A Tribute to the Grand Dame of Romance...

It was with great sadness that I learned of Kathleen E Woodiwiss' death on July 6 2007. Like many readers, I cut my teeth on such "bodice rippers" as The Flame and the Flower, Ashes in the Wind, A Rose in Winter, etc. As an author and lover of historical romance, I felt compelled to write this short tribute to Ms. Woodiwiss.

The first time I read The Wolf and the Dove was a "life-altering" experience. Few novels can claim this distinction, and it inspired me to write my own epic romance. Ms. Woodiwiss had a remarkable talent which fired the imagination of a legion of romance authors like myself, and hooked millions of readers. With over thirty-six million copies in print, and after thirty years of publication, Kathleen continued be one of the most popular and beloved romance authors of our time.

As I write this, I am at a loss for words to express the sadness I feel at her passing. Ms. Woodiwiss sparked a genre which changed the face of the publishing industry and created a plethora of books which touched many readers' hearts. I would like to share my condolences with Kathleen's family, and with fellow readers and writers... Ms. Woodiwiss may be gone from this world, but she is not forgotten!

There's a New Kitten in Town...

As some of you already know, my beloved cat of 19 years, Peewee Speedy Peepers, passed away on June 10th. She was a wonderful companion and will be greatly missed... (If you would like to view pictures of her, Click Here.)

And then on June 10th, my mother brought home a new addition to the family, a cute-as-a-button kitten, who we have named Zatoichi von Ratbastard, Ichi (EeeChee) for short. Half Manx and half Orange Tabby, she's the sweetest, most curious and fearless kitten I've ever seen. Enjoy these photos of her...

What a face! She's a little toughie...

Itchi just loves my German Shepard, Siega.

Awww...she's all tuckered out...

Isn't Ichi a sweetie-pie?

Itchi just adores Siega, in fact she spends as much time as possible with her.

How do you like your heroes? Grunting Alpha? Or Romantic Beta?

We're having a discussion on the Amazon Forums about Alpha heros and I realized there are two classes of Alphas: Grunting, and the Cool, Dangerous, Sophisticated with the occasional Grunt on the side.

Grunting Alpha:

These are the guys who charge into the fray with swords in hand and slaughter the enemy first and ask questions later. They're a bit stubborn, and just a little wild (to put it lightly), demanding complete possession of their women. They are the leaders of the pack who don't take crap from anyone, and if you mess with them, you'd better watch out because they'll steam roll you if not hack off your head...

Examples:

Gavrael McIllioch, otherwise known as Grimm from To Tame A Highland Warrior is a perfect example of a Grunting Alpha. Besides the fact he's a beserker, he is definitely more likely to hack the enemy to pieces and ask questions later type-of-guy. And demands FULL possession over his woman. In fact, I'd say most of Karen Marie Moning's heroes are Grunters.

Marsha Canham likes to write about grunting Alphas, as does Bertrice Small, Virginia Henley, Keri Arthur, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder.

Sophisticated Alpha:

When he steps into a room all eyes turn towards him, sensing his commanding presence. He is handsome to a fault, but he never shows his true feelings so you never know what he's thinking. He plays it cool, but there's a dangerous edge to him -- cross the line and you just might find yourself on the field of honor. Women flock to him, adore him, and tend to beg for one tantalizing night in his bed because he KNOWS how to pleasure. He's the sophisticated Alpha, but the moment his woman is threatened, he'll become a Grunter.

Examples:

Rothgar from Jo Beverley's Devilish is the PERFECT example of a Sophisticated Alpha. He's cool, he's dangerous and knows how to dress to kill... LOL He's so aloof, you've just GOT to learn more about him.

Wulfric Bedwyn from Slightly Dangerous (Mary Balogh) is definitely a Sophisticated Alpha. Similar to Rothgar, he's cool, dangerous and very much reserved, until the heroine pulls him out of his shell.

Jane Feather, Teresa Medeiros, Julia Quinn, and Eloisa James, all love to write about Sophisticated Alphas

And then we have sweet, romantic Betas...

