Sunday, October 28, 2007
Call forSubmissions: MM anthology
Double-space your manuscript. Include a header with the title of the story, your name and numbered pages. Indent each new paragraph .5 inches. If there is a scene break, indicate it with a centered***.
All submissions must include:
1. your full name, a pseudonym if used,
2. a brief synopsis, subject or genre,
3. the story attached
4. 'Submission to mm anthology' must be in the subject line,
5. Mail submissions and/or direct queries to kmfrontain@yahoo.ca
Submissions for the anthology closes December31, 2007.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Smiling Eyes
Smiling Eyes ~Biker Fiction/ Contemporary
Blurb: Lizzy would give it all back just to hear her mother's voice one more time… the house, the furniture...even the money. Regardless, her heartless step-father is determined to take what he feels is rightfully his. Handyman, Adam Woodward rides into Lizzy’s life and vows to keep her safe, but is it enough to stop the cold, callous determination of Ben Stokes?
Cocktail Reviews gives 5 flutes! Read HERE
BUY NOW
Friday, October 19, 2007
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
This month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, along with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many others. However, domestic violence, while a virulent disease, receives very little attention and is pushed under the rug.
Some years ago when I first moved to Los Angeles, I dated a man briefly whom I'd met salsa dancing. He was intelligent, attractive, and an amazing dancer. He was also abusive. On our first date, we met at a dance club where he and some of his salsa friends liked to go. We were having a great time until he said something that made me pause: "I would never allow one of my friends to dance with you. They might steal you away." A little voice in my head whispered: "Wait a minute, weren't these people his friends? And when did I become his property?" But I ignored that voice and gave him the benefit of the doubt.
By the second date, he had insulted me several times, but in an insidious manner that had me questioning myself. (The insults seemed to have a kernel of truth, but only enough to make the insults seem plausible and start the questions.) When I realized what was happening and that my self-esteem was spiraling, that little voice grew louder, more insistent. I listened--because whenever I don't, I usually end up in trouble. That's when the answer hit me: this man was an abuser. I felt in my bones. If someone is attracted to you and supposedly likes you, they don't insult you and they certainly don't treat you like property. If someone likes you, they praise you, they respect you, and they support your dreams.
In any case, we were supposed to see each other again the next day, but I decided that he was not good for me. The following phone call confirmed my suspicions. He belittled me in an attempt to get me to see him again. I refused. I am so thankful that I did and consider myself lucky to have escaped with very little damage.
I encourage every person who has ever heard that little voice warning them to get out...do it. That voice will never lie to you. It is protecting you. It is never wrong and it is never too late to listen. And you deserve better. You deserve to be emotionally supported, to be loved, to be praised, to be respected.
Most of us don't realize what constitutes abuse. Here is a list of behaviors that can be found in the foreword of Dreams & Desires: A Collection of Romance and Erotic Tales, published by Freya's Bower.
- Jeckel and Hyde behavior: Your partner is wonderful and caring for a while and then will do an about face and be angry about things that they thought were fine at an earlier time. They switch back and forth between behaviors for no apparent reason.
- Life Would be so Good If: You frequently think that your relationship would be perfect if not for his or her emotional storms. The storms seem to be coming more and more frequently. Between times, life is wonderful, but when a storm is coming, you can often tell by that Walking on Eggs Feeling.
- That Walking On Eggs Feeling: You feel at times that any action on your part will cause your partner to erupt into anger. You try to do everything you can think of to avoid it, but the longer the feeling goes on, the more likely the blowup will happen, no matter what you do.
- I Can't Stand You, But You Better Not Leave: Your partner keeps telling you that you aren't worth having a relationship with, but will not consider breaking off the relationship and acts more outrageously when he or she finds out you are attempting to leave the relationship.
- So Much, So Fast: Your partner just met you and doesn't know much about you, but he or she has to have you, so you must commit now.
