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Elizabeth Black

A Necessary Evil For Writers: Does Social Media Make You Crazy?

by | August 28, 2013 | | 2 Comments

Elizabeth Black writes in a wide variety of genres including erotica, erotic romance, and dark fiction. She lives on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats. You may find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack.

From the “Duh! Tell Us Something We Don’t Know” department: a new study has found that Facebook may drive you nuts. According to the ABC News article “Facebook May Be Making You Sad, Says New Study“, social media such as Facebook has a negative effect on our emotions.

“Everyday Facebook use leads to declines in subjective well-being, both how happy you feel moment to moment and how satisfied you feel with your life,” says Ethan Kross, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and a co-author of the study, told ABC News.

Kross and the other researchers analyzed the moods and habits of 82 young adults — active Facebook users with mobile phones whose average age was 20 — over the course of two weeks. They texted each participant five times a day, at random intervals, and got feedback about their feelings, worries, loneliness, Facebook usage and real-life interactions with other people.

They found that Facebook users were more connected with their friends and acquaintances than those not on Facebook,
but the more frequently people used Facebook, the worse they felt immediately afterward. Additionally, the more they used Facebook over the course of two weeks, the less satisfied and happy they were with their lives as a whole.

The social medium I use most often is Facebook. I’m on every day, and it’s an easy way for writers and readers to contact me. I have found Facebook to be irritating at times, but not depressing. I don’t feel lonely or sad from being on Facebook. Quite often, I find it boring. There are only so many updates about what’s for dinner and baby’s first poop I can take on a given day. However, I never get tired of cats. 🙂

That said, not everyone else has such fond feelings about Facebook. Writers who use social networking look at it as a necessary evil. We need to get word out about our works somehow, and that means tweeting about our latest release, updating our Facebook timelines about our backlist of novels, avoiding flame wars on Goodreads, begging for reviews on that vast wasteland that is Google+, and posting images of what our characters like on Pinterest.

I interviewed some writers on Facebook to learn if they found Facebook to be stressful.

In a word, yes.

GIFSoup.

It may not be easy for writers, who tend to be introverts, to be social in general. Facebook does offer some anonymity and distance since you’re on your computer or phone, but the stress is there.

Aaron Smith said: “As a writer, I consider Facebook to be a necessary semi-evil. I hated it when I first signed up, as it seems to go against all the instincts of an introvert like me. But I realize it’s needed for promotional purposes, especially for authors who don’t have the support of major publishers. Over time, I’ve come to enjoy it and interacting with old and new friends as well as readers of my books. But it does get annoying at times, though I can’t honestly say it’s ever made me depressed. Perhaps the most frustrating part of it is that, due to the casual nature of Facebook, a post about something trivial like a Simpsons line or a baseball game can sometimes get more attention than something we, as writers, consider incredibly important, such as the release of a new book or a good review.”

One big problem with Facebook is envy. You see others talking about their endless Silver Stars on AllRomanceEBooks, their latest five star review, their awards, and their great sales, and you – who may not be doing as well – feel the green monster creeping up your spine. The thing is, success doesn’t happen out of the blue. It takes hard work and much rejection to get there.

I’ve noticed that writers on Facebook tend to not talk about the less successful aspects of their careers. You will always hear about an acceptance, but you may not hear about the ten plus times that same writer submitted that particular story to other publishers and was rejected. Tessa Wanton said: “Sometimes we get bound up in what we see out there and especially those who are so very confident when you feel so unconfident yourself. The problem I’ve found is that some people just constantly go on about how successful and brilliant they are, and I have no reason to disbelieve them. Even if I’ve found out later that what they’re saying isn’t true, the initial feeling of inadequacy still presides.” I saw a comment, possibly at the ABC News article, stating that people who needed to constantly talk about how successful and brilliant they are are probably overcompensating for an extreme lack of confidence. Tessa agreed, saying “very true, yet even still the damage is done at that point. I would say artists in general lack confidence in what they do, seems to go with the territory I guess. Such a funny place social media, I do find I have to stand back at times, it can be utterly all consuming.”

Kathleen Bradean discussed her experiences with envy on Facebook, and it’s similar to other tales I’ve been told. “I know I’m making the huge mistake of comparing my writing career to another writer’s.  We all have our own definition of success.” She said. “So why do I make myself miserable seeing that someone sold their third short story this year when I haven’t even written one? And I guess the answer is that I’m not seeing the success I want. It doesn’t seem as if I’m making progress.”

Angelica Dawson has avoided Twitter for reasons similar to Tessa’s. “Either I feel inadequate, envious, or guilty and NONE of those help me.” She said. “I will keep my twitter account as one of the easiest ways to get a hold of me, also because I’m in a number of very busy tribes when I get back to blogging.”

Limiting time on Facebook is a popular way of dealing with being sucked in and occasionally sad.

Some have gone as far as leaving some social media sites altogether.

Taking a break often results in better writing, better sanity, and sometimes more money since you spend more time writing than hanging out.

Ashynn Monroe limits her time. “Face book makes me feel like that sometimes, that’s why I disappear for a while.”

Gemma Parkes said. “I read comments and they are not very helpful and a bit bitchy sometimes and I let it get to me, it stops me writing and that isn’t a good thing. Writers need to write.”

Tessa Wanton said: “I nuked my Twitter account for good, and concentrated on blogging a little more instead. And now, I feel a lot better and, I’ve had better results from concentrating on my website too.”

Noir writer Trent Zelazny has closed down his timeline on several occasions. He points out that some people say and do things on Facebook they would never get away with in real time: “It’s depressing. Text is not the same as speaking, and things can easily be misconstrued.” Zelazny said. “Add to that the people who love to attack others while from the safety of their home. People who would never have the brass to do it in person. An innocent statement, observation, or general feeling about the day, with one comment added, be it insensitive or simply misconstrued, can suddenly turn one’s Facebook page into an unfriendly or even hostile environment.”

Publisher Warren Lapine recently temporarily left Facebook because it was interfering with his work. “For me it comes down to the fact that I like Facebook too much. I find myself on it when I should be working.” Lapine said. “If I’m working on a particularly annoying or complicated book I spend time on Facebook avoiding the work. That needs to stop. I have a contract that calls for me to publish 400 books a year and that doesn’t when I’m online interacting with friends. I’ve tried to tell myself that it’s networking, but my income goes up whenever I get off Facebook and down when I spend too much time on it.”

Not everyone is affected by Facebook in a negative way, though. I’m one person who has never really had a problem with Facebook. I enjoy posting in the mornings, and lurking later in the day, but I suspect I don’t spend as much time on Facebook as some others do. Jacques Gerard doesn’t let Facebook get to him. Neither does Linda L. Barton. Devon Marshall “stopped giving a rodent’s behind what people thought” when he hit his 30s. Jacques Gerard doesn’t let envy ruin his enjoyment of Facebook. He enjoys seeing others succeed. “Mainly I realized my life/journey is my own and should not be compared with anybody else’s life/journey.” He said. “I’m just happy with other’s blessings and successes as well for my own. On the other hand give comfort and prayer for those who are experiencing a tough time or sickness. I learned very early in life that worrying about keeping up with others only creates unhappiness for yourself.”

Social media sites like Facebook are a mixed bag. Depending on how you choose to look at Facebook, it can be the ninth circle of Hell or a great place to network with writers, publishers, editors, and readers alike. It may even be both on occasion. The key seems to be knowing your own limits, and pulling away when you feel yourself getting sucked in. Remember above all you are a writer, and writers write. However, writers also need to make themselves available to the public in order to be seen, and that includes engaging in social media as well as attending book signings, book readings, conventions, and the like. Could the key be balance? Although social media in general and Facebook in particular may be stressful, according to that new study, it is a fairly new medium. Once you master it, it probably won’t own you any longer.

The Writers Group – A Feeling Of Belonging

by | July 28, 2013 | | 6 Comments

Elizabeth Black writes in a wide variety of
genres including erotica, erotic romance, and dark fiction. She lives on the
Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats.


I went to my first meeting with a local writers group
recently. The last time I was in a writers group was at least thirty years ago.
I must have driven past the place hundreds of times, but I never noticed it.
It’s a little hideaway tucked into a corner. I like to take the scenic route
home occasionally, driving past the rocky beaches next to the ocean. This
writers group is along that route. My husband and I were going for a drive,
when he noticed the sign on the building. I must have tunnel vision or
something, since I have never noticed it before.

I would love to join a writers group, especially a local
one. I live over an hour from most writers groups in this area, and I simply didn’t
want to do all that driving. This one is ten minutes away. I couldn’t resist.

One major disadvantage in my mind in being a writer is that
it is so isolating. I have my writer friends on Facebook and elsewhere on the
Internet, but I wanted to be around real, live, breathing people. Make eye
contact. Smell cologne and perfume. Speak in real time. Mingle in meat space. I
craved companionship. I can’t speak for all writers, of course, but I wanted to
belong to a group of people with similar interests. I also wanted to belong to
a group of people who could help me in my writing career.

