Katrina Strauss

defecting to the other side

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 23:08:19 GMT

Note from Katrina Strauss: My LJ is now reserved for keeping up with my favorite communities. My day-to-day blogging and new release announcements can be found at: http://katrina-strauss.blogspot.com/ though you can catch posts here at LJ via the syndicated feed at: katrinastrauss

You may find out more about my available titles at my Official Author Site. Thanks, and see you at "that other blog site". ;)

~ Katrina S., November 25, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 18:57:47 GMT

Over the years, my household has done everything for Turkey Day from traditional giant-ass turkey with all side dishes made from scratch, to lasagna, chili, or Luby's. This year we opted for "lazy traditional". I've got one of those processed turkey loafs roasting in the oven for two hours, and the counter lined with Stove Top stuffing, Pillsbury crescent rolls, canned yams, and store-bought pie. The only items I'm making from scratch will be the homemade whipped topping and the mashed potatoes. I think next year we'll do semi-homemade lasagna again, along with homemade pumpkin cheesecake. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving and Autumn Harvest to one and all! We're about to watch zombie movies now, as that is our idea of family viewing.

e-books and why some folks are going to be left behind

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:41:50 GMT

I am cracking up at this endorsement for e-books because honestly, I've wanted to post a few such points myself!

http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/

What folks are saying

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:50:16 GMT

While I'm still on cloud nine over this glowing review for A Rose of Any Colour - Maledom, particularly after the reviewer cited my contribution Efflorescence as her favorite in the collection, I've recently received encouraging kudos elsewhere that I must share!

Spellbound - Tales of Mischief & Mayhem has received this belated review, but well better late than never, and it was just in time for Halloween so I certainly can't complain about getting more mileage out of Spellbound. This reviewer also cited my story, Grave Desire, as one of her two favorites in the collection, so I seem to be on a roll when it comes to anthologies!

Of course, "official reviews" are all well and good, but it really means something when a reader shares their thoughts. magentametrix made my day when she recently posted these absolutely lovely comments regarding The Eldritch Legacy. Because readers are what it's all about, and feedback like Magenta's is what keeps me going with this crazy writer gig. :)

Though there's another belated review I was just informed of, this one for the first Eldritch Legacy title. The reviewer states "I can honestly say I've never had a desire to be locked in a dank dungeon until I read Secrets Revealed by Katrina Strauss." She knocked off a few points for what she felt were "overly-detailed sections" that she had trouble following and flat-out suggests skipping. (A year ago, one other reviewer took points off for what she described as overly-esoteric dream sequences and awkard transitions between sleep and waking, but well, I'm not sure how to respond to that as my own dreams are overly-esoteric, and waking up from one can be damned confusing...) I might be a tad miffed, but overall, this reviewer says "I highly recommend Secrets Revealed to readers who like their erotic romance touched by magick and spiced up by the addition of a well handled whip. You will not be disappointed." And she requested the other two books for review, saying she can not wait to read them.

In other writing news, yesterday I turned in edits on Some Kind of Stranger. My editor says I should have cover art before the winter holidays, with a tentative release date of January 15th! So yay for good reviews, and yay for upcoming releases! :D

yaoi progress report

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 20:52:14 GMT

The first draft of Close to Me (the second Blue Ruin book) is done! It ended up being a very different story than originally planned, and it proved, as always, to be an adventure with many unforeseen loops and twists. While I often say that I argue with my Muse and usually lose, this is the first book where I truly learned to negotiate with the Muse, breaking some rules and taking risks with the storyline, then putting my foot down and reeling the characters back in when I saw that it was needed. I'm pleased with the results and feel this is one of my stronger works, and this at the first draft stage so it will be exciting to see how it reads after I tweak and polish it.

But it's hands-off for now while I let it simmer on the backburner for a month or so. I'm told I'll get publisher edits back on book one, Some Kind of Stranger, this week, so yay for good timing before I delve into that!

my new ride

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:32:13 GMT

The spouse and I went out yesterday with our 5-year-old to buy me a "semi-used" car since we sold my "mom car" before we left Texas. We picked two whole cars off the lot, knowing exactly what I wanted and what he was willing to pay for, then discussed the plan. Spouse was prepared to just walk out the door if they didn't make us an offer we could work with. I said hmm how about this, you haggle and see how low they were willing to go, then at that point we'll tell them we're going out for lunch to "think about it."

Plan in place, we tag team the salesman for about three hours. Mr. Salesman tries to get me alone twice, because he knows I like one of the cars while the spouse seems skeptical, though I try my best to act lackadaisical about it. I give him the "You'll have to discuss specifics with the spouse, it's his wallet." So then I sit back and look pretty while the spouse shows him the actual Kelly Blue Book price versus their inflated amount, then haggles him to lower the price and the terms *twice*. Then, when when Mr. Salesman thinks he has us because the spouse seems pleased, the spouse then turns to me with "What do you think honey?" to which I reply "Well this is certainly more comparitive. But I think we are taking our kid out to lunch because it's 2 PM and he's hungry. We'll discuss it and come back and let you know what we decide."

