#SpankAtoZ V is for

Very.

Very is one of those words that a writer should search for in their manuscript and attempt to eliminate as much as possible.

Why? Because usually if you are using very to describe something, chances are there is a better, more descriptive and more interesting word.

Very hot---scalding, boiling, scorching

Very tired---fatigued, exhausted, worn-out

Very rich---wealthy, loaded

Get the idea?

This is a tip I need to remember for myself too.

#SpankAtoZ U is for

Underwear Probation

Underwear Probation is my first self-published book. I got the idea from a post on Twitter where a woman said that she was driving to work without undies because her mistress had ordered her to do so.

That got me to thinking about going to work without proper undergarments and voila, a masterpiece (okay, that might be stretching it a bit) was born.

When Daisy has trouble remembering the rules, her husband declares a day of Underwear Probation---no underwear for an entire day. Will Daisy be able to follow the rules---and learn to trust her husband's leadership? 

"If I'd been paying attention, I would have known I was breaking the rules and none of this would have happened. I really thought I was doing better.” 
“Maybe we need to up the ante a little bit so that your attention doesn’t wander.” 
Alarm thundered through Daisy. “Up the ante?” 
“Ah, my pet,” Reece slanted his eyes at his wife. “Tomorrow you will be on underwear probation.” 
“What?” 
“No underwear.” 
“No, Reece, please.” 
“You said yourself that if you’d been paying attention, you would have behaved better. I want the feel of your clothes on your bare ass to remind you all day long that I expect you to live up to my expectations of you and to behave like a lady.” 
Daisy grabbed the edge of the dresser and bent herself over. “Just go ahead and spank me now. You can even use a spatula or wooden spoon. Just get it over with.” 
The sly smile that crossed Reece's face made Daisy's stomach do strange things. “Oh no.” He said. “I'm starting to like this idea.” 


You can get your copy on Amazon. 

#SpankAtoZ T is for

Thankful

It's easy to make a list of complaints and things we wish were different. Today, I'd like to take a minute to encourage you to also be thankful.

Here are some of the things on my list

1. Health
2. Freedom
3. A wonderful husband
4. Awesome friends
5. The opportunity to work as a writer
6. My dog
7. Car repairs that cost less than expected.
8. A home
9. Stocked pantry
10. Books
11. My kindle
12. Faith in myself
13. Wine
14. Peanut butter
15. New flip flops

How about you?

#SpankAtoZ S is for..

Stolen Moments and Special Guest Post

S is for Stolen Moments, Surprise new release!

By Cara Bristol

This summer is my 6th anniversary as a published author of spanking fiction. In appreciation to my readers , Stolen Moments, a new romantic comedy /spanking romance, is available on Amazon for 99 cents and through Kindle Unlimited. Stolen Moments is my 20th book title!

The characters and scenario are near and dear to my heart. The main character is a spanking romance author. No, not the heroine, the hero.

The blurb:

Is it crazy to be jealous of a fictional character?

While Mary Sue is proud of her construction-worker husband Billy’s new-found success as an author of spanking novels, she also finds herself resentful of Beverly Golightly, the fictional heroine who gets everything Mary Sue wants: her man’s undivided attention, lots of hot loving, and many delicious spankings.

But is Mary Sue’s jealousy any crazier than the plan she hatches to recapture her husband’s attention?

“You should let me spank you. Then you can describe the sensation to me. If it burns or stings. How long the pain and color lasts.” He’d approached her after book number three, The Misfortunes of Beverly Golightly. All the Beverly books were named “Mis” something.

So tempting. Hadn’t she fantasized about being spanked? When she’d discovered spanking romances, it had been like stumbling upon lost treasure. She couldn’t bring herself to confess that her interest in spanking ran deeper than reading about it. If he spanked her and she hated it, a beautiful fantasy would be ruined. On the flip side, if he spanked her and she loved it, she feared it would ignite a longing that would go unsatisfied most of the time. Billy’s interest in spanking was purely financial.

“Absolutely not,” she’d said emphatically. “Besides, you don’t need me. You’ve been writing about it long enough.”

“Well, yeah, but I got to wondering, maybe I ought to have some real-life experience to build some street cred.”

“Then swat yourself. You’re not going to spank me.” Quite convincing she’d sounded too. If ever there’d been a time when she’d wished Billy had overridden her objections, that had been it.

Mary Sue shredded a carrot and sliced a tomato to add to the salad.

She’d decided if he brought it up again, in the interest of “research,” she would assist him. But, he never asked again. She sighed.