Romantic Beta:

Though these males often show Alpha tenancies when the going gets tough, they are generally speaking very romantic, shy, and may patiently wait years for their chance to woo the woman of their dreams. You may not notice them at first for they do not stand out in a crowd, but once seen they capture your interest. They are highly intelligent and want nothing more than to sweep the heroine into their arms and hold them tight for the rest of their lives.

Examples:

Julian Hampton from The Romantic by Madeline Hunter, waited years before finally wooing the love of his life. He did not let his feelings show until the day she came to him, needing his help. He is truly one of the most romantic heroes I've ever had the pleasure to read---the book was aptly named.

Sir Marmaduke Strongbow from Sue-Ellen Welfonder's Bride of the Beast is another favorite Beta hero of mine. Though scarred, he has the tongue of a poet, the heart of a romantic, and the sensuality of a god. He is a classic Beta/Alpha hybrid, the perfect sweet Beta to heal the heroine and sweep her off her feet.

I admit, I love them all: Grunt-o-licious Alphas, Sophisticated Alphas, and Romantic Betas. Tell me, what's your favorite type of hero? Who would you like to sweep you...er...the heroine off her feet?

TREASURE HUNT CONTEST!

AHOY MATEYS! FIND THE SEXY PIRATES!

Four Samhain authors challenge you to sail the high seas in search of sexy pirates! Your reward? Pieces of eight?

The Treasure:
A Samhain Gift Certificate for $20 * A copy of one book from each author * A treasure made by hand from each of the authors—a necklace, a bracelet, a book thong, and a candle!

Your First Mates:
AE Rought, Ciar Cullen, Ingela Hyatt, and Ann Cory

Your Mission:
Find the sexy pirates (hint: they look a lot like Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom for some reason)
Find the treasure chest

Your map:
http://www.ciarcullen.com/
http://aerought.blogspot.com/
http://www.anncory.com/
http://www.ingelahyatt.com/

BONUS HINT: Don’t forget Myspace and Livejournal pages linked at each site!

How to Win!
Visit each of the links above and look for the treasure chest. Then find two sexy pirates at each site in addition to the treasure chest. Jot down where you found the pirates and the treasure chest, and email your answers to ciar@ciarcullen.com

Don’t forget to tell us the title of the book where you found the treasure, or if it was on the homepage or blog of the author. Simply tell us the author’s name isn’t good enough. You’ll walk the plank for that!

CONTEST RUNS THROUGH JUNE!
Don’t give up, if you have questions, email ciar@ciarcullen.com!

Thursday Thirteen #6

Thirteen Reasons why I DIDN’T go to the RT Booklovers Convention: 1. I wanted to stay home and spend time with my family. 2. The cat was sick. 3. I went to Hawaii instead. 4. I can save a whole lot of money and just drink at home. 5. Who wants genuine Tex Mex when I can just drive to the nearest Taco Bell and go “south of the border.” 6. The dog was sick 7. Joy of Joyfully reviewed scares me. 8. I had to come up with an idea for my next TT list, so I thought I’d stay home. 9. I wanted to stay and participate in the “I’m not going to RT Home Alone” Party at the Samhain Café – which was a riot after all, and probably just as much fun as RT if not better. 10. I didn’t have a costume for the fairy ball, or the cowboy vampire ball, or the fantasy ball, or... 11. Getting snot-slinging drunk and singing karoke off key is NOT my idea of fun. 12. On the way to the airport, a silo exploded knocking out the power just as the blizzard hit – so all flights were cancelled. 13. Half naked hunky cover models? Bah! Who wants to see gorgeous, hunky, half naked cover models?!

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Book Trailer for A Knight of Passion

I'm absolutely thrilled to announce the creation of my very first book trailer of my debut novel, A Knight of Passion.

Enjoy!



