Happy 5th Birthday Midnight Seductions Authors

It's Midnight Seductions Authors' birthday

AND you get the gifts!

In 2008 I was invited to join the Midnight Seductions Authors. The group of authors work together to help support each other in promoting our various books. When I first started, there were about 20 authors, it moved up to nearly thirty and recently reduced to just over a dozen. But every one of them works diligently to support one another when we promote our books.

If it weren't for the Midnight Seductions Authors, I would never have discovered how much I love live chats!

When one of the authors reminded the group about the group's upcoming birthday, we all offered suggestions about what we could do to celebrate this 5 year milestone. Eventually we came up with the idea of a blog hop. A way to pay back our readers for their support and dedication to the group.

With that in mind, we're offering one participant the opportunity to win a brand new Kindle Fire.

On each of the participating blogs, each Midnight Seductions author is offering an individual prize for one lucky person who leaves their comment. For one reader, I'm giving away a copy of one of my books from my backlist as well as a messenger bag embroidered with my Diablo Blanco Club series logo.

In order to be included in the drawing, you must answer the question in the Rafflecopter box and leave a comment on the blog. Make sure you include your email address so I can contact the winner easily.

The question you need to answer?

What do you think would be the best birthday gift?

Leave your answer in my comments as well as on the Rafflecopter link.

Don't forget to go by the other MSA Authors blogs to enter:

Adrianne Brennan     Mary Suzanne     CJ England     Elizabeth Black

Beth Wylde     AJ Llewellyn     Adriana Kraft     Cassidy McKay

Kissa Starling

And a very big thank you to Dee Dawning for pitching in on the grand prize.

Dee loves to participate and support MSA.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Romancing The Hop: What Makes BDSM Romantic?

When I decided to participate in the Romancing the Hop blog hop, I was drawn by the subject of the hop -- Romance. I've always read, but romance has been my favorite genre since I read my first one when I was twelve. It's not just the happily ever after that gets me. It's the relationship developed between the main characters and their self-awareness. And yes, my interest in romance eventually led to my writing it.

I write romance.

I write erotic romance.

I write BDSM erotic romance.

I write BDSM erotic romance.

I write erotic romance.

I write romance.

I sometimes think I should adopt this as my personal mantra. Whether repeated forwards or in reverse order, to me, romance is the key. It can be found in a butterfly soft kiss, the touch of a hand, the smack of a paddle, or the crack of a whip. Whichever way the emotional connection is established and communicated between two individuals, it reflects two things: Trust and Respect.

Trust and respect. It seems like a simple enough equation: Trust + Respect = Love/Romance. I mean, a person has to trust and respect themselves before they can love themselves. And a person has to love themselves before they can actually love another. At least that's the theory, right?

That's what I find so cool about writing romance. Sometimes an author runs across a character that hasn't discovered how lovable they are. It takes the trust and respect shown to them by someone else to trigger those same emotions in themselves. The happily ever after doesn't come until the the characters trust and respect themselves to love and be loved.

I think this need for trust and respect for oneself and others is what draws me to writing kink. In BDSM, trust and respect are important components of a power exchange relationship. The Dominant must trust and respect the ability of the submissive to make rational, informed, and reasonable decisions on what s/he will participate in. At the same time, the submissive has to trust and respect that the Dominant is capable of doing the same. Add romance to the mix and the stakes can be upped. Due to the inherent need for trust and respect between the participants, readers can more clearly visualize the growing emotions between characters.

So, when some people ask "What makes BDSM romantic?" or "How can getting spanked be romantic?" I point out trust and respect.

Now, on to the part everyone is really interested in -- the contests.

Romancing the Hop has three great prizes, you only need to leave a comment on any of the 207 blogs participating. The more you comment the more chances you have to win. Make sure you leave your email address in your comment so you can be included in the drawing. No email, no entry.

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

My contest is similar. Same rule -- no email, no entry. Leave a comment with your email in it. I'm giving away a messenger bag, with a felt sleeve for a computer (max size for sleeve is 15.5"), a pen, Diablo Blanco Club sticky notes, and a key chain wallet. Here's a picture of my prize:

Click on the Romancing the Hop picture to go to the list of other blogs participating. You have until September 3, 2012 to enter. I'll announce the winner of my prize here and on my Facebook page on Tuesday, September 4th.

Enjoy and Good Luck!!

Q

Prepare Yourself! The Romancing The Hop Blog Hop Starts Friday!

Friday, August 31st it begins!!

Prepare yourself for the Romancing the Hop Blog Hop!

What is your favorite thing about Romance? Well, we authors are ready to share our romantic tips and favorite romance reads! Starting on Friday and ending on August 31st, over 100 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about romance, reading romance, and dating.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 100 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 100 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

Yep. ALL of that! Whoot! Be sure to come back here on Friday and over the weekend to enjoy some stories and facts about our favorite Romance events and reads and enter to win!