Warm arms wrapped around her waist from behind. “Are you still mad at me?” Billy nuzzled her neck, his shadowed jaw prickly against her skin. When writing full steam, sometimes he didn’t shave for days.

“No. I wasn’t mad. Just, well, you know.” She relaxed against his hard body. The one thing he did take time for was working out. He still went to the gym three times a week.

“You smell good,” he said.

“Shampoo,” she answered. Better than hamburgers, French fries, and onion rings. “Did you finish your book?”

“The end!” he said.

“That calls for a celebratory beer. Would you like one?” she offered. Reaching “the end” marked a milestone, not the finish line. Next, he would sequester himself to rewrite and revise what he’d already written, then he’d edit it, email it to a couple of author friends for beta reading, then forward it to his publisher, who’d send it back with suggested changes.

For now, this evening, he was done—unless he stepped into his office for something and got sucked into the vortex.

“I’ll get it.” He squeezed her in a hug, then released her to open the fridge. “What’s in the white container?”

“Chicken-fried steak.”

“My favorite!” His cheeks dimpled with pleasure, and the last vestiges of her irritation melted away. His large hands dwarfed the beer can as he popped the tab. Tossing his head back, he took a long, slow pull. Mary Sue watched him, enjoying the movement of his Adam’s apple as he drank. Billy had a killer smile and laughing eyes, a perfect-V torso, and a muscled physique. The accident and subsequent surgery had left him with a few jagged scars on his back, but they didn’t affect his good looks an iota. No one would ever guess this poster boy for machismo wrote romances under a female pseudonym. Of course, if they did, he might sell even more books.

Mary Sue could envision female fans lining up in droves to meet him. She’d have to beat them off with a stick. And she wouldn’t hesitate to do it either. He’s mine. Keep your hands to yourself!

Get your copy now on Amazon Only 99 cents or free for Kindle Unlimited Members

SpankAtoZ R is for

Regency

Hey...did you know I write Regency Spanking Romances? Check out the covers down the right side of this blog to buy a few.

But, do you know why the Regency era is called Regency?

In 1810 King George III of England was ill and became mentally incapacitated. His son, The Prince of Whales, ruled as Prince Regent during that time. Regent means a prince who rules instead of the monarch.

Other eras in British history are named for the monarch: Edwardian, Victorian, Elizabethan etc. So, the Regency era gets its name from the fact that the Prince Regent reigned.

The Regency era officially ended in 1820 when the incapacitated King George III died. His son then became King George IV, ushering in the Georgian Era, which in many ways, was an extension of the Regency era as far as fashion, politics, art and architecture were concerned.

Ta-da. Now, see if you can use that tidbit of information to dazzle your friends today.

SpankAtoZ Q is for

Quiet

I usually talk a lot. I bet that's not a surprise.

Lately, however, I have been trying to be more quiet. Listen more, talk less.

Talking too much is a hard habit to break, especially when I have so many interesting things to say!

I'm learning to pause and ask myself "Is what I'm about to say going to add to the conversation, or just turn it in my direction?"

Turns out, I don't need to share my two cents on everything.

Shocking, I know.

#SpankAtoZ P is for

Pinterest

I just joined and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. I also haven't spent any time there to find out.

Any of you on Pinterest? Any pointers?

#SpankAtoZ O is for...

Older heroines. 

There are a number of free short stories available here on my blog. One of the most popular is "You're Never Too Old For A Spanking" which features an older (40-something) heroine.

Here's the link to part one.

I also have an older heroine, younger man combo in my book Laying Down the Law.

I like writing about older heroines, I suppose in part because I am older myself. I think they also have more flaws and interesting backgrounds. Plus, I don't think that younger women, with perfect bodies and flawless skin, should get to have all the fun.

What about you? Do you prefer heroines of a certain age or does it depend on the story?

#SpankAtoZ N is for...

Naughty.

What is it about that word that is so delicious?

"Naughty girl."

"You've been naughty."

Why do those phrases conjure up tingly feelings and tightening tummies?

I've looked up some synonyms for naughty, but in my opinion, none of them is as good.

Impish
Rowdy
Deceitful
Mischievous
Obstreperous

"You've been an obstreperous girl" is hardly the stuff of romance, if you ask me.

What about you? Is naughty a word that gets you a little (or a lot) excited? What is it about that word?

#SpankAtoZ M is for...

Maid For A Lord...a new Regency spanking romance that I recently submitted to Blushing Books. I don't have a release date yet, but I expect it will be released sometime between now and October. 

