Sweet Saturday Sample–3/10 Only Scandal Will Do

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome back to Sweet Saturday Sample!  All excerpts here are rated PG-13 or milder. Today I’m posting from my soon to be released historical romance Only Scandal Will Do, set in Georgian London.

If you’ve been following on Six Sentence Sunday you know that Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam has been kidnapped and sold to a masked man in a London brothel.  She’s been trying to explain her circumstances, but the arrogant man hasn’t been receptive to reason.  Here’s part of her explanation:

“My brother and I were on our way to a masquerade ball when I was abducted.”

“As was I, fair lady,” he bowed with an exaggerated flourish, “when I decided to come to this charming establishment instead. Perhaps if we had continued on our ways uninterrupted we would even now be dancing together at the ball.” That nasty, deep laugh grated against her nerves worse than the screech of rusty nails, making her contemplate murder. If the scoundrel didn’t believe her story, killing him might be her only means of escape.

“I tell you for the third time, I am Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam!” She all but screamed the words at him. As though making them louder would somehow convince him of their truth.

“I see you would prefer to play a different scenario, my lady?” He smirked as he emphasized the last two words. “I, for one, would fancy seduction rather than force.”

Katarina’s hands clenched. “But I am a lady, you oaf! Why will you not believe me?”

“Then convince me, Lady Katarina.” His voice dropped to low, sultry tones. Even worse, his mouth softened from the hard lines of the arrogant master to the soft, sensual half-smile of the practiced rake. A shiver ran through Katarina that had nothing to do with fright.

Hope you enjoyed this little excerpt.  Stop by SSS tomorrow for another little snippet.  And today be sure to click here to visit more Sweet Samples.  You’ll be glad you did!

Posted in On Only Scandal Will Do, On Sweet Saturday Sample | Tagged , , , , , | 19 Comments

Hog Wild for Horny Hump Day 3/07/12

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

Motorcycle Madness

for

Horny Hump Day!

WARNING:  MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 18!

NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

Wednesdays in February will definitely speak of love and lust as Horny Hump Day gets hotter and hotter!  Participating authors post three sentences from their published works or WIP, hot enough to melt your computer screen!  Or at least I hope so. LOL

I’m continuing Motorcycle Madness for Horny Hump Day, with more sentences from my erotic fractured fairy tale, Hog Wild.  Please read on and if you like what you read, Hog Wild is FREE on Amazon for the next couple of days!  Go snag a copy in celebration of Hump Day (very apropo).

Seducing bikers Beau and Rob Hogue and commandeering their Harleys is easy for Lula Wolfendale; finding sexual satisfaction isn’t.  Can their older brother Jesse fill the bill? In a sexual contest for his Phantom motorcycle, will Lula emerge with a bike to die for or the climax of her dreams?

On to brother number 2:  Rob is a mechanic who looks a bit like Paul Newman and seems to be up for anything.

Divesting him of his last shred of clothing, Lula sat up on her heels, bringing his engorged cock directly in line with her mouth. She licked her lips and heard a strangled gasp. Taking his thick, hard length in her hands, she pressed her thumbs to the underside and ran them to the hilt.

I think she’s got his attention! LOL  Meanwhile, have a Happy Horny Hump Day of your own!  Oh, and be sure to leave a comment and let me know if I need more sizzle!  I love to read your comments.

Please check out the Horny Hump Day blog site for the other sites on the hop and go visit the other hot authors.  Quick before your panties pucker!   It also gives the details of how to sign up for next week if you’d like to play with us. 🙂

Thanks so much for visiting the Journal once more for Horny Hump Day.

Posted in Blog Tours, On Almost Perfect, On Horny Hump Day | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Come to Your Senses: The Art of Using the Sense of Sight in Romantic Writing

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

“Before there is a touch, a taste, a moan, a smell, there is perception, seeing and being seen, eye-beckoned.”  This quotation from Anne Taylor Fleming in her article, “Awaken Her Senses:  Look,” in Best Life, persuades us that sight is the primary sense that we use.  Other senses may be touted as being more important, but the sense of sight in a romance novel is paramount to an excellent read.

