilities. Ones we signed up for, so even when we bitch and moan, we do that shit. Handle our biz.

The writing community also has it's challenges. For all the readers out there who love our works and encourage us, there are those simply around--it seems--to tear us down. To make us doubt ourselves even more than we already do.

We're a bunch of insecure peeps, deep down, constantly wondering if we're good enough. The people who lurk on the different forums and sites dishing out negative reviews like fucking cough medicine when they haven't the common decency to read the book don't help matters. It's like crabs in a freaking barrel, you understand? Pulling and yanking those who make the attempt, who have the bloody balls to scramble half way to the top.

Muses are fickle beings, they come and go with the flicker of a lash and we writers are assed out. With the absense of our muse we stagnate, can't move forward on our stories. What do we do? How do we cope?

Many people read. I do. It works wonders and helps to get me motivated. Music works even better for me, since that's where most of my story ideas orginate from in the first place. Slow music. The baby makin' type. Thems the shit.

Going over what you're read so far also helps, gets your brain back into where you were before and excited to continue on. Trusted friends and partners can also help you. They'll listen as you bitch and moan, suggest something you'd never even considered. Something that just may work if you do it this way...or that. Either way, it opens up a brand new world of possibilities.

Doubt can cripple someone. I know that first hand. Doubt in your abilities as a writer to bring together a cohesive plot/story. To make your characters likeable, believable, loveable. To make your readers and them pesky reviewers happy. I'm also a reviewer so I can cop to the pesky part. We can't please everybody. No two people will feel the same about what we write. If they do, they'll like/hate it for two entirely different reasons.

It's just the way it T. I. is.

The solution? Hell if I know! But...I say don't stay down in the dumps for too long. Get up. Take a walk. Listen to music, something outside of what you normally listen to. The same with books. Read something you don't normally read. Keep your creative juices flowing. Do arts and crafts. Cook. Clean. Not me. I can't clean for shit, but you get my drift. Remind yourself of the reason you're an author in the first place.

You love this. You can't be anyone else but this person who writes stories. You talk out loud to the voices in your head, sometimes love them more than many in your family. It's who you are. It's what you do.

I think the most important thing one can do, someeone who's having a hard time being and staying motivated, is to reach out. We all go through it, we know the drill. We can help.

I can crack that whip. Trust, I do that shit well.

Who Are the VDay Chosen?

Many thanks to all who stopped by during the With Love Valentine's Day blog hop. I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and spent some quality time with the ones you love. I spent mine curled up on the couch with Mr. A, watching the Knicks Lin-vicerate the Raptors...LOL We dined on chocolate, potato chips, and Corona beers.

We did acknowledge the day, because the kid wanted us to. She'd been talking about it non-stop, as her class were making cards and the like in Arts and Crafts. So Mr A and I got her a single red rose, a small box of chocolates, and a pink Barbie Princess diary complete with neon pink pen with a feather tip. She loves all things Barbie, all things pink, so it was a wonderful moment to hear her wow and squeal over her gifts.

Good times.

Now for the two winners of my prize. Go to my website bookshelf and pick your choice of my books and let me know which you prefer. Email me @ avrilashton@ymail.com and I'll send it your way right away...

                                                       **DRUMROLL**

Winner 1... is menina.iscrazy @ yahoo.com  aka Cristina Dawn Chancellor


Winner 2 is... shadowestr@aol.com



                                                   CONGRATS!!

With Love~Valentine's Day Blog Hop

We're back at it again and you have wayy more chances to win than the last time. Get your butts in gear, people!

A list of the over 250 participating authors can be found HERE

My prize is open to all, international even :) Two lucky yous get your pick of one of my backlist.

I wracked my brain trying to figure out what to do for you guys, how to entertain you darling folk who took the time to stop by and say 'wassup.' Should I post an excerpt, blurb? I know, let's talk Valentine's Day. A pub mate of mine has a running thing on her blog this month, Month O' Love and she asked me to participate. I did what I seldom do: got personal. Here's the post I wrote for you lovely folks to enjoy.

