Excerpt: Renewal (Irresistible edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel)

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Delilah Night

Last Valentine’s Day, Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Couples, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel was released.

My story, Renewal, is one of the stories included in that anthology.  Below is an excerpt…

            “I used to feel lust when I saw you.  I’d look at your hands and fantasize about them sliding under my skirt at that movie we saw on our third date.  I’d see your dimples and remember all the stuff you talked me into…remember Cabo?  Now it’s like you’re a stranger.  But I’m a stranger, too.  I didn’t recognize myself in a mirror today.  We’re two strangers.”

I desperately needed him to understand what I wanted.

As I’d talked, Super Corporate Guy had fallen away.  Justin had leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, lips quirking in small smiles at the memories. “Strangers?”  He rolled the word around in his mouth, testing its flavor.

“Strangers.”

“If you were my wife, I’d tell you that I’d work harder on us.  That I love you.  But you’re a stranger.”  As he circled me, inhaling my perfume, his voice got deeper.

“That’s right.  I’m a stranger.  And you’re here for one reason.”

“You’re the kind of woman who’d bring a stranger to a hotel room for that?” he asked, his hand sliding over my breast, pinching my nipple for emphasis.

That touch sent a long missing ripple through my body.  I hesitated, hoping he’d remember what I love.  The pinch grew harder until I gasped, then changed to a rhythmic back and forth against the erect nub hungry for that exact touch.  My eyes closed with pleasure.  He leaned forward and began to nibble on my neck, his finger still at work on my breast, his other hand sliding down to cup my ass.

“Yes…” I hissed with pleasure.

 

If you’re interested in buying Irresistible, you can find it at these websites…

 

 

Filed under: Published, Writing | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Facebook

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Delilah Night

I have a facebook page for my non-erotica everyday self.  My parents, in-laws, and former students read it.  Talking about my work as an erotica author there can be…..awkward.

So, in hopes of making everyone a bit more comfortable, I have created a Delilah Night page on facebook.  Come one over and like me.  I’ll be linking stuff I’m reading, calls I’m working on, and so forth.

 

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Acceptance!

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Delilah Night

I didn’t tell you guys, but I submitted a story a few weeks ago. It was an expanded version of a story that didn’t find a home last year.

Few things make me more nervous than seeing a response to a submission in my email inbox.  Just before I was about to go to bed last night I saw an email from the editor…and it was an acceptance!  Below is a fairly accurate representation of my reaction.

Screen Shot 2013-01-28 at 12.48.57 AM

There was much rejoicing, and I’ll let you know details as I learn them.

Now, onwards to the next anthology, next story, back to the novel.

Filed under: acceptance, Submitted, Writing | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

Music to write by…

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Delilah Night

My writing time is cobbled together from stolen moments.  While Ms 1 is napping and Ms 4 is in school in a coffee shop.  I type by the light of my screen as Ms 1 snores in her crib within arms reach of me after bedtime.  Alone in my bedroom during those blissful hours when the girls are someone else’s responsibility (my husband or my sitter).

Neither the hiss of the cappuccino maker nor the delighted giggles of my children make for an environment conducive to writing smut.  So I slip in my ear buds and use music to help create the right mood to write by.  Half the time I’m not even really paying attention to the music-it’s about giving my subconscious a clue as to where I want to go.

My music isn’t always the same.  I have a story set in New Orleans, and when working on that piece, I put on my New Orleans playlist-heavy on Preservation Hall Jazz, the sexy growl of Tab Benoit, the soft sweet voice of Theresa Andersson, and other assorted local artists.  While writing a Lancelot/Guinevere piece, I put “The Trial of Lancelot” and “Avalon” by Heather Dale on repeat.

