A Talk about how Monogamy Sucks!!!

Continuing to introduce you to some of my Lazy Day Publishing peers, George Pappas' Monogamy Sucks introduces us to Jake Dalmas and his sexy adventures.
George has become another great friend that I've made and here he is!




Welcome to the blog George

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a Los Angeles-based novelist, blogger, poet, freelance public relations consultant and former newspaper reporter. Monogamy Sucks is my second novel. I launched the first six chapters of my novel on my blog in summer 2010 after more than 12 years of writing and researching my work. I am a lifelong resident of southern California and have been writing fiction since I was 15.
What can you tell the readers about Monogamy Sucks.
Monogamy Sucks is an erotic fiction novel exploring a Long Beach, Calif. man’s sexy, humorous and intriguing adventures into the swinging lifestyle. The book is told in the form of a fictional diary by the book’s protagonist Jake Dalmas, who is searching for answers and solutions for his frustration and boredom with conventional relationships and monogamy. Along the way, he discovers some of the truth behind the myths and common misconceptions about swingers and the swinging community.
You have said you share some similarities with your main character Jake, tell us about them and why do you decided to write this story.
Well, I went through a similar monogamy and relationship crisis , which led me on my own interesting journey into the swinging lifestyle in the mid to late 1990s. My novel is loosely based on my experiences, but this is also a fictional account and not a memoir. I took liberties in describing a number of real life events and created others to emphasize the humorous aspects of my character Jake Dalmas’ adventures.
Jake says a lot things that I wouldn’t. He comes from the darker side my personality you could say. Jake doesn’t hold back in any way in talking about sex, relationships or monogamy, but he’s not ugly or disrespectful to women in his sentiments.
I recently created a Twitter account for my book’s protagonist -- @jakedalmas -- so I could explore his views on sex, relationships and monogamy in real time without turning off the followers of my author Twitter account. I wanted people to separate my character’s views from my own on Twitter. It has been very useful.



I know you have a background in Public Relations and are also a journalist, did any of those experiences shape this book or any of your previous stories?

One of the more intriguing chapters in my book happened at PR firm that I worked at. LOL
Aside from that, the ability to tell stories in a descriptive but direct manner, which I learned as a journalist, helped a lot in developing my novel’s straightforward style. I am able to effectively cut right to the heart of a scene, which is what you have to do as a features reporter. My public relations background didn’t have an impact on the writing of my novel, but only in the promotion side of it. It has helped immensely having PR experience in knowing how to publicize my novel. In fact, I believe it was my tweeting about my blog and novel, that has led to the Lazy Day opportunity and has brought my book to the attention to a number of potential readers, many who are fellow writers.

Do your friends and family know you are about to be a published author?

Oh yes. My family and friends have known about my book from the beginning even though they didn’t actually see it until I launched the first six chapters on my blog. They were as thrilled as I was when I received the offer from Lazy Day Publishing to publish my book.

Explain your writing process. How long do write for? Do you write in the morning? Evening?

I typically write late in the evening. It is the best time for me to collect my thoughts and focus. But really I am writing all the time. Ideas for chapters, new books, stories will come to me during long walks at the ocean or while I am sitting in a Starbucks.

Who are some of your influences?

Some of my main influences for this novel were Henry Miller (Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn), Anais Nin (Henry and June, her diaries), Charles Bukowski (Women, Post Office, all of his poetry), Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho, Less Than Zero), and Armistead Maupin (Tales of the City). They were fearless in delving into controversial sexual and societal issues in a frank, unsentimental manner exposing truth and hypocrisy alike.


Do you listen to music when you write? Any must haves on the playlist?

Actually, I do listen to lot music on my iPod when I write. My tastes are very eclectic from old blues and jazz, to every kind of rock and roll and modern musical genre you can imagine. No must haves on the playlist, though. I am open to all kinds of music and artists.
In fact, music played a big role in the development of Monogamy Sucks. The unofficial theme song for Monogamy Sucks is Naughty by Nature’s hip-hop classic from the 1990s “OPP.” “Are you down with OPP?” was a title of chapter for a while, but I later changed it. Techno music and references to songs from Prince and Bob Seger also figure in key scenes in my novel. So it is safe to say music inspires all facets of my creative process.

