For Play: Erotic Romance for Women
Editor: Kristina Wright
Publisher: Cleis Press
Submission Deadline: October 1
Payment: $50 per story and 2 copies of the book, on publication
E-mail: forplayantho@gmail.com
Ah, the anticipation of the hottest sex you’ve ever had. The steady gaze, the fevered skin, the brush of fingertips on the inside of your wrist. For Play lingers where other erotic anthologies rush ahead—on those moments between “I want…” and “Oh yes!” For Play isn’t only about foreplay, although that’s where it all begins—whether it’s on the couch, in the conference room or behind the sand dunes—it’s about capturing that moment in time when a woman’s heart, mind and body all want the same thing and her greatest desire is fulfilled.
Please read my previous Cleis Press anthologies, especially the first two editions in the Best Erotic Romance series, to get an idea of what I’m looking for in this collection. The anthology will be primarily heterosexual with a female audience in mind, but lesbian and bisexual scenarios are welcome. I have a preference for realistic stories with contemporary settings, but any time period will be considered. The usual taboos apply: no incest, nonconsensual sex, bestiality or underage characters, please. According to Romance Writers of America, a romance must include two key elements: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying, optimistic ending. In erotic romance, the sexual component is critical to the development of the romantic relationship.
I will consider up to two stories per author. Please be sure to follow all of the submission guidelines. Unpublished stories only, no simultaneous submissions. Please do not send me a story that is being considered elsewhere. The desired story length is 2,500-4,500 words. Double-space and indent the first line of each paragraph. Do not put extra spaces between paragraphs. Include your full contact information (legal name/pseudonym, mailing address and phone number) and a bio of 50 words or less written in the third person. Please paste your story into the body of your e-mail and attach it as a Microsoft Word .doc file. Send your submission to forplayantho@gmail.com with Submission: Story Title in the subject line. Please direct any questions to the same address. The deadline is October 1, but earlier submissions are very much appreciated.
Payment will be $50 per story and 2 copies of the book upon publication. Contributors retain the rights to their work and Cleis Press has final approval over the stories selected for the book. All submissions will be confirmed upon receipt and all authors will receive a reply once the final book has been approved. If you have not received a response by February 1, please feel free to query me.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
Media Blitz; The Fugitive's Sexy Brother
(A note from your blogger here: While you're here, stop by and see me at Victoria Blisse's Blog for my Friday with Friends post... find out about the first time I saw a naked man...)
The Fugitive’s Sexy Brother
By Annabeth Leong
Blurb:
Emily Boysen is sick of low-level bounty hunting jobs that don’t pay her rent, and sick to death of her ex-boyfriend taking credit for her work. Ready to claim her due, she takes on the quarry of a lifetime, the notorious Fernando Bonavita. But instead of the fugitive, she captures his sexy younger brother, Javier.
Javier Bonavita never wanted to know the truth about his older brother’s activities, instead protecting him out of loyalty. When he uses his hacking skills to pose as Fernando, he never expects to uncover crimes he can’t stomach. Beautiful Emily has no idea how glad he is to be in her custody—as long as he’s her prisoner, he doesn’t have to face his brother.
Passion flares between Emily and Javier, and soon he’s putting the handcuffs on her. Suspicion grows along with their feelings, though. A sinister plot centers around Fernando, and untangling it will test their loyalties to the limit.
Buy Links:
All Romance
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Ellora’s Cave
Excerpt:
Javier’s smart phone buzzed in his pocket. He paused his video game and glanced at the screen. The vibration originated from the custom application he’d written to monitor the motion sensors he’d set up around the perimeter of his brother Fernando’s house. Returning his attention to his computer, Javier quit the game and pulled up a view of the exterior cameras.
A girl was crawling beneath Fernando’s hedge. Even with the cameras, Javier would never have seen her if the motion sensor hadn’t pinpointed her exact position. She held her body low, wore clothes that blended in perfectly with the hues of the yard’s greenery, and moved slowly enough that she wouldn’t attract the casual eye.
Game time.
Plans and strategies tumbled through Javier’s head, but he remained still for a moment, frozen by discomfort. No jilted lover Javier could imagine would act this way, approaching the house like a single-member SWAT team. He squinted at the grainy image of her. He supposed she was a woman, not a girl, but she was a slip of a thing. Her body seemed slight in comparison to the thick, tawny hair bound at the back of her head. Skin only a shade lighter than the hair peeked out of the camouflage clothes in a few places—Javier caught a glimpse of a light brown shoulder blade and the back of a thigh. He remained glued to the screen, fascinated by her strange grace. She didn’t seem like his brother’s type at all.
Javier cleared his throat, struggling again with suspicions he didn’t want to acknowledge. But what harm could it do to play along? That girl couldn’t hurt him, and more than anything he wanted to repay Fernando for all the years he’d looked out for his kid brother. It wouldn’t hurt to earn recognition as an adult in the process. Maybe if he could gain Fernando’s trust he’d be rewarded with true explanations instead of obvious fabrications like this one.
