The Booming Fantasy and Sci-Fi Markets

The movie and book business go through phases. For the last coupla years there has been a surge in horror movies, and now I'm seeing where horror erotica has begun to take off. [eagerly rubs hands together in anticipation of writing a horror erotica manuscript]

The paranormal craze is still strong as ever, too.

And now it seems sci-fi, fantasy, and a blend of the two genres is spreading into movies and publishing. The Clash of the Titans was remade and now The Wrath of the Titans is being advertised. Even John Carter has moved from prose to the box office.

Add history to either genre and it seems like viewers and readers are in Seventh Heaven. Besides, historical material has always been a steady seller.

I've been working on a fantasy romance series mixed with ancient history and Norse mythology. It's called the Fire and Ice Saga and book two debuted a coupla weeks ago. In May, a spin-off tale will be available, too. I hope you'll take the time to read and enjoy the excerpt below. Besides, everyone needs not only romance but a touch of humor. Laughter goes a long way in freeing the mind and lightening the heart. Sir Hestbone is my favorite character, so much so that I based the spin-off book on him.

Blurb and excerpt from Magic's Fiery Embrace, book two:

She is armed with a power she cannot control and defeated by a love she cannot know.

When Man and Fae are threatened by the Thorn or Ebon, the goddess Freya sends Ember, a Daughter of Trinity, upon a quest to find and defeat it. Happy to escape the palace walls and anticipating new lovers, Ember embarks on her journey. However, when she meets Sarenkesh, a Gloaming Elf, her power finally manifests. She soon realizes her magic will kill him and is forced to keep her distance from the only man she's ever loved.

In a battle high above the world, Ember draws upon the power of love to fight evil. Tricked by a deity and forced to be a slave to carnal passions, she’s faced with a choice: sacrifice herself for Sarenkesh and the welfare of others or remained enslaved by a master of fleshly pleasure.

ADULT EXCERPT

Sarenkesh lay down next to her and pulled her onto her side and snugly against his body. "Aye, you are dangerous. Mortal and Fae can get lost in you." He captured her lips, his mouth sure, possessive. The taste of his tongue like ginger and cloves.

Ember rolled onto her back, pulling Sarenkesh with her. He pressed her tightly to the earth, his erection hot and eager against her lower abdomen. Desire pooled in Ember's loins, its intensity creeping down her legs and up into her torso. She strained against Sarenkesh, wanting him inside her. His mouth seized the delicate pink tip of one breast, and she gasped. Arrows of need sliced through her, and she arched her back, fingers burrowing into his snowy locks.

The torturou

s warmth crawled into her arms and spread upward into her neck as a fever claims its victim. She sighed and parted her legs, the delicate place between them tingling and wet. Sarenkesh shifted his position so that his cock nudged the lips of her sex. Frantic to feel his hard length, Ember shoved upward with her hips, impaling herself on him. With a surprised grunt, her lover slid fully inside her body.

His cock filled her, stretched her. Before he could thrust, an orgasm swept through Ember in an inferno of sensation. She gasped, stiffening. As she plummeted over the precipice of ecstasy, she bucked her hips, crying out, fingers digging into Sarenkesh's ass. The incredible heat that swirled through her body culminated within her fingertips and surged into her face.

Sulfur singed her nose, assaulted her tongue. Fear crashed through her mind.

"No!" She shoved Sarenkesh away, their bodies parting.

Ember rolled to her side, desperate to turn away from Sarenkesh. She staggered to her feet.

Water.

She half ran, half fell toward the creek. Flames licked out of her mouth, her nose, and shot from her eyes in red, white, and orange brilliance. Blindness overcame her, and the aroma of brimstone weighed heavily in the air. She lunged forward, falling from the low bank. Cold fluid engulfed her, the brightness surrounding her vanished, and the heat extinguished.

Arms slipped around her body and lifted her from the creek. Coughing, sputtering, Ember realized someone carried her but didn't have the strength to protest let alone move.

"Ach! What be wrong with you? Can't you wait until we get to the next town to bed a wench other than the princess?"

"She invited me here," Sarenkesh replied tersely. With Ember in his arms, he dropped to his knees on the bank.