- It's You That's the Problem: Your partner never seems to consider his or her own part in your domestic disputes. You get blamed for all problems because of the most ridiculous things.
- This Happened to Me and It's All Your Fault: You are blamed for your partner's problems even when it was his or her responsibility to not make mistakes. This could be things like him or her not getting to work on time and getting in trouble, not getting a job, not paying the bills in a timely manner, etc.
- It's Their Fault: Your partner is never the cause of his own problems; if it's not your fault, it was somebody else's.
- Overreacting: Your partner overreacts to little irritations. Small offenses like leaving the cap off the toothpaste cause him or her to have huge anger scenes or act out in an outrageous manner.
- I Will Get You for That: Your partner doesn't try to negotiate a better relationship, but retaliates by doing something to you that he or she knows will hurt you emotionally.
- All the Fights are about What I Do Wrong: You never seem to be able to talk about his or her wrong actions; the discussion always seems to be about what you did wrong, and there always seems to be something new that you did wrong.
- You are Worthless: Your partner keeps telling you that all your problems are because you can't manage to do anything right.
- Unrealistic Expectations: Your partner is dependent on you for all his/her needs and expects you to be the perfect mate, lover and friend. You are expected to meet all of his/her needs.
- Blames Others for His/Her Feelings: You are told, "You make me mad," "you're hurting me by not doing what I ask," or "I can't help being angry".
- Intense Jealousy: Your partner tells you that expressing jealousy is a sign of love. Jealousy is a sign of insecurity, not love. You are questioned about who you talk to and you may frequently receive calls or unexpected visits during the day.
- Isolation: He or she has attempted to cut off your family, friends, and independent financial resources. Your friends and family are put down, and you are put down for socializing with them. You or they are accused of ridiculous motives.
In honor of this month, we have discounted all formats of Dreams & Desires. Please help us help others now.
Marci Baun
Editor-in-Chief
Freya's Bower
Friday, October 05, 2007
Wild Child Reviews
We have some great new reviews. Congratulations, Jack, Gabriel, and James, and the Weirdly authors.
Oh, Ragnarok by Gabriel Llanas
"Fantastical beasts inhabit the pages... Excitement, weirdness, good writing... Bravo, Mr. Llanas!"
5 Champagne Flutes from Sangria, Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Genre: Crime Fiction/Fantasy
Book Length: Novel
Price: $5.95
The Writing on the Wall by James Goodman
"a fantastically crazy ride...a creepy, grippingly weird tale..."
5 Champagne Flutes from Bloody Mary
Reviewer for Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Genre: Horror
Book Length: Novella
Price: $4.75
Soul Haven by Sonja Baines
"fast-paced book with a high level of readability...an interesting cast of characters and settings... If you are a fan of suspense, my guess is you will enjoy Soul Haven. If you are like me and you've never tried a suspense novel before, give this one a shot. It is a fun read and a satisfying story."
8 from Sabine Maurier, Novel Spot
Read entire review.
Genre: Romance/Suspense
Book Length: Novel
Price: $5.95
Weirdly: A Collection of Strange Stories by Various
"fantastic set of tales... Weirdly gave me everything it promised and more... Top notch writing. I'll be recommending this to anyone and everyone. Stunning!"
5 Champagne Flutes by White Russian
Reviewer for Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Genre: Horror/Paranormal/Science Fiction
Book Length: Novel
Price: $5.95
The Thorazine Mirrorball by Jack Maeby
"a superb thriller...taut and colorful novel... Characters jump from the page... The Thorazine Mirrorball is highly recommended for all lovers of mystery/suspense, music, or crime novels..."
Aaron Lazar, author of the Le Garde Mysteries
Read entire review.
~ ~ ~
"within the first twenty pages I was hooked... The author has a clear understanding of mental illness...a unique and realistic voice. The suspense is gripping...a fantastic read that I wholeheartedly recommend!"
5 Cups by Regina
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Read entire review.