Javier glanced down at his clothes. He should really be dressed as Fernando, but hadn’t had the patience to wear suits when he didn’t have to. He frowned at the image on the screen. He’d locked all the doors and the ground-floor windows were sealed and made of shatter-resistant materials. He had a minute before he had to decide his next step with the girl.
He went to the closet, stripping off his T-shirt on the way and stepping out of his jeans. Fernando’s clothes hung a little loose on him—their bodies were close, but the tailored touches Fernando had added emphasized his thicker physique. Javier was slightly taller and slightly leaner. He found a pair of dark-gray pants that fell far enough down on the leg and looked okay in the mirror. Javier turned to the dress shirts and found himself confronted with a dizzying array of fits and colors. How did his brother deal with all this complication every morning? And why did he care so much?
Javier shook his head at himself and reached for the nearest one, only to freeze at the sound of Fernando’s upstairs bedroom window sliding open. Had the woman really climbed up here in a matter of minutes? She hadn’t been carrying any gear.
He shrugged on the shirt and stepped out of the closet, still buttoning it. She stood just inside the window, her stance wary and her eyes on the computer screen. Handcuffs and restraints swung from the belt loops of army-green short-shorts. Her gaze flicked toward him, her blue eyes large and bright against the sandy backdrop of her face. She wore no makeup, but a generous scattering of freckles added plenty of interesting color and shape to her features. A smile spread over Javier’s face before he could think the situation through.
The interloper scowled in response, producing a can of mace. “You think this is funny, Bonavita?”
Javier held up his hands quickly. He didn’t want to get sprayed. But he couldn’t back down completely or the game would be up before it had even begun. He imitated the cool confidence his brother always possessed. “You wanted to see me so badly you couldn’t knock?”
Her frown deepened. “You watched me approach the house on video monitors, and decided to…change your clothes?”
“Couldn’t let you think I didn’t care about our date.”
She glanced at the monitors and shook her head, her lips forming the word “stupid.” Javier cocked his head, but before he could ask she brandished the mace more fiercely. “Take whatever weapons you’ve got and put them on the floor.”
“What you see is what I’ve got.”
“Yeah, I’m going to believe that.”
Javier shrugged. “If you want to strip-search me, I won’t stop you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Pig.”
“Then I guess we’re going to stand here all day.”
The woman sighed and set down the can of mace. Javier’s body relaxed, but before he had a chance to enjoy it he was on the floor, the woman on top of him. She couldn’t have weighed much, but she knew how to make her body heavy. Her legs wrapped his thighs in an intimate hold that kept him immobilized, and the blade of her forearm wedged under his chin threatened his windpipe.
Javier gasped from the shock of his back crashing to Fernando’s hardwood floor, but recovered as quickly as he could. “Beds are much more comfortable.”
“In your dreams, Bonavita.”
Moving with practiced confidence, she rolled Javier onto his side without relaxing the strength of her hold. She snapped a set of handcuffs around his wrists.
“Whoa, whoa. Baby, let’s talk about this.”
“Very funny. Like you don’t know why I’m here.” A light layer of sweat had appeared along her neck. She smelled wild and powerful, like leaves, salt and sun. Javier knew he should be more concerned about himself, but he couldn’t get his mind off the idea of her lying on top of him for an entirely different reason.
She returned Javier to his back, the position forcing his cuffed hands to dig in to his spine. He curled up to remove the pressure, but a sharply placed knee to his chest forced him back down and pinned him. “Woman, you are serious.”
“Are you just figuring that out?” Her hands slid inside his shirt. For one delicious moment, Javier’s eyelids fell shut and he shivered at her touch. She stopped moving and he opened his eyes slowly to confront her solemn stare. “You are enjoying this way too much,” she said.
If his hands had been free, Javier would have tried to enjoy it a lot more. He’d forgotten how it felt to roll around with a woman, forgotten the sensation of soft, warm flesh against his own. Sure, the situation clearly meant serious trouble for Fernando, but Fernando wasn’t here, was he? Javier felt wild and invincible. He grinned up at the woman. “How could I not? Look at you.”
She glared, but her cheeks turned rosy, bringing out a clearer view of her abundant freckles. “Wonderful. The first man to be stunned by my good looks happens to be the most dangerous quarry I’ve had in years.”
Bio:
Annabeth Leong has written erotica of many flavors. She loves shoes, stockings, cooking and excellent bass lines. She always keeps a new e-book loaded on her phone and a paperback stashed in her purse, but her eyes are still bigger than her stomach whenever she visits a bookseller. She blogs at annabethleong.blogspot.com, and tweets @AnnabethLeong . Watch for her next contemporary erotic romance from Ellora's Cave, Get Laid.