So, he lowers the price and terms again. At this point, he has dropped the asking price by $3.5K (placing it only $200 above the KBB rating now), the monthly payments by over $100, and the down payment to ZERO. The spouse and I give each other the "look" to indicate that okay, this is the deal for us and we'll take it. Which we tell the salesman, then we inform him we're still going out to lunch while he draws up the paperwork. He's worried now because he thinks we're going to leave and not come back, so he offers to let us take the car with us (to guarantee we come back.) At that point, the bluff is off, because we got what we wanted, so I tell him, in all honesty, that I'm not comfortable taking the car off the lot until we sign the papers. (I mean really, what if I got into a wreck?) So then he offers to reimburse our lunch for up $100 if we can sit tight just a few more minutes and sign for the car. Wow, we weren't even trying for that one. *laugh*

So we got the car, and well at that point "lunchtime" was over and it was closer to dinnertime. So we drove, in our separate vehicles, the thirty minutes back home, picked up the teenagers, and all went out in my new ride for sushi and bento courtesy of the car dealership. I'd say we scored. Of course the salesman still probably played us as much as we played him, but we walked out of there with a better deal than the average customer would have. Oh, and the car is nice too. I won't divulge make and model because that's too specific to give out over the Net, but it's a 2K5 model, the color that I wanted (and no, believe it or not it isn't black), in very good condition, and it's the smoothest drive I've ever owned. It's also nice to know that my spouse and I still make a formidable team when we put our minds to it.

5 Flutes and a Bottle of Champagne from Cocktail Reviews!

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:16:14 GMT

The first official review is in on A Rose of Any Colour - Maledom, and it's fabulous for a few reasons! ;) Cocktail Reviews' scoring system is based on 1 to 5 "champagne flutes", rather than stars. In the event the reviewer feels a story surpassed five flutes, the story receives the distinct honor of being given one whole champagne bottle. In the case of anthologies, each story is rated individually, then averaged for the book's overall score. Well...A Rose of Any Colour has received five champagne flutes overall, which is fabulous! This is based on the fact that five of the six stories received either 4 or 5 champagne flutes, and then guess whose story received one whole champagne bottle??? :D Which is beyond fabulous, and I am positively on cloud nine here! The reviewer also states that she is not involved with the BDSM lifestyle, so it really says something for her to have rated all of the stories so high!

Here are some of the reviewer's comments on Efflorescence and why she felt it warranted one whole champagne bottle! (And this makes four readers now who have said my story made them cry!)

"I will not forget this tale in a hurry. The combination of Hannah revisiting her past and recalling the tale of her youth and the mention of a rare blue rose brought me to tears. The elderly are sometimes perceived as just that—elderly. That they didn’t experience life, or have a youth is sometimes forgotten. Efflorescence crushes that misconception fabulously. Ms. Strauss has written such a fine tale that I’m very interested to read any other works she may have.

"Efflorescence was my absolute favourite out of a fine set of tales because of the richness of the wording, the way the tale weaved through the character’s emotions, and the setting—no blips in the historical aspect that I could see. Whizzing back in time is always fascinating, but this historical tale has topped any that I have ever read so far. Tremendous!"

And of the collection overall, again, my fellow contributors each received 4 or 5 flutes, and the book has received five flutes overall! Did I mention that I find this fabulous? I am very proud to have my story featured alongside the work of such talented authors! :D

To indulge in a bit o' the bubbly and see what struck such a chord with this reviewer, you may view her comments in full here: http://cocktailreviews.wordpress.com/2007/11/07/a-rose-of-any-colour-book-2-maledom-freyas-bower/

Efflorescence

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:03:49 GMT

Very positive reader feedback so far on A Rose of Any Colour - Maledom! Three people have told me now that my story Efflorescence made them cry, with one stating she certainly never expected to come across a tearjerker in a BDSM antho! (Though don't worry, it's a tearjerker in a good way!) The link I've been posting is the actual purchase link at the publisher storefront, but here is a new and improved link where you can not only buy the book, but read excerpts from each story as a little sneak preview to whet your appetite!

http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/286/79/

And remember, I am ~~an attention whore~~ not one of those detached authors. I love reader feedback. Many thanks to those who've taken the time to let me know what they've thought about Efflorescence! And for those of you haven't checked out A Rose of Any Colour - Maledom, this is a fabulous collection that includes both historical and contemporary pieces, with heat levels ranging from light to hardcore. Varying tangents of the BDSM lifestyle are explored, offering a little bit of something for everyone!

And the winner is...

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:52:35 GMT

I'm pleased to announce the winner of my Blood Sugar Sex Magick contest is...Tami aka Black Roze of Tennessee! Congratulations to Tami, and many many thanks to all of you who took the time to read the excerpts throughout October and participate in the contest. I'll be running another giveaway come Valentine's Day in conjunction with the January/February release of my yaoi novella, Some Kind of Stranger, so stay tuned for the hot bishie boy goods. ;)

Halloween discount!

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:21:13 GMT

For Halloween, publisher Aphrodite's Apples Press has unveiled their new and improved website. You can now find all of my Eldritch Legacy titles at one convenient page! Customers now also have the option of posting reviews. On top of that, all Aphrodite's titles are currenty marked at ten percent off! So if you haven't had a chance to buy book three (or two...or one...) of The Eldritch Legacy, here's your chance to get it at a discount and then post your commentary! Check it out at http://www.aphroditesapples.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=26 and then snuggle up tonight with a dark and sexy Halloween read! ;)

All Hallow's Greetings

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:54:48 GMT

A Happy All Hallow's and Most Blessed Samhain to my friends and readers!

Cheers,
Katrina S.
Romance for the Black Coffee Crowd
http://www.katrinastrauss.com/

A Rose of Any Colour - available today!

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:41:16 GMT

Yes, my 1920's bondage story is now available for the discriminating reading public! ;)

Roses have never smelled sweeter,
nor the thorns pricked quite so sharp...

A Rose of Any Colour : Maledom
Available today, October 30th, 2007!