But I do have an erotica playlist.  If I don’t have a specific agenda (such as above) this is what I’ve got playing on shuffle in the background.  Songs are listed by artist…

  • Rag Doll by Aerosmith
  • Naughty Girl by Beyonce
  • Cradle of Love by Billy Idol
  • Gimme More by Britney Spears
  • But I am a Good Girl by Christina Aguilera
  • Express by Christina Aguilera
  • Genie in a Bottle by Christina Aguilera
  • Your Body by Christina Aguilera
  • Infatuation by Christina Aguilera
  • Don’t Let Go (Love) by En Vogue
  • Whatta Man by En Vogue and Salt N Pepa
  • Persephone by Escape Key
  • Lollipop by Framing Hanley
  • Damsel in Distress by Idina Menzel
  • I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry
  • ET by Katy Perry
  • Addicted by Kelly Clarkson
  • Chocolate by Kylie Minogue
  • You and I by Lady Gaga
  • Alejandro by Lady Gaga
  • Teeth by Lady Gaga
  • Strangers on a Train by Lovage
  • One More Night by Maroon 5
  • What Would Happen by Meredith Brooks
  • Gett Off by Prince
  • Cream by Prince
  • Buttons by Pussycat Dolls
  • The Kiss (from Last of the Mohicans Soundtrack)
  • Fiery Nights (from Lord of the Dance Soundtrack)
  • Stay by Shakespear’s Sister
  • Touch Me by Smash Cast
  • Kiss Kiss by Stella Soleil
  • Sexy Naughty Bitchy by Tata Young
  • I Wanna Be Bad by Willa Ford

If my appalling taste in music hasn’t sent you packing, what do you write by?

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Rejection

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Delilah Night

I got a form rejection letter today.  A rejection doesn’t mean “you suck and should never write again.”  Most frequently it means “your story didn’t fit our anthology”–maybe they have too many teacher/student stories already, or have their spanking story, or whatever.  In this case, the form letter specifically states that there were over 300 submissions for 30 slots…that means 90% of us received a rejection.

It still sucks.

However, you can’t let a rejection letter shut you down.  In my case, I move the story out of my “submitted folder” into a “possible submissions” folder.  I may also have indulged in some “I got rejected” chocolate.

I also have perspective if I’m being honest with myself.  This was my first m/m story, it was written a bit hastily, and while it’s a good story, it’s a bit niche (it’s a christmas story with nerdy characters–very niche, possibly).  The acceptance odds were not super high to begin with.  But it was fun to write, and I love the characters.  It was also useful to have written a m/m story and to have gained the experience.  Hopefully when I edit it for another submission attempt or write my next m/m story, I’ll have a stronger piece thanks to this experience.

Still sucks.

But I have Nano character sketches to write, a non-fic piece to finish, and a trip to MONOLITIHICTHEMEPARK to plan.  Plus the newly minted 1 year old is getting more and more interested in walking.  So I can’t dwell–I move on.

 

 

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Outlining

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Delilah Night

I’ve always been a bit on the fence about outlining–I wasn’t great at doing it for research papers in college and I’ve never been terribly good at doing it for my stories, either.

However, given that I am trying for something on the longer side, I don’t necessarily want my characters to hijack me off onto some side journey I wasn’t planning on.  The year I successfully completed NaNoWriMo, my secondary characters totally hijacked my story and I ended up caring more about them than my primary characters.  This is deeply deeply ironic given that it was a romance semi-sort-of based on my partner and I and a “what if” scenario.

Of course the flip side is that doing an outline (even if it’s just a few sentences for each planned chapter) does give some structure and tells me what I need to know before I get started on Nov 1–for example, I know very little about video games and how they are made, so I need to learn that or change something about my planned story.

Doing/thinking about my story outline is also helping me feel like I’m writing when what I’m actually doing is a major housecleaning project and baking for a birthday party this week.

Filed under: NaNoWriMo, process, Random, Writing | Tagged: | Leave a comment »

Only 29 days until NaNoWriMo

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Delilah Night

On November first, a horde of writers will dive into the frenzy that is NaNoWriMo–National Novel Writing Month.

While I’ve always been a writer, I am also somewhat lazy and highly distractab—SQUIRREL! (That was a reference to “Up” for those who missed it.)

So for me, the idea of a community built around the idea that in the course of a month you start writing and you don’t stop–you don’t sit down and revise or stop to rename your characters six times.  You just write and get it out on paper.

I first heard of NaNo (as it’s fondly known) in 2006.  I’d been writing erotica for 4 years, but hadn’t done much in over a year at that point–I’d met my partner, gotten married, worked full time, blah blah blah excuse excuse excuse.  Ironically, I ended up needed to have back surgery that would involve a 6-8 week leave of absence afterward in Mid-October.  By November first I was past the initial onslaught of pain meds, and bored.  I’d never tried to write anything terribly long before, so 50k seemed like an insurmountable length–but it wasn’t like I had anything else/ better to do once I’d done my physical therapy for the day.  So I wrote.
In 2006 I wrote a terrible little novella that I hope will NEVER see the light of day.  But I did it.  I wrote something with a narrative that lasted for more than 50K words.  In having done it, I realized I could do it again.