The Fugitive’s Sexy BrotherBy Annabeth Leong
Blurb:
Emily Boysen is sick of low-level bounty hunting jobs that don’t pay her rent, and sick to death of her ex-boyfriend taking credit for her work. Ready to claim her due, she takes on the quarry of a lifetime, the notorious Fernando Bonavita. But instead of the fugitive, she captures his sexy younger brother, Javier.
Javier Bonavita never wanted to know the truth about his older brother’s activities, instead protecting him out of loyalty. When he uses his hacking skills to pose as Fernando, he never expects to uncover crimes he can’t stomach. Beautiful Emily has no idea how glad he is to be in her custody—as long as he’s her prisoner, he doesn’t have to face his brother.
Passion flares between Emily and Javier, and soon he’s putting the handcuffs on her. Suspicion grows along with their feelings, though. A sinister plot centers around Fernando, and untangling it will test their loyalties to the limit.
Buy Links:
All Romance
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Ellora’s Cave
Excerpt:
Javier’s smart phone buzzed in his pocket. He paused his video game and glanced at the screen. The vibration originated from the custom application he’d written to monitor the motion sensors he’d set up around the perimeter of his brother Fernando’s house. Returning his attention to his computer, Javier quit the game and pulled up a view of the exterior cameras.
A girl was crawling beneath Fernando’s hedge. Even with the cameras, Javier would never have seen her if the motion sensor hadn’t pinpointed her exact position. She held her body low, wore clothes that blended in perfectly with the hues of the yard’s greenery, and moved slowly enough that she wouldn’t attract the casual eye.
Game time.
Plans and strategies tumbled through Javier’s head, but he remained still for a moment, frozen by discomfort. No jilted lover Javier could imagine would act this way, approaching the house like a single-member SWAT team. He squinted at the grainy image of her. He supposed she was a woman, not a girl, but she was a slip of a thing. Her body seemed slight in comparison to the thick, tawny hair bound at the back of her head. Skin only a shade lighter than the hair peeked out of the camouflage clothes in a few places—Javier caught a glimpse of a light brown shoulder blade and the back of a thigh. He remained glued to the screen, fascinated by her strange grace. She didn’t seem like his brother’s type at all.
Javier cleared his throat, struggling again with suspicions he didn’t want to acknowledge. But what harm could it do to play along? That girl couldn’t hurt him, and more than anything he wanted to repay Fernando for all the years he’d looked out for his kid brother. It wouldn’t hurt to earn recognition as an adult in the process. Maybe if he could gain Fernando’s trust he’d be rewarded with true explanations instead of obvious fabrications like this one.
Javier glanced down at his clothes. He should really be dressed as Fernando, but hadn’t had the patience to wear suits when he didn’t have to. He frowned at the image on the screen. He’d locked all the doors and the ground-floor windows were sealed and made of shatter-resistant materials. He had a minute before he had to decide his next step with the girl.
He went to the closet, stripping off his T-shirt on the way and stepping out of his jeans. Fernando’s clothes hung a little loose on him—their bodies were close, but the tailored touches Fernando had added emphasized his thicker physique. Javier was slightly taller and slightly leaner. He found a pair of dark-gray pants that fell far enough down on the leg and looked okay in the mirror. Javier turned to the dress shirts and found himself confronted with a dizzying array of fits and colors. How did his brother deal with all this complication every morning? And why did he care so much?
Javier shook his head at himself and reached for the nearest one, only to freeze at the sound of Fernando’s upstairs bedroom window sliding open. Had the woman really climbed up here in a matter of minutes? She hadn’t been carrying any gear.
He shrugged on the shirt and stepped out of the closet, still buttoning it. She stood just inside the window, her stance wary and her eyes on the computer screen. Handcuffs and restraints swung from the belt loops of army-green short-shorts. Her gaze flicked toward him, her blue eyes large and bright against the sandy backdrop of her face. She wore no makeup, but a generous scattering of freckles added plenty of interesting color and shape to her features. A smile spread over Javier’s face before he could think the situation through.
The interloper scowled in response, producing a can of mace. “You think this is funny, Bonavita?”
Javier held up his hands quickly. He didn’t want to get sprayed. But he couldn’t back down completely or the game would be up before it had even begun. He imitated the cool confidence his brother always possessed. “You wanted to see me so badly you couldn’t knock?”
Her frown deepened. “You watched me approach the house on video monitors, and decided to…change your clothes?”
“Couldn’t let you think I didn’t care about our date.”
She glanced at the monitors and shook her head, her lips forming the word “stupid.” Javier cocked his head, but before he could ask she brandished the mace more fiercely. “Take whatever weapons you’ve got and put them on the floor.”
“What you see is what I’ve got.”
“Yeah, I’m going to believe that.”
Javier shrugged. “If you want to strip-search me, I won’t stop you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Pig.”
“Then I guess we’re going to stand here all day.”
The woman sighed and set down the can of mace. Javier’s body relaxed, but before he had a chance to enjoy it he was on the floor, the woman on top of him. She couldn’t have weighed much, but she knew how to make her body heavy. Her legs wrapped his thighs in an intimate hold that kept him immobilized, and the blade of her forearm wedged under his chin threatened his windpipe.