Now… my main worry was what would the members think of
erotica writers? I had already visited the web site, and I saw lots of notices
about readings for poetry and literary fiction. Would I fit in? I also write
horror, dark fiction, and fantasy. Would dismembered bodies go over better than
erect penises? I had no idea, but I was willing to risk it. I’m not ashamed of
what I write, but I do want to be accepted and I want approval. I want praise
for a job well done, and I want people to show interest in my work.

I worried about disapproval, but I sucked it up and went to
a poetry reading I saw listed on the calendar.

I had a blast.

There were about twenty people present. I was one of several
new people, and I was welcomed with open arms. Most members were over sixty. I
didn’t talk much about myself except to say I was a writer, I lived in town,
and I have been looking for a writers group for some time. I mostly asked
everyone else about themselves. When I told one woman I wrote human sexuality articles
for a sex toys company in London as well as erotica, she gave me “the
look” (most erotica writers probably know what I’m talking about), but
once I explained a bit further, she had shown interest. Several others reacted
in a similar fashion. At the very least, I piqued their curiosity.

Despite my fears, I fit in. I felt welcome. That meant a
great deal to me. A man read some of his poetry, and I enjoyed myself. It felt
good being in a group of pleasant people. I shared wine and conversation out in
the back yard after dark in a very relaxed atmosphere. Not only did I feel
welcome, I welcomed them into my world.

I wonder how many erotica writers are slightly embarrassed
over what they write? I’ve heard plenty of horror stories from my Facebook
writer friends of family who disapprove of their sexy stories. Some have chosen
pseudonyms to protect their jobs, especially if they teach young children.
These writers don’t get much support from their friends and family, which may
make the isolation some writers experience more distressing.

The next event I’ll attend is an open reading for anyone who
wants to read aloud – an open mike night. I’m not quite ready to read yet. I’d
rather get to know everyone better first before I drop my smut on them, but
I’ll bring a little something along in case I feel brave and decide to read
anyway. My stage fright isn’t only about reading erotica. It’s about reading
any of my works aloud. How many writers feel a lack of confidence over what
they write? I chose the perfect story to read if I decide to do it. It’s sensual
and even poetic. I have a feeling it will be praised, and I like basking in
friendship. Groucho might have said he’d never be a part of any club that would
have him as a member, but that’s not for me. Even though I’m a loner at heart,
it feels good to belong.

The Story Behind Pen Names

by | June 28, 2013 | | 10 Comments

Elizabeth Black writes in a wide variety of
genres including erotica, erotic romance, and dark fiction. She lives on the
Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats.

Pseudonyms, pen
names, noms de plume. Regardless of what you wish to call them, writers have
chosen fake names for as long as they’ve been transferring their thoughts to the
written word. I interviewed some of my writer friends to learn why they chose
the pen names they chose. Everyone gave sensible and even fascinating answers.

I’ll start with
myself. Elizabeth Black is not my real name. It is one of my pen names. I chose
Elizabeth Black for my erotic fiction to differentiate it from the political
and feminist non-fiction I had written under my real name. Elizabeth is
my favorite woman’s name. I chose “Black” because the “Bs”
would be at eye level or above in a bookstore. Black is also a classy name and
it’s one of my favorite colors. My horror, fantasy, and speculative fiction pen
name is E. A. Black, and I created it to separate those works from my erotic
works. I liked the idea of using initials and a surname because I thought it
was cool. “E” for Elizabeth, obviously. Black is already my fake
surname. “A” is my fake middle name – Alexia. I first saw that name
on the game “Resident Evil: Code Veronica”. I’m a fan. I later learned
that “alexia” is the name of an acquired reading disability. That
didn’t cause me to waver in my choice at all, but it did make me giggle.

Authors choose pen
names for a wide variety of mundane and interesting reasons. Here are a few
examples of famous pen names:

J. K. Rowling –
Joanne Rowling’s publishers feared that pre-adolescent boys (her target market
for her Harry Potter books) would not want to read stories about a boy wizard
written by a woman. So, they asked her to use her initials. She has no middle
name so she used the initial of her grandmother Kathleen. The interesting thing
about this is that these days, it’s largely assumed that anyone whose pen name
includes initials is a woman.

Nathaniel Hawthorne
was born Nathaniel Hathorne. He was a direct descendent of one of the hanging
judges of the Salem witch trials. Hawthorne may have added the “W” to
his last name as a means of distancing himself from his personal history.

George Orwell – Eric
Arthur Blair chose a pen name so his family wouldn’t be embarrassed by his time
living in poverty. He chose the name George after the patron saint of England.
He chose the name Orwell from the River Orwell, a popular sailing spot he loved
to visit.

Stan Lee – Stanley
Martin Lieber wanted to save his real name for the more serious literary work
he hoped to someday write. He got his start writing comic books, so he chose
the name Stan Lee. He legally changed his name to Stan Lee after making it big
in the kid’s market as a comic book writer.

Lewis Carroll –
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson wanted a simpler, less snooty name and he wanted to
keep his privacy. He changed Charles Ludwidge into Carolus Lusovicus, changed
that to Carroll Lewis, and then switched the words, resulting in Lewis Carroll.

William Makepeace
Thackeray – He wrote under pen names that were just plain silly, since he was a
satirist. His pen names included C. J. Yellowplush, Esq., George Savage
Fitz-Boodle, and Théophile Wagstaff.

Harry Turtledove –
(from Dear
Readers: A Letter From Harry Turtledove) “When
I sold my first fantasy novel, the publisher renamed me Eric Iverson. 
They said no one would believe Harry Turtledove, which is my real name.  I
decided to live with it, though I gave myself a middle initial, G., which stood
for Goddam.  The pen name had certain uses:  I could use it for my
fiction and my own name for academic nonfiction, which I still published
then.  But when Lester bought The Videssos Cycle, he named me Turtledove
again–people would remember it, he declared.  I objected that I was just
starting to get known as Iverson.  He said he wouldn’t buy the books if I
wanted to stay Scandinavian.  I stopped objecting.  But I may be the
only writer in captivity who’s had both his pen-name and his own name imposed
on him by force!  I hope you will remember my name–that’s Harry
Turtledove–and look for the reprint of The Videssos Cycle (and maybe even some
other things I’ve done).”

My
friends who write erotic fiction had many sensible reasons for choosing their
pen names. Here are the most common reasons:

Some
writers simply wanted to create a new identity for their writing, and the way
they chose their pen names was rather creative. Julez S. Morbius told me:
“The first two initials are
my real name initials and Morbius because of my love for vampires and Marvel
Comics.” Angelica Dawson’s pen name is derived from Angelica dawsonii, a
yellow flower in the carrot family native to her province. She’s a botanist and
environmental consultant in her day job.

Dawson also gives
another reason for her pen name: she writes Young Adult fiction under her real
name, Kimberly Gould. Many erotic writers like to differentiate their erotic
works from their other works by use of multiple pen names.

Writers
like Jacques Gerard chose pen names to protect their privacy, especially when
it comes to disapproval from family and religious people. Gemma Parkes also
wanted to protect herself from familial disapproval and she wanted to protect
her children from negative comments from her family in case any of them read
her books, hence her pen name. Vanessa de Sade feared her family would discover her erotic writing so she chose her pen name to protect her privacy. Obviously, de Sade is based on the Marquis de Sade. She wrote: “So I thought, well I don’t want to be Fluffy von Kitten, or Sweetcakes McGhee or anything like that. And then I thought about the Marquis de Sade, and all his weird shit, and I thought, yeah, that’s more like me.” She’s not sure where Vanessa came from. Might be an old girlfriend from years ago.

Kara
Huntington works with children in a very small town. She figured she’d save the
locals the trouble of running her out of town with pitchforks. Her concern over
small-minded townspeople lead her to create her pen name. Alysha Ellis voiced a
similar concern. She is also a teacher. Any connection between her real name
and erotica or even erotic romance would result in instant dismissal. Even if
it didn’t, the knowledge would be very disruptive to her ability to teach very
curious 15 – 18 year olds who would probably make a big deal of it.

Sometimes
having more than one pen name makes decisions difficult, even if you started
out creating them for good reasons. Sacchi Green said: I started out writing
science fiction and fantasy short stories under my real name, Connie Wilkins.
Eventually I published work in a couple of anthologies for kids, and enjoyed it
so much (plus it paid pretty well) that I thought that was the direction I’d
mostly go. When I wrote a lesbian erotica story and had it accepted at Best
Lesbian Erotica, I thought I should use a pen name in case I wrote so much for
kids that they might look me up online. Things didn’t work out that way,
though, and my pen name got a whole lot more mileage than my real one. I’ve
still used the real one sometimes for speculative fiction, and in cases where I
have more than one story in an anthology, but it gets to be hard to decide when
it comes to erotic speculative fiction. Right now I’m in the process of having
a mini-ebook published by Circlet Press, consisting of three stories I wrote
for their books previously and one more that’s about one of the same group of
characters. The problem is that two of the stories are under my real name, and
two under my pen name, so we’re having a hard time deciding which name to use
on the cover.

