Despite the fact that I’m an erotic romance author, I’m not talking about passions in the carnal sense. At least not this time. I’m talking about the things you do on your own time, the things that made life full and fun and thrilling.

Example: My 2-year-old’s passions are making messes and using my office chair as an amusement park ride. He does both as often as he can. His eyes sparkle with glee as he splashes in his spilled milk or spins round and round on my chair until he’s dizzy. Makes me almost not want to get mad at him .

I’ve always been the kind of person who either does something with everything she has–body, heart and soul. Or not at all. The things I love, I do with gusto: reading, sewing, writing…consuming ice cream. The things I don’t like so much–like cleaning house–I don’t do at all. Or at the very least, as little as possible *g* I know. My poor family. LOL

Many of the characters in my books also have passions…and again, not just the carnal kind. They have plenty of those too, lol. I can name a couple heroines who are as crazy about ice cream as I am, one who is an animal lover, and one who is an eBay junkie. I think giving characters these kinds of traits makes them well-rounded and real.

So, what are your passions? Care to share?

I’ll randomly draw one winner from those responding to win a download of their choice from my backlist, winner’s choice.

Note: because I work Saturday, the drawing will be held Sunday August 6, no later than twelve noon Eastern US time.

And for those who are sewing/costuming fanatics like me, I’ve started a new site with links for costuming resources and dress diaries: http://www.sydneyscostumes.homestead.com

Okay, so I’m spending my evening doing what all (slacking/procrastinating) writers are doing…blog hopping! And I discovered the Avon editors’ group blog, aptly titled Avon Romance Blog.

June 11’s entry caught my eye. Titled “For Book Lovers”, it spoke to me, perhaps because I am (of course) a book lover. Have been since I was a little girl.

My faves: Nancy Drew, Little House books, college psychology textbooks, Fairytales…the list goes on. I’d read anything. I was a book carp.

Some things haven’t changed, but I digress…

The blog entry turns out to be about a collection of published essays by Anne Fadiman. Evidently, she has determined there are exactly two types of book lovers, those who are “Courtly” and those who are “Carnal”.

According to the Avon blog’s summary (I haven’t read the essay so I am relying on their synopsis), Courtly book lovers do not dog-ear books or break the spine. They wouldn’t write in a book or rip out a page. (I know someone like this–her books are arranged by author and then alphabetized by title.)

On the other hand, Carnal book lovers don’t bother with bookmarks and break the spine at will. They might use a book as a coaster, or if needed, use a couple to prop up a piece of furniture missing a leg.

Me? I confess (as my entry’s title suggests), I am a Carnal book lover. My books are well-used and well-loved. I sleep with them. I lose them in the creases between the couch cushions. I read them while I eat and leave the occasional smear on a page. A small stack of hardcover books prop up my son’s tippy desk.

The shame.

So, tell me, what about you? Are you a Courtly or Carnal book lover? I will be drawing a winner from those who respond. The prize? A print proof of my September release, “Sex and the Single Ghost” and a signed cover flat.

Good luck!

Yes, that expression is a TIRED cliché. It’s used to describe just about anything from people to mud huts. But there is a truth in the statement that cannot be denied, at least in my opinion.

As an (extremely) untrained artist, I admit, I tend to be visual in nature. I have particular taste when it comes to artwork–cover art and otherwise. To be really great, it needs to evoke some kind of emotion in me. If it doesn’t, it’s blah. Or worse.

Working in a bookstore, I know I’m not alone. There are LOTS of readers who notice cover art first. How can a person not? It’s literally the first thing they see. Frankly, if cover art was not a key ingredient in the packaging of a book, I doubt it would get the attention it does. From publishers and readers alike. How many blogs are centered on the snark of bad book covers?

Knowing there is time and money spent to design all book covers, no matter what publisher has produced it, I hate to label any cover as “bad”. Some reflect the techniques used to create them–or rather the limitations of those techniques. Some do a poor job of representing the tone or theme of the book. Some have errors, like floating arms or ill-proportioned people. And some are just…okay, but not great.

And then there are my favorites–Looking at some Ellora’s Cave covers (which I think have come a LONG way from what they used to be):

Jan Springer’s Sinderella (This cover is simple, sexy and elegant. The contrast between the white background and black gloves gives the photograph punch)

Shiloh Walker’s Hunters: The Beginning (Love the black and white with a bit of color. The red stream of blood. The woman’s lips.)

Sherri King’s Fetish (Those boots are hot!)

