Living it Up is out!

I just released a brand new book in the Auntie Vamp series! Please welcome Living It Up to the world. 

If you read romance, you know there is a sub-genre of billionaire men falling in love with women. There are often BDSM clubs attached to these stories. 

 

 I am thoroughly sick of these stories.

 

 Imaging wealth is awesome, but these heroes were awful people. I wondered what it would be like if there were stories of wealthy women. In the real world, wealthy women like Mackenzie Scott lead the world in philanthropy and stimulating change. 

 

I wanted to show what could happen if women got financial clout, and what their fantasies could be. So, I created the Fortuna Group and the Emerald Club for women to see what we could do. Like smashing the patriarchy. 🙂

 Here's the teaser!

 

Get What You Desire.

Ten years after Holly Barros' triumphant taking over the North American Paranormal Council, she is exhausted, burned out, and worst of all, too tired for sex. This is a sad, sad place for a sexually-fuelled vampire.

Celeste Barros, Holly's great-aunt has spent the last ten years after stepping down from the Paranormal Council enjoying her retirement. She is content with her found family of lovers and friends. But she years for something more than contentment. She wants to make a difference again.

Change the World.

Holly's burnout and Celeste's restlessness come together with the idea of the Fortuna Group, an independent non-profit that will create solutions for women's issues, such as finances, environmentalism, and, of course, getting the pleasure that is a woman's birthright.

When people push back against such a wild idea, Celeste takes a risk and bets all on the chance to live it up.

Perfect for readers who need a feel-good (very good) story with lots of delight and permission for pleasure.  

 

 

Talk about your books: Dracula's Secret.

 

Yesterday, I was meditating about my books - what I'm going to do this year, what my goals are, what I want for my writing.

 

I heard a very clear message that said, "Talk about your books." I thought I'd start at the very beginning with Dracula's Secret. 

 

The idea of Vlad Tepes being born female came from a nightmare. In it, I dreamed that Dracula in a dress was talking to Napoleon's generals for the Peninsular campaign. They didn't listen to her, so she went outside, changed into men's clothes, and they proclaimed her genius. 

 

Other than this being a weird insight to my brain (I don't normally dream about Napoleon, I promise), this image stuck with me. The folk tales of Dracula's violent behavior made sense if someone had been born a woman and was trying to keep her people safe. 

 

  

From there, I wondered what kind of person could love someone like that. That brought me Lance Soliel, a man with his own darkness.  I based him on Daniel Craig. 

 

And two dark characters needed someone to bring them hope, and thus John Jante, one of my favorite characters, came to my vision. 

 

He's based on my Charming Man, who is very pretty and smart. But he doesn't like having his picture posted, so you will just have to take my word on it. :) 

 

If I were to jot down what tropes this story uses, I'd say:

 

Morally gray characters searching for redemption, age-gap relationship, international intrigue, fast burn, and fallen angels.

Photo blast.

Never miss an action shot.

 

The Oregon Coast.

Lady MacBeth claiming her crown. 

Some Weinmar Germany atmosphere.

Hi there!

 

 

Hair flips are always in fashion.

Pleasure is self-care.

 

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus,  taught that what is pleasurable is morally good and what is painful is morally evil. To quote:

Epicureanism divided pleasure into two broad categories: pleasures of the body and pleasures of the mind. Pleasures of the body involve sensations of the body, such as the act of eating delicious food or of being in a state of comfort free from pain, and exist only in the present. One can only experience pleasures of the body in the moment, meaning they only exist as a person is experiencing them. Pleasures of the mind involve mental processes and states; feelings of joy, the lack of fear, and pleasant memories are all examples of pleasures of the mind. These pleasures of the mind exist not only in the present, but also in the past and future, since memory of a past pleasant experience or the expectation of some potentially pleasing future can both be pleasurable experiences. Because of this, the pleasures of the mind are considered to be greater than those of the body. Emphasis was placed on pleasures of the mind rather than on physical pleasures.

(Yes, this is from Wikipedia. Yes, I know.) 

(By Unknown artist - Marie-Lan Nguyen (2011), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1447258)

He had many more things to say, but the concept of pleasure, of the delights of both mind and body had stuck with me. I believe that pleasure can be the medicine we need to survive the dangers of life.

I seek delight through many venues and for many reasons. I have a marked tendency to melancholy and worry. If I am absorbed in the luscious sensation of the perfect red lipstick on my lips, then I am more likely to remain in a healthy mindset. 

This summer, I plan on seeking delight in as many ways as possible. What could you do for your pleasure? 

Love,

Linda

 

P.S. Don't forget - I'm still having a sale over at my website. So if your pleasure is about books, come on over. ;)

Happy Pride.

Yes, it's been a hot minute since I've been here. I have had both knees replaced since I last posted and I have energy again! It's amazing how much life changes when you are in pain every day. :)

Black History Month

 In order to celebrate history recognizing the influence of Black Americans, I want to share this list of 150 Black-owned businesses in North America!

Get Your Neat Stuff Here!

Also to help create a more equal society, here are my  posts on writing inclusive fiction.

 Don't Surf in Sewage

Okay, You Screwed Up. 

How to be More Diverse in Your Writing