Some
writers chose pen names to keep them safe. Phoenix Johnson had an online
stalker and she didn’t want that person following her and hurting her writing
career in any way. Phoenix to her means rebirth, and it represents her darker,
wilder side. Her surname was luck of the draw.

Lynn
Townsend (real name K. T. Hicks) wanted a name that sounded more appropriate
for erotic romances. Her real name to her sounded like someone who should write
Tractor Romances, which were what her Russian Studies professor called “a
series of Stalin-era propaganda novels that were about farmers and farmers’
daughters who would sneak off to talk about Comrade Stalin behind haystacks.”

So
there you have it. Writers create pen names for a wide variety of very
interesting reasons. If you use a pen name, what’s your story behind it?

ABOUT ELIZABETH BLACK

Elizabeth Black
writes erotica, erotic romance, speculative fiction, fantasy, and dark fiction.
She also enjoys writing erotic retellings of classic fairy tales. Born and bred
in Baltimore, she grew up under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe. Her erotic
fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous
Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. Her dark fiction has
appeared in “Kizuna: Fiction For Japan”, “Stupefying
Stories”, “Midnight Movie Creature Feature 2”, “Zippered
Flesh 2: More Tales Of Body Enhancements Gone Bad”, and “Mirages:
Tales From Authors Of The Macabre”. An accomplished essayist, she was the
sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine nuts4chic (also U. K.) until it folded
in 2008. Her articles about sex, erotica, and relationships have appeared in
Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet, CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis
Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama Magazine, and Circlet blog. She also writes
sex toys reviews for several sex toys companies.

In addition to
writing, she has also worked as a gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up
artist (including prosthetics) for movies, television, stage, and concerts. She
worked as a gaffer for “Die Hard With A Vengeance” and “12
Monkeys”. She did make-up, including prosthetics, for “Homicide: Life
On The Street”. She is especially proud of the gunshot wound to the head
she had created with makeup for that particular episode. She also worked as a
prosthetic makeup artist specializing in cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of
blood for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at the Baltimore/Washington
International Airport plane crash simulation test. Yes, her jobs are fun.
 ðŸ˜‰

She lives in
Lovecraft country on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four
cats. The ocean calls her every day, and she always listens. She has yet to run
into Cthulhu.

Visit her web
site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/

Her Facebook
page is https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack

Follow her at
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack

May – National Short Story Month

by | May 28, 2013 | | 2 Comments

Elizabeth Black writes in a wide variety of
genres including erotica, erotic romance, and dark fiction. She lives on the
Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats.


I hope you spent May reading as many short stories as
possible, since National Short Story Month is coming to a close. According to
“Good Fit For Today’s Little Screens: Short Stories“,
the short story is experiencing a resurgence in popularity primarily due to
ebook releases of anthologies in all genres.

While I enjoy reading and writing novels, there is a special
place in my heart for short stories. I have loved short stories since I was a
child since they were like potato chips – I could devour them quickly, and I
couldn’t stop at just one. I liked Edgar Allan Poe and O. Henry. I cut my teeth on ghost legends when I was a
pre-teen. I could never get enough of Hans Holzer and Elliott O’Donnell’s tales
of hauntings. To this day, I’m a sucker for a good ghost story. I’m a huge dark
fiction fan. Toss a Gothic romance on top of a thrilling, spooky tale and I’m
in literary Heaven.

I’m on several “open call” groups on Facebook that
announce submission calls for short stories in science fiction, fantasy, and
horror. I also keep tabs on the ERWA web site, various Facebook pages, and
Duotrope for erotic anthology submission calls. Amazon created its Kindle
Singles program in 2011 to take advantage of this craze. While the Science
Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America defines a short story as being no more
than 7,500 words, most short story lengths I’ve seen in submission calls are
approximately 5,000 words.

I believe a short story is harder to write than a novella or
novel because every little word counts. Short story writing is a skill that
requires practice. While it may be tempting to wax eloquent with exposition,
such meandering takes up valuable space in a short story that may be put to
better use. You can get away with lengthy, vivid descriptions and running off on
tangents in novels that you can’t pull off in a short story. Therefore, the
short story makes for an excellent writing exercise. You must focus on the main
point you wish to convey, and stick with it to write a solid and interesting
short story.

Here are some short
story writing tips:

1. Work your way backwards. Know your ending before you begin.
That way you won’t find yourself writing a lengthy introduction that leaves
little room for the meat of your story.

2. Write whatever comes to mind. You can prune later. This
tip applies to all writing, but it is especially pertinent to short story
writing. Pruning may become essential. You may find that as you write, your
story really doesn’t get moving until several pages in. You’ll know you need to
prune quite of bit of what falls before that point.

3. Keep track of anthology calls, and have several short
stories going at once. Keep them in circulation until they find a publisher.
Publish as many short stories as you can each year to keep your name out there.

4. Take risks. Write a character study. Write the same story
several times, but from the point of view of different characters. Try
different writing styles and different genres. Move outside your comfort zone,
and see if you can pull it off. Think outside the box!

5. Read lots of short stories. There are many wonderful
collections out there waiting for your hot little hands to hold them. Try the
Mammoth Books of Best Erotica, Asimov’s, Xcite Books short story collections,
Clarkesworld, Cleis Press short story collections. Read modern erotica and
classics. Enjoy all sort of different styles of short stories, and learn from
them at the same time.

—–

Why are short stories
so appealing? Here are some reasons:

* They’re a quick nibble for busy people who don’t want to
take the time to read a lengthy novel. Most short stories can be read within
two hours.

* Instant gratification.

* Anthologies give you many short stories to choose from.

* You may discover a new author with a short story.

* Authors may test-run unfamiliar publishers by publishing a
short story with them.

* Individual short story prices in ebook form are less
expensive than the price of a novel.

* They are easy to read on small screens.

* New writers may build their reputations on short stories,
which take much less time to write than novels.

* Releasing a short story several times per year helps
readers keep up to date with writers they enjoy without having to wait several
years in between novels. In other words, publishing short stories keep writers
relevant and in the spotlight.

* Writing short stories help writers become concise and
clear. Every word counts, so the writer must eliminate mistakes writers may
make such as too much exposition and not sticking to the main point of the
story without getting lost in unrelated tangents.

—–

Some Erotic Short
Story Anthologies

Serving Him: Stories Of Submission

Women’s Best Erotica series (This is the link to 2010)

Aqua Erotica

Like A Wisp Of Steam: Steampunk Erotica

Mammoth Book Of Best New Erotica series (This is the link to
#11, 2013 edition)

Best Lesbian Erotica series (This is the link to 2013)

Numerous short stories in “The Decameron” by
Boccaccio (Sexy Short Stories Of Love, Lust, Adventure, and Misfortune)

—–

ABOUT ELIZABETH BLACK

Elizabeth Black
writes erotica, erotic romance, speculative fiction, fantasy, and dark fiction.
She also enjoys writing erotic retellings of classic fairy tales. Born and bred
in Baltimore, she grew up under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe. Her erotic
fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous
Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. Her dark fiction has
appeared in “Kizuna: Fiction For Japan”, “Stupefying
Stories”, “Midnight Movie Creature Feature 2”, “Zippered
Flesh 2: More Tales Of Body Enhancements Gone Bad”, and “Mirages:
Tales From Authors Of The Macabre”. An accomplished essayist, she was the
sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine nuts4chic (also U. K.) until it folded
in 2008. Her articles about sex, erotica, and relationships have appeared in Seduced Sex Toys, Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet, CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis
Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama Magazine, and Circlet blog. She also writes
sex toys reviews for several sex toys companies.

In addition to
writing, she has also worked as a gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up
artist (including prosthetics) for movies, television, stage, and concerts. She
worked as a gaffer for “Die Hard With A Vengeance” and “12
Monkeys”. She did make-up, including prosthetics, for “Homicide: Life
On The Street”. She is especially proud of the gunshot wound to the head
she had created with makeup for that particular episode. She also worked as a
prosthetic makeup artist specializing in cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of
blood for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at the Baltimore/Washington
International Airport plane crash simulation test. Yes, her jobs are fun.
 ðŸ˜‰

She lives in
Lovecraft country on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four
cats. The ocean calls her every day, and she always listens. She has yet to run
into Cthulhu.

Visit her web
site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/

Her Facebook
page is https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack

Follow her at
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack

Writing Using Strong Emotions

by | April 28, 2013 | | 8 Comments

Elizabeth Black lives on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats. She has written erotic fiction for numerous publishers and she is self-published.