Buy A Knight of Passion
Visit my Bebo page
Visit my website

Thursday Thriteen #5

13 Things I can't live without: 1. Tacos, Burritos, and Enchiladas – Oh my! 2. My laptop 3. A good romance novel 4. Friends 5. Potato chips 6. My mother’s homemade ice cream 7. Curled up on the couch with a good movie 8. A quarter pounder with cheese and a large fries 9. My dog 10. Writing my next novel 11. The Internet (okay, I admit it, I’m a web junkie.) 12. Pizza and beer 13. Bacon

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Movie Review: X-men: The Last Stand

I really enjoyed the X-men movie series, and not just because Hugh Jackman makes the sexiest Wolverine ever, but because I am a comic junkie... *gasp* Yes, I know, shocking isn’t it? Though X-men was never my forte, I still knew enough about them and I just had to see the movies (Batman is more my style).

As with most movie series these days, there is always a weak link in the bunch. X-men (the first movie) was an excellent introduction to all the fantastic characters. And the actors chosen to play each superhero fit their character to a tee—which is rare in such adaptations—Wolverine being the most popular in the comics and the movies.

Then came X2: X-men United...and the weak link. What went wrong? I don’t quite understand what happened with this movie. It was almost like the producers thought they had everyone hooked with the first movie and therefore could get cheap with the second. Did you know that in the second flick, we rarely see Wolverine’s metal claws actually come out? One moment his hands are normal, and then he puts his arms down (below camera view) and we “hear” the claws come out, and the next he’s slashing at people with the claws out—what’s up with that? What, they couldn’t find enough computer nerds to work the CGI program? Also, there was a considerable lack of violence shown in the second one, the fight scenes were constantly being cut so you really couldn’t see what was happening... just a lot of jumping around from this punch to that kick... What, did the producer’s suddenly gain a conscious, concerned with all the violence they had shown in the first one? Come on! That’s all the X-men are about—violence—a little too late for that. The second movie had a low budget feel—lower than the first one, though the storyline was good as we got to see how Wolverine came into being.

And now we come to the pièce de rèsistance - X-men: The Last Stand. Having seen the second one, I wasn’t sure if I should get excited about the third, and watched with a very critical eye. It was in one word: FANTASTIC! The special effects were great, we got to see Wolverine release his claws many times (LOL), the storyline had lots of surprising twists, like killing off main characters—it was beautifully done in my opinion.

*SPOILER* DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE MOVIE YET!
Killing off Professor Xavier was a complete surprise, not to mention the fact that it was Jean Grey, his protégée, who did the killing, made it even wilder. Hell, turning Jean into a evil mutant and siding her with Magneto was pretty shocking in itself. I honestly kept on waiting for her to “wake up” and turn against him, but she never did. But what really tugged at the heart was Wolverine being forced to kill the love of his life to save the planet, and being the only mutant capable of doing so.
*END OF SPOILER*

This was truly a movie packed with action, adventure and a tragic love story which brought the X-men franchise to a perfect end, while leaving the viewer with hope for the future of mutant-kind.

Whether you have seen the other two X-men movies or not, you have got to see this potent, and exciting film, sure to please the whole family – from comic-crazy kids to grunting husbands, and romantic wives... X-men: The Last Stand is a must-see in this romance author’s opinion.