What made you want to be a writer? When did you know that this is what you wanted to do?

I’ve always been interested in telling stories from a young age. When I was younger, I wrote a lot Science Fiction short stories. I wrote my first novel by hand when I was 15. It was a 70-page Science Fiction story called Jake’s War. I always knew I wanted to be a writer in some capacity. I went into journalism and later public relations after college, but I always knew I would return to writing fiction someday.

Why Lazy Day publishing as opposed to another publisher?

Well, Lazy Day Publishing found me. I had no intention of seeking out a traditional publisher for Monogamy Sucks after my bad experience of trying to find an agent and publisher for my first novel. I put the first six chapters of Monogamy Sucks out on my blog and figured eventually I would bring it out myself, but Lazy Day spared me that possibility when they contacted me on my blog with an offer to publish my novel last July.

What was your reaction when you got the “call?”

It was e-mail, not a call, but I was stunned when Staci Helling, co owner of Lazy Day Publishing, informed me that they wanted to publish my manuscript. I was awe stuck and it took a while to sink in. It had taken almost 13 years to reach this point. I still can’t believe it sometimes.

What are some of the things that you are working on now?

I have written another novel and I am currently editing it. This novel has a provocative celebrity angle, but it is not directly about the particular celebrity and it focuses on the romantic, erotic adventures of a man in his late twenties. I can’t reveal much more than that right now.
I am also nine chapters into the sequel of Monogamy Sucks, which picks up six months after where the first novel ends. I am eventually looking to turn Jake Dalmas’ erotic adventures into a trilogy of books.

Any advice that you want to give any author?

Don’t wait to be discovered. Get your work out there on the Internet. Don’t leave your book in your computer or laptop because you’re worried about what others might think. We truly are not the best judge of our own work. Find your own readers, fans and supporters. Be your own agent for change. Also learn the ins and outs of book promotion and explore social marketing. Get on Twitter and build up your Twitter contacts, and followers. Twitter is a great resource for meeting other writers and finding potential readers. Create a Facebook fan page and ask your Facebook friends to be fans. Blog about your book and tweet about it on a regular basis. Write guest blogs on writers’ and publishers’ blogs. Comment on other blogs, too.
This is an amazing time to be an aspiring writer with the rise of social networking and blogs. Use that resource as an opportunity to create your own big break. It has worked for me.

Twitter: @gpwriter @jakedalmas
Blog: http:\\www.monogamysucks.wordpress.com
Publisher: http:\\www.lazydaypub.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monogamy-Sucks-An-Erotic-Fiction-Novel/171812426178729?v=wall


Thanks George!

Interview w/Marissa Dobson

Hi everyone! Over the next few days, i'm going to have a couple people as guests on my blogs.

Today's guest is Marissa Dobson, book reviewer of Sizzling Hot Books!

Marissa, is not only now, a popular book reviewer, but also an author!
Today we talk about her contribution to Turquoise Morning Press's Christmas Anthology, "Believe".

Everyone say hi to Melissa!


Welcome Marissa

First off Congrats on being a part of this great anthology, a lot of us know you as a lover of books and also as a book reviewer, can you tell us a little about yourself?
First let me say thank you for having me. I am honored to be here, this is the first interview I have done as an author, and I am pleased it was here with you.
When it comes to me there isn’t much to tell. I am no where near as interesting as the characters I write about. I am just your average twenty something housewife with a reading fetish and an active imagination. I am originally from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, but moved away when I met my husband.

Can you tell us about your contribution to ‘Believe’ called ‘The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas’?
Where did you get the idea for this story?
The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas is a sweet romantic story. Jasmine has a rocky past, she has been burned by love and family before, and now she has a daughter to worry about. She isn't looking for anything, just a quiet place that she can raise her daughter.
On the other hand Logan Clarke fell in love with the mysterious Jasmine long ago, hearing stories from her grandmother. And now that Jasmine is finally here, he knows he’s in love for sure.
Snowbound in a cottage, twelve days before Christmas, does Logan have enough time to convince Jasmine of love at first sight? And can Jasmine let go of her past, and let Logan into her heart?
As for where did I get the idea…honestly it came to me one night while I was laying in bed wondering what I could write for the Christmas anthology. I wanted to contribute something to it but couldn’t think of something that I should write and keep under the word count. I had the idea for this story and thought I could make it work.



