Wednesday, August 29, 2012

H.C.Brown Talks Romance-Romancing the Hop



Romance is a wonderful thing but what do you want in a partner? Are you looking for an Alpha male to protect you?





 Do you want a bad boy? Or perhaps you want all of the above  with just a hint of vulnerability?




What is your perfect date? A walk on the beach or snuggling before a fire roasting marshmallows?





What is it about a guy that turns you on? His muscles? Sexy eyes? Or, perhaps the soft growl in his voice?




 I write in many genres, so my heroes run from badass Doms to sexy strippers, from seven foot tall  Fae male’s to leopard shifters.






 So if you want to take a Walk on the Wild Side with me check out some of my titles.







I have a one copy of my e-book backlist to give away today for a comment. So leave your email address and I’ll be in touch with the winner at the end of the blog hop J

WINNER;  Sherry
Thank you all for your comments :-)










Find  my books here Buy link

Coming Soon
 from Liquid Silver Books
Sea Games  8 October

Dreamspinner Press
5 November
Hurt Me Good




H.C. Brown
www.hcbrown-author.com








http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack



Saturday, August 25, 2012

H.C. Brown-What Writing GLBTQ Literature Means to Me



The Rainbow Blog Hop is Here

 HC's Contest winner  corieltauviqueen at yahoo dot co dot uk








I didn't always write M/M Romance  in fact, my first published book happened to be Murder by Design.
 I write menage and  M/F too.






My first slide into gay romance came in the guise of a seven foot tall King of the Fae, a stunningly beautiful ethereal male by the name of Nox.


I had finished the story Purr-fect Seduction  and Nox hovered on the edge of my mind. I rewrote the story including this character and this book became the first in the
 successful Pride Brother's series.



   I moved into contemporary M/M romance and lately historical in an effort to highlight how society perceives gay men and the prejudice they suffer every day of their lives
Why would a heterosexual woman care?
 Because I'm human and love is love no matter who you are or what your sexual orientation is. We all love and hurt the same. I want my readers to  experience a roller-coaster of  real emotions.






 Speaking of hurt my Muse next hurled me into me into the world of M/M  BDSM. Now this is one subject I really enjoy writing.

In all my books, I have a HEA ending because I think every couple deserves a chance of happiness.

So what does writing GLBTQ literature mean to me? It is the beautiful emails I receive thanking me for my understanding and the wonderful fans I've met.





 And the hope that all my stories  reflect my creed...  that all people should be allowed  to love in peace....

H.C. Brown

**Leave a comment with your email address. One person will win a copy of one of the books on this page....winners choice.








Friday, August 24, 2012

In The Hot Seat With H.C. Brown Author Vanessa North


Welcome Vanessa!

HC:  What is your Hot New Release?
Hello! Thank you for having me! My new release is Two in Winter, from Liquid Silver Books.

HC- Can you tell us a little about yourself and your books?
Well, I’m a thirty-something mom of twins who had a career or three before kids and started writing while they were very small and I was home with them. I write contemporary and paranormal romances as well as sci-fi romance. I love writing about people who don’t feel like they deserve a happy ever after, and then finding ways to make them believe they are worthy.

HC- Have you ever used events or stories contemporary or historical  in your work?

Not really, but I wouldn’t rule it out. Historical accuracy (even in contemporary fiction) is very important to me, and not being a history scholar, I hesitate to use an event in my book when there is a possibility I could get it wrong. I’d much rather make something up.

HC. Is there anything you find particularly challenging/ rewarding about writing?

Everything is a challenge—Every day I want to write something better than anything I’ve written before, so I’m constantly raising the bar for myself. Then again, there are rewards: I become invested in these characters and these stories, so I love seeing them come to fruition. When someone tells me “I read your book, and I loved the part where…” That makes my day.

HC. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How has that childhood dream affected your current career?

