Serena Yates's Blog, page 3

Today, my blog at the Total-E-Bound author Hot-Spot is about the signifiance of anniversaries. Come on over and have a look, if you want:

So, what IS the significance of anniversaries?

The Sins of Summer now available at Total-E-Bound


Book one in The Seven Deadly Sins Series

The seven deadly sins: lust, wrath, greed, gluttony, envy, pride and sloth.

The Sins of Summer weaves a general thread of deception loosely tying these tales together. Envy, lust and wrath are explored in these scorching m/m tales involving action, burning hot sex and sinful adventures that will have you cranking up the Air Conditioning.


'Mayze' by D.J. Manly
D.J. Manly tackles the sin of lust in his paranormal tale

Jas’s joy of being reunited with his sister is short lived when one night she is murdered by a madman, a madman his foster brother claims is a vampire. Sent out on a mission to find a monster, Jas meets Mayze, and he’s like no one he’s ever met before. Is he the monster who killed his sister, or could he just be the answer to his prayers?


'Burnt Island' by A.J. Llewellyn
A.J. Llewellyn tackles the sin of jealousy in Burnt Island

Manhattan-based private investigator, Leo Gannet, accepts an assignment to tail his father’s boyfriend, theater director Thane Covey on a clandestine trip to a tiny Greek island. With only three hundred inhabitants and four miles to cover, Leo worries about pulling off his mission. He soon discovers he's got bigger problems: Thane Covey is the sexiest man he's ever seen. And he's not alone. Leo soon becomes insanely jealous, then very worried. To top it off, Thane also seems to have somebody else's attention...a hitman's.


'Summer Escape' by Serena Yates
In Summer Escape, Serena Yates tackles the sin of wrath

New York banker Carlton Jaymes Pearce receives an ultimatum from his doctor: accept a lifestyle change and early retirement to reduce his astronomical stress levels or be prepared to have a heart attack - soon. Being only thirty-eight, Carlton isn't ready to die and decides to finally learn how to sail. Neither he nor his private sailing instructor, Troy Nicholls, are ready for the almost instant attraction that leads to a hot and heavy summer fling. But all is not well because someone from Carlton's past appears on the scene to exact revenge for a perceived injustice. Carlton and Troy are kidnapped and left on a deserted island. Will the mysterious man's wrath cost them their lives?

Now available at Silver Publishing


Could the stability-loving carpenter, Tom, be just what Matt needs to settle down? Could the adventurous safari guide, Matt, be exactly what is lacking in Tom’s life?

It's Total-E-Bound's birthday today, and to celebrate they're giving 25% off all eBooks, all day on Friday, July 8, 2011.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/

To celebrate the release of my first two books in the Workplace Encounters series in PRINT, I'm doing some giveaways for them right here on goodreads.


http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
runs until March 21



http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
runs until March 31


Good luck!!!

Serena

The second WINNER of a free e-book of their choice this month, picked from among those who commented in the m/m romance group author-of-the-month thread, is: Mountie. Congratulations!

Please send me an e-mail (serenayates09 AT googlemail DOT com) or contact me via my website to let me know which of my books you'd like (published or coming up) and what format you'd prefer.

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The first WINNER of a free e-book of their choice this month, picked from among those who were at the m/m romance group chat yesterday, is: Lori K. Congratulations!

Please send me an e-mail (serenayates09 AT googlemail DOT com) or contact me via my website to let me know which of my books you'd like (published or coming up) and what format you'd prefer.

The second chance to win a free e-book is still available (ends January 31). If you're interested, leave a comment in the main discussion thread (http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4...) and I will enter you into the second draw.

Good luck!

This month marks the release of my first free story, Bobby's Christmas Gift. It was written for the M/M Romance Group's 25 Days of Christmas event. If you're looking for more great free stories from a range of m/m romance authors, please check them out here: http://tinyurl.com/27avhbd. It's well worth it!

You can download the story here at goodreads in EPub format (http://tinyurl.com/2dtu3vf) or from my website in pdf, EPub, mobi, or lit (http://serenayates.com/free-reads.php).

Enjoy!

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December is a month filled with contrasts. It's the last month of the year - yet, it also hints at new beginnings.