Thursday Thirteen #4

13 TV Shows I use to watch as a kid: 1. Mr. Dress-up: This is strictly a Canadian show, I really liked Mr. Dress-up, but I think Casey needed to be bitch-slapped! 2. Spiderman: I think the only reason kids watched that cartoon was for the theme song – was it cool or what?! 3. The Adventures of Hercules (cartoon): Does anyone remember Hercules’ annoying satyr friend who played the panpipes, and said: “Hi ya Herc, hi ya Herc!” in that really winy high-pitched voice? No wonder it was cancelled! 4. The Hulk: Okay, I admit, I USE to watch the Hulk! *hides head in shame* The only good thing about the show was Lou Ferrigno shirtless and painted green... 5. The Friendly Giant: Another Canadian kid’s show. I think I loved that show for it’s miniatures, it was so neat. 6. Fragle Rock: Why did they take it off the air??? It was such a great show – my favorite characters were the all-knowing garbage heap and Traveling Matt. 7. Sesame Street: Who hasn’t watched Sesame Street??? My favorite was the Cookie Monster, because he liked cookies and he looked so cuddly. 8. Lavern and Shirley: Do NOT make me go there! 9. Taxi: Yeah, I watched a lot of “adult” shows with my parents. Hard to believe Danny Devito started out there, and became one the biggest celebrities in Hollywood. I thought he was such a jerk until I saw Throw Mama from the Train (one of my favorite movies). 10. Star Trek (the original series): Okay, I admit it, I had a crush on Spock. Maybe it was those pointy ears, or those bangs... I’m not really sure. I think I had a thing for those intellectual, unemotional alien types... 11. Family Ties: Yes, it was sappy and sweet, but I liked it for a time...at least it had Michael J. Fox. 12. Who’s the Boss?: Does anybody really care??? 13. The A-Team: Lt. Templeton “Faceman” Peck – enough said!

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Romancing the Silver Screen: Robert Montgomery

I love movies! Almost as much as I love books. But recently I have been rather disappointed by the actors and movies which Hollywood has been churning out. I don’t know how many times I have sat down and watched a much-anticipated movie only to come away throughly unhappy or down right disgusted. With CGI all the rage, movies have become more flash than substance, always pushing it to the next level... Where’s the drama, the comedy, the romance, the charm?

And then I discovered B&W movies... Yes I know, they have been around for a long, long time. As a kid, I never really paid much attention to them. My attitude was: “...the world IS in color after all, why would I want to watch something in black and white?” But I have discovered that there is something just so charming about all those old movies, especially those from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Something that touches you in a way that few modern flicks do. Maybe it’s because at the time they were made life was so much simpler than it is now. Maybe it’s the innocent quality of the stories, the actors, the movies themselves. I’m not exactly sure what it is that has made me fall in love with them, but I’m hooked on all those wonderful actors from days gone by...

Thanks to the Turner Classic Movie Channel (now my favorite channel), I have admittedly fallen in love with a great actor named Robert Montgomery. He was more than just another handsome face in Hollywood, he had something unique about him, and could be very funny or dramatic, as the role demanded. He had a certain presence which is no doubt one of the reasons why he became such a big star in the 30s and 40s. He was paired with some of the most beautiful leading ladies of the time, like Norma Shear and Rosalind Russell. And what’s more, he had an irristitiable charm ,and dare I say a sarcastic wit, which made him so loveable. But he was more than the playboy roles he was so often cast in, much more. He had tremendous skill which he was finally able to display in the movie Night Must Fall, where he plays a charming physcopath who has a propensity to kill older women. And Robert certainly delivered. Try watching that movie at night with lights off, and you’ll see he could be downright chilling—when he wanted to be.

Though I love his dramas, and his thrillers, it is his comedies which I have to admit I love most. No one could quite pull off a romantic comedy like him, with his oozing charm, and lightening wit. Even as the perpetual drunken, skirt-chasing, work-avoiding playboy (a role in which he was cast over and over again) he was loveable.

Not only was he a great actor, but his personal life reads like a hollywood “rags to riches” script. He was born in 1904 in a well-to-do family. When his father died in 1922, his family suddenly found themselves penniless. To support them, he worked various jobs, from mechanic’s helper with the railroad, to deckhand on an oil tanker. And the funny part is, he had intended to be a writer, not an actor, yet he made his stage debut in New York in 1924.

In 1929 he got his first film roll in The Single Standard. But it wasn’t until Untamed and Their Own Desire, that Montgomery became typecast as the “playboy”. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild on four separate occasions, and was one of the many actors who wanted a union. In those days, actors worked 6 days a week for only $65, and producers were threatening to slash their salory in half... No wonder the SAG was founded.

And then, during the height of his career, Robert enlisted in the Navy and served in WWII much to MGM’s dismay. He was sent to the Intelligence Section in the U.S. Naval Attache office, and set up a naval operations room in the White House. It was after his time served in the war that Hollywood began to take this leading man a lot more seriously, even allowing him to try his hand at directing with the film Lady in the Lake, which Robert also starred.