I wanted to be a ballet dancer. I took lessons for ages, and I loved it. I’d say it hasn’t impacted my writing, but I’d be a huge liar. There is a dance scene in almost everything I write, and I actually have a novella with a ballerina heroine coming out in November, so… yeah, the old 
passion still has a role to play in my life.

HC: Do you have a writing schedule?

I write all the time, every day, usually for multiple hours per day. I drop the kids off at school, go for a run with fellow writer Becca Jameson, and then come home and get to work. I look at writing as a job, and I treat it like one, but if the muse strikes during “off” hours, I can be found at my desk then too.

HC: What kinds of books do you like to read?

Mostly romance, the hotter the better. I also really like science fiction.

HC: What can readers expect from you in the near future?

In October, Amazon, the first book in my 3-book series “The Ushers” is going to debut, a werewolf series with a goddess myth that takes place over a span of 25 years. I’m very excited about that! I also have a novella coming out in November for the Wiccan Haus shared world series from Musa Publishing called Shifter’s Dance.

 HC: Would you like to share an excerpt?

Here’s an excerpt from Two in Winter…a dance scene, of course.  http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/twoinwinterexcerpt.htm


Title: Two in Winter
Release Date: 7/2/2012
Author: Vanessa North
Author Website: www.vanessanorth.com
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Buy Link:

Genre : Contemporary Romance

Blurb: Getty has her life all planned out—and she’s used to getting everything she wants. She’s nurtured her business to success and now she wants to have a baby all on her own. She won’t let her attraction to a handsome doctor steer her off course.

Eric is still feeling the sting of his recent divorce, so he’s not looking for a relationship, but after sharing a steamy dance with a mysterious woman in a darkened club, he can’t help but want to get to know her. Unfortunately, she took off when she found out he gets women pregnant for a living.

When Eric finds out Getty’s a patient at the fertility clinic where he works, he tries to find a way for them to be together without risking his job. Meanwhile, she keeps him at arm’s length until she discovers even the best-laid plans can go awry. Can she let go of the life she’s planned in order to take a chance on a life with Eric?


Saturday, August 18, 2012

H.C. Brown at ARRA Conference Book Signing




I had a wonderful time at the ARRA Conference Book Signing last night. It was great to catch up with authors I haven't seen for ages and to meet some of my readers.




I'm really looking forward to next year's conference in Brisbane.

















 H.C. Brown with Anna Campbell  and  Rhian Cahill




In The Hot Seat With H.C. Brown-Author Anne Barwell



Title:  Magic's Muse
Release Date:  27th August 2012
Author:  Anne Barwell
Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press – http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Genre :  M/M, Fantasy, SF, romance, drama
Blurb: Sequel to Cat's Quill.
Tomas and Cathal have escaped from Naearu, Cathal’s mystical homeworld, but happily ever after is never as straightforward in real life as it is in books. Then again, most people don’t deal with the complication of a lover who’s magically bound to a tree or have an interfering cat for a cousin.
With Naearu’s police force, the Falcons, still after Cathal, he can’t go home. Now that he and Tomas have consummated their relationship, Cathal’s abilities are evolving and changing to the point that Tomas can sense them. And until the oak portal closes, Cathal—and his new life with Tomas—are in limbo as Cathal can’t expect Tomas to stay with someone who can never venture past the property line. Will he and Tomas ever get to follow through on their engagement?



1-Welcome the talented Anne Barwell! It is great to have you here today, I have enjoyed reading your books and look forward to your new release.
 Tell my readers about your hot new release?
Hi, Heather, and thanks again for this opportunity to chat with you and your readers. My hot new release is 'Magic's Muse' and is releasing from Dreamspinner Press on the 27th of August. It's the sequel to my first novel, 'Cat's Quill.'