"You risk much, elf. You woo her with your magic."

Kaedric? She frowned at his presence. What is he doing here?

"You don't know my sister," Beron said, his voice the next to penetrate Ember's dazed mind. "Father is always in fits trying to keep her apart from her lovers,"

"Is she breathing?" Dikartha asked.

"Woman, what be the matter with you?" the dwarf nearly roared. "Would she sputter and cough if she were dead?"

Gingerly, Ember opened her eyes. She blinked several times to clear the mist from her vision and finally gazed up at the twilight. Lady Evanesce's face suddenly blocked Ember's view of the sky.

"After unleashing such power twice in one day, she'll need to rest," the lady said in her quiet, calm way.

Somewhere just out of Ember's line of vision the captain of war burst out laughing. "Ach, you are lucky your cock did not go up in flames too!"

More male laughter followed.

"I will ignore your words," Sarenkesh said. He wrapped his arms wrapped around her body again, their gazes meeting.

Eyes still stinging, she blinked, and tears leaked from their corners, the burn of sulfur still dominating her senses. "I am so sorry," she whispered.

"Shh. I am whole," he said, wry amusement in his voice. "Dikartha will wrap you in your cloak while I dress, and then I will carry you back to your bedroll."

"You lit up the woods," Beron's voice came from somewhere behind Sarenkesh. "We thought you were on fire."

"Aye," said Hestbone, "as well as Sarenkesh's ass."

Kaedric's bass laughter melded with Sarenkesh's.

"Hush now," Dikartha admonished as she helped Ember into her garments. "The princess is weary."

"Aye," the lady agreed. "Let us get back to the camp and sleep. We still have a long way to travel."

Here's the amazon link, but the book is available at most e-book distributors. If you missed book one, here is the link to it. Also, the following below my question is the blurb and cover for the Fire and Ice spin-off story.

So tell me, what do you like about fantasy and sci-fi or even the combination of the two?

When a wisp of a young woman is cursed by Loki, she wields a huge sword most men would struggle to use. She is utterly untamable, but then along comes the Dwarves Captain of War...

Devoryah is cursed by Loki, and as the youngest and only girl child in a family of older brothers, she's tired of being their servant and told what she can and cannot do. As a result, she vents her frustrations through her sword and loves to spill blood. Thus, she suffers from bloodlust. Men fear her, but Sir Hestbone has a different perspective on her lust for spilled life...as well as the power of sex and love.

Capitalism & Expensive Plastic

Know what really burns my biscuits? Capitalism bs. Big businesses that try to take over everything in the markets—and screw over the consumer as much as possible.

Point in case. The battery of my Verizon wireless box died last fall. The warranty had expired—of course—so I didn’t bother replacing the battery until recently because I’ve been without reliable transportation, so there was no need to spend the money for a new battery when I was home 98% of the time and could just plug the box in to an outlet.

Well, now that my Blazer is fixed and I have a new iPad, I wanted a new battery for the wireless so I could use my iPad when I’m out. I stopped at a Verizon kiosk in the mall and asked how much a replacement battery would be.

“Between $30 and $50, depending on the type of battery,” said the clerk.

I blinked. Surely I hadn’t heard correctly. She gave me an odd look like I was going to sprout tentacles.

“For a tiny, flat battery?” I asked, shocked.

“Yes, Verizon makes them expensive so customers will go ahead an upgrade to the latest box.”

Well, at least she was being honest, but when she quoted $150 for the new 4G box, my knees nearly gave out. I’m frugal. Hell, call me Scrooge if you want to because I’ve had to raise kids on a shoe string since…uh…wait, did I have a life before kids? Anyway, I know a lot of people whip out their credit cards and buy whatever, but I’m not like that. I worry about the electric bill. I worry about paying for my kid to go on her Washington D.C. trip, will there be enough groceries between paydays since royalties aren’t due yet, and I stress over whether or not my hubby will be able to go to the dentist since his insurance doesn’t have dental…

So I called said hubby, who told me to go ahead and buy the wireless. “Take it out of your business account, honey. It’ll come off our taxes next year.”