Romance writers are always told to “put the five senses into your writing.”  What is meant by that is we need, as much as possible, to put our readers into the virtual bodies of our heroes and heroines.  Most romance readers want to vicariously experience the joys and thrills of love by putting themselves into the characters they read about.  In order to do this, the author needs to describe in detail, everything the characters experience—what they hear, touch, taste, and smell, and see.

In this final post on the senses, I’m exploring the sense of sight and how much our readers depend on us to be their eyes within the world of the novel.  When creating a scene, the writer must visualize that place, those people, the action–must see them in her mind before translating that onto the blank page of the manuscript.  In doing so, the writer becomes the guide for the reader, helps them navigate a clear path, shows them exactly what they want the reader to see and thereby creates the vision of the book for the reader.

The best way to do this, at least for me, is to submerge yourself in the character, much as the reader will do, and experience the setting, action, and other characters first hand through them.  Like an actor who takes on a role, if the writer takes on the persona of his/her character, he/she can see what they see and pass that imagery along–vividly–to the reader.

This technique is called “showing,” and is usually tied to the advice “show don’t tell.”  Excellent advice for a writer, but what exactly does it mean?  Beth Hill, a fiction editor, writes in the article “Show and Tell–Not Just A Game We Play,” that “Telling forces a reader to stand outside a candy store window, able to see, perhaps, and hear what happens inside.  But he remains outside.  Yet when a writer shows, he invites the reader into the store to taste the bite of bitter chocolate or the tang of a lemon drop.”  It is not, however, description.

“When a writer shows rather than tells, the reader is allowed a more active role. He draws conclusions, he projects himself into the story and into the character’s shoes, he experiences the character’s emotions with the character.”  In short, when show is employed correctly, the reader can live vicariously through the characters, seeing what they see, hearing what they hear, tasting what they taste.  A good “show” can involve the reader, suck them into the book, let them become part of the book themselves.  So much so, they will come joyfully back to experience more.

Do you have problems with showing rather than telling?  How have you overcome this in the past?  Tell me, how do you put your reader into your scenes?  Thanks for coming by!

Posted in On Writing, On Writing Romance | Tagged , , , , , | 21 Comments

Visit With My Friends

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

I’m going visiting today!  My new friend Cera duBois has asked me to come and be interviewed today on her blog for her feature Visit With My Friends.  Cera asked some hard and thought-provoking questions in this fun interview.  I hope you can go take a look.  Just click Cera Dubois to visit with a new friend today.

And if you leave a comment here you’ll be entered to win a copy of Almost Perfect.  Leave a comment on Cera’s blog, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of any book from Decadent Publishing’s catalogue of books.  Don’t forget to leave an email address!

Hope you enjoy the interview!  And have a fantastic Monday!

Posted in 1Night Stand, About the Author, Contests, Interviews, On Almost Perfect | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Six Sentence Sunday–3/04 Only Scandal Will Do

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome back to Six Sentence Sunday!  I want to thank everyone, once again, for their great support each week.  I do appreciate your visits and look forward to each comment with anticipation.  I also look forward to visiting your sites and reading your wonderful stories.

Katarina and the masked man are back!  Once again I’m following up my six from last week with another next six sentences  from Only Scandal Will Do.

If you remember, Duncan has purchased a woman in a brothel auction and has come to claim his prize.  His “slave” however, continues to insist there has been a mistake.  He has managed to turn the tables on the “lady” and call her virtue into question.  Outraged, she turned and fled, only to be stopped short by her purchaser. Now she’s put some distance–and a chair– between them, while explaining that she was kidnapped earlier in the evening.

He cocked his head then his mouth twitched. “What an exciting life you must lead…Lady Katarina, was it?” He chuckled deep in his chest, and took a step towards the chair.

She glared at him. “I am Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam, you dullard.”

“And true ladies always run around London at night scandalously underdressed as Greek slaves?”