2- Can you tell us a little about yourself and your books?
I live in New Zealand, and my day job is working in a library, so I'm surrounded by the temptation of books, DVDs and the like all day. I work evenings and weekends which might not work for some, but does for me, although it is difficult at times to mesh with stuff going on online. I remind myself that it would be worse if I worked 9-5pm, Monday to Fridays, as then I'd never see a soul on here. At least this way I get to sneak on for a bit before I start work at lunchtime during the week. I also play violin for a local orchestra – we're in the middle of Beethoven's 9th at the moment, then it's practice for a proms concert for the end of the year.
I write M/M and am published with Dreamspinner Press. I dabble in a few genres. The Hidden Places series (Cat's Quill and Magic's Muse) is a contemporary fantasy /SF series, the Echoes series (Shadowboxing and the two books to follow it) are historical set during WW2, and Slow Dreaming is SF/time travel. But in saying that, they're very character driven and have a good dollop of romance and action/drama in them, as that is what I like to write.

3- Have you ever used events or stories contemporary or historical in your work?




Yes. Shadowboxing is set in 1943 in Berlin, and as such is very grounded in what was happening at the time.  Many of the places and buildings used in the story are real, although some were destroyed later during the war, and the bombing raids that take place during the story are real historical events. The research for this story was fascinating and I learnt a lot. I've since been reading about the involvement of NZ flight squadrons in the war as one of the characters in 'Winter Duet', the sequel to 'Shadowboxing', will be a Kiwi.
There are also references to the Christchurch earthquake in 'Slow Dreaming', as one of the characters, Sean, is originally from there.

4. Is there anything you find particularly challenging/ rewarding about writing?

One of the most difficult things is sending off the submission to the publisher and then waiting to see if they want it. On the flip side, receiving a new contract is a great feeling, and a confirmation of myself as a writer. We all seem to be bad at second guessing ourselves, especially in post submission mode, I've noticed.
The other challenging thing is finding enough hours in the day to write, and everything that goes with it. I find I need to be very organized and disciplined with my time and most days I feel very scheduled out. It's very worth it though as I see a story take shape on the page and the characters take on almost a life of their own. And then there are the days in which those characters seem to 'dictate' and I type and just go along for the ride.

HC. This is an echo of me. I love the way the characters come to life in my head, it's something only another author experiences. Yes, letting go of a story to submit to a publisher is one of the hardest things  to do as an author and the most stressful. I believe our readers think publication is a given when every manuscript we submit has to earn publication on its merits.

5. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How has that childhood dream affected your current career?

I've been interested in reading, writing, and books for as long as I can remember. I wrote stories by myself, and with friends, at primary school, and helped out after school at the local library. It has taken me a while to work out what I wanted to do with my life, and a lot of years were spent as a stay at home mum raising three kids, while working as a part time music teacher, and later training as a primary/secondary teacher. In hindsight, these were all steps leading me to where I am today – working in a library and writing. The two 'jobs' complement each other, and my colleagues and friends at the library are very supportive of my writing. I love seeing my books on the library shelves, and knowing they're being borrowed fairly regularly. I got to do an author talk at one of the community libraries a couple of months ago too.

Q: Do you have a writing schedule?

Because I start work at 12, I set an alarm on those mornings so that I have at least an hour's writing time before work. I also try and write on the weekends, although sometimes that doesn't pan out with other calls on my time from house and yard work, kids, and my parents who are needing a lot more help than they used to. Of course, in saying that, depending on deadlines, and how a story is flowing, often the schedule goes by the board and I'll write in the late evenings too after I get home from work at 9pm or wherever I can snatch extra time.

Q: What kinds of books do you like to read?

I'll read anything that catches my interest, but I do read a lot of SF/fantasy. As long as a story has a good plot, good writing and the characters draw me in, I'll give it a go.  Add in some time travel and anything involving psi powers and I'll definitely give it a go. I also love stories set in the late 1800s and the time periods around that and the two world wars, and read a fair amount of graphic novels and manga.

Q: What can readers expect from you in the near future?

My current WIP is 'A Knight to Remember' and is a fantasy story with dragons, swords and a quest, but with a few twists.  After that I'm writing 'Winter Duet' which is the sequel to 'Shadowboxing,' and 'Shades of Sepia', the first book of an urban fantasy series, 'Sleepless City' which is a joint project between myself and Elizabeth Noble.