While the encroaching darkness still has us in its grip (at least if we live in the Northern hemisphere), we know that the turning point is just around the corner. I, for one, can't wait until the winter solstice signals the return to days that will get longer angain. Meanwhile, I fight the looming depression from lack of sunlight with candlelight. For me, December is the middle of candle season.

The current "arctic" weather conditions in the UK don't help - snow everywhere without a snowplough, salt or warmer tempertures in sight. Thank God being a writer doesn't require me to leave the house! The daily morning walk is magical, though. As long as you're not in a rush to get anywhere, seeing fields and trees covered in "the white stuff" is quite entertaining.

December is also a month filled with hectic shopping for those of us who celebrate Christmas or Hannukah or any of the other "winter festivals". I managed to book a flight to Germany to see my brother and his family over Christmas - whether or not the plane will be able to take off from Manchester airport remains to be seen.

Most of all, December is a month I use to look back on what has happened and to make new plans. This is fairly typical, I suspect, but an important activity especially now that I am the master of what I get up to each year. No longer is there a boss to tell me my annual objectives, I get to make them up myself! What more could I possibly want?

Oh, yes, a new book release - or two! :-)
Araton's Destiny

... is about a guardian angel who isn't very good at his job, and is reassigned to be a Christmas angel...
Out on December 18 at Silver Publishing

and
The Magic Thieves


... is the novel-length version of lightning wizard Elryk's quest for justice on Tah'Nut...
Out on December 27 at Total-E-Bound


Enjoy your December!

I’ve been sick with a bad cold for the last few days, something rare for me. I haven’t contracted any virus of any kind for the past two or three years. This one more than made up for it. I lost my voice…scary…for someone who teaches…my poor employee has been running the office…in between receiving instructions from me via telephone in my barely audible voice. She’s wonderful.

Somewhere in my haze of cough syrup and Tylenol, emerged clarity. I’ve had nothing to do except be sick which means I’m restless as hell, given my usual 70 hour work week, including writing. And although I did manage to do some writing, I mainly goofed off.

I discovered that sometimes goofing off produces….clarity? I said that already, didn’t I? And D.J…will you please get to the point some poor reader sighs! Well…given my busy life, I rarely have time to just leisurely browse the internet, and as I did, I began to ponder (dangerous when I ponder)…the questions of ethics, and social responsibility. As an educator, I’ve always been conscious of the power I have to (and I have to be careful with which verb I choose here or I’ll get strung up)…sway, enlighten, manipulate, educate….It all depends on who is doing the talking and your take on what they’re saying I suppose…but I don’t think anyone would disagree that a teacher has the power to influence the thinking of their students for the good or the bad.

Well, as writers, we have that power too, and not just those kinds of writers who wrote our high school history books…but also those of us who write fiction. With power, comes responsibility, something often forgotten by those in higher places but that’s for another time when I catch something. Remember that list of guidelines publishers have when you sign up? We all know what they are so I won’t bore you with the details…some of legal like…others just good taste.

I don’t take the fact lightly that many, many people read what I write all over the world, and that some people don’t analyze every detail in a book like I do. University trained my brain to think that way but most people read my books for leisure, to be entertained. Some of my readers write me and tell me they learn things also.

They may learn about social practices or customs in places they know little about, or new laws pertaining to this group or that. Sometimes they come to see love between people of the same sex from a new perspective if they’re reading this genre for the first time, or they become more conscious of discrimination in their own environment. For me, it’s a fringe benefit. Although I write primarily to entertain, all books have a setting, a time period, variables which interact with the characters. It is what helps to drive the plot forward. Characters have social class, race, nationality, history, issues, and so forth. Any self respecting author who takes their craft seriously must commit to doing their homework before they write a book. You don’t write a book set in Montreal, Canada and say that “John is staring dreamingly at the C.N. Tower.” Ah…the C.N. Tower is in Toronto. That said…let me ask you, would you describe the beautiful wedding which took place in the deep south in the 1940s between a man of color and white woman? No, because someone would tell you that what you are describing would have been impossible in that time. You may write about the love between this man and woman and make the story about how they long to be together but can’t due to racism but can you really negate the history that some people had to endure by pretending in your book it never existed? No, you can’t because it shows a blatant disrespect for the culture or history you are borrowing from. And that’s what bothers me the most. We can’t pretend that it’s fine for two men to walk down the street kissing in Saudi Arabia where that would bring a death sentence? Why? Because people actually die there. It’s not fiction. It’s not a fun story. Make your story ring true or create your own perfect universe. Call it Zanazel, for all I care, and make it homophobia free!