Freya's Bower presents six tantalizing tales of submission at the hands of the male dominant. Featuring authors Canice Brown-Porter, Miranda Heart, Kayleigh Jamison, Emily Ryan-Davis, Katrina Strauss, and Joe Wilson!

On Bended Knees by Canice Brown-Porter:
Morgan has finally found her place in the world...at Lord Evan's feet. But will he accept her as his submissive after her training or must she find another Dom?

Little Book of Fantasies by Miranda Heart:
Kaitlyn couldn't have been more surprised than when her boyfriend of three months kidnaps her and drags her to an abandoned train car. She doesn't know whether she's going to be tortured to death or remain for his pleasure, so why is she titillated by the whole thing?

A Scandalous Arrangement by Kayleigh Jamison:
Sold into the service of a brothel madame to satisfy her brother's gambling debts, Lady Anna Boscawen finds herself catapulted into the scandalous, seedy underbelly of the ton when she is given a new name and her virginity is auctioned off to the highest bidder. Vere Fane, Earl of Westmorland is rich, powerful, and devilishly handsome, known throughout society for his carnal inclination and the pleasure and pain he inflicts upon the women he alternately ravages and worships. Bound together by unusual circumstances, Vere leads Anna through a whirlwind of emotions, teaching her to find the ultimate freedom - in submission.

Unwrapping Amy by Emily Ryan-Davis:
Amy and Mac Corcoran have known one another for 20 years. They've been lovers for 16. Married for 14. Twenty years, and they still have secrets. Will confession hold them together or tear them apart?

Efflorescence by Katrina Strauss:
It's the spring of 1920. The wholesome Gibson girl is fading from grace, while the spirited Flapper has yet to emerge. In the midst of this transition, a young and bored Hannah struggles to find her place. When she models for Russian painter Pavel, she meets a kindred restless spirit. As their friendship evolves, their sessions lead both to question their taboo desires. But as Hannah and Pavel gradually explore these desires, can they also find room in their lives for love? With themes of bondage, and a guest appearance by a young Anais Nin, Efflorescence explores one girl's coming-of-age at a time when women, as a whole, redefined their role in a changing world.

Touching Down by Joe Wilson:
Joe flies a thousand miles to give a pink rose to a woman he calls Pita, and to demand she submit. When she obeys, he challenges her values and fears with lust and pain … six miles above the ground … in a lavish casino resort … at a pillar with a whip and a poem, and that damned pink rose. On an unlikely journey, a jaded dominant and a wary divorcee begin an adventure that will take the rest of their lives and teach them once again about love and trust.

Submit to your desires and get your copy today from Freya's Bower!
http://www.freyasbower.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=90

BSSM excerpt #4 - last chance to enter!

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:25:48 GMT

Here is the final excerpt in my Blood Sugar Sex Magick contest. I saved the best for last -- one that encompasses all aspects of the contest theme, and one of my prouder moments of prose. Yes, it's the prelude to the infamous "ritual sex" scene from Fates Fulfilled, the "urban noir" finale of the Eldritch Legacy. Considered the most controversial of the trilogy, Fates Fulfilled explores, among other things, switchhitting, bloodplay, knife play, real-life vampirism, and left-handed magick. But hey, we're talking a family dynasty with roots in a medieval dungeon, carried over to their urban punk rock counterparts. These kids aren't exactly going to be into bingo or knitting... I also paid homage to my manga/anime/bishie obsession with another young male character (not featured in this excerpt) with glasses and long silver hair. In fact, I envisioned many key passages as panels in a manga or scenes in an anime, and wrote them as such. A few reviewers astutely picked up on this, and it opened the door and paved the way for my manga-styled approach to the new yaoi series, Blue Ruin.

Anyway...this week's question and information on how to enter the drawing will be included at the end. Enjoy!

Brief Blurb:
Marissa Blackwell and Devon Eldritch are first cousins, best friends, and heirs to a winery fortune. Before claiming their inheritance, they must survive for two years without their family’s money. As the cousins come of age in the midst of the gothic lifestyle, Marissa must face her tormented past while Devon struggles with the sinister power that runs in his veins. In the process, the centuries-old fate of the Eldritch clan is sealed once and for all. The anticipated "urban noir" finale to Katrina Strauss' Eldritch Legacy, Fates Fulfilled explores the dark side of the underground... and the darker side of man.

**WARNING** sexual content, knifeplay, and ritual bloodsucking, oh my!

Excerpt:

A black charcoal outline formed a large pentacle upon Devon's bedroom floor. In the center, Celeste knelt naked, her wrists bound to her ankles with rope. She bowed her head in submission toward Devon, who stood fully dressed in a suit of black velvet and white silk. With a long match, he leaned down and lit the first black candle set at the northern point of the star.

"Stravisa," he murmured. Spirit.

Methodically, he made his way clockwise around the circle, his boot heels clicking against the hardwood planks, skipping the second point and stopping at the third to follow the order in which he'd drawn the lines of the inner pentagram. He paused, touching the match to the wick, and glanced wistfully at Celeste's backside. The candlelight lent her hair a preternatural glow as it shimmered down her gracefully curved spine.

"Striju." The ancient Magi name for fire.

Continuing around the circle in the same fashion, alternating between points, he lit the remaining three wicks — satra for air, seintu for water, skrova for earth.

With all five vertices illuminated, he gently waved the match, extinguishing the flame, and returned to the altar. He fished in his jacket pocket and produced a corkscrew, then lifted the sacred bottle of Pinot Noir.