Would you like to share an excerpt? 

 I'd love to. This is an excerpt from 'Magic's Muse':

“Sometimes what we don’t want to hear is what we need to.” Cathal spoke the words softly, knowing them to be true. Christian and Will had always done that for him. Much of what they’d said in the past he hadn’t wanted to hear, but he always took heed of what was said, considering it before deciding whether he would act on it or not.

“Even Heidi and Donovan told me I needed to get my head out of my arse when we first met.”

Although it wasn’t the correct response, Cathal couldn’t help but chuckle. “Is that position even physically possible? I know you’re wonderfully flexible in bed, but I cannot visualize it.”

The comment earned him a lazy swat on the side of one buttock. “I’m going to pretend you’re unfamiliar with that saying and that wasn’t a bad joke.”

“My jokes aren’t that bad!” Cathal rolled them more onto their sides to give Tomas more access. “But if you want to keep your hand there I’m not about to stop you.”

“You’re still wearing your clothes, and as much as I love the way those jeans cling to your arse, I prefer the feel of that part of you with nothing on it.”

Cathal raised an eyebrow. For some reason talking like this in bed seemed to always lead to more lovemaking, although it was also the time they spoke the most openly with each other. “Are you trying to get me to take my clothes off?”

“If you have to ask, then I’m losing my touch.” Tomas kissed Cathal hard. Cathal parted his lips, stroking Tomas’s tongue with his own. When they broke the kiss both were breathing heavily.

“There is nothing wrong with your touch, my love.” Cathal hesitated, feeling a little daring but not sure what Tomas’s response would be.

“I can hear you thinking from here.” Tomas propped himself up on one elbow when Cathal pulled away. “Whatever it is, Cat, I’m sure it’s fine.” He frowned. “You do want to make love, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do, very much so.” Cathal slipped off the bed. He felt himself grow red. “I was wondering… umm… would you like me to undress for you so that you can watch?”

“God, yes!” Tomas licked his lips and looked Cathal up and down, already undressing him with his eyes. “I would love that.” He arched his hips off the bed and undid his own jeans, already sliding them down but not taking his eyes off Cathal.

“I wasn’t planning to undress that quickly.” Cathal began to undo the top buttons of his shirt, deliberately taking his time.

“I know that, but I wanted to be ready for you.” Tomas sat up and took off his T-shirt, muscles flexing when he pulled it over his head. His skin was lightly tanned, and for someone who claimed he didn’t exercise much, his build resembled that of a herald. He’d chuckled at that, saying that he didn’t run much either, although he might be persuaded to for the right reasons.

Tomas’s boxers joined his jeans on the floor. Cathal got a tantalizing glimpse of one bare hip and thigh before the blankets were pulled up to just above Tomas’s groin. Cathal let his eyes travel across Tomas’s flat stomach and down to the almost red hair peeking out from over the blanket, teasing to what lay beneath. God, how he wanted to touch Tomas, right there, right now.

“You are, my love. You definitely are.” Cathal swallowed but forced himself not to speed up his own actions. He undid the last button of his shirt, letting it slide from his shoulders to the floor. The undergarment he wore beneath only needed pulling over his head. He did not understand why Tomas did not feel the need to wear one, as this world’s clothing was not as warm as his own. The belt from his jeans came next, followed by the button fly. The denim material eased down over his hips slowly. He stepped out of them and then removed his socks, very aware of Tomas’s eyes on him.

Tomas’s breath hitched. “You’re so beautiful, Cat. When we’re together I want to touch you, to be with you. You look and feel so good.” He gestured for Cathal to come closer. “Do you remember the first time we kissed at the inn?” He looked at the boxers Cathal still wore, reached out and traced the outline of Cathal’s hard cock through the cotton material. Cathal moaned softly, pushing into his hand. “The undergarments you wore then drove me crazy. I couldn’t work out how to undo the laces.”