Have you always wanted to be an author? When did you know that it what you wanted to do?
Since I was a teenager have been writing down stories, and always dreamed of being published. However after I married I didn’t have as much time to indulge myself in writing. About a year ago a friend talked me into doing National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) with her and since then I can’t stop writing. I try hard to take the weekends off with no writing but over half the time the characters bug me until I give in. Thankfully right now it is football season so I can write while my husband watches the game and not feel guilty.
What’s your writing process like? Do you write in the mornings, afternoons? Do you write with music, food by your side?
My writing process, well I hear so many writers say they work with music on. I can’t do that. I need silence. As for food by my side while I am writing, I keep a small jar with hard candy in it and when I am stuck on something and not sure how I want to proceed I have a piece and think it over. It helps. However I have to have a drink by my side in the mornings it is coffee by the gallons, and evenings it is tea or ice water. As for when I do most of the writing, I am not a morning person, so writing doesn’t start until around 10am when my brain is finally active. I try to stop writing when my husband gets home from work between 3 and 5 so we can spend some time together. I do some writings in the evenings if I am on a roll or really behind, but normally that time is saved for reading.
If you listen to music when you write, what kinds of music do you like to listen to?
Sorry no music while I am writing.
How did you fell when you were told that you got your writing contract?
Just thinking about hearing the news brings a smile to my face. I cuddle up on the couch reading when my cell phone went off letting me know I had an email. I was engrossed in my book, I was going to wait and check the email later but for some reason I couldn’t get back into the book, I was wondering what that email was. Finally I gave in and checked the email. It was telling me that it was going to be included in the Believe anthology and I started screaming. I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited
Working on anything now?
Currently I am working on a few projects, a Valentine’s Day themed short story, and a paranormal romance novel. I am also polishing another romance novel.

Giveaways…. After I reach 100 fans on my author facebook fan page I will give away a copy of Believe, link is below.


Excerpt
December 10
“I appreciate your taking the time to see me, Mrs. Pierce,” the man standing before me said. “Please have a seat.”
Sinking into the comfiest chair the old hotel lobby offered, which wasn’t saying much, I replied, “Call me Jasmine.” I hadn’t been Mrs. Pierce since the divorce. “And why do you need to see me?” Hopefully this isn’t what I think.
He put out his hand. “I’m Dave Johnson, attorney. Came all the way from Montana to find you.”
I gave his hand a weak shake. Montana? “I don’t understand.”
The lobby was nearly empty at this time of day, which I was glad of. Everyone had finished with breakfast and was on with their day. The owners’ two kids were waiting for the school bus outside.
“I’m your grandmother’s attorney, Jasmine. She had me looking for you up until she passed away in September. Your mother had changed your last name, and I had a hard time finding you.”
That was the last thing I expected. I’d half worried this had something to do with my ex, who vanished months ago. I figured he was in some kind of trouble, somewhere, and was looking for me to bail him out.
But— Grandmother?
Couldn’t be true. My mother always said we had no family left. “I’m sorry. You have the wrong person.”
He scooted to the edge of the grimy brown couch. “Jasmine, let me explain.”
I nodded, letting him know I would hear him out.
“Your mother ran off with you when you were very young. She sent pictures home to your grandmother but wouldn’t allow her to see you. They—your grandmother and your mother—had a difference of option that lead to an estrangement.” Mr. Johnson leaned down to his briefcase. “These are letters she wrote to your mother. They were all returned unopened. She believed they would explain everything—
“But that is not why I came, I came to give you the deed to her house. When she passed, she left everything to you.”