Javier gasped from the shock of his back crashing to Fernando’s hardwood floor, but recovered as quickly as he could. “Beds are much more comfortable.”
“In your dreams, Bonavita.”
Moving with practiced confidence, she rolled Javier onto his side without relaxing the strength of her hold. She snapped a set of handcuffs around his wrists.
“Whoa, whoa. Baby, let’s talk about this.”
“Very funny. Like you don’t know why I’m here.” A light layer of sweat had appeared along her neck. She smelled wild and powerful, like leaves, salt and sun. Javier knew he should be more concerned about himself, but he couldn’t get his mind off the idea of her lying on top of him for an entirely different reason.
She returned Javier to his back, the position forcing his cuffed hands to dig in to his spine. He curled up to remove the pressure, but a sharply placed knee to his chest forced him back down and pinned him. “Woman, you are serious.”
“Are you just figuring that out?” Her hands slid inside his shirt. For one delicious moment, Javier’s eyelids fell shut and he shivered at her touch. She stopped moving and he opened his eyes slowly to confront her solemn stare. “You are enjoying this way too much,” she said.
If his hands had been free, Javier would have tried to enjoy it a lot more. He’d forgotten how it felt to roll around with a woman, forgotten the sensation of soft, warm flesh against his own. Sure, the situation clearly meant serious trouble for Fernando, but Fernando wasn’t here, was he? Javier felt wild and invincible. He grinned up at the woman. “How could I not? Look at you.”
She glared, but her cheeks turned rosy, bringing out a clearer view of her abundant freckles. “Wonderful. The first man to be stunned by my good looks happens to be the most dangerous quarry I’ve had in years.”
Bio:
Annabeth Leong has written erotica of many flavors. She loves shoes, stockings, cooking and excellent bass lines. She always keeps a new e-book loaded on her phone and a paperback stashed in her purse, but her eyes are still bigger than her stomach whenever she visits a bookseller. She blogs at annabethleong.blogspot.com, and tweets @AnnabethLeong . Watch for her next contemporary erotic romance from Ellora's Cave, Get Laid.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Guest Author, Julieanna Lynch
I find it hard to stay focused on deadlines and can easily be distracted by ridiculous things, like Facebook, Twitter, and Googling my name (yes, we are all guilty of that one), but more than anything it is finding a happy balance between work and promotion. As you can well imagine being an Indie author gives you a whole different set of responsibilities when it comes to promoting your work. You rely solely on the discretion and interest of fellow Indie authors, as well as trying to reach out to "mainstream" readers. However, I try not to think about that side of things too much and place all my energies in my work, and basically "honk my own horn" when time is my friend.
When did you find out that you wanted to be a writer? What inspired you to put pen to paper?
I always new I wanted to work in the arts, whether that was singing, performing, drawing or writing. I've always been creative, and fell in love with poetry and art from a very young age. When most of my peers were out tasting their first drop of liquor, I was reading Dickens, Keats and King, when they were going on dates, I was hell bent on going to museums. I was different, and whilst I at times despised myself, in hindsight I am so thankful for being unique - it's paved the way for my future.
What truly inspired me to write was my experience of bullying and depression. I found writing down my deepest, darkest thoughts therapeutic. I was a terribly lonely, troubled teen, but it was writing that cured the momentary pain or anguish I felt, so from there on in, my confidence in my chosen profession grew, and haven't looked back since.
Of your published works, do you have a favorite? Why?
I just can't help but feel completely passionate about Within the Shadows. She was a learning curve for me. She embodies everything that I've gone through to get from A -B, having hit QUITE a few bumps along the way. I love Giselle, I love how she has grown, and whilst there are those who have taken a dislike to her, I cannot help but feel very protective of her. To me she is perfect, and yes she can be annoying and extremely whiny, but aren't most 18 yr olds? They aren't all born with a steel backbone and know how to kick ass straight from the start.
How much of your life and the people you know end up in your work?
I like to people watch and I am very guilty of note taking when out and about.
What's your writing routine?
Since the birth of my baby Poppy in March 2012, my whole writing routine has gone out the window. Before Poppy, my day consisted of 7-8 hours writing, bagging myself word goals of 8-10k a day, now, I am lucky if I can get to write 3 hours straight. I am just so busy between school runs, nursery runs, and tending to the baby and dog, on top of household chores, that it can be very hard fitting it all in.
Is there a character or story that's stuck in your head and won't leave, from either your work or someone else's?
At the moment my delectable character, Antoine refuses to shut up. Seriously, he is so persistent, that he has bagged himself his own spin off series, and my short story "Bitter Kisses" is based on him as well.
What writers or novels do you consider “must reads”?
Oh I have tons of novels and authors who have entertained me over the years, and ones that I re-read regularly.
Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" should be a book EVERYONE reads. This book conjures up every single human emotion known to man. It is wonderfully written, it is beautifully told, and from a girl who understands the anguish portrayed in the themes of this novel, it is just simply breathtaking.
