Amazon poised to kick Apple's butt?

I've gotta love Amazon for being determined to go out there and rumble in the marketplace. Now they're unveiling a tablet--the Kindle Fire--which will do pretty much everything the iPad does, for just $199. They're actually going to sell it at a loss, counting on sales of books/music/movies/general merchandise. I can see this working out for them.


Also--they'll be unveiling a $79 Kindle. Have I mentioned libraries have started loaning Kindle-formatted ebooks now?


And you know, this could be just in time, because my poor Sony Reader's battery just doesn't last anymore.


Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!

Another Meg, another Wednesday

Just a short review about another Meg Cabot book (yes, I've been on a binge). This one is She Went All the Way. It's a fun, fast read...but this one isn't really appropriate for the YA crowd, in my opinion. Definitely more of an adult selection.


I'd rate it a: Nice Bang for Your Entertainment Buck. Well worth your time and money, but not necessarily worth a re-read. Pass it on to someone who’ll enjoy it and keep the author on your radar.


I think next on my reading list will be Irresistible Forces, by Brenda Jackson (currently FREE at the Kindle store--I think I got my copy at a holiday giveaway).


Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!

Interview with Lux Zakari

*insert Special Guest music*

Do I have Special Guest music? Well, anyway... today's feature is an interview with authorosa fabulosa, Lux Zakari:

1. What do you like most about writing erotica, and why?

I like that when I write about sex, it feels deserved. I want the scene to be both hot and like nothing else is more important, like the characters’ whole lives were leading up to this one moment. (And, because I am the boss of them, that is the case!) I enjoy creating intense relationships and having them culminate in a satisfying payoff. Doing so also allows me to get creative with ideas I may not have found sexy before, but now they absolutely are.

2. Conversely, what do you hate most about writing erotica/being an erotica author?

Ooh, I enjoy this question! The thing I hate the most about being an erotica author is that I often feel I can’t admit to most people what I write about and, subsequently, that I have a few published works under belt, which is a great achievement and I’m very proud of that. Children’s authors have it easy! I, on the other hand, never know how people will react, with all the writing about erogenous zones I do. I know personally that if I met someone or was interviewing someone for a job and he or she said they wrote erotica novels in their spare time, I’d be all, “Tell me more, tell me more, didja get very far?” and clamoring for details. But I know not everyone’s like that. Some are fainter of heart.

3. Do you think any stereotypes about romance writers or readers are true?

I’m not even sure what stereotypes of romance writers exist! I can’t even begin to suppose. I will say no, because I enjoy romance stories and feel that I am as weird as they come. (Or are romance writers/readers weird as they come? I don’t know!)

4. Finale doesn’t look like the typical romance. (HEA?) Was it a big deviation from your “usual” work?

Finale is definitely not the typical romance. I consider it an unconventional love story, with stress on “unconventional,” considering the story opens with the hero being dead. (On that note, I should probably clarify that there is zero necrophilia in this story! There is not that much stress on “unconventional.”)

As for it being a deviation from my usual work, I don’t think that I yet have usual work for myself. Coercion was my first novel, and it was both erotic and dark, and I suppose that did set a standard for what my future work would be like. However, Finale is definitely a departure from that; I think readers will be surprised at the differences between the two stories. Two other stories of mine that are in pre-publication deviate even further. I hope that readers will associate my work with not any kind of presumption of a plot, but rather that the story will be sexy, funny and intriguing. I’d like my readers to expect not knowing what to expect!

5. If you had it to do over, would you start your writing career differently?

Not at all. I worked hard to get where I am, and actually, I don’t really consider myself truly anywhere yet! I think I’m still at the start of it. There is more to come.

6. Any advice for new/unpublished writers?

Actively seek opportunities that grant you and your writing exposure; you never know where one of those opportunities will lead. For example, writing articles for a local paper may seem far from your dreams of being a famous novelist, but it isn’t. You’re improving your writing, padding your resume and making contacts – people who know other people, who may have other opportunities for you. Wedge that foot of yours in the door. Use social media to make friends with other authors; bounce ideas off each other and don’t be shy about asking for advice. Most of the time, people are happy to help.

Thanks, Lux! You've been awesome. (and now I have that song from Grease in my head for the day, LOL)

Readers, check out Finale, or learn more about Lux at luxzakari.com

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Person of Interest... Interesting

Because it's so hard to track down reviews of new shows... :)

We watched Person of Interest last night, with Michael Emerson, best known for his portrayal of Ben on LOST (and I have to confess, he's half the reason I decided to try it. While his characters are creepy, he does creepy so darn well, I have a hard time resisting).

Verdict? Definitely will be watching next week. Although the premise is a bit dark, the acting and storyline were good, and hello hottie Jim Caviezel. Talk about a badass character! I think I've found my replacement for Human Target (Though Caviezel isn't quite a Mark Valley for me, at least not yet).

Anyway. Here's a professional review, too.

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy!

Sometimes a few minutes is plenty.

It's premiere week--one of my favorite times of the year. I love finding new, awesome shows. (although I'll admit, sometimes I'm a slowpoke and don't really catch on to the really good ones until their 2nd season or beyond)

We watched 2 Broke Girls Monday, and the snarky bits really cracked me up. (tender moments, not so much; don't know if it was the acting or the script was just smarmy in places) I'll probably watch it again next week. 2 1/2 Men con Ashton is a big YES from me.

Last night I gave Unforgettable a shot. Briefly. And you know, I love The Mentalist, and there was another show a few years ago about a psychic who "witnessed" crimes (murders?) that I kinda got into. But this one? Meh. Maybe I was permanently turned off by the show's expert, who went through a crime scene/home and determined the woman who lived there was a "lonely woman" because all her books were romances.

!!!!

Now, I understand it was the character's opinion, and not necessarily the script writer's... except none of the other characters refuted his call. Kinda irked me. Kinda irked me enough that I picked up my phone and cruised Twitter til I was caught up, then glanced up in time to see some psychic scenes flashing by and really couldn't bring myself to care about the story anymore. Changed the channel to the news. See, for a character to be a successful, liked-by-fans jackass, he's got to have established a relationship with his audience first. Be an amazing, smart-as-hell doctor, like Greg House. But not some dude who just spouts jerky opinions. (wrong opinions, by the way. LOL)

So that's a free time slot I'll have every week. :)

Piper Denna

Romance is sexy! (not lonely, you asinine, opinionated twit of a cop-character)