Sensual Energies

A Favorite Quote of mine

"Twenty years from mow you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

It helps sum up why I keep writing, even with the rejection.

If I didn't write, I'd probably go crazy. I love the entire creative process involved in writing a book from concept to finished manuscript.

Now if only I could find an easy way to do a synopsis then I'd be happy.

ERWA - Erotic Romance Writers Association

Erotic Romance Writers Association:

"We're a non-profit association of published and non-published professional writers, dedicated to promoting the highest standards in the erotic romance genre.

We believe erotic romance, and those associated with the genre (ie.publishers, cover artists) merit the recognition and acceptancecurrently provided to other established romance genres, without censorhip.

We shall seek to encourage and advance the erotic romance genre, by providing advocacy, leadership, and educational opportunities -- both within the organization and to the general public at large."

I joined this group a couple of weeks ago and wanted to put out the call to others who might read my writing journal. We are in the preliminary stages now of setting this organization up, so input from fellow erotic romance writers, editors, publishers, cover artists, etc. is greatly appreciated. Please join us and help us to build this organization.

-Join Here-

Comments Please

Comments are welcomed and appreciated on all my posts so feel free to say what you want/feel - even if we may not agree with each other. I welcome your thoughts and opinions.

A healthy debate is good.

What gives you the right?

Yet another moved post ---

I'm an avid reader.

Heh heh heh! No big surprise there right? I mean I usually am right 2 or perhaps 3 books at a time. People ask me how, why, etc. I don't know. I get bored easily. I lose things a lot, right now I don't know where my glasses are and I need those to see. But that's not the point. Just like I have 3 different manuscripts being written at the same time, while not simultaneously cause even I'm not that crazy, when I get blocked or frustrated or think my writings crap (depending on my day and the way the wind of life is blowing) I pick up a different manuscript cause as I said I get bored easily. Again not the point.

I love to read. I have books from high school, even elementary school still.

Okay the point - I don't like reviews. I try not to read them. And I often wonder who gives the reviewer the right to review? What are the credentials? Qualifications?

Just a love of books? I have that.
A degree in English? I have that too.

A lot of books I get I buy either from the cover art is interesting and the blurb interested me and i've browsed a few pages and it caught my attention. Or from word of mouth like Michael Baisden's God's Gift to Women my best friend recommended it and I agree, excellent book. Now if I had just went by the reviews, I probably would have passed on it.

How many people have passed up a good book because of a bad review? Or picked up a bad book because of a good review?

Aren't reviews just another person's opinion? I mean, when did we start letting others dictate what would be of interest to us in reading and in life. Why should their opinion matter and not our own? Why don't we trust ourselves? Obviously something about the book must have interested us or we wouldn't have picked it up right?

Sometimes I think I'm going to start a book review site with my friends and co-workers who read. We read all types of books.

But me, I'll focus on the "black" books. The African American, Multicultural and even erotic romance and erotica books because they get a lot of bum rap in reviews.

I have a degree in African Studies so that should qualify me right? I read alot? And I have sex sometimes so I know what turns me on.

So - do you read reviews? Go by word of mouth?

A Good Comeback

Another Writing Related post that needs to be moved --

When asked why it takes me so long to work on and complete a manuscript?

My response - I'm sorry but I only have 26 letters to work with.

It amazes me how easy people think it is to write a book. Let me correct that a good book and then to get it requested, agented or published.

Also I'm reminded of the fact that if it were that easy to do then everyone would be doing it. Kinda like breathing.

Now most people can write, if they are literate, and that's not a slam. But a lot of people can't write.

Understand?

Let me further clarify, it's not as easy as it looks. It's more than just throwing words on a paper or typing them into a word processing program.

So thinking about this, writers are a rare breed of people. Personally sometimes I think you have to be alittle bit loco to want to write a book. Do you understand the criticism and rejection that you are opening yourself up to?

To write a book, to want to write a good book and get it published for hopeffully millions of people to read - you have to be or have:

strength
independent
thinker - quick, advanced, free
persistent
manipulative
perserverance
thick skin
imaginative
desire
go-getter
open-minded
heart

Ignorance is Bliss

Okay here's a post from my personal blog - I'm moving it here cause it's writing related/relevant:

why oh why must there be idiots in this world?