The cork came free with a loud pop. Tipping the bottle, Devon irreverently splashed the first few sips onto the floor to empty the sediment collected in the neck. The garnet liquor puddled on the floorboards and seeped into the cracks in between. The neck cleared, he poured the wine into the pewter chalice, filling it to the brim.

Lifting the chalice with his left hand, he swirled it under his nose and inhaled the heady scent of the vine coupled with an underlying hint of plum and berry. Taking a sip, he was surprised at the unusually sweet taste. For a moment, he lost himself in another man's memories — drunk on liquor, fueled by desire, racing madly through hedges of yew, his lover following behind in a blur of loose curls and flowing skirts, her laughter tinkling merrily against an orchestra of crickets serenading the moonlight…

Willing himself back to the present, reminding himself of the task at hand, he took Celeste's silver athame in his right hand and stirred the blade in the wine. Placing the chalice back down amidst candles and incense, he returned to the pentacle and made his way around Celeste in the same pattern as before, stopping to point the athame at each candle and cast a protective circle.

He stepped between the two lowermost candles and approached Celeste from behind, the wet blade of the athame gleaming red in the light of the flames. Weaving his fingers through her silken mane, he jerked her head back. As he pressed the point of the blade a hairbreadth from her jugular, she peered up at him and emitted a pleasurable sigh. It was she who had suggested weaving her knife play fantasies into their ritual lovemaking.

He knelt behind her. Pressed against her ass, his cock positively ached through his trousers. Bringing his lips to her arched throat, he darted his tongue across her skin, delighting in her salt and her heat while carefully tracing the sharp tip of the dagger over her collarbone and down the center of her sternum. As his lips drew near her shoulder, his bloodlust set in and his vision darkened. His mouth wide, he sank his teeth into his lover's flesh.

Fates Fulfilled - Book 3 of the Eldritch Legacy
Copyright 2006 by Katrina Strauss

*****

No purchase is necessary to enter the contest, but if you'd like
to indulge in more of my "urban noir" fantasy, Fates Fulfilled
is available at the following links:

Aphrodite's Apples Press:
http://www.aphroditesapples.com/fates_fulfilled.htm

Fictionwise:
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/Series884.htm

*****

Question: What was the bus driver's name? Just kidding, just kidding, bad joke. ;) Okay for real this time: What is the ancient Magi name for "fire"?

E-mail your answer to katrina_strauss13 AT yahoo DOT com with the subject line of "BSSM excerpt #4". Deadline for this week's entry is Tuesday, October 30th, EST.

Remember, this is the final week of the contest, and your last chance to be entered in the drawing for either the the Kama Sutra Oils of Love sampler set **OR** three free titles from my backlist. Be sure and check back on Halloween, when I'll announce the winner. Good luck!

manlove in Japanese art - a brief retrospective...very brief

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:32:11 GMT

Exhibit A : Shudo...

Exhibit B : Yaoi...

You've come a long way, bishies. ;)

hot manlove for women, by women

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 16:10:13 GMT

I joined in discussion over at one of the GLBT promo groups about why so many women are reading and writing m/m romance. I thought I'd repost and expound upon some of my comments here.

Here's perspective from someone who didn't really "get" m/m until I discovered yaoi. I personally enjoy themes of D/s, be it m/f, f/f and, as I discovered with yaoi, m/m, since the seme/uke dynamic of yaoi is inherently a D/s one. When I sat down to pen my first BDSM m/m story, I found I was able to get away with more taboo themes than I could with the het. (Which leaves me to ask why for some readers, it's okay to see a man putting another man into that situation, whereas if it's a man doing that to a woman then people's heads implode!) And as I write realistic yaoi minus the "we're all gay so it's okay" fantasy like some prefer in their m/m, I can draw on my own days that I spent primarily in the company of gay men and explore the challenges that come with the gay lifestyle. Not only does that make for more conflict and character development, but it adds in a nice dose of angst.

Finally -- with yaoi, anyway -- I get to have my cake and eat it too. I have one man, my seme, that allows me to explore my dominant alpha male fantasies, while his partner, the uke, allows me to write a sensitive and submissive boy that enjoys being tied up and spanked. But again, it's the seme/uke, D/s dynamic of yaoi that I love. More traditional m/m (wow, that must be progress to be able to say traditional m/m, no? *laugh*) does not really do it for me, but then traditional het stories don't cut it for me either.

Looking at m/m overall, the genre is to many women what lesbian porn is to men -- a pretty, eyecandy fantasy of what we'd LIKE to think is going on behind closed doors. When is the last time any of us watched a hot lesbian porno (and yes, it used to be one of my big fetishes, and I watched it more than my husband so what can I say) that actually took place in a lesbian bar with average, everyday women? No, it's the hot blonde cheerleader and sultry brunette bad girl hook up in the girl's locker room, or the hot horny suburban housewives make it on the hood of the red corvette that happens to be parked in the garage. Then again, I still ask men "Just what is it about lesbians that straight men find so hot?", which is right up there with the equally-perplexing "What is the Western male fascination with bewbies?" Though since I got into yaoi, I think I might understand the fascination with lesbians a bit more...to me, I enjoy writing and reading about men without some chick coming in there and complicating things, and I get two, count 'em, two hot manly cumshots. Or well, at least two...I'm about to pen an all-male threesome for my current WIP. To me, it doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl in the middle of the sammich, it's the fact that a willing submissive is being dominated. So in the end, *har har*, maybe it's that writing m/m as a woman allows me to truly explore the complexities of love and sex between people.