But despite his yearning to be recoginized as an actor of considerable talents (which he indeed was), I think he will always be remembered and loved for his comedic rolls, like the suave, don’t-give-a-damn, skirt-chasing writer in Ever Since Eve, and the quirky, charming, starving artist in Live, Love, and Learn.

Robert Montogomery was more than a handsome actor with a wonderful talent, he was a real person, and it showed through in every role he played.

To learn more about Robert Montgomery and his plethora of movies, be sure to check out The Earl of Hollywood – Robert Montgomery, a throughly comprehensive website about the man and his movies.

Thursday Thirteen #3

13 Observations about my dog: 1. She’s very flexible, I mean hey, she can lick her own ass. 2. She’s my constant companion, she follows me everywhere I go. 3. I suspect she might be my muse (see above). 4. She’s not at all squeamish – she licks her own ass. 5. She has the warmest, brightest brown eyes I’ve ever seen, hence her nickname: Bright Eyes (yes from Watership Down – the original movie). 6. I’m sometimes worried when she licks my face as she licks her own ass. 7. Her favorite past time is to dig up stuff from the ground outside and eat it. *ewww* 8. She smells sweet like candy. (I’m not kidding!) 9. She’s a German Sheperd, which means when she blows her fur, she really BLOWS her fur! 10. She’s a cookie whore. 11. When I have a bad dream, she always comes in and makes sure I’m okay. 12. She likes to be near you, but if you try to cuddle – forget it! 13. Apparently when I go to the bathroom and close the door, she thinks I’m leaving via the secret escape pod we call the toilet!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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On the Rag #1

Because hey, there’s always something to rag about...

I’ve decided to create my own “must blog” days because I can never seem to find the time and this will force me to make time—well that’s the theory anyway. And so I’m starting off with my new “On the Rag” because there is ALWAYS something to rag about... LOL

I hate bugs!

And I’m not talking about the your average annoying, winged, eight legged, flying, crawling, garden variety. I’m talking about programming bugs, software glitches. The kind that make you want to take a sledge hammer to your computer and smash it into tiny little bits. And then gather up all those bits into a box and toss them into the ocean!

But the truth of the matter is, it’s not the computer’s fault, it’s the developers!

For the last three months, I and Meister E have been working on my other website, Historical Romance Club, dedicated to promoting historical, fantasy, time travel, and paranormal romance. For three months we programmed, we tested, over and over again, fixing programming glitches. Finally we had it all figured out, and three days before the big “Grand Re-Opening” we slammed it onto the website and did a thorough test. Well guess what? Everything went wrong. The Iframes were conflicting with each other, the java buttons were moving as slow as molasses in the dead of winter, and the Ajax was ignoring it’s instructions and sitting at the top of the page overlapping a bunch of other text... Oh, the aggravating list goes on and on... By the end of the first day, I was about ready rip out every single strand of hair on my head! I mean hey developers, why don’t you test your scripts before releasing them to the programmers! Okay, we DID get everything fixed and HRC is running smoothly (no worries there), and I’m proud to say it looks and works beautifully...

But this got me thinking about all the other computer glitches and bugs WE as consumers have to deal with every single day. How many times have you downloaded an update for Windows, and suddenly your computer starts acting screwy, and then three days later Microsoft sends you an emergency patch? Lets take a look at the new Internet Explorer 7, shall we? Ohhh... Ahhh... Yes, it looks great (though it kinda looks like a copy of FireFox if you ask me) but what about all the bloody glitches? It is suppose to be ten times more secure than the old one, which is great, the last thing I’m gong to complain about is more security on the internet. But how well does it work? Almost right off the bat, I had a problem with Google and Blogger. The damn IE7 wouldn’t accept ANY of Google’s or Blogger’s cookies, no matter WHAT I did. No matter how many times I put them on the acceptance list, it didn’t change a damn thing. The only thing I COULD do was turn the cookie controller off, which really doesn’t help in making your computer more secure if you’re surfing the net and accepting ALL cookies. So finally I gave up and had to go to FireFox for all my Google and Blogger needs. And then my computer had a major crash which had to do with IE7, and suddenly I had 13 emergency downloads from Microsoft, which really has to make you wonder!?!?