~ ~ ~
"A thriller of exciting proportions, The Thorazine Mirrorball will have you reading as quickly as you can to find out what happens next... A brilliantly penned novel...heart-thumpingly fast paced..."
5 Champagne Flutes by White Russian
Reviewer for Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Genre: Crime Fiction/Mystery
Book Length: Novel
Price: $5.95
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Marci Baun
Editor-in-Chief
Wild Child Publishing
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Faerie Anthology Submissions Call
In the Gloaming: A Faerie Anthology
A Faerie Anthology has been a pet project of mine for quite a while, so I'm looking for four to five authors who can do a bit of research into the realm of faerie lore. Some of my own artwork may be used for the cover, too, so I'm very excited about this anthology.
Faeries come in all shapes and sizes, wings and without, beautiful to ugly, malevolent to benign, helpful and irritating. Every culture has its own types of faeries and legends too.
I'm a faerie lore buff, so although sparkle wings and beauty is nice, chances are such material will have to be spectacular to wow me. Do your research and show me something new. For example, for a sweet romance weave a story about an ugly troll who finds love, or two selkies who are ostracized from their underwater world. There are phookas, kelpies, Red Caps, flora and fauna faeries, elves, dwarves, merfolk, sprites, pixies, Willow the Wisps, pucks, Jack-in-Irons, brownies, banshees, and their are specific worlds such as Tir Nan Og and various other faerie islands. There is a plethora of faerie info out there for you to draw upon...use it to dream and tranfer your dream into a unique submission.
This anth is fantasy at its highest. An element of legitimate faerie lore research must be present in the story. Remember, I know faerie lore, so I'll also know if you fudged the details, lol. The faerie lore must be integral to the plot.
Okay, 10K min wc and 20K max. Rating sweet to beyond sizzling. Deadline for submissions is October 31st 2007, although we may extend this deadline due to the interest in it. Submissions MUST have "SUBMISSION: FAERIE" in the subject heading. Address your letters to me.
NOTE: Depending on the interest for this anth, which has been great so far, I may create more than one volume. I'm not worried about perfect manuscripts right now. I'm looking for well-woven plots and assurance that the author has done h/her research. However, don't send me a train wreck in regards to sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation either.
I'll select 4 to 5 submissions out of the entire slushpile, depending on word count and if there's room for an extra submission. Any content is acceptable minus the taboos listed on our Freya's Bower submissions page. Lesbian and m/m content is accepted.
For this anth to be considered for print format, the e-book needs to sell a specific amount of copies (details will be discussed with contracted authors), so authors most be devoted to promoting.
If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me at editorfaith@sbcglobal.net. Also, if you know of a writing group or fellow writer who might be interested in this anth, pass this call along to them.
Faith Bicknell-Brown
Managing Editor
Freya's Bower
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
In Honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Starting tomorrow, and through the end of October, our charity anthology will be discounted.
Hardback: Normally $29.95; now $22.95
Paperback: Normally $19.95; now $14.95
eBook: Normally $7.99; now $4.99
Show your support to women in need. Buy this anthology now and know you are making a difference.
True love, freedom, money, knowledge, revenge... Dreams and desires of the ordinary woman, or man. From best friends who discover love to a bank teller who exacts revenge to a succubus who loves art more than men, this collection of nineteen stories celebrates the attainment of all one can dream or desire. Which one do you secretly yearn for?
By purchasing this collection, you can help turn someone's nightmare into the pursuit of dreams. Every year, four million women are assaulted by their partners. At Freya's Bower, we want to do our part to bring this statistic down to zero. To this end, all net proceeds from every Dreams and Desire anthology purchased will go to a battered woman's shelter. Through education and support, we can make a difference.
Authors: (in alphabetical order of last name): Jenna Bayley-Burke, Faith Bicknell-Brown, Amanda Brice, Sela Carsen, Rachelle Chase, Gemma Halliday, Candace Havens, Zinnia Hope, Jackie Kessler, Susan Lyons, Richelle Mead, Debbie Mumford, Rhonda Stapleton, Bebe Thomas, Emily Veinglory, Sasha White, Lois Winston, Shaunna Wolf, and Kit Wylde.