I also cannot stop talking about Michelle Paver's "Dark Matter" - if you like ghost stories, but one where there is complete isolation and you are left at the mercy of your mind, this book just holds you close, perplexes you into the dark and doesn't release you until the last page. Amazing novel.
There is also the YA novel "Born Dark" by my publishing sister H.G. Lynch - this book is just brilliant, especially from a young girl, and her first publication. The story is well written, interesting, the characters make you laugh, cry and know how to piss you off - everything a novel should possess.
Talk to us about your domestic life: pets, children, house, arts and crafts, favorite recipe...
I am the mother of five children: 16, 12, 7, 3 & 1- I am married to my childhood sweetheart, Sean, who just happened to be my best friends BIG brother. We have one dog, Buster, who will be a year old in May.
We live in a pretty big 6 bedroom detached house. It's lovely, comfy and very homely, but I am a neat freak!
I love trees - not planting them, but canvas art of them. I just find them peaceful, relaxing and make a room very pretty. I am a tree geek.
I love music - like seriously LOVE music. I love going to gigs, finding new Indie bands to listen to and support, and I can't think of anything better than supporting home grown talent. I am obsessed with Chester Bennington from Linkin Park, that man has a voice that just makes my insides melt - wow - yeah, he is perfect.
I am not into crafts, I am too bloody busy to do all that jazz, but do you consider colouring the children's homework, craft?
My favourite recipe has got to be my maltesser cheesecake. I make the best fresh cream cheesecake, and you'd better not be on a diet when eating it, because it would certainly go to your hips.
Ingredients:
Base:
2 packets of digestives broken and crushed
200 grams of melted butter
Filling:
500 mgs of light soft cheese
500 mgs fresh double cream
150 mgs of icing sugar,
1tsp of Vanilla essence
200 grm bag of maltessers
Mix the butter with the crushed biscuits, pop some baking paper in a round baking tray, fold in the mixture, flatten with the back of a spoon and pop inthe fridge to cool.
For the filling combine all the ingredients in a blender, minus the maltessers - and blend until light and fluffy.
Mix in the maltessers with a spoon and then once all mixed, pour into the biscuit base (normally I make enough for two with this recipe)
Chill for a few hours in the fridge, and then voila, chilled cheescake enough to make that ass wiggle.
Tell us three things about you that are interesting.
I know how to sand board - yes, SAND board!
I can drive, but it makes me violently ill each time I sit behind the steering wheel that I no longer drive.
I completed Modern Warfare 2 in 4 hours! (I like gaming)
Fiery Librarian Julieanne Lynch is an author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Julieanne lives in Northern Ireland, where she works on her Shadows Trilogy and other series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths, a rock star being one of them. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University, and considered journalism as a career path. However, she decided writing was the way for her and believes all of her education and reading prepared her for it. An avid reader, Julieanne has always had an encompassing fascination with folklore. When not writing, she enjoys crime series such as Criminal Minds, CSI, NCIS and Cold Case, and loves anything with Vampires, listening to metal, meeting new people, drinking lots of green tea, and sharing her dreams with her children. She is a self-professed Goth wanna-be, and is happy when left to write into the early hours of the morning.Julieanne also writes under the pen name J.A. Lynch Julieanne's YA series, The Shadows Trilogy, is published by Vamptasy Publishing and thus far contains In the Shadows. It follows the war between vampires and shadow creatures. Giselle Bergman, an 18-year old human girl, falls victim to a scheme by one of her closest childhood friends, and embarks on a journey that sees her become the center of a battle between good and evil.
Author Page
Blog
Website
Goodreads
Google +
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Writing Calls, Wednesday: Kristina Wright... one of three!
Commanding Desire: Military Erotic Romance
Editor: Kristina Wright
Publisher: Cleis Press
Submission Deadline: September 1
Payment: $50 per story and 2 copies of the book, on publication
E-mail: commandingantho@gmail.com
In this sequel to Duty and Desire, the bodies are harder, the missions are tougher, the sex is hotter and the love is stronger. Settings will be domestic and international and include military heroes of all stripes.
To get an idea of what I’m looking for, read my previous anthologies, especially Duty and Desire: Military Erotic Romance. The collection will be primarily heterosexual with a female audience in mind. I have a preference for realistic stories with contemporary settings, but any time period will be considered. The usual taboos apply: no incest, nonconsensual sex, bestiality or underage characters, please. According to Romance Writers of America, a romance must include two key elements: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying, optimistic ending. In erotic romance, the sexual component is critical to the development of the romantic relationship.