I'm a writer. And if I hear the words, "Not black enough." or "Need to inject more realism" into my manuscript or into a friends manuscript or even an established author's book ---- I will scream.

One of my completed multi-cultural manuscripts, which I let my critique partner read. And really, it's no problem (she does what she does. helps me out. debates certain issues of the story).

I like that. but then we got on the topic of job choice for characters.

Because a third member of the group, a non-writer - strictly a proofreader and continuity checker says --- "aren't you afraid of making them too Huxtable-ly".

Now I know what she means and I pointed out that Huxtable-ly is not a word but I also pointed out that there are black doctors, lawyers, rocket sciencist, engineers, etc. Then she wanted to add more "flavor, ethnicity" to the story - perk it up some. well i thought the story was/is perky.

and I don't write "perky".

--- Sidebar: Can someone define perky for me? In reference to writing? Cause truthfully I don't get it. -Okay back to the rant/ramble: ---

Of course, I'm curious, have a way too overactive imagination and I've been told I think too much, so of course, me being me, wondered if she meant making them gangstas, drug dealers, unwed teenage mothers, drug addicted, poor, living in the ghetto, etc. So I asked if she was hinting or trying to infer that it wasn't "black" enough. Which I totally hate and really really pisses me off. Why do my characters have to smoke marijuanna, roll their eyes and necks with their hands on their hips wearing 4 inch blood red nails and 5 inch heels?

Answer - they don't. but it just really frustrate me that someone would say/imply/think that.

Making the transition

I'm moving some of my more writer related posts from my personal blog over here.

Is that a new RWA rule in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

A link to Lee Goldberg's post on the RWA.

Caught in the Storm

Another one to run up the flag pole. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

This was inspired by the rain storm last night --

Casual sex with strangers wasn't Miranda Garvey's style.

Miranda sauntered into Meridian's Nightclub dressed in a cinnamon colored wrapped dressed which accentuated her full figure and now slimmer waistline. She wore an exact match cinnamon open-toed stilleto.

She couldn't have timed her entrance any better if she had actually planned it. She stepped through the thick glass door seperating the front from the inner sanctum of the club, just as the music stopped. Immediately, she scanned the club looking for her prey for the evening and she found him, across the room, looking her directly in the eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat as the music began and the chocolate adonis made his way towards her. Having never done this before and not wanting to seem to open or to desperated, Miranda went to stand by the bar. She attempted to get the bartendars attention but they were focused at the other end of the long mahongoney bar, away from her.

"What are you drinking?" the chocolate adonis asked. He sounded, she imagined, like molasses would if it could speak. Thick, rich, and making the hairs on her neck stand up.

Accidental Soulmates

Okay haven't thought of a title for this one yet - so the title to this post is just off the top of my head.

How does this sound for an opening --

It started like everything else in her life, by accident.

Lettie Wilson was the most accident prone and the luckiest person on the planet. She got her car, apartment and job all by accident. All by being in the right place at the wrong time.

So when Lettie began her affair with soon-to-be married Derrick Redford, it of course began by accident.

---

Comments and thoughts on the title? Suggestions?

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

ERWF BLOG CIRCLE PRESS RELEASE

ERWF BLOG CIRCLE PRESS RELEASE (1):

"Dark Erotica" is not a phrase that immediately makes a lot of sense. After all erotica is "come hither" and dark implies "run, run for your lives!" However on some strange and visceral level there is a peculiar similarity between lust and fear, And there is no doubt that a blending of the two is easily found from the "holy dread" described in the classic poem "Kubla Khan" to Anita Blake’s love triangle with a werewolf and a vampire lord.

Logical Lust, an e-publisher of diverse erotica, is the last to mine this rich seam. "Eternally Noir" is a dark erotica anthology including sixteen stories including a startling variety of ideas and sexualities. The stories range from openly amusing to genuinely spooky and are, in my entirely biased opinion, well worth the $3.95:

http://www.eternallyerotic.com/eternallynoir.html

Welcome

Welcome to my blog.

I am angeleque.

I write sensual romantic fiction and romantic erotica fiction. This is my blog about my writing journeys.

Enjoy and feel free to comment.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005