“I know, but $150 for a li’l box? Seriously, it’s just a piece of plastic!”

“You have to have it for your work, babe.”

Grrr. He had me there.

So, I stomped back to the Verizon store.

“Oh, so you decided to get the new 4G box, huh?” the clerk said upon recognizing me. “4G is lightning fast. You’ll love it.”

“Yes.” I sighed. “But it’s under protest.”

She laughed, but I was serious.

The clerk rang up everything. I paid my bill, signed my new contract—and then she drops the bomb on me.

“Btw, 4G won’t be available in our area until the end of the year, and if you decide you don’t want this wireless box, it’s a $75 re-stock fee.”

Now she tells me this??? AFTER I pay for the box and sign the contract??? And $75 is half the cost of the infernal box!

Steam rolled off of me as I walked away with my itty bitty plastic bag.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?” asked my seven year old.

“I hate liars and manipulators,” I answered.

“How did that lady lie to you?”

“She didn’t tell me the truth about what I was buying until after I paid for it.”

“That wasn’t nice of her.”

“Tell me about it.”

I’m sure these clerks and reps are told to do business like this but it’s wrong, wrong, wrong! What happened to a gentleman’s handshake? What happened to the solid foundation of a promise? What the heck happened to quality over quantity?

Greedy bastards.

Don’t mind me. PMS and plastic that’s extraordinarily expensive tends to send me over the edge.

You Own What?

by Valerie Mann
For those of you who know me, I’m an author, editor, business owner, Mom, wife, quilter—a generic goddess of all that's worth living for, as is any woman who manages to juggle 48 hours worth of work into 24 hours and still find time to breathe, sleep and have sex. Maybe not in that order. But sometimes all at once.

Sleep under this Star!

One thing that I am, but you may not be, is a City Slicker. I wasn’t raised in the city, but I have the citified mentality that says sidewalks are wonderful alternatives to hiking trails. I’ve done my share of tent camping, so if you want me to sleep under the stars, they’d better be Daniel Craig or Tom Hardy.  I love bug repellant the way others enjoy parfum. And cooking over an open fire? Oh, I do that, but I call the open fire a gas stove.

I have one exception to the City Slicker image—I own chickens. In the backyard of my city subdivision. The Girls—Houdini, Chicken Little (who ain’t so little) and Girlie—are my lovelies.  And before you ask, the answer is no. We will not be eating the Girls. They’re hens, with the express purpose of providing eggs for the family, pissing off the cat and making us laugh.

Here is a short list of disadvantages of owning chickens:

1.   They make noise. Not as bad as roosters, there’s no cockadoodledoo-ing at 4:00 AM. But they can get loud. A well-timed snack (they like anything red) is usually enough to shut them up.

2.   They eat a lot. Never stop. Their goals in life are eat, have sex (which, sadly, the Girls aren’t getting) and laying eggs.  And they shit. A lot. OMG, do they.

3.   They’re dumb as stumps. Of course, my Girls are the Einsteins of the poultry world. But that’s still not saying much.

A Chicken Dirt Bath
Girlie does a face plant, Chicken Little kisses feather butt
 and Houdini risks her life in a hen sandwich. I told you they aren't very smart.

 Advantages:

1.   They make me laugh. Their odd, chicken-y dumbness is so entertaining.

2.   Their eggs are phenomenal. It may sound cliché, but it’s true.

3.   They eat everything that moves. Bugs, mice, toads, anything blowing in the wind. And the resulting fertilizer is amazing. Because remember, they shit a lot.

Do I recommend owning chickens to everyone? Nah. They’re odd animals and don’t make the best pets. They don’t like to be held, forget about warm fuzzy pet bonding. And the first time you scratch their necks like a dog or cat, you’ll understand that chicken skin feels just as bad on a live bird as it looks under plastic wrap at your supermarket. Not to mention, they’re extremely self-gratuitous. They’ll be your BFF as long as you bribe them with treats. You’re just one big Pez dispenser as far as they’re concerned. But I love my Girls anyway. Our undemanding and symbiotic relationship suits me fine. 