I will consider up to two stories per author. Please be sure to follow all of the submission guidelines. Unpublished stories only, no simultaneous submissions. Please do not send me a story that is being considered elsewhere. The desired story length is 2,500-4,500 words. Double-space and indent the first line of each paragraph. Do not put extra spaces between paragraphs. Include your full contact information (legal name/pseudonym, mailing address and phone number) and a bio of 50 words or less written in the third person. Please paste your story into the body of your e-mail and attach it as a Microsoft Word .doc file. Send your submission to commandingantho@gmail.com with Submission: Story Title in the subject line. Please direct any questions to the same address. The deadline is September 1, but earlier submissions are very much appreciated.
Payment will be $50 per story and 2 copies of the book upon publication. Contributors retain the rights to their work and Cleis Press has final approval over the stories selected for the book. All submissions will be confirmed upon receipt and all authors will receive a reply once the final book has been approved. If you have not received a response by January 1, please feel free to query me.
Editor: Kristina Wright
Publisher: Cleis Press
Submission Deadline: September 1
Payment: $50 per story and 2 copies of the book, on publication
E-mail: commandingantho@gmail.com
In this sequel to Duty and Desire, the bodies are harder, the missions are tougher, the sex is hotter and the love is stronger. Settings will be domestic and international and include military heroes of all stripes.
To get an idea of what I’m looking for, read my previous anthologies, especially Duty and Desire: Military Erotic Romance. The collection will be primarily heterosexual with a female audience in mind. I have a preference for realistic stories with contemporary settings, but any time period will be considered. The usual taboos apply: no incest, nonconsensual sex, bestiality or underage characters, please. According to Romance Writers of America, a romance must include two key elements: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying, optimistic ending. In erotic romance, the sexual component is critical to the development of the romantic relationship.
I will consider up to two stories per author. Please be sure to follow all of the submission guidelines. Unpublished stories only, no simultaneous submissions. Please do not send me a story that is being considered elsewhere. The desired story length is 2,500-4,500 words. Double-space and indent the first line of each paragraph. Do not put extra spaces between paragraphs. Include your full contact information (legal name/pseudonym, mailing address and phone number) and a bio of 50 words or less written in the third person. Please paste your story into the body of your e-mail and attach it as a Microsoft Word .doc file. Send your submission to commandingantho@gmail.com with Submission: Story Title in the subject line. Please direct any questions to the same address. The deadline is September 1, but earlier submissions are very much appreciated.
Payment will be $50 per story and 2 copies of the book upon publication. Contributors retain the rights to their work and Cleis Press has final approval over the stories selected for the book. All submissions will be confirmed upon receipt and all authors will receive a reply once the final book has been approved. If you have not received a response by January 1, please feel free to query me.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Coming Together: With Curves
Coming Together: With Curves, edited
by Victoria Blisse and Lucy Felthouse
Curvy
girls and the men (and women!) that love them is the theme of this
charity anthology, edited by Victoria Blisse and Lucy Felthouse.
From
Zumba classes to Burlesque dancers, all kinds of big and beautiful
women are portrayed between the pages of this book. Read about
birthday surprises, smut at the gym, horse riders, lusty couples,
naughty neighbours, skilled bakers, rope bondage and
misunderstandings from some of erotica’s best authors.
Sales
proceeds benefit Parkinson’s
UK.
Contents: Six
Lengths of Red Hemp (Tilly
Hunter), Cross
Trainer Number Four (Lily
Harlem), Bella
Buxom, Just Squeeze Me (JoAnne
Kenrick), Captivated (Elizabeth
Lapthorne), Red
Rag to a Bull (Victoria
Blisse), Girl
Next Door (Bella
Blake), Lush
Buns (Sommer
Marsden), The
Big Reveal (Giselle
Renarde), The
Wrong End of the Stick (Lucy
Felthouse), Riding
School (Bella
Blake), Flesh
For Fantasy (Lexie
Bay).
*****
Bonnie
stifled a sigh. He was doing it again. Staring at her, as he had been
every day that week. She was on a fortnight’s training course
through work. She was the only one from her office who’d been sent.
As a result, she knew no one and ended up sitting alone in the
college’s cafeteria at lunchtimes. She’d had a couple of invites
from kindly people also on her course, but she’d turned them down.
It wasn’t that she was being rude or anti-social, she just hated
people to see her eat. She was a big girl—that was putting it
politely—and when people saw her eat, she could feel the judgment
rolling off them in waves, the thoughts that she was fat because she
ate so much.
It
wasn’t true. About what she ate, that was. She was fat,
and there was no denying it. But it certainly wasn’t her doing.
She’d been born to large parents, and despite a healthy diet and
plenty of exercise, she was still overweight. All she ever managed to
shift was a pound or two here and there, and that was hardly
noticeable, particularly on a woman her size. She kept at it, though,
resigned to being a larger lady, but determined not to get any
bigger.
Because
she’d always been big, she was used to the snide comments, the
dirty and derisive looks, the open stares. So it didn’t upset her
any more, but she still got irritated when people simply gawped at
her. Surely one glance was enough for them to ascertain that yes, she
was a shapely girl, and then move on. In most cases it was,
particularly if she glared at the person in question. But not with
this guy. She was sure he was trying to be subtle, because he often
averted his gaze as she trained hers on him. But even if he’d
looked away, she could tell by the position of his head and body that
he’d been peeking at her. Again.