Looking outside of Ellora’s Cave:

Robin Lee Hatcher’s Catching Katie (Love the girl’s smile and the way the title follows the bend of the hat)

Laurie Graff’s Have to Kiss a Lot of Frogs (It simply makes me smile)

Michelle Cunna’s 32AA (So simple but says so much)

Isn’t it unfortunate that we can’t judge the story inside by the cover? But it’s simply not the case. I’ve found some absolutely delightful stories hidden behind awful (or just mediocre) covers. I have to admit, most of my all-time favorite books have so-so covers. But that didn’t stop me from buying.

What about you? What are your favorite book covers? Do covers sway your decision to buy or not to buy? I’d love to hear what you like and don’t like in book covers. All opinions are welcome!

This weekend is our city’s “Liberty Fest”, the official launch of the summer’s 4th of July festivities. There will be games, parades, fireworks and arts and crafts booths. Great fun!

Summer’s here! Whoo hooo!

I love the 4th of July. Not because it’s my birthday (now that I’m older, I HATE that part ggg) and (I admit) not because it’s our nation’s birthday either. I’m ashamed to say I’ve completely lost touch with the true significance of the day.

I love it for all the wonderful memories I have from my childhood. Summers were carefree times. No school. No strictly enforced bed time. Just a time to run free, free, free. The 4th of July itself was usually spent in the backyard, my mother cooking chicken on the grill. After dark, we’d eat toasted marshmallows and get out the sparklers. We’d dash around until we’d used up all the kid energy and worn down from our sugar high. And then we’d fall asleep to the distant rumble of fireworks.

Such sweet memories.

Now that I have a family of my own, I am carrying on the tradition. There is no doubt we will be hauling out the “Match Light” charcoal and grilling hot dogs, hamburgers and corn on the cob. And we’ll fill the kids with sugar so they’re wired for hours. Then we’ll lie on a blanket in our backyard and watch the fireworks. (No, no sparklers for our kids. Not after my brother’s accident.) I want my kids to have those sweet memories too. To share. To carry on. To hold dear.

What about you? What does the 4th of July mean to you?

I’m giving away a special prize this month, a bound proof of SEX AND THE SINGLE GHOST, my September release! I will draw the winner from those who post between now and 12 noon Saturday (Eastern US time).

Good luck and can’t wait to read your posts!

Lately, there are a lot of shapeshifter romances being published and written, especially among erotic romance publishers/authors. I love shapeshifers. I love writing them and I love reading them. For kicks, since I’m currently wrapping up a shapeshifter romance (working title: Mark of the Beast), I thought I’d list the top ten reasons why I find them so appealing.

10. It’s a fun and unique challenge to make a somewhat over-done plot device different from what’s been done already.

9. I find shapeshifters like bears, wolves and large felines really sexy. A muscular, alpha man who morphs into a wolf or puma…or dragon? Yum!

8. There are so many possibilities when your characters can change into any animal you can imagine. As a writer, there’s nothing more exciting than exploring a new and exciting direction in your writing.

7. It’s pure fantasy, an escape. And if there’s one thing I look for when I read, it’s escape from my very nice but very ordinary life.

6. Shapeshifters are sexy!

5. Many of my favorite authors write shapeshifter romances. And many of these authors are prolific. I will never reach the bottom of my TBR stack.

4. I was a natural sciences major in college and I find it’s fascinating to explore the scientific aspects of how a shapeshifter might be created.

3. The psychology of how a character might deal with discovering the man/woman they love is part wolf/bear/whatever adds a new and interesting conflict to the story.

2. Especially in the case of heroes, there is often a balance between the more dangerous qualities they’ve acquired from their animal sides (sensuality and instinct) and the more appealing aspects from their humanity, like courage, loyalty and devotion. I love reading about complex characters that are both loveable and dangerous.

1. And did I mention they’re sexy?

Do you love shapeshifters? Why or why not? What are your favorite shapeshifter books? I’ll draw a name from those responding to receive a download of one of my books, winner’s choice.

UPDATE! Congratulations to Paula (post #28)! You’ve won a free download of one of my books. Please email me at tawnytaylor@sbcglobal.net for your prize!

And I’m not talking about the weather. I’m in Michigan. It’s hardly what you’d call “hot” in May We had a frost warning last week.

No, what I’m talking about are books. Have you read the articles? Watched the interviews on television?

Hot romances are the latest buzz. Even Geraldo did a story on it. A lot of readers want steamy sex in their novels. We’re not necessarily talking about more sex, either. Many readers want authors to push the limits, to experiment with new and inventive storylines and sex scenes. They want to read a thrilling plot, memorable characters and sex scenes that’ll inspire them to bathe in a bucket of ice. They love vampires, shapeshifters and alpha heroes. And they demand strong heroines who can handle whatever challenges are thrown at them.

The books that were once only released through epublishers no one had heard of are now being published by larger houses. And some are being released within the publishers’ commercial imprints. It’s a trend I don’t see falling away. I see it shaping the future of romance fiction.