I’ve tried a few times since, but have not hit 50K in one work during NaNo.

The key difference between 06 and other years is that I did not seek out community.  In 2006 I went to write ins (where we camped out at a library and wrote for an afternoon), socials, and participated in the online community.  I kept uploading my book in progress to keep my word count active.

In 07 and beyond…I meant to register.  I sort of checked up one or twice.  I didn’t do the whole write in thing.  I was participating only tangentially.

This year, I’ve been inspired to become as involved as practical again.  I’ve met one of the two local Nano organizers, and have followed the twitter handle for the local Nano events.  I have signed up at the website (add me as a buddy if you’re over 18– Delilah_Night), and I’m going to stay accountable to you guys.

So while I have 29 days more to think and to plot, which erotic novel would YOU want to read (without giving too much away)…

–Erotic mythology–Lancelot and Guinevere?

–Erotic Contemporary–Gamer CEO in lust with one of her (gorgeous, British-Indian) programmers?

–Erotic Paranormal–A curse set in motion in 1840’s New Orleans changes the life of a history professor in 2012?

Thoughts?

Filed under: NaNoWriMo, Writing | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

Why you shouldn’t knock fanfic

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Delilah Night

Since 50 Shades of Grey came out, fanfic has entered the public awareness, and has attracted a lot of scorn.

If you are unaware, fanfic (or fan fiction) is a sub genre of writing where you write a story in another person’s established world.  This can be from a book, a movie, a tv show, a video game, whatever.  The point is that you did not create the world, you’re just playing in it.

Some authors are very supportive of fanfic.  Mercedes Lackey has published several volumes of other authors writing in her world of Valdemar.  In fact, my first attempts at fanfic (although I didn’t know that was what it was called back then) was when my penpal and I started writing stories taking place in that world.  Back in the dark ages we had to mail (snail mail, not e-mail, my dears) each other our chapters–and we took turns. I stumbled across that co-written, not even remotely done story, and it’s a wonderful bit of nostalgia for me.

My next attempt at fanfic was much less innocent.  As one might imagine, a HUGE chunk of fanfic is erotic.  Couple an adult libido with a “still not quite over it” crush on one Wesley Crusher (I KNOW, I KNOW) and, well….a five chapter erotic story.  Which I am horrified by today.

So what’s the point of fanfic?  Aren’t you supposed to create your own worlds?

50 Shades aside, fanfic isn’t something you’re ever going to publish.  So it’s fun.  It’s a great way to keep writing when you’re stuck, because we all have some world, be it Star Trek or Buffy or West Wing that we care deeply about.

A further benefit is that you get a good workout of your “voice” muscles.  If you are using pre-existing characters, you want to get their “voice” right.  There are some really great West Wing Twitter acounts out there, and if I didn’t know that those were fictional characters, I would believe they were written by the fictional people themselves.  In my case, more recently I’ve written other fanfic in the Trek universe, using the character of Q, who has an incredibly distinct pattern of speech–it was fun and challenging to get the tone right.

These fanfic breaks from your regular writing benefit you when you go back to your work.  You’ll find that your characters’ voices are becoming more distinct as well.

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Also, there is some seriously awesome fanfic out there.  A friend of mine from my Literotica days wrote a Harry Potter/Stephen Colbert crossover fanfic that is freaking AWESOME–Harry Potter and the Eagle of Truthiness.

Filed under: process, Writing | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Geek Love: An anthology of Full Frontal Nerdity

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Delilah Night

Today is the last day of a kickstarter drive that I am excited to have contributed to as a  supporter, and I have also submitted a story (no idea if it’s been accepted or not).

Geek Love-Full Frontal Nerdity–the more money they raise, the better (and bigger) the book.

Filed under: books (non-review posts), Submitted, Writing | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Twitter!

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Delilah Night

I have a new twitter account.  Since tweeting from there is something I can do on the go, I promise that feed will be far busier than this account.

Please follow me @Delilah_Night

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