—–

I normally stuff my
feelings. Old habit. I don’t like feeling strong emotions because I’m afraid of
losing control, which makes writing all the harder for me. Good writers
regularly open a vein and empty it all over their computer screens. As
Hemingway wrote, “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a
typewriter and bleed.”

I’m a very private
person, so opening up so much of myself in my writing takes a lot out of me. I
do write my escapist fantasies like “Trouble In Thigh High Boots”
(erotic Puss In Boots), “Climbing Her Tower” (erotic Rapunzel), and
my work-in-progress “Alex Craig Has A Threesome”. They’re like
setting me loose in a candy store. I get the gimmes and I want it all! However,
I have exposed a little too much of myself in some of my other stories. Two
include my contemporary 1980s novel “Don’t Call Me Baby” and especially
my short dark romance story “Alicia”. Those two are partially based
on personal experience. As I worked on both stories, I felt over-exposed and a
bit embarrassed and even ashamed. However, all of those feelings reflected how
much I opened up in writing both stories, and they made the stories all the
better.

“The best people possess a feeling for
beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the
capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they
are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.” – Ernest Hemingway

How often do you
open up as a writer? You can always afford to open up more. Get inside your
character’s heads, and expose their weaknesses for all they’re worth. In doing
so, you expose yourself. The problem with sitting down at your typewriter and
bleeding is that it makes you vulnerable. How vulnerable are you willing to
make yourself for your art? Sometimes writers use their fiction as a cathartic
way of coping with their own problems or coming to terms with trauma. It isn’t
an accident that writing in a journal is a form of therapy often prescribed by
therapists.

Full disclosure here
– my short dark romance “Alicia” is based on my rape. Twenty years
ago I was raped by my then-husband, and the experience was obviously very
traumatic. He choked me so hard I coughed up blood, and my voice was hoarse for
several days. It took me many years to come to terms with that ordeal, and
writing “Alicia” is one big way I was able to deal with it. The
imagery I used in the story reflected how I coped with it. The entire ordeal
was like being trapped in a horrific dream and I couldn’t wake up. So, in both
telling a good story and dealing with my own abuse, I dove head-first into my
past and tore open some very old scabs. Here is the opening of the story, to
give you an idea of the visceral nature of what happened to me – and to Alicia.

This excerpt from
“Alicia” shows how using vivid description and strong emotions pull
the reader into a story. Just so you know, “Eric” is the pen name of
a dear friend of mine whom I care about deeply. “Carol” is my middle
name. “Alicia” is one of my favorite women’s names. Those three names
have significant meaning for me. I’ve found that choosing character names close
to your heart helps you to get inside their skins – and get inside your own so
you can’t hide from yourself. It’s an interesting exercise – if you are basing
characters on people you know, use their real names. Once the story is
finished, go through the document and change the names to something different
to establish some distance.

Eric stepped out of
the shower and a foul stench—mingled with the crisp peppermint of his
shampoo—smacked him in the face and left a coppery taste in the back of his
throat. His stomach heaved. Confused, he looked around the room to figure out
where the smell came from, but he couldn’t pinpoint it. Dread clung to him,
dark and sticky, ruining his relaxed mood. The light bulbs over the sink
hummed, casting harsh yellow light about the room. He shaded his eyes against
the glare, trying to see.
 Why were those
lights so bright? Something was terribly wrong in his peaceful world, and not
knowing what it was frightened him.
 His wife Alicia
brushed her teeth as if nothing was unusual, while the stink of rot lurked
beneath the cool mint of his shampoo. Why didn’t she notice the smell?
 He leaned towards
her to place his hand on her shoulder, and she turned her face towards his for
a kiss on the cheek. Ugly, purple bruises darkened her eyes. He pulled away,
repulsed and alarmed, not quite sure what he was seeing. One side of her face
had swelled to a dark mask, not unlike a pumpkin that had been left outside in
the damp earth to rot. An angry red welt encircled her throat like a bloody
ribbon wrapped around her neck. Frightened, he reached out one hand but he
couldn’t bring himself to touch her swollen face. Touching her would make the
vision real and it couldn’t be real.
 Alicia spat in the
sink. Two of her teeth bounced against the porcelain. Blood tainted the paste.
 “The girls are
running late again.” Alicia’s bloodied mouth leaked crimson and white
toothpaste. Why did she act as if nothing strange was going on? He gaped at
her, not understanding what was happening. The safety of his home evaporated as
she spoke with her raw, torn mouth. “Make them wolf down their cereal, and
toss them out of the house before they miss the bus.”
 “Alicia, who
did this to you?” Eric asked. She did not answer him. She brushed her
teeth, running the brush over her ragged gums where the teeth had been knocked
out. His stomach heaved again, and he swallowed hard to keep from vomiting. He
wanted to knock out the teeth of whoever had assaulted her, but she acted as if
nothing was wrong. Why?
 The phone rang. Who
would be calling him at this hour? It wasn’t even 7:30 yet. He asked Alicia
again who had done this to her, but she didn’t answer him. She dried her torn
mouth, and then she smeared foundation over her face. To his horror, the
foundation did not cover her bruises. It only made them look uglier and even
more purple.
 Eric walked to the
phone and answered it.
 “Hello?”
 The phone continued
to ring. Eric’s steam-hazy mind knew that that wasn’t supposed to happen.
 “Hello?”
 Eric woke up in bed
to the ringing of the telephone on the dresser next to him. His wife, Carol,
stirred at his side.

When I first wrote
that excerpt and a later excerpt that takes place in a hospital, I wanted to
delete, delete, delete! Too much revealed. In many ways, that’s a good thing.
It had shown I got to Alicia’s soul, and my own. If you want to feel like a
freshly torn scab when you write, make yourself vulnerable. You will likely
feel exhausted and a bit worried you’ve said too much once you finish, but the
end result is worth it.

Here are my blurb
and buy links for “Alicia” if you’re interested in reading the rest
of the story.

Buy Links:

http://tinyurl.com/alicia-amazon

http://mochamemoirspress.com/alicia/

Blurb:

When the love of his
life, Alicia, calls him in the middle of the night to report she had been
raped, Eric drops everything to come to her rescue. She takes him on an eerie
ride through turbulent hours he can’t quite comprehend. Alicia may need his
help, but her situation is not what it seems.

 ABOUT ELIZABETH BLACK

Elizabeth Black
writes erotica, erotic romance, speculative fiction, fantasy, and dark fiction.
She also enjoys writing erotic retellings of classic fairy tales. Born and bred
in Baltimore, she grew up under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe. Her erotic
fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous
Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. Her dark fiction has
appeared in “Kizuna: Fiction For Japan”, “Stupefying
Stories”, “Midnight Movie Creature Feature 2”, “Zippered
Flesh 2: More Tales Of Body Enhancements Gone Bad”, and “Mirages:
Tales From Authors Of The Macabre”. An accomplished essayist, she was the
sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine nuts4chic (also U. K.) until it folded
in 2008. Her articles about sex, erotica, and relationships have appeared in
Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet, CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis
Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama Magazine, and Circlet blog. She also writes
sex toys reviews for several sex toys companies.

In addition to
writing, she has also worked as a gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up
artist (including prosthetics) for movies, television, stage, and concerts. She
worked as a gaffer for “Die Hard With A Vengeance” and “12
Monkeys”. She did make-up, including prosthetics, for “Homicide: Life
On The Street”. She is especially proud of the gunshot wound to the head
she had created with makeup for that particular episode. She also worked as a
prosthetic makeup artist specializing in cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of
blood for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at the Baltimore/Washington
International Airport plane crash simulation test. Yes, her jobs are fun.
 ðŸ˜‰

She lives in
Lovecraft country on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four
cats. The ocean calls her every day, and she always listens. She has yet to run
into Cthulhu.

Visit her web
site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/

Her Facebook
page is https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack

Follow her at
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack

Don’t Wait For Your Muse To Strike. You’ll Wait Forever.

by | March 28, 2013 | | 7 Comments

Elizabeth Black writes in a wide variety of
genres including erotica, erotic romance, and dark fiction. She lives on the
Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats.

I recently read an
article about the daily routines of famous writers,
and it made me wonder about muses. Some writers, especially novice writers,
occasionally say that they must wait for their muse to inspire them. The
problem is that waiting for your muse to give you a kick in the pants means
you’ll wait forever, and you won’t get any writing done. E. B. White said:
“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die
without putting a work on paper.” The actual day-to-day routine of writing
isn’t nearly as glamorous as suddenly feeling a lightning bolt of inspiration
from your muse, jolting your creativity awake and sending you to your computer,
hands busily typing away until The Masterpiece is born. It requires setting
goals, making a routine, and establishing a support network.