Whatever happened to beta testing your software, and THEN releasing it to the public “bug” free? Nowadays, the only thing the big and little software companies seem to care about is the bottom line (no surprise there). Yeah, they “beta” test it for a while and make sure the program isn’t going to make your computer explode, but after that, they leave it up to the consumer to find all the glitches. I don’t know how many times I’ve been writing in WordPerfect or Microsoft Word, and suddenly there’s an illegal shut down and I just might loose a day’s work, but it wants me to send and error report back to the company... I’ll give you an error report! @#*%$!

The bottom line is, developers need to start thoroughly testing their software BEFORE releasing it to the public. Come on, start taking some responsibility for your actions and your bug-filled programs and leave the glitch-free results to your customers.

A rant a day, keeps the doctor away! LOL

Thirteen Thursday #2

Thirteen Favorite Quotes: 1. “Women love being miserable, that's why men were invented.” ~My Father 2. “Blood is thicker than Martinis.” ~Ray Miland, Columbo: The Greenhouse Jungle 3. “I hate hope’s guts.” ~Adrian Monk, Monk 4. “Remember, you can’t beam through a force field. So don’t try it.” ~William Shatner 5. “A writer writes—always!” ~Billy Crystal, Throw Momma from the Train 6. “There’s more gravey than of grave in you.” ~Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol 7. “That’s right, I did the Iggy...” ~Grandpa Simpson, The Simpsons 8. “‘We are all out of cornflakes F. U.’ Took me three hours to figure out F. U. is Felix Ungar.” ~Walter Matthau, The Odd Couple 9. “Looks like somebody’s been down here with the ugly stick...” ~Chevy Chase, The Three Amigos 10. “I’ve seen the future, and do you know what it is? It’s a 47 year old virgin sitting around in his beige pajamas drinking a banana- broccoli shake singing I’m an OscarMyer Wiener.” ~Denis Leary, Demolition Man 11. “The new phonebooks are here! The new phonebooks are here! ...Things are going to start happening to me now!” ~Steve Martin, The Jerk 12. “For dark is the suede that mows like the harvest...” ~Martian Leader, Mars Attacks 13. “At this moment she’s cooling off like some beautiful volcano that’s decided not to wipe out a lot of Italian villages.” ~Robert Montgomery, Riptide

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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My FIRST Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Favorite Erotic Slang by Ingela F. Hyatt 1. Ramstudious 2. Boobifers 3. Cucumber rhumba 4. Spermatize 5. Yasser crack-a-fat 6. Furburger 7. Baloney Pony 8. Beef Bayonet 9. Pork Sword 10. Dangling Participle 11. Humpmobile 12. Love Torpedo 13. Baconbazooka Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

When is Erotic truly Erotic?

Recently A Knight of Passion was reviewed by Romantic Times (Check out the April issue on page 271).

Here's part of the review:

"Although betrayal and villains play a major role in historical romances, Hyatt's tale is different. The supposed bad guy isn't so bad. The hero is a man of honor willing to die for the woman he loves, and the heroine plays her part well. What makes this story come to life are the emotional elements and the struggle to discover the true instigator of evil."

It's a good review, no doubt about it. But there is just one teeny-tiny problem—RT reviewed my book in the Erotica category. A Knight of Passion erotica? Considering I'd asked for my book to be reviewed for the historical romance section, I had to find out why. I got a very nice reply from the Executive Editor, and she explained that choosing the category is solely at the discretion of the reviewer and editor. And then she pointed out that on my website, I was calling AKOP "Erotic Historical Romance." And she was right. I was labeling my novel an erotic historical romance, yet in my mind, my book is a historical romance first and erotic second. But this category "blunder" really made me think.... Does my book truly belong within erotica?