V-Day Musings

When the lovely Shy first brought up this darling idea, my immediate thought was to share with you loves a sensual moment from one of my books. Sure, there are more scorchers than sensual stuff happening in my dirty little mind, but I figure had to be at least one up in there. I pondered—yes—which book, what scene, and then something happened. I changed my mind.

Why give you the fictional when I’ve got the real thing?
I’m going to get personal people so brace yourself…no, really. Brace. I’m going to give you a very condensed version of how I met and fell in love with my Mr. Those of you who follow me on Twitter, kindly refrain from mentioning all the times I twitted about smothering him in his sleep with the pillow. This is a Valentine’s Day story, damn it. Not Halloween.
Back in the day, when I was but a spring chicken, free as a bird and getting it in all over the place, I found myself alone on a Friday night. Not the norm for me. I had a little red book filled to the brim with names of folks guaranteed to curl toes, rattle bed springs, and have you climbing walls. Yet, I was alone. I took myself out to the pizza joint down the street, dressed like I usually was for maximum effect. I got the expected catcalls but no one caught my interest, until I came out of the pizza place with my small pie and Sprite…yes, I remember it well. There were a group of guys standing outside the place, trying to get at me. I ignored them. Couldn’t see faces, only shadows. One after the other tried and I ignored them, and then a voice said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?” and I stopped.

Why? Why that voice and not all the others? I had no idea who this person was, but I stopped and we walked back to my apartment, talking. Laughing. And when he pulled out his phone to call his kids, to wish them goodnight individually, I didn’t run away. *I had a motto of no ex-wives and no kids*
His voice was the most intoxicating thing. Low and rough, buttery and whiskey smooth, all at the same bloody time. And when he regarded me those eyelids hanging low, I knew his game. He stayed in my mind all through the night and the next day I called up my best friend to gush.

Oh, he was gonna get it.

The next night he came back, took me to the roof of his building where we sat, wrapped up in each other and talked as we watched the clouds move across the sky. I kid you not. He had me at ease, relaxed, and all into him. Not an easy thing.

I liked him, but he had baggage and I kinda liked travelling light.
After we finally did the do, I hid from him for days. I was running scared, because I was feeling things I wasn’t ready for. He called and called and I had my roommate give him excuse after excuse, but my best friend convinced me to give him a chance. I called him.
I moved in with him in a one room rental days later. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

He’s my complete opposite. Where I’m quiet, he’s loud. Where I barely talk, he goes a mile a minute. Where I’m a reader, he’s a thinker. He’s all about clean, I’m not. He’s outgoing, I’m a hermit. I can list them all, but this would go on for days. Suffice it to say, it’s a miracle we’re still together. I’ve put him through a lot and he’s done the same. Remember the baggage I talked about? Still around. It’ll be ten years soon and I guess I’m reminiscing. They’ve been years of discovery and celebration, of life-changing moments, too. Loss and gains. Devastating losses and wonderful gains.

The little things remind me every day of what I have. What I want, what I need, they’re all wrapped up in him. Tickles and pinches, wet kisses and the rest. The oddest things choke me up; like the way we never, ever call each other by name. It’s babe. Always babe. I love it.
Love when he refers to me as his. While I belong to no one and don’t need someone else to guarantee my happiness, I want to be his forever. Be his babe until the end of time. It’s the ease at which he made my walls domino. Crash down. Shatter.
Sexy as hell.

I’m lucky. Just as he’s lucky. I’m a total catch. Totally.
In our house, Valentine’s Day is any day he brings me a muffin from work because he knows I like that. It’s when he brings home two beers and my favorite ice cream. When he scratches my scalp and does homework with our daughter. When he calls me from work to talk about politics or something he saw on TV.
The little things.
We don’t celebrate V-Day on February 14th, not really. It’s every day and it’s all good.