So, those of you girlies who read and/or write m/m, what is the draw for you? If you're like me and prefer the yaoi take on things -- hot bishie-on-bishie action aside, what is it about that particular flavor of m/m that makes it stand out over regular m/m fare for you? And for those of you on the "tough love" side of things, why is it that we are indeed "allowed" to get away with more taboo themes between two men? Does disdain for the "submissive female" lie in current political-correctness, or does it run deeper? (Bear in mind, I've lost one male reader due to his disgust at my lead male's use of "forced seduction" with my lead female in my first het novel!)

oh well...

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:36:25 GMT

So Dumbledore is teh ghey.

Well hell, I was hoping Jo would out Sirius x Remus. :P

*goes back to writing original yaoi pr0n*

BSSM excerpt #3

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:22:38 GMT

For this weeks Blood Sugar Sex Magick excerpt, I'm sharing a snippet from my short story, Windswept. This piece appears in volume 3 of Aphrodite's Apples ongoing Masquerade anthology series. The premise of the series is that once a year, the Gods of Olympus host the Masquerade Ball. A select few mortals are invited to fulfill their wildest dreams with the god/dess of his/her choice. I had never thought I'd submit to this series, as naturally my first choice would have been Hades, the dark outsider, and he'd already been taken twice.

I sat down one day to try my hand at a steampunk piece, and in researching steam technology I came across Aeolus' ball, named for the Greek "Keeper of the Winds". Intrigued, I read up on Aeolus, as I wasn't too familiar with his legend. According to some versions of his story, Aeolus was born mortal, but then granted immortality by the goddess Hera in reward for brewing a storm against the Trojan fleet. Finding many similarities between Aeolus and Anne Rice's vampire Marius (to the point where I wonder if Ms. Rice might have based Marius partly on Aeolus) I discovered another lone outsider of the Pantheon. With my Muse completely diverted, I sat down to pen a contribution to Masquerade, and Windswept was born. While it's proven to be my most lighthearted and, *gasp*, "traditional romance" piece to date, I retained my funky flair with a nerdy misfit named Tempest Rayne, a bling-bedecked Aphrodite, a street-chic Three Graces, and a lounge lizard Zeus. And for all the camp, I still presented a Marius-inspired, angst-ridden Aeolus (who may perhaps bear a slight resemblance to actor Adrian Paul, who's portrayed another tortured immortal...) and a slightly dark twist near the end.

In this particular excerpt, we see how being made an immortal can be both a blessing and a curse. We also see that another one of my ~~evil inspirations~~ influences, who has nothing at all to do with Greek mythology, managed to sneak his way into this story. This week's BSSM question is posted at the end.

Blurb:
Once a year, the Gods of Olympus host the Masquerade Ball. A select few are invited to fulfill their wildest dreams. When shy mortal Tempest Rayne meets Aeolus, the lonely Keeper of the Winds, two forces of nature collide, making for a stormy encounter, leaving them both…Windswept.

Excerpt:

Tempest repeated Aeolus' words for verification, her mind stubbornly refusing to comprehend what her ears had just heard.

"Saved from…the great fire of Alexandria?" Her fingertips hovered just above the ancient scroll of papyrus spread across the table where she and Aeolus sat. How many times this evening she had refrained from touching, unsure of her actions…

"It's perfectly fine," urged Aeolus.

"We shouldn't even be breathing on these. They should be preserved behind glass. They should…"

Caving, she reverently traced one scant fingertip around the hieroglyphs. When an errant tear threatened to spill, she hastily retrieved her hand and sat back for fear of damaging the document.

Aeolus reached out and brushed the lone tear away, his fingers hot to the touch. "Not many mortals would react so strongly."

"You have a storehouse of treasures here that would make any museum curator green with envy." She turned her head to take in the entire library. "Why?" she asked, intrigued.

"I could not go out into the world," he said quietly, "and so I brought the world to me."

"And all these centuries, you've kept up. The transformations you've witnessed, ones which other men may only read of, dream of…"

"Yes," he nodded, "it has been a most fascinating journey. And yet I've also borne witness to the worst atrocities imaginable. I watched my Empire fall, stood by helpless as the Romans came in to stake claim. And then after they left, my islands suffered raid upon raid. I saw my beloved Lipari plundered one century, the surviving descendants deported the next, knowing I held the power to stop any invasion, yet unable to act without direct orders from the gods." A sorrowful gaze weighted his features. "Even before the dark times, when I first accepted Hera's offer—"

His voice cracked with emotion. Shoving his chair back, he stood and walked to one of the shelves.

As he scanned the spines of the books, he needed to say no more. She saw in his eyes, the hurt of watching those he had known and loved grow old and die; the shock he must have felt in the beginning, perhaps still did, as he watched the world evolve from a distance while he remained rooted in timeless existence.

"Have you received any guests other than me or Odysseus?" she asked quietly.

He laughed with a wry shake of his head. "Has everyone read that story? I told him to open the bag with only the utmost discretion and care."

"It was his crew," Tempest interjected. "Odysseus fell asleep, and his men thought the bag contained gold, not wind!"

"He should not have left such a priceless gift out in the open. He should have guarded those winds with his life. And then he had the gall to return and ask for more! But to answer your question, yes, a stray traveler has wandered in. Like this one, for instance."

He returned with a small book, bound in cracked leather. He opened to a page marked by a ribbon of tattered silk.

"Here," he offered.

Tempest smiled. "My favorite Byron poem!"

"Is it?" he asked, his mood lifting.

"Oh yes," she murmured, and began to read the famous verse aloud. "She walks in beauty like the night—"

"Of cloudless climes and starry skies." Aeolus knelt beside her. Reaching out, he tucked her hair behind one ear and cupped her chin. "And all that's best of dark and bright, Meet in her aspect and her eyes." He paused with a lift of his brow. "Turn to the first page."