MAKING GOALS

Have you made yearly
goals for yourself? What do you hope to accomplish this year in your writing
career? You do treat your writing like a vocation, don’t you? If you want to be
taken seriously as a writer, you must take writing seriously. Don’t treat it as
a hobby if you intend to make real progress. That means making goals and
establishing a routine. Sounds dull? Maybe, but it works. That’s the reality of
being a writer. It’s not all absinthe parties and movie contracts.

Make goals. List
five things you want to accomplish this year as a writer. Which projects do you
intend to finish? Are you aiming for specific markets and publishers? Would you
like to self-publish? You need to pin down a few workable, realistic goals for
the year. My workable, realistic goals for this year are to finish my erotic
novel “Alex Craig Has A Threesome”, write one human sexuality article
every two weeks for a company that just hired me, write my blog posts
(including my monthly one for ERWA), submit several short stories to good
anthologies (both erotic and dark fantasy), and work on promoting my
self-published books as well as write at least one more (for now). Those are
laudable goals for one year. They are specific. You can pin them down. They
aren’t ephemera floating about your muse’s head.

ESTABLISH A ROUTINE

Once you have goals,
you must meet them. That means work. Establish a routine, even if your schedule
seems impossible. It isn’t. There is always a moment you can find for writing
and achieving your goals.

Joan Didion’s
routine interested me because it’s similar to mine. In a 1968 interview, she
said the following:

I need an hour alone before dinner, with a
drink, to go over what I’ve done that day. I can’t do it late in the afternoon
because I’m too close to it. Also, the drink helps. It removes me from the
pages. So I spend this hour taking things out and putting other things in. Then
I start the next day by redoing all of what I did the day before, following
these evening notes.

I don’t wait for my
muse to inspire me. I have a set routine that I try to follow every day. I work
best in the mornings, being a lark (definitely not a night owl). I start my day
by brewing a pot of coffee, turning on some ambient music like Brian Eno or
nature sounds to music like Dan Gibson and Tony O’Connor, and I read and answer
my email. Then I check Facebook. I stay there for about a half hour, reading,
posting, promoting, and waking up as I drink my coffee. By that time it’s about
7 am. I then work on either an article, a blog post, or a story for one to
three hours. Sometimes I multi-task and work on all three, one hour each. By
noon, I finish that portion of my day, and I enjoy lunch with the occasional
glass of wine or champagne. Then I begin the second half of my day. Afternoons
I devote to research, more article and blog writing, and sex toys reviews. If
I’m working on a fiction story, I may go over what I had done the previous day.
I, like Didion, cannot go over what I had written that morning because I’m too
close to it. I need some distance. So 24 to 48 hours gives me enough distance
so that my judgment isn’t clouded when I look over my work. I then do the exact
same thing the next day – I play Tetris with my writing; move things here,
rewrite things there.

I’m aware of how
lucky I am to make a living writing, and I know most writers aren’t that
fortunate. They have day jobs, children to tend to, spouses that need
attention. They’re exhausted and over-extended. Still, a writer must write.
We’re driven. Find a time every day to write, even if it’s only for fifteen
minutes. Use that fifteen minutes well. You’d be surprised how much progress
you can make in a mere fifteen minutes.

Each writer’s
routine is a personal matter. What works for me most likely won’t work for you,
and vice-versa. You must find your own routine and become familiar with your
inner, day-to-day clock. Carry a notebook and pen around with you, and write
down any inspiring observations or thoughts that come to mind during the day
lest you forget them by the time you are sitting in front of your computer.

Another way to
establish a routine is to go by word count rather than time. I don’t usually
aim for a specific amount of writing time because my days vary. I aim for a
minimum of 1,000 words per day in a short story or longer work and 300 per day in an article. Writing
according to word count is one good way to get your voice out there. If you
can’t muster 1,000 words per day, try for 500. Or 100. Each writer sets
different goals depending on the busyness of his of her life.

ESTABLISH A SUPPORT
NETWORK

Part of a writer’s
routine that may be somewhat neglected is to establish a support network.
Considering the volatile nature of writing and publishing, all writers need
support, and that support may come from friends, online colleagues, and family.
Not all erotica writers are fortunate enough to have supportive friends and
families. Some of my Facebook colleagues have told me stories of how their
spouses, children, and friends do not take their vocation seriously, especially
because they write erotica and erotic romance. They have been judged and met
with disapproval over their choice to write erotic literature. Find at least
one good friend you can fall back on when you get yet another rejection, when
your family snubs you, or your new book isn’t selling. Please do not suffer alone.
A support network is vital for your emotional and mental health. Also turn to
your support network when things are going well. It’s good to have someone to
crow to when you get an acceptance, you win an award, or you finally snag that
agent.

As writers, we often
get so caught up in our daily lives and dreams that we don’t set workable goals
or take the time to plan ahead, meet deadlines, and treat our writing like the
job it is. Once you break down your writing into goals, a routine, and a
support network, you are well on your way to enjoying the path on which writing
takes you.

ABOUT ELIZABETH BLACK

Elizabeth Black
writes erotica, erotic romance, speculative fiction, fantasy, and dark fiction.
She also enjoys writing erotic retellings of classic fairy tales. Born and bred
in Baltimore, she grew up under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe. Her erotic
fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous
Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. Her dark fiction has
appeared in “Kizuna: Fiction For Japan”, “Stupefying
Stories”, “Midnight Movie Creature Feature 2”, “Zippered
Flesh 2: More Tales Of Body Enhancements Gone Bad”, and “Mirages:
Tales From Authors Of The Macabre”. An accomplished essayist, she was the
sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine nuts4chic (also U. K.) until it folded
in 2008. Her articles about sex, erotica, and relationships have appeared in
Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet, CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis
Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama Magazine, and Circlet blog. She also writes
sex toys reviews for several sex toys companies.

In addition to
writing, she has also worked as a gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up
artist (including prosthetics) for movies, television, stage, and concerts. She
worked as a gaffer for “Die Hard With A Vengeance” and “12
Monkeys”. She did make-up, including prosthetics, for “Homicide: Life
On The Street”. She is especially proud of the gunshot wound to the head
she had created with makeup for that particular episode. She also worked as a
prosthetic makeup artist specializing in cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of
blood for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at the Baltimore/Washington
International Airport plane crash simulation test. Yes, her jobs are fun.
 ðŸ˜‰

She lives in
Lovecraft country on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four
cats. The ocean calls her every day, and she always listens. She has yet to run
into Cthulhu.

Visit her web
site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/

Her Facebook
page is https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack

Follow her at
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack

Self-Publishing And Promotions – An Experiment

by | February 28, 2013 | | 6 Comments

Elizabeth Black writes erotica, erotic romance, and horror, and she lives on the Massachusetts coast. See her bio at the end of this article.

—–

It seems everyone is self-publishing these days. More authors are jumping on the self-publishing bandwagon when they read about success stories like J. A. Konrath and Amanda Hocking. Why pay a publisher most of your earnings when that publisher (especially if it is tiny and for the most part operates out of someone’s kitchen) does little of the work? Authors who are published by large publishers these days must do most of their own promotions. Some authors must distribute their ARCs to professional reviewers on their own because their publishers don’t send books out for review. It’s even tougher to find readers to review your works on reader blogs. So lots of people self-publish, hoping to repeat the successes of Konrath and Hocking.

Not all of them succeed. In fact, cases like Konrath and Hocking are rare. From what I understand, most self-published authors barely sell fifty copies of their books in the book’s lifetime. You don’t hear much about that.

As an experiment, I self-published two erotic fairy tales, “Trouble In Thigh High Boots” (erotic Puss In Boots) and “Climbing Her Tower” (erotic Rapunzel). Like so many small press authors, I was tired of working my ass off promoting and writing and taking home only about 40% of my book’s worth. I wanted the 70% I could get from Amazon, especially since I did most of the work myself anyway. Far too many small publishers are really self-published authors operating a start-up out of their kitchen. They add a dozen or so authors (often new authors) to their catalogue to give the appearance of professionalism. These are people with little to no publishing and/or marketing experience. These publishers provide editing and cover art – and that’s about it. Since I did most of the work including promo as opposed to most of my publishers promoting author’s works, I wanted to see if I could make a go of self-publishing.

It’s much harder than most people think. Granted, I’ve been self-published for only four months. It’s too soon to say whether or not I have been successful.

I choose to avoid Kindle Select. I wanted my books to be available on as many distributor sites as possible, so I opted for Kindle Direct, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Sony, Apple, and a few others. I never made it to AllRomanceEbooks although I should list the books there. I’m still figuring out Calibre. Now that I’m considering Kindle Select for a three month trial run, I’ll forgo ARe for the moment. I’ve also chosen only ebooks for the moment, since I can’t afford to release print books.