Definition of Erotica: 1 : literary or artistic works having an erotic theme or quality. 2 : depictions of things erotic. (According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition.)

Definition of Erotic: 1 : of. devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire. 2 : strongly marked or effected by sexual desire. (According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition.)

Okay, I admit my love scenes DO tend to arouse, I certainly don't know to what degree, but one thing I DO know, my book is NOT dedicated to sexual love. Quite the opposite actually, AKOP is dedicated to the turbulent romance between Rianna and Reynard, of which sex is just a natural outcome, and the culmination of two people falling in love and expressing that love physically and emotionally. But is it REALLY erotic?

Before A Knight of Passion was published, I'd written nine novels, all "mainstream" steamy historical romances, using the usual flowery words in my descriptive love scenes like manroot and love chalice. I had a whole notebook dedicated to those "purple" terms, and I even dared to use the word cock to add some spice to my scenes. Meanwhile I was reviewing erotic romances for Historical Romance Club, and secretly envying all those lucky authors that got to use terms like pussy. Why couldn't I use those words? And then the day came when my editor suggested I make my love scenes erotic as I was already 3/4 of the way there... Wow, ME use terms like pussy and cock instead of pulsating man meat and honey pot? What a concept! And do you know what I did? I simply replaced all those flowery terms with more straight forward ones.

Let's look at these examples:

Pre-Erotic:

"Reynard swallowed her cry, feeling the tiny muscles of her love chalice convulse around him, clamping upon his pulsating manroot. Grabbing her hips, he rammed his lance into her. Suddenly he threw back his head, his body stiffening. Thrusting one final time, he came, roaring her name. His hot seed burst forth in orgasmic pleasure. The euphoria rushed through his body, pulsating from head to toe. Collapsing upon her lush curves, he was blissfully and wholly sated."

Post-Erotic:

"Reynard swallowed her cry, feeling the tiny muscles of her pussy convulse around him, clamping upon his pulsating cock. Grabbing her hips, he rammed his erection into her. Suddenly he threw back his head, his body stiffening. Thrusting one final time, he came, roaring her name. His hot cum burst forth in orgasmic pleasure. The euphoria rushed through his body, pulsating from head to toe. Collapsing upon her lush curves, he was blissfully and wholly sated."

(Ahhh yes, NOW I remember why I switched to "erotic".) But tell me, has anyone EVER heard the terms manroot and love passage OUTSIDE of romance? I'm willing to bet that's a big fat – NO! In this day and age, are we as readers so naive and "innocent" that we need to use flowery terms to describe the beautiful act of lovemaking when in fact we are ALL perfectly aware of what goes where and when and how? Has not the line between romance and erotic romance gotten thinner and thinner until it is now blurred? In recent years, I've noticed more and more "mainstream" romance authors making their love scenes more erotic, but are their books placed in the Erotica category? I think not.

This led me to think about other elements of my story, namely the violence and language. I like to be as accurate as possible but without giving the gory details, but no matter how you look at it, killing somebody with a sword is a violent and bloody act. And I'd bet a million donuts that men have been swearing for thousands of years, and wouldn't be surprised to learn that there were caveman grunts equivalent to "screw you" (I'm sure we could ask those cavemen on the Geico commercials, but they'd probably be insulted... LOL).

So I decided to drop the word Erotic from the description of A Knight of Passion, for surely it is so much more than erotic, and came up with another equally descriptive word which explains it all: Explicit.

Definition of Explicit: 1 a : fully revealed or expressed without vagueness, implication or ambiguity : leaving no question as to meaning or intent. b : open in the depiction of nudity or sexuality. (According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition.)

Exactly! What better way to describe A Knight of Passion—explicit in violence, language, sex and even character development. It implies so many things without actually labeling it.

So now I'm curious to know, when do you as a reader or author think erotic is truly erotic? Is erotic merely the use of a few choice terms in a love scene, or is it something more than that?