To win 

• Follow this Blog
• Friend me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/writeravrilashton
• Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/AvrilAsh
• Comment here, about anything you want, just be sure to leave your email addy. Winners will be contacted via email and announced here on Feb 15 

Lucky People

Thanks to everyone who participated in my imprompto one-year being pubbed celebration. The turnout was massive, surprised me really, so thanks :)

The two lucky peeps who'll get their choice of two ebooks each...are...

CatDeem

and

Servantgarde

Both winners have already been contacted. Congrats and thanks for playing.

All smiles...and News

My year really didn't start off that great, but I have a few things to smile about. Super busy, super crazy, super productive first month of 2012.

I entered a pitch contest on a whim last year, won, and subsequently subbed a full manuscript to an editor over at Ellora's Cave. That manuscript was by far the most challenging, the most emotionally draining for me. Love The Sinner was a project and labor of love, far more than my other projects. It's a M/M gay-for-you type deal that rode me harder than I've ever been ridden and if you know me, you know I'm all about the hard rides ;) I hit send on Love The Sinner on Jan 2 and had to wait a nail biting four weeks for an answer.

I cannot begin to tell you how fucking hard that was for me. I've been spoiled, only having to wait hours or at most a day for an answer on a sub so far. During the wait, I had my share of tragedy and that kinda helped to take my mind of things, but still, the drama of not knowing still nagged at me.

When I felt up to it, I started on a new story, finished it in two weeks and subbed it to Evernight who quickly accepted. Love the staff at EP, they're the bomb. Far From The Usual will be released in April. Psst...Far From the Usual has the dubious honor of being my very first work not seen by critique partners or beta readers. First draft send off and I gotta tell you, I just about pissed myself while waiting for a response from EP. I swear to God, that was not my finest hour.

Of course, I didn't learn my lesson. Immediately after hitting send on Far From The Usual, I went to work finishing up Make Me Burn, yes, Wes and Jayce's story. Those boys have been most patient and it was time to send them out into the world. Typed 'the end' on MMB Friday night, cleaned it up and sent it out on Saturday. That's right, no CP or beta eyes on that bad boy. Again with the pissing myself and gnawing away on my knuckles. I swear, I never learn. I didn't breathe until the acceptance came in on Sunday. Then it's all, 'fuck yeah! I totally rock. No way was I worried, son. No way.'

Don't know that I wanna do that a third time...but where was I?

Yeah.

Three contracts within a week of each other.

Oh, did I not mention the editor from Ellora's Cave responding exactly one month later on Feb 2? She called Love The Sinner 'Powerfully emotional', said it would, 'stay with her for a long time.' And as I scream into my palm, I'm thinking 'fuck, yeah. Was not worried. At. All.'

Leave me to my illusions.

So, lets tally hmm? Far From the Usual contract? Check.

Make me Burn contract? Check.

Love the Sinner contract? Check and bloody check.

Yes, I'm bragging. I think since I'm usually not the type to toot that mofo-ing horn, I should make use of that bastard. I mean, it's just there, hanging over my freaking head. Taunting me.

'Bout time, I say.

I don't think there are many more contracts in the very near future. I have next to complete Wicked is his Touch, which stalled in the first few chapters. Maysin and Harper are being quiet, but I have just the thing to wake their asses up and get them talking.

In the meantime, here's the unedited blurb for Far From the Usual. More blurbs is on my website: http://avrilashton.webs.com

 

He’s her ex’s brother, yet Arden Windham aches to be in Cam Mercer’s arms. The man is rude and obnoxious, his blue eyes cold and unfeeling, but he makes her body melt. Being with ex-con Cam is nowhere in her plans, not if she wants the affection she’s worked so hard to gain from her overbearing father. Still, Cam’s touch is unlike anything she’s ever felt and Arden finds herself having to choose between her wants and her needs.

Cameron Mercer is his family’s black sheep, a man apart. For six months he watched Arden waste her time with his twin and now she’s free, he’s not waiting another minute. He’s on a campaign to get her off the tight rope she’s been walking. There’s a rebel behind that smooth façade and he’s on a mission to set Arden free. Too bad she insists on putting up a fight.