I’d love to hear your opinions on steamy romances. Do you love them? Can’t handle reading them? Do you hide them from friends and family? Who are your favorite erotic romance authors? I’ll pull a name from those who respond to win a *download* of one of my steamy books–winner’s choice. (Note: the prize is an ebook)

And for those who are heading to Daytona next week…see you there!

Read more:
http://cbs2chicago.com/specialreports/local_story_123153320.html
Geraldo At Large (scroll down to Feb. 23)

UPDATE: Congratulations to Kim H.! You’ve won the drawing. Please email me at tawnytaylor@sbcglobal.net with the title of your choice and the format. And a big thank you to everyone who responded.

Being primarily an e-book author, I’m extremely curious to know how many readers of this blog have read and/or will read an e-book. Recently Yahoo! ran a one-day (extremely unscientific) survey of visitors to see what the rough percentage of e-readers was. I believe the figure ended up around %10 of all responders.

I’ve read statistics and have concluded that even though sales of e-books are rising every year, they still account for a very small percentage of overall book sales, not even the %10 the Yahoo! survey results might suggest. Do I believe e-book sales will ever overcome tree-book sales? Perhaps someday, but probably not in my lifetime. Like DVD movies compared to movies viewed at the cinema, e-books might someday offer additional content the tree-book version does not. But, continuing the movie analogy, there will still be those who prefer the tactile sensation of holding and reading a tree-book, just like there are those people who still prefer to sit in a movie theater, munch popcorn and watch a film on the “big screen.”

It seems among folks over the age of about 25 years there are two camps: The dedicated tree-book readers who will never read an e-book; and those who are open to e-books but still prefer to read tree-books. A third position–the people who prefer e-books over tree-books (like myself, by the way) constitutes an extremely small percentage, based on my personal experience.

There are a number of reasons why folks don’t care to read e-books. They don’t own a PDA or reader and don’t want to sit at a computer to read. They don’t want to spend $100 or more for a reader when they can spend $6 on a paperback. They need the tactile experience,–the feel, the scent of paper–when they read. Then there are those who say they’ve tried an e-book and felt the quality was not as good.

I don’t want to focus too much on that last one, but I will touch upon it. I realize this topic can get heated, but I’m confident we can have a friendly discussion without things getting out of hand.

Because starting up an epublishing company requires very little cash, it’s possible for an individual to launch an epublishing company and produce less-than-stellar books. It is difficult to find educated, qualified editors and it is equally difficult to attract quality authors to a new and unknown publisher. This is why I recommend readers who are curious about e-books to be selective. Read excerpts if they’re available. Read reviews. Get a feel for which publishers produce quality books that are edited carefully. Get a feel for which authors write quality books too. They will stand out from the crowd. They often write for traditional book publishers under the same name or a pseudonym. Okay. Finished with that hot-button topic, however, I’m open to answering questions or comments if you’d like to post.

As far as the other reasons why readers don’t buy e-books, I can see their point. Again, I am primarily an e-book author. While I have roughly eight books out in paperback now, I have twice as many available in e-book. Still, I wouldn’t want to sit at my computer to read. My computer chair isn’t all that comfy and it doesn’t recline :grin: And if I wasn’t able to use my PDA for other functions, I wouldn’t have wanted to shell out $200 to read e-books. It’s a given fact that the industry will not grow significantly until there is an affordable e-book reader that will be able to display a variety of e-book formats. Something that is marketed with the finesse of the iPod. I can’t wait for that day. It will come.

In Asia, commuters are reading e-books on their telephones as they ride the trains. In addition to folks in Asia, American teens are more technology-friendly. They like gadgets with buttons and screens. Gadgets that do a lot of fun things–take pictures, record short video clips, play music. It’s interesting to note that currently one out of five hits to my website is from a college campus somewhere in the U.S.. In my opinion the present and future readers of e-books are walking the halls our schools and universities.

Why do I prefer e-books over tree-books? It’s a matter of practicality for me. I’m a wife and mommy who spends most of her reading time in a dark room. My hubby gets up for work at 3:00a.m. and so if I’m not reading in the room with a sleeping man, I’m reading while nursing a sleepy baby. I can’t have a reading light on and those little clip-on lights don’t last more than a week before burning out. The backlit screen, one-handed reading, and huge memory capacity make my PDA the perfect solution. I can enjoy my favorite books anywhere, anytime. And I can buy them anytime, even in the middle of the night when I’m holding a toddler with an earache.

And so, I ask, do you read e-books? Why or why not? Who are your favorite authors? What are your favorite sites to purchase from? I welcome everyone’s opinion and would like to encourage an exchange of opinions here. I will draw one reader randomly from the list of responders and will give them two e-books of their choice. Any e-books by any author.