Here's the blurb: Life can change in an instant. A carriage accident, a case of mistaken identity, and a couple of not so little white lies transform maid Phoebe Lawson into Lady Violet Woodlawn, fiancee, and later, loving wife, of Lord Braxton Marlowe. How long will Phoebe be able to keep up this charade? And what will Lord Marlowe do when he learns the truth? Can a lord love a maid? This book contains spanking, sexual intercourse, anal intercourse, oral sex, and ginger figging.

Here's a little snippet for your enjoyment. Braxton and Phoebe are on the verge of consummating their marriage. 

I had spent many hours fretting over this event. Braxton's kisses and caresses had lit a fire of curiosity and longing within me. The fire was sometimes squelched by the apprehension which accompanies the unknown.

I also feared revealing my horrible secret in the throes of passion. I had been raised under the belief that the wealthy were better, brighter and clearly just plain different from their servants. Surely such a distinction would become evident in the marriage bed.

Since I had no specific notion of what happened between a husband and wife, I could hardly prepare in advance, so I decided to simply do my best to enjoy myself. If my deception came to light and Lord Marlowe sent me away in shame, so be it.

If Lady Violet's death had taught me anything, it was that life was fleeting. I refused to live with regret.

My husband placed me carefully in the center of his bed. "I have laid you in a bed once before. Do you remember that?"

I shook my head, wondering at his meaning.

"When I pulled your body from the wreckage of the carriage, I refused to allow any of the other men to touch you. I knew from the moment I saw you that you were mine and the thought of any man, even a rescuer, with his hands on you sent me into a fit of jealousy."

He loomed over me as he spoke, his dark eyes flashing as he recalled our first encounter. My tummy fluttered at his possessive tone.

In the candlelight I watched as he removed his jacket, loosened the collar and cuffs of his shirt, placed his hands on either side of me as I lay in the bed and lowered his mouth to cover mine.

By that time I had become an enthusiastic kisser. I slipped my hands around his neck and buried them in the thickness of his hair, preventing him from moving away. Spurred onward by my zeal, Braxton pulled me into his arms and joined me on the large, soft mattress.

The flavor of champagne lingered on his tongue as he kissed me deeply. I arched my yearning body against his.

His hand slipped beneath the layers of my dress and stroked my womanhood. I moaned deep in my throat and bucked against his hand.

“Ah, my sweet little maid,” he said.

Maid? Did he know?  Despite the heat generated by his touch, I stilled beneath him, not daring to breathe.

My lack of participation caught his attention. Withdrawing his hand he braced himself above me, concern etched on his face. “Did I hurt you, my dear?”

Wide-eyed, I studied his face. “Y-you called me a maid.”

The tension left his expression and he smiled down at me, the corner of his eyes crinkled. “Silly girl. I was not calling you a servant. You are untouched, so that makes you a maid, does it not?”

I released the breath I had been holding. “Of course you are correct. I-I am just nervous, that is all.” I glanced down at our bodies, still fully clothed but entwined upon our marriage bed. “It is important for me to please you, my lord.”

“It will please me most if you would stop calling me my lord, particularly when we are about to engage in marital intimacies. It does make me feel like you are a servant girl when you address me in that manner.”

“Well, we certainly wouldn’t want that to happen, would we?” Nervousness bubbled inside me and I feared I would begin to babble. To prevent that from happening, and because I liked it, I reached up and pulled his face down to mine. “I do not wish to be a maid any longer, Braxton.”

#SpankAtoZ L is for...

Lady

I suppose we all have a definition of what makes someone a lady, but in Regency era England, where many of my stories are set, there are specific rules for when a woman may be addressed as Lady.

If a woman is a daughter of a lord, then she is referred to as Lady First Name. When she marries she may be referred to as Lady First Name (more familiar and used by friends) or as Lady Last Name.  In Lady Katherine's Comeuppance, Lady Katherine was the daughter of an earl, so she was known as Lady Katherine from birth.

If a woman is not a daughter of a lord, but she marries a lord, then she is known as Lady Last Name. In Becoming Lady Amherst, Sarah is an American who marries Lord Jeffrey Amherst, therefore she is known as Lady Amherst, but not as Lady Sarah.

But, when Sarah and Jeffrey have children (and you know they will) then their daughters will be known as Lady First Name and their sons will be Lord First Name because their father is a lord.

#SpankAtoZ K is for

Kissing

Is there anything better? There are the soft shy kisses and the long, hungry, passionate ones.

Way back in the day, I remember long evenings spent kissing on the couch with my boyfriend. Once we became sexually active, though, make out sessions on the couch were replaced with other things.

Sometimes I'm not so sure that was such a great change. Not that sex isn't awesome, but it seems that we often leave off the pleasure of kissing for the sake of kissing vs. kissing as a prelude to other things.