“I prefer these. They’re easier to remove.” Cathal could take a hint. Tomas wanted him, and now. “Do you want to finish?”

Tomas hesitated, then shook his head. “Do it for me, Cat. I want to see you. All of you.” He removed his hand, threw the blanket off completely, and stroked himself, his eyes glazing over with need.

“All of you.” Cathal licked his lips, needing to touch and taste. He quickly used two fingers to extend the elastic of his boxers, letting them slide off him to pool at his feet. Bending over, he kissed Tomas, deepening it as Tomas pulled him into an embrace and onto the bed. A wave of love and desire washed over him. Cathal wasn’t sure whether the emotions were his or Tomas’s or a combination of both. He didn’t care. He wanted this man so badly, his beloved, his mate.

“I want you.” Tomas ran his hands over Cathal’s back and sides, touching him, caressing him. He wrapped his legs around Cathal’s and threaded the fingers of their left hands together. “I love you, Cathal Emerys.” He whispered a familiar phrase, his breath hot against Cathal’s ear. When Cathal had taken the codename as leader of the resistance, he would have never believed how hearing it spoken by Tomas in this way could sound so good. “I believe in you, Cat. My dragon.”

 HC. Thank you so much for sharing with my readers today I hope you'll drop by again soon.


Saturday, August 11, 2012

The Rocky Road to Publication.










I have received many questions about the rocky path to publication. In November, I have my 25th Book Published, so I do have some insight into this subject.

 Learning how to write at school is very different from what a publisher expects.  Join a writing group or an organization to help you improve your craft.

You have written your story, polished every line, and made it the best it can be.  Send it to a critique group or at least print and read aloud. When we use a computer, we all suffer from what I call “word blindness”. Our brains assume the words on the screen are correct. In print, these mistakes are easier to notice.

Find a publisher that publishes the genre of your story.

Style guides change between publishing houses, so the first thing to do is to read the submission page of each publisher and follow the requirements to the letter.
Prepare your manuscript to the submission requirements.

 Write a detailed synopsis telling your story with the conflict and ending.

Take the time to find the name of the acquiring editor. Write a short and to the point pitch. Trust me acquiring editors are very busy people. They don’t want to know where you went to school and how many kids you have.

Dear Mrs. Blank,

I am seeking publication for . . . ..

Name of book.
Genre.
Word count.
Add a two or three line attention hook.
Add writing credits and contact details.


Many readers believe that being published is a given for a published author. The truth is most of us go through the submission process for every story we write.

This is where patience comes in to play. Submissions can take from a few weeks to six months or more.  I know waiting makes many authors depressed but the best advice I can give is to keep writing. If you receive a rejection, it is not the end of the world. Not every acquiring agent is going to love your work.

There are many publishers out there so never give up. If an editor is kind enough to give you a reason for rejection, take their advice. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot from my editors. So, keep on submitting and never give up.

You’re published!

Get a web site/ blog and promote your book.

Reviews.

If you receive a review, thank the reviewer. 99% of your reviews will be positive because the majority of reviewers are honest people.  I value their opinions and have added  a few of their awards for my books on this page in recognition.


However, if you don’t agree with a review or someone says, your writing stinks—don’t validate them with a comment. They are entitled to their opinion.

To be honest, I’ve found people who write denigrating reviews usually make disparaging comments about most authors’ books to grandstand.  I always think of the judges on some of the T.V contest shows. There always seems to be a judge who insults the acts and abuses his/her power because the victim has no right of reply.

Keep writing and believe in yourself. Work hard and I’ll see you on the Best Seller Lists.

I hope this is of some help.

H.C. Brown
www.hcbrown-author.com
Published by:
Dreamspinner Press
Ellora's cave

Pocketbook

Thursday, August 9, 2012

H.C. Brown- Guest Author Gale Stanley :I Love to write about super heroes


I love to write about supernatural heroes!