Tempest did so, and for a moment, the world stopped. She stared at the handwritten inscription, her hand pressed to her mouth, her eyes burning into the parchment as she read it three times over.

'My most kind and hospitable Aeolus,
Thank you for granting safe harbour in the storm.
Your obliged and humble servant, N.B.'

Tempest murmured the initials out loud. She looked down at Aeolus with disbelief, the sacred relic trembling in her unsteady grip. "Noel Byron! As he often signed his name in his final years!"

Her head reeled. If she hadn't been sitting down, she suspected she might have fainted where she stood. Understanding, Aeolus took the book from her and set it aside.

"It was 1822. His ship was caught in a bad storm—not one of my doing, mind you—while en route from Genoa to the Strait of Hercules. His ship ended up here, and I offered him and his crew a place to stay for a few nights until the weather cleared."

"What was he like?"

"A most passionate man. He was on his way to Greece, as I'm sure you well know from your studies, to aid the insurgency against the Ottomans. While I had made it a point since Odysseus to bow out of the affairs of mortals, I must say, Byron's well-thought argument for my former homeland swayed me. He left the island with a rather hefty donation, which he added to his own funds to refit the Greek fleet." Aeolus shook his head ruefully. "Within a year, he was dead."

"My god," muttered Tempest. "I think I need to lie down."

Aeolus laughed. "I see that even beyond the grave, the poet still bears an intoxicating effect on the ladies."

He stood and helped Tempest to her feet, fully intending to lead her to the guestroom. Instead, he found himself devouring her with kisses all over again.

"Tempest," he murmured against her throat, her pulse hot and fast against his lips, "will you allow me the honor of taking you to my bed?"

"Yes," she whispered, her emerald eyes both nervous and eager, and in those eyes, for the first time since he'd been made immortal, he saw himself as his queen Hera had all along.

The man in him knew to be gentle…

But the god in him wanted to ravish her.

***

**Copyright 2007
Windswept by Katrina Strauss
Featured in Masquerade volume 3
along with stories by Kate Sterling, Nikki Watson,
Desiree Lee, and Yolanda Sfetsos!

No purchase is necessary to enter the contest, but if your appetite
is whetted for more, you may find Masquerade volume 3 at either link:

Aphrodite's Apples:
http://www.aphroditesapples.com/masq_vol3.htm

Fictionwise:
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook45687.htm

***

Question: According to my historically-based twist on the myth of Aeolus, the Keeper of the Winds entertained a certain "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" Romantic poet in what year?

Please e-mail your answer to katrina_strauss13 AT yahoo DOT com with the subject line of "BSSM excerpt #3".

Deadline for entry is Tuesday, October 23, Midnight EST. Check back on Wednesday, October 24th, for the final excerpt and the last chance to have your name entered in the drawing for either the Kama Sutra "Oils of Love" Sampler Set **or** your choice of 3 titles from my backlist!

Be sure and mark your calendars for October 24th for the final BSSM excerpt and your last chance to enter the drawing! Prize option is the Kama Sutra "Oils of Love" sampler set **or** three titles from my backlist! Enjoy, and good luck!

evil musely inspiration du jour

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:41:06 GMT

The ever so talented Heise has released her latest pretties. I'd cite images like this as inspirational, as she has my preferred physical traits for seme/uke down to a beautiful science, but instead I find this...distracting! How am I supposed to get any work done today? *attempts to get back to my own yaoi boys*

**NOTE** My website has been transferred to a new server and so the site and images (including the pretty yoai boys *sniff*) may be down a while today.**

Pimpin' ain't easy but sometimes it's fun!

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 23:18:55 GMT

I took a break from writing today and spent most of it doing promo over at Chatting with Joyfully Reviewed for their all-day BDSM loop chat. I must say, it was fun to go to a chat where I could share excerpts from over half of my catalog! That would be 6 out of 10 releases, both current and coming soon, so hey that's over half! While I always enjoy discussing The Eldritch Legacy, I was particularly excited to share a few excerpts from Some Kind of Stranger, due for release January 2008 from Loose Id. For those of you who are not as familiar with e-publishing, Loose Id is one of the top and most reputable publishers of erotic/romantic e-books and RWA-approved. (RWA = Romance Writers of America.) Sooo....is January here yet??? *looks at calendar and pines for my yaoi boys to go public*

Cerreta Candy Company

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:20:05 GMT

Yesterday I took the kids to the Cerreta Candy Company in Glendale for one of their "free factory tours". The tours take place twice a day throughout the week. The tour proved a bit of a bust, however, in that we did not actually see any candy being made. Rather, our tour guide offered descriptions like "Here's the table where we cut the caramel after we pour it from the vat" or "Then the candy comes down this conveyor belt to my left where it is filled with cream", etc. Oh well, we still saw some interesting stuff and were treated to a few free samples of fresh-made candy. I thought I'd share a few pics. Please forgive image quality as I was using the point-and-click and didn't have time to readjust settings between shots.

Yes, this is a...giant chocolate cactus!

A very blurry image of one of the 5-lb. chocolate bars that are melted daily to make the chocolate pieces. My older son says they ought to sell the 5-lb bars. I agree!

Mold for the giant chocolate football that Cerreta has been commissioned to make for next year's SuperBowl:

Another conveyor built that is sitting cold while no candy is being made, but at least the fine folks at Cerreta have a sense of humor:

Okay, this one was moving! Chocolate fondue!!!