December 13
Two long days later, I arrived at my grandmother’s house in Casper, exhausted and aching from sitting in the car for so long. Driving from Richmond, Virginia to Casper, Montana with Alyssa, my eight-month-old daughter, and my sweet, but cantankerous little Cocker named Floppie, was not an ideal trip, but it was what I had to do.
What did I have to lose?
My grandmother had left me everything. And although it was in one way a relief, I was also scared to death of starting a new life, in a new place.
It was late afternoon and almost dusk, and the best I could hope for was to unload the few things for the night. We’d eaten at the last fast food stop we’d passed about two hours earlier, so I didn’t care about dinner, or anything else. I just wanted a hot shower and a good night’s sleep, and to get my baby to bed.
I sat in awe of the house, looking up from my old beat-up car, actually amazed that it made it this far. The house was a beautiful two-story log cabin with a large wrap-around deck. I remembered it, somehow, from a distant memory. Barely. Enough snow blanketed the ground to make the cabin stand out against the wood background. I couldn’t wait to look around inside, but I’d have to postpone that until I got Alyssa settled.
“Let’s get inside and turn the lights on, Alyssa, before it gets too dark.” I dug the key Mr. Johnson had given me out of my change purse.
Floppie was asleep in the back and Alyssa in her car seat. I left the pup so I could get Alyssa inside, taking the whole seat out to make my way to the porch. “Just for a minute,” I whispered to Floppie. “Let’s get the lights on and see if we have heat.”
Struggling with car seat, my purse and the diaper bag, and Alyssa, I juggled while attempting to slide the key into the lock the unforgiving lock.
The deep husky voice that came from behind startled me. “You must be Jasmine.”
“What?” My heart pounced inside my chest. I faced the voice, my senses immediately on high alert. I stared, making a complete fool of myself. “Um, yes... Who are you?”

Thanks Marissa!

Here's where you can find her!

You can find me at a few places….
Site - http://www.marissadobson.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Marissa-Dobson/175831712431627
Twitter - http://twitter.com/MDobson84
My Review site - http://www.sizzlinghotbooks.net



Everyone, Make sure, you go onto Marissa's Facebook page at this link. When Marissa, gets 100 fans, Marissa will be giving away a copy of Believe to a fan. Good Luck!

Blog hop anyone ??

Just saw this on the awesome Lisa Sanchez blog and wanted to participate.




For anyone who is a new author like myself, let's get to know one another.
Just simply paste the link, read from excerpts and get to know all of us.

And please comment.

Hope to hear from all of you soon.
my link to my excerpt is here

More Procastinating

Okay,
I should be writing.
But instead like a friend just said. Blogging is technically writing so i'm going to add it to my word count for the day !

Before i start going. Wanted to mention some other writer's blog that i love to visit and i think people will love just as much as I do.

I thank Cari Quinn, JA Saare and Sunstreaked in part because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't know a lot about these great writers.


First off, JA Saare's Random Musings

http://jasaare.blogspot.com/

Jamie talking about life and about her upcoming book releases, she's great lady! (plus we share the same taste in music!!)

Sunshine and Rain by Sunstreaked

http://sunstreaked-sunshine-and-rain.blogspot.com/

My dear friend Sun is one of the best writers i know. Links to her stories are the the side of her blog. Great person, fantastic writer!

Cari Quinn, Girl Writer

http://cariquinn.blogspot.com/

Another great writer! Check her out!

Wendi Zwaduk

http://wendizwaduk.blogspot.com/?zx=dd72a3d6b4bb5717

Hysterically funny, Wendi is another writer who talking about her upcoming releases and like the other ladies, talk about life in general.

Ashley Ladd's Happily Ever After

http://www.ashleyladd.blogspot.com/

Fantastic writer also!!

There are tons more but far too many to list! I've learned a lot of these writers over the last year than I ever thought i would.

On the bottom of my blog i also (when I get a chance will add more links of the cool people i follow)

I guess now i truly must write, currently in a transitional chapter and I hate doing them. Love you all!!

And two more items make sure you vote for JA Saare's Lick of Frost for book of the week (link is on previous post) and visit Jamie at Eternal Press tomorrow where she'll talk about her new release, Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between

http://www.eternalpress.ca/index.html

And also my good friend Madison Night has her very first book release at Noble Publishing Romance, called Firefly.
https://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=93

Happy Reading!

New blog.

My mood: Sleepy
On my itunes
Wild Blue- Fire with Fire..(An oldie but goodie loved that movie)


I've decided to use my Shelly's Stories for my FF.
Which for fans of Stay and other Fan Fiction Works In Progress, will be back but on hiatus.
For anyone that wants to go there and check things out, can click this link

With the help of some great friends over the last year, i've decided to attempt start writing a full-blown manuscript for submission.