I think Kat’s still got some “‘splainin'” to do. LOL

If you’d like to read more about Kat’s plight, check out my posts from January at Sweet Saturday Sample and February here at SSS.  Be sure to come back next week for another six sentence installment.

Thanks once more for visiting Six Sentence Sunday.  Click the SSS to try out more author snippets.  You’ll be glad you did!

Posted in On Only Scandal Will Do, On Six Sentence Sunday, On Writing Historical Romance | Tagged , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Sweet Saturday Sample–3/03 Heart of Deception

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome back to Sweet Saturday Sample!  All excerpts here are rated PG-13 or milder.  I decided to post one more excerpt from my Victorian short story, Heart of Deception, because if you want to read the end, you can get it FREE this weekend on Amazon.

The story, set in London, 1860, follows Lady Celinda Graham, who is head-over-heels in love with a man to whom her father has strong objections.  In this sample, we find out a good deal more about Andrew’s scheme for the couple to wed.

 

His musings were interrupted by the sound of hurrying feet outside the room.  The door opened and Celinda rushed in, stopping dead at the sight of him in such a state of undress.  He smiled in encouragement.

 

“You left the note for my father?”  Her voice was a strangled whisper.

 

He nodded, noting that her eyes did not leave the expanse of chest left bare by the discarded cravat.  She licked her lips and that small movement caused his stomach to drop, and something else to rise.

 

“When will he arrive?” 

 

His breathing changed to short gasps at the sight of her in such proximity to the bed.  “He’s with his steward right now.”  He noticed her breathing had become erratic as well.  “I sent the note by Tillby.  It could be a while before he discovers us.” 

 

She nervously licked her lips again and he was undone. 

 

Come back next week for another little sample from a new work.

Hope you enjoyed today’s sample of Heart of Deception.  And remember, if you want to read the rest, just click the link above to own your own copy.

Be sure to click here to visit more Sweet Samples.  You’ll be glad you did!

Posted in On Heart of Deception, On Sweet Saturday Sample | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Power of Three

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

Good news comes in threes today!

First, my short historical romance, Heart of Deception–some of you have been following it on Sweet Saturday Sample–will be FREE beginning today through Sunday!  Check out Amazon to get your copy.

So if you’ve been wanting to read  it, now’s your chance!  And if you like it, if you’d post a review at Amazon or Goodreads, I’d really appreciate it. 🙂

Second piece of good news:  On the House Millar blogsite today, Aine Massie has reviewed my erotic contemporary, Almost Perfect.  I was thrilled when she told me she loved it, but I’ll let you take a look at the review for yourself.  Needless to say, I’m extremely pleased!

If you’d like to purchase your own copy of Almost Perfect, you can do so at Decadent Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance E-Books.

And last, but certainly not least, is that I’m part of a group of writers called Inkslingers and we’ve begun a blog, each person taking a turn once a month.  Today marks our very first post, by Sara Ellwood, at Inkslingers about…Beginnings!  Come by and check out our launch!  My day is the second Friday in the month, which means it’s next Friday, March 9th.  I’ll be sure to remind you. 🙂

Well, this is all my news for today.  It’s been a fast week and will likely be a faster weekend.  Come on back for Sweet Saturday Sample and Six Sentence Sunday.  Always a little something to read around here! 🙂

Posted in On Almost Perfect, On Heart of Deception | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Hog Wild for Horny Hump Day 2/29/12

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

Wilkomen! Bien Venue!

Horny Hump Day!

WARNING:  MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 18!

NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

Wednesdays in February will definitely speak of love and lust as Horny Hump Day gets hotter and hotter!  Participating authors post three sentences from their published works or WIP, hot enough to melt your computer screen!  Or at least I hope so. LOL

Leapin’ lizards!  It’s a Leap Year!  And today’s Leap Day!  So I’m leaping into a brand new book for Horny Hump Day, my erotic fractured fairy tale, Hog Wild.