And the closest thing we saw to candy being made during our "factory tour" : freshly-wrapped mints coming off the conveyor belt:

Cerreta Candy really is awesome though, and I know where I'm shopping for Christmas goodies! The kids and I just wanted to see them actually making some! :P

BSSM excerpt #2

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:01:46 GMT

Today's BSSM excerpt and question -- that's BSSM as in Blood Sugar Sex Magick -- is from Lessons Learned, the Regency installment of my Eldritch Legacy series. Regencies are known for being the most trite and polite subgenre of romance, and readers either love or hate them. I, for one, love them, but I also agree with modern, savvy readers that it's time to step behind the closed doors of the Regency parlor and explore what was really going on beneath that veneer of polished manners and witty teatime discourse. Taking my cue from such real-life Regency figures as that mad Romantic Lord Byron and his scandalous friends, The Shelleys, I set out to write a dark and twisted Regency AU. Somehow, my Byronic rake of a poet ended up being a descendant of my characters from Secrets Revealed (which I'd originally said I would not write a sequel to) and, well, Lessons Learned and a bonafide multi-generational series was born. The following scene takes place the morning after my primary and secondary couples indulge in absinthe and engage in…other hedonistic activities. This week's question is posted at the end.

Brief Blurb:
When novelist Camille Rocheford is lured into summering at the home of an undisclosed host, she is surprised to meet the infamous Stefan Eldritch -- a poet who shocks the public with provocative verse and scandalizes his family with wild soirees. Though polar opposites, Stefan and Camille soon fall into creative collaboration – and unbridled romance. Stefan challenges Camille to explore art and sensuality without constraint. In turn, Camille teaches Stefan that even a free spirit is capable of loyalty and love. But when their collaboration lands Stefan in trouble with the law, can Camille find the strength and the means to save her lover from unjust imprisonment?

Excerpt:

Camille woke naked beneath slippery satin sheets. Vaguely, she recalled Stefan carrying her upstairs to bed and making love to her one final time before she had slid into unconsciousness. She sat up, and immediately regretted doing so—her limbs were sore, her temples ached, and though near sunset, the light through the window assaulted her vision like the brightest, blinding morn. Squinting her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose and moaned in agony.

Dimly, she grew aware that Stefan sat beside her, one knee crooked on the mattress, his other leg stretched to the floor. He appeared rumpled as usual, with hastily thrown-on breeches and a halfway open shirt. Carefully, he handed her a warm cup and saucer.

"Tea with the last of the vodka and an extra lump of sugar," he explained.

"For breakfast?" she asked, her soured belly revolting at the very idea.

"Yes, dear, it will settle your stomach."

Trusting that Stefan was more educated than she on such matters, she took the cup and pressed it to her lips. She gagged at the pungent bite of alcohol, but as the concoction singed its way down her throat, her nausea faded.

Her vision better adjusted, she realized they were not in her room. She sat in a ridiculously massive bed, twice the size of her own. Countless articles of male clothing lay scattered upon the floor, snatches of rug visible here and there amidst silk, velvet, buckskin, and tweed. By the balcony doors, a cherry roll-top writing bureau sat open, cluttered with various books, half-written poems, disused quills, and drained liquor bottles outnumbered only by empty inkwells.

"Your room, I presume?"

"Is it that obvious?" he laughed.

"Don't your servants ever clean in here?"

"They used to until I ordered them to stop. Whenever they tidied the place, I couldn't find a damned thing."

Camille rolled her eyes and took another sip of her curative tea. The fog from her head cleared, and vivid memories of the previous night's activities hit her full force. She raised her hand to her mouth.

"Oh god, what have I done?" she groaned, filled with sudden overwhelming remorse.

"You have explored the gift of sensuality, love," said Stefan softly. "There is no shame in that. Did you not enjoy yourself?"

"Yes, I…I did," she admitted. "And you enjoyed watching me with Nicolette. You and Klauss both did." Her mouth dropped. "Why, you devils! You encouraged us!"

Stefan grinned. "There is nothing quite like the sight of two women in a heated embrace to really get a man's blood boiling." His eyes darkened. "What was it like? Of course, I observed your reaction, but…how did it feel?"

"Oh, it was heavenly," sighed Camille. "She knew exactly where and how to touch me."

"Better than I do?" he asked, his tone not of envy but simply curious.

"No," she said, shaking her head, "just…different. But what of me and Klauss? You said I am yours, and yours alone. Now that we're both sober, are you not angry?"

Stefan stared at her, momentarily shocked. "So we really did hear one another's thoughts," he muttered. He rubbed his face and his gaze drifted absently. Camille sipped patiently at her tea, lost in her own private musings.

After several minutes, he broke the silence and continued. "In regard to your questions, allow me to ask a few of my own. Were you jealous when Nicolette took me in her mouth? Are you angered in retrospect?"

She pondered his words, thinking back to her drunken desire the night before, and then searching her more level-headed emotions of the present .

"No," she said finally. "I wanted you both to enjoy one another."

"And I bear the same sentiment, my sweet. Though honestly, Klauss is the only man who may take you without incurring my wrath." He tenderly stroked her brow. "And while you are free to taste of both his and Nicolette's pleasures, you are to fall asleep in my arms, and awaken by my side."

"You are speaking as though this were a permanent arrangement."

"After last night, do you honestly think we can revert to the way we were before?"

"I suppose not."

Quietly relishing the delicious possibilities, she finished her tea. Leaning over, she stretched across Stefan's lap to place her cup and saucer on a nearby nightstand, but was greeted with more clutter. Stefan grinned and, with one swipe of his hand, sent everything crashing to the floor.