The First One, I'm struggling with. It's a paranormal dragon story. Coming slow, but coming along.
Another story, Night Moves in another paranormal,but in the plotting stages only. Actually, i could see that being series due to it being about a Alpha werewolf and his pack fighting off vamps, slayers, other werewolf clans and soul keepers. Characters and their sub-plots are making that those fun. I want to make sure I have those right before I start writing them.


I'm learning a lot in this process and now a positive note, my writing has improved dramatically. To be honest, the difference is night and day.
(Can't believe how bad I was. LOL)

Still not as good as some, but for myself better than before.

I wound up doing for NaNo, 35,000 words. I'm proud of that. But as for now, don't think i'll be doing that again.

Granted, it's a lot of fun, and I have the best writing group members on the planet, but my story was very close to being done, and it was a struggle and felt that i didn't do it justice by not doing the story as it is intended.

So, I start the editing process. Actually, I did a few days ago and to be honest, story isn't too bad actually all things considered.

Since I posted one small excerpt on my other blog, here another excerpt for this story called On the Line

All i can say is think of Jace..sigh...



Enjoy and i apologize for this extreme rough part of the story.
I haven't have a chance to edit this part yet.

Enjoy and comment away!

A former skater herself, Lil was a petite, but seasoned 21 year old that preferred beer and tending to a bar more than practicing triple axles and going to ballet classes for hours on end for a competition that she always placed no better at than by 7th or 8th each year.
But she admired Sara. Her best friend’s drive and devotion to a sport she clearly loved made her envious.
Her friend had it all. A great future ahead of her, great family …great boyfriend. One that she couldn’t help but to fall in love with in her opinion, just a little more than Sara.
He was everything that she wanted and could hope for. Good looking, talented, great to Vanessa, extremely smart. And above all else, they related to one another. Without a word she got him, instantly she would know that something was bothering him and could talk to him and vice versa.
There were never any judgments or introversions. Things were open, honest. Maybe at times, too much so.
“Mama, here he is!” Vanessa yelled as she ran into her mother’s arms.
“So, I see!! Well thank you Miss Nessa. You know, I think I saw Miss Danielle in the hall and I know she wanted to talk to you. Why don’t you go see if she’s still there?”
Vanessa peeked around her mother’s shoulder and noticed Sara’s coach Danielle waving at her wildly.
“I see her! Bye Jace! “ Vanessa said getting of the rink and running out towards the door.
Jace waved at her. “Bye Nessa!”
Jace and Lil stared at each other for several seconds wondering who would say the first words.
Awkwardly, the two of them said at the same time. “Hi!” they laughed.
Raising her eyebrow, she smiled weakly at him. “How are you?”
Clenching his chiseled jaw, he replied. “Good. What’s up?”
Nervously playing her hand, she looked up at him. “I saw you skating and I wanted to hi, it’s been awhile.”
“Yeah, it has. Nessa’s too cute.”

Lil snickered. “Yeah, she is. I think Danielle’s got another Sara Reilly on her hands. She loves to skate. Danielle thought it’d be fun to give her a couple of lessons to see how she like it. “
“How old is she? 3? “ Jace asked.
Lil laughed. “She’s 4. She’ll be five in June.”
“Oh my god. She’s such a tiny little thing.”
“Just like her mother. “ Lil corrected.
“Just like her mama. I forgot she was four. I haven’t seen her in so long. I can’t believe she’ll be starting kindergarten. Wait a minute, it is kindergarten right? When they’re five?”
Lil nodded her head. “Yes. It’s five. She’s in pre-k now.”
“Does she like school?” Jace asked.
“Yeah she does. She got that place wrapped around her little finger minutes after walking through the door.”
“I believe it. If she’s anything like you, she’ll be most popular kid in school.”
“Or the most hated, depending on who you talk to.” Lil retorted.
“No one hates you Lil.” Jace told her pointedly.
“That’s debatable. No one hates you. Not even her. I saw her with Matt earlier this afternoon at Hattie’s and she refused to even look to me. Not even with Vanessa, who adores her.”