One big problem many writers face is that their books are lost in a sea of millions of books, especially on Amazon. This is especially true of self-published writers. How do you get noticed? That’s where creative promotions come in. The Holy Grail is to find readers rather than promoting to other writers. Here is some of what I’ve tried so far:

Professional editing and cover art: I hired a cover artist and an editor. That was the first thing I did. They put me back several hundred dollars for both books, but the expense was worth it. My books are professionally edited – something all self-published writers should strive for. One valid complaint of some self-published works is that they are full of errors and are presented in an unprofessional manner. My covers are beautiful and easy to read. I’ve seen some self-published authors and even small presses skimp on the covers. There’s more to making an effective cover than choosing free or low cost stock photos and slapping some text on them.

Professional and Reader Reviews: Some small presses don’t even send out books for review. I sent my ARCs to review sites and individual reviewers myself. Good reviews drive books further up in the ranks, but they can be hard to come by. Amazon recently removed what it considered questionable reviews from author’s books, including perfectly legitimate four and five star reviews. Hit-and-run one-star reviews that serve no purpose other than to attack the writer remained, driving the overall rating of the books down. Reviews can be gamed. Sock puppets were a big problem. Like so many writers, I was disturbed to learn some best-selling authors (most notably self-published wünderkind John Locke) had paid online services several hundred dollars to write positive reviews of their books to artificially boost sales.

Social Media Sites: Facebook and Twitter are mixed bags. Facebook’s new algorithm allows for only less than 100 of your friends to see your posts at a time, therefore you lose a great many potential readers. You must be careful promoting on multiple groups because Facebook may ban you temporarily or permanently for spamming. Even seeking friends who are possible readers is risky, since there is a new item below friend requests asking if you know the person outside Facebook. Ignore that feature. If you click on “no”, that person’s account may be penalized for up to a month.  Despite all that, Facebook is one of my favorite places to be, especially when it comes to networking with other writers and publishers, and finding submission calls. I do see results from my promoting on various reader groups, so Facebook is worthwhile. I’ve heard from writers who get plenty of mileage on Twitter, but I’m not as active on Twitter as I am on Facebook.

Reader Forums: Forums such as Kindle Boards and Goodreads are great places to find readers. The problem is writers are discouraged on most reader forums from plugging their own works. If they plug, they are sometimes flamed and attacked. I’ve run into many writers who have had bad experiences with Goodreads. According to Hocking and Konrath, rather than endlessly advertise your books, you must engage readers. I agree with that. So go into these forums with the intention of talking about your favorite books. Join in the crowd. Get to know people. A big problem with this approach is that it takes an incredible amount of time and it’s not guaranteed to get anyone interested in your books. Time that could be spent writing is spent hanging out in reader forums hoping to get lucky. I used to post on Kindle Boards but I’ve since slowed down. I’ve never had much luck with Goodreads.

Live Chats: I highly recommend live reader chats if you can find them. My favorite live chat is the Night Owl Romance Live Chat. I’m a member of an online writer’s organization that meets with readers on Night Owl every two months or so. Plus I have set up my own individual chats on Night Owl. These chats are scheduled a year in advance so if you’re interested in participating, keep an eye on the forum towards the end of the year to sign up.

Contests: Giving away a book for free is a great way to get noticed. I’ve found initially I’ve given away more books than I’ve sold. It takes time but there is a payoff. Everyone loves free stuff, and people will come out in droves for a chance to win a free book. Just be careful of the collectors – those who are in it only for the freebies. These people have no intension of actually reading the book or buying your other books. They collect free stuff for the sake of having it. Hosting contests on your blog or Facebook page, for instance, is a great way to lure lurkers out of the shadows. Ask a contest question that requires more than a “yes” or “no” answer so you get some personal information about your contest entries. Then, engage them briefly. A little attention goes a long way. Plus you may make some friends doing this.

Loop Chats on Yahoo Groups: Yahoo groups are a mixed bag in similar ways that Facebook and Twitter are mixed bags. A big problem is that most groups are promo dumping sites readers don’t visit. So it’s all an echo chamber of writers promoting to each other. Yes, writers read but the purpose of posting to Yahoo
groups is to promote your books to readers who aren’t necessarily authors. I participate in live loop chats on the Love Romances Cafe Yahoo group several times per year. An advantage of loop chats over live chats is that readers don’t have to be present during your chat to benefit from it. There is an archive of your posts so readers who drop by hours later have written material they may view at their leisure. This includes blurbs, excerpts, and buy links. You can’t post long excerpts in live online chats. You’ll end up with a case of TL;DR.

Blog Hops: I’ve had great results from blog hops. A blog hop is where a number of blogs with a common theme are linked on one web site, most often to celebrate a holiday. For instance, there are Valentine’s Day, Christmas, and Halloween blog hops. I’ve done both romance and horror blog hops. You register your blog on the blog hop page and have a post prepared for the day(s) of the blog hop. Some requires a contest giveaway of a book or other swag. Want to try a blog hop and you write romance? Sign up for the July 4th romance blog hop at The Blog Hop Spot: http://thebloghopspot.com/sign-up-here/

Blog Tours: There are companies that will set up blog tours for you, but I’ve found it easier to simply set up my own. I contacted writer blogs and reader blogs, and asked if I could put up a guest post. Everyone I contacted said “yes”. It helped that I already knew most of the people from Facebook. I often swap with them – I’ll host them on my own blog. I set up a three week blog tour, running Mondays through Thursdays.
Blog tours are a great way of getting exposure to a wide variety of people in a short period of time. If this sounds too overwhelming for you to do on your own, there are plenty of companies online that will do it for you, for a fee.

Radio Shows: I’ve co-hosted romance and horror radio shows on Blog Talk Radio with Marsha Casper Cook. Radio is a great format for you, your interests, and books in general. Plus it’s interesting to put a voice to a name. Radio shows make you seem more real and human.

Special Sales And Free Books: One way to attract attention is to lower your book’s price to $0.99 for several days as a promotion. An even better way to attract attention is to make your book free for a few days. Think of it this way. Your free book is downloaded on Amazon by 1,000 people. 100 out of those people actually read it. 20 of those people chat up the book with other readers because they liked it. Then those people buy and read the book, and pass on their own views of it to their friends. A snowball effect occurs.

These are the two books I have self-published.

TROUBLE IN THIGH HIGH BOOTS
Erotic Puss In Boots
Amazon US

Tita is a Puss In Boots with a little something extra. Being a magical creature, she shifts from a kitty into the form of an alluring, ginger-haired woman when the situation demands it. And what a situation she finds herself in! Her new master Dylan is a poor man who needs a boost in the world. Sly Tita uses her seductive wiles to pass him off to the villagers and the king as the Marquis of Carabas in order to help both of them gain their fortunes. Her plan is not without its problems. Dylan’s malicious brother, Zane, lusts after Tita, and he wants her all to himself, but she refuses to succumb to his treachery. Being a cat first and foremost, she purrs in the arms of her many lovers but her heart belongs to only one man – the king. She hopes that in ensuring Dylan his lofty place in the world the king finds a place in his heart for her. Her life becomes an erotic adventure in reaching her goals.

CLIMBING HER TOWER
Erotic Rapunzel
Amazon US

Rapunzel has never known life outside her tower. She has never felt the company of a human being other than Mother, and she has never been in close contact with a man – until Prince Richard of Norwich climbs into her tower one dark night and sweeps her off her feet. Prince Richard introduces Rapunzel to erotic pleasures beyond her wildest dreams, and she wants more! In order to make her both his wife and his sex slave, Prince Richard needs to spirit her away from that tower, but Mother stands in his way. Prince Richard and Rapunzel begin a tantalizing and dangerous adventure in order to be together as one. And “let down your hair” takes on an entirely new meaning in their fevered embraces.

ABOUT ELIZABETH BLACK

Elizabeth Black writes erotica, erotic romance, speculative fiction, fantasy, and horror. She also enjoys writing erotic retellings of classic fairy tales. Born and bred in Baltimore, she grew up under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe. Her erotic fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. Her horror fiction has appeared in “Kizuna: Fiction For Japan”, “Stupefying Stories”, “Zippered Flesh 2: More Tales Of Body Enhancements Gone Bad”, and “Mirages: Tales From Authors Of The Macabre”. An accomplished essayist, she was the sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine nuts4chic (also U. K.) until it folded in 2008. Her articles about sex, erotica, and relationships have appeared in Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet, CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama Magazine, and Circlet blog. She also writes sex toys reviews for several sex toys companies.

In addition to writing, she has also worked as a gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up artist (including prosthetics) for movies, television, stage, and concerts. She worked as a gaffer for “Die Hard With A Vengeance” and “12 Monkeys”. She did make-up, including prosthetics, for “Homicide: Life On The Street”. She is especially proud of the gunshot wound to the head she had created with makeup for that particular episode. She also worked as a prosthetic makeup artist specializing in cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of blood for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport plane crash simulation test. Yes, her jobs are fun. 😉

She lives in Lovecraft country on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats. The ocean calls her every day, and she always listens. She has yet to run into Cthulhu.