A Slice of Cake, Anyone?

Yes, I'm back. No, I'm not telling you where I've been. Suffice it to say I gained nuff weight ;-) This post might include some introspection, so be on the look out for that.

It's my ******ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!******

February First. One year since I've been a published author. A smut peddler. A contributer to the demise of morality...sounds sexy, yes? I have to admit the time flew by really fast; I only recalled the date's significance yesterday. Total awesomeness. I think back to where my head was at at the beginning of this writing process. My thinking could not have been more naive. I mean really, how innocent was I?

Thank God I got over my innocence early.

I'm tired as hell. Could be because I stayed up late the other night watching RuPaul's Drag Race, but that's not the point. My characters exhaust me. In a pleasant way, but still. Can't finish one story before another one is pushing to the front, hand in the air, yelling ME! ME! ME! I love that. I love that they keep coming...heheheh...and I can't write them fast enough.

I love that I can look at myself in the mirror and notice the spark in my eyes. That's a feat, trust me, I'm blind as a bat. I love that I can pay bills with my royalties. How fucking awesome is that?

I love the people who surround me; the authors as crazy as me, feeding my freakiness. Indulging my cray-cray.

February First last year, around midnight or so, I was on the phone with my sister, Robin Badillo, squeeing up a storm as A Wicked Ride went live on sale. That was the greatest feeling. My knees were weak, my stomach was in knots, and I was in heaven. Smutty heaven, filled with naked people doing naughty things to each other.

Heaven.

I'm proud of what I've accomplished, thus far. Proud that this dream, my dream, has come true. I made it happen. I went after it. I grabbed that mother by the throat and squeezed.

Violent, I know.

It's been a bumpy ride and I know many of my writer friends can commiserate. The time spent writing takes away from other things, many important things. Family gets neglected, the house stays dirty, dishes clutter the sink, food gets burned...or is that just me, then? Never mind.

Understand this, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Doing anything else. It's a love no one but us can understand, a drive no one but us really gets. One year down, countless more to go. I hope you'll continue on with me.

I've had the best time writing for you and with you. Let's do it again, soon. To mark the occassion, two of yous will win your choice of any two of my backlist. Two (2) books each. See that image up top? It's also located somewhere on my website. Find it and send me the following info via the Contact Me page on my website: What page is the image on? and What two books of mine would you like to read? Putting the info in the comments of this post will automatically disqualify you. Again, send me the info via my Contact Me page on my website.

Open internationally. Winner will be anounced here next Tuesday.

Now that the mumbo jumbo is over, let's PARTYY! Virtual champagne and cake for everyone!

Alyssa Fox: Bound To Protect

Good morning and welcome! We're back in full swing...at least, I think so. In the author showcase today is the lovely Alyssa Fox, pimping her new release, Bound To Protect, from Evernight Publishing. Take a ogle at that delicious cover and the mouth-watering excerpt, then make sure you get yourself a copy of this one. I know I'll be all over that one.

                                              BLURB

When Katie’s past comes back to haunt her, can she trust Chad enough, or will it be too late?

Katie Thomas has been living a secret life for four years to keep safe. All of that is about to come to a crashing halt when the ex who tried to kill her shows up again. She’s scared and not sure what to do, until she moves next door to fellow doctor, Chad Davis. He’s the last person she wants to live next door to, but one sizzling night together has her yearning for more. The only thing that stands in her way is what he wants in and out of the bedroom; it’s a threat to everything she’s ever believed.

Can he help Katie unlock her hidden desires and show her that this is more than a fling for him?

Chad Davis has always had a thing for the sexy doctor. Assigned to protect Katie, he is determined to bring down her ex to help him get on with his life, finally. His reasons are personal, but one sizzling night together in his bed is all it takes for his priorities to shift. He is not giving her up, no matter how much she insists she is not right for him.