Some people reading this right now are asking themselves what in the world is that guy getting all worked up for? Why can’t I tell my story anyway I want? It’s just a story, not real. As a writer I can make anything true. But to me, it really cheapens the craft of writing to tell a story within a backdrop that rings false. At one time, electronic books had little respect and in all fairness, I’ve seen some books out there that I have to shake my head at. I have no idea why these books were published in the first place. But I also see some phenomenal writers in this industry, and you know who you are… ….and these writers do have social responsibility, they are conscious of what they write and the power they have. These writers make me proud of my craft. They enrich it and they elevate writing to more than just another story. Those of you beginning, please, do justice to the culture or the situation you set your story in. You don’t have to be one hundred percent accurate but either know your backdrop or change it. It’s just an element of good writing and shows that you respect the power you hold.

If you want to be a serious writer then be conscious of the messages you send in your stories. And we all send messages whether we know what they are, or not. Unfortunately you can’t just write a story without including some reality, and if you’re going to put it forth as reality, make sure you’ve done your research, or…make up your universe and create your own reality, that’s a good way around it. Because telling me that the C.N. Tower is in Montreal…no matter how riveting your story is, makes me start to disbelieve all of it. And when I read, I want to believe. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?

A word or two about characters who are less than perfect, and damn it…where are…oh forget the damn condoms!

Have you even known a perfect man?? God knows I’ve searched for one but somehow…well…even the one that looks next to perfect…he’s got issues. I have a love/hate relationship with that word…issues, but hey it’s catchy, isn’t it? I could say it all day. And my characters have them. I don’t write White Knights or Prince Charmings, because baby, I have nothing to base them on except fairy tales, and I don’t write those either.

I write what I know, I write what I see, and I write what I hear. Being a writer is a funny thing…not funny ha, ha, but funny bizarre. When people read me, they tell me the characters are alive in their head. Great…but sometimes I have the odd reader who will write me and they are really angry, mad! They demand to know why was he (the character) so stupid. I didn’t like him because he was so immature. I would have liked the book better if the guy would have realized what he was doing and come out of the damn closet!

I guess my response is…yes….but….but…there wouldn’t be a book otherwise, or it would be a totally different book…or I would have had to stop at chapter three with no place to go except…the end.

Human beings are flawed, immature, stupid, and they don’t realize things that are going on in front of their faces. I hate to break it to you but…there you are. I write fiction but I don’t write perfect. I’m far from that. And I have no role models on which to go on.

This brings me to the “happy ending.” I usually give in to this one…because I’m a softie deep down…and I give the characters a happy ending…but sometimes in life this doesn’t happen. But hey, I figure readers don’t want boring old hum drum…they want to feel good for a little while. And I kind of agree with that.

Overall…I love that my readers write me and nag at me sometimes. It feels like marriage (shudders). I love them all, even the flawed ones!!! 

Now, regarding the condom business. I write about men having sex and I have a problem with condoms, not personally mind you…but writing about them in a book during sex scenes. Readers blast me if I don’t include a condom, and they blast me when I do. Usually, characters use them all the time but some readers…especially gay men…tell me… “D.J. we know, we know, you don’t have to hit us over the head with the condoms…” So, ‘sigh’ I surrender. I wish I had a device where readers could just add one or take one away at leisure while they read, based on their tastes.
Just like with characters…don’t like what this one is doing…well…just eliminate the lines you don’t like. That would work.

Actually it’s flattering that some readers breathe such life into my characters. I’m smiling. I love my readers…they make me dizzy sometimes but damn, my ego just loves it when they take time to write and say something nice. It makes me high for days.

I’m thinking however that maybe I should write three alternative stories…one with nice guys who use condoms, one with guys who are sometimes nice and sometimes use condoms, and guys who are flawed who once in awhile remember where they put the damn condom. What do you think???