"Ever the gentleman," she laughed, setting her cup down on the cleared surface. She started to sit straight, but Stefan grabbed her, turned her onto her back, and cradled her in his arms. Her curls tumbled down the side of the bed and brushed the floor.

"So, our new arrangement suits you?" he asked.

"Well…I would prefer we only share when the four of us are together. I don't wish to pair off without you."

"And I wouldn't want you to," he smiled. Curling forward, he pressed his forehead to hers and stroked her cheek. His breath still smelled of absinthe, and the sweet scent of opium clung to his clothes. "Of course, we will need to discuss the rules with our friends and entertain their opinion, though I'm certain they will be more than agreeable."

Lifting her, he propped her back on the lush pile of pillows. Stretching beside her, he buried his face against her throat, nuzzling her pulse point, as his fingers trailed to the dip of her waist. In turn, Camille twined one hand through his unruly ebony hair and slid the other to his crotch, encountering the tell-tale bulge of his erection. He rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him. As she straddled him, she braced her hands on his bared chest and rotated her hips, grinding against him, delighting in the rock-like hardness of his cock through the stiff buckskin of his breeches.

"Recovered from our hangover, are we?" he murmured, seizing her hips and thrusting back.

"Why do you ask?" she teased with a wicked smirk. She slid his shirt off his shoulders and lowered her face to his chest. With the tip of her tongue, she flicked one nipple before taking it between her teeth. Encouraged by his long, low groan, she unbuttoned his shirt the rest of the way, gradually darting her tongue down the smooth plane of his abdomen and following the thin trail of dark hair. The scant taste of alcohol emanated from his pores and mixed with the salt of his skin.

At the mercy of her caress, Stefan attempted to answer her question. "Well, despite our ménage à quatre—" his breath hitched as she swirled her tongue around his navel "—it seems that at this moment—" he gasped again and clutched her shoulders as she lowered, teasing her breath back and forth across the hem of his pants "—oh yes, love, like that—I am feeling rather selfish and want you all to myself."

"We're all sinners, you know," she muttered, opening his breeches. "The whole lot of us."

"Yes," he muttered, "isn't it grand?"

He inhaled sharply as she grasped his swollen cock and began suckling him. The musk of their last encounter still lingered in his coarse hair, the taste of her pussy still sweet upon his shaft.

***

Copyright June 2006 by Katrina Strauss
Lessons Learned – Book II of the Eldritch Legacy

No purchase is necessary to enter the contest, but if your appetite
is whetted for more of the hotness that is Stefan Eldritch, you may
find more of him here at either link:

Aphrodite's Apples Press:
http://www.aphroditesapples.com/lessons_learned.htm

Fictionwise:
http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook44765.htm?cached

***
Question: While Stefan's breath still smells of absinthe, his clothing reeks of what interesting substance?

Please e-mail your answer to katrina_strauss13 AT yahoo DOT com with the subject line of "BSSM excerpt #2".

Deadline for entry is Tuesday, October 16, Midnight EST. Check back on Wednesday, October 17th, for the third excerpt and another chance to have your name entered in the drawing for either the Kama Sutra "Oils of Love" Sampler Set **or** your choice of 3 titles from my backlist! You may enter up to 4 times – once per excerpt.

Be sure and mark your calendars for October 17 and 24 for the remaining two BSSM excerpts! ;)

contest changes

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:00:06 GMT

Based on feedback, I've made two changes to the ongoing Blood Sugar Sex Magick contest. Here are the new-and-improved basic rules, just 3 simple steps:

1. Read an excerpt.

2. Answer a question and e-mail me that answer. (I've done away with the form page and am simply listing an e-mail address now.)

3. Alls entrants will be placed in the drawing for body massage oils **OR** the winner's choice of 3 titles from my backlist. (As two decidedly single friends both informed me, what the hell were they going to do with body oils? They just want the smut! *laugh*)

And if you don't care to enter the contest, you are still welcome to read the excerpts because hey, free sneak peek at what I do! ;)

So, deadline for this week's entries are tomorrow, Tuesday October 9th at Midnight EST. Which gives you two days to go and read the excerpt here: http://katrina-strauss.livejournal.com/157748.html

Gettin' Sanctified!

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:37:18 GMT

I've just received postcards of the sexy tattooed manback from Sanctified. You know, this one:

They're all slick and glossy, too. I'm so excited, I want to share! So anyone on my LJ friend's list who comments here today with their snailmail address receives one. Don't worry, I've got comment screening turned on, so only I'll see it. Comment by Midnight EST and the sexy tattooed manback shall be on its way to you, complete with my autograph and a Phoenix postmark. :)

Thursday Thirteen - October 4th

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:28:30 GMT

Because if everyone jumped off a cliff...

I'd stand there, point, and laugh. ;)

Seriously, here I go, jumping on the Thursday Thirteen bandwagon because...why not?

First Thirteen Authors Whose Work Is Sitting on My Bookshelf, Starting at the Top Left

(that is, the physical shelf in my livingroom, not the virtual one on my harddrive as that one is still growing)

1. Katherine Ramsland
2. Anne Rice
3. Nancy A. Collins
4. Poppy Z Brite
5. Frank Warren (the "Secret" books)
6. Philip K. Dick
7. Tsugumi Ohba/Takeshi Obata (DeathNote)
8. Cormac McCarthy
9. Andrew Vachss
10. Tanith Lee
11. Bret Easton Ellis
12. Caitlin R. Kiernan
13. William Gibson

And yes, here I am an e-book author. Next week I'll do Top Thirteen E-book Authors. ;)