Hello Everyone! And thank you, Heather, for having me today. Let me introduce myself. I’m Gale Stanley and I write erotic MM romance – the emphasis is on romance for a reason. My stories may have explicit sexual scenes but at heart, they're love stories, with all the emotion and conflict readers want in their heroes.
And speaking of those heroes, I’ve been fascinated by fangs and fur since I first watched Lon Chaney Jr. transform into the wolfman. I sympathized with the tortured hero and I loved his dangerous edge. Now I like to read and write about dark, seductive alpha males. You know the type, sinfully good-looking, a bit arrogant and capable of bestowing multiple orgasms at a moment’s notice. The hero can be a tormented man one minute, a lethal predator the next. But in the end, he's always a possessive, protective lover.


Where can you find guys and gals like this? Only between the covers—of a good book.







Leave a comment for a chance to win an eBook of your choice from my backlist or my new release coming August 18th.


****
Urban Affairs is a paranormal series published by Siren Publishing. It's about a world where relations between Humans and Shifters are hostile and shifters live in their own segregated neighborhoods. 
More Than Human
Urban Affairs 3

Jesse Carroll is running from an assassin.
Caleb Wolfe is running from the Feds.
Two men on a collision course for disaster find themselves fighting for their lives as well as their attraction for each other. Can a Were-cat and a Were-wolf find common ground for a happily ever after?

Story Excerpt

Jesse stood with his back to the street. One hand searched his pocket for the key, and the other hand pressed the intercom. He hoped like hell that Jeff was home because he could be in serious danger. They both could.
Come on, Jeff, open the fucking door.
Jesse didn’t drive. Who could afford a car? He always walked home from his job at the burger joint, and tonight his feline instincts told him he was being followed. Right now he just wanted to get inside. His brother would roll his eyes and call him paranoid, and then they would share a good laugh over it and drink a beer. But Jeff was rarely home anymore. Why should tonight be any different?
Jesse’s fingers finally emerged with the key. Hands shaking, he tried to fit it in the lock. He flinched at a noise behind him and lifted his nose to scent the air. Werewolf! For the most part, cats and dogs lived separate yet peaceful lives, but recently a pack of wolves had settled in the warehouses along the outskirts of the Stadium District, and suddenly vicious maulings and murders were a daily occurrence in the neighborhoods of Seattle. Was it simple animal aggression or something more? Poverty had forced many Weres to work for the humans and against their own kind. Whatever the reason, the aggression pheromones coming off this giant told Jesse that this wolf could not be trusted. The key dropped from the Were-cat’s numb fingers and skittered off the step into the shrubbery below.
Jesse’s leg muscles tightened as he prepared to jump and follow the key. Suddenly he caught movement from the corner of his eye, and he knew it was too late. The man approaching from the left moved in on him too quickly, and he couldn’t think straight. His bladder loosened as he spun around preparing for a fight. The giant was a stranger to him. He would have remembered someone that big. Jesse reckoned the man was at least six feet six and weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds. He was way overmatched in size, and it was too late to shift to catskin, but he still had one option left.
Jesse’s hand closed on his belt buckle and pressed on the polished chrome head of the lioness Sekhmet. The warrior goddess released a folding knife with a wicked two inch blade. Jesse’s hand slashed upward with catlike agility, slicing the giant’s cheek open from lip to eye. The big man yelled and flailed at the air as he lost his footing on the steps and fell heavily.
Jesse bolted like a runaway train. At the street, he dropped to the ground and rolled under a car. A few seconds later, he emerged from the other side and leaped up. He and the giant locked eyes over the hood of the car. An animalistic growl came from the man’s throat, and bloody spittle flew out of his mouth. He swiped his face with a beefy forearm and bared his teeth.


Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/gale-stanley


MORE THAN HUMAN
Urban Affairs 3


Available For 10% Pre-order Discount at Bookstrand:

Offer ends midnight CST, August 25th.


Happy Reading!
Gale Stanley