Now,
on day seven, she was almost at boiling point. What the hell was his
problem? Had no one ever told him it was rude to stare? She was on
the verge of doing just that.
Eating
her lunch was an unpleasant task, knowing she was being observed. If
she hadn’t been so damn hungry, she’d have left it. But she’d
been running late that morning and had committed that mortal
sin—missing breakfast. So her chicken salad—with no dressing—was
absolutely necessary to avoid making herself feel ill, or passing
out, so she devoured every last morsel. She ate faster than she
normally would, not because she was being greedy, but because the
sooner she finished eating, the sooner she’d stop feeling so damn
self-conscious about the guy across the room watching her.
She
decided to give him one last chance. When she’d finished her lunch,
she’d drink her carton of apple juice, then sit for a few seconds,
doing nothing. If he continued to look at her, she was going to stomp
over there and give him what for. If he didn’t, then she’d carry
on with life and do her best to forget about him and his rudeness.
Deep
down, she knew she was going to have to go over and say something to
him. After seven days, he wasn’t going to suddenly amend his
habits. She was just being a bit of a wimp, really, hoping to find
some way of getting out of confrontation, because she didn’t like
it, not one bit, and it was absolutely a last resort. Unfortunately,
she couldn’t think of a single other way of stopping him from doing
it. Perhaps she could put up a sign in front of her saying “Please
stop staring at me.” But if he couldn’t take the hint when she’d
glared at him, he wouldn’t take any notice of a piece of paper.
Several
minutes later, her salad was gone and she moved onto her drink. With
a sinking feeling in her gut, she saw he was just as interested in
her now as he had been when she’d been eating. Damn, confrontation
it was then.
Draining
the carton, she gathered her plate, cutlery and other rubbish onto
her tray, stood up and slid it onto the rack nearest her. Then she
returned to her table, grabbed her bag, pulled in a deep breath
through her nostrils and marched over to the Peeping Tom. She slid
out the chair opposite him and sat down on it.
*****
Editor sites:
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Guest Post, Kim McNiel
Kim McNiel is a good ole' country girl at heart. She was born and raised in a small Texas town called Spring. As the mother of three, she spent most of her adult life dedicated to raising her family. With her children almost grown, she decided to fulfill her dream of writing. Her best friend told her 'pen to paper sweetie, be you, and never give up.' She took his advice and didn't. She writes contemporary and steamy romance, erotic romance, and has several projects in the fire to look forward to.
When did you find out that you wanted to be a writer? What inspired you to put pen to paper?
I always wanted to write, but finally when my children got almost grown, I talked with a friend of mine who encouraged me to sit down and finally do it. His words were exactly ‘put pen to paper’ and quit giving me excuses. I did.
Of your published works, do you have a favorite? Why?
Oh yes, Caleb is my favorite so far. I had a blast writing this story. Caleb is one of those characters you love to hate, and he makes me laugh.
How do you decide on character names?
I just started typing and his name popped in my head. He wasn’t named after anyone in particular, I just liked the name.
How much of your life and the people you know end up in your work?
So far none of it. I’ve definitely not written a story about any person I knew, though that could always be a future option. wicked laugh
What's your writing routine?
To not have a routine. It seems every time I plan something, it’s interrupted, so I’ve turned completely panster with writing and don’t keep a routine except to write every single day.
Is there a character or story that's stuck in your head and won't leave, from either your work or someone else's?
Honestly I do have a paranormal story stuck in my head that I want to write or attempt, but I’ve never written in that genre and not sure how it would turn out.
What writers or novels do you consider “must reads”?
Anything by Poppet. Her stories are very strong and powerful, plus there is a lot of lessons learned in each story.
Talk to us about your domestic life; a favorite recipe, craft, your pets, children, house, or favorite set of socks.
My domesticated life is pretty boring. I like to catch a movie or concert every now and then, read a good book or just chill in front of the boob tube. My favorite recipe is for homemade manicotti. I have three children and I hardly ever wear socks. I live in Texas, so it’s usually barefooted or flip-flops for me.
Tell us three things about you that are interesting.
1.) My muse is a bipolar bitch who refuses meds
2.) I live with my ex-husband. Yes, ex
3.) I refuse to wear a dress
Caleb-Blurb/Teaser/Synopsis
Blurb:
Caleb loves the ladies and can't keep
his ego in his pants. With a new set of legs to wrap around him every
two nights, he never thinks about what he'd do if Sarah caught him -
until she does.
The repercussions are cataclysmic,
giving him a second chance at life. Who is Caleb really? The ego or
the man he professes to be? This playa plays to win.
Synopsis:
Living a double life, Caleb is a
hard-working and self-assured man, who doubles as an arrogant, cocky
and womanizing prick. With his choices of women on a layaway plan,
he’s never lonely.