Breaking out the Romance: Minnesota Housewife Style

Here in Minnesota, winter is cold! I’m talking below zero temperatures, snow storms, blizzards—the works. Spicing things up when it is so cold can be a challenge, but here are a few of my favorite tips:

The right Pajamas: treat yourself to snuggy pajamas and if they are covered in little bunnies or snowflakes—that is even better. Why? Because in a pinch you can wear a solid pair of snuggy pants and pass them off as ‘work out’ clothes. Once those suckers are covered in big lips or balloons, they are night clothes—aka, sexy. Chilly Trick: trying to match pj’s with your honey takes away some of the sexiness.

 Setting the Scene: If your house is as drafty as mine, it doesn’t matter how high you crank the heat—it’s chilly. To combat the cold on a long winter evening of romance, layer blankets on the floor (you may need quite a few), pop in a movie, and make some hot chocolate for you and your honey. Chilly Trick: Sleeping Bags. Zip two together and make a sexy cocoon.

Secret Sexiness: Wearing layers is one way to combat the cold. However, a heavy sweatshirt on top of a turtle neck on top of an undershirt doesn’t exactly scream sexy. For a quiet afternoon at home, lose the bra and let your honey warm his hands in the kitchen while making soup. Chilly Trick: add a jar or two of carrot baby food to your chicken noodle soup to round out the flavor and give it more body—you didn’t expect all these tips to be sexy, did you?

When the winter gets long and hard, hopefully a few of these tips can help get your honeys that way as well.

All the best!

Stephanie Beck

Bunny Club:Book 1 in the F*ck Like Bunnies Series by Stephanie Beck
 Available now through Ellora’s Cave.

When rumors about a sex club lead them to the real thing, Jarrod and his cousin Alex think they’ve found nirvana. Filled with bubbly blondes and luscious brunettes, the Bunny Club is any man’s wet dream. Surrounded by their sexual fantasies, they settle in for an unbelievable night filled with women, sex and pleasure unlike anything they’ve ever dreamed.

When the sex turns weird and men start dying at the hands of the gorgeous women, Jarrod’s and Alex’s plans to get laid are put on the back burner in favor of escaping the Bunny Club with their lives—if they don’t die with smiles on their faces first.

Stephanie Beck is a full time mom, part time writer and ameture speller.

    She's been writing since she was fifteen. Her first novel, "Love on the Mats" was a graphic, heartwarming tale of a wrestler and a cutie coed which was lovingly edited by the c-squad basketball team on the long bus rides throughout the season. They were all sure it would be published and it still has a home in a folder...somewhere.
    Stephanie Beck loves romance and all things romantic, heartwarming and usually funny, though a more serious piece will find its way in occasionally.
     In her spare time she knits and sews, walks the dog, plays with her two wonderful daughters and tries to get her husband to act out the naughty things she researches...oh the sacrifices she makes for her craft.

Find Stephanie at www.stephaniebeck.net 

REVIEW: Co-Workers with Benefits

A Succubus Short

By Sullivan Hart

Version: Smashwords Edition 2011

I’ve read a lot of demon-related fiction, but this one…well…

Hell is described, but the descriptions were cliché hell-office settings. I’ve read a few such books that used this method of painting a sexy Hell (watch out! Those rubbers burn!), so it was nothing new to this reader. The story is only nineteen pages or so and bounced back and forth between the succubus and the incubus, who are sexy co-workers. However, I found the POV switches in such a short story jarring. It also dipped into the BDSM realm, which I don’t mind, but it seemed a little on the “ouch” side to me—but hey, that’s just me (put that barbed-wire-wrapped pecker away now!).

However, the author does have a very nice writing style and a talent for writing hot sex scenes, so I may investigate more of this author’s work to see how h/she does in a longer book. Co-Workers with Benefits: A Succubus Short is well written, but the plot itself left me cold and also left me wondering if there was a point to the story besides two sex demons having their way with a human to impregnate her with demon seed.

I will say that cover is super hot!