Seducing bikers Beau and Rob Hogue and commandeering their Harleys is easy for Lula Wolfendale; finding sexual satisfaction isn’t.  Can their older brother Jesse fill the bill? In a sexual contest for his Phantom motorcycle, will Lula emerge with a bike to die for or the climax of her dreams?

At this point, Beau is flat on his back working on his motorcycle.  Lula appears and offers to help.  She’s just finished tightening the bolts of his Harley Panhead.

He watched enthralled as the goddess cleared the bike and kept walking— until she towered over him, one booted foot on either side of his hips. Her pussy was maybe two feet directly above his complaining dick. If he unzipped his fly, and she zoomed straight down—

 I leave the rest to your–and Beau’s–imagination until next week!  Meanwhile, have a Happy Horny Hump Day!  Oh, and be sure to leave a comment and let me know if I need more sizzle!  I love to read your comments.

Please check out the Horny Hump Day blog site for the other sites on the hop and go visit the other hot authors.  Quick before your iced tea melts!   It also gives the details of how to sign up for next week if you’d like to play with us. 🙂

I’m offering a contest today, to get a month of Hog Wild off to a great start.  One lucky commenter will win a copy of Hog Wild–one of the “banned books” at Smashwords!  Want to know what all the fuss is about–make a comment and enter to win a copy!

Thanks so much for visiting the Journal once more for Horny Hump Day.

Posted in Blog Tours, On Almost Perfect, On Horny Hump Day | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Winning!

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

In the past week or so I’ve had several contests and would like to announce the winners:

FLIRTING WITH LOVE: ALL ABOUT THE ROMANCE BLOG HOP

Winners Are: 

Gena Robertson

Ann Roberts

Joselyn Vaughn

All three ladies requested copies of Heart of Deception and should be receiving them ASAP!

 With Love, Valentine’s Day Blog Hop

Winners are:

Sophia Rose:  Amazon Gift Card

Catherine:  copy of Almost Perfect

Ashley A:  copy of Hog Wild

Mary Preston:  Heart of Deception

And the winner of a copy of Almost Perfect from my giveaway on

Storm Goddess reviews was

Nina!

Who commented:  Wonderful interview and that excerpt had me laughing so hard my cat glared at me. LOL

Congratulations to all winners and thanks so much for visiting me!

CONTEST TOMORROW!

Come by my blog for Horny Hump Day.  Leave a comment and be entered to win a copy of the day’s featured work!

Have a fantastic day, everyone!

Posted in Blog Tours, Contests | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Six Sentence Sunday–2/26/12 Only Scandal Will Do

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome back to Six Sentence Sunday!  I want to thank everyone, once again, for their great support each week.  I do appreciate your visits and look forward to each comment with anticipation.  I also look forward to visiting your sites and reading your wonderful stories.

Katarina and the masked man are back!  Once again I’m following up my six from last week with another next six sentences  from Only Scandal Will Do.

If you remember, Duncan has purchased a woman in a brothel auction and has come to claim his prize.  His “slave” however, continues to insist there has been a mistake.  He has managed to turn the tables on the “lady” and called her virtue into question.  Outraged, she turned and fled, only to be stopped short by her purchaser. Now she’s put some distance–and a chair– between them, how is she to convince him?

“Sir, you must hear me. I truly am not what you think.” His skeptical stare was bearable, but when he pursed his lips and made a “tsk tsking ” sound, he might as well have shouted the word “whore.”

“I am not!” Katarina clutched the chair’s golden upholstery to keep from launching herself at him and wrapping her fingers around his arrogant throat. “I am Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam, sister to the Earl of Manning—kidnapped and brought here tonight against my will.”

Hmmm.  Her story might be true?  Think he believes her yet?

If you’d like to read more about Kat’s plight, check out my posts from January at Sweet Saturday Sample and February here at SSS.  Come back next week for another six sentence installment.

Thanks once more for visiting Six Sentence Sunday.  Click the SSS to try out more author snippets.  You’ll be glad you did!

Posted in On Only Scandal Will Do, On Six Sentence Sunday, On Writing Historical Romance | Tagged , , , , , , | 31 Comments