Caleb believes he’s nailed the market
on being the ultimate playa and never wonders what the consequences
could be if Sarah, his live in, ever found out…until she does. When
Sarah turns his life upside down, Caleb loses it and catastrophe
follows not far behind.
When his world gets flipped right size
up, he begins to realize the things that are really important to him.
Although Caleb makes some ultimate sacrifices to save his pride, ego
and relationship with Sarah, he still hides one very important
secret.
Stopping at the florist on the way
home, I pull in and pick up a dozen pink roses for Sarah. Yes,
sucking ass big time.
Hey, if it
works…then I’ll be all good. When I’m good, everyone is good.
God forbid I get red roses, she’d want to run off to the fucking
chapel. That isn’t going to happen to me, not in this lifetime
anyways. I stroll in the house.
“I’m home
babe,” I yell out, dropping the folder on the table.
“Upstairs,”
Sarah yells back. I know this tone.
Skipping two steps
at a time, I follow the circular staircase. I dodge the hanging
chandelier with my head. Something else she had to have, forgetting I
am well over six fucking feet tall.
“Hi darling,
these are for you,” I hand her the flowers.
“Why? Because you
slammed the phone down in my ear earlier?”
And…here we
go! She’s such a bitchacoholic.
.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Wednesday Writer Calls, Deadline Extension, Extra Shorts!
Extending the call for 1,200 word or less BDSM erotica
If you've already submitted to this anthology, I will reply to you by September 2013 at the latest. Thank you!
Short Short BDSM Submission Erotica Anthology (title TBA)
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Publisher: Cleis Press
Deadline: June 20, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly preferred and encouraged)
Please make sure to read and follow these guidelines in order for your work to be considered. Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for short short stories of 1,200 words or less focused on the theme of BDSM from a submissive perspective. While the word count is short, I want complex stories with a beginning, middle and end, not simply scene snippets. Preference will be given to stories that stand out in theme, tone, plot, language, characters, motivation and erotic action. I will consider stories from a dominant's perspective if that is the best way to tell the story. The final book of 69 stories will contain an extremely wide variety of characters, POVs (I welcome first, second and third person stories), settings, scenarios, motivations, experience levels, motivations, BDSM practices (which can be combined with other sexual acts), fetishes, couplings, relationships, etc. All genders and sexual orientations welcome. All characters must be over 18; no nonconsensual activity, scat, incest or bestiality. No poetry. Original, unpublished stories only. Stories from authors I have not published before are especially welcome. See my books Please, Sir; Yes, Sir; Please, Ma'am and Yes, Ma'am to get a feel for the types of submissive stories I enjoy. See Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex for examples of 1,200 word or less erotic stories.
How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document (.doc or .docx) with pages numbered OR RTF of 1,200 words MAXIMUM to shortsubmissionantho at gmail.com. DO NOT submit multiple versions of your story; submit ONLY your final, complete, edited version of the story. Note that this is a hard maximum. Stories that are not in keeping with the theme of the anthology or are over 1,200 words will not be considered. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. I will consider a maximum of TWO stories per author. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013.
Payment: $20 and 1 copy of the book on publication in 2014
Deadline: June 20, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged and preferred)
If you've already submitted to this anthology, I will reply to you by September 2013 at the latest. Thank you!
Short Short BDSM Submission Erotica Anthology (title TBA)
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Publisher: Cleis Press
Deadline: June 20, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly preferred and encouraged)
Please make sure to read and follow these guidelines in order for your work to be considered. Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for short short stories of 1,200 words or less focused on the theme of BDSM from a submissive perspective. While the word count is short, I want complex stories with a beginning, middle and end, not simply scene snippets. Preference will be given to stories that stand out in theme, tone, plot, language, characters, motivation and erotic action. I will consider stories from a dominant's perspective if that is the best way to tell the story. The final book of 69 stories will contain an extremely wide variety of characters, POVs (I welcome first, second and third person stories), settings, scenarios, motivations, experience levels, motivations, BDSM practices (which can be combined with other sexual acts), fetishes, couplings, relationships, etc. All genders and sexual orientations welcome. All characters must be over 18; no nonconsensual activity, scat, incest or bestiality. No poetry. Original, unpublished stories only. Stories from authors I have not published before are especially welcome. See my books Please, Sir; Yes, Sir; Please, Ma'am and Yes, Ma'am to get a feel for the types of submissive stories I enjoy. See Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex for examples of 1,200 word or less erotic stories.
How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document (.doc or .docx) with pages numbered OR RTF of 1,200 words MAXIMUM to shortsubmissionantho at gmail.com. DO NOT submit multiple versions of your story; submit ONLY your final, complete, edited version of the story. Note that this is a hard maximum. Stories that are not in keeping with the theme of the anthology or are over 1,200 words will not be considered. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. I will consider a maximum of TWO stories per author. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013.
Payment: $20 and 1 copy of the book on publication in 2014
Deadline: June 20, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged and preferred)
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