Rating: Sweet, Tangy, Spicy and Sizzling
Book Length: Plus Novel (85,000 words)
Genres: Various
New reviews
Freya's Bower would like to congratulate Jamie Hill, J. Emberglass, Isabelle Santiago, Kit Wylde, and Alyce Brown for their new releases and review and Emily Ryan-Davis for her review.
Cinematic Royalty by Isabelle Santiago
"a must read...refreshing and spot on... Absolutely BRILLIANT!"
A Whole Bottle of Champagne from White Russian, Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Rating: Sweet
Book Length: Category Novel
Price: $5.25
Genre: Contemporary
Edge of Sanity: Book 3 by Jamie Hill
"I need to find out who is doing this! Jamie Hill is driving me crazy!"
4 Champagne Flutes from Sangria, Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Rating: Tangy
Book Length: Chapter Book
Price: $1.75
Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary
Read excerpt from book 2.
Buy now!
Bedevilled: Book 4 by J. Emberglass
"A very hot and creepy book... I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the Bedevilled series..."
A Whole Bottle of Champagne from White Russian, Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Rating: Beyond Sizzling
Book Length: Chapter Book
Price: $1.75
Genre: M/M/M/F/Fantasy/Paranormal/Contemporary
Tahitian Nights: Book 3 by Alyce Brown
"Another brilliant instalment. Tahitian Nights: Book 2 is every bit as well written as Book 1. I'm excited, because I can go straight on to reading Book 3. See you in a while..."
A Whole Bottle of Champagne from White Russian, Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
"Brilliant, funny, a breath of fresh air..."
A Whole Bottle of Champagne from Wilga Hill Boomerang, Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Rating: Tangy
Book Length: Chapter Book
Price: $1.75
Genre: Chick Lit/Contemporary
The Whispering House: Book 2 by Kit Wylde
"Kit Wylde again demonstrates the special talent apparent in The Whispering House Book 1... Kit Wylde leaves the enthralled reader on the seat's edge waiting impatiently for the next installment..."
5 Swords from Reviewed by Frost
Read entire review.
"I'm excited to read the next instalment of The Whispering House. Hurry up and write, Ms. Wylde!"
5 Champagne Flutes from White Russian, Cocktail Reviews
Read entire review.
Rating: Tangy
Book Length: Chapter Book
Price: $1.75
Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary/Horror
Dragon Queen: Book 1: Mating Call by Emily Ryan-Davis
"richly woven, with intricate layers of plot, characterization, and raw emotion...highly suspenseful..."
4 Angels from LeeAnn, Fallen Angel Reviews
Read entire review.
Rating: Tangy
Book Length: Category Novel
Price: $5.25
Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary
Congratulations, Jamie, Alyce, Isabele, Kit, J, and Emily!
Enjoy!
Marci Baun
Editor-in-Chief
Freya's Bower
Monday, October 01, 2007
Submissions Call
Do you write science fiction, fantasy, or a blend of the two? Do you have a story between 2500-10,000 words? Then you may be interested in Wild Child Publishing's new science fiction/fantasy anthology titled Star Stepping: A Collection of Science Fiction/Fantasy Stories.
We are looking for mainstream science fiction (soft, hard or anywhere in between) and fantasy. Any planet, any time, any dimension as long as the story is science fiction or fantasy. Combining the two genres or combining one of the genres with another is also acceptable. New stories as well as reprints, provided the author owns the rights, will be accepted. No fan fiction, erotica, or copycat, please.
Please submit stories to: scififantasyanth@wildchildpublishing.com with "Science Fiction Anthology Submission" in the subject line. Please read our submission guidelines: http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/content/view/32/100/.
Submissions will be open from October 1 - December 15, 2007.
Marci Baun
Editor-in-Chief
Wild Child Publishing