Visit her web site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/

Her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack

Follow her at Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack

You Do Judge A Book By Its Cover

by | January 28, 2013 | | 4 Comments

Your book cover makes a huge impression – so huge it could
affect your sales. An ugly cover could kill your sales because the idea is that
if you don’t care enough about your book to cough up the cash for a spiffy
cover, what does that say about the content of your book? Ugly covers are
unprofessional. They make you look like a noob.

That said, there are some covers so bad they defy
imagination. What were these people thinking? I’m bringing this up because I
had a truly fugly cover for my short sweet romance “The Storm”. The
publisher closed shop before the story was published so I was saved the
embarrassment of seeing this cover in public. Here is it, in all its hideous glory:

Isn’t that simply dreadful? The faces look like they were tacked on, and the edges have
not been smoothed. You can’t even see the ship. At least the title and my name
are clearly visible, although they are in a nauseating puke green. I guess that’s to symbolize seasickness. The cover is also very dark – hard to see. You can’t even
tell what the story is about judging by this terrible cover. It’s a muddy,
unclear mess. My story is a bittersweet romantic comedy with pirates. You’d never know from the cover.

Your cover is your entry into your potential reader’s mind.
It had better stick, and in a good way. The images should be crisp, clean, and
light. Not muddy. Print should be clear enough to read in a thumbnail. If you
can’t see your cover well when it’s in thumbnail you need a new cover. Remember that sites like Amazon display your covers in thumbnail format so it’s important your cover be legible and attractive when small.

Here are some examples of bad covers:

There are more colors in this cover than a bag of Jelly
Bellies. Plus why does the woman look like a Real Doll? She looks plastic –
literally. I wonder if she has a vibrating cachet?

Where is her right arm? Why does she look like she’s
grabbing him by the ‘nads or giving his ass a squeeze? Also, it looks like he’s
going to wrap the lasso around her neck. Not very sexy unless you’re into
auto-erotic asphyxiation.

There is so much wrong with this cover. Dull, muddy colors.
Images of people that look tacked on without adequate blending or shading. Why
aren’t there any shadows below them? He looks like he’s floating in mid-air.
And why is her butt blacked out?

The following covers made me laugh so hard I spewed iced tea all over my monitor. Watch your titles for
double-entendres. No further comment necessary.

Here is my favorite strange and unfortunate book cover. Wow! Imagine the content! Are these lesbians on horseback or lesbian horses?

Oh, about that terrible cover for my short story “The
Storm”? I found an artist who painted a watercolor for me for that short
story, which is now available for free on my web site. This is one of my
favorite covers. It’s beautiful. You may read the story on my web site at this link.

About Elizabeth Black

Elizabeth Black
writes erotica, erotic romance, speculative fiction, fantasy, and horror. She
also enjoys writing erotic retellings of classic fairy tales. Born and bred in
Baltimore, she grew up under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe. Her erotic
fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous
Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. Her horror fiction has
appeared in “Kizuna: Fiction For Japan”, “Stupefying
Stories”, and “Mirages: Tales From Authors Of The Macabre”. An
accomplished essayist, she was the sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine
nuts4chic (also U. K.) until it folded in 2008. Her articles about sex,
erotica, and relationships have appeared in Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet,
CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama
Magazine, and Circlet blog. She also writes sex toys reviews for several sex
toys companies.

In addition to
writing, she has also worked as a gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up
artist (including prosthetics) for movies, television, stage, and concerts. She
worked as a gaffer for “Die Hard With A Vengeance” and “12
Monkeys”. She did make-up, including prosthetics, for “Homicide: Life
On The Street”. She is especially proud of the gunshot wound to the head
she had created with makeup for that particular episode. She also worked as a
prosthetic makeup artist specializing in cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of
blood for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at the Baltimore/Washington
International Airport plane crash simulation test. Yes, her jobs are fun.
 ðŸ˜‰

She lives in
Lovecraft country on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four
cats. The ocean calls her every day, and she always listens. She has yet to run
into Cthulhu.

Visit her web
site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/

Her Facebook
page is https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack

Follow her at
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack

And Now For Something Completely Different…

by | December 28, 2012 | | 4 Comments

This blog post is by Elizabeth Black, who writes erotic fiction and dark fiction. Friend her on Facebook and visit her web site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/.

—–

It’s Christmastime,
and the man knocking at your door is wearing warm, red clothes. He carries a
walking stick. His long, white beard reaches his belt. He may even have horns.
When you answer the door, you see a pulkka, which is a type of toboggan pulled by
reindeer that can’t fly. The man turns to you and asks “Onko täällä kilttejä lapsia?” (Are
there (any) well-behaved children here?) You should invite him inside since he
came all the way from the Korvantunturi mountains. He’s had a long trip.

No, that man is not Santa Claus. He is a Joulupukki, or “Yule
Buck”, which is a pagan tradition found in Finland. I learned this after
watching the Finnish movie “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale”. It’s
kind of a combination of the story of Santa and his elves and “The
Thing”. Very bizarre but good. According to the Internet Movie Database,
this movie is about the following: “On
Christmas Eve in Finland, Santa Claus is unearthed in an archaeological dig.
Soon after, children start disappearing, leading a boy and his father to
capture Santa and, with the help of fellow hunters, they look to sell him back
to the corporation that sponsored the dig. And then there’s Santa’s elves, who
are determined to free their leader…”

Intriguing, isn’t it? This isn’t your usual Christmas
story. I like unusual folklore and it influences my erotic fiction. I
specialize in erotic fairy tales. Most people look to Hans Christian Anderson
and Grimm for their fairy tale inspirations. I’ve done the same with my two
tales “Climbing Her Tower” (erotic Rapunzel) and “Trouble In
Thigh High Boots” (erotic Puss In Boots). I’m about to publish an erotic
version of “The Little Mermaid” but this one won’t resemble the
sanitized Disney version at all. Great pain stabs into the mermaid’s legs and
feet with every step she takes, like in the fairy tale. She also does not win
the prince in the end, as in the fairy tale. Looking to the dark origins of
such stories make the erotic tales much more exciting.

Even more interesting are stories based on unusual
legends. Two of my earlier erotic short stories were based on Japanese
folklore. In the first one, entitled “Mud Licker”, rather than rely
on the usual (and somewhat tired) vampires, werewolves, and zombies, I created
an erotic creature based on the Japanese akaname. This creature lives in
bathrooms and cleans them with its two foot long tongue. Imagine what else it
can do with that tongue, and you have a cracking erotic story. My other story
entitled “Fountain Of Youth” is based on a Japanese shapeshifting
tale about a … you guessed it … fountain of youth. The lesson of that story
is to be careful what you wish for. Both stories are available at Amazon. The
first appears in the “Like A Myth” anthology published by Circlet
Press. The second is a stand-alone short story published by Romance Divine.

My point is that writers need to look outside the box
when they are considering inspirations for their fiction. European folklore
tends to be the most common inspiration. Look outside Europe to Africa and
Native American folklore as well as Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and
other Asian influences for some very unusual folklore. Hence my interest in Finnish
folklore during the Christmas season and Japanese lore. If you wish to write an
erotic vampire story, rather than the usual blood-sucker who dresses like a
head waiter, why not test-run the Indonesian jenglot? Aren’t familiar with it?
Look it up. And get excited over the possibilities.

When you broaden your gaze outside your normal comfort
zone, all sorts of riches await you. Yes, you are treading in unfamiliar
territory, but isn’t that the point of writing? You test your resolve and
stretch your writing muscles. If you want to stand out in the crowd, you have
to do something different. Standing out in the crowd is very important since
these days there is a glut of writers creating erotic fiction. It’s easy to get
lost in that sea of books. Here’s a great New Year’s resolution: Give your
readers the treat of something they’ve never seen before. Not only will you
expand your vision, you will gain some new fans. And new fans are always
wonderful.

About Elizabeth Black

Elizabeth Black
writes erotica, erotic romance, speculative fiction, fantasy, and horror. She
also enjoys writing erotic retellings of classic fairy tales. Born and bred in
Baltimore, she grew up under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe. Her erotic
fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous
Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. Her horror fiction has
appeared in “Kizuna: Fiction For Japan”, “Stupefying Stories”,
and “Mirages: Tales From Authors Of The Macabre”. An accomplished
essayist, she was the sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine nuts4chic (also
U. K.) until it folded in 2008. Her articles about sex, erotica, and
relationships have appeared in Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet,
CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama
Magazine, and Circlet blog. She also writes sex toys reviews for several sex
toys companies.

In addition to
writing, she has also worked as a gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up
artist (including prosthetics) for movies, television, stage, and concerts. She
worked as a gaffer for “Die Hard With A Vengeance” and “12
Monkeys”. She did make-up, including prosthetics, for “Homicide: Life
On The Street”. She is especially proud of the gunshot wound to the head
she had created with makeup for that particular episode. She also worked as a
prosthetic makeup artist specializing in cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of
blood for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at the Baltimore/Washington
International Airport plane crash simulation test. Yes, her jobs are fun.
 ðŸ˜‰

She lives in
Lovecraft country on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four
cats. The ocean calls her every day, and she always listens. She has yet to run
into Cthulhu.