If you like short tales to fill in your lunch hour and you’re a fan of vivid eroticism or detailed sex scenes with a splash of BDSM, give this story a try.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Co-Workers-Benefits-Succubus-Shorts-ebook/dp/B005ZU0VDG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1330626310&sr=1-1

eBookStore: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/sullivan-hart/co-workers-with-benefits-a-succubus-short/_/R-400000000000000541668

Upcoming Reviews:

Does the Noise In My Head Bother You? by Steven Tyler--Reviewed by Valerie Mann

Bear Otter and the Kid by TJ Klune--Reviewed by Jaime Samms

Daughter of Lust by Ann Mayburn--Reviewed by F.L. Bicknell

Reviewed by:

Disclaimer: all books reviewed by 4SW have been purchased or are free offers downloaded by the individual reviewer; some may even be borrowed from our local libraries.

You’re Going To Stick That Where?

Mammogram – Sounds painful

Pap Smear – Shivers at the thought of cold steel

Colonoscopy – Spending hours on the toilet before having a camera shoved up my a**. Sounds fun.

All of these tests require taking time out of my already busy day, are invasive, and absolutely embarrassing. I can’t help but turn red when I see “that” doctor at the grocery store.

BUT, I also know how these tests can save lives by finding cancerous cells early. After several abnormal paps—which means every six months instead of every year (Oh joy!)—I had to have pre-cancerous cells removed from my cervix.
While counting down the minutes until I could leave after my day-surgery, I heard another doctor tell a colonoscopy patient they found cancer. They found my mom’s colon cancer the same way, but she’s been cancer-free for over ten years now. Proof these tests and cancer research works.

And I’m excited to be part of Decadent Publishing’s Read-For-A-Cure program where all publisher proceeds from the sale of Celestial Seduction during the month of March will be donated to the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life program.

Here’s the blurb:d to be part of Decadent Publishing’s Read-For-A-Cure program where all publisher proceeds from the sale of Celestial Seduction during the month of March will be donated to the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life program.
At the end of his obligated commitment to the Space Service, Frey Berger decides to stay on Earth to further experience human emotions rather than return to Ginnun where his intended has already mated with another. Looking for real love and someone to accept him for what he is, Frey enlists in Madame Evangeline’s popular dating service. Although he does not understand the concept of a one-night stand, he hopes to find his perfect mate. If he fails, he risks being alone on Earth for the rest of his life.

Carrie Cooper’s husband divorced her for another woman who could provide him with children, leaving her with little self-confidence and no desire to let a man hurt her again. When her best friend convinces her to join a dating service, Carrie decides one night of passion is harmless since there’s no commitment after the night is over.

Although several misunderstandings nearly derail them before the date even begins, Frey and Carrie end up closer than they ever believed possible. Still, Frey needs to convince Carrie her perfect mate isn’t human at all, and that one night can lead to a forever love.

Buy Link

Book Trailer

Bio:

Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories. Her debut novella, Celestial Seduction is available from Decadent Publishing.

Website/Blog: http://www.markofthestars.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jsubject

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-E-Subject-author/20575979612637
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Why Rewards Don't Work

At least, not for me. Not self-imposed rewards, anyway.

It all started with this picture....mmmm. Yep. Still yummy. The dynamic, the power exchange, the...mmm...surrender...*ahem* what was I on about?

My friend who brought this dish of yummines to my attention, she pointed me to the website where she found it, and said "yay! You can go visit the website after you write your allotted words for the day!"

Yeah, right. Like setting a bowl of candy and a bowl of apple sauce in front of a kid and saying "You can have the candy as soon as the apple sauce is all gone. Now I'm going out to the garden to rest, so you won't be supervised."

No matter how much that kid loves the tangy sweetness of apple sauce and the slurpy fun of eating it, dollars to doughnuts you know what happens next!

No one's watching. Who's to say in what order thing were consumed? Unless, of course, kid eats all the candy and has no room for the apple sauce.

Well, it's like that with me. I end up sated on pictures of men doing sweet, naughty things to each other and have no time or energy left to write about it.

Then there's FaceBook games. They work the same way. Like Lays. You can never stop at just one...

Or movies...
or reading...
or drawing...

It's hopeless. I think somewhere in here, there is a lesson about time management. Or, a cautionary tale about time management fail or something....I don't know. I was too busy being distract--SQUIRREL!!!!