                                EXCERPT

The moans coming from Katie just about did him in. Chad lowered her onto the bed and the grip of her arms around his neck tightened. For a moment, she pulled away from the kiss.

“I’ve got you. I won’t drop you.”

A smile crossed her face and made his heart grip tighter against his chest. He was going to enjoy teaching her to be submissive.

“Take your shirt off,” he said with a gruff voice.

“What?”

“You heard what I said.” She stiffened and pulled her legs against her chest. Chad stifled a curse. He had to get his dominant side in check if he was going to reach her. He couldn’t go all “hard-ass” on her the first time. What she needed right now was reassurance that she was safe enough with him to truly let go.

“You’re not going to take it off?” Uncertainty laced her voice. .

“If I wanted to take it off of you, I would have.” Kneeling on the bed beside her, Chad promised himself to go as slowly as she needed. His gut told him she wanted this even if she wasn’t sure how it worked. It was part of his job to show her what her body wanted, needed and craved deep down inside. “If you didn’t have a fantasy about this, you wouldn’t have books on BDSM. Let me show you what your body secretly craves.”

“I’m not a helpless bimbo that needs to be told what to do to get off,” she spit back.

He hardly kept his laugh inside. She still wanted to fight what he knew her body wanted, but her independent streak was woven so deeply that she didn’t want to let go and feel. Hell, after all she’d been through, he could understand why. That was one thing he admired about her.  Katie didn’t take shit from anyone.

“Is that so?” Butterflies slammed against her stomach as his hand continued to roam her body. For a moment she worried about Chad's taking things too far, about not being what he needed in a woman. What if she wasn’t built to do what he wanted? He didn’t give her much time to think on that before slipping off her thong. Now she was completely naked with his hard body pressed against hers.

“Yes. Now, no talking, unless you’re screaming out my name. Until then, call me ‘Sir’.”

“What if I have a question or something is bothering me?”

“Address me as ‘Sir’ and we’ll deal with it. Are you ready?”

 Katie nodded. Nothing could happen to her, and if she needed it, she had a safe word. If she had to, she’d hold onto that reassurance with all her might and not hesitate to speak the safe word if things overwhelmed her. That was the whole point of having a safe word.

“I asked you a question.”

Drawing in her bottom lip, she grazed it with her teeth. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“Yes, what, Katie?” He stopped the caress just a whisper away from her breast. She desperately wanted him to touch her again. Arching towards him, she tried to bring her body into contact with his hand, but he moved.

“Yes, Sir. I’m ready.”

“Relax. Every time I touch you, I can feel you jump. No one’s going to hurt you here.”

Taking in a deep breath, she willed herself to relax, or at least try. Before, this was the point where she’d have trouble and start to pull back from her lover.

“Shouldn’t we lie down?”

“If I thought we needed to, then I’d have told you. Get in the middle of the bed and sit back on your heels.” He could almost see the wheels turning in her head, and for a moment, he wondered if she would use the safe word. Taking a breath, she moved to the bed and did as he had told her. Good girl. Chad climbed on the bed behind her. He palmed her ass, sending heat racing down her body. “Anyone ever take you back here?”

Oh God, not there! That shouldn’t turn her on even more. Chad’s body heat seeped into her back as he blanketed her with the hard muscles of his chest. His hand moved between her thighs.

“Don’t make me ask again. I’ll spank your ass next time.”

“Yes, but I don’t like it. It hurts.” She turned her head to glance at him. “No anal. I can’t do that. You can kiss your chance to fuck me away if you think you’re going to hit me.” Never again would she allow a man to hit her. Being that weak again wasn’t an option anymore. Moisture seeped between her thighs at the erotic thought of  him smacking her, but no way would she tell him that it turned her on to have him do it. She'd read about it in her books, and it was never abusive. According to the books, it was always done in a safe manner, and brought the woman pleasure. There’d been times that she’d been so turned on after reading that she had to take care of things on her own. And she had no doubts that Chad would see to her pleasure in every way.


BOUND TO PROTECT is NOW available from Evernight Publishing
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