Visit her web
site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/

Her Facebook
page is https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack

Follow her at
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack

What’s A Nice Girl Like You Doing Writing Trash Like That?

by | November 28, 2012 | | 12 Comments

Erotica writers get no
respect. (Apologies to Rodney Dangerfield.)

I’m sure every
erotica and erotic romance writer has been mocked for what she writes. (I’m
using the feminine pronoun only because most erotic writers I know are female.)
We are told a squirrel could write what we write since it doesn’t take much
talent, and that women of little intelligence read it. That sort of thing
normally doesn’t bother me since I have a cast iron resolve, but I posted in a
forum recently where I felt like “one of the guys”, letting everyone
know about one of my erotic books making it to #18 in Amazon’s free erotic
Kindle books. That’s the highest I’ve ever ranked, and I was proud of it. I wanted
to let everyone know so they could pick up a copy of the book and drive me to
#1.

Didn’t happen.

Instead they
ridiculed me, which took me completely by surprise. They made comments like,
“An erotic romance novel? I’m so scared I think I just peed myself.” I
was quite miffed, although I shouldn’t let that kind of thing get to me.
Ridicule may be one of the professional hazards we take as erotic writers, and
we deserve combat pay for it. I’ve heard of other women tsk-tsked by family
members, laughed at by friends, and given the hairy eyeball by work colleagues
when these people find out we write stories with hot, steaming sex in them. Too
many people who have never picked up an erotic book in their lives think the
prose reads something like D. M. Dunn’s Dishonorable Mention Romance winner in
the 2012 Bulwer-Lytton Awards contest: “Their love began as a tailor,
quickly measuring the nooks and crannies of their personalities, but it soon
became the seamstress of subterfuge, each of them aware of the others lingual
haberdashery: Mindy trying to create a perfect suited garment to display in
public and Sean only concerned with the inseam.” Too many people who have
never touched an erotic book or a romance novel think all of them contain words
like “turgid”, “throbbing man meat”, and “burning
slit”.

What About Other Erotic Fiction Writers?

I interviewed erotic
romance writers about whether or not those closest to them take their chosen
profession seriously, and most had some horror stories to tell. I noticed
common elements, such as ridiculing the writers by reading steamy passages
aloud at family gatherings in order to get a few laughs at the writer’s
expense. Calling what they write “trash” or “smut” or
“porn”. Wondering why they “waste their time” if they
aren’t making much money at it, if any at all. After all, why aren’t they
making as much money as that woman who wrote “50 Shades of Grey”? Those
from conservative or religious backgrounds bore a great deal of ridicule and
tut-tutting.

Gina’s ex-significant
other did everything in his power to prevent her from working and he still does,
although he’s the biggest purveyor of porn she’s ever met. Gina owns a small,
independent erotic romance publishing company. She had no issue with his porn
until he found it more preferable to masturbate than to have sex with her. Ann
heard that one of her sisters had shown her erotic romance web site to older
family members at a family gathering in the hope of shocking them and shaming
her. She also read aloud snippets from one of Ann’s steamy ménage romances, at
the top of her voice, after dinner. This was not done in a supportive manner to
promote her sister’s books.

Similar stories
abound, especially accusations that what we write is porn as if that’s a bad
thing. Sex columnist and author Violet Blue describes the difference between
porn and erotica for Psychology Today: “Porn is something that is a
graphic sexual image that conjures up an animalistic reaction in you. You like
it or you don’t,” she says. “Erotica also is graphic sexual imagery,
but it has an extra component or several extra components that resonate with
the viewer—be it artistic, be it passionate, be it something that emotionally
engages you, be it something that parlays into a fantasy that you have about
sexuality or the way that you relate to the people on screen.” When the
general public sees “porn”, it views it as gratuitous sexual imagery without
emotional connection that serves no useful purpose, and this view is a negative
one when it doesn’t have to be. As Violet Blue said, you like it or you don’t.
It’a a matter of taste.

A woman told Jerry,
a male erotica writer, that she refused to read or write porno. He elaborated
on his chosen form of writing, saying he writes stories with sex scenes but she
probably refused to listen. Shawn, another man who writes erotica, was also told
what he wrote was porn and he was wasting his time since he’d never make any
money at it. He was also told it was illegal. His family told him he was an
embarrassment to them. He wasn’t fazed, and continued to write erotica. His
girlfriend’s family even went to court to get a judge to keep him away from
her. That didn’t work. His girlfriend’s family has a very large trust fund she’ll
get when she turns 35. They think he’s after her money, which isn’t true.

Jean
made a very good point when she told me: “It’s the romance part that is
the stickler, Lizzie. People don’t take romance stories seriously. Somehow,
they think romance is easier to write or less important or emotional or
meaningful. And they are so wrong. But I don’t bother trying to explain. I
simply chalk them off my list.” Drew told Jean she could always remind
those people that “everything from Gone
With The Wind to Romeo and Juliet
to When Harry Met Sally are romances,
and then tell them to shove it.”

Religion plays a
huge factor in disapproval, especially from family members. Shawn’s
girlfriend’s family is extremely religious. They tell him what he writes is
against God’s will and he’s tainting their daughter with his porn. (There’s
that word “porn” again.) Karenna told me: “At the church I used to attend, a woman I didn’t know
well asked me about my writing. She smiled and nodded when I said I wrote
novels for teens. When I said I also wrote adult romance, her expression
changed and she looked at me like she’d scraped me off the bottom of her shoe. My
husband’s grandmother and one of his aunts had similar reactions. The
grandmother actually put her hands over her ears and said, “I prefer not
to discuss that kind of thing. Times have certainly changed; that used to be
private.”

Creative Solutions

Not
all is gloomy. I’ve heard from erotic writers who have very creative ways of
handling the negative feedback they get. I proudly blurt, “I write
smut!” when asked and I enjoy the shocked and stupefied expressions on
people’s faces. Then, once I have them off guard, I explain in plain, gentle
English what I actually write. Interest in my writing is piqued enough for me
to sell some books. Kendall’s girlfriend constantly interrupts him when he’s
writing erotica. She looks over his shoulder, lets out heavy sighs, turns on
the TV very loudly or has loud telephone conversations. It’s very irritating
and distracting, which is her intension. However, if he’s writing something non-erotic
like an essay or play, she leaves him alone. Gina had an amusing suggestion –
the next time she sighs loudly, “grab her and toss her on the bed and do
super naughty things to her. Betcha she won’t bother you when you’re writing
erotica again for a while. When she does she’ll do the exact same thing as she
did last time, hoping for the same results – keep your ears open. Eventually
it’ll work out for you both. Trust me.”

I am
like many erotic writers in that I am very selective about which people I allow
into my literary world. My parents and sister aren’t supportive. They don’t
ridicule or give me the hairy eyeball. They simply have no interest in what I
write, and they don’t give me any support. I have a feeling if I discussed my
writing at length they’d disapprove., but I don’t want to test that theory. My
writing never comes up in conversation, and I don’t volunteer information. I
also write horror, and even that is greeted with a blank stare. I’ve developed
a close relationship with an older couple. They give me lots of support about
my writing. My husband and son are also very supportive. I have writer friends
online and in meat space I look to for conversation and advice I know I won’t
get from my family. One of my closest friends is a science fiction writer who
is very supportive of my work. Laurie also is very selective about who she
tells, as is Regina. Regina told me: “If someone brings it up I’m okay
with it. But I never say anything on my own.” Laurie replied that her
husband will tell some of his friends that he wants to be married to a smut
author. I imagine him saying that with a twinkle in his eye and a proud smile.

I work
at home and I’m my own boss so I don’t have a supervisor to worry about. Not
all writers are that fortunate. Tessa cheekily asked how she should handle the
fact that her day job boss knows about her extra-curricular writing job. Julez
suggested she smile sweetly and give him a copy of her books. She would but she
writes personal assistant/boss stories and she doesn’t want to give him the wrong
idea, something that could be very amusing.

It
must be a work hazard all of us erotic writers must deal with at one time or
another – negative feedback about our chosen profession from friends, family,
and work colleagues. I also would bet my burning slit many of those who mock
what we write have their own dog-eared copies of “50 Shades of Grey”
shoved beneath their mattresses, hidden away as if they are teenagers keeping
copies of Playboy away from mom and dad. Considering that erotica and
especially romance novels sell like hotcakes – outselling books in all other
genres – we may laugh at the ridicule and snippy looks as we deposit our
royalty checks into our growing bank accounts. In the end, as always, success
is its own reward.

Hot Chilli Erotica

Hot Chilli Erotica

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