What do you think?

I'm declaring today Kissing Day. Make sure you work some kissing into your schedule. Feel free to report back on the results.

#SpankAtoZ J is for..

Jeffrey

 Lord Jeffrey Amherst, to be exact. He's the hero of my book Becoming Lady Amherst. 

Here is an excerpt from one of my most flattering reviews for this book.

Ms. Jones did a wonderful job of characterizing and really making you love Jeffrey even though the entire book is told from Sarah's point of view. Even in the beginning when Sarah is set on disliking Lord Amherst, he never comes across as harsh or unreasonable. It's rare that I like a hero in a spanking romance from the very beginning, but Ms. Jones had me loving Jeffrey from the start! 

What made me feel good about this review is the fact that all of Becoming Lady Amherst is written in first person from the POV of Sarah, the heroine, yet, at least in the opinion of this reviewer, I had managed to make Jeffrey a lovable character. 

He is one of my favorite heroes. 

Hmmm. I wanted to include an excerpt from the book, but remember my G post about the Google Chromebook I bought after my computer died? Well, the death of the laptop means I don't have that document readily available. 

You know what...just go buy the book. I bet you'll like it 

#SpankAtoZ I is for...

Innocence

One of the challenges of writing historical romance is the fact that, in general, genteel ladies of the Regency era were pretty uninformed about sex.

Today, even someone who has not had sex can still be pretty well informed about the basics. But imagine living without TV or the internet or even books with any sort of detail. Add to that the taboo of discussing anything so personal, and you have the makings of a very innocent girl.

Why is this a challenge for me as a writer? It's one thing to write about a sexually experienced heroine who knows what she likes and how she likes it. It's quite another to write about a girl who isn't even sure what the parts of her body are called or are meant to do. What are these feelings and urges she's having? Are they the sinful feelings she's been warned against?

What's going to happen to her? Is it wrong for her to like it?

But...I think that readers (myself included) love going on that journey of discovery from innocence to a bit less innocent to fully aware.

What about you? Do you like heroines who are innocent and uninformed or do you prefer a more knowledgeable and experienced heroine?

#SpankAtoZ H is for...

Harlequin Romance

Admit it...you've read them. I started reading them (sneaking my mother's copies) as a teenager. Back then, they were pretty tame and most of the plots were the sort of thing that could have been resolved with a simple conversation.

"Hey, that woman you've been flirting with really makes me jealous and I think you couldn't possibly love me because you're a rich millionaire and I'm just a poor nanny."

"She's my brother's fiance and she's just here to cause problems. She's flirting with me but I'm not interested in her. Cna't you tell? Don't believe a word she says. Of course I love you."

The stories were told only from the heroine's point of view.

Things have changed quite a lot since then, in my reading habits and in Harlequin Romances, but I still like to read one every now and then.

What about you? Are you a Harlequin fan?

#SpankAtoZ G is for...

Google Chromebook

My true love.

When my laptop with the 17" screen died on me a couple months ago, I replaced it with a Google Chromebook. Mine is a Samsung, but there are a variety of manufacturers.

I don't get a kickback, but here's info about the one I have on Amazon.  Darn. That price has dropped since I bought mine.

Why do I love the Chromebook? For one thing, it's small and sleek and lightweight. I got the 17" laptop when I was living in a house and the laptop didn't move from place to place very often. The Chromebook easily fits into a (largish) purse and can be used anywhere.

There are Windows notebooks that are similar size and in the same price range, but they do not include a full Word Application and the virus protection is a sample good for 6 months. So, for the same price to start out, I'd be spending another $150 or so on Word and virus protection.

Chromebooks use only Google products, so you can't download Word onto it. Google uses Google Docs (in fact, anyone can use Google Docs if you have a Google account and you don't need a Chromebook for it) and with some trial and error and help from Renee Rose, my Chromebook Guru, I have been able to figure most things out just fine.

I don't know a lot of technical language so I might not be saying this exactly right, but basically there is no need for virus protection on a Chromebook because nothing is store on it, everything is in the cloud. At some point, Google may start charging for cloud storage, or so the conspiracy theorists say. Who knows.

Since I lost a ton of documents in the death of my laptop (and haven't been willing to pay to have them retrieved), Google Docs has additional appeal because the files can be accessed from any computer or device by logging into your Google account.

Now, I don't do anything fancy with my computer. No gaming. No video editing. I use it for too much email, shopping on Amazon, blogging, Facebook and all the other things I'd use a computer for, but without a lot of things that I never used.

Oh, yeah. And I write books on it.

#SpankAtoZ F is for...

Fun!

Recently my husband and I went out and shot a couple games of pool. We had a good time and he looked at me and said, "I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time."

Wow. That really struck me, because I like to think of myself as a funny and fun-loving person but I realized I had gotten caught up in work, bills, stress, chores and all that other stuff and had forgotten to have more fun.

So today, go and do something fun and then tell me about it in the comments.

We all need more fun in our lives, including me.

#SpankAtoZ E is for

Editor!

A few weeks ago I began a new job as an editor for Blushing Books. I've had an opportunity to read several good books and work with some new authors. It's been a lot of fun and I'm learning a great deal.

I thought I'd share a couple things that I've learned and maybe the information will be useful to you too.

Tip One: 

Further vs. Farther

Not sure which to use? Here's an easy trick, farther starts with FAR, so remember that it has to do with physical distance.

Ex: My feet hurt so bad, I couldn't walk any farther.

Further has to do with metaphorical distance.

Ex: I will not discuss this further.

Tip Two: 

Ellipses

Ellipses are three dots (...) used to replace words, usually in a direct quote to indicate that some words are missing.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag...and to the republic for which it stands..."

Often, I use ellipses to indicate a pause in speaking or stammering. In general, that's acceptable, but a dash is generally more correct.

An important thing to remember is that there's no space before or after the ellipses.

Wrong: "Um ... what do you mean?"

Right: "Um...what do you mean?"

Hope these tips are helpful.

One of the things I've realized is that editors only have a limited amount of time to work on your book. If they are spending all their time fixing little things like spaces or commas, then they won't have as much as time to spend on the bigger things that will make your book better. So, get these little things right and your editor will be able to spend their time polishing your manuscript to perfection.

#SpankAtoZ D is for...

Donuts!

Or Doughnuts!

No matter how you spell it, I love 'em!

How about you?

My favorites are cake donuts, like sour cream or glazed dunkers. Yum!

In a pinch, I'm willing to eat the ones that are prepackaged, but if you can find a real bakery (where they only sell baked goods, not like a Walmart where they have donuts and motor oil) and get the goodies early in the morning....oh my goodness. Now that's living!

How about you? What's your favorite kind of donut? Where do you get them?

#SpankAtoZ C is for...

Cara Bristol!

Cara is a fantastic author, mentor, and friend. Even when time is short, I try to stop by her blog when I can because she always has informative posts.

I think Cara was one of the first spanking authors I met when I started blogging. She's been instrumental in organizing spanking fiction authors on Triberr and Facebook and is always looking for ways to help the spanking fiction community.

And...she's got a new book out. I'm just getting started, but can't wait to dig into this most recent book in the Rod and Cane Society series.

Irresistible Attraction:

College student Hannah Laurie works nights for a cleaning service. Among its clients is the Rod and Cane Society, an organization of domestic discipline practitioners. As she cleans the mansion headquarters, she becomes fascinated by the idea of being spanked. One evening, she surrenders to the impulse to try out the equipment in the secret disciplinary chamber. 

Billionaire cybersecurity magnate Jordan Bevy, Rod and Cane’s disciplinary proctor, ensures the rules of the organization are followed to a T. Using the disciplinary chamber for personal pleasure is strictly forbidden. But when he catches the shy little cleaner girl trying out the equipment, what’s a fellow to do but bend the rules and give her a hand? 

Everything seems like fun and games, until their relationship deepens and their respective worlds collide and clash. Can a lowly cleaner girl ever find acceptance in her boyfriend’s monied world? 

All Rod and Cane Society romances can be read as stand-alones. 

Buy on Amazon

#SpankAtoZ B is for...

Big changes

In the 11 months since I wrote my Z post last year, there have been many changes in my life.

My husband and I bought a motor home and are living in it full time, traveling the US, working at different jobs, meeting new people and having an awesome time.

That's a pretty big change.

It's not for everyone, but it sure suits us.

What about you? What's something new that's happened since last year?

#SpankAtoZ A is for...

All aboard!

It's going to be a crazy month of blogging, blog visits and general mayhem in spanking world, so get on board and come along for the ride.

I thought about having some sort of theme to tie all my posts together, but I think I'll be lucky just to get 26 posts written, so it probably won't be too fancy.

If you have a blog, feel free to jump in and participate. There's no rule that says you have to post every day, but if you can, so much the better.

I haven't been a very consistent blogger lately, so I'm looking forward to getting back in touch with everyone and making some new friends.

Be sure to visit some of the other